Devildriver - Winter Kills

So a band I have seen time and time again gave me yet another reason to go see their live performance when the US/Canada tour embarks.  DevilDriver announced (on May 28th) their 6th album "WINTER KILLS".  The album is slated for an August 27th, 2013 via newly inked label Napalm Records.  For the recording of the album, the band went into Audio Hammer Studios (Florida, US) while vocals were done at Dez’s home studio (Los Angeles, CA).  Mark Lewis (Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, All That Remains) handled production duties.  Lewis has worked on two previous DD albums, "The Last Kind Words" and "Beast".

(*Facebook fanpage cover by Alexander Hedera Artworks, Verona, IT)

"Every record is different. That being said, I thought 'Pray For Villains' was kind of an out-of-the-box record for us. I thought 'Beast' was a weird out-of-the-box record for us. We've kind honed back in to where we are. This new record sounds a lot like the first three records. It's got an intense groove to it, and I'm really happy. The writing is going extremely well. That being said, I think we've laid back on our laurels right now and be like, 'We're a groove band.' The fans started calling us 'the groove machine, The California groove machine.' Everybody needs a title; we'll take that one and we're going to give them that on the new record, for sure." -Fafara

For "Winter Kills", DevilDriver lineup is:

Dez Fafara – lead vocals | Jeff Kendrick - guitar | John Boecklin – drums

Mike Spreitzer – guitar | Chris Towning - bass

DEVILDRIVER has always been a band on a three-pronged mission: Work hard, rock harder, and kick as many asses as possible in the process. The band tours forever and has since its beginnings. Their live performances and circle pits are as legendary as their music. (Press Release)

(*Artwork for "Winter Kills" features a photograph by Dean Karr.  The layout was done by Ryan Clark/Invisible Creature)

1. The Oath
2. Ruthless
3. Desperate Times
4. Winter Kills
5. The Appetite
6. Gutted
7. Curses and Epitaph’s
8. Caring’s Overkill
9. Hunting Refrain
10. Tripping Over Tombstones
11. Sail
12. Shudder (Bonus Track)
13. Back Down To The Grave (Bonus Track)

“This is by far DEVILDRIVER’s most cohesive, powerful, groove laden record to date!

We delivered our signature California Groove sound alongside a Raw and Biting guitar tone, mixed it with massive hooks, added in thunderous drums to rethink, and reshape another different sounding unique piece of Rock-N-Roll! Cutting our own path is something to be proud of. DEVILDRIVER has always and will forever be about thinking outside the box and delivering on something different from record to record, we cannot be assimilated into any scene or even genre of Metal and we will continue to do things our own way with a massive middle finger in the air to the status quo!” -Fafara

(Copyright 2010 Hank Pearl)

So has anyone else been following DevilDriver these past few albums?  Do you feel they have been focus shifting their music and sound?  I've been with these guys since the days of swinging the dead (haha) and have never been disappointed.  With each album that these guys release, I question more and more how they are not doing bigger headlining shows.  Their sound is quite unique... even for a metalcore style band, the musicians are very talented, they have lots of experience playing in music, their album artwork is always interesting.  The list could go on an on but I truly hope that one of these releases will be their "Black Album". Ever seen a DD mosh pit?  Something to very much see next time they play near you.

So the merch has already surfaced.  The label did a great job of packing the artwork, track listing, press release and merch all in one bundle for fans to salivate over.  Check out some of the deals below and place an order on their official website.

Now time for some general public questions.  Anyone have some glory stories of seeing DevilDriver live?  Ever met the band?  Taken lessons from them?  We want to hear from you!  Since we haven't been privileged with a new single yet, I decided to add one of my favourite DD songs "Pale Horse Apocalypse":



Don't forget...

"WINTER KILLS" OUT ON AUGUST 27TH!

The Devil Wears Prada 2013

September 17th, 2013 via Roadrunner Records...

