Tag Archives: Metal Blade

Monte Pittman releases Inverted Grasp Of Balance

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    I recently received the new Monte Pittman record Inverted Grasp Of Balance for review. Little did I know that it would cause me to have a profound revelation to a question I have been seeking an answer to.  Over the years of recorded music people have been trying to answer the question: What makes a record good? There has been a myriad of answers that run the gamut of the music industry. The problem is most of the answers that have been provided are subjective to the answerer and biased to their own opinions. For me, at least, I feel that I have finally answered said question. A good record is one that when you put it on you find yourself turning it up, tapping your foot or nodding your head to the beat, and when it’s over you find yourself feeling as if you just got back from…somewhere.

     I was excited to review this record as I have spoken with Monte before and have enjoyed his previous work. I didn’t realize that I would spend the rest of the day and the next listening to it on repeat and still humming the songs long after. There is a level of craftsmanship to this record that is hard to find these days (one other is the work of Jeff Sandoval and Mike Araiza). There is no doubt that music flows through the soul of Monte Pittman and I hear nods to so many musicians in his playing and writing.  When a record is made for the purpose of sharing what one feels in their minds ear, it is profound and beautiful.

      Inverted Grasp Of Balance  features Monte on guitars and vocals, Richard Christy (Charred Walls Of The Damned, Iced Earth, Death) on drums, and…..wait for it….Billy Sheehan, yes I said Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Winery Dogs, just to name a few) on bass. Jay Ruston (Anthrax, Steel Panther) handled the production duties and the record sounds clean and crisp. I read somewhere that Monte recorded his guitar parts while on the road, but this record feels so organic to me and it feels like someone turned on a mic in a jam room and captured some live magic.

     Inverted Grasp Of Balance gives us twelve tracks which flow together beautifully and I guarantee you will NOT find yourself reaching for the skip button, in fact you WILL find yourself reaching for the repeat button.

     If you have to pin me down for stand out tracks I would have to say “Skeleton Key” just reaches out to me the most. This track, in my opinion should be on every radio station across the planet, period. It’s just good rock n’ roll that gets in your head.I find myself just humming throughout the day.  “California” opens with bass that just drips with cool and is pure Billy Sheehan and then paints a picture in your mind of being on a cool road trip with the radio blasting, the wind in your hair, and your best friends at your side.  “New Blood Keeps Us Alive” is an epic track that, again, I feel should be blasting out of every speaker across the world. It begins with some wonderfully beautiful acoustic work that grows to some powerful rock n’ roll worthy of note. This song opens up the mind and makes you reflect on life.

      Monte’s guitar work is across the map on Inverted Grasp Of Balance, taking from gentle acoustic to balls out shredding, and it all works in connection with each other. Not only is there stellar guitar work here Monte’s vocal work is strong and epic as well. The songwriting on  Inverted Grasp Of Balance is something else. Monte has reached deep within and written some deep compositions that I believe were truly from the point of artistry.  Combine all of that with great drumming and legendary bass playing this is a music lovers wet-dream.

          Inverted Grasp Of Balance drops on Sept 23 on Metal Blade Records make sure you do NOT miss out on this record.

     Monte_Pittman_-_Inverted_Grasp_of_Balance

 Inverted Grasp Of Balance track-listing
1. Panic Attack
2. Arisen in Broad Daylight
3. Guilty Pleasure
4. The Times Are Changing
5. Double Edged Sword
6. Cadabra
7. Pride Comes Before the Fall
8. California
9. Be Very Afraid
10. Obliterated
11. Skeleton Key
12. New Blood Keeps Us Alive

Pre-order “Inverted Grasp of Balance” at metalblade.com/montepittman/

Monte Pittman online:
http://www.montepittman.com
https://www.facebook.com/MontePittman
http://www.youtube.com/MontePittmanMusic
https://soundcloud.com/montepittman
http://twitter.com/montepittman
http://www.instagram.com/montepittman
https://montepittman.bandpage.com
https://myspace.com/montepittman

     it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s Monte Pittman

     -the Hellion

Native Construct to release debut album in April‏

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Native Construct to release debut album in April

New song online now

Native Construct is the product of collaboration between several students that began in 2011 at the storied Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Guitarist and composer Myles Yang’s passion for innovation, coupled with his extensive academic study of arranging and compositional techniques, makes Native Construct a truly distinctive up-and-coming metal act. Yang, along with bassist Max Harchik, and vocalist Robert Edens completed work on their debut album Quiet World in between 2011 and 2013. By 2014, the band’s music caught the ear of Brian Slagel at Metal Blade Records, and led to a recording contract and a worldwide release of the band’s debut album. Listen to the first single, “Mute,” and pre-order the album now atmetalblade.com/nativeconstruct.

