"Buried Alive", the new video from former PANTERA bassist Rex Brown, can be seen below. The track is taken from Rex's debut solo album, " Smoke On This", which will be released on July 28 via Entertainment One (eOne). The disc marks the first time in Brown's career in which he serves as both lead vocalist and guitarist in a band.
For "Buried Alive", Rex re-teamed with Justin Reich (Zakk Wylde, Ace Frehley), who also directed the video for "Train Song".
"Justin once again did a fantastic job," says Brown. "The video captures every bit of emotion I had when I was writing the song as it's a very personal song for me."
The video was shot in Nashville, Tennessee where the record itself was recorded and produced. Rex's bandmates are also featured in the video. Lance Harvill, who also co-wrote most of the LP with Brown, plays lead guitar. Joe Shadid plays rhythm guitar and TYPE O NEGATIVE/DANZIG member Johnny Kelly plays drums. Caleb Sherman can be seen on keyboards and lap steel as well.
"Buried Alive", "Train Song" and "Crossing Lines" are now available on all streaming platforms and as iTunes instant-gratification tracks, meaning fans who pre-order the LP today will get the tracks instantly.
Brown's solo debut strips away any boundaries and preconceived notions, reveling in a newfound freedom to express all of the various shades of the man whose name is out front. The song "Fault Line" helped him find his voice. "That was the very first one I sang," Brown said. "After I got that one, I knew that I could do it, and Lance was my biggest motivator in finding that voice. Up until that point, I just wasn't sure."
From there, there's the brilliantly straightforward "Lone Rider", the monstrous "In Through The Out Door" vibe of "Crossing Lines", the PINK FLOYD reverence of "Best Of Me". "Get Yourself Alive" is something of an ode to "Strawberry Fields Forever", but with a swift kick of rock 'n' roll. It's rich in nuance, with Indian tandoori and layers of vocals. The extremely catchy "Grace" is "something you would never expect to hear off a Rex Brown record and that's exactly why I did it," he said. "It's just a really great song, period. Bottom line."
Rex's solo album is full of mojo and the force of character, determination, and nerve. He tracked lead vocals, rhythm guitars, and bass, working with his primary collaborator and old friend Lance Harvill, a Nashville-based guitarist and songwriter, on the album's songs. "Lance was and is my main man on this. Everything we did was finely tuned, both musically and brotherly."
Drums were tracked by Christopher Williams, himself no stranger to diverse tastes, from funk music to punk. His talent has been utilized by country music star Lee Greenwood, the reconstituted BLACKFOOT and most recently, power metal legends ACCEPT. The album was produced by New Yorker-turned-Nashville-transplant Caleb Sherman, a multi-instrumentalist with work on records by LITTLE BIG TOWN and PORTER BLOCK, among others. "Caleb produced the project from a musician's standpoint," adds Brown. "Not just a typical producer's standpoint, which was something I definitely needed. Between Caleb and Lance, we were a force to be reckoned with. They really pulled out the best in me." Peter Keyes, known for his work with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, can also be heard on a few tracks. All bass tracking came from Rex himself as well.
"My motto these days is 'Shake some shit up,'" Brown declares. "I've had my ups and downs, like anybody in this business. I wanted to feel like a true artist again, where I can write and record songs without worrying about any of the bullshit. This is just something else I'm doing for fun, man. And musical freedom. Fun has to come into it or I'm not going to do it. I've had a tremendous career and now I feel like I'm twenty-five years old again. This has given me that freedom I needed."
"I've got so much more in me," he enthuses. "I'm just getting my feet wet."
Brown previously described his solo album as "a rock and roll record. It's not your standard fare or typical metal thing," he told Metal Hammer magazine. "I was always a big [LED] ZEPPELIN fan and even though it has its little fringes of it... It's a new journey that sounds like anywhere from FOGHAT to old Tom Waits. I'm a child of the '70s and I love those kind of songs."
After leaving DOWN in 2011, Rex went on play with KILL DEVIL HILL, which has released two albums so far: "Kill Devil Hill" (2012) and "Revolution Rise" (2013).
"Ignite", the new video from PROJECTED, the band featuring SEVENDUST members John Connolly (guitar) and Vince Hornsby (bass) alongside ALTER BRIDGE/CREED drummer Scott Phillips and guitarist/vocalist Eric Friedman (a.k.a. E-Rock; TREMONTI), can be seen below. The clip was produced, directed and edited by Jamie Brown for Smoking Gun Productions.
"Ignite" is taken from PROJECTED's sophomore album, "Ignite My Insanity", which will be released on July 21 via Rat Pak Records. The two-disc collection is currently available for pre-order in various configurations at this location.
The follow-up to 2012's "Human", "Ignite My Insanity" features twenty-one all-new tracks from PROJECTED and continues to build upon the sound the band established with its debut. It is an album designed to resonate with fans from the members' original projects and guaranteed to garner new fans along the way. From the melodic piano interlude of the opener "Strike" to the raucous ending of closer "Battlestations", the new album takes the listener on a journey inside the minds of the band. Songs like "Six Feet Below", "Gomorrah", "Inhuman" and "Upside Down" are infectious rockers. The first single, "Reload", is a frenetic composition that showcases the musicianship of these accomplished performers. ALTER BRIDGE/TREMONTI songwriter Mark Tremonti co-wrote "Rectify" and "Call Me The Devil" and SEVENDUST's Morgan Rose co-wrote "Concede" with PROJECTED. On the subject of PROJECTED's new record, Connolly comments: "There are four very strong personalities in this band. Everyone has been in the business doing various things, from ALTER BRIDGE to CREED to SEVENDUST to TREMONTI, and it took all those elements and sounds to make this album what it is!" Phillips adds: "We're all part of other bands that we've put our heart and soul and life into and this was just a chance to extend that into somewhat of a different direction." Friedman comments: "When I think PROJECTED, the first words that come to my mind is a very raw and honest band. Things aren't overthought. It's very organic." Hornsby says: "We've been playing so long together, you know it's kinda like a marriage to a certain degree. It really warms my heart to be able to play with my friends and these great musicians."