That's the amount of information that all of us in the music world have been given for now for the new Devil Wears Prada album.  Following up to a hugely successful "Dead Throne" will have it's challenges, but the cryptic video below gives us a glimmer of hope.  Observe...



"Chris [Rubey] is the one that usually comes up with the riffs and some of the things he's got going right now are absolutely relentless. Since James left the band I have to say right now I'm very excited about how the keyboards are sounding, very dark and very intense. Vocally, I learned a lot working on the last record and I can tell you that I'm going further down the road as far as the misery and sadness of the lyrics. This will be darker than Dead Throne for sure." -Mike Hranica

The album will be produced by Matt Goldman (Underoath, The Chariot) and with Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz siting as executive producer.

Stay tuned for more details...

Music Releases For June 18th, 2013

So after last week's HUGE release week in the music world, it seemed a tad bland this week for the release...at first glance mind you.   Chthonic and Primus have to be my tops picks this week for sure.  I have been spinning Chthonic's "Bu Tik" for a week or so now (thanks to all the singles being released and full albums streams) and  the music videos for the singles are spectacular!  Some great work being put into their image.

Primus of course have worked hard to re-release their album "Sailing The Seas of Cheese" for a 5.1 surround sound format.  Other details you can read about in the description below.  Sigur Ros, Dayshell, STYG/TSSF and High on Fire all have some great albums dropping today as well.  So make sure (like always) to show love for the bands you listen to.

Head to your local record shop, online retailer or other legal source to grab an album or two.  In the event you do pick up an album from the list, be sure to write us back and give us some of your personal thoughts.  All opinions welcome!

(Sigur Ros - Kveikur)

It’s one thing for a complete sonic overhaul to be necessary, but what stands out about Kveikur is how natural it feels. As opposed to a rebranding, this is Sigur Rós internally reconstituted, where the biggest addition isn’t distorted guitars or huge drums or Jónsi going full tilt. More than sounds, this is an integration of new verbs and actions, as Sigur Rós pummel, rage, wail and assert, asking hard questions of themselves. What if they could harness their power to convey immediate anger instead of patient catharsis, as a soundtrack for lifting weights instead of zoning out? Jónsi’s vocals will always bear an extraterrestrial shimmer, but why can’t he play the avenging archangel rather than a friendly ghost? After 15 years of evoking Iceland's gorgeous, volcanic terrain and woodsprite legends, why not reflect the endless winters, cratered economy and the frightening suicide rate? -Pitchfork

(Primus - Sailing The Seas of Cheese

Sailing The Seas Of Cheese is one of a handful of vital albums that ushered in the 1990s alternative revolution, answering slick 80s productions with a more irreverent - less glammy approach to rock. In a restoration personally overseen by Les Claypool, Primus acclaimed Sailing The Seas Of Cheese has been newly mixed in stereo and Dolby 5.1 Surround for the first time since its 1991 debut for an expanded deluxe edition featuring the album s new stereo mix on CD and the new 5.1 surround mix on Blu-ray plus three exclusive, previously unreleased bonus tracks, including two live recordings from Primus 2012 3D Tour and a Bassnectar Remix of Here Come The Bastards. Blu-Ray audio options include Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound (96kHz/24-bit), PCM (96kHz/24-bit), PCM Stereo (96kHz/24-bit). -Amazon



(The Story So Far/Stick To Your Guns - Split)

On the whole, this album leaves little to be desired–both bands not only show off their own impeccable songwriting abilities, but also stray from the path to showcase the work of those who have inspired them along the way. Though not a sensory rush, what this split lacks in overt technicality it makes up for in lasting meaning, as it offers fans an intimate glimpse into the upbringing of both acts. And if these upbringings are a reflection of things to come, I personally am I excited to see what the future holds. -Under The Gun

(Chthonic - Bu Tik)

