The day of Sirius XM’s first-ever Hair Nation Festival is quickly approaching, taking place this Saturday, September 17th. SoCal is the destination for the lineup of Sunset Strip Rockers who are hitting the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater stage for a final time before the venue closes at the end of this year.
The event will be hosted by Eddie Trunk and broadcast on Sirius XM’s Channel 39, Hair Nation, the following week on September 24th. This weekend will also see Battle for Hair Nation Festival winners Electric Hound and The Aviators taking to the Festival Stage and Main Stage, respectively, to open the show.
A new song from Kobra and the Lotus recently made its debut on Revolver Magazine. Listen to the official audio of “TriggerPulse” here. Upon their recent signing to Napalm Records, the band announced their upcoming double album Prevail I + II, set to be released in 2017. Lead singer and Frontwoman Kobra Paige said of the song, “We are ecstatic to finally be releasing a new track from Kobra and the Lotus! After two years it’s time to unleash something new and tasty so here we go…’TriggerPulse’ is coming for you and it’s ready to make some waves in the Omniverse!! See you out there in space!”
Kobra and the Lotus will take to the road this fall in Europe alongside label-mates Delain. Fans can expect to hear a mix of Kobra and the Lotus classics and new songs from Prevail I + II.
Hard Rock band Black Star Riders are set to release their third album Heavy Fire via Nuclear Blast Entertainment in early 2017. The band is currently working with Producer Nick Rasculinecz, who produced their second album The Killer Instinct, as they finish up recording the album in Nashville. About the album, guitarist Scott Gorham says, “It’s great to be back with Nick, after such a great job on The Killer Instinct, it was a no brainer to continue the relationship and this album is going to blow everyone away”. You can watch an official video from the band announcing the new album and their upcoming tour here.
Black Star Riders also have a Pledgemusic campaign, offering merch and experiences alongside the Heavy Fire pre-order. Other special content such as video updates and announcement are part of the Pledgemusic project – a studio update of Jimmy DeGrasso’s drum tracking was released this week. More details can be found at the Pledgemusic Project site: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/black-star-riders
In support of the new album, Black Star Riders are touring the UK and Ireland in March of 2017, joined by The Amorettes for the first five dates, then Backyard Babies for the remaining eleven. Scottish rockers Gun will tour alongside Black Star Riders for all dates. On the tour, Ricky Warwick says, “It seems like ages since we did the Leppard/Whitesnake tour so we are all really looking forward to be back out on the road with BSR. Our third album will be out just prior to the dates so it’s going to be great to play tracks from that along with favorites from the first two records also. Having my old friends from Backyard Babies, Gun and The Amorettes out with us too is just icing on the cake to make a great tour!”
Tour dates are as follows:
(with Gun and The Amorettes)
March 2nd – Tramshed, Cardiff
March 3rd – William Aston Hall, Wrexham
March 4th – Academy, Dublin
March 5th – Limelight, Belfast
March 7th – Ironworks, Inverness
(with Gun and Backyard Babies)
March 8th – O2 ABC, Glasgow (Co-Headlining with Gun)
March 9th – O2 ABC, Glasgow (Co-Headlining with Gun)
March 10th – O2 Academy, Newcastle
March 11th – O2 Academy, Leeds
March 12th – O2 Ritz, Manchester
March 14th – Rock City, Nottingham
March 15th – UEA, Norwich
March 16th – O2 Academy Bristol
March 17th – O2 Kentish Town Forum, London
March 18th – O2 Institute, Birmingham
March 19th – O2 Academy, Bournemouth
Letters From The Fire is a band that brings something new to the table while wearing their influences on their sleeves, and while those may be cliched expressions, they prove to be true in this case – drawing comparisons to other female-fronted rock bands such as Evanescence and Paramore, the band lives up to that role while adding their own undeniable personal touch. Formed in 2012 by guitarist Mike Keller, the Bay Area band has undergone a few lineup changes, but upon settling in to one fronted by singer Alexa Kabazie, they recently headed into the studio to record their first full-length album, Worth The Pain. This album was produced by Failure Anthem guitarist Kile Odell and is set to be released on September 9th via Sand Hill Records.
