British rock icons Skunk Anansie have released their brand new single, "Can’t Take You Anywhere", a deliciously sinister slice of tense drama, powered along by a roaring chorus. Channelling the same dark power as Depeche Mode and Placebo, with pummelling rhythms, twisted electronics and crystalline guitars, Skin tells the tale of a friend or lover causing chaos wherever they go.
Discussing the song she explains: "This track is a double-edged sword. We all have that one friend that we love but is a total embarrassment to us, a mate that has no off button and no filter. So if they aren’t losing their phone / keys / coat, they’re saying some stuff that will defo get you cancelled by all your other mates. This song is about how polarised the world is now, and how careful you need to be. It’s about dealing with the new world order of friendship, as never before have I had great long term friends develop completely opposing views to mine. It's about having to navigate and understand people, keeping the love and respect but also standing firm in your opinions."
Pick up the single via the digital platforms found here.
The official music video for "Can't Take You Anywhere" can be viewed below. It was filmed during the first week of Skunk Anansie's 25Live@25 Tour in Spain and Portugal.
Skunk Anansie will be heading out on a massive European tour this spring, featuring rescheduled dates from their hugely acclaimed 25th Anniversary tour, with new shows also added due to phenomenal demand. Dates are as follows:
April
7 – Nottingham, UK - Rock City [SOLD OUT]
8 – Manchester, UK - O2 Victoria Warehouse
9 – Brighton, UK - Dome [SOLD OUT]
11 – Cardiff, UK - University [SOLD OUT]
12 – Bristol, UK - O2 Academy [SOLD OUT]
14 – Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
15 – Folkestone, UK - Leas Cliff Hall [SOLD OUT]
16 – Guildford, UK - G Live
18 – Leicester, UK - O2 Academy
19 – Lincoln, UK - The Engine Shed
21 – Norwich, UK - The LCR, UEA [SOLD OUT]
22 – Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy 1
23 – Sheffield, UK - O2 Academy
25 – Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall
26 – Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy
27 – Leeds, UK - O2 Academy
June
16 – Oxford, UK - O2 Academy
17 – London, UK - Meltdown Festival
26 – Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms [new show]
Oakland, California-based melodic death metal trio Darkness Everywhere presents their first video, created for their namesake track which is found on their recently released debut EP, The Seventh Circle, out now on Creator-Destructor Records.
Darkness Everywhere unites vocalist / guitarist / drummer Ben Murray (Light This City, Wilderness Dream), guitarist Cameron Stucky (Crepuscle), and renowned producer engineer Zack Ohren on bass. The Seventh Circle refers to Dante’s Seventh Layer Of Hell, where acts of violence in life are punished in death. The endless torture inflicted upon human souls for their past sins of hatred is an all-consuming reality in the lyrical themes of the seven songs on the band’s debut EP.
The Seventh Circle was recorded in late 2020 at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, engineered and produced by Zack Ohren, and completed with cover artwork by Samuel Nelson. The EP also features guest vocals from Laura Nichol (Light This City) on “Survival Of The Sun”, by Xavier (Upon Stone) on “The Seventh Circle” and by John Henry (Darkest Hour) on the “The Grand Impact”.
The band’s first video for “Darkness Everywhere” was filmed and directed by Van Labrakis (Nite), Michelle Nisbet, and Marshall Wieczorek, and edited by Alessandro Pulisci of Ugly Owl Films. Ben Murray states, “This video was an absolute blast to make. Thanks to the awesome crew who helped us out! Van, Michelle, and Marshall all did a really great job in their directing, allowing us to capture the unhinged, live energy of this song. We wanted to keep things simple and visually get straight to the point, which I think we accomplished. I always really enjoyed straightforward performance videos that matched the intensity of the band’s riffs/songs, and I think we got that done with this video. We’re also stoked to highlight the first actual ’song’ on the album, which wasn’t one of three singles. We hope you enjoy it!”
Having just begun playing live in recent weeks, Darkness Everywhere will take part in Creator-Destructor’s Two Nights Of Terror double-show weekend booked for this Friday, April 1st and Saturday, April 2nd at X Bar in Cupertino, California, joining Crepuscle, Spinebreaker, Scalp, Cartilage, Slowbleed, Extinguish, Upon Stone, Doomsday, Mutually Assured Destruction, and Outta Pocket. Darkness Everywhere will also be opening for Darkest Hour and Toxic Holocaust in San Francisco on June 30th.