"Ignite My Insanity" track listing: Disc 1
01. Strike02. Reload03. Six Feet Below04. Vain05. Rectify06. Faith07. Gomorrah08. Heaven Above09. 10 Years Gone10. Only
Disc 2
01. Fire02. Ignite03. Call Me The Devil04. Concede05. Inhuman06. Better07. Hate You Back08. Upside Down09. Seconds10. Inside The Sun11. Battlestations
"Fucked Up", the new video from JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT, the new band featuring singer Josh Todd and guitarist Stevie Dacanay (a.k.a. Stevie D.) of BUCKCHERRY, can be seen below. The song is taken from JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT's debut album, "Year Of The Tiger", which will be released on September 15 via Century Media.
The clip, directed by the renowned Chris Cuffaro (PEARL JAM, GEORGE MICHAEL), is the second of three videos shot as a mini-concert this past May in the band's hometown of Los Angeles.
Todd states: "Literally everything in my life was in disarray when I set down to write lyrics to this song. There were so many fucked up individuals I was having to deal with. All the circumstances were pushing me to get to another level. I love 'Fucked Up' because it's aggressive, honest and feels like it's coming off the rails at points. My favorite part is the bass vocal breakdown, as Greg has such a wicked tone and he is grinding it in there. It's easily one of my favorite tracks on the new album."
"Year Of The Tiger" was co-produced by Dacanay and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz. The aforementioned new disc is also now available for pre-order (see below) and anyone pre-ordering "Year Of The Tiger" will also automatically receive an instant-grat track of the title song.
Regarding the motivation to start this new project, Josh said: "I have a lot of story telling in me and I always wanted to start another band. Something more reckless and off-the-beaten rock path.
"A lot of changes had taken place in BUCKCHERRY and I didn't want to go another year without making new music.
"BUCKCHERRY is in a great place; we have a great new lineup and we have a handful of dates to complete this year. However, my full attention is on JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT and the record dropping on September 15th. We're gonna do a worldwide tour behind this. My goal is to give each band a break, so I can stay consistently making music without over touring and build both situations into something really cool."
He continued: "It was time for me to make a record. It has been two years since I put out new music and that's a long time for me. I am a student of the game and this was an opportunity to not just make a traditional-sounding rock record like I have been doing in the past. THE CONFLICT stuff is heavy, melodic and honest, with a lot of risk taking, and these are the records that bring out the best in me."
Swedish death metal supergroup THE LURKING FEAR will release its debut album, "Out Of The Voiceless Grave", on August 11 via Century Media. Recorded at Welfare Sounds in Gothenburg, Sweden, the disc will be available as special-edition digipak CD, gatefold LP on 180-gram vinyl with a poster and as a digital download. The album's LP edition will be available on classic black vinyl as well as on limited colored runs as follows: silver vinyl (200 copies; CM Distro Europe), clear vinyl (200 copies, Sweden) and golden vinyl (300 copies; CM USA).
The video for the song "The Infernal Dread", taken from "Out Of The Voiceless Grave", can be seen below. The clip was created by Martin Ahx of Matokiller Graphics.
THE LURKING FEAR vocalist Tomas Lindberg said: "With this clip, we really tried to catch the essence of the raging madness of a live show with THE LURKING FEAR: raw, unrelenting, pure death metal terror. The whole idea of the band is to capture the unnerving, disturbing emotional impact of death metal, and that´s also what we bring to the stage. Catch us live to get a glimpse of the madness yourself! The song itself is our death metal anthem, presenting the core elements of our sound in its rawest and simplest form."
The cover artwork for "Out Of The Voiceless Grave" was designed by Stefan Thanneur and can be seen below. "Out Of The Voiceless Grave" track listing:
01. Out Of The Voiceless Grave02. Vortex Spawn03. The Starving Gods Of Old04. The Infernal Dread05. With Death Engraved In Their Bones06. Upon Black Winds07. Teeth Of The Dark Plains08. The Cold Jaws Of Death09. Tongued With Foul Flames10. Winged Death11. Tentacles Of Blackened Horror12. Beneath Menacing Sands
Lindberg previously stated about the "Out Of The Voiceless Grave" artwork: "Stefan Thanneur understood the vision I had for 'Out Of The Voiceless Grave' straight away. He has portrayed the exact same nightmare vortex of interstellar death and terror that I envisioned when I wrote the lyrics and came up with the concept. Pure cosmic evil. Even more twisted madness than my imagination could portray. I have been very happy to work with yet another great talent. You can never get enough tentacles." Featuring members/ex-members of illustrious and influential acts like AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED, SKITSYSTEM, DISFEAR and GOD MACABRE, THE LURKING FEAR is not just another retro all-star project, but a real band of five death metallers who organically got together in order to celebrate the metal breed closest to their roots as well as their hearts. THE LURKING FEAR is:
* Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES) - Vocals* Jonas Stålhammar (THE CROWN) - Guitar* Fredrik Wallenberg (SKITSYSTEM) - Guitar* Andreas Axelsson (DISFEAR, TORMENTED, EDGE OF SANITY) – Bass* Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED) – Drums
Citing common inspiration by bands like AUTOPSY, POSSESSED, early DEATH, REPULSION, early MORBID ANGEL, SLAUGHTER, BATHORY, early SLAYER and MASTER/DEATH STRIKE, THE LURKING FEAR previously stated about the band's formation: "We are a death metal band. Not your average new wave of old-school death metal band. We play death metal from the heart with pure emotional impact and a focused artistic vision. This is the music we live and breathe. Always have, always will. "We have all played in various other bands for over 25 years and we just want to spew out the music that we want to hear. When we get together, this is what comes out of naturally, because we share the exact same reference points. We love 'Seven Churches' and 'Mental Funeral' for the exact same reasons. "We want our death metal ugly, twisted and possessed. We miss the urgency, intensity and 'realness' in a lot of the modern death metal. Therefore, it is natural for us to stray away from the streamlined sounds of today, but rather focus on bringing sheer, natural weirdness and horror back to the table…"
Vertigo-inducing death metallers INCANTATION have unveiled their brand new video for the track "Messiah Nostrum", taken from the band's tenth full-length album, "Profane Nexus".
