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Author: Chelsea

Interview: Sammy Boller

ChelseaInterviews

Guitarist Sammy Boller just made his solo debut with the instrumental album Kingdom of the Sun today, on CandyRat Records. We connected for an interview this week about his new venture into a solo career, his time in Citizen Zero, connections with Joe Satriani, Guitar World, and Friedman Amps, background as a musician, and more.  You’ve got the new album, Kingdom of the Sun coming out, and you have been a solo artist in your own right for some amount of time, so let’s talk about your first solo album, what are some things that went into it? When my […]

Raider Unleash “Guardian of The Fire”

ChelseaNews

Canadian Death/Thrashers Raider have just unveiled their debut full-length album to the world today, following up on the 2018 demo Urge To Kill with the release of Guardian of the Fire. Here’s what the band has to say about the new record: “We brought back a lot of familiar elements but added so much more. Guardian of the Fire is more diverse, more aggressive, and is frankly just going to hit way harder. We’re stoked to see what our fans and future fans think of these new tunes! The band has definitely grown a lot in terms of songwriting the last few years […]

Soraia Releases New Album and Livestreams Release Shows

ChelseaNews

Philadelphia Hard Rockers Soraia have just released their new full-length, Dig Your Roots, via Wicked Cool Records (the label started by Musician/Personality Stevie Van Zandt), available via all streaming music services here. The four-piece rockers were set to hold a hometown record release show this weekend, but the current pandemic situation that has closed down music venues in most states put a stop to that plan – in response, Soraia turned to the virtual concert world, with an online livestream version of the show they were set to play broadcasting in real time tonight via StageIt.  Soraia has some tour dates […]

Feature: NAMM 2020

ChelseaFeatures

NAMM is massive. Both in literal size and in the level of an experience it provides. You can walk for what feels like miles and still not get from one end of the Anaheim Convention Center to the other, yet still have enough of an experience to fill your four days there. Whether you’re walking through the raucous roar of the drum room, the lilting symphonic sounds of the classical instrument rooms, the eye-catching visuals of the DJ booths, or the dissonance of an multitude of guitars being played in a variety of styles all at once, there’s always something […]

Concert Review: Ultimate NAMM Night 2020

ChelseaConcert Reviews

Ultimate NAMM Night 2020 at the Hilton Anaheim was a unique experience, and that’s putting it mildly. After all, where else can you see Alice Cooper’s daughter Calico Cooper taking on “Ace of Spades” alongside Carla Harvey (Butcher Babies), with Gary Holt (Slayer) and Ira Black (Dark Sky Choir) on guitar, Chuck Garric (Alice Cooper/Beasto Blanco) on bass, and Art Cruz (Lamb of God) on the drums? Or a thrash-heavy “Black Diamond” Kiss cover by Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Alex Skolnick (Testament), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Jack Gibson (Exodus), Chuck Garric, Calico Cooper and Paulie Z (The Sweet, Ultimate Jam Night)? […]

Concert Review: Ronnie Montrose Remembered 2020

ChelseaConcert Reviews

The M3 Live in Anaheim, California set a stage amidst the backdrop of NAMM for the fifth annual celebration of the musical legacy of Ronnie Montrose on January 17th, 2020. This event has been a staple around NAMM time for the last five years, and the tradition continues on with the start of the new decade. Those who came to Ronnie Montrose Remembered expecting to hear classic Montrose tracks like “Rock Candy” and “Bad Motor Scooter” were certainly not disappointed, but what they experienced might have been even more than they bargained for, with an exploration of the many stages […]

Interview: Keith St. John

ChelseaInterviews

I sat down with Keith St. John for an in-depth discussion on the history of Ronnie Montrose as a figure of guitar excellence and innovation in the rock world, more on Keith’s own background as a musician and as the point person for the Ronnie Montrose Remembered event, growing up on Long Island, some rock and radio history, and even a bit of John 5 and Randy Jackson, as well as music and life overall.  So Keith, we’re kind of cooling down after NAMM right now, and the majority of NAMM for you, I feel like, must consist of Ronnie […]

NAMM Interview: Mats Levén

ChelseaInterviews

You may know Mats Levén from Candlemass, from Trans-Siberian Orchestra, from Yngwie Malmsteen, or any of the multitude of projects he’s been involved in, but you may not have known that he’s also the face behind the solo project known as Skyblood, on Napalm Records. I sat down with him at NAMM for an interview about what’s behind Skyblood, as well as some insight into his songwriting techniques, and NAMM 2020 goings-on.  How are you doing, enjoying your day at NAMM? I’m fine, I’ve only been here for two hours, so I’ve only been to the Marshall booth and Gibson, […]

NAMM Interview: Tobi Morelli

ChelseaInterviews

Archspire have their follow-up to the Technical Death Metal sensation Relentless Mutation, in the works – we’ll see if this one also gets picked up by the YouTube bot – and I sat down with guitarist Tobi Morelli for a quick Q&A at NAMM.  Just want to start out by asking, how are your NAMM activities going? Pretty awesome, also crazy, it’s a lot to take in, I think this is maybe the fourth or fifth time I’ve been here, and it’s always a good time, but there’s just so much going on, it’s hard just to catch our breath, between […]

NAMM Interview: Simon Hawemann

ChelseaInterviews

Nightmarer is getting ready to follow up on their 2018 full-length debut Cacophony of Terror via Season of Mist later this year, and I sat down with guitarist/journalist Simon Hawemann during NAMM to learn more about this up-and-coming death metal band. I want to dig right into Nightmarer so people can get to know more about this band. Harsh chaos and cacophony defines the sound of Nightmarer, musically, what drove you guys to what you like to call “total dissonance worship”? What is that to you? I think it’s just something that over the years I started gravitating towards, trying […]

NAMM Interview: Hugo Doyon-Karout

ChelseaInterviews

Hugo Doyon-Karout has plenty to do as a young bassist, splitting his time between three bands, including Beyond Creation, Brought By Pain, and Equipoise, plus work as a tour manager. I sat down with him at NAMM for a quick Q&A on all his work in the metal world. We’re here at NAMM, so I have to start off by asking what you’re doing today at the show. Just having fun, hanging out with my friends in Equipoise, catching up with friends, I just performed at the Neural DSP booth, that’s been a blast. So yeah, making connections, being here […]

NAMM Interview: Timo Somers

ChelseaInterviews

Timo Somers, metal guitarist and Aristides Instruments enthusiast, was representing his favorite brand at their booth at NAMM this year, and I had the chance to speak with him about his NAMM/Aristides experience and musical ventures both in and outside of Delain.  Here with Timo Somers at the Aristides guitar booth, want to start off by asking, what’s your connection with Aristides guitars? Well, I’ve been playing their guitars for like seven years now, and I was one of the first artists that they got, and then the brand grew so much, and then I came to be an Artist […]

Ronnie Montrose Remembered To Celebrate the Music of Montrose with All-Star Lineup At NAMM

ChelseaNews

Ronnie Montrose Remembered is an annual event that takes place during NAMM, one which will be celebrating its 5th Anniversary this year. The event, set for January 17th, 2020 at The M3 Live in Anaheim, CA, unites a vast and continually expanding list of musicians for a tribute concert to the late namesake guitarist of Montrose, led and coordinated by musician and former Montrose frontman, Keith St. John. The lineup so far includes: Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), George Lynch (Lynch Mob/Dokken), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Ozzy Osbourne), Dave Rude (Tesla), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent Band), Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), […]

Interview: Steve Harris

ChelseaInterviews

Steve Harris’s extra-Maiden musical project, British Lion, is just about to release a new album, The Burning, on January 17th, right before kicking off a U.S. tour that runs until the end of February. Steve was kind enough to take the time for a phoner, discussing all the latest goings-on with British Lion, the new album, tour gear, and more. I just want to dig right into the British Lion stuff, I’ve been listening to this record, I’m very excited about it, and I heard that The Burning is a couple of years in the making, so what made now […]

Interview: Sal Abruscato

ChelseaInterviews

A Pale Horse Named Death, the Brooklyn-based band formed and fronted by Type O Negative and Life of Agony’s Sal Abruscato, released their third album, When The World Becomes Undone, earlier this year. I recently spoke with Sal about the creation of the new album, what brought the band back from their hiatus, their European touring ventures, and more.  You’ve got lots going on right now with A Pale Horse Named Death, you just came off the Season of the Dead European tour, which you just mentioned before we started the interview, how was that run? It was fantastic, a […]