Music Releases For February 25th, 2014

I have to admit that some of these bands never really appealed to me.  So why am I writing about them?  Everyone has room for opportunity to improve.  With some of my core genres starting to really be monotonous and repetitious, I tend to look for inspiration and influence from other genres.  In the past few years, this has led me to blues, jazz, classical.  And as knowledgeable as I may come across (depending on who you talk to) I even need help finding music sometimes.  I rely on readers, friends and family to hook me up with new tunes all the time.

That being said, I am looking forward to spinning these albums during the week and seeing what everyone else sees in their music (currently listening to The Kindred as I type this).  So be a good sport and pick up and album or two.  If not the record store for your fear of over stimulation, then hot up an online retailer or another legal source to buy them.  Cheers!

(Silversun Pickups -The Singles Collection)

Ambitious and anthemic, tracks like "Panic Switch" and "Lazy Eye" have proven indelible classics, a guarantee of rare danger and invention amidst the anodyne dross of much contemporary rock. What's more, the indefatigable quartet have made it their mission to bring their unique music to the people, touring the planet nearly non-stop to reach a devoted and ever-growing international fan following. Now, as they prepare to embark on their next creative voyage, Silversun Pickups pause for a last look back at the musical milestones that have marked their journey thus far. -Contact Music

(Beck - Morning Phase)

Fittingly, Morning Phase serves as the artist's wake-up call to himself. The album plays out much like a vivid Kinetoscope, offering shimmering vignettes of a bleary-eyed, sandpaper-voiced Beck as he emerges from a six-year hiatus.

Morning Phase isn't Beck's best album, nor does it eclipse the pathos he so artfully channeled on Sea Change. There's an unfinished, first-chapter quality here, a structure building toward some as-yet-unheard climax that, as Beck has hinted publicly, suggests there's a line of other projects waiting in the wings. Even if fragmented, however, Morning Phase stands tall in comparison to Beck's larger catalogue, something that could not be said of his last few albums. -Slant Magazine

(The Fray - Helios)

As much as they try to fuse styles on their latest album, there are a few tracks on here that maintain the classic The Fray sound, going for a moodier vibe. “Keep On Wanting” taps into their inspirational side against a solid pop/rock sound, one of my favorites of the bunch. There is also “Shadow And A Dancer” and “Same As You”, the two closing songs, which also happen to be the longest. “Shadow” channels an early Peter Gabriel sound, while chronicling the ups and downs of an unexpected relationship: “The summer thrill is gone/But we’ve never been so in love.” “Same” finds itself on an echo-driven, almost spacey kind of ground, far different from anything else on here. -Pop Goes The Charts

(Twin Forks - LP)

Carrabba has said that this is exactly the kind of music he wants to make right now, that as he’s gotten older he’s returning to more of his musical roots. The album’s 12 songs, including the five from the EP, hit that note in each and every song. One of the real stand-out elements of the album is the background vocals and effects. Between the backing vocals from Suzie Zeldin - who sounds like a mix of Lelia Broussard and Lily Claire (Lily and the Parlor Tricks) - and the other audio fills, each song is incredibly rich and complex and sets Twin Forks apart from other acts today. -Emo At Heart

(Drive-By Truckers - English Oceans)

All in all, should you need reminding, it’s a pleasant reminder of how effective mainstream rock music always has been: Drive-By Truckers write hooks that could stay in your head for months. However, there’s got to come a time where they realize that there’s more to music than the sound they’re making, and they have the capability and artistic freedom to do so much more than this. Basically, this is the sound of a band happy to be coasting, which can be a chore to listen to. -Music OMH

(The Kindred - Life In Lucidity)

Right off the bat, it’s brilliantly clear that the main strength and driving force behind this ensemble is frontman Dave Journeaux. From the first word, through numerable high notes executed perfectly and lurid byways, Dave’s voice is simply unique. He can be compared to several big names, but it’s unneeded. Dave possesses a certain quality that is intriguing; he sounds pained but excited, motivated by some hurt, to take on the world. The result is disturbing and intriguing.

Let’s address this duality directly, for it lies at the heart of Life in Lucidity. The album draws its life-blood from two main sounds: fast and heavy breakdown riffs more in tune with the rest of Sumerian Record’s track record and a bluesy, organ-tinged, melancholy. The first can be heard vividly on ‘Everbound’, containing an anchoring riff coupled with solid cymbal work to create a heavy feeling that suffuses the entire song. -Heavy Blog Is Heavy

Away With Words - An Interview With Angel Vivaldi

One of best interviews I have done and one of the best viewed articles on AFGM.  Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to get in touch with Mr. Angel Vivaldi once more to see what he has been up to?  For anyone who read my previous interview with Angel, you will see that he has been going full speed ahead with new material and a new album that will sure to make some heads spin.  Then again, this is generally the impression I get when listening to his blistering solos or precision based drum patterns.



The new album is titled "Away With Words" and will be released on March 11th, 2014 so mark your calendars folks!  Angel has been consistently producing top quality music for 10+ years and does not give any indication he is running out of material.  Quite the opposite, I find Angel's new material to be the best to date.  The concept EP will definitely make you rethink your thoughts on instrumental music and what it means to record, produce, master, and market your product.

If anyone out there is looking to get their own name out there, then I suggest taking a page from the book of Vivaldi (Angel of course).  AFGM was fortunate enough to have yet another outstanding Q&A session with Angel.  Check out his answers below!

AFGM: So was there any different mindset when stepping into the studio for “Away With Words” as opposed to “Universal Language”?

Angel: Yes- I wanted this record and all future records to be timeless. I don't want production value or tricks to date my material so I went for a mostly organic approach... Real amps, real keyboards/synths, real drums, genuine performances, crisp production but not overbearing.

I hit a horrible writing snag during "Away With Words." I got too wrapped up into writing music my fans would like and arranging the production to be on par with what my peers are doing these days. I finally realized that writing music for myself yielded so much more success than trying to please everyone, which is really an impossible task. I'm starting to feel that having so many opinions publicized is starting to intimidate artists into pleasing their fans more than themselves which in turn makes an unhappy artist. It's incredible to see how the music you write moves people, but it can easily be overwhelming if you take it too heart too much which I absolutely did esp after Universal Language. No artist wants to let down the fans who made them successful in the first place, so it's important to focus on what you did to create your personal success in the first place and maintain that. 