Regarding the Don Taylor-directed video, drummer Kyle Severn said: "Our second offering off of our new album 'Profane Nexus', 'Messiah Nostrum', is about world religion and prayer culminating at a point in the cosmos before time, creating a messiah. This messiah's only desire is to destroy what created it. The performance was filmed by Don Tyler, who captured the darkness of the song perfectly."
"Profane Nexus" will be released on August 11 on CD/LP/digital via Relapse Records. Recorded at the band's own Incantation Studios in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and mixed/mastered by Dan Swanö (BLOODBATH, ASPHYX, DARK FUNERAL), the disc "embod[ies] a dizzying array of blasphemous tracks, culminating in sacrilegious conquests, crushing dirges, and vile riffing," according to a press release.
The cover art, titled "Draping The Tar Monster", was created by Eliran Kantor.
"Profane Nexus" track listing:
01. Muse02. Rites Of The Locust03. Visceral Hexahedron04. The Horns Of Gefrin05. Incorporeal Despair06. Xipe Totec07. Lus Sepulcri08. Stormgate Convulsions From The Thunderous Shores Of Infernal Realms Beyond The Grace Of God09. Messiah Nostrum10. Omens To The Altar Of Onyx11. Ancients Arise
The current version of L.A. GUNS — which includes singer Phil Lewis and the band's co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns — will release its new album, "The Missing Peace", on October 13 via the Italian record label Frontiers Music Srl. The disc's cover artwork was created by the Las Vegas portrait painter Kahla and can be seen below.
As the revival of the classic '80s hard rock and heavy metal scene continues unabated here in the 21st century, one reunion has been at the top of the wishlists of many a fan for a long time: the songwriting combination of Tracii Guns and Philip Lewis under the L.A. GUNS banner. What once seemed like a distant memory with no hope of returning has now come around and fans are about to be rewarded for keeping their fingers crossed and their hopes up. Today, the first video for the album's debut single has been released. Watch the clip for "Speed" below.
Guns describes the song as "a response to the extremely fast-paced 'I want it now!' world we are living in." Hard rock aficionados should keep their ears opened for a nod to the great DEEP PURPLE's legendary track "Highway Star" in one of the verses.
"The Missing Peace" track listing:
01. It's All The Same To Me02. Speed03. A Drop Of Bleach04. Sticky Fingers05. Christine06. Baby Gotta Fever07. Kill It Or Die08. Don't Bring A Knife To A Gunfight09. The Flood's The Fault Of The Rain10. The Devil Made Me Do It11. The Missing Peace12. Gave It All Away "'The Missing Peace' is truly an album by definition," said Guns. "It's a collection of music that I have been working on for about twelve years with various styles of rock music. From blues to classical influences, these are all hard-hitting songs. I am very proud of all of the contributions to this album by other members and writers. L.A. GUNS fans are in for a treat."
The last time Lewis and Guns joined forces was back in 2000 with legendary producer Andy Johns for the making of what would become "Waking The Dead". Speaking with Express & Star, Tracii said: "With Phil and I in particular, we have a certain chemistry that's undeniable. And, you know, when you're at your loneliest, you wanna go home, right? So, we both felt like it was time to go home and be comfortable with that undeniable relationship that we have musically. I mean, right away, the first time we got back together and played, you know, it's so obvious, you can't deny it. At some point in your life, you can't deny what's real." Regarding the sound of the new L.A. GUNS material, Tracii said: "Phil's vocal style and his way of writing kind of offsets that balance of the heavy music, that's something that's possibly more mainstream or identifiable, so there's a lot of, you know, kind of typical sleazy L.A. GUNS, high-energy riff rock. There's a little bit of sloppy New Orleans, kind of sweaty, kind of bluesier stuff too. It's a big record." L.A. GUNS' present lineup is rounded out by Shane Fitzgibbon on drums and Johnny Martin on bass with Michael Grant on guitar as a touring member. On the topic of the decision to use the L.A. GUNS moniker for the new album, Guns told LA Weekly: "When you put Phil and I together, that's the sound of L.A. GUNS. There's no way around that. As much as I love certain other [former] members of the band, it's hard to say what their contribution to the overall sound of the band was — but Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, the band's gotta be L.A. GUNS. It can't be anything else." Back in December, Phil announced that he was leaving the L.A. GUNS version that included drummer Steve Riley. L.A. GUNS 2017 is:
Phil Lewis - VocalsTracii Guns - GuitarsJohnny Martin - BassMichael Grant - GuitarShane Fitzgibbon – Drums
GODSMACK singer Sully Erna has partnered with the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and Recovery Centers Of America to raise awareness about the growing opioid crisis in America. Sully and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation have teamed up to create a brand new video featuring the song "Different Kind Of Tears", the first single off Erna's current solo album, "Hometown Life", available now via BMG. The raw and powerful video for "Different Kind Of Tears" — a song dedicated to teenage angst from the heartbreaking perspective of a parent — features actual footage from parents who have lost their children to opioid addiction via overdose.