Worth The Pain hits hard and heavy right from the start, planting roots in a modern hard rock sound with the opening track “Perfect Life”, a sound that holds strong through “Mother Misery” and carries over to “Live A Lie”. “Give In To Me”, one of the album’s singles, steps into the dark side accompanied by an equally dark and disturbing music video, all the while bringing in enough electronic ambiance to feel like an industrial track; but with each chorus, the album’s overall heavy guitar-driven rock is reaffirmed. “Last December” takes all of these elements to the next level, with a synthesized riff starting out the song as electronic sounds permeate the track, but “Holy Ghost” ensures you don’t forget that what you’re listening to is a rock record through and through.
The title track “Worth The Pain” keeps up with some of the electronic sounds introduced earlier in the record, but if those effects were to be stripped away, the track feels like a classic heavy metal song at its core. That touch of the classic also slips subtly into “Control”, but the album closer “One Foot In The Grave” replants those modern hard rock roots, while songs like “Scars” and “My Angel” are where influences of the Pop Rock persuasion show through stronger than ever.
Worth The Pain does have a softer side, which emerges on songs like “Bruised”, a sudden departure from the path of the first three tracks that sits at an intersection between Pop and Alt. Rock, and “At War”, where a gentle piano and melancholy lyrics lead the track to stand out from the rest as it forms a contemporary ballad emphasizing Alexa Kabazie’s strong vocals. Alongside Kabazie, Mike Keller and Cameron Stucky share the guitar duties well, and as the group is rounded out by bassist Clayton Wages and drummer Brian Sumwalt, who lay down grooves worthy of a closer listen, the lineup of Letters From The Fire makes for one solid hard rock band.
Melodic and powerful, modern and accessible, with a classic heavy rock feel occasionally making itself known. A sense of darkness lies within Worth The Pain – in the lyrics, the riffs, even the effects – yet it has enough of a groove to get you pumped and moving, and most songs are catchy enough to get stuck in your head (I know they’ve been in mine since I first heard the album). There’s a strong energy pushing forward, even through the ballads, and anytime things slow down, it doesn’t last for too long as the record kicks up and heads back to its former heaviness. Worth The Pain is an excellent album all around, showcasing the band’s talents. Letters From The Fire has a great potential to break out even further and be the next big thing on the modern rock scene.
Rating: 5/5
Letters From The Fire is currently on the road with Art of Dying and Children 18:3. For more on Letters From The Fire, including upcoming tour dates, head to their official website at http://lettersfromthefire.net/
British NWOBHM legends Saxon are set to release their tenth live album, Let Me Feel Your Power, via UDR Music on September 23rd (Europe) and October 7th (North America). A live performance video of the track “Wheels Of Steel” straight off the upcoming double album has been unleashed, and is streaming on BraveWords today.
The 16 track album was recorded in Munich during November 2015 and Brighton in January 2016, with bonus materials from Chicago in September 2015. Let Me Feel Your Power will be available in several formats, including DVD/2CDs, Blu-Ray/2CDs, digital download and a deluxe vinyl version which will also include the Blu-Ray and 2CDs (limited to 1500 copies). The full track listing is as follows:
01. Battering Ram*
02. Motorcycle Man*
03. Sacrifice*
04. Destroyer*
05. Power And The Glory*
06. 20000FT*
07. The Devil’s Footprints*
08. Heavy Metal Thunder*
09. Queen Of Hearts*
10. Princess Of The Night*
11. Wheels Of Steel*
12. Denim And Leather*
13. Crusader*
14. Eye Of The Storm#
15. Battalions Of Steel#
16. Requiem#
*live in Munich
#live in Brighton
Bonus Material (Live In Chicago):
01. Motorcycle Man
02. Battering Ram*
03. This Town Rocks
04. Sacrifice
05. Power And The Glory
06. Solid Ball Of Rock
07. Dallas 1 PM
08. Heavy Metal Thunder
09. Rock The Nations
10. The Eagle Has Landed
11. Wheels Of Steel
12. Backs To The Wall
13. Just Let Me Rock
14. Strong Arm Of The Law
15. 747 (Strangers In The Night)
16. Princess Of The Night
17. Crusader*
18. Denim And Leather
[*only available as video content; not available on CD or digital]
More live performance clips from Let Me Feel Your Power will also premiere soon. The album can be pre-ordered at the following links:
The Last Stand, Sabaton’s latest album, was released through Nuclear Blast on August 19th, 2016. This Swedish Heavy Metal band has reached their highest-ever chart entries in the US and Canada with the album, debuting at #63 on the Billboard U.S. Top 200 album chart, #2 on the Billboard Hard Music chart, #2 on the Canadian Hard Music Chart, and #20 on the Canadian Top 200 album chart. The Last Stand also holds the #5 position on the Billboard Top Rock album chart, #4 on the Billboard Independent albums chart, and #19 on the Billboard Top Current Albums chart.