Quiet World was largely self-produced and written between 2011 and 2013 in between the individual band members’ studies at the Berklee College of Music. What began as jam sessions simply for fun eventually turned into a full-fledged musical endeavor. All tracking and programming was done at the band’s home studios in Boston, MA, with the exception of vocals, which were recorded with Jamie King at The Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, NC. The album was mixed by Rich Mouser at The Mouse House Studio in Los Angeles, CA, and mastered by Jamie King (Between the Buried and Me, The Contortionist).

A brief listen to Quiet World is enough to make it apparent that there is a concept, here. Though it’s best to let the band explain the album in their own words: “Quiet World is about a guy who loves a girl. The guy is a bit of an odd and eccentric person – an outcast. He’s also a mute, and a little unstable, as it turns out. The girl doesn’t return his feelings, but he can’t bring himself to let go. As his unrequited passion for her devolves into obsession and eventual resentment, his mind begins to slip further and further away. He convinces himself that he can’t be loved because of his condition and abnormalities. So he decides to create for himself a new, fantastic world of which he has complete control – a world where there are no oddballs or outcasts. A world where everyone is surrounded by people who are just like themselves: a much quieter world.

“It’s at this point that the first track of the album, “Mute,” begins. And it turns out that many of the subjects of his new world are not as content living this way as he is. In the second track we see a new character, the Archon, rise up and unite his people in the clouds with the once distant people in the sea. He leads an opposition to “Sinister Silence,” as the people come to call him. The rest of the album unfolds with events within the “Quiet World” and manifestations of the enduring struggle between the Archon and Sinister Silence. The lone exception is track number four, “Your Familiar Face,” which steps out of this world for a moment to give a closer look at the events prior to the first track and the tragedy of Sinister Silence.”

What is impressive about Native Construct is not necessarily an involved concept on a debut record, it’s that they wrote, produced, and recorded the album while balancing school work and on a college student budget. It’s the epitome of “self produced.” And what Native Constructwants fans to know is that “the composition process for this album was intensely meticulous from top to bottom. Each note, each lyric, each twist and each turn were arrived at with the utmost care. As such, we were able to weave rich, often subtle layers of meaning into the music and text. We’re very excited for you all to experience the result of our efforts!” Quiet World is slated for release on Metal Blade Records on April 21st, 2015.

https://www.facebook.com/NativeConstruct
https://twitter.com/NConstructBand
https://www.youtube.com/NativeConstruct

it’s loud, it’s dirty, it’s ROCK N’ ROLL!!!

-the Hellion

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME VOCALIST, PRODUCER TO HOST FREE CREATIVELIVE.COM “STUDIO PASS” COURSE NEXT WEEK

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BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME VOCALIST, PRODUCER TO HOST FREE CREATIVELIVE.COM “STUDIO PASS” COURSE NEXT WEEK

Workshop streams live for free December 8-9

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SEATTLE, WA – Tommy Rogers, vocalist for progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me, and producer Jamie King will host a free, two-day CreativeLive “Studio Pass” workshop next week on Monday, December 8 and Tuesday, December 9 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. PST (12 p.m. – 7 p.m. EST). In this class, Rogers and King will share their signature approach to production – how things should run in a studio to get a final track that sounds like the band on its best day, but not over-produced. Viewers will also get a behind-the-scenes look as Rogers and King track drums, bass, vocals and guitar for a song from Rogers’s latest solo album Modern Noise. Head over to CreativeLive ‘Music & Audio’ at:https://www.creativelive.com/courses/studio-pass-tommy-rogers-jamie-king for more information and to enroll for free today.