The latest numbers published in The New York Times report that opioid deaths grew to over 60,000 nationwide in 2016 and they are projected to grow even higher in 2017. The Department of Health in Massachusetts alone reported statewide deaths caused by opioid overdoses topped 2,000 in 2016 for the first time, meaning each day an average of nearly six men and women inject, snort or take a drug and never wake up again. This grim discovery inspired Sully to team up with Jim Wahlberg, executive director of the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, who, alongside Recovery Centers Of America, is dedicated to protecting families and raising awareness to stop the opioid crisis one neighborhood at a time. "When Jim Wahlberg approached me to get involved with the Foundation to combat the out-of-control opioid epidemic sweeping this country, it was an easy decision," explains Erna. "Most of the charity work I have done is based around helping out inner-city kids to begin with — since I was that kid myself once — and especially since the opioid problem is now so severe in my hometown of Lawrence, Massachusetts. This song and video echo the feelings of struggle and loss people experience with this addiction and yearns to be heard." "This video addresses one of the most serious health issues facing our society today," explains Wahlberg. "Addiction touches every culture, every family and ultimately every one of us. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with a very talented musician on this important project." "Our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends and our families are being affected by the addiction epidemic," said Rich Smith, chief marketing officer of Recovery Centers Of America. "With the goal of saving one million lives, we felt that it was a natural partnership for RCA to join Sully Erna and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation to increase awareness of just how prevalent this epidemic has become and the resources for help, like RCA's inpatient and outpatient facilities." According to data from a February 2017 report on opioid overdoses from the CDC, in 2015 there were over 22,000 deaths involving prescription opioids, equivalent to about 62 deaths per day. An increase from approximately 19,000 in 2014, a significant portion of the increase in deaths was due to deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, which includes fentanyl. Law enforcement agencies have reported recent increases in seizures of illegally-made (non-pharmaceutical) fentanyl. It is presumed that a large proportion of the increase in deaths is also due to illegally-made fentanyl. The CDC further discloses thatprescription opioids continue to be involved in more overdose deaths than any other drug, and all the numbers are likely to underestimate the true toll given the large proportion of overdose deaths where the type of drug is not listed on the death certificate. The findings show that two distinct, but interconnected trends are driving America's opioid overdose epidemic: a 15-year increase in deaths from prescription opioid overdoses, and a recent surge in illicit opioid overdoses driven mainly by heroin and illegally made fentanyl, both trends continued in 2015.
"Where I Stay", the new video from POWERFLO — the band featuring BIOHAZARD's Billy Graziadei and former FEAR FACTORY bassist/guitarist Christian Olde Wolbers alongside Sen Dog from CYPRESS HILL, Rogelio Lozano from DOWNSET, and Brazilian drummer Fernando Schaefer — can be seen below. The song is taken from POWERFLO's self-titled debut album, which was released on June 23 via New Damage Records.
Sen Dog stated about the clip: "The video is a look into the car and motorcycle cultures in the Los Angeles area where some of the most recognized low riders, car clubs, motorcycle clubs and tattoo artists have helped bring these worlds to light. The video is a great representation of the city we love and call home."
Melding hip-hop, metal, punk, and rock into a potent offering, POWERFLO draws on its powerhouse resume to collectively smash boundaries. The album is produced by Josh Lynch and Billy Graziadei, mixed by Jay Baumgardner (GODSMACK, PAPA ROACH, HELMET) and mastered by Maor Applebaum (FAITH NO MORE, HALFORD, ADRENALINE MOB) at Maor Applebaum Mastering. The origins of POWERFLO can be traced back over more than two decades as the members of the band would collaborate on numerous occasions. In addition to both CYPRESS HILL and BIOHAZARD appearing on the landmark platinum-selling "Judgment Night" soundtrack, Sen Dog delivered a cameo on BIOHAZARD's "State Of The World Address" in 1993, while Christian both guested on CYPRESS HILL's chart-topping 2000 double-album "Skulls & Bones", which Roy also guested on, and 2001's "Stone Raiders" in addition to performing with the group countless times. In 2015, longtime friend Roy played demos for Sen on a ride to the airport. The music immediately spoke to the rapper and thus POWERFLO was born.
Regarding how the name for the new project came about, Christian told The New American Media: "Basically, Sen Dog was spitting his game on some of the heavy riffs and shit. And he was, like, 'Do you like this?' And Roy, the other guitar player, said, 'Yeah. A power flow. That's good.' So that's where it kind of came from."
POWERFLO's "Victim Of Circumstance" video was directed by Graziadei, who has described the band's musical direction as a cross between IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and CYPRESS HILL.
POWERFLO is currently supporting P.O.D. on a West Coast run of dates.
The official video for the song "Heartbreak And Séance" from U.K.'s legendary extreme metal icons CRADLE OF FILTH can be seen below. The track is the first single off the band's eagerly awaited twelfth album, "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay", which will be released on September 22 via Nuclear Blast.