Worldwide first week chart positions for The Last Stand include:
#1 – Czech Republic
#1 – Finland
#1 – Sweden
#2 – Germany
#4 – Belgium
#11 – Netherlands
#11 – Norway
#15 – Hungary
#17 – UK
#29 – Australia
#92 – Ireland
A track-by-track trailer featuring the band discussing the background and stories behind the songs on The Last Stand has also been released, and can be found here.
Sabaton will soon head to the states, their new guitarist Tommy Johansson in tow, for the 2016 “Silence In The Snow” Fall tour alongside headliners Trivium and special guest Huntress. www.sabaton.net/tour has the full listing of tour dates.
Conquer Divide is an up-and-coming band on the Metalcore scene, with an all-female lineup whose members hail from both the U.S. and the U.K. The group came together in 2012 and their self-titled debut album premiered in 2015, produced by Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, Of Mice And Men, Blessthefall). The band has toured with the likes of Upon A Burning Body and Capture The Crown, among others, and released several music videos, including the songs “Nightmares” and “What’s Left Inside”.
I recently spoke with one of the band’s two vocalists, screamer Janel Duarte, about the band, their debut album, and some of her experiences in the rock and metal world so far.
Janel, it’s great to hear from you and I’m excited to talk with you about Conquer Divide. You guys released your self-titled debut last year and I’d like to ask you about that to start things off. Talk to me about some ideas and some of the work that went into the making of this album.
Well, the way it was written was basically sending emails back and forth between our guitar players, and then everybody kind of just pitching in lyric ideas and writing melodies to go along with the music. It was a whole teamwork kind of writing process, and as for what the songs are about, they’re based on experiences we all have been through, and so we all just put it through lyrics and made it…kind of meaningful for people who have also been through certain types of situations. It’s like, knowing a really racy kind of girl who flaunts her stuff everywhere, or experiences where people tell you to quit music and you feel lost, or if people start bashing you, you know, we have a song on our album for that. So, we’re aiming for material that our fans relate to.
You’re known as the screamer of the group, when did you first realize that was something you could do?
I was, maybe 14 years old, and I was really into the band The Used, and the lead singer Bert did both singing and screaming, and I always just found the way he screamed and the emotions behind his lyrics to be really appealing. I don’t know, one day I kind of just went for it, and at first, it was obviously not the best scream in the world – it took a really long time to craft it and make my screams not sound like I’m dying…But when I realized I could do it, I was just like “Okay, cool”, I can put it under my belt as a tool, because I also sing. So screaming was kind of like a fun side project that got me where I am now.
Who are some of your favorite metal screamers?
Well, Bert McCracken from The Used for sure, and I really really dig Dave from Crown The Empire – his vocal style is definitely a goal for me. He’s definitely my number one influence, so let’s just go with him.
Aside from being the screamer in the band, as you just mentioned, you also sing clean vocals, so tell me about that as well – how did you get started with singing in the first place?
I don’t know what it was about singing…since I was a child, I mean, I can remember being nine years old and wanting to be a singer with a tour bus one day. So, I don’t know where the passion came from, but it’s always been there. As I got older, like in middle school, early high school, I started playing with bands, because I thought being a solo singer would be kind of lame. I just strived toward the Metal/Rock scene, so as I grew up I just started playing in different bands, mostly singing and kind of screaming. Then, that just took over my life, and then here I am now in Conquer Divide actually being a touring musician, which was always my goal.
That’s awesome, and going back to Conquer Divide, I’ve heard that YouTube auditions played a big part in the band coming together.
Yes, definitely, that’s how we found everybody. Kia, our singer, she heard about Conquer having auditions so she tried out through YouTube, and Tamara, our drummer as well. Basically everyone but our bass player, and our guitar player Kristen – everyone else was all YouTube. I didn’t audition, but they found me through my YouTube channel, so I can still say I thank YouTube for that. And yeah, everybody had to audition, because we’re all from all over the world. It was good, I love YouTube. (laughs)
That’s definitely great, and it’s interesting how in this generation, that’s a whole new way of bands coming together, through YouTube and technology.
Oh, yeah, definitely. Facebook and YouTube both had a big play on Conquer Divide’s formation, so shout out to them, if they want to sponsor us, I don’t know. (laughs)
Now there’s an idea. (laughs)
Exactly!
Now, you mentioned Kia, so having two vocalists within the band, you as the screamer and Kia as the clean vocalist, how does the songwriting work when it comes to dividing up the vocal duties?
It’s just like, mapping out what emotions we want to be expressed at that part in a song, whether we want to be really aggressive with this one verse, that’s when I would take it, or if we want to get a message across without being so aggressive, we would give the lyrics to Kia. So it just depends on where the songwriting takes us, when it comes to splitting up our parts.
Janel, you definitely seem to be someone who’s really into rock and metal, so let’s talk metal. When’d you first get into it and what are some favorite bands of yours?
Yeah, I was in 7th grade, and I was listening to all these 10, 11-year-old music, and then out of nowhere, my group of friends found System of a Down. And that was my real first Metal band that I ever really really liked. So first it was System of a Down, and then I moved to like Panic! At The Disco, which is another big first one for me. Then I found My Chemical Romance which basically changed my entire life – they’re the reason why I’m in a band, they inspired me so much to basically do what they did. So, I would like to thank them for where I am today. And then it was The Used, of course, it was between The Used and MCR, that’s what I was really into. Then I got into Green Day for a little bit, and then after that phase, I found the genre of music that I’m doing now. My favorite band in this kind of genre of music is Pierce The Veil, I really like Crown The Empire. But I also really like Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, D.R.U.G.S., Craig Owens’ side project that he’s been doing for like a year, I really dig them too.
Who in the band would you say shares your music taste most closely?
Probably Izzy. I know she likes Architects, who I also love as well, and she likes Parkway Drive, August Burns Red, so she and I are definitely on the same plane. Also, Kristen, our other guitar player, she also is pretty heavy into this stuff, so us three are probably the majority who listen to it. And Tamara listens to really really heavy metal, so she’s the one that has the most intense taste in music. Then Kia listens to like…Miley Cyrus…and Rihanna…and like, Beyonce. And then Ashley listens to country.
Wow, definitely a blend there.
(laughs) Definitely a blend, but it all works out. We all still like the same music.
Moving on, I’d like to talk concerts with you. Conquer Divide played South By Southwest in some showcases earlier this year, and Janel, you’re actually from Texas, so how was that for you? Had you ever been to SXSW before?
Yeah, I’ve seen it, before playing South by Southwest, I had been to – I think, 2 or 3 shows. But I remember that when I went to those shows, I always wished I could be, you know, those bands that are actually playing on stage, I’d rather be on stage than watching, and then literally two years later, there I was, at SXSW, in my hometown. The first time we played it was really surreal, and felt like I had accomplished something I had set for myself. So the whole experience was definitely a good, great experience on my end, and for the band, we played probably one of our best shows this year at SXSW. Definitely a lot of love for that festival from all of us.
You’ve also done a good amount of touring, so how do you like life on the road so far?