Define where you are. Define where you want to be. Take action. Monitor that action. 

AFGM: Machine Shop once more for these sessions.  So I take it that studio is capturing what you want for this album?

Angel: Not only are they nailing what I think each record should sound like but they're really just a great group of people. Even the most stressful situations have been remedied by their attitudes and work ethic. We all got along great! This record marks the beginning of my working relationship with Randy Leboeuf who tracked and co-produced along with Will. I don't think I've ever had that much fun tracking a record to date.

AFGM: Are you still using Logic Pro for pre-production and song writing?

Angel: Indeed I am! I’ve been using it for a good 2 years, (since the Universal Language sessions), so I’ve gotten a lot better with it. Now having gone to a Logic based studio again for "Away With Words" helped me get even better. 

Would I ever go out and produce my own record? Most likely not. Since a lot of bands these days are self-sufficient in terms of studio recording, marketing & touring, I think that other bands feel pressured to match that same level of self-sustainment and wind up half-assing something or falling short in some way. Just because you’re an amazing singer doesn’t mean that you can organize an album release or a tour. Being honest with yourself helps keep your ego in check and makes for a much better product in the end. I'm most confident in my skills as a songwriter and guitarist and mainly focus on that. It’s super important for artists to be honest with what their strengths are and aren’t. 



AFGM: Seeing that the lineup for your project has not changed since Universal Language, it's safe to say this lineup is solid and unwavering?

Angel: This is by far the strongest lineup I’ve had in my 10 years of doing this. Each player has something interesting to add to the mix so it’s always fresh. Everyone’s been in the band for over 3 years at this point (with Jake at around 7, Jason around 5), so unless someone gets another gig I think it’s safe to say that this will be static for the foreseeable future.

AFGM: So after watching your ‘behind the scenes’ piece with Jake and the bass licks of the album, I distinctly remember Jake mentioning the amount of improv versus written structure.

"I would probably say that about 75% of it is Angel's original vision and what he had in mind, with the other 25% either being 'OK Jake, do your thing here' or 'I took your part and did this with it'."

Do you find that you’re flexible with the other musicians having their input, or do you feel that the freedom tends to veer away from your original vision?

Angel: Sometimes veering away from my original vision is a good thing. I make it appoint to always take their creativity and suggestions into consideration- more so with “Away With Words” than any other record. It’s a lot like a healthy relationship in the sense that everyone brings out the best in everyone else musically. I respect the way each member hears the material and if they hear something different I’m all about trying it out. 

AFGM: Let's talk album artwork.  Who designed this lovely piece?  What does it represent in regards to your album?

Angel: Every facet of this record embodies the concept of how everything possesses their opposite within itself- in every bad person there's compassion, in every teacher there is a student, in every male there are female attributes, etc. To sonically/visually pull this off I decided to split this album into 2 very different sounding EP's, (one electric, one acoustic) and also have dual-artwork that when put together made a beautiful mural that conveyed the sort of yin-yang concept. 

The artwork, like almost every other aspect of this record, was such a nightmare to complete. I worked on mockups with 3 different artists who couldn’t artistically nail the concept. I finally stumbled upon this incredible Estonian artist named Amandine Van Ray who really hit the nail on the head in achieving what I wanted.



AFGM: What prompted this artwork?  Any sudden moment of clarity/vision that led you to it?

Angel: Mainly the concept of the record. Once the theme hit me the ideas just started to snowball immediately. It went from the album title, to Morse code song names, to a double EP, to dual artwork and fast.

Trying to convey this idea to artists was a real mind fuck. Some of them understood what I was going for but couldn't execute it in a way where both sides played into one another. I'm deeply moved by surrealistic art and knew the moment I saw Amandine's portfolio that she’d knock it out of the park.  I can honestly say I haven't been moved by an album cover as much as I have this one in a very long time. 

AFGM: Will Morse Code be used for all the track names on the album?  Does that have something to do with the album title?

Angel: Yes. I did this for numerous reasons. The first is obvious which avoids using actual words to go with the album title. More importantly however, I was captivated with how the numbers look when listed vertically in Morse Code. The last 5 tracks are almost mirrored reflections of the first 5, so it has that two sides of the same coin feel. 

AFGM: So from your "Away With Words" album preview, I noticed you are strumming an acoustic guitar (around the 6:38 mark).  Could you elaborate a little more on the acoustic side of your upcoming release?

Angel: I really wanted to go big with this concept and thought what better way than to show a completely different side of what I can do musically than to release two COMPLETELY different CD's under the same album. It’s kind of like fire and water in the sense that both need oxygen to come into being; both of these albums share ideas from the same source while sounding completely different from one another.

AFGM: I couldn't quite tell what type of acoustic you are using, care to divulge?  Any specific reason why you went with this specific brand/model?

Angel: The guitar I used in the preview is a Taylor, couldn’t tell you which model for the life of me. I’m rather partial to Ovation so chances are you’ll be hearing one on Part 2 of Away With Words. I just love the feel of their necks and how robust and clear the tone is. I’ve found that finding a good acoustic guitar that sounds as good as it plays has always been a real challenge, so once I found my home with Ovation I stopped searching. It's a real nuisance.

AFGM: Will AWW Part II feature you as a solo guitarist or have the entire band adding elements?

Angel: The acoustic portion of the record will mainly feature myself as a solo acoustic guitarist. There may be some percussive additives here and there, possibly even some strings. I think that will be dependent on who I have produce that portion of the record which is still up in the air.



AFGM: Do you find the acoustic side of the album to be more or less challenging than your heavy side?  Is acoustic something you regularly compose with?

Angel: Each side poses its own set of challenges. My heavy side gets challenging mainly due to my desire to get better and more proficient as a guitarist. It used to be that I would write material that I couldn’t play in order to push my technical abilities further since practice time is scarce. While there are moments that really tested my ability on Part 1, I wanted to focus more on evolving my songwriting capabilities.

