OK Rockers listen up! Send an email to janaya64@msn.com and tell me why you like Crowned By Fire. Every entry wins something special and one entry wins something very cool and it helps them get on the road!!!. You have two days to get your emails in! Put CBF in the subject box please! FUEL THE FIRE!!! – the Hellion
Hitting the road is rough these days. My buds in Crowned By Fire are fixing to bring their unique sonic assault to the masses and need your help to do it. They are offering some very cool merch and perks on their indiegogo site. Shirts, downloads, one-of-a-kind articles, it’s all here! Rock N’ Roll is not dead and Crowned By Fire is on a mission to FUEL THE FIRE!!!! SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!!!
Like a defibrillator this record send a high voltage charge straight into the heart of Rock N’ Roll. Crowned By Fire comes on strong with the swagger of gunfighters walking down a street at high noon looking for trouble. Intense riffs powered by the guitar assault of the highly underrated Justin Manning, the chest crushing bass of Chris Breedlove, the powerful punch on the drums of Rocco F Paolone, combined with the lyrics and the “I just kicked you in the nuts” vocals of John Fitterer fuel the Crowned By Fire machine.
photo by Robert John
Like those famous potato chips in that bright yellow bag, once you start listening, you just can’t stop. On more than one occasion I have found myself waking up with one of the six tracks playing in my head.
While track for track the entire record is amazing there are some stand out tracks here. “Something In Her Blood” was one of the last tracks put together for the record but it is the first to stand out to me. Justin channels some guitar greats here and yet puts enough of his own spin on it to make it his own style. The title track “Space Music For Cave People” reminds me a little of the Cult on steroids. John completely owns with his vocals on this one. “Crowned By Fire” opens with some dirty from the swamp bass from Chris. Those three tracks are the ones that reach me the most.
The records on a whole is deep on so many levels. Each listen provides you with something new in its structure. In these days of “fast food music”, Space Music For Cave People is a sit down full course dinner. This is a record made the right way and with the love of making music behind it.
Here’s the lyric video for the title track “Space Music For Cave People”:
It’s always great to talk to Justin Manning. We had a great discussion about the new deal Crowned By Fire signed with the newly formed Chrome Mountain Records.
Make sure you go to Facebook and show Crowned By Fire and Chrome Mountain Records some love:
Ever since I had my eardrums punched in by Crowned By Fire and their first release ‘Prone To Destroy’ in 2011 I have been behind them. I have since become friends with John Fitterer (vocals), Justin Manning (lead guitar), Michael Pacheco (rhythm guitar), Chris Breedlove (bass), J.P. Paschall (drums). They are a hard working bunch of guys that deserve their shot. I am happy to pass on the following to you, my beloved readers:
Music promoter and owner of Arkansas Rocks! Entertainment, Stephanie Shaw, announced last week the launch of her new record label, Chrome Mountain Records. Chrome Mountain Records (CMR), is a fresh new Indie label with plans to blaze a new trail in today’s music industry. To set things ablaze, Chrome Mountain Records has just inked a deal with LA-based metal band, CROWNED BY FIRE, to release a 6 song EP, Space Music For Cave People, in March 2014.
Crowned By Fire has been burning down the metal scene since 2006. As fate would have it, Stephanie, booked CBF a date on their Southern Horsepower Tour back in March 2013, in Little Rock, Arkansas. “I was already a fan, I had bought all of their music on itunes, but seeing them LIVE, brought on an intense passion for their music”, states Stephanie Shaw. “In December 2013, I found out that Crowned By Fire, was playing a gig at the World famous, Whisky a GoGo, out in LA. I booked a flight and was planning my first trip to California, before I knew it! It was then and there that I knew Crowned By Fire had to be the first band signed to Chrome Mountain Records”.
Chrome Mountain Records is setting a March 2014, release date for the new 6 song EP, Space Music For Cave People, recorded at Zakk Wylde’s THE BLACK VATICAN studio. Crowned By Fire are the only band besides Wylde’s Black Label Society, to have recording privileges there, to date. Crowned By Fire’s lead guitarist/founding member, Justin Neil Manning, was Wylde’s guitar tech/personal assistant off and on for 14 years, honing his craft from a very young age, under the guidance of Zakk’s watchful eye. Lead singer/founding member, John Fitterer, fronted the LA-based psyche metal band, Transultra, through the 90’s, before joining up with Manning and starting Crowned By Fire, in 2006. Fitterer’s unique and powerful vocals, paired with Manning’s phenomenal shredding, define the classic American metal sound. Chris Breedlove-Bass, Michael Pacheco-rhythm guitar, and JP Paschall-drums, round out the heavy-hitting line up ov doom.