Oh yeah. I love, love, love touring. It’s something that I had been dreaming of since middle school, daydreaming and wishing I was on the road in a different city, playing music. And now that it’s finally here, it’s basically a dream come true. So if I could, you know, have a choice on my own, I’d be touring right now nonstop until I die. I mean yes, it does get kind of rough, the fact that you don’t sleep in your own bed, and you can’t just eat and go to the restroom and lay down whenever you want, but it’s definitely worth it in the end when you’re like, on that stage in front of everybody and everybody’s just in awe. It’s all worth it in the end, but I enjoy touring and I hope to do it until I get old and I can’t even move.
Something else I’d like to ask you about – Oftentimes when it comes to all-female bands, people tend to focus heavily on the fact that you are all girls, maybe overlooking the music a bit in the process. Does it bother you at all when you get questions about being an all-female band, or being a girl on the metal scene, things like that?
I think it’s more just an observation in my opinion, when other people say like, “Oh, it’s an all-girl band!” it’s like, “Well, yeah. It’s true. We are all girls.” and it is rare, but…in a way it kind of makes it special, and a lot of time I’ve had people tell me, “I heard your album on Spotify or Pandora and I didn’t even know it was an all-girl band, I literally thought it was just a female-fronted band and the rest were guys”. People have been like “I had no idea, and then I looked you guys up and you were all girls, and it just made you guys even more awesome”. So, at first listen, a lot of people don’t even know we’re a girl band until they either read it somewhere or look up a picture, so in the end it’s like, it’s not as annoying as you’d assume it to be. Until, you know, they start being like “Oh, your music sounds generic, blah, blah, blah”. But that’s only the butthurt guys that tell us that, the ones who are like “Your band’s better than mine, and yet I’m an all-guy band, and you’re ahead of me, but you’re all girls”…you know, the butthurt ones. So those are the ones where it’s like “Okay, you can shut up about us being girls”, but most of the time we get a good response!
Metalcore seems to be the category Conquer Divide falls under – what do you think of that label, Janel, of being a part of that genre? Do you associate yourselves with it, or do you maybe see the band as something different?
I mean, I guess you could definitely say we are a Metalcore band, I just feel like every time I hear “Metalcore” it just makes me think of a heavier band. But then again, I am the screamer so I guess we are pretty heavy. (laughs)
(laughs) That’s true.
So yeah, it’s pretty accurate. I’m not offended or anything, I feel like it’s a very proper term for this genre of metal. I know some people that say, “I don’t want to be a post-hardcore metalcore band”, but it’s like “Well, that’s the sound you’re making”, so…I’m fine with that title.
Things seem to be going well with your debut album so far, you’ve got a couple of music videos, you’re quickly moving up the rock and metal charts, so to wrap things up here, what’s next for Conquer Divide? What can fans expect to see coming up for you guys?
Well, as of right now, we’re kind of at a standstill, saving up money for our tour van that got kind of got damaged on our last tour. So as of right now, we’re going to be working on an acoustic type of rendition of our album, with some new acoustic songs going on there. And then we’re also going to start working on our new full-length album, once Izzy’s back in the states and we’re all able to write together again.
Nice, sounds like a lot of good things to look forward to!
Yes!! New material, for sure.
All right, well, thanks so much for your time, Janel, this has been great talking with you.
Oh, but of course, thank you for inviting me.
Absolutely. Thanks a lot for talking with me, and take care.
Hard Rock band Tyketto is approaching their 25th Anniversary, and a new album is on its way to celebrate. Reach, the band’s 5th studio album, will be out October 14th, 2016 on Frontiers Music Srl. A new video for the album’s title track “Reach” was recently released, and can be viewed here. “Reach” is Tyketto’s first music video in 22 years.
On the upcoming album, lead vocalist Danny Vaughn comments, “Although we only had planned on recording ten songs for “Reach”, we were so pleased with everything, we decided to keep all twelve songs on the record. We unanimously decided on “Reach” as the title of the album, as it defines who this band is in 2016. We have a new energy, some incredible new members, and a fresh outlook toward the future. All of us have pushed each other beyond our limits to make what we feel is a pinnacle record in our catalog.”