Playing solo acoustic guitar is a very vulnerable thing for a metal electric guitarist to do. There’s nothing more unforgiving than playing an acoustic guitar without the backing of a band. I wrote most of this material a good 6 years ago shortly before moving to New York. Once there I would go around different lounges and venues to play this material out randomly, even did the whole subway thing once which was really a lot of fun. While I’m familiar with these songs I still need to practice a tremendous amount in order to pull them off. Experimenting with different tunings and techniques like finger-style picking really helped me to open up and write material that wouldn’t normally write or sound like. I’m really happy with the result and hope to do more acoustic projects in the future. 

AFGM: Can we expect another great music video in the works soon?

Angel: I'm actually working on an unbelievable treatment for the first single "One." The storyline is spectacular and is going to require a tremendous amount of work. My aim is raise the bar even further from where I left off with "A Martian Winter," which is no easy task. But I'm feeling pretty confident in this one! Until that's out I am filming a few play through videos as well. Shooting to have either a play through or a music video for each song this time around. 





AFGM: You seem to be a man of many talents.  Besides the excellent writing of your songs, you also seem to act as your own manager, booking agent, and promoter.  Do you find this to be equally fulfilling to do or do you have the intention of having someone else manage these things with you?  

In a nutshell, do you like to act as both sides or just want to focus on the writing/performing side of the music industry?

Angel: I do. At the end of the day, no one is going to be as passionate/work as hard for your music as much as you would. I genuinely enjoy the business aspect of the industry… I love analytics, crunching numbers, budgeting my marketing/promotion plans, working with graphic designers and producers, scheduling video and photo shoots, etc. 

This album cycle was a beautiful learning experience because the entire experience was such a disaster from the moment I began writing it 2 years ago right up until the end. I hit a horrible period of writer’s block during which at the time was pretty devastating. Then after I finished the writing portion, scheduling of the recording studio was another hurdle. The studio got hit with flood damage which pushed tracking back 2 months. Once there we bounced from lead guitar to drums, back to leads, finished drums, did bass, then rhythm guitar, then finally finished off lead guitars. The studio was so backed up from the damage we were at the mercy of their schedule which was fine but certainly difficult. 

Once we were done tracking I went right to editing all the video footage to compile a 4 episode documentary series. I had over 10 terabytes of footage from 2 cameras so I had to essentially relive the entire experience another two times to capture all the magic moments. That entire process was more cumbersome than tracking the damn thing. Moving onto the artwork was another disaster. The first 2 artists I started to work with dropped the ball during production, then the last artist I stuck with had periodic computer issues which lead her to having to redo the artwork completely from scratch. We’ll see what other adventures life has in store for this record, (laughs). 

AFGM: I know we touched base on this in the last interview but since my site(s) are completely 100% social media advertised, I had to know if the social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube have helped/hindered you and getting your music out there.  Did you see an increase in activity after releasing Universal Language?

Angel: The beautiful and intimate thing about social media is that it is fan driven. For a video to go viral it needs the support of people and that's why it boggles my mind to see how many people support what I do, especially after Universal Language. I've never seen love like this before and it's astounding and positively overwhelming. For someone to say they picked up a guitar after hearing my music, or used my music to get them through a difficult hardship or even just a simple "hey, whats up" has been an incredible privilege that I respect and don't take for granted. 

If it weren't for these platforms or more importantly if it weren't for those who enjoyed my music enough to share it  I wouldn't be doing this interview right now. 

AFGM: I know touring can be quite difficult when doing everything on your own and understandable if some places you wish to perform are out of your reach/control.  Is Canada been a place on your list you wish to visit?  Do you find you get good exposure here north of the 49th parallel?

Angel: I'm looking to get anywhere that isn't New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania. I have been branching out some the past few months with shows out in Indianapolis, so it's a slow process but one that's progressing well. I'm focusing on trying to slowly cover the US as much as possible at which point maybe Canada, hopefully!

AFGM: So I see some new activity with Frederic and his I, Legion project.  What is Angel contributing to the album?  Writing songs?  Adding solos?  Production?

Angel: Indeed! Frederic's been writing up a storm and has a really strong line-up of collaborators for this second release. I contributed a few riffs and ideas to the project this time around and will also do guest solos on 2 songs. The guy is really talented and a good friend, so working with him on this level has been nothing but enjoyable.

AFGM: Is this your first time doing Skype lessons?  Do you do them on a regular basis?  If so, where can people find out about more online lessons such as this with Angel?

Angel: I’ve been teaching for a good 4 years now & love every second of it. To me there’s nothing more awesome than to share musical concept with another passionate musician. They’re done pretty regularly for the most part, however during busy periods or album cycles I’m forced to teach much less. More info is available on the Facebook page under the "Lessons with AV" app.

AFGM: Angel, thank you once again for your time and attention to this interview.  I can’t wait to hear the rest of “Away With Words” and hope to see you perform someday.

Angel: Pleasure's all mine as always!

11.3.2014

Music News & New Music for February 21st, 2014

So of course, when running your own blog 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,. CBC, National Post, AV Club, Exclaim, Music News, 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 rather 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 humorous 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!

Pussy Riot Members Attacked and Whipped by Security Officials in Sochi:



"Under the banner Sochi 2014, to the sound of 'Putin will teach us to love the homeland,' Cossacks attacked Pussy Riot, beat us with whips and sprayed a lot of pepper gas at us." -Nadezhda Tolokonnikova


Carl Sagan And Ann Druyan's Ultimate Mix Tape:

"Toward the end of the summer of '77, NASA launched two spacecraft as part of the Voyager Interstellar Mission. On board each craft was a golden record that included, among other things, the sound of a kiss, a mother's first words to her newborn child, music from all over the world, and greetings in 59 different languages."


ICE-T's BODY COUNT Confirmed For This Year's ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL:

Jul. 05 - San Bernardino, CA - San Manuel Amphitheater
Jul. 06 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheater
Jul. 08 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
Jul. 11 - Phoenix, AZ - Ak-Chin Pavilion
Jul. 12 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheatre
Jul. 13 - Denver, CO – [to be announced]
Jul. 15 - Kansas City, KS - Sandstone Amphitheatre
Jul. 16 - Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul. 17 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
Jul. 19 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
Jul. 20 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre
Jul. 23 - Saratoga, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Jul. 24 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
Jul. 26 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
Jul. 27 - Hartford, CT - Xfinity Theatre
Jul. 29 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake
Jul. 30 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon Theater at Jones Beach
Aug. 01 - Scranton, PA - The Pavilion At Montage Mountain
Aug. 02 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
Aug. 03 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
Aug. 05 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug. 07 - Oklahoma City, OK - Oklahoma Zoo Amphitheatre
Aug. 09 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
Aug. 10 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

BODY COUNT will release their new album, "Manslaughter", later in the year via Sumerian Records.