Commented CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth: "Working with such an artistic director as Artūrs Bērziņš was indeed an honor, as the video shoot was very extensively planned, involving a myriad of extras and crew, make-up girls and set builders, a crow, some well-behaved snakes and a considerable amount of snow, candles, water, trees, naked bodies, lamentable mourners, as well as all being submerged in suitably gothic landscapes and vistas. And the fact that we travelled to Riga in Latvia to film it was also very unique and interesting. The video itself is fantastic, drawing from the darkly erotic imagery of the album artwork and bringing it to richly technicoloured classical life. We had such a blast shooting it, as the accompanying photos attest to..."
Bērziņš is the mastermind behind the "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" artwork, photography and videography — best known for his defiant neo-symbolism raster graphics and oil paintings; postmodern interpretations of classic myths. He has been proclaimed as a "sacred monster of Latvian postmodernism".
"Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay" was recorded at Grindstone Studios, Suffolk, U.K. by the very honorable Scott Atkins, who has been the resident go-to producer for CRADLE OF FILTH for several albums. Dani Filth sat in during the mix, serving up flaming mugs of teas, making the studio couch his own and lending his ears when necessary.
Commented Dani: "The album is deeply infused with Victorian gothic horror and thus the title is a reflection of that. 'Cryptoriana' implies the Victorian's infatuation with the supernatural, the grave and the ghoulish. And the subtitle 'The Seductiveness Of Decay' further cements this attraction to death and the glittering lengthy process of self-annihilation."
CRADLE OF FILTH has also announced its first full-scale U.K. and Ireland tour in years, starting in Belfast, Northern Ireland on October 30.
Added Dani Filth: "We, as a band, are incredibly excited about hitting the U.K. and Ireland for a full run of dates around All Hallows Eve, as playing the band's home country is always great fun and the audiences here are very receptive. And nuts. The dates will be the first in a long line of shows that will extend throughout the rest of the world throughout 2018. We aim to be very prolific on the live front, delivering a show worthy of our fans' exalted expectations and more."
London-based extreme death metal group, Abhorrent Decimation, have released a video for the new track “The Scythe In The Dark”, featured on their upcoming sophomore album, The Pardoner, hitting digital and physical retailers worldwide on July 28th, via Prosthetic Records. The clip is available for streaming below.
The ten track, 50 minute opus was recorded, mixed and mastered by bassist David Archer at Audio Empire. The intricate artwork for The Pardoner was created by German illustrator Karmazid, based on a visual concept by Vocalist Ashley Scott.
Conceptually, the album is an in-depth exploration into "The Pardoner", English poet Geoffrey Chaucer's most depraved and deceitful character from The Canterbury Tales. "The Pardoner" is a religious fraud and hypocrite who preaches against the love of greed, yet whose own love of wealth enabled him to profit off the sins of others. He claimed to work on behalf of the clergy, selling spiritual forgiveness for one's sins in the form of his pardons, which included forged "official letters" from high ranking church officials absolving one of their sins and bones and crystals blessed with healing powers. In Chaucer's story, "The Pardoner" tells a harrowing tale of three men whose materialism becomes the death of them.
Vocalist Ashley Scott comments on the lyrical content of the album: "Lyrically, the album opens with a scene setter. 'Pardoners' would often operate with a partner called a 'Soothsayer'. A 'Soothsayer' would visit a town prior to 'The Pardoner's' arrival. It was his job to stir locals up regarding their sins and the repercussions thereof. He would advise people that if they could find a 'Pardoner', they should do so and atone for their sins by buying a pardon or indulgence.
“Tracks 2 to 7 are the story 'The Pardoner' tells of the three men, avarice and Death. In many places throughout tracks 2 to 7, I actually use Middle English turn of phrase. In some places, I have used my own interpretation and translations of Chaucer's work and in other places; I introduced some of my own narrative and details. The idea was to create an obvious storytelling feel to this section, with word play and rhyme playing a major role in what I did, as I wanted to ring as true to the original as possible. Track 8 is my own conclusion of the inexorable nature of death and greed. Track 9 is an instrumental and then the record closes with Track 10, The Pardoner. A sort of self damning, confessionary monologue.
Tracklisting:
“Soothsayer”
“Heretic Sacrifice”
“Votive Offerings”
“Granted Indulgence”
“Black Candle Gathering”
“Conspire”
“A Glass Coffin Burial”
“The Scythe In The Dark”
“Host”
“The Pardoner”
STONE SOUR has released a video for an acoustic version of the band's new track "Song #3". The clip can be seen below.
"Song #3" is taken from STONE SOUR's latest album, "Hydrograd", which was released on June 30 via Roadrunner Records.
STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor previously stated about "Hydrograd": "We have six singles on this album. I'm really excited. This album is great because it's got elements of everything. It's got the heavy energy of the '80s, there's punk moments, there's hard rock moments — all the great amalgam of music. There's even jazz and hip-hop moments; it's really, really cool. It's probably the coolest album I've made since the first SLIPKNOT album. I feel very confident making that statement because it's so good."
"Hydrograd" was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER. The band tracked the album live in the studio, cutting a total of 18 songs from which 15 made the CD.
Bassist Johnny Chow described the disc as "a straight rock and roll album" in an interview with Detroit radio station WRIF, adding, "It's just very groove-oriented, very melodic (with) big choruses. We've got some mellower songs on there too, which are equally just as amazing and have a lot of groove to them."
Chow called the record a "bit of a departure" from previous STONE SOUR albums.
STONE SOUR has had eight Top 10 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs, dating back to "Bother" in 2002. The band has landed three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and has sold 2.1 million albums in the United States to date, according to Nielsen Music.
Italian vampire metallers, Theatres Des Vampires, have released a video for their new single, “Resurrection Mary”, taken from the band's latest album Candyland, out now via Scarlet Records.
This is how singer Sonya Scarlet describes the video: "“Resurrection Mary” has been inspired by a real ghost. Since the 1930s, several men have reported picking up a young lady while driving in the Chicago area. She is dressed in a white party dress and dancing shoes. When the driver gets close to the Resurrection Cemetery, the young woman asks to be let out, whereupon she disappears into the cemetery. With this video we wanted to give our own interpretation of the Ressurrection Mary story."
Swedish metal act, Prime Creation, have released a video for “War Is Coming”. The song is taken from their debut album, released a couple of months ago on Scandinavia’s premiere metal/rock label, Mighty Music. The video was recorded and produced by Rasmus Arnell.
The band says: "War is coming actually has nothing at all to do with the kind of war that we first may think of, it's about the inner war or struggle that we all feel from time to time,more or less. It's about people with psychological problems."
Prime Creation was formed in early-2015 and consists of skilled and experienced musicians, delivering modern hard-driving metal. The band rose from the ashes of the succesful power metal band Morifade and consists of ex-members Robin Arnell on lead guitar, Mathias Kamijo on rhythm guitar, Henrik Weimedal on bass guitar and Kim Arnell on drums.
During the songwriting the band was frantically searching for a vocalist and after a couple of months they came in contact with Esa Englund and the last piece of the puzzle was laid. This was when the hard work begun, Prime Creation finished all the songs and at the end of the year they started to record the first song.
Tracklisting:
“Years Of Crossness”
“War Is Coming”
“Born In Fear”
“27”
“In The Red”
“Friend Of Trash”
“Scream”
“Crown Of Creation”
Philadelphia’s The End A.D. will release their debut album, Scorched Earth, on August 25th via Massacre Records. The album was mixed by Mike Bossier, and mastered by John Fachet. The artwork was created by Chris Cold.
The official video for the single "Infinite Jest", directed by Marc Brodzik (Woodshop Films) and edited by Andrew Geller, can be seen below:
Scorched Earth is available for physical pre-order in selected online stores, and is available for an attractive 'Newcomer Price'.
The End A.D. also introduced its new lineup in late June: Taking over the vocal duties from now on is Ami Friend, and bassist Paul Orkin also joined drummer Lorin Savadove and guitarist Paul Juestrich. Vocalist Otto Luck, bassist Dave Carr as well as guitarist John Plumley have left the band due to personal reasons.
Scorched Earth features Otto Luck on vocals, Lorin Savadove on drums, the guitarists John Plumley and Paul Juestrich as well as bassist Dave Carr.
The band plans to shoot a video for the single "When Wolf-Spiders Ruleth The Land" soon, thus introducing the new lineup the world!
South Wales, UK death metal outfit, Venom Prison, have released a music video for “Perpetrator Emasculation”, a track from the band’s debut full-length album, Animus, released last year via Prosthetic Records. Recorded at a recent house-show in their hometown, this shows the band at their most feral.
Recorded by Tom Dring at Vagrant Recordings (Dragged Into Sunlight, Electric Wizard), Animus is 10 tracks of aural assaulting brutality. Venom Prison tackle subjects such as social Darwinism, misogyny, rape culture and the rejection of God and religion. As seen below, the artwork for Animus was created by German based legendary artist, Eliran Kantor (Testament, Sigh) who worked closely with Larissa to capture some of the themes of the album.
Tracklisting:
“Syllogism”
“Abysmal Agony”
“Celestial Patricide”
“Desecration of Human Privilege”
“Corrode The Black Sun”
“Immanetize Eschaton”
“The Exquisite Taste of Selfishness”
“Devoid”
“Perpetrator Emasculation”
“Womb Forced Animus”
EXIT EDEN, the all-female four-piece ensemble featuring Amanda Somerville, Clémentine Delauney, Marina La Torraca and Anna Brunner, has released a video for its cover version of the song "Unfaithful", originally recorded by Rihanna.
Why a cover of "Unfaithful"? The band explains: "Rihanna is one of the major artists in pop music these days, always on the edge of being too much, too provocative, too vulgar, yet with a hint of grace of her own. We like that, but felt that it could use a sharper edge and a darker, no-apologies vibe. The accelerated tempo gives it a new energy and spins us into oblivion with the march of banners held high!" EXIT EDEN unites all attributes ascribed to the new millennium: cosmopolitan, self-confident-independent and ready to do their very own thing. Despite their diversity, the four singers blend together personally as superbly as they do vocally with their very diverse vocal tones and techniques that go from opera style to raspy rock. This constellation created extraordinary and powerful ideas and finally became their unique plan to raise EXIT EDEN's very own edge: to show the world that almost every classic song can be transformed into a solid metal-rock song. EXIT EDEN's debut, "Rhapsodies In Black", which will be released on August 4 via Napalm Records (worldwide excluding Germany, Switzerland and Austria, where it will be made available via Starwatch), is home to a colorful mix of international super hits from Rihanna to Madonna, from DEPECHE MODE to Adele, and many more. Still and all, it's miles away from being just a cover album. Who the musicians are: Amanda Somerville: Amanda is a rock-solid authority of the music scene, both as a solo artist and sharing success and the stage with bands like AVANTASIA, EPICA and KAMELOT. Though her American roots are based in pop and rock, she fell in love with the metal scene and made it her home. She has toured with Alice Cooper, Ian Gillan and many more legends with her commanding voice and fronts the projects TRILLIUM and KISKE SOMERVILLE (with HELLOWEEN icon Michael Kiske). All of this, combined with her wide range of experience, grants her a unique edge and a permanent address in the metal world. Anna Brunner: A natural talent, Anna began singing at a very young age. As a daughter of a German father and an American mother, she grew up bilingual and founded her first rock band as a teenager. Due to a music study that lead her through different parts of the world, she garnered a multitude of experience and it became crystal clear to her: music has to rock — and vocals need to be emotional — just like a passionate scream. Marina La Torraca: Hailing from Brazil, Marina was born with rhythm in her blood. As the auspicious frontwoman of several metal bands since the age of 15, her path led her to Europe, where she got to perform with AVANTASIA and to found her up-and-coming band PHANTOM ELITE. Since having studied musical theater in New York, the versatile singer and actress can also be seen internationally in Musical productions, including the upcoming German tour of the Broadway hit "Rent". For her, being close to the crowd is what counts — no problem for her and her natural convincing character. Clémentine Delauney: Clémentine was born near Paris 30 years ago. She has been a multi talent since her childhood days — no matter if she was dancing, playing the piano or singing, she enchanted her audience. At the age of 16, she joined her first metal band. She is currently fronting symphonic metal outfit VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and also worked with SERENITY and MELTED SPACE. Another one of her career highlights is her participation on Kai Hansen's (HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY) first solo album, released in 2016. Thus, Clémentine has carved her way into being one of the great performers of the scene.
"Rhapsodies In Black" track listing: 01. Question Of Time02. Unfaithful03. Incomplete04. Impossible05. Frozen06. Heaven07. Firework08. Skyfall09. Total Eclipse10. Paparazzi11. Fade To Grey
Southern California's VALOR & VENGEANCE has released the Adrienne Beacco-directed music video for the song "Sinking Further". The track is taken from the band's debut EP, "Angels And Kings", which will be released independently in the fall. Formed in Huntington Beach in September 2009 by bassist Paul Perry, VALOR & VENGEANCE "[brings] new media culture designed for the next millennium" and "[fuses] vocal melodies and words of inspiration that every individual of all ages can relate to," according to a press release.
VALOR & VENGEANCE consists of Perry, Adam Ryan on lead vocals, Mike Muenzer on lead guitar, Tyler Morgan on guitar and backing vocals, and Dylan Roy on drums.
An earlier version of VALOR & VENGEANCE released a single, "Over & Over", which won "Best Metal Song" in 2011 at the Hollywood Music In Media Awards. The track was also made available via "Rock Band 3" in February 2012.
VALOR & VENGEANCE's next live show is scheduled for August 26 at Rock City Camarillo in Camarillo, California. Overseas dates will follow in the fall, as well as a North American tour in the spring of 2018. For more information, visit www.valorvengeance.com.
Wayward Sons’ debut album, Ghosts Of Yet To Come, will be released on September 15th. The band are releasing four videos to support single releases. The videos together will make one short film. You can see the latest video, for new single “Alive”, below.
Wayward Sons is a UK guitar act made up of Toby Jepson (vocals, guitar), Sam Wood (guitar), Nic Wastell (bass), Dave Kemp (keys) and Phil Martini (drums). They have an impressive resume of groups they have previously worked with - Little Angels, Gun, Spear Of Destiny, Treason Kings and Chrome Molly to name a few - which is reassuring in terms of the band as players, but doesn’t really hint at their sound. Wayward Sons sound nothing like the sum of their parts. The music is hard rock but mixed with a vitality and energy - both musically and lyrically.
Ghosts Of Yet To Come is a hugely accomplished debut album - as might be expected. From the staccato riffing of “Give It Away” to the melodic intro of first single “Until The End”, from the hard rock of “Ghosts” to 4/4 rock of “Don’t Wanna Go”, the album sounds familiar yet of its own. Toby Jepson had the basis of songs written when the band formed. Together they then took these rough song ideas and forged their own sound. Lyrically the album sees Jepson treading a far more personal line than some of his previous output.
“I feel I have unfinished business, stories still left to tell, points to make, noise to create, all of the above... besides, it wasn't a choice, more of a need. My intention is very simple. I want to write about what makes me tick; about what I believe in. Hopefully you will believe in it too. It will be warts and all,” says Jepson.
The album was produced by Wayward Sons (Toby Jepson’s previous credits as a songwriter and producer include the likes of Katie Melua, The Virgin Marys, The Answer and Toseland) and Chris D’Adda (Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds).
Tracklisting:
“Alive”
“Until The End”
“Ghost”
“Don't Wanna Go”
“Give It Away”
“Killing Time”
“Crush”
“Be Still”
“Small Talk”
“Something Wrong”
“Alive” video:
“Until The End” video:
“Until The End” alternate studio video:
Wayward Sons have a series of dates through 2017, with more to follow.
July
26 - Bristol, UK - Louisiana
28 - Derbyshire, UK - Rock And Blues Custom Show Festival
29 - Kent, UK - Ramblin’ Man Fair Festival
30 - Ebbw Vale, UK - Steelhouse Festival
Integrity have released a teaser for their new music video for “7 Reece Mews”. The full clip will be released tomorrow, Thursday, July 6th.
Known for being one of the most incendiary and influential bands in hardcore and modern metal history, apocalyptic heavy music icons Integrity return with their 12th studio album, entitled Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume.
A conceptual foretelling of the final days of Armageddon, Howling... is a manifestation of pentecostal nightmares and religious depravities, wrought with fire and brimstone sermons and occult prophecies bathed in waves of destruction. Now with almost 30 years of creating dark and terrifying anthems under their belt, Integrity have honoured their past musical legacy while fearlessly moving forward into unchartered territory on what is undoubtedly their most elaborate and ambitious effort to date.
Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume was recorded and mixed at Developing Nations Studio in Baltimore with mastering handled by Brad Boatright (Obituary, Toxic Holocaust, Full Of Hell). The album will see its release on CD/2xLP/Deluxe 3xLP/CS/Digital via Relapse Records on July 14th. A music video for the song “Hymn For The Children Of The Black Flame”, directed by Jimmy Hubbard, can be viewed below.
"The horrifically stunning aesthetic of director, Jimmy Hubbard has taken us deep into the realm of forbidden nightmare and religious inversion. Hubbard has breathed a new hell into our song, “Hymn For The Children Of The Black Flame”,” says vocalist Dwid Hellion.
Physical pre-orders and exclusive bundles are currently available via Relapse.com at this location, while digital pre-orders are available via Bandcamp here.
The Deluxe 3xLP contains three additional bonus tracks, a 12 page LP sized booklet featuring expanded artwork and a double-sided slipmat. The digital version will include four additional bonus tracks. A complete tracklisting is available below.
Additionally, Integrity recently announced a European tour this June followed by a Japanese tour in October. A trailer for the European run featuring the opening track "Fallen To Destroy" can be viewed below. A complete listing of dates is included below.
Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume tracklisting:
“Fallen To Destroy”
“Blood Sermon”
“Hymn For The Children Of The Black Flame”
“I Am The Spell”
“Die With Your Boots On”
“Serpent Of The Crossroads”
“Unholy Salvation Of Sabbatai Zevi”
“7 Reece Mews”
“Burning Beneath The Devils Cross”
“String Up My Teeth”
“Howling, For The Nightmare Shall Consume”
“Viselle De Drac” (Digital / Deluxe Vinyl Bonus Track)
“Entartete Kunst” (Digital / Deluxe Vinyl Bonus Track)
“Deathly Fighter” (Digital / Deluxe Vinyl Bonus Track)
“The Perfect Silence” (Digital Bonus Track)
“Hymn For The Children Of The Black Flame” video:
“I Am The Spell” video:
Tour dates:
October (with Creepout)
6 - Tokyo, Japan - Antiknock
7 - Mie, Japan - Chaos
8 - Osaka, Japan - Hokage
9 - Tokyo, Japan - Earthdom
Chastain's We Bleed Metal 17, due for release on August 28th via Pure Steel Records, is the next generation of the band's 2015 CD, We Bleed Metal.
Guitarist David T Chastain explains the new release: "As everyone knows I don't tour any longer and spend all of my time in the studio. So I experiment a lot with both new and old material. We Bleed Metal 17 has the same drums and vocals as the original We Bleed Metal but it has 100% new and completely different music. A totally different sound and feel from the original version. Also on most Chastain albums there are always at least five guitar tracks per song. However on We Bleed Metal 17 there is only one guitar track per song. So this is a very live sounding release with actually more lead guitar than the original. This is as close as anyone is ever going to get to a high quality live Chastain album. There is one guitar, bass, drums, lead vocal and a couple of harmony vocals. Also We Bleed Metal 17 has a very live sound with more drum room mics incorporated into the mix. You can hear Stian Kristoffersen's drums more as they are front and center on this release without a massive wall of rhythm guitars taking up space in the mix."
Returning vocalist Leather Leone adds: "This is my favorite Chastain release since Mystery Of Illusion!"
David continues, "As time goes on I have learned to enjoy the more stripped down sounds. In the early days sometimes there would be 20 guitar tracks on a song. Needless to say it was impossible to replicate that live and a major reason I never liked to tour. To me there was too much missing from the recorded versions for me to enjoy myself."
Vocalist Leather Leone was the vocalist on the classic Chastain albums Mystery Of Illusion, Ruler Of The Wasteland, The 7th Of Never, The Voice Of The Cult and For Those Who Dare. Leather rejoined the band in 2013 with the release of the impressive Surrender To No One. She has just recently toured Europe as a solo artist with her new Brazilian backing band being billed as Leather Leone: The Voice Of Chastain. Leather is putting the finishing touches on her new solo album that should be out later in 2017.
Leather adds, "The response has been fantastic on my live concerts! I have been signing autographs for 20-year-old boys whose parents had turned them on to us. They come up to me crying. The boys from Brazil are so blown away by our fans. Spain, Germany and Sweden were crazy. I feel like I'm 20. The female fans are so hot and the boys in the band are loving it!"
Also returning for We Bleed Metal 17 is original Chastain bassist Mike Skimmerhorn who once again lays the foundation so that the rest of the band can explore and create.
Guitarist David T. Chastain states, "This one live guitar sound is something I have been use to most of my professional life in concert situations but never recorded a metal record in that format. We still have a foot in the past but we are also embracing the future. I have my style of writing metal and it isn't ever going to change to any major degree. Leather proves she hasn't lost anything from her glory days. Stian's kicks the band to the next level, as he is the youngest member with the most modern influences. For me this album is one of my favorite Chastain releases in the catalog because it could be replicated100% in concert. I find myself being able to listen to We Bleed Metal 17 over and over."
As the title track declares: "We will sacrifice and we will pay the price cause WE BLEED METAL!"
ÑØÀ
Rex Brown
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