Since its inception in 2010, CreativeLive has broadcast more than 600 courses to more than 2 million students worldwide. Now streaming live from studios in Seattle and San Francisco, CreativeLive hosts workshops in photography, video, design, business, audio, music, and software training, unlocking previously closed doors by making dynamic education accessible to everyone.

 

Tommy Rogers is the lead singer and keyboardist for Between the Buried and Me, a progressive metal band from N.C. Since starting the band in 2000 with former members of the metalcore band Prayer for Cleansing, Rogers has recorded eight studio albums and two live DVDs and toured internationally with bands ranging from Opeth and Dream Theater to Meshuggah and Coheed and Cambria. In 2011, Rogers released Pulse, his first solo album as Thomas Giles on Metal Blade. In 2014, he scored his first full-length feature film, due out in 2015, and recently released Modern Noise, the follow up to Pulse, on Metal Blade Records.

Jamie King is a highly sought after record producer, mixing and mastering engineer from Winston-Salem, N.C. He is best known for his work with Between the Buried and Me, producing most of their studio LPs. King has been recording since 1996 and has an extensive list of credits in metal and hard rock, producing and mixing albums for bands like The Contortionist, Scale the Summit, He is Legend, Alesana and A Skylit Drive. Labels like Metal Blade, Victory, Prosthetic, Solid State/Tooth and Nail, Tribunal and Sensory seek out King for his ability to create sonically discreet mixes with real, musical dynamics that still match the loudness demanded by modern rock and metal standards. King primarily works out of his private project studio, The Basement Recording NC, and occasionally offers workshops on recording theory and practice.

Stay tuned to CreativeLive’s ‘Music & Audio’ channel at:http://www.creativelive.com/audio for more information on “Studio Pass:Tommy Rogers & Jamie King” and other upcoming classes.

CreativeLive online…

 

http://www.creativelive.com/

https://www.facebook.com/clmusicandaudio

https://www.facebook.com/creativelive

https://twitter.com/creativelive/

https://www.youtube.com/user/creativelive

http://instagram.com/creativelive/

http://www.pinterest.com/creativelive/

https://plus.google.com/+creativelive

 

 

Tommy Rogers online…

 

http://www.thomasgilesmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thomasgilesmusic

https://twitter.com/tommybtbam

http://www.betweentheburiedandme.com/

 

 

Jamie King online…

 

http://www.thebasementrecordingnc.com/

 

 

-the Hellion

WHITECHAPEL Post Third “Making of Our Endless War” Video‏

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WHITECHAPEL Post Third “Making of Our Endless War” Video

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New Album Available April 29th on

Metal Blade Records

Our Endless War WHITECHAPEL‘s fifth full-length record and fourth for Metal Blade Records is a ruthlessly honed album that refuses to compromise on brutality; it is also by far WHITECHAPEL‘s most streamlined, atmospheric, and emotionally powerful release, pushing every aspect of their sound to the next level.   The wait is almost over and in less then two weeks,Our Endless War will be released to the masses.

On release day Tuesday April 29th, hometown fans in Knoxville, TN will have a chance to meet WHITECHAPEL and pick up a copy of Our Endless Warat a special in-store autograph signing.  The signing will take place at FYE at the West Town Mall located at 7600 Kingston, Pike Ste. 1464 in Knoxville, TN.  The signing begins at 7:00 PM.

During the recording of Our Endless War the band shot a series of behind the scenes and in-studio videos documenting the process.  Today the third episode in the series has been released.  This video takes a closer looks at Phil’s performance and lyrics on the album.  This album is his darkest and most personal material to date lyrically and in the video he explains the meaning behind some of the songs on the album.  The clip can be viewed here:

The first episode in the series focuses on the pre-production and the band’s writing process for the new album.  It can be viewed here:

The second video showcases each member sharing their part in tracking the riffs that made up the album and can be viewed here:

Earlier this week WHITECHAPEL premiered a lyric video for the song  “Our Endless War” on Artist Direct.  It can be viewed here:

Our Endless War is available in exclusive pre-order bundle packages at http://www.metalblade.com/whitechapel. The first two singles “The Saw is the Law” and “Mono” can be streamed at http://www.metalblade.com/whitechapelas well.