Billy Corgan to Play 8-Hour Ambient Set Inspired by 'Siddhartha' at His Teahouse:

"On 2//28 Billy will be doing a show at @ZuZusTeahouse; start time noon, and due to nature of performance it will last 8-9 hours. Show will be centered around an ambient/musical interpretation of Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha; built by modular synthesis, on the fly. Readings of the text to go hand in hand with whatever is created; + the first @Hexistential poster, special elixir tea, and event t-shirts too."


John Frusciante Announces 'Enclosure' Album:

“Enclosure, upon its completion, was the record which represented the achievement of all the musical goals I had been aiming at for the previous 5 years.  It was recorded simultaneously with Black Knights’ Medieval Chamber, and as different as the two albums appear to be, they represent one investigative creative thought process. What I learned from one fed directly into the other. Enclosure is presently my last word on the musical statement which began with PBX." -John


Nirvana's 'In Utero' Gets Record Store Day Tribute Album Featuring Jay Reatard, Ceremony, Thursday:

In Utero, in Tribute, in Entirety:

1. Pygmy Lush - "Serve the Servants"
2. Circa Survive - "Scentless Apprentice"
3. These Arms Are Snakes - "Heart-Shaped Box"
4. Thursday - "Rape Me"
5. Jay Reatard - "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"
6. Young Widows - "Dumb"
7. Mean Jeans - "Very Ape"
8. Thou - "Milk It"
9. Whirr - "Pennyroyal Tea"
10. Daughters - "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"
11. Ceremony - "Tourette's"
12. Black Math Horseman - "All Apologies"


Dave Grohl, Corey Taylor, Keith Morris, Nick Oliveri join Teenage Time Killer supergroup:

Some of the names that are going to be involved with the project are:

- Jello Biafra (DEAD KENNEDYS)
- Tony Foresta (MUNICIPAL WASTE
- Tommy Victor (PRONG, DANZIG)
- Dave Grohl (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA)
- Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, SEPULTURA)
- Phil Rind (SACRED REICH)
- Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD)
- Pepper Keenan (CORROSION OF CONFORMITY)
- Karl Agell (CORROSION OF CONFORMITY)
- Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein (MISFITS)
- Keith Morris (BLACK FLAG, CIRCLE JERKS)


Trent Reznor Says Playing The Grammys Was An “An Utter Waste Of Time”, Finds Demos For “The Fragile” Reissue:

“…It was an utter waste of time. And I’ll speak for a second on this. When this came up as an option, ‘Hey, the Grammys would like you to play’, you know, quite frankly it was flattering.

I’m not a fan of the Grammys, as I’ve vocally expressed in the past, I don’t think I’ve ever sat through an entire broadcast. I know I’ve never attended one.

But the way my head works is, to try to approach it from, ‘Okay, if we did do it, what could be the upside?’ And Josh [Homme, Queens of The Stone Age] and I spent a long time talking about the pros and cons. You know, ‘Do we want to be on a shit show on TV? No, not really.

Do we want to be affiliated with the Grammys? No, not really. Would we like to reach a large audience and actually do something with integrity on our terms? Well, yeah.

Let’s roll the dice and go into it with the best intentions, with a performance we think is worthy and might – you know – stand out from the crowd. Or it might not!’

But what we weren’t expecting was that level of insult [laughter]. In fact we walked off stage and I thought, ‘Hey, that actually went pretty well’, and I look at my collaborator Rob Sheridan, who I run into, and he’s like, ‘Oh my god man, you won’t believe what they just did’, and… ‘What?’ ‘They cut this thing off in the middle and put a Delta commercial on’. ‘What?’ We had no idea.

You know, and it was just… I can look now and say I should have expected something like that, you know? But, more than anything it was just insulting. I invite my friend Lindsey Buckingham to come up on stage and it’s just ‘You know what, you’ve invited me into this place, f**k you. F**k you guys’, you know?

So, lesson learned. And the other thing is if we hadn’t have done it, I’d be thinking, ‘Well, what would have happened it we would have done it?’ You know.

So I don’t regret that we did it, but would I ever – in any situation – ever consider possibly patronising that event in any form? Absolutely not.” -Reznor


DAGOBA - 'Yes We Die' Video:



"For this album, I composed the songs in short time… in about 10 days. A song a day.

I was out from a very obscure and sad time of my life, and I wanted to end this… kinda depressurize composing new stuff.  For the first time in our career, we decided not to change a single note from the songs I wrote. I guess the record couldn't be more sincere.

Each record is a new adventure. And, of course, we want to improve ourselves each time. We give our best from gig to gig, record to record, and I hope our next album we'll be better again." -Shawter Oymyakon


Gallows In The Studio:

"Gallows tracks sounding huge, tracking mostly live in Room 1 this time around. Rough and ready."


WALLS OF JERICHO: Lyric Video For 'Relentless' Demo:



The track will be featured on WoJ's upcoming full length album.  No other information has been given yet.


Volumes Guitarist Speaks On His & Periphery’s Involvement With New Animals As Leaders Album:

“GO CHECK OUT AND BUY Animals As Leaders NEW RECORD AS SOON AS IT DROPS!! I am extremely proud to say I co-wrote 3 of the new songs on “The Joy of Motion” and it’s some of the coolest stuff I’ve ever heard them do… GET READY!!

Definitely shout out to Misha Mansoor (Periphery) who co-wrote most of the record and did an AMAZING job, & Adam Nolly Getgood (Periphery) who produced & mixed the record and got a disgustingly amazing mix.

I also look forward to hearing all the programming Navene-k did!! I am honored to have worked on this album alongside such amazingly talented people. What an experience!" -Diego


CROSSFAITH - 'The Evolution' Video:




Killswitch Engage & Battlecross Announce Spring Dates With Trivium, Into Another, and more:

03/29 Las Vegas, NV – Extreme Thing Festival
05/01 Huntington, NY – The Paramount (feat. Into Another, Battlecross, My Ticket Home)
05/02 Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live (‘Lunatic Luau‘)
05/03 Concord, NC – Charlotte Motor Speedway (‘Carolina Rebellion‘)
05/04 Reading, PA – Reverb (feat. Into Another, Battlecross, My Ticket Home)
05/15 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live (feat. Trivium, Battlecross, Nothing More)
05/16 Columbus, OH – Columbus Crew Stadium (‘Rock On The Range‘)
05/17 London, ON – London Music Hall (feat. Trivium & Battlecross)
05/18 Buffalo, NY – The Town Ballroom (feat. Battlecross & Nothing More)
05/20 Birmingham, AL – Iron City (feat. Battlecross & Nothing More)
05/22 Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall (feat. Trivium, Battlecross & Nothing More)
05/23 Pryor, OK – Catch The Fever Festival Grounds (‘Rocklahoma‘)
05/24 San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center (‘River City Rockfest‘)
05/27 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater (feat. Battlecross & Nothing More)
05/28 Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater (feat. Battlecross & Nothing More)
05/30 Council Bluffs, IA – Westfair Ampitheater (‘Rockfest‘)


FILTER - 'Surprise' Video Premiere:



"To me, the song 'Surprise' is, like, a no-brainer. It should be a nice, successful song for us. I don't mean to get cocky, but it really is one of those songs that we wrote that, you feel like you were just watching it happen, even though you were writing the lyrics and stuff and you were playing the guitar. It's just one of those songs that just kind of…. It just kind of wrote itself." -Patrick


HELLYEAH Parts Ways With Guitarist, Bassist; Announces 'Blood For Blood' Album Details:

"It's so easy for people to assume or makeup reasons for things.

"Don't ASSUME anything!

"The reasons for this parting of ways was for the better good. When you hear the new record, you'll understand."

"Blood For Blood" track listing:

1. Sangre Por Sangre (Blood For Blood)
2. Demons In The Dirt
3. Soul Killer
4. Moth
5. Cross To Bier (Cradle Of Bones)
6. DMF
7. Gift
8. Hush
9. Say When
10. Black December


TesseracT Release "Of Matter" Studio Sessions:



TesseracT's "Of Matter" was taken live at Sphere Studios.


EMMURE To Release 'Eternal Enemies' In April:

1. Bring A Gun To School
2. Nemesis
3. N.I.A. (News In Arizona)
4. The Hang Up
5. A Gift A Curse
6. E
7. Like Lamotta
8. Free Publicity
9. Most Hated
10. Grave Markings
11. Hitomi's Shinobi
12. Rat King
13. Girls Don't Like Boys, Girls Like 40s And Blunts
14. New Age Rambler
15. We Were Just Kids

"Eternal Enemies" will be out on April 15th, 2014 via Victory Records.


Chiodos Announce Tour With Emarosa, Our Last Night, and more:

Chiodos dates:

2/27 Toronto, ON – The Opera House
2/28 Ottawa, ON – Ritual
3/01 Quebec City, QC – Chez Dagobert
3/02 Montreal, QC – La Tulipe
3/03 Syracuse, NY – Lost Horizon
3/10 Corpus Christi, TX – House of Rock
3/12 Mission, TX – Las Palmas Race Park (‘Never Say Never Music Fest‘)
3/13 Austin, TX – Hangar Lounge
3/14 Grand Prairie, TX – Quick Trip Park (‘South By So What?!‘)
3/16 Springfield, MO – Outland Ballroom
3/17 St. Louis, MO – Fubar

Ticket purchase includes copy of “Devil“:

4/01 Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme
4/02 Lansing, MI – The Loft
4/03 Flint, MI – Flint Local 432
4/04 Indianapolis, IN – The Irving Theater
4/05 La Crosse, WI – The Warehouse
4/06 Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s

With Emarosa, Our Last Night, ’68:

4/15 Buffalo, NY – Waiting Room
4/16 Worcester, MA – The Palladium
4/17 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
4/18 Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
4/19 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
4/21 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
4/22 Richmond, VA – The National
4/23 Greensboro, NC – Greene Street Club
4/24 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade – Heaven
4/25 St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre
4/26 Jacksonville, FL – Metropolitan Park (‘Welcome To Rockville‘)
4/27 Vero Beach, FL – Polish American Club
4/29 Houston, TX – The Studio @ Warehouse Live
4/30 San Antonio, TX – White Rabbit
5/01 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
5/02 Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
5/03 San Diego, CA – Soma
5/04 Pomona, CA – The Glass House
5/05 West Hollywood, CA – House of Blues

With Emarosa, Our Last Night, ’68 and Hands Like Houses:

5/07 San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
5/08 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
5/09 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
5/10 Vancouver, BC – The Rio Theatre
5/11 Seattle, WA – Al Corazon
5/13 Murray, UT – Murray Theater
5/14 Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
5/16 Burnsville, MN – The Garage
5/17 Joliet, IL – Mojoes
5/18 Pontiac, MI – The Crofoot Ballroom
5/20 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall – Indoor Stage
5/21 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues


LACUNA COIL - New Song 'Die & Rise':



1. Nothing Stands In Our Way
2. Zombies
3. Hostage To The Light
4. Victims
5. Die & Rise
6. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)
7. Cybersleep
8. Infection
9. I Burn In You
10. In The End I Feel Alive
11. One Cold Day

"Broken Crown Halo" will be released in North America on April 1st, 2014 via Century Media Records.


The Kindred Preview New Album “Life In Lucidity”:



“Life In Lucidity” will be released on February 25th, 2014 via Sumerian Records.


MOTÖRHEAD's First-Ever Cruise 'MotörBoat' To Sail This Fall:

Animals As Leaders Debut New Song “Tooth And Claw”:



“The Joy Of Motion“ will be released on March 25th, 2014 via Sumerian Records.


Avenged Sevenfold & HELLYEAH Spring North American Tour Announced:

04/12 Dawson Creek, BC – EnCana Events Centre
04/13 Prince George, BC – CN Centre
04/16 Moose Jaw, SK – Mosaic Place
04/17 Edmonton, AB – Shaw Conference Centre
04/19 Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center
04/21 Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
04/23 Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center
04/25 Tampa, FL – St. Pete Times Forum
04/26 Jacksonville, FL – Welcome to Rockville
04/28 Lafayette, LA – Cajundome
04/30 Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
05/02 Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
05/03 Charlotte, NC – Carolina Rebellion
05/06 Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum
05/08 Hershey, PA – Giant Center
05/10 Bangor, ME – Rise Above Fest
05/12 Quebec City, QC – Colisee Pepsi Arena
05/13 Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
05/15 Syracuse, NY – Oncenter Complex
05/17 Columbus, OH – Rock on the Range


Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe Speaks Of “As The Palaces Burn” Documentary At Premiere:


A screening of the film will take place on Sunday, March 2nd, 2014 at The Opera House courtesy of Inertia Entertainment.  More information can be found here.

Dark Tranquillity @ The Opera House (Feb 8th, 2014)

With it being one stop on my Saturday evening festivities, I was very excited and happy to grab a last minute press pass from Century Media Records (thanks Jon!) and take some snapshots of Dark Tranquillity as the performed to a 19+ crowd at The Opera House back on February 8th, 2014.

Unfortunately since I was late to the show I did not have the chance to see most of the opening acts.  Despite Omnium Gatherum not really being my thing, they engaged the crowd immensely and had a good amount of people throwing their hands up in the air.  Dark Tranquillity of course played great!  The sound was tight, the energy in the venue was running on all cylinders, and of course Mikael Stanne getting as much out of the crowd as he could with hit songs like "Zero Distance", "Terminus", and "Final Resistance".  So check out the setlist and enjoy the photos.

1. The Science of Noise 

2. White Noise/Black Silence 

3. Monochromatic Stains 

4. The Fatalist

5. The Silence in Between 

6. Zero Distance 

7. The Wonders at Your Feet 

8. Indifferent Suns 

9. What Only You Know

10. The Mundane and the Magic 

11. Iridium 

12. Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive) 

13. State of Trust 

14. ThereIn 

15. Final Resistance 

Encore:

16. Lethe 

17. Endtime Hearts 

18. Misery's Crown 

Music Releases For February 18th, 2014

So hopefully all my friends and family in Ontario had a great extra day off while celebrating the province by province holiday known as Family Day.  Despite the cold snap that Toronto suffered over the weekend, we saw lots of families out and about with skating, sledding, and many other recreational acitivites.  While families were celebrating, I was on the lookout for any new releases this week that would catch my attention.  I am starting at a few of the these album covers this morning and debating on which one to start spinning, as well as purchase.

Some lighter album released at the top as we see Sean Paul dropping his new album "Full Frequency", as well as a personal favourite of mine which is the Putumayo series.  Being a long time fan of their world music selection (highly recommend their "Zydeco" album) I was excited to see a compilation released for Native American/Canadian music.  Chances are that will be my after work lounge tunes.

(Sean Paul - Full Frequency)

All in all Full Frequency is a energy album and will certainly keep your head bouncing. I maybe a little critical as I would have loved to have heard a 70% Dancehall Album with 30% Hip Hop or other genre of music.

Putting my grumbles aside, Sean Paul’s Full Frequency Album will certainly win him a award as this is a definitive global album that will cross internationally giving its mix of genres fused together musically. -Madpeps


(Putumayo Presents: Native America)

Native America is a collection of music by singer-songwriters and instrumentalists who draw inspiration from the traditions of their indigenous North American ancestors. A collage of styles, the songs on this album are united by the themes of connecting the old with the new and cultivating the continued evolution of music rooted in ancient traditions. With sounds ranging from atmospheric flute and drum to soulful acoustic songs by singer-songwriters, the collection provides listeners a glimpse into the diverse world of contemporary Native American music from what is now the U.S. and Canada. -Putumayo

***

Then of course we move into the rock and heavy stuff of the week.  I don't know about you all but sometimes, even first thing in the morning, a distorted chug of a guitar is just what the doctor ordered.  The doctor of course being my conscience.  Bands such as Issues, Adrenaline Mob, Royal Bliss, and I Killed The Prom Queen will be sure to keep the blood pumping whether you are slamming your keyboard at work, lifting heavy equipment, running at the gym, or any other recreational activity that can sometimes feel like a drag without proper music.

So the general consensus is that bands need money same as the rest of us.  Everyone needs a paycheck right?  So be kind to your musicians and purchase something that keeps them relevant.  Buy an album at your local music store, online retailer, or other legal source.  Cheers!


(Royal Bliss - Chasing The Sun)

*no reviews as of yet*

Royal Bliss has been making their mark across the country for years now. Constant writing, recording, and touring have helped build the success of the band. The wide variety of influences from Johnny Cash to Snoop Dog to Led Zeppelin and the Toadies with everything in between have melded a sound that cannot be denied. -Hellhound Music

(Adrenaline Mob - Men of Honor)

AFGM: Adrenaline Mob - Men of Honor

‘Men of Honor’ follows the template laid down by their 2012 debut ‘Omerta’ — thick riffs, plenty of groove and straightforward (sometimes simple) lyrics, dished up with a dose of attitude.

The lyrics on a good deal of the tunes won’t be mistaken as poetry. Even so, you’ll find yourself singing along to the songs on ‘Men of Honor’ after only a listen or two. Adrenaline Mob are not about subtlety and subtext, they are up front and in your face. You can take it or leave it. They’ll be fine either way. -Loudwire

(Issues - Issues)

This album is very catchy. The guitar-work is very nicely done, but it's not often that I get to hear it. Most of the time it's just a bunch of chugging. They have already proven that they can play good guitar parts, so I just wish that they would use more of that instead of constantly hitting the same note. Michael's screams could be better mixed. I just feel that they are underpowering compared to other screamers. Tyler has set the bar pretty high for himself this album. I hope he can top it in their next album. All in all, a very good album that I will be purchasing as soon as it comes out. -Reddit

(Bayside - Cult)

The band has always been notorious for songs about betrayal, pain, and failed relationships. Last album Killing Time, especially, tackled the particularly nasty divorce of Bayside lead singer and lyricist Anthony Raneri. Cult continues this trend with songs like “Hate Me,” “You’re No Match,” and “Pigsty.” 

More than a decade into a career that can only be described as monumental, Bayside has shown us that the best is yet to come. Cult is the band’s strongest album to date, a steadfast construction of soaring melodies, badass guitar solos, and Raneri’s signature croon. It further solidifies Bayside’s distinction as a punk rock powerhouse, and a band truly worthy of its cult following. -Property of Zack

(I Killed The Prom Queen - Beloved)

AFGM: I Killed The Prom Queen Streaming ENTIRE "Beloved" Album

Well here we, early 2014, and the album has not been released just yet but just last night the band offered to have a full stream of their newest album online for everyone to experience the new era of I Killed the Prom Queen.

There is no other way to put it. No song on this album was disappointing in the least. This may just be one of the strongest comebacks ever for a band. To release such a strong album after not being a full-time band in six years… its beyond impressive. I would love to say that this is their masterpiece but then again, I Killed the Prom Queen is back and they have the energy and determination right now to trump their own album right now. Things are going to get interesting. -Pittsburgh Music Magazine

EPs:

(Junius - Days of the Fallen Sun)

Despite having listened to the EP around thirty or so times before finally delving into the review, I still get chills every play-through.

Days of the Fallen Sun is a 25-minute journey through a planet's final days, through the fearful eyes of man. To be able to convey dread and destruction through music like this is an accomplishment alone, but to make it singable, catchy, worth so many adjectives to properly explain what I've heard… that's talent. Don't miss out on Days of the Fallen Sun. -Metal Injection

CD/DVD/Blu-Ray:


(Suicide Silence - Ending Is The Beginning: The Mitch Lucker Memorial Show)

2014 two disc (CD + DVD) live tribute to former Suicde Silence vocalist Mitch Lucker, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2012. Entitled Ending Is The Beginning: The Mitch Lucker Memorial Show, the video portion of the set was directed by Jeremy Schott of MentalSuplex Productions and Zafer Ulkucu of Backseat Conceptions. In addition to featuring the band's first performance with then-All Shall Perish vocalist Eddie Hermida - who, little did we know, would go on to take Lucker's spot in Suicide Silence - the show featured a ton of guest vocalists, including Lamb of God's Randy Blythe, Machine Head's Robb Flynn, Soulfly's Max Cavalera, Job for a Cowboy's Jonny Davy, and Tim Lambesis. -Amazon

Gemini Syndrome - Lux

Starting to borderline overkill, I have [simply] not been able to put down the debut album Gemini Syndrome.  A typical sound (hard rock/nu-metal) on a typical label (Warner Music Group) with a fresh spin on what seems to be...you guessed it...and endless sea of rock and metal coming from all corners of the globe.  Gemini Syndrome have taken easily glossed over tracks and added their own touch of art and spiritualism to redefine what it means to capture an audience's sense.

(Photo courtesy of Jonathan Weiner)

If the initial contrast look didn't get your attention, then the vocals and lyrical content of Aaron Nordstrom will certainly do so.  Much like groups such as Tool and Coheed & Cambria before them, Gemini Syndrome has used a large amount of visuals and cryptic symbols to entice listeners (or Synners as the group's fan base is called) and ultimately buy into their band.  Sporting nu-metal sounds in a generation that considers it passe is not an easy sell.  Thankfully, these guys have showcased themselves as more than a band simply playing some instruments on stage.  Check out a newly released video from group featuring their single "Stardust":

Look at the wake 

From the stardust pouring from your eyes

It’s no mistake

You are perfect

You are perfect in my mind

And you won’t fade away

OK, so you have a grasp on the concept now.  As far as album art and direction goes I like to think that Alex Grey had some sort of influence when designing it.  While it may not be a direct 'ripoff' of others bands such as Tool who have used Grey's work in the past, Gemini Syndrome have joined the ranks of abstract alt-bands that combine multiple elements and senses to give an all around sensual experience.

Funny enough that Gemini Syndrome was listed in the footnotes as the initial artist concepts.  This gives me the feeling that this band wants total control over how their sound and look is produced...even if they are on a major label such as Warner Music.

The Los Angeles group Gemini Syndrome released their debut album, "LUX", on September 10th, 2013 via Warner Bros. Records.  Editing & Engineering was handled by Kevin Churko (In This Moment, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Kobra and The Lotus, etc.) where mastering was handled by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner (Linkin Park, Big Wreck, Rush, Snoop Dogg, Michael Jackson, etc.).  Both of which have quite a list of previous work.

Gemini Syndrome encapsulate both ends of the spectrum. The band conjures ethereal alternative melodies and then tempers them with gnashing, guttural distortion.  "Gemini" in Zodiac represents "The Twins" and "Syndrome" which has meaning of a person's "innate condition" form together to represent the duality within all of us. There are bonds to everything at the end of the day-from the music to the message. Now, it's up to you to uncover the meaning for yourself. -Pure Grain Audio

I was rather surprised and happy that my favourite song on the album ("Mourning Star") was also looped into the end of the album, in their short outro "Lux".  The last line of the album reads the best fitting for the group... "The enemy is everywhere".  This lyrical content and well fitting sound has definitely got me hooked from the first chord.

For Lux, the band also employs a wide range of visual and lyrical imagery from legend, myth and history: for example, each of the twelve tracks is designated by a universal symbol, together representing the universal cycles of time – the clock, the calendar, and the Zodiac – on both a personal and cosmic scale. -Fearnet

Their debut music video for "Basement" hit the online world about 6 months ago, but is still getting decent play time.  The video has reached over 100,000+ views since it's release.  Check it out below.

Stranger than a massacre

This homicidal afterbirth.

I am not a stranger 

To living with the anger.

I don't need a miracle

I just need a place to go.

Send me to the angels

And tell god I said goodbye.

Every critic who has come across Gemini Syndrome has made countless comparisons to Disturbed, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Godsmack, Korn, and many others.  However, being that music is directly influenced by others before us, I like you to make you're own conclusions.  I have even picked a few new influences myself such as Mudvayne, Staind, Shinedown, Orgy, etc.  The generic but distinct sound of Gemini Syndrome will having you make comparisons until your finger is tired from pointing out different styles.  I think All Music (below) captured what most of us felt when coming across the album.  It's something we want to yawn and toss to the side, but the addictive choruses, riffs, and vocals will have you hitting repeat before hitting stop.

