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Tag: Modern Hard Rock

Interview: Jef Rhodes

ChelseaInterviews

Jef Rhodes is the mastermind behind Them Damn Kings, whose debut album Rise Up is set for an early 2021 release. Though it may be a debut album, this is far from Jef’s debut in the music industry, with plenty of road years and experiences under his belt, including long runs as a Front of House Engineer and Backline Tech for bands such as Lacuna Coil, Cradle of Filth, Opeth, Mayhem, and more. I had the chance to talk with Jef about the new album from Them Damn Kings, how Jef got his start in the industry, memorable road antics […]

Interview: Jess Hartley of Häxan

ChelseaInterviews

Häxan is a three-piece bringing their classic-tinged modern hard rock out of the UK, with Jess Hartley (drums), Sam Bolderson (vocals/guitar), and Harriet Wadeson (bass). Shortly after their debut full-length, White Noise, was released, I had a chance to speak with Jess about the record, the music videos and the drive behind Häxan. Check it out below.  I want to dig right into White Noise, you guys are awesome and this is a killer new record, and it’s also your debut full-length. It’s still kind of strange times to be releasing an album in, so my question is, how has […]

Interview: Cameron Byrd of Veio

ChelseaInterviews

Portland, Oregon Rockers Veio just released their new album Vitruvian via Silent Majority Group last month. I spoke with Veio frontman Cameron Byrd shortly before the release, about Vitruvian, the Veio Legion, working with Sylvia Massy, their time at the Happens convention, and more. So let’s dig right in, you’ve got the new album, Vitruvian, coming out this month – so I want to ask, how did you first approach following up on the Infinite Light, Desperate Shadows record? So, we followed up Infinite Light, Desperate Shadows kind of with an approach that we wanted to write songs that were […]

Interview: Paul Martin of Devilskin

ChelseaInterviews

New Zealand Hard Rockers Devilskin released their new album Red via Devilskin Ltd. this spring, and I recently had the chance to talk with bassist/songwriter Paul Martin about the record, and his background as a musician and radio personality. Just want to make sure, first of all, Paul, that you and your family are safe and healthy during these crazy times. Yes, pretty crazy times, we’re all well, thank you. New Zealand’s been one of the luckiest countries over this whole COVID crisis, so far it’s pretty low. It’s been crazy, been locked up and just the way things are […]

Album Review: Kansas – The Absence of Presence

ChelseaAlbum Reviews

The iconic level of musicianship associated with the name Kansas has never wavered, and the band has evolved with the times as they produce their latest album that fits the Progressive Rock idiom while venturing into modern Hard Rock elements. Vocalist Ronnie Platt has said that “The Absence of Presence shows the band firing on all cylinders”, and there’s no mistaking the truth of that statement from the very first song.  The title track opens the album, and its verse and chorus has Platt delivering the message of “reaching for connection to break the silence”, noting that “The Absence of […]

Interview: Dave Wanless of Sven Gali

ChelseaInterviews

Sven Gali made their debut on the Canadian music scene in the early 90’s, with a self-titled debut that went gold and launched the band to hit music videos, Juno nominations, and world touring alongside the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner, Pearl Jam, and April Wine. Life took the band in different directions, and they split in 1996, but Sven Gali is back this year with a new EP, 3, set to be released on June 12th via RFL Records. Sven Gali frontman Dave Wanless took the time to answer some questions about the band and the new EP.  When […]

Interview: ZouZou Mansour of Soraia

ChelseaInterviews

Soraia is a hard rocking band out of Philadelphia who have just released their latest full-album, Dig Your Roots, and recently took to a new platform with StageIt to do a livestream record release show for fans during this time of social distancing (and concert cancellations). Frontwoman ZouZou Mansour sat down for an interview to discuss the roots of Dig Your Roots, songwriting and influences, and the near future for the band.  Dig Your Roots is an awesome album with catchy, clever tracks and a versatile range of styles – can you start by talking about some ideas you went […]

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 […]

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 […]

Sons of Apollo Announce “MMXX” for 2020

ChelseaNews

Sons of Apollo is kicking off 2020 with a brand-new album, aptly named MMXX. Produced by Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian, the record is set to be out January 17th, 2020 via InsideOutMusic/Sony, and you can check out a brief teaser trailer for the album here: https://youtu.be/nL3YM8yKJIM. The first single off MMXX, “Goodbye Divinity”, will be revealed the day pre-orders are available, on November 15th. Mike Portnoy says of the record, “Stylistically, we have followed the same path as the debut. But we feel that it has come out stronger, simply because we know one another better. Psychotic Symphony was […]

“Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back” To Continue in 2020

ChelseaNews

Alice Cooper is going strong on the road – the legend just wrapped up an arena run in the U.K., and the Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back tour is about to hit the U.S. this fall – now, a new leg of the tour has just been announced as it extends into 2020. Alice will first head out to Australia and New Zealand in February, before taking the show across North America throughout the month of April. You can find all the details and the full listing of dates right here: https://alicecooper.com/tour/.