Crowned By Fire are currently putting finishing touches on a couple of songs with Engineer, Chris Collier. The 6 song EP will be mixed by Pantera’s famous producer, Sterling Winfield, of Lewisville, Texas. Chrome Mountain Records has plans for this release on vinyl, CD and digital download, in March 2014. Actual release date will be announced soon. Shaw states that she is looking forward to this next step up the Chrome Mountain with Crowned By Fire, and invites everyone to, “come burn with us!”
“Chrome Mountain Records, shiny chrome on the outside, molten metal on the inside!”
Check out this cool video montage from their last tour the “Southern Horsepower Tour 2013” you might catch the Hellion in some of the pics! Thanks to CBF Lindz for putting it together:
Ever since Crowned By Fire hit my radar I have been jonesing to see them live. I have been lucky enough to have become friends with guitarist Justin Manning, and interviewed him on several occasions. When the promise of new music via a new EP called SPACE MUSIC FOR CAVE PEOPLEwas announced the metal world shivered in anticipation. Add to the fact that it was being recorded at The Black Vatican (Zakk Wylde’s personal studio) AND was being produced by the one and only Sterling Winfield (Pantera, HellYeah, Damageplan, yeah that guy) make it a winner straight out of the gate.
Even cooler was the announcement of their Southern Horsepower Tour 2013. The Metal Gods were smiling down on me when it was revealed that the tour was starting in my hometown. FINALLY I would be able to experience Crowned By Fire in person. The day had finally come.
The day of the show was it was hard to stay focused on work but I managed. A text and then phone call with Justin let me know they were closing in on my home town. They wanted a day room to freshen up before the show so a quick phone call to the man Trev McKendry (band manager) and info was passed along and the band was taken care of.
I met the guys as they were getting ready for the show and found them to be just as awesome as I had hoped them to be. I wanted to do something nice for them and get them dinner before the show. We headed towards a restaurant that was near the venue but it had unfortunately gone out of business. There was a local brew pub right next to the venue that served food so to the Farside Brew Pub it was. Pizza was ordered and Charles, the proprietor, took care of the beer needs. With bellies full, and good craft beer enjoyed, we were off next door to the venue.
The amount of gear that the guys pulled out of their trailer seemed endless. It was miraculous how they had fit everything into such a small trailer.
Eventually the gear was in and the set up began. We were all awestruck by the awesomeness of the gear as it was un-crated and revealed. Justin had some wonderful guitars with some awesome stories behind them. The Green V OV Doom and its custom paint work by the AWESOME Jason Oberly .
Green V OV Doom with custom paint by Jason Oberly.
Probably one of the more surreal moments of the night was getting to hold in my hands the guitar given to Justin by the one, the only Zakk Wylde. I could feel the immense power emanating from it as it was in my grasp. I was holding the mighty Ol’ Betsy in my grasp. It also had a custom strap made by Chad Erickson of Carved Rock Leather!!!
in awe that I am holding a guitar given to Justin by Zakk Wylde.
After watching Justin warm up with licks that would kill a mere mortal it was time. As I was shooting pics of the stage I heard Justin call my name, I handed my camera off to Charlie M.F. Owens and went to see what Justin needed. I was again floored when he told me I was introducing the band. Well, now I was not only going to see one of my favorite bands, I was going to introduce them as well.
“Well alright Hooligans! Are you ready for CROWNED BY FIRE?!?!?!” I roared into the microphone and it was on. Exploding on to the stage Crowned By Fire delivered everything I expected, and then some. The band lineup was spot on, Jonathan Paschall brought the thunder from his throne on high, Chris Breedlove handled the bottom end like a boss, Michael Pacheco kicked your ass with his guitar, and you thanked him for it, John Fitterer stalked the stage like some deranged shaman belting out vocals from some primal age. And then there is Justin Manning , his wizardry of the fretboard was mystical and enthralling. The combination was perfect. We were treated to some of the new songs from the above mentioned impending release as well as some tracks from the always awesome PRONE TO DESTROY.
Wow! What a show! It did not disappoint! Crowned By Fire is a band not to miss and EVERYONE needs to experience it! I will leave you with a video from the show, this is “Buried Away” enjoy!
the Hellion
PS: A special shout out to Chad Miller for keeping the guys geared up and tuned up! Make sure you stop and shake this mans hand for helping to keep the guys runnin’!
Justin and Chad preshow
P.S.S. extra special thanks to Lindsey Thompson for handling the merch area, and various and sundry needs. She will prove invaluable to the guys on this tour.
Justin and Lindsey at dinner
Crowned By Fire, Classic American Metal? You bet your ass they are!