...what Lux lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in execution, and if fat, earth-shaking arena anthems with beefy riffs, pained lyrics, and fist-pumping choruses that sound like the explosion-addled midpoint of every Michael Bay trailer gets your blood pumping, then this is the album that your weaponized SUV will be playing as it launches off of the last 12 feet of a crumbling suspension bridge and into the hull of a enemy UFO. -All Music

Now the real question fall back on you the reader.  Is this a fresh take on something making it's comeback or simply reinventing the wheel and feeding the machine?  While deciding, AFGM recommended tracks are:

"Pleasure and Pain" | "Basement" 

"Mourning Star" | "Pay For This"

Music Releases For February 11th, 2014

This week has already been absolutely hectic (more to do with my personal life) but the music will keep you sane.  Or at least that's what I tell myself (haha).

I'm and thankful and kind of glad to see a few EDM style albums being released this week and I seem to be in a grooving/dancing mood.  And between The Glitch Mob, Seabound, and Abandon All Ships I think I got what I asked for.  Yes we can all argue that AAS has a grasp on the metal side more than EDM, but still find the underlying beats to their songs that make the melodies.  In all honesty, that's what makes them stand out is the beats.

(The Glitch Mob - Love Death Immortality)

The album? Initial opinion seems split across The Glitch Mob’s fan base, with the more die-hard, sound-savvy among them expressing a fair amount of disappointment. But like any other topic, those contradicting voices seem to stretch in every vector.

I’m not sure why Drink The Sea became the gold standard for measuring the success of anything The Glitch Mob produce, other than the fact that it’s their only other full-length album. Much of LDI’s criticism seems circumstantial—I could easily see the same criticism being placed on the sound, style, and progression of Drink The Sea if that had been the Mob’s second album and LDI had been their first. -Sensible Reason

(Seabound - Speak In Storms)

As usual, „Speak In Storms“ displays a diverse mixture of spheric, cooly pulsating energy and warmth not patterned on anybody else’s music, but setting its own standards. Those afraid of a weak return from the group’s period of silence are gladly mistaken: „Speak In Storms“ testifies maturity and electronic strength, which only gradually develops from hypnotic vocals and largely reduced arrangements, only to become more intense and energetic. Thus, the transatlantic agreement has by no means done harm to the band. -Dependent

(Abandon All Ships - Malocchio)

The refreshing non-auto-tuned clean vocals almost outweigh the slightly bland unclean vocals, which do not really stand out as anything necessarily extraordinary. Despite a few vocal shortcomings the album overall offers an enjoyable sonic experience. The songs flow well together and the album has a good edge to it. The album title, Malocchio, means ‘evil eye.’ Accordingly so, many of the songs involve karma getting to the people who deserve it; therefore, the Italian slang sets an intriguing stage for the record. -Substream Magazine

***

Some more mellowness added to the equation when you have Sam Roberts and Crosses releasing albums today as well.  I am sure to winning people over today when convincing them that Crosses is mellow.  I seem to look at this group the same way as I look at Nine Inch Nails.  Sometimes you get them on a mellow groove with some relaxing vibes (especially with Chino's vocals) and on the other hand you can get a bitch smack of a song, same as you would expect from NIN and something like "Wish" or "Starf**kers Inc.".  To me [personally], Sam makes consistent records and not expecting a huge turn of events for his music on this album.  It will be enjoyable nonetheless to spin in the upcoming days.

(Sam Roberts - Lo-Fantasy)

Starting out with the disco-fied grooves of "Shapeshifters," Roberts' trademark arena-ready choruses and anthemic growls are filtered through the textures of '90s-era festival rock, evoking, by turns, Primal Scream's worn-out acid house boogie ("We're All In This Together"), dub-y club odysseys (the Clash-inspired "Angola") and stadium-sized pop rock ("Kid Icarus").

And while throwaways like album closer "Golden Hour" and "Never Enough" do little to quiet detractors who have dismissed him as nothing more than a CanCon pretty boy, those willing to get past their preconceived notions may be surprised to find that Lo-Fantasy is perhaps the most dynamic recording of Roberts career. -Exclaim

(Crosses - Crosses)

Yet the rub doesn’t come from the choice to include the previously released material per se. Instead it springs from the decision to mix the track listings of all three EP’s together. If you’re already familiar with the bands past output then you’ve likely an inkling as to what song comes next. There’s an unspoken covenant between a listener and an album/EP. A static expectation established through multiple listens that can be utterly betrayed by this randomized nature.

While a touch more despondent and indicative of their influences; all five of the new songs are a welcome addition to the bands repertoire and fit well when presented side by side. Sure the presentation here may be questionable, but there’s no denying the charm and allure of the end product. -The PRP

***

Then we come to the distorted stuff.  Newcomers The Unguided and 3 Years Hollow are both dropping some decent albums this week.  This marks the debut release for 3YH (and not a bad bonus to have Clint Lowrey featured on the album) as well as the debut (on Napalm Records) for The Unguided.  Both bands have some strong characteristics that genre fans will flock to.  I can see both groups doing some heavy touring in the near future.

(The Unguided - Fragile Immortality)

The Unguided, a five piece from our metal loving comrades in the tranquil settings of Sweden, with three fifths of the band being made up of former Sonic Syndicate members. These guys already know the tricks of the trade and have put out their second full length album, named Fragile Immortality. With Sonic Syndicate out of the picture at the moment, due to their hiatus, this is definitely a great substitute for those hardcore SSfan, not taking anything from the band as what they have produced here is exciting and fresh.

Despite not setting the world on fire with this album, it is a step in the right direction for a band still finding their feet. If you are a fan of melodic death metal, this is the album for you, if you are not then give it a try anyway, this album has the ability to convert anyone! -Hit The Floor

(3 Years Hollow - The Cracks) 

The riffs are heavy but are lacking of inspiration generally.  However, on Remember, there is a solo guitar that stands out as well as this one played by Clint Lowery on For Life. Lost is another guitar driven track with killer riffs, rather complex and interesting.

Musically, if you don’t know the band, It is in the same vein of Sevendust and Nonpoint. The album might appeal in despite of a couple of weak songs even if there are too few risks to make the difference with the other hard rock bands. However, it depends what you are looking for. If you like mainstream hard rock music, this album is for you. -Evigshed

Whew!  So that being said, we do what we must to keep artists (new and old) up and running.  Head to a local record store or online retailer to grab a physical copy filled with great album art.  If digital is more your thing, then be sure to stream/download it from a legal source.  Cheers and keep rockin!