Drummer and founding member Michael Clayton Arbeeny adds, “Many bands who have been out as long as we have feel they need to fit into a preconceived notion of what their fans expect to hear. Following in the footsteps of icons such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Prince, we have decided to expand our musical boundaries and introduce our friends around the world to TYKETTO 2016. Rest assured that all the songs on “Reach” still carry the trademark melodies and choruses our fans have grown to love over the decades. The band is feeling stronger and performing better than ever and we can’t wait to share this music with the world.”
Rounding out the Tyketto lineup alongside Danny Vaughn and Michael Clayton Arbeeny are Chris Green (guitars and vocals), Ged Rylands (keyboards and vocals) and Chris Childs (bass).
Reach is available for digital pre-orders on Amazon and iTunes, and all pre-orders come with an instant download of the title track. The track listing of Reach is as follows:
Reach
Big Money
Kick Like A Mule
Circle The Wagon
I Need It Now
Tearing Down The Sky
Letting Go
The Fastest Man Alive
Remember My Name
Sparks Will Fly
Scream
The Run
Precious Little Gets Away (Digital Bonus Track)
Tyketto will also embark on a tour this fall/winter in support of the new album. Tour dates can be found below:
September 30th – Avalon – Hollywood, USA
October 1st – 5th – Monsters of Rock Cruise
November 13th – De Bosuil – Weert, Netherlands
November 14th – Spirit of 66 – Verviers, Belgium
November 16th – Pacific Rock – Cergy, France
November 18th – Hall of Fame – Wetzikon, Switzerland
November 19th – Riffelhof – Burgreiden, Germany
November 21st – Nachtlebel – Frankfurt, Germany
November 23rd – Matrix – Bochum, Germany
November 24th – Boerderij – Zoetermeer, Netherlands
November 26th – Cluny – Newcastle, UK
November 27th – O2 ABC2 – Glasgow, UK
November 28th – O2 Academy 2 – Liverpool, UK
November 29th – O2 Academy 2 – Islington, UK
December 2nd – Planet Rockstock – Trecco Bay, UK
December 4th – Robin 2 – Bilston, UK
December 5th – Rescue Rooms – Nottingham
German Heavy Metal Legends Running Wild have a new album on the way, entitled Rapid Foray. The worldwide release is set for August 26th on SPV/Steamhammer and a new song off the album has premiered via lyric video, “Black Bart”. Listen to the track here.
Rapid Foray will be the sixteenth studio release for Running Wild, whose current lineup consists of Rock N’ Rolf on vocals, Peter Jordan on guitar, Ole Hempelmann on bass, and Michael Wolpers on drums. The band whose name was inspired by a Judas Priest song was a big part of the German Heavy Metal scene in the 80’s, and even among several lineup changes, disbandments and reformations, they’ve never left their fans for too long – just about every few years from 1984 to the present there’s been a new album release from Running Wild.
The track listing of the upcoming Rapid Foray is as follows:
It’s been three years since Korn released an album, 2013’s The Paradign Shift being the most recent, and last month’s announcement of The Serenity of Suffering has fans on tenterhooks awaiting what’s to come next from the Nu-Metal band. Previews and teasers have been relieving the suspense a little at a time, but the full premiere of “Insane” takes us one step closer to the album with this opening track. The song was premiered on The BBC Radio 1 Rock Show with Daniel P. Carter on Sunday, August 21st.
Korn also premiered a music video recently for another track off The Serenity of Suffering, “Rotting In Vain”. The official video, as well as the official audio for “Insane” can be found on the band’s official YouTube channel: kornchannel – YouTube
The Serenity of Suffering, Korn’s twelfth studio album, is set to be released on Roadrunner Records (the label on which Korn III – Remember Who You Are and The Path of Totality were also released) on October 21st, 2016. A glance at the cover art, created by artist Ron English, should bring back a few memories for Korn fans of the 1999 album Issues, where the skeletal rag doll seen here made its cover debut.
Korn is currently co-headlining with Rob Zombie on the “Return of the Dreads” tour, and will be heading out on the “Nocturnal Underground” tour alongside Breaking Benjamin this fall. More information at http://official.korn.com/
Photo via Sinsaenum Official Website, Courtesy of earMUSIC
Sinsaenum is a band that’s quickly gaining recognition as a Death Metal supergroup. While the roots of the international extreme metal band may have been formed as early as 2010, it wasn’t until this year that their debut album Echoes of the Tortured was unleashed onto the world. The current lineup consists of:
Sinsaenum recently partnered with Billboard and premiered an exclusive lyric video for the song “Anfang Des Albtraumes”, meaning “The Beginning of the Nightmare”, and you can watch it right here. The band cites author H.P. Lovecraft as an inspiration for the music on this track. Despite the German language title, the song is in English and includes a spoken interlude in Hungarian by vocalist Attila Csihar.
Metallica has announced the release date of the long awaited new studio album Hardwired…To Self-Destruct – November 18th, 2016. This will be the band’s eleventh studio album, and their first since 2008’s Death Magnetic. “Hardwired”, a track off the upcoming album, made a surprise debut today when Lars Ulrich premiered it during an interview with 93X in Minneapolis, where Metallica will play the first rock concert at U.S. Bank Stadium this weekend.
Hardwired…To Self-Destruct, a double album to be released on vinyl, CD, and digital download, is available for preorder at metallica.com. Every order placed through the site will come with an instant download of “Hardwired”. A deluxe edition will also be available, including riffs that were the origins of the album. The full tracklist is as follows:
Disc One
Hardwired
Atlas, Rise!
Now That We’re Dead
Moth Into Flame
Am I Savage?
Halo On Fire
Disc Two
Confusion
Dream No More
ManUNkind
Here Comes Revenge
Murder One
Spit Out The Bone
Disc Three (Deluxe Edition Only)
Lords of Summer
Riff Charge (Riff Origins)
N.W.O.B.H.M. A.T.M. (Riff Origins)
Tin Shot (Riff Origins)
Plow (Riff Origins)
Sawblade (Riff Origins)
RIP (Riff Origins)
Lima (Riff Origins)
91 (Riff Origins)
MTO (Riff Origins)
RL72 (Riff Origins)
Frankenstein (Riff Origins)
CHI (Riff Origins)
X Dust (Riff Origins)
The album will be released on Blackened Records, and produced by Greg Fidelman, along with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. An official music video for “Hardwired” was also released today and can be viewed here: Metallica: Hardwired (Official Music Video)
The self-titled debut album of Bad Omens is set to be released on Friday, August 19th. The LA-based band whose lineup consists of vocalist Noah Sebastian, guitarists Nicholas Ryan and Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson, Vincent Riquier on bass, and Nick Folio on drums, got their start in 2014 and soon after signed to Sumerian Records in 2015. After a year of hard work and several singles, the release of their full-length album is on the horizon. The album itself is not Bad Omens’ debut in the Metal world or on the Metalcore scene, as they’ve been touring since their Sumerian signing with the likes of Metalcore and Deathcore bands (and labelmates) Born of Osiris, Upon A Burning Body, ERRA, and Veil of Maya, just to name a few. This fall, they’ll be heading out on Sumerian Records’ 10 Years In The Black tour, alongside Asking Alexandria, Born of Osiris, I See Stars, After The Burial, and Upon A Burning Body.
The track listing of Bad Omens is as follows:
Glass Houses
Exit Wounds
The Worst In Me
F E R A L
Enough, Enough Now
Malice
Hedonist
Broken Youth
Crawl
The Letdown
Reprise (The Sound Of The End)
The Fountain
While the title “Glass Houses” may bring to mind a Billy Joel album for some, instead of harmonicas and Hammonds, we’re met with rasping vocals ripping through a serene start alongside grooving rhythms and persistent pounding beats in this opening track. “Exit Wounds” feels like being caught in between a modern Hard Rock song and an old-school Thrash track as it alternates between the hard-hitting verses and melody-driven choruses – and as long as we’re on the topic of melodies, perhaps the most singable track of them all is “The Worst In Me” as the clean vocals are echoed by distant growls over tricky but memorable riffs. Music videos have also been released for all three of these tracks, which appear to have been met with excellent reception so far.
The touch of Producer Will Putney, who’s also worked with The Amity Affliction and The Acacia Strain among plenty others, effectively blends the distinct sound of the genre that such bands share with Bad Omens’ own unique touch and experimentation. Bad Omens explores many sounds, styles, and emotions while taking the listener along for the ride. From the tinge of industrial at the arrival of “F E R A L”, through the tragic piano and tortured screams in tracks like “Enough, Enough Now” and “Crawl”, across the haunting sounds of “Malice” and “The Fountain” and symphonic explorations of “The Letdown”. Along the way, the thrashing grooves of “Hedonist” paired with tracks like “Broken Youth” and “Reprise (The Sound Of The End)” are reminiscent of the bands whose company Bad Omens keeps on the road.
Bad Omens finds a great balance between melodic choruses and just the right amount of pervasive harshness so that, rather than being carried away by a soaring singable melody, you stay grounded in the knowledge that you’re listening to some of the darkest yet freshest of the Metalcore scene. Rather than sticking to the Metalcore genre label, however, the band keeps an open mind while keeping it heavy. There is an underlying ominous feeling surrounding almost every track on Bad Omens’ debut album that seems to live up to the band name. Nonetheless, Bad Omens’ debut can be seen as a good omen – that this up-and-coming band is well on their way to making a name for themselves, and they’re undoubtedly one to keep an eye on to see what else their future holds.
Rating: 4/5
For further information on Bad Omens, including music videos and pre-order links for the debut album, go to: Bad Omens|Official Website
Mötley Crüe and Sixx:AM bassist Nikki Sixx went live on Facebook today to announce his new Schecter “Mummy Sixx” collection of signature bass guitars. This is not the first time Nikki Sixx has had a signature line of basses through Schecter, as the Schecter Sixx Signature Series Bass was released a few years ago. The new “Mummy Sixx” collection will be personally wrapped, modified, and played on stage by Nikki Sixx during two upcoming Sixx:AM tours with Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach and Shinedown. He will also be autographing the basses and personally presenting them to the purchaser at their chosen show.
According to the official Nikki Sixx Bass website, on the experience, Nikki Sixx says, “I had been asked 1000’s of times to sell the basses I play onstage, but it took a long time to do it in such a way that the collector would be getting more than just the instrument. I tried to create the experience I would’ve wanted as a fan with a Keith Richards or a Joe Perry… If I could’ve had them play my guitar onstage and give it to me afterward, I would’ve jumped at the chance. All of my basses include a meet & greet with me, photo op and the basses are personalized however the collector wants making it what I hope is a truly special experience.”
The Facebook Live video announcement can be viewed Here. Further information on the bass collection can be found at www.nikkisixxbass.com, and more information on Sixx:AM at sixxammusic.com
Canadian Hard Rockers Kobra and the Lotus have announced the signing of a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. Their fourth album and Napalm Records debut Prevail I + II will be released as two separate volumes of a double album, with the first part to be released in February 2017, and the second part to follow in October of 2017. A new single will also be released in the near future.
The band has released a message on their signing and upcoming albums: “It is with great pleasure and humility that we can finally announce our signing to Napalm Records!! We’ve been working very hard on creating our upcoming albums, ‘Prevail I” and “Prevail II”, and believe there couldn’t have been a better partnership to help us bring this massive double record undertaking to the world. Get ready for lots of new music and the best sonic evolution of Kobra and the Lotus to date. We can’t wait to see you all out there!! Horns up, love up!! \M/.”
Kobra and the Lotus were formed in 2009 by the classically trained singer/songwriter Kobra Paige. To date, they have released three full-length albums, and one EP of covers. On the live music scene, they have toured worldwide, played some of the biggest Rock and Metal festivals around, and opened for renowned bands such as KISS, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Black Label Society, Slash, Kamelot, Sonata Arctica, among many others. This fall, Kobra and the Lotus are heading out for a European tour alongside Delain – also signed to Napalm Records – and Evergrey.
Further information on Kobra and the Lotus, including preorders for the new albums and upcoming tour dates, can be found at kobraandthelotus.com