Darkness Everywhere formed in late 2020 with the goal of writing songs heavily influenced by the classic mid-1990s Swedish melodic death metal sound. This isn’t the individual members’ first round around the block when it comes to melodic death metal, as Murray is a founding member of Bay Area band Light This City, and Stucky is a member of symphonic melodic metal act, Crepuscle. Ohren recorded and produced all of Light This City’s albums throughout the past 20 years and continues to be one of the leading metal producers in the industry, having worked with Machine Head, All Shall Perish, and many more.
The glory years of early In Flames, At The Gates, and Dark Tranquillity are what largely inform the sound and aesthetic of Darkness Everywhere. The core of the band is built on the feel of those legendary records, while offering a refreshing take on the no frills melodic death metal sound akin to the output of modern outfits The Black Dahlia Murder, Darkest Hour, and The Haunted. The band wastes no time in getting to the point of melodic death metal riffing and driving, thrashing tempos.
The Seventh Circle tracklisting:
"Apocalyptic Nightmares"
"Darkness Everywhere"
"The Grand Impact"
"Lost Dimensions"
"Reign Of Chaos"
"Survival Of The Sun"
"The Seventh Circle"
Frontiers Music Srl will release Agenda 21, the new studio album from the recently reformed progressive metal band Zero Hour, on May 13.
Original members Jasun Tipton (guitars) and Erik Rosvold (vocals) have recruited bassist Andreas Blomqvist (Seventh Wonder) and drummer Roel van Helden to join them on this new chapter for Zero Hour.
Today, the band has released a drum playthrough video for the song "Stigmata". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Agenda 21 here.
Originally formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in '90s by Jasun and his brother Troy, Zero Hour released six studio albums from 1998 to 2008. Their self-titled debut (1998), The Towers Of Avarice (2001), Metamorphosis (2003), A Fragile Mind (2005), Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond (2006), and Dark Deceiver (2008). The genesis of Zero Hour was to create heavy, melodic, dark, intricate music with influences from diverse influences like the Dio-led years of Rainbow, The Pat Metheny Group, and Dream Theater.
Zero Hour dissolved after the release of their 2008 album Dark Deceiver, when Troy Tipton suffered an arm injury that prevented him from playing bass. After Jasun and Erik got back together to start the band back up, they recruited drummer Roel van Helden. Jasun and Roel had become friends after Roel’s group at the time, Sun Caged and Zero Hour played a gig as direct support for Liquid Tension Experiment. They stayed in contact and years later, Jasun caught up with Roel overseas and they chatted about making music together. Roel was then instrumental in bringing Andreas into the fold as one of Roel’s former bands had toured with Andreas' band Seventh Wonder.
Jasun structured the music for Agenda 21, tracking the guitars and keys. Roel then arranged the drums and entered Kohlekeller Studios to record the drums with Kai Stahlenberg. Andreas followed by arranging and recording his bass at Cross Back Studios. Erik Rosvold wrote the lyrics for the songs on Agenda 21 with the vocal melodies arranged by Erik and Jasun together as the vocals were recorded.
Sonic Perspectives has posted high-quality fan-filmed footage of Sepultura performing their Chaos A.D. track, "Propaganda", at Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 25. Watch below:
Sepultura's 30-day North American Quarda Tour kicked off on March 4 in Sacramento, CA and will conclude on April 8 in Berkeley, CA. Support includes Sacred Reich and Crowbar, with openers Art Of Shock.
General admission tickets and VIP packages are now available for purchase here.
Remaining tour dates:
March
28 - Southport Music Hall - New Orleans, LA
29 - Come and Take It Live - Austin, TX
31 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
April
1 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
2 - GMBG - Dallas, TX
3 - Rockhouse - El Paso, TX
5 - The Nile Theater - Phoenix, AZ
6 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
8 - Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA
9 - The UC Theatre - Berkeley, CA
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Jeff Gutt joined CHEAP TRICK on stage in Brisbane, Australia on March 27 during the two bands' joint "Under The Southern Stars" tour to perform the CHEAP TRICK classic "I Want You To Want Me". Fan-filmed video can be seen below.
Prior to the launch of the tour, which also featured BUSH, ROSE TATTOO, ELECTRIC MARY and BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, Gutt told The Rockpit about the prospect of sharing the stage with CHEAP TRICK: "We did a couple of tours with BUSH [before]; they're great guys and it's great to see them again; it's something that never gets old and Gavin's [Rossdale] a great dude, But I've never met or spoken to or even been introduced to anyone in CHEAP TRICK, so I'm psyched and can't wait to get out there and fanboy over that every night. I'll be checking them out from the side stage. It's gonna feel like a successful moment standing there while CHEAP TRICK is playing. It's pretty cool."
In November, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS scrapped the remaining shows on their U.S. tour — including an appearance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida — after a "member" of the band's "organization" tested positive for COVID-19.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz.