Rounding everything out are the Asian strings, courtesy of the erhu, which create a martial arts movie vibe. Atmospheric instrumental tracks open and cap the album to further cement the oriental sound, but overall, they are essentially just skippable lulls in what is otherwise a completely unyielding metal experience. The best parts of the album are when the two worlds collide, like on the stellar “Supreme Pain For The Tyrant” or on “Defenders of Bu-Tik Palace,” which easily deserves a spot as the backing soundtrack to an RPG boss fight. -Metal Underground



(High on Fire - Spitting Fire Vol. 1 & 2)

Out of nowhere, they drop a two-volume, one hour and 22 minute long testament to why they are among the finest metal club live bands in the world. Spitting Fire was a rumor, a mystery and eventually a total surprise. Vol. 1 opens on a Jeff Matz drum volley into "Serums of Liao." Mayhem ensues.

Vol. 2 is more of a showcase for High On Fire. "Rumors of War," "Fury Whip," "Hung Drawn and Quartered" and set-ender "Snakes for the Divine" are included among the seven heavy metal hand-grenades that make up the album. Again direct, uncompromising, and paced like a dash through enemy crossfire, the band exerts its electric power-trio potency. If these shows are pieced out in videos, Vimeo may shoot sparks and then go dark. -About.com

Singles:


(Dayshell - Share With Me)

Dayshell, the new project of former Of Mice & Men bass guitarist/clean vocalist Shayley Bourget, have announced their new single, “Share With Me,” is set to be released digitally on June 18 in the United States and June 25 in Canada. -Under The Gun

Music News and New Music For June 18th, 2013

So of course, when running your own blog solo it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth,. Bravewords, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Music News, MissInfo, Billboard, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am somewhat patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humourous and we can ALWAYS use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!

Masonic Temple in Toronto sold to IT firm for $12.5M:

"The firm says it will also keep the main concert hall's design so that it can move out office desks for its annual black-tie charity rock concert. In 2014, it plans to host, with its clients, an unofficial opening night party for the Toronto International Film Festival."


I Don't Need Alcohol to Enjoy the Majesty of Rock 'n' Roll:

"Maybe I'm an oddity, but I've never needed any help to appreciate Rock. I love listening to Rock music stone cold sober. It makes me wonder -- all the people who do need the alcohol with their Rock music, do they secretly hate it when they're sober? Do they merely tolerate it in order to partake in the social aspect that comes with the Rock 'n' Roll experience, secretly agreeing with all the authority figures who called it "noise"? Does the alcohol become some audio equivalent to what is known as "beer goggles"? Is Rock music mostly regarded as some background music to a drinking session, like some youth-tinged version of elevator music? Am I the only one who likes it for real?"


BUCKCHERRY: 'Nothing Left But Tears' Lyric Video Released:




The Postal Service Reunion Lacks Romance:

"And maybe that emotional connection would have been re-established in a room more intimate or a field more epic than the empty airiness of a hockey arena. The venue was a terrible choice for the band ("this place is a little big, right?" Gibbard joked early on) which robbed the show of the intimacy it demanded."


P.O.D. PREMIERE NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “BEAUTIFUL”:




David Bowie Exhibit Coming To The Art Gallery Of Ontario:

"TORONTO—This fall the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) offers North America its first chance to take an exciting odyssey through the world of pioneering artist David Bowie—musician, performer and style icon—in the acclaimed exhibition David Bowie is, direct from the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London, England. Spanning five decades and featuring more than 300 objects from Bowie’s personal archive, the multi-media show exposes the groundbreaking artist’s collaborations in the fields of fashion, sound, theatre, art and film. David Bowie is will open on Sept. 25, 2013 and runs to Nov. 27, 2013, giving Toronto two full months to live the experience. The AGO is the exhibition’s first stop on its world tour."


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Deliver a Twist on 'This Life':




NHL Playoffs 2013: 12 Hockey Songs To Get You Pumped:

"Here are 12 of our favourite hockey songs — by everyone from Stompin' Tom and Tragically Hip to Kathleen Edwards and Super Furry Animals — to get you all riled up for the big playoff games."