 

WHITECHAPEL will hit the road this Friday April 16th as part of a string of shows leading up to the release of Our Endless War. The shows run through April 27th in Birmingham, AL with support coming from Carnifex, Within the Ruins, and Cruelhand.   This run also includes an appearance at this year’s New England Metal & Hardcore Festival.

Following those shows, WHITECHAPEL will take part in a co-headline tour DevilDriver.  Support on the tour will come from Revocation, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil and Fit For an Autopsy.  The tour runs from May 17th in Denver, CO through June 23rd in Austin, TX.  A complete list of dates can be found below.

The band have also confirmed an appearance at this year’s Heavy MTL Festival on August 9th as well as select headline dates around their appearance.  These shows run from August 7th through August 12th.

WHITECHAPEL have created an online contest with their new single “Mono”.   Vocalist Phil Bozeman has a video message for fans that are interested and would like to enter the contest, which can be viewed HERE.  The object of the contest is that fans will film themselves doing a vocal cover of the new song “Mono” and then upload their videos to YouTube. The contest ends April 21st and the winner will be announced on April 22nd and will receive a grand prize package that consists of: 1 Deluxe CD Bundle of Our Endless War, a 30 minute vocal coaching lesson with Phil Bozeman via Skype and their video will be featured on Phil’s YouTube Channel.

Our Endless War Track Listing:

1.    Rise

2.    Our Endless War

3.    The Saw is the Law

4.    Mono

5.    Let Me Burn

6.    Worship the Digital Age

7.    How Times Have Changed

8.    Psychopathy

9.    Blacked Out

10. Diggs Road

11. A Process So Familiar (Bonus Track)

12. Fall of the Hypocrites (Bonus Track)

 

WHITECHAPEL w/ Carnifex, Within The Ruins and Cruelhand

4/16: Columbus, OH @ The Basement

4/17: Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room

4/18: Worcester, MA @ Palladium – New England Metal and Hardcore Fest*

4/19: Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club

4/20: Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
4/22: Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club

4/23: Columbia, SC @ New Brooklyn Tavern

4/24: Jacksonville, FL @ Roc Bar

4/25: Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum

4/27: Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

*Festival Date

 

WHITECHAPEL in Mexico

5/3: Zapopan, Jalosco, MX @ Calle 2 Pabellon B

5/4: Monterey NL, MZ @ Café Iguana

5/5: Mexico City, MX @ Plaza Condesa

 

WHITECHAPEL w/ Revocations and Rivers of Nihil:

5/14: St Louis, MO @ Fubar

5/15: Kansas City, MO @ Czar Bar

 

WHITECHAPEL w/ DevilDriver, Revocation, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil and Fit For An Autopsy

5/17: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

5/18: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

5/19: Tempe, AZ @ Marquis Theater

5/20: West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues

5/21: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

5/22: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge

5/23: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spade

5/24: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater

5/25: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factor

5/26: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factor

5/27: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

5/29: Calgary, AB @ Marquee Beer & Market Stag

5/30: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall

5/31: Regina, SK @ Riddell Centre

6/1: Fargo, ND @ The Venue

6/2: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights

6/3: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

6/4: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes

6/5: Kokomo, IN @ CenterStage Bar and Grill

6/7: Knoxville, TN @ The International

6/8: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts

6/10: Toronto, ON @ The Opera House

6/11: Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar

6/12: New York, NY @ Stage 48

6/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts

6/14: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage

6/15: Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall

6/16: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

6/17: Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live

6/18: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution

6/20: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar

6/21: Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock

6/22: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar ‘N Grill (Outside)
6/23: Austin, TX @ Mohwak

 

8/7: Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall*

8/8: Ottawa, ON @ Ritual*

8/9: Montreal, QC @ Parterre Parc Jean-Drapeau – Heavy MTL 2014**

8/10: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium

8/12: Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club

 

*With Stick To Your Guns

**Festival Appearance

For More Info Visit:

http://www.whitechapelband.com (Official Site)

http://www.metalblade.com/whitechapel (Pre-Order Page)

http://www.facebook.com/whitechapelmetal (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/whitechapelband (Twitter)

http://instagram.com/whitechapelband (Instagram)

http://www.youtube.com/user/WhitechapelTV (YouTube)

http://www.metalblade.com

10 BANDS TO START 2013 ROCKIN’!

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TOXICROSE

toxicrosehttps://www.facebook.com/TOXICROSE.Official?fref=ts

http://toxicrose.org/

Andy- Lead Vocals
Tom – Guitars
Goran – Bass
Michael – Drums

The up-and-coming sensational four-piece modern metal band ToxicRose was formed in Stockholm Sweden in 2010.
Consisting of Tom (Gemini Five), Andy and Michael (both EX Lipstixx ‘n’ Bulletz) and Goran (EX Sexydeath).

There is no compromising or limits in the world of ToxicRose. Powerful Vocals combined with Aggressive Guitars , Grand melodic Synths & Dark Emotional Lyrics.
TXR stands tall for the outcast and they’re here to take metal to a new level.
With their catchy melodic epic metal anthems and shocking look they are unstoppable!

PAIN

pain-2011-out-bb-v2https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPain

http://www.painworldwide.com/

Peter Tägtgren – Vocals & Guitar
David Wallin – Drums (2003)
Michael Bohlin – Guitar (2007)
Johan Husgafvel – Bass (2007)

 PAIN is a musical project from Sweden that mix heavy metal with influences from electronic music and techno. The project started out as a hobby project for front man Peter Tägtgren, whose idea was to fuse heavy metal with 1980s-inspired electro-industrial and techno influences. Tägtgren, who is also the vocalist/guitarist of Hypocrisy and producer of his own The Abyss studios, is the only current member.

LONDON BASED HELLFIRECLUB

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https://www.facebook.com/thelondonbasedhellfireclub

London Legrand: Vocals
Dixxi: Guitar
Vikki Violence: Guitar
Dizzy Leijon: Bass
Vixy Von Starshine: Dancer

Industrial Goth/Glam band that will make your skin crawl! Get ready ’cause once again Zombies and Vampires will walk among you

HALF PAST MY SIN

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https://www.facebook.com/HalfPastMySin

http://halfpastmysin.com

Jason M Arigoni -Vocals-Songwriting
Dan Zavadil- Bass-Songwriting
Session Players:
Jason Bittner-Drums
Ben Carroll-Guitar

With strong melodic presences and driving beats, HALF PAST MY SIN will find a place with fans of bands like SEVENDUST, DISTURBED and DROWNING POOL, to name a few…..
The new Album from Half Past My Sin “4:44” featuring Sinn on vocals and Dan Zavadil on bass with special guests Jason Bittner of Shadows Fall on drums and Ben Carroll of RA on guitars!!! Also appearing on 4:44 will be the songwriting Clint Lowery of Sevendust!!!
Out early 2013!!!!
welcome to the sin!!!

NEWSTED

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https://www.facebook.com/jasonnewstedofficial

http://newstedheavymetal.com/

Jason Newsted – Bass, vocals
Jesus Mendez Jr. – Drums
Jessie Farnsworth – guitars

In December 2012, Jason announced that he had formed his own band called Newsted with drummer Jesus Mendez Jr. and guitarist Jessie Farnsworth. The band released a four-song EP, titled Metal, on January 8, 2013.

 

BLACK STAR RIDERS

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https://www.facebook.com/BlackStarRidersOfficial?fref=ts

http://www.blackstarriders.com

Ricky Warwick – Vocals/Guitar
Scott Gorham – Guitars
Damon Johnson – Guitars
Marco Mendoza – Bass
Jimmy DeGrasso – Drums

In October 2012 Thin Lizzy announced that they would not be recording new material under the Thin Lizzy monicker. The last incarnation of the band – Scott Gorham, Brian Downey, Darren Wharton, Ricky Warwick, Damon Johnson and Marco Mendoza – would be looking to form a new project.

Step forward Black Star Riders…

Today sees the announcement of the new band formed by Thin Lizzy alumni Ricky Warwick (vocals), Scott Gorham (guitar), Damon Johnson (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass) with new addition Jimmy DeGrasso on drums (Alice Cooper, Megadeth, David Lee Roth, Suicidal Tendencies). The change in personnel came about as Brian Downey didn’t want to commit to the touring cycle a new album would entail and Darren Wharton wanted to concentrate on Dare and other music and film projects.

Black Star Riders is set to enter the studio in Los Angeles in January 2013 to start recording their debut album with the legendary Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith, Rush). The album will feature material the band wrote whilst touring as Thin Lizzy and the sound retains that classic feel but is very much its own as well. The Black Star Riders record is the next step in the evolution of the Thin Lizzy story.

 

MOBILE DEATH CAMP

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https://www.facebook.com/mobiledeathcamp

http://www.mobiledeathcamp.net

Chad Smith – Drums
Boe Skadeland – Bass
Todd Evans – Guitar/Vocals

Based out of Toledo, Ohio, MOBILE DEATHCAMP has been sawing clubs in half, and leaving crowds with their collective jaws on the floor since the band’s inception in 2008. Formed by Todd Evans at the end of his 6 year stint as Beefcake The Mighty with the legendary shock rockers, GWAR, and joined in aural battle by Boe Skadeland and Chad Smith, this musical terror pocket has been consistently leveling venues across North America.

 

NEVERWAKE

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https://www.facebook.com/neverwakemusic

http://www.neverwakemusic.com/

Johnny DiCarlo – Lead Vocals – Guitar
James Watson – Guitar – Vocals
Marcus Giannamore – Drums
George Scott – Bass

“NeverWake” concentrates on songs that reside between Rock and Metal to bridge both genres. They combine memorable, melodic vocals and gothic guitar harmonies over heavy distortion to achieve their style. They are currently looking to be signed to a record label and hit the road. NeverWake continues to develop their style by incorporating more complex riffs, heavier background vocal style, and dark orchestration while keeping their melodic lyricism. NeverWake released their debut full-length album “VITALITY” in August 2011, produced/engineered/mixed by Mike Ofca at Innovation Studios! “Vitality” is available on iTunes and other main online retailers. You can also order the hard copy by emailing neverwakemusic@gmail.com for inquires.

Recently, they have also released their debut music video on YouTube for the song “Pulse”, produced by Jeff Moore of Axtravaganza Films!

 

3 QUARTERS DEAD

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https://www.facebook.com/pages/3-Quarters-Dead/149922983545

http://www.3quartersdeadmusic.com

Mark Alexander – Guitar
Sam Rhodes – Guitar
Jason Sain – Vocals
Matt Staley – Bass
Kenny Wyatt – Drums

3 Quarters Dead was formed back in 1999 with original members Kenny Wyatt and Mark Alexander. After they returned from a tour with Mushroomhead, they began recording their second full length CD with Steve Felton (Skinny) of Mushroomhead. The vocalist at that time was Waylon Reavis who was recruited by Mushroomhead to take the place of J-Mann (aka Jason Popson) who had announced his departure from the band. After starting all over, they finally found a vocalist that suited their style of music. Jason Sain started with the band in late 2007. In 2008 they recorded “Between Angels & Demons” with producer Jamie King of ‘Between The Buried & Me’, ‘The Human Abstract’ fame. In late 2009 they signed with indie label ‘Project Alpha Music’ and released their latest effort “Once Upon This Broken Glass” in March, 2010.
The lead single, “The Unknown” is off of their new CD “Once Upon This Broken Glass. It about loves someone who doesn’t love you back. This song has many melodic sections to it. But when you hear the change ups which are dynamic, it sets a tone of a story being told through 3 degrees of separation. These three levels are clearly defined and portrayed beautifully by the talents of these individuals.

 

WITCH MOUNTAIN

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https://www.facebook.com/witchmountain

http://witchmountain.bandcamp.com/

Uta Plotkin – Vocals
Rob Wrong – Guitar
Nathan Carson – Percussion
Neal Munson – Bass

In 2009, Uta Plotkin added her voice to Witch Mountain in front of a triumphant sold out crowd at Portland, OR’s venerable club Satyricon. Supporting Pentagram—East coast godfathers of American doom who also took far too long to receive their rightful due—Plotkin brought the necessary ingredient that Witch Mountain founders Rob Wrong and Nate Carson had been seeking since they initially formed the group back in 1997.