Gutt, a 45-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS in 2017 after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.
Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.
Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled "Perdida", in February 2020. The disc was Gutt's second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.
Last November, Chicago, Illinois-based metal outfit REPENTANCE released its latest EP, "Volume I – Reborn", via Noble Demon. The effort contained five tracks of aggressive, fast-paced and technical compositions, amplified by a tight and sharp production, which were praised by fans and critics alike. From said EP, the band has just released a brand new music video for the song "Down In The Water", which was directed, shot, and edited by Alex Zarek, with lighting design and programming by Brian Olivo.
REPENTANCE vocalist Adam Gilley stated about "Down In The Water": "The song is about trying to overcome the struggles from within and ultimately succumbing to the demons of disease in the end."
REPENTANCE guitarist and band founder Shaun Glass added: "When writing the new material, I really wanted to make sure each song had their own identity yet fit into the sound of the band. With this track, the main verse riff set the pace for a dark heavy groove that doesn't let up and brings the listener in a twisted journey… Adam's King-Kong-sized vocals put the stamp on this song and also this is my first song that I actually also handled the guitar solo, which is a nice tribute to Dimebag Darrell (PANTERA) and Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER) - RIP."
"Volume I - Reborn" will finally be available on vinyl on March 30, after a long wait caused by the current situation in pressing plants worldwide.
REPENTANCE will play its next concert on Saturday, April 2 at Cobra Lounge in Chicago.
Founded in 2018 by former SOIL and DIRGE WITHIN guitarist Shaun Glass and with a critically acclaimed debut album under their belts ("God For A Day", 2020), REPENTANCE soon became known for their distinctive heavy yet dynamic sound, packed with details, groove and intensity. Playing numerous shows with high-profile acts such as TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER, JINJER, SKULL FIST, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, SACRED REICH and others, REPENTANCE have taken the heavy scene by storm and represent a sound, which is sure to obliterate fans of extreme music everywhere.
"Volume I - Reborn" was produced by Alex Lackner at Accelerated Sound and mixed by Chris Collier at CMC 21 Productions.
I AM MORBID, the band featuring formerMORBID ANGEL members David Vincent (bass, vocals) and Pedro "Pete" Sandoval (drums), kicked off its "Morbidfest" 2022 European tour on March 24 in Berlin, Germany. I AM MORBID, which also includes guitarists Bill Hudson (NORTHTALE, DORO) and Kelly McLauchlin, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of MORBID ANGEL's second album, "Blessed Are The Sick".
Fan-filmed video of I AM MORBID's March 26 concert at Streetfood in Aalborg, Denmark can be seen below.
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. Immortal Rites
02. Fall From Grace
03. Visions Of The Dark Side
04. Day Of Suffering
05. Blessed Are The Sick
06. Rapture
07. Pain Divine
08. Sworn To The Black
09. Eyes To See, Ears To Hear
10. Dead Shall Rise
11. Maze Of Torment
12. Dominate
13. Where The Slime Live
14. Dawn Of The Angry
15. God Of Emptiness
16. World Of Shit
I AM MORBID's current tour marks the first time Sandoval and Vincent have played together in 12 years.
Sandoval, who now lives his life as a born-again Christian, was forced to leave MORBID ANGEL in 2010 after undergoing surgery for a prolapsed disc.
Vincent told Invisible Oranges in a December 2013 interview that Pete had "found Jesus," which meant that Sandoval and MORBID ANGEL were no longer "compatible."
Sandoval has past the last few years recording and touring with TERRORIZER, whose latest studio album, "Caustic Attack", was released in October 2018 via The End Records.
A year ago, Sandoval released an Instagram video in which he addressed some of the most commonly asked questions regarding his time with MORBID ANGEL. He said: "I've been asked about who's my favorite singer or which era is my favorite one — the era with David Vincent or with Steve Tucker. Well, I wanna tell you that I love both eras. I had fun. I had a great time working with David Vincent, and I had a great time working with Steve Tucker as well. So, from 'Altars Of Madness' [1989] to 'Heretic' [2003], they're all masterpieces for me. We worked hard [on] those albums. So I'm telling you my answer that I don't have a favorite album, I don't have a favorite era, I don't have a favorite singer — I love 'em all. I had a great time in both eras with every album."
Sandoval added: "And as far as the album released in 2011" — referring to MORBID ANGEL's controversial "Illud Divinum Insanus" LP — "please don't ask me any questions about it, because I have no comments about it — no comments at all, man. I stay what I am, I did what I did, and I am so happy and grateful that I did what I did with these guys."