'Lullaby Versions' Of SLIPKNOT Due Next Month:




The music we choose at funerals reveals much about our loved ones:

"When we lose someone, these are the songs we draw on. We play them to evoke memories of that person; we take comfort in the familiarity of their tunes. Maybe, if they're appropriate, we fold these songs into the funeral ritual. It's a revealing process, choosing these exit songs for the departed; they say so much about the person we are mourning and articulate our loss when our own words fail."


Oh, Sleeper Pushing Forward With Two New Crowdfunded EP’s:

“We have been at breakneck speed since the triumphant end of the campaign and just want to say THANK YOU for your tremendous support!

Because of this amazing support we are extremely proud to announce that we WILL be reserving enough funds raised over our goal to schedule time after Warped Tour to hit the studio to make a SECOND EP! We aren’t sure of the date because it will have to fit in when our touring schedule permits, but we will definitely be recording another EP.

We have wrapped up in the studio and are in the final stages of preparing the release of The Titan EP (and now en route to Warped Tour!). We are beyond thrilled with how these songs have turned out and extremely grateful for the tremendous effort our producer, Andreas Magnusson, has put into helping us rush this out. Our sound has evolved and we absolutely cannot wait to hear your response.

We will release a single, “THE PITCH,” ASAP.

We are getting all of the merchandise and everything else into production for all of the awesome funders. We’ve never been in charge of doing ALL of this before haha, but it’s an exciting challenge. Look for more updates!

Due to the insane rush that we’ve been experiencing in this time crunch, we haven’t had a lot of time to make updates about the process, but we thank you so much for your patience. Stay tuned, The Titan EP is coming soon!

And of course TITAN will be available to everyone soon!”


I See Stars Premiere New Song “Violent Bounce (People Like You)”:




Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2013: Major Moments From The Tennessee Shows:

"Everyone's there.  It's not Coachella where everybody leaves and they go to their condo or whatever. Everyone's out there sweating, getting smelly together. Even with the electronica and hip-hop and all that really becoming a big part of it, it's always going to be a hippy festival in the end. That's awesome." -Derek Vincent Smith


Architects Streaming Their Cover Of Thrice’s “Of Dust And Nations”:




Ireland orders firms to ban access to The Pirate Bay:

"The Irish Recorded Music Association is very pleased at the decision of the High Court, which blocks access by all ISPs to the notorious Pirate Bay website.  It is estimated that 8% of all internet users in Ireland accessed the website on a monthly basis.

The template from this decision will now be used to seek further orders blocking access to other websites and cyber-lockers predominately involved in making available infringing copyrights." -Dick Doyle


Dayshell Debut “Share With Me” Music Video:




UNEARTH SIGN WITH EONE MUSIC IN N. AMERICA:

"A new chapter has begun for Unearth as we have found a few new places to call home. By joining forces with eOne (North America), Century Media (Europe), Howling Bull (Japan) and 3Wise (Australia) we will have a more focused attack from some of the most well known and respected labels in the world. We know this new beginning of sorts will bring bigger and better things for Unearth and our fans and we couldn't be more excited for the future of all things Unearth. We are currently in the studio recording some of the most aggressive, anthemic and energized metal we have ever written and we look forward to unleashing it to you all when it is finished.  Expect to hear more about our new album, release dates and future world wide touring plans later this summer.

We also want to take this opportunity to thank Metal Blade Records for being our label home for almost a decade. In that time we released four LP's and a double DVD, circled the Globe playing Heavy Metal dozens of times and experienced some of the greatest moments of our collective lives.  Metal Blade helped us along the path of our dream and we are eternally grateful.  We start new label relationships today, but we will always consider ourselves part of the Metal Blade Records family." -Unearth


OLD GODS "From Beyond".  Former Dillinger Escape Plan Guitarist Ready To Rip Your Face Off!:




RockFest attendee describes 'chaotic' site at Montebello:

"I thought it was just chaotic.  Nothing was well organized. The washrooms were just a mess … there weren't enough of them, no one was emptying the trash cans.  There was mud all over. That's nobody's fault, but there was plastic, just garbage all over the place. The trash cans were just too full, there was no room for anything else … so everyone was just getting rid of their garbage any way they could." -Claudia Lahaie


EPK Released For Ministry’s “Enjoy The Quiet – Live At Wacken 2012″ DVD:




IVA (Ex-Bury Your Dead, Etc.) Streaming New Song “The Truth About People Like Me”

Music News and New Music For June 17th, 2013

So of course, when running your own blog solo it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth,. Bravewords, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Music News, MissInfo, Billboard, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am somewhat patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humourous and we can ALWAYS use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!

NXNE 2013: Five things things we learned at Dan Deacon and White Lung:

"Noah Love rounds up his Friday night at NXNE 2013, including sets from Absolutely Free, Dan Deacon and White Lung." 


Joni Mitchell Honored in Toronto:

"Music, like my life, didn't want to stay in one key.  My songs don't adhere to one emotion.  They're more like Fiddler on the Roof – 'on the other hand . . . '"


APOCALYPTICA: Trailer For 'Wagner Reloaded' Event:




Photo Gallery: Billy Talent, White Lung, F–ked Up and more at NXNE on June 15:

(photo courtesy of Matthew Braga/National Post) 


Transplants Get Combative 'In a Warzone':




Ronnie Wood hints at Stones album:

"It takes so much time and effort to take this thing back on the road, (but} we've got the big wheels rolling now. We've just got to find the gaps to record." -Wood


NXNE: a primer to the best of the Canadian music festival:

"NXNE has the most daunting gig guide you've ever seen. It's fat. And phat! With umpteen upon umpteen bands in Toronto right now. Save yourself the torment and allow me to advise you."


SHINEDOWN: 'I'll Follow You' Video Released:




Darkest Hour signs new ink deal with Sumerian Records:

"DARKEST HOUR are some of the best dudes I have ever met in music. They're also one of the most underrated bands in metal and Sumerian is here to change that. Their influential debut album, The Mark Of The Judas, which never saw the real light of day due to their label at the time going under the day it came out, will finally get a proper release this fall, along with a new studio record. DC pride." -Ash Avildsen


REFUSED Frontman's INVSN: Debut Album To Receive U.S. Release:

"Five friends that dabble in post-punk/dystopic pop or some brand of alternative rock music. We did a couple of records in our native tounge under the name of INVASIONEN, but when we decided to take this globally, we felt that a change in language and a new name would be in place." -INVSN Bio




NXNE 2013: Five things we learned at Tangiers and F–ked Up:

"In previous years, Saturday night has been shades of catastrophic for good 12-1 a.m. shows. Not so this year, with must-see showcases at Garrison, Silver Dollar, Horseshoe and Wrongbar."


KATATONIA Announce Dethroned And Uncrowned Album Release Details:

"Dethroned and Uncrowned allows them to explore these elements of the record further as they have reworked the album, creating new moods and textures while still staying truthful to the core of the songs."


CNN's ANDERSON COOPER Gets His Own Heavy Metal 'Theme Song:




TURISAS to Release 'Turisas2013' In August:

“When it comes to the production it's just the opposite of the polished and massive ‘Stand Up And Fight’. It's raw and dry and in your face, but still maintaining that TURISAS-largeness. People attest us that we are a great live band and we wanted the album to be based more around that than orchestral massiveness. It's our most varied record to date and even if some of the songs sound very different, I think the common thread is that every single one has a lot of energy to it.” -Mathias “Warlord” Nygård


IRON MAIDEN Launches DOWNLOAD Set With Spitfire Flypast: