On this day in 1948 the Rock Gods blessed the earth with John Michael Osbourne. They tested him thoroughly with things that would have surely killed a mere mortal. Yet he withstood all that was thrown at him. Yet, all of these trials had transformed him, remade him, and thus OZZY arose from the man that was John Michael Osbourne. OZZY gathered the musical forces to him and gave to the ears of the world BLACK SABBATH. The power of OZZY quickly grew and he needed to empower other musicians and he left BLACK SABBATH in order to gather young musicians and take them under his “wing”.
Steve Schwartz– Lead Vocals/Guitar, Matt Sprio-Guitar/Back up vocals, Eric Pihl-Bass, Andy Illiano-Drums, make up this band from Long Island New York. The Things They Carried, or 3TC as they are affectionately called by their hometown fans, is a band on a mission. After recording their first EP “Attention Crisis” in spring of 2009, the band hit the road with a vengeance touring the east coast for just over a year. By summer of 2010 3TC knew it was time to head into the studio again and make a record. “We wanted to create something that all of us were equally excited about. We wanted every song to be as good as the next, no fillers!” singer/songwriter Steve Schwartz explains. The band headed to Shoreline, Washington just outside of Seattle to work with famed producer Casey Bates (Chiodos, Pierce The Veil, Isles and Glaciers, Fall of Troy). With Casey on board the band knew that this record would be exactly everything they wanted and everything that there fans would hopefully want. Good stuff to check out, here’s the video for “364 Anniversary” :
Merlin Sutter – Drums, Chrigel Glanzmann – Vocals, Mandola & Mandolin, Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipes, Bodhràn, Anna Murphy – Hurdygurdy, Vocals, Flute, Meri Tadic – Fiddle, Vocals, Ivo Henzi – Guitars, Simeon Koch – Guitars, Patrick Kistler – Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipe, Kay Brem – Bass. I was made aware of this band recently by Stevo Richardson a good friend of mine. Calling themselves The New Wave Of Folk Metal this band does stand out. Old meets new in this amalgamation of folk instruments and modern electric instruments. Eluveitie pulls it off stunningly. They combine great imagery with their well composed music. Definitely worth a listen. check out the video for “Havoc”:
Born Of Osiris is: Ronnie Canizaro – Vocals, Lee McKinney – guitars, Joe Buras – keys, David DaRocha – bass, Cameron Losch – drums.
BORN OF OSIRIS are mature well beyond their years and this dynamic extreme progressive juggernaut has now perfectly honed all of their collective talents to create what will soon be a pinnacle release for the metal genre. The group’s epic and highly acclaimed third full-length effort, The Discovery, was a huge leap forward for extreme progressive music and they have truly found their definitive sound.
The multitude of chugging and percussive riffs on The Discovery shows that the band hasn’t undergone a drastic metamorphosis, but underwent a serious maturation as songwriters. This growth as musicians and writers is carrying over into crafting their much anticipated new album due in 2013, so certainly expect the unexpected as BORN OF OSIRIS always strives to push the envelope of creativity and innovation. BORN OF OSIRIS completed a highly successful run on the Warped Tour this past summer and will wrap-up 2012 with separate co-headlining runs with The Word Alive and Unearth.
This ground-breaking six-piece group creates an epic mix of intricate and memorable melodies with challenging time signatures that still hold an infectious groove, all while maintaining sheer, tasteful brutality. Check out “Follow The Signs”:
Andrew Ross – vocals, mandolin, Angus Clark – guitar, vocals, Aurelien Budynek – guitar, vocals, Chris Altenhoff – bass, vocals, Jason Gianni – drums, vocals. Metal. Hard Rock. Power Metal. Progressive. Categorize them any way you want, this band rocks with a vengeance and won’t quit until they’ve shown the world what a five-man band can do. Armed with some of the finest songs written in this or any genre, the Squadron combines virtuosity with finesse in order to create an emotional impact on the listener unrivaled by their contemporaries. Substantive and relatable lyrics that draw you in and captivate you. Memorable melodies and rhythmic hooks that stick in your head for days. The sound of rock music as it was meant to be played, loud and unadorned. The members of the DDS are all at the top of their game. Andrew Ross is a singer who has the raw intensity of a young Paul Di’Anno with more range and control. Guitarists Angus Clark and Aurelien Budynek play in lockstep with each other, whether it be on rhythm parts or hyper-speed lead lines. With differing yet complimentary solo styles, this is a guitar duo that will stand up against Tipton and Downing, or Li and Totman. Bassist Chris Altenhoff and drummer Jason Gianni hold it all together, keeping the groove even in the oddest of time signatures. Check out “Out Of The Sun”:
Socionic is a project conceived of the fundamental need for artistic expression combined with the adeptness and appreciation for musical composition.
Drawing inspiration from bands such as Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains and The Deftones, the music emerges as a calculated release of passion and power blended with the diversity and detail of a crafted symphony. Achieving an elusive form of polar dichotomy, the sound seamlessly flows from brutal to beautiful, landing its genre bending classification somewhere between alternative, metal, and rock.