Originally far out of step with the lazy, indie-rock scene in Portland, guitarist Wrong and drummer Carson sought to put their own stamp on the tradition of doom metal as laid down by Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Trouble, and Saint Vitus. Years of road work in support of peers such as High on Fire, Spirit Caravan, Electric Wizard, YOB, Weedeater, Eyehategod, and all the rest had granted Witch Mountain a solid footnote in the history of one of music’s heaviest genres. And though real life careers took the band largely out of commission between 2003 and 2008, Plotkin’s emergence kicked the band back into a high gear that shows no signs of waning.

With renewed vigor, WM returned to the studio to capture the long-awaited sophomore album South of Salem. Produced by master “engine-ear” Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins), the record was self-released by the band on vinyl, and shortly thereafter recognized as the “#4 Best Metal Album of 2011” by NPR. With a SXSW showcase, west coast tours with Christian Mistress and Wino project Premonition 13, and a massively downloaded Adult Swim compilation under its belt, Witch Mountain proved its modern work ethic and soon signed up with dream label Profound Lore.

Once South of Salem was unleashed on CD and properly distributed, it was time to follow up with all new material. 2012’s Cauldron of the Wild was the answer, produced once more by Billy Anderson, and this time featuring a further matured sound and more immersive influence from Plotkin. Rob Wrong was writing the best, heaviest blues-metal he’d yet conjured, and Carson–as both manager and booker–kept the band grounded in a professional DIY ethic. New bassist Neal Munson fit like a glove, and overall the group has never fired on all cylinders so successfully.

 

 

you know you wanna listen…

the Hellion

 

R.I.P. GUITARIST MIKE SCACCIA

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Mike-Scaccia

 

Michael “Mike” Scaccia
June 14th, 1965 – December 23. 2012

     Mike was the guitarist for Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.

Mike was performing onstage in Fort Worth Texas with Rigor Mortis when he had a seizure and collapsed. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. R.I.P. Brother you are already missed.

the Hellion

Ghost – Infestissumam‏

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Infestissumam

GHOST WILL RELEASE A SECOND FULL LENGTH ALBUM, ENTITLED “INFESTISSUMAM,” IN THE SPRING OF 2013.

TRACK LISTING:

1. INFESTISSUMAM
2. PER ASPERA AD INFERI
3. SECULAR HAZE
4. JIGOLO HAR MEGIDDO
5. GHULEH / ZOMBIE QUEEN
6. YEAR ZERO
7. IDOLATRINE
8. BODY AND BLOOD
9. DEPTH OF SATAN’S EYES
10. MONSTRANCE CLOCK

~~

SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF GHOST

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it’s on

the Hellion

Cradle of Filth announces headlining “North American Tour 2013” with The Faceless, Decapitated and The Agonist‏

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CRADLE OF FILTH ANNOUNCES HEADLINING “NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2013” WITH THE FACELESS, DECAPITATED AND THE AGONIST

Ticketless VIP packages available through ArtistArena.com

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ENGLAND – The U.K.’s infamous heavy metal act, Cradle of Filth, has announced a headlining February/March North American tour with The Faceless, Decapitated and The Agonist. Cradle of Filth “North American Tour 2013” will mark the band’s return to North American shores in nearly two years. A list of confirmed dates can be seen below.

Ticketless VIP packages for most dates will go on sale tomorrow (12/21) through ArtistArena.com at: http://packages.artistarena.com/cradleoffilth/. Each package includes a meet-and-greet with the band, signed Cradle of Filth poster and commemorative VIP laminate. General ticket information for Cradle of Filth “North American Tour 2013” is available online at:http://theorderofthedragon.com/page/on-the-road.

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Cradle of Filth is touring in support of The Manticore and Other Horrors, its 10th studio release, out now on Nuclear Blast. The Manticore and Other Horrors entered the Billboard Top 200 at #96 with its first-week sales this fall.

Fans can order The Manticore and Other Horrors 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 latest music video for “Frost on her Pillow,” directed by Stuart Birchall, can be seen on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/9Nw_9meXYic.

Lyric videos for two additional new songs, “Manticore”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGxF0eDNWwQ and “For your Vulgar Delectation”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDgouqQrctk, are also streaming online.

Stay tuned for more information on Cradle of Filth and the impending North American tour, and be sure to upload band photos, CoF art, tattoos and more at:https://www.webdoc.com/documents/C5697C31-3CD0-0001-55B7-1AB486801B96.