In a 2011 e-mail chat with Brazil's Som Extremo, Sandoval was asked for his opinion of "Illud Divinum Insanus", which incorporated industrial and electronic elements into MORBID ANGEL traditional death metal sound. "No comment! I don't play on that album," he wrote. He was then questioned about what he thought he would have done different on "Illud Divinum Insanus" had he played on the record. "More exreme deathgrind metal and less DJ, boring awful typical I care less industrial experimental same as everybody boring bull!" he said. "This is not what MORBID has been all about! ...Hmmmmmm, and I really care less...!"
Initially announced for 2021, I AM MORBID's "Morbidfest" tour had to be postponed due to the pandemic. But it's finally happening in 2022.
Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015. He has since been replaced by a returning Steve Tucker, who previously handled bass and vocals on MORBID ANGEL's "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", "Gateways To Annihilation" and "Heretic" LPs.
In a May 2019 interview with Jorge Botas of the "Metal Global" radio show, which airs on the Portuguese public TV and radio broadcaster RTP, Vincent said that he had every right to perform MORBID ANGEL's classic songs with I AM MORBID.
"Times come and life works the way that it does," Vincent said. "And there are times when… It's like a marriage — sometimes they don't always work forever. But that doesn't mean that the children that we've had together, that I don't still love my children. Although Trey [Azagthoth, MORBID ANGEL guitarist and sole remaining original member] and I have some irreconcilable differences, that doesn't in any way preclude me from still having the love and the passion for all of my children."
Asked what he has to say to people who insist that he should not play MORBID ANGEL's early material without the other members of the group's classic lineup, David said: "There's examples of this very situation… I mean, when Ozzy [Osbourne] left BLACK SABBATH, that didn't stop him from playing 'Paranoid' every night, even though he didn't write the song. All of the songs that I'm singing I wrote. So I don't really understand that. But different people become attached to different things. And they have their opinion and I have mine. And I don't really consider this kind of negativity. I don't have it in my life."
In 2019, Vincent released "Something Wicked Marches In", the debut album from his supergroup VLTIMAS, also featuring guitarist Rune Eriksen (formerly of MAYHEM) and CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier. Two years earlier, Vincent issued his debut country single, "Drinkin' With The Devil".
Thanks to Kent Kirkegaard Jensen with Devilution for these photos from last night’s show in #AalborgDenmark....
Machine Head vocalist / guitarist Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern revisit The Blackening and celebrate its 15th anniversary with a full, in-order, album play-through.
In the video below, they treat us to blistering renditions of all of the now classic album’s eight tracks, along with the inclusions of bonus tracks, Iron Maiden's “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and Metallica’s “Battery”. A must watch for any Head Case! Beers Up!!
Released on March 27, 2007 via Roadrunner Records, The Blackening is the sixth album from Machine Head.
Tracklisting:
"Clenching The Fists Of Dissent"
"Beautiful Mourning"
"Aesthetics Of Hate"
"Now I Lay Thee Down"
"Slanderous"
"Halo" Flynn
"Wolves"
"A Farewell To Arms"
Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Iron Maiden cover)
"Battery" (Metallica cover)
SKID ROW played its first show with ex-H.E.A.T. vocalist Erik Grönwall Saturday night (March 26) at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS' "Sin City Nights" residency.
SKID ROW's nine-song set included its new single, "The Gang's All Here", which was made available on Friday, March 25. The song is the title track of the band's upcoming album, which will arrive on October 14 via earMUSIC.
SKID ROW's setlist was as follows:
01. Slave To The Grind
02. Big Guns
03. 18 And Life
04. Piece Of Me
05. Livin' On A Chain Gang
06. Monkey Business
07. I Remember You
08. The Gang's All Here
09. Youth Gone Wild
Fan-filmed video of the concert is available below.
Grönwall recently joined SKID ROW as the replacement for ZP Theart.
SKID ROW recorded "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.
SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo said in a statement: "We are beyond excited to release this record. It has been a long time in the making and a lot of hard work has been put into it by the band and our producer Nick Raskulinecz. The addition of Erik has lifted the songs to new heights. Add all this to the fact that we start our world tour in Las Vegas with the SCORPIONS residency this Saturday at Zappos Theater makes it easy to say that SKID ROW is going to have a great year."
Grönwall sang on H.E.A.T.'s last four studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012), "Tearing Down The Walls" (2014), "Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020) — before exiting the group in October 2020.
Grönwall was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. A short time later, he wrote on his social media: "I am extremely privileged and grateful to live at a day and age where a disease like this is curable. There's been so much progress made in this field. My body is reacting well to the treatment but it's a long treatment and it's going to be the toughest challenge of my life so far, for me and my family."
Last September, Grönwall released his cover version of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms. At the time, he said about his version of the track: "This song was basically the starting point of my professional career as an artist. I performed this song during my 'Swedish Idol' audition back in 2009. 12 years later it's time to give this bad boy a try again. Here's my version of the SKID ROW song '18 And Life'."
In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.
Theart, a former member of DRAGONFORCE, joined SKID ROW in 2016 following the departure of Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER).
Sebastian Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of Bolan and guitarists Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by Theart, the South African-born, British-based singer who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I.
Follow The Pure Rock Shop for more coverage Erik Grönwall SKID ROW
Slash paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins during his concert with SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS in Orlando, Florida Saturday night (March 26), calling the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer "a great guy" and "a sweetheart."
The 56-year-old GUNS N' ROSES guitarist addressed Hawkins's tragic passing prior to launching into the song "Starlight" at Hard Rock Live. He told the audience: "I'm sure most of you are aware that we lost a really close friend of ours last night — Taylor Hawkins, the drummer of the FOO FIGHTERS. First of all, he was a great fucking guy — a fucking sweetheart. He was a really good friend and a kickass drummer. [We're] completely crushed that we've lost him. So we wanna do a song tonight and dedicate it to him. So we're gonna play something we haven't played actually on this whole tour, but we're gonna do it tonight. This is called 'Starlight'."
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old musician did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They are scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.
Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.
Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".
Hawkins's solo project TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS released its first album in 2006, and a follow-up effort, "Get The Money", in 2019. Other side projects included THE BIRDS OF SATAN and the classic rock cover band CHEVY METAL. More recently, he formed the supergroup NHC with JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney.
Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison, whom he married in 2005, and their three children: Oliver Shane, Annabelle and Everleigh.
Frontiers Music Srl has announced the forthcoming release of Brazilian metallers Semblant's stunning new studio album, Vermilion Eclipse on April 15, 2022. Check out the official video for new single, "Enrage", below.
Their second for Frontiers, and fourth overall, Vermillion Eclipse sees Semblant continue their evolution into a powerful musical force that is hard to pin down with one musical categorization. With wide ranging influences under the metal and rock umbrella, Semblant are at once wholly unique and entirely familiar on Vermillion Eclipse.
"We never thought it would be possible for us to compose a whole new album completely remote while we were all at home during the pandemic. It was different. It was intense. The process of producing the album had an even more amazing synergy between the band and our old well known friend and producer Adair Daufembach. I'm so excited with this album and I can't wait to finally release it," says vocalist Mizuho Lin.
Beginning with their last album Obscura (2020), Semblant began to truly flex their musical muscle and show that they are more than ready for the world stage. Having already received international praise from the metal community with the release of the album Lunar Manifesto (2014), with the massive singles “What Lies Ahead”, “Dark Of The Day”, and “Incinerate” combining for more than 30 million views on YouTube, Obscura showcased a band having taken massive steps forward in their sound and presentation. Tracks like “Mere Shadow”, “Murder Of Crows”, and “Dethrone The Gods, Control The Masters” are just a few examples of how much the band had matured musically in both songwriting and performance.
The band was geared up and ready to take Obscura on the road to spread their metal message, but, like every other band in the world, the pandemic changed their plans for world domination drastically. Grounded in Brazil and unable to head to Europe or the United States to tour as they had planned, Semblant, in 2021, eventually began work on what would become Vermillion Eclipse. With pent up energy from being unable to tour and the emotional toll of the pandemic (multiple band members lost a family member to COVID-19), the band's songwriting and performances here illustrate even more forward progress than what was achieved between their last two releases.
"We hope you guys love Vermillion Eclipse as much as we love it. I usually say this about each new album we deliver, but, now, I feel that this sentence has reached a point of real meaning. All our hearts and dedication are present in this music. All the experiences we lived through during the pandemic and all the moments where we kept ourselves locked in our studios focused on creating music are finally in song form and reaching out to your hearts and souls. This album is an emotional breaking point. Over the course of making this album, we lost family members, one of us is celebrating the news of our first child being on the way, and we helped each other to keep our minds healthy and strong as best we could during this insane time. This is all reflected in the new album," says vocalist Sergio Mazul.
Along with the stunning music, fans who pick up a physical copy of the album will receive a majestic visual delight with Vermillion Eclipse. The cover artwork was created by the Greek artist Giannis Nakos from Remedy design (Evergrey, Amaranthe, The Agonist) and the interior booklet designs were conceived by Carlos Fides from Artside Digital Studio (Shaman, Edu Falaschi, Icon of Sin).
Semblant formed in 2006 in Curitiba, Brazil when singer Sergio Mazul and keyboardist J. Augusto joined forces to create music that featured all the dark and aggressive elements they appreciated and loved in metal music. After a few years of changing line-ups, the group established itself with the addition of Mizuho Lin (female vocals), Juliano Ribeiro (guitar), Welyntom "Thor" Sikora (drums), and Johann Piper (bass) to the band.
Tracklisting:
“Enrage”
“Destiny In Curse”
“Purified”
“The Human Eclipse”
“Somber Concern”
“The Neverending Fall”
“Through The Denial”
“Black Sun Genesis (Legacy Of Blood Pt. VI)”
“Heretic”
“Bloodred Monarch (Legacy Of Blood Pt. VII)”
“Gaslighting”
“Day One Oblivion”
“Purified” video:
Lineup:
Mizuho Lin - Vocals
Sergio Mazul - Vocals
Juliano Ribeiro - GuitarJ. "Guto" Augusto - Keyboards
Johann Piper - Bass
Welyntom "Thor" Sikora - Drums
Elton John paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins during his concert in Des Moines, Iowa Saturday night (March 26), saying the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer was "one of the nicest people you could ever meet."
The 75-year-old pop/rock legend addressed Hawkins's tragic passing prior to launching into the song "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" at the Wells Fargo Arena. He told the audience (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I got up this morning to see that Taylor Hawkins from the FOO FIGHTERS had passed away, and I was so shocked because he played on my 'Lockdown Sessions' album and he was one of the nicest people you could ever meet and one of the greatest drummers and a true musician who loved all sorts of music and loved life. And it seems so sad that at 50 years of age we've lost someone who had that much passion. And it makes me so downhearted for his family — his three children and his wife and his other relatives — and, of course, the FOO FIGHTERS who've lost a dearest loved one that can never, ever be replaced. But his music will live on. But I can tell you he was a great, great one. So this song is for him and his family and his wife and his children."
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. He did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They are scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.
Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.
Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".
Hawkins's solo project TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS released its first album in 2006, and a follow-up effort, "Get The Money", in 2019. Other side projects included THE BIRDS OF SATAN and the classic rock cover band CHEVY METAL. More recently, he formed the supergroup NHC with JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney.
Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison, whom he married in 2005, and their three children: Oliver Shane, Annabelle and Everleigh.
Joan Jett paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins during her headlining concert on Saturday (March 26) at the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival in Brookhaven, Georgia. Prior to launching into the song "Fragile" from her band JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS, she called Taylor "one of the greatest drummers of our time," adding that "the [FOO FIGHTERS] and Taylor are good friends of ours. And I can't even tell you what it means to all of us." Her voice cracking with emotion, Joan went on to say: "So this next song is for him. But really, all of you take it to heart — it's true for everybody: life is very fragile. One moment you're here and the next you're gone."
Jett served one of the guest vocalists when the surviving NIRVANA members — including FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl and guitarist Pat Smear — performed together to celebrate the band's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014. Four years later, she performed with Grohl, Smear and former NIRVANA bassist Krist Novoselic at Cal Jam.
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old musician did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
On Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.
Joan Jett’s tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins. She is close to the Foo Fighters and has opened for them on tour. She also fronted Nirvana for their induction into the Rock hall of fame. The song is titled… Fragile. Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival. Atlanta GA 3/26/22 ?
DAUGHTRY was joined by Mark Tremonti (ALTER BRIDGE, TREMONTI) and Lyell on stage last night (Saturday, March 26) at Fillmore New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana to perform a cover version of FOO FIGHTERS' "My Hero" as a tribute to Taylor Hawkins. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.
Back in September 2018, DAUGHTRY frontman Chris Daughtry, a Season 5 "American Idol" finalist, told the Charlotte Observer that he texted FOO FIGHTERS frontman Grohl about going to a FF concert in San Jose that took place that month and Grohl actually invited him to come on over. Expecting only a quick meeting, Daughtry was surprised when Grohl invited him into the FOO FIGHTERS' dressing room where they ended up sending two hours talking about music and more.
"I'm, like, 'You guys have a show to put on, right?" Daughtry recalled. "You've been in here telling stories...for two hours plus and you've gotta go out and play now... How do you do this and walk out and still have a voice?' And [Grohl] goes, 'What better way to walk out on stage then after you've been hanging out with friends and laughing and having a good time? You're already in a great mood.'
"We usually hang out with our guests after the show," Daughtry explained. "It's always this 'quiet before the storm' for us in the hours before the show. So I think that was an interesting takeaway, that maybe we shouldn't take everything so seriously."
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old FOO FIGHTERS drummer did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
On Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.
CANDLEBOX ended its show last night (Saturday, March 26) in Dallas, Texas at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall with a special tribute to the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins. The band performed a cover of the FOO FIGHTERS' "Learn To Fly" after CANDLEBOX frontman Kevin Martin said, "You will be missed, Taylor Hawkins, God bless."
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old musician did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
On Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
FOO FIGHTERS announced Hawkins's death on their Instagram account. "The FOO FIGHTERS family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the announcement read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They were scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Hawkins has been open about his history of drug use. He overdosed on heroin in 2001 and spent a week in a coma, just four years after joining the FOO FIGHTERS.
We felt your spirit alongside us tonight. Taylor, thank you for being you…
SCORPIONS played the first show of their "Sin City Nights" Las Vegas residency Saturday night (March 26) at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The band's 18-song setlist included four tracks from their recently released "Rock Believer" album: Gas In The Tank", "Seventh Sun", Peacemaker" and "When You Know (Where You Come From)".
Vocalist Klaus Meine dedicated the anti-war anthem "Wind Of Change" to "the brave people in the Ukraine," saying: "This song is calling for peace, and tonight, I think, we shall sing it even louder."
The full setlist was as follows:
01. Gas In The Tank (live premiere)
02. Make It Real
03. The Zoo
04. Coast To Coast
05. Seventh Sun (live premiere)
06. Peacemaker (live premiere)
07. Bad Boys Running Wild
08. Delicate Dance
09. When You Know (Where You Come From) (live premiere, acoustic version)
10. Send Me An Angel (acoustic version)
11. Wind Of Change
12. Tease Me Please Me
13. Rock Believer
14. Big City Nights
15. Drum Solo
16. Blackout
17. No One Like You
18. Rock You Like A Hurricane
Fan-filmed video is available below.
Earlier in the month, Meine told ABC Audio that fans could expect to see "a whole new production" during the Vegas residency, including a "new stage set" and an LED screen that will display "some cool scenes."
SCORPIONS previously played a Las Vegas mini-residency in May 2016, consisting of five shows at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
In a 2017 interview, Meine said: "You can understand why so many artists, they love playing Vegas because fans come from all over the world to see their favorite artists, and you have your place for band and crew, and you don't have to move every other day of the year. We like to move around, but all of us, we really enjoyed that residency. It was cool and they treated us really like Elvis. We had the biggest billboard on the Strip."
SCORPIONS' remaining Las Vegas shows are scheduled for March 30 and April 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16. Afterwards they will cross the Atlantic to Europe where they will play six concerts in France and six shows in Germany supported by Wolfgang Van Halen's new band MAMMOTH WVH.
"Rock Believer" was released on February 25. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.
SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.
STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis dedicated his song "Kill Me Like You Love Me" to Taylor Hawkins during his concert last night (Saturday, March 26) at Rio Vista Outdoor Amphitheater at Harrah's Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada. Fan-filmed video of his performance can be seen below.
Prior to launching into the track, the 49-year-old Lewis, an outspoken conservative rocker who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade, told the audience: "We lost an amazing drummer and an amazing human being. There was never anything going on around him but a good time. And Taylor Hawkins, we will miss you dearly."
Hawkins was Lewis's political polar opposite, having been a vocal opponent to former U.S. president Donald Trump on several occasions in recent years. In a 2017 interview with Onet News, Taylor stated about the political climate in the United States: "It's insane, but it really is a mirror image of our culture in America right now. So people blame [Trump], but he's just a symptom of a generation of reality TV-obsessed, selfie-obsessed, Facebook-obsessed, tweet-obsessed, self-obsessed people. So we got that president because I think, unless the Russians really did hack in, we got what we deserve."
"I think in a certain way, it's a good chance for people to take a look at where we are as a culture and say, is this where we want to be?" Hawkins continued. "An orange, fake-haired, tweeting president who tweets childish remarks about people who say little mean things about him, because that's where we are right now. It's a fricking weird freaky time, but it's really representative of where our culture is right now."
Hawkins died at a hotel in Bogota, Colombia on Friday (March 25). Local officials said an ambulance was sent to the hotel after a man reported having chest pains. The 50-year-old musician did not respond to resuscitation efforts and was declared dead, the city's health department said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Colombian attorney general's office announced that Hawkins had opioids, marijuana and other drugs in his system before he died. A toxicology report showed traces of 10 substances in his body, including anti-depressants, the office said. The statement added that the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "will conduct the necessary medical studies to ascertain the cause of death" and that it "will continue the investigation and will report the results obtained within the framework thereof in a timely manner."
The FOO FIGHTERS were scheduled to perform Friday at the Picnic Stereo festival in Bogota but their performance was canceled.
The band played Lollapalooza Chile on March 18 and Lollapalooza Argentina on March 20. They are scheduled to headline Lollapalooza Brasil on Sunday (March 27).
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.
Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.
Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".
Hawkins's solo project TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS released its first album in 2006, and a follow-up effort, "Get The Money", in 2019. Other side projects included THE BIRDS OF SATAN and the classic rock cover band CHEVY METAL. More recently, he formed the supergroup NHC with JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney.
Hawkins is survived by his wife Alison, whom he married in 2005, and their three children: Oliver Shane, Annabelle and Everleigh.
American heavy metal outfit, Lords Of The Trident, have released the fifth single from their upcoming studio album, The Offering. The new track, titled "Carry The Weight", is out today and accompanied by a full-band playthrough video.
Talking about "Carry The Weight", vocalist Fang Von Wrathenstein comments: "The playthrough video for 'Carry The Weight' was originally envisioned as a drum-only playthrough. That version still exists and will be coming out for Patreon backers soon, but ultimately I'm glad we added the rest of the band. Enjoy the surprise at the end!"
The Offering will be released on April 1, but it's available now via the band's Patreon.
Members of the Lords Of The Trident Patreon who pledge $5 or more get an immediate copy of the new album, but also their three previous albums (Shadows From The Past, Pull The Plug, and Power Outage) as well as 20+ internet-exclusive singles, 25+ full-concert bootlegs, and a mountain of exclusive content for Patreon backers only. The full album will not be released publicly until April, so being a backer is the only way to hear it before it releases. 100% of the money pledged goes directly to the band and helps them play more shows, make more content, and survive the evils of the music industry.
The Offering is the fifth full-length album by Lords Of The Trident (and their 10th release overall). This medieval concept album weaves a tragic story of a young boy sold into servitude, his arduous training to become a "Guardian", and the city that betrays him. Mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated Jacob Hansen (engineer for Avantasia, Unleash the Archers, Volbeat, Amaranthe, and more), this is one of the best-sounding epics you'll hear. Filled with blazing solos, soaring vocals, complex drumming, and multi-layer musical composition, The Offering will take you on a heroic and tragic musical journey that will stay in your mind long after the album has finished.
The Offering tracklisting:
"Legend"
"Acolyte"
"Charlatan"
"Feed The Wolves"
"Carry the Weight"
"Offering To The Void"
"Champion"
"The Invitation"
"Dance Of Control"
"These Tower Walls"
"Power Of Evil"
"The Blade"
"Heart Of Ashes"
The Sacramento-based quintet Graveshadow – who deftly mixes symphonic/gothic metal with elements of doom, thrash and epic progressive power metal – have unveiled the music video for “Soldier Of 34,” the new single from their forthcoming album, The Uncertain Hour. The band's third album will be released July 15, 2022.
“‘Solider Of 34’ was the first song completed for the record, and the first that Aaron [Robitsch – guitars] and I truly collaborated on,” explains guitarist William Lloyd Walker. “We wanted to create something that we felt was reflective of the band’s journey up until this point. The mournful melodies cast on top of these raw, aggressive rhythms we felt was the perfect backdrop for a story centered around losing those closest to you. We couldn’t be prouder of the way it turned out, and we feel it really represents all facets of what we want to accomplish this record. This is just the beginning; we can’t wait for the record to come out and share all that we’ve been working on with fans new and old alike.”
“Soldier Of 34” is the follow-up to the band’s 2020 single “Gwynnbleidd,” inspired by the Witcher series, that showcased the return of the band with several new members, including vocalist Rachl Raxx Quinn and bassist Luci Rae.
Joining the band officially is drummer Bones Padilla, formerly of Bay Area labelmates Cultural Warfare. “The Uncertain Hour” was produced by Miss May I guitarist Justin Aufdemkampe (Clutch, War of Ages), mastered by Roman Ismaylov (Crobot, Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist) and features artwork by Roman Ismaylov (Battle Beast, Beast In Black). Pre-orders for CD and limited-edition (200) vinyl copies are available here.
The Uncertain Hour sees the new lineup for Graveshadow continue to refine the enticing mix of symphonic, gothic, doom, and epic progressive-metal elements, now augmented by the newfound energy that has been brought into the band by the soaring melodic vocals of Quinn and the rumbling rhythm section of Rae and Bones. The duo of Walker and Robitsch once again deliver a beautiful display of guitar histrionics that tastefully mix searing shred with warm melody. Graveshadow are back on the scene with a story to tell. Intertwining melodic highs and crushing lows to sweep listeners away on a journey of self-discovery, loss and the will to carry on.
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