Reflective of the diversity and contrast of the world in which we live, the art of the project is deep, dark, and sometimes difficult. here is “Myopia”:
My first memory of the Beatles was of the song “Yellow Submarine”. Myself and several cousins used to run around singing this song at the top of our lungs, subsequently annoying various moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and most anyone else within earshot.
I have continued to love the music of the Beatles throughout the years. It was only as an adult that I learned to appreciate them as artists. I have read many books and articles over the years regarding them and their music. These are my feelings on how they changed the world of music forever.
The Beatles were always trying to push the envelope of music. They understood how imagery was critical to the success of a band. They had to constantly evolve their image to stay ahead of the imitators than soon came to follow. I feel that this imitation, and the subsequent changes, set the groundwork for the over the top imagery of bands that we have seen throughout the years and even today: David Bowie, T-Rex, Slade, The Sweet, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Slipknot, Gwar, etc, etc. I feel we owe the Beatles thanks for the image of these and countless other bands. I, for one, appreciate a great show to go along with my music.
As for the music, I feel the same thing occurred but with some interesting twists. When the success of the Beatles was fully realized, the recording industry (even those who had previously turned down the Beatles) clamored to find their own “version” of the Beatles. Catchy, poppy songs were everywhere trying to catch that “Beatles sound”. I feel that this forced the Beatles to evolve their music to stand apart from the masses. This led to studio wizardry that is used today. Tape looping, back masking, multi-tracking, it goes on and on. Also the attempt to out do each other by John and Paul led to to some iconic songs. George in his attempt to be taken serious as a musician wrote some of the greatest music to ever be recorded. Ringo, well he was the drummer……
Sadly, it became to much to hold it all together and rather than forcing the issue and giving sub-par music and performances, they walked away from it all. Love them or not, the Beatles, in my opinion changed the face of music and will continue to do so forever. Do yourself a favor and take a listen to the Beatles music and see if you can hear some of your favorite bands in their music.
Here’s a nod to those I annoyed with this song:
Thank you John, Paul, George, and Ringo, thank you from my heart and ears.
ENGLAND – Paul Allender, guitarist for heavy metal’s most infamous act, Cradle of Filth, recently sat down to discuss the band’s latest opus, The Manticore and Other Horrors. Check out the first half of his track-by-track analysis on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qGSBkbzrxM.
The Manticore and Other Horrors can be ordered online via the Nuclear Blast web-store at:http://bit.ly/cofnbusa and digitally through iTunes at: http://bit.ly/cofhoritun. Click here:http://bit.ly/cofspecials to find out where you can purchase The Manticore and Other Horrors at a local music retailer.
The band’s second album on Nuclear Blast entered the Billboard Top 200 at #96, with first-week sales topping 4,500 units.
1. The Unveiling of O
2. The Abhorrent
3. For your Vulgar Delectation
4. Illicitus
5. Manticore
6. Frost on her Pillow
7. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair
8. Pallid Reflection
9. Siding with the Titans
10. Succumb to This
11. Nightmares of an Ether Drinker
12. Death, The Great Adventure *Deluxe Edition Digipak
13. Sinfonia *Deluxe Edition Digipak
Recorded in eight weeks at both Springvale and Grindstone studios (where it was also mixed by Scott Atkins) in Suffolk, UK, The Manticore and Other Horrors is a testament to the longevity of The ‘Filth, as not only does it reek of Cradle’s (feared or revered) brand of delicious metal vamperotica, but this thoroughly modern album places the band firmly in fresh killing fields anew.
The Manticore and Other Horrors itself possesses an altogether new atmosphere for the band, incorporating a heavier, faster NWOBBM punk vibe that is both current and cruel, blended with ornate orchestration and the quirky immediateness of 2000’s Midian opus.
The album’s title can be likened to a bestiary, a collection of stories on monsters – personal demons, Chimeras, literary fiends and world-enslaving entities to blame but a few.
Artwork for the release comes courtesy of Matthew Vickerstaff of Darkwaveart.
Commented front-man, Dani Filth, “This is our 10th commandment in metal. We have diversified and kept alive the spirit of this band and breathed it into something that I can proudly say, slays like an absolute motherf**ker. The Manticore is coming… Long live the filth!”
DANKO JONES is pleased to announce select North American tour dates for 2013! These dates are scheduled as part of an upcoming tour with Danish hard-rockers Volbeat. DANKO JONES will perform as direct support throughout the tour. See directly below for the leaked dates (as well as a one-off date in Flint, MI this December) and expect the full tour to be announced within the next few weeks.
DANKO JONES at Banana 101.5’s “End of the World Party”
12/21 Flint, MI @ Holiday Inn Gateway Center (Buy tickets)
DANKO JONES 2013Direct Support Tour Dates with Volbeat:
3/27 Dawson Creek, BC (Canada) @ EnCana Events Centre
3/28 Edmonton, AB (Canada) @ Shaw Conference Centre
3/30 Regina, SA (Canada) @ Brandt Centre
4/9 New York, NY @ Best Buy Theatre
DANKO JONES’s new album, Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue, is in stores now! You can also purchase the album digitally on iTunes orAmazon, or stream it on Spotify!