Cradle of Filth “North American Tour 2013” dates…

2/22 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
2/23 – Worcester, MA @ Palladium
2/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theater Of Living Arts
2/27 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
2/28 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues
3/01 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
3/03 – Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
3/04 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
3/06 – W. Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues
3/07 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
3/08 – Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
3/09 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
3/10 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
3/12 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
3/13 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
3/14 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
3/16 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
3/20 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
3/21 – Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
3/22 – Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
3/23 – Detroit, MI @ St Andrews Hall
3/25 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
3/26 – Guelph, ON @ Guelph Concert Theatre

Cradle of Filth online…

http://www.cradleoffilth.com

http://www.theorderofthedragon.com

http://www.facebook.com/cradleoffilth

http://www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth

http://www.twitter.com/OfficialCoF

http://www.nuclearblastusa.com

 

get filthy…

the Hellion

IN FLAMES Announces Additional Tour Dates for 2013 Headline Run with DEMON HUNTER, ALL SHALL PERISH, and BATTLECROSS

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Last week, Sweden’s IN FLAMES announced the first leg of their upcoming headline tour with Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish and Battlecross. Today, the band is releasing the second leg of dates, which includes several stops in Canada. The Artist Arena Fanclub pre-sale began yesterday at 3pm local time in each market, and tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, 12/14 and Saturday, 12/15.

 

The band is currently out on the road as direct support for Lamb Of God.  Dates for the headlining run are below, along with all other previously announced dates.

 

IN FLAMES has sold over a million albums in the US alone, with their latest, Sounds Of A Playground Fading, debuting at #26 on the Billboard Top 200 Charts in the US and #1 on the German album charts.  The music video for “Where The Dead Ships Dwell” off of Sounds Of A Playground Fading, can be seen here: 

 

Remaining Dates with Lamb Of God (2012):

12/13 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre

12/14 – Medford, OR @ Medford Armory

12/15 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House

12/16 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO

 

70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise

01/28/13 – 02/01/13 – Miami, FL

 

2013 Headlining Dates W/ Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish, Battlecross

2/2 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution

2/4 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre

2/5 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel

2/7 – Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre

2/8 – Joliet, IL @ Mojoes

2/9 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre

2/10 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater

2/12 – Flagstaff, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre

2/13 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

2/14 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst

2/15 – Ventura, CA @ Majestic Ventura Theatre

2/16 – Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory

2/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

2/20 – Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall

2/21 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom

2/22 – Saskatoon, SK @ Odeon Events Centre

2/23 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick Centre

2/24 – Fargo, ND @ The Venue

2/26 – Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop

2/27 – Guelph, ON @ Guelph Concert Theatre

2/28 – Quebec City, QC @ Theatre Imperial

3/1 – Moncton, NB @ Casino NB

3/2 – Halifax, NS @ Cunard Centre

3/4 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place

3/5 – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall

3/6 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock

3/7 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA

 

 

For more information on IN FLAMES, visit:

http://www.inflames.com

https://www.facebook.com/inflames

http://www.centurymedia.com

 

CRADLE OF FILTH POSTS FIRST “THE MANTICORE AND OTHER HORRORS” TRACK-BY-TRACK VIDEO ONLINE “The Manticore and Other Horrors” out now on Nuclear Blast Records

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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!”

The band’s latest music video for “Frost on her Pillow,” directed by Stuart Birchall, can be seen on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/9Nw_9meXYic. Check out some behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uazbLsZfGOY.

Lyric videos for two additional new songs, “Manticore”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGxF0eDNWwQ and “For your Vulgar Delectation”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDgouqQrctk, are also streaming on YouTube.

Stream “Siding with the Titans” on Soundcloud at:http://soundcloud.com/nuclearblastrecords/cradle-of-filth-siding-with.

Stay tuned for more information on Cradle of Filth and The Manticore and Other Horrors, and be sure to upload band photos, CoF art, tattoos and more at:https://www.webdoc.com/documents/C5697C31-3CD0-0001-55B7-1AB486801B96.

Cradle of Filth online…

http://www.cradleoffilth.com

http://www.theorderofthedragon.com

http://www.facebook.com/cradleoffilth

http://www.youtube.com/cradleoffilth

http://www.twitter.com/OfficialCoF

http://www.nuclearblastusa.com