As we wind down 2012, (which was a great year) we also start looking forward to 2013. We had some new doors open for us this year, we got to cover the 2012 Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar tour, we got to cover the great Skeletonwitch show, we reconfigured Music U-Night into Rock U-Night, and I started this Blog. Bleach Bangs Radio interviewed some great bands, and we saw the CD releases of local NM bands Beard, and Rusty Tramp. I also am going to be attending the dedication of the West Mesa Performing Arts Center to Randy Castillo this December. I also made a lot of new friends and met and heard a lot of new bands. I love you all.
2013 promises to start off on an equally great note. We have been fortunate enough to have obtained media access tot he 2013 NAMM show in Anaheim California in January. We plan on interviewing various instrument/gear companies and bring it to you first hand. We plan on continuing to bring you new bands, new interviews, new CD reviews, and new show reviews. If there is anything you want to see let us know. We are fan driven and here for you, the music lovers.
SMILE EMPTY SOUL, HURT PREMIERE ALICE IN CHAINS COVER “NO EXCUSES” WITH BANANA 101.5
SES front-man checks in from the road
SANTA CLARITA, CA – Southern California-based hard rock veteran, Smile Empty Soul, and fellow tour-mate, HURT, have launched a cover of the Alice in Chains track, “No Excuses,” on the Banana 101.5 website at: http://banana1015.com/hurt-smile-empty-soul-cover-alice-in-chains-no-excuses-exclusive-premiere/. The song was recorded earlier this month at 37 Studios in Rochester Hills, Mich. with producer Matt Dalton – known for his work with both local and national acts including Frequency 54 and Chiodos/D.R.U.G.S. front-man, Craig Owens.
Smile Empty Soul is currently in the midst of an extensive U.S. tour with HURT, touring in support of its fifth album, 3’s, and latest charting single, “Not Alike.” Guitarist/vocalist, Sean Danielsen, has checked in with the following update from the road:
“This tour with HURT has been great so far. The music really meshes well and everybody is getting along like family! Two quality rock bands bringing it every night…don’t miss it!”
A full list of confirmed tour-dates can be seen below.
Formed in 1998, Smile Empty Soul continues to be one of the most relentless bands in the industry. With countless tours, a top 10 single and a certified gold record under its belt, the band will continue its touring onslaught for the remainder of 2012 and beyond.
Stay tuned to the band’s official website: www.smileemptysoul.com for the latest info and tour-dates.
Smile Empty Soul w/ HURT…
11/23 – Springfield, MO @ Outland Ballroom
11/24 – Joliet, IL @ Mojo’s
11/25 – Rockford, IL @ Bar 3
11/27 – Girardeau, MO @ Pitters Café and Lounge
11/28 – Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco
11/29 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
11/30 – Johnson City, TN @ Chrome
12/01 – Meridian, MS @ Rhythm N Brews
12/03 – New Orleans, LA @ Hangar 13
12/04 – Lafayette, LA @ Grant Street Dance Hall
12/05 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
12/06 – Abilene, TX @ Lucky Mule Saloon
12/07 – Dallas, TX @ Tree’s
12/08 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Chameleon Room
12/09 – Little Rock, AR @ The Rev Room
12/11 – San Antonio, TX @ Tequila Rock Bar
12/13 – Beaumont, TX @ The Gig
12/14 – Shreveport, LA @ The Warehouse
12/15 – Lubbock, TX @ Republic
1. Witch Of Endor
2. Fear No Evil
3. The Last Legion Of Sorrow
4. Say Goodbye To The Sun
5. The Witching Hour
6. Black Magic
7. Trisect
8. Beyond The Door
9. Souls On Fire
10. Don’t Breathe A Word
To be honest, I don’t know who told me about Bloody Hammers, but I’m glad they did. I anxiously awaited the release of this CD after hearing a sampling online. Bloody Hammers consists of: Vocals, Bass: Anders Manga, Organ: Devallia, Guitar: Zoltan, and Drums: Curse. Mysterious names, mysterious members, good luck finding photographs. They cite the following bands as influences: Roky Erickson, Alice Cooper, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Pentagram, Black Sabbath, Bauhaus, Concrete Blonde, The Beatles, Arthur Brown, The Cramps, The Misfits, Ramones, Venom, Rush, Joy Division, Dio, Captain Beyond, T.Rex, Sisters of Mercy, Dust, Trouble, Danzig, Hawkwind, Hammer Horror, Something Weird Video … everything! How could they not be good with those influences? Let’s get into the record: Stand out tracks for me are “Witch Of Endor”, “Black Magic”, “Say Goodbye To The Sun”, and “Don’t Breathe A Word”.
Dark, brooding, and damn good, this records is hypnotic. While the band has an original sound, there are some comforting familiar riffs here. I find this CD strangely hypnotic and it draws me into it. Well put together and engineered, the dark theme of this work is captured beautifully. Another one of the things that I love about this CD is the fact that no one tries to over play each other. The instruments compliment each other, not drown each other out or try to take the spotlight from each other. I have listened to this CD several times through and the flow is awesome. There is truly no filler on this CD, you can put it on and let it go from start to finish. A winner all around! Here’s the video for “Fear No Evil”: