WINDS OF PLAGUE is one of those bands who deserve the [BADASS] stamp in many ways. The band has always unleashed the power at maximum force, as their last full length Decimate The Weak sure did, and now with their latest, The Great Stone War, WINDS OF PLAGUE has truly evolved into an even bigger beast. The Great Stone War is a concept album about the final battle before the apocalypse, and the storyline really adds depth to this release. And they still give it all, give it all they got (“Angels Of Debauchery” quote btw - love that song)! Keyboardist Kristen Randall’s compositions are very striking, touching both the heart and the soul. The guitar teamwork unleashes such a monstrous and epic stomp, and their technicality really shines on The Great Stone War. Johnny Plague is really becoming a signature metal vocalist to be known, and as he let’s out all hell he’s letting you know that WINDS OF PLAGUE is coming. As a whole, The Great Stone War is one of the heaviest releases of the year.
“Soldiers Of Doomday” shows Randall’s piano work at her catchiest, and it’s epic as fuck! But don’t mistake it as background noise, because she helps paint the emotion of the fight. As the rest of the band storm in after Randall’s intro, the beast known as WINDS OF PLAGUE is loose. Massive chugs charge forward as the mosh glory attitude proceeds to get the adrenaline pumping. The guitar riffs also give this aggressive death metal sound, while their melodies have this medieval/Egyptian kind of sound at times. I have nothing but great things to say about the guitar tones, and I believe WINDS OF PLAGUE has found their sound.
WINDS OF PLAGUE unleashes all sorts of hell with their fist pumping anthem “Our Requiem”. Massive symphonic compositions, bruising breakdowns, and one hell of a vocal authority by Johnny Plague make this song a beast! As if the song were their last, WINDS OF PLAGUE ends “Our Requiem” with a bang.
Closing The Great Stone War is the epic “Tides Of Change”, which if you’ve been paying close attention, you will see why this is the album closer. The breakdowns add such a punch to the already moving and powerful atmosphere, and WINDS OF PLAGUE makes their mark!
Though many people (idiots) label the band as deathcore, WINDS OF PLAGUE is much more than the typical chug. These guys have huge potential to rise far above their peers, and deserve every bit of cred! Progressive, epic and thrilling theatrics, shredding guitar solos, memorable melodies, and a hardcore (tough guy) attitude. How WINDS OF PLAGUE combines all of this into one big knockout punch is what makes me a fan. Both from a studio and live perspective, these guys are the real deal, and on the way to becoming invincible. The Great Stone War is one of the year’s bests without a doubt.
Listen to the powerful anthem in “Our Requiem”, and know now that there is no turning back! Killer song!!
When France pops into the minds of metalheads, many are quick to think Gojira, Eryn Non Dae., Hypno5e, Hollow Corp., and bands of that sort breaking some unbelievable boundaries. While this does stick out, take a gander onto the black metal side of things, too. For example, MERRIMACK, and their creation of Grey Rigorism, which is one hell of a good black metal release. Seems like the majority of the top black metal albums are coming from our friends in the Moribund Cult this year. First off, I’d like to give a big cheers to MERRIMACK and the Moribund Cult for landing a HUGE US TOUR alongside Marduk, Nachtmystium, Mantic Ritual, and Black Anvil (on select dates). That is one of the BEST tours (U.S. Plague Tour 2009) I’ve seen come around in awhile, and will definitely give MERRIMACK some of the exposure they deserve! Also being the band’s first US tour, I’m super happy for the guys.
Diving into Grey Rigorism, plenty of great songs make this devil worshiping release both epic and evil. “In The Halls Of White Death” (which the video was banned by youtube, but can be seen at the Moribund Cult website) shows their brilliance in seducing the soul with a terrifying storyline, while “Omniabsence” takes another path towards hell with such strong, evil, and mysterious vibes. Think Leviathan mixed with a little bit of Gorgoroth and Deathspell Omega, and you’ve got a great song. “Cold Earth Mourning” takes grim from all areas of the black metal spectrum. The march into hell proposes a cold, raw, and absolutely slaying evil for the duration.
Atmospheric and dark ambient passages one minute, extreme as fuck the next, and sometimes both at the same time! Not your everyday black metal band can do what MERRIMACK does! So people talk like this is not br00tal, that is not kvlt, but for those kvlt people, you should love MERRIMACK! Fans of extreme metal in general with a thirst for a unique twist should dig MERRIMACK, too. Anyways, the beast is here, and the underground shall know.
Catch the US Plague Tour, or hate yourself for missing such a great tour…
Nov 19 - Allentown, PA @ The Sterling Hotel* Nov 20 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium* Nov 21 - Montreal, QC @ Les Foufounes Electriques* Nov 22 - Toronto, ON @ Wreck Room * Nov 23 - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar Nov 24 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade Nov 25 - Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug Nov 27 - New Orleans, LA @ The Bar Nov 28 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 Nov 29 - Ft Worth, TX @ Ridglea Theater Nov 30 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee Dec 2 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad Dec 3 - Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse Dec 4 - Hollywood, CA @ The Key Club* Dec 5 - San Marcos, CA @ The Jumping Turtle* Dec 6 - San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge* Dec 7 - Portland, OR @ Satyricon Dec 8 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven Dec 9 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Vegas Dec - 10 Denver, CO @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Dec - 11 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room Dec - 12 Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club Dec - 13 St Paul, MN @ Station 4 Dec - 14 Detroit, MI @ Blondie's Dec - 15 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Dec - 16 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater* * = to feature BLACK ANVIL
Who is BECCA? BECCA rocks - she really does! Rebecca Hollcraft, a.k.a. BECCA / BECCA CHAN, has a ton of class, style, and rockability. While she can definitely pull off a pop fused ballad, she can also hit hard when she unleashes a rockin’ anthem. While her stage name (BECCA) could have been a little more creative, don’t let the name fool you, because a good amount of creativity comes out of her music. The Portland, Oregon native seems to have the most exposure in Japan, and with her latest release, Alive!, she could well be on her way to worldwide stardom with the right push. BECCA’s got talent without a doubt, and it’s her amazing voice that makes this star shine. Her guitar work is doable, but again, it’s those pipes she unleashes that really warm the heart.
Some people are just born with natural talent, and BECCA was born with a talent to sing. Her worldwide success began as a teen, to becoming a huge pop icon in Japan, to now a more mature side. “Shibuya” shows BECCA at her strongest, and every bit of this song is as catchy as can be. This is the one you can just put on repeat, sing along, and just let the music flow. Her vocal range shines from the stylistic attack in the verses, to the memorable and upbeat hook in the chorus, and she really let’s her voice be heard. “Shibuya” is bound to be an instant pop hit in Tokyo as she’s already entered into their culture, but hey, the rest of the world can really get into this loveable anthem, too! Shi-booooya, BECCA is alive!
BECCA’s delivery also shows some variety like “Guilty Pleasure”, breaking into the relationship side of things. The message is pretty self explanatory, and while on the guilty pleasure subject (though a different meaning than the song), we’ve learned that BECCA has a guilty pleasure for Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson in our super duper exclusive column.
While she’s still young, there are times where she’s mature and seems like she’s 4 albums down already in experience. Songs such as the title track “I’m Alive!” and the ass kicking in “Without You” show a mature and well aware side to BECCA’s music, and her vocal range takes some new approaches. She transitions well as the songs progress, and it’s those choruses that really make the songs stick out.
Realistically, BECCA is going to appeal mostly to teenage girls, but if you have an appreciation for a great singing voice, ignore a few of the girly song subjects (if you are manly metal men like us), you can really enjoy this release. If she keeps at the rate she’s been going, she has the potential to become pretty big.
**On a further note, you ask us why we are raving, being the specialty heavy metal site that we are? Well my friends, it looks like BECCA is rocking out more than a lot of the generic, garbage, and *yaaaawn* boooooring metal of today. So cheers to her.
Check out the album opener and hit single, “I’m Alive!”
French experi-metalists HYPNO5E have just announced their headlining run through the US on the METAL AS ART Tour with Revocation of Relapse Records, and The Binary Code. The METAL AS ART Tour marks HYPNO5E’s second tour in the US, and expect the band to play a little bit of new material live this time around.
HYPNO5E’s Emmanuel Jessua (vocals, guitars) comments: “We are very excited to come back to the USA to tour with Revocation and The Binary Code. Our first tour in the USA was really amazing, and we can’t wait to tour again! Come and check us out in your city.”
*Stay tuned for the extended METAL AS ART run through the US with HYPNO5E, and more TBA…
Confirmed dates are as follows 1/6/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory 1/7/10 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock 1/8/10 – Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe’s 1/9/10 – Akron, OH @ Annabells Bar and Lounge 1/10/10 – Mt Clemens, MI @ The Hayloft 1/11/10 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (FREE show!!) 1/12/10 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar w/ LYE BY MISTAKE 1/13/10 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge 1/14/10 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory 1/15/10 – Dallas, TX @ The Lounge on Elm 1/16/10 - TBA 1/17/10 – Austin, TX @ Red 7 1/18/10 – Amarillo, TX @ War Legion 1/19/10 – Gallup, NM @ Juggernaut 1/20/10 – TBA 1/21/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Ultraviolet 1/22/10 – Ramona, CA @ Ramona Mainstage 1/23/10 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Parish 1/24/10 - TBA 1/25/10 – Portland, OR @ Ash Street Saloon 1/26/10 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven 1/27/10 – Spokane, WA @ The Cretin Hop 1/28/10 – Boise, ID @ Gusto’s Bar 1/29/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Outer Rim 1/30/10 – Denver, CO @ Old Curtis Street Bar 1/31/10 – Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge 2/1/10 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews 2/2/10 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room 2/3/10 – Nashville, TN @ The Muse 2/4/10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Dirty Jacks 2/5/10 – Baltimore, MD @ Sidebar 2/6/10 – Trenton, NJ @ The Championship
In case you’ve unfortunately been unaware, SKYFIRE is a band from Sweden that blends progressive power metal with a more traditional thrash/death metal sound. The band has been kickin’ out tunes for many years now, and with their recent album Esoteric, the band shows no signs of slowing down. I was given the chance to interview Martin Hanner of SKYFIRE! Everyone check out the interview below.
Tanner Fisher (ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC): First off, I’d like to congratulate you guys on this release. The overall dynamic sound of Esoteric is quite impressive.
Martin Hanner (SKYFIRE - bass, keyboards): Thanks! We are happy to be back.
Tanner: Until the digital download EP Fractal, released earlier this year, the band hadn’t released anything since 2004. What was the hold up?
Martin: Some time after the release of Spectral our label at the time Arise Records went bankrupt, so we had to start working on new material that we could send out to labels. But we also decided that this time we really wanted a serious label that plans ahead, look after the artists and not just sign a lot of bands they cannot afford to make promotion for later on. Also, during this time both our bass player and vocalist decided to quit the band. So that was another thing we had to deal with; to find replacements for those guys. A lot of the time these things are easier said than done because it isn’t just the about the music, the chemistry has to be right too. I mean, we are a band because we love music, but we also like to hang out and have fun. Those things are equally important so I think we were lucky to find Johan Reinholdz and Joakim Karlsson. They are really nice guys and awesome musicians. Fortunately, we also found an amazing label in Pivotal Rockordings and here we are today. Even though it has been along time since we released anything I really do think these changes have strengthened the band.
Tanner: Speaking of the lineup changes, how would you say that has changed your band’s approach to the songwriting?
Martin: In terms of songwriting things haven’t changed at all since its still Andreas and I that write the songs. For Esoteric though, we did add sections for Johan to do solos in, but that’s pretty much it. But in the future it’s possible that the other guys will get more involved in the songwriting process.
Tanner: With Esoteric, it seems you guys went for a more layered sound with more orchestral and other experimental sounds. Was it a conscience effort to branch out this way, or would you say this was a natural progression?
Martin: Well, ever since we first started out we have been looking for ways to make our sound bigger and more bombastic and when it was time to record Esoteric we found some tools that helped us achieve this; the orchestra and choir samples. I think these additions to the Skyfire formula have helped us to develop our sound and since we haven’t really been working with them for that long, it will be very interesting to see what we can do with them in the future.
Tanner: The songs “Misery’s Supremacy” and “The Legacy of the Defeated”, while being the two longest tracks, also seem to be the most grandeur. I personally love the pacing of the record, but what was the thought process of having both of these epic tracks in the second half of the album?
Martin: We decided pretty early on that we wanted to end the album with “The Legacy of the Defeated” because it just felt right. And like you say, both of the songs you mention are pretty long, but so is “Rise and Decay”. So when we put together the tracklist, we wanted to have one long in the beginning, one in the middle and then one in the end.
Tanner: How has the response been to these new tracks on the road?
Martin: We still haven’t played any of the new songs live, so I wouldn’t know, but we are hitting the roads in November so I guess we will find out then. Personally I think the new songs will sound great live, because they are a mix of all the previous elements we used in Skyfire with the addition of some new ones like solos, choirs and the orchestra.
Tanner: Are there any plans of some larger tours stateside?
Martin: At the moment the UK tour in November is the only thing we are confirmed for so far, but we are hoping to get out and play a lot more. To tour the US for example, is definitely a dream that we hope can come true one day.
Tanner: Here’s a question: If you were to organize a dream tour, who would be on it? Feel free to name a full scale arena festival if you wish.
Martin: Since I’m a sucker for great vocalists (that can do a great vocal performance live as well) I would definitely want Symphony X and Devin Townsend on it. Other bands I haven’t seen perform and therefore would include on the tour are Pathosray, Textures and Bal-Sagoth. I would also want Meshuggah on it even though I have seen them before, because they are such a great and energetic live band.
Tanner: After your Esoteric run, are you going to take it easy for a while, or are you guys anxious to get back in the studio? Do you already have some song concepts you’re thinking about?
Martin: Yeah, we are definitely looking forward to start writing new material. We already have some song ideas and riffs but no complete songs yet. But as fun as it is releasing new material, I really think that we should take our time and write the best songs we possibly can. There is no point in releasing an album that isn’t better than the last one. Even though I don’t regret any of the albums we have released so far, some of them could have used a bit more work and there are some songs on our older albums that I don’t think are that good nowadays. But I am really satisfied with Esoteric and from now on we will try as hard as we can to improve the songwriting for each album we release. A challenge like that also makes the creating process a lot more fun and interesting for us as musicians and also, when it all comes down to it that is what the fans deserve.
Tanner: I can’t wait to hear what you guys are going to create in the future. I’m sure many minds will be blown. Thanks for your time, and good luck in the future.
Finland’s finest AZAGHAL are back in business, and like you’d expect from a Moribund Cult release, AZAGHAL have created one of the best black metal releases of 2009. The band has overcome many milestones, and has our recommendation. Forming in 1995 by mastermind guitarist Nargath, it’s great to see a trve black metal band surviving the times, and continuing to keep it as raw, grim, and blasphemous as possible. Taking a gander back into each respective release (a bunch of great material!), AZAGHAL has once again evolved and continue to keep its appeal to the deep underground! FVck yeah! Musically, you can see early Gorgoroth, Watain, Horna, and a lil’ bit of Leviathan – yeah, they’ve got a creative mind.
Looking into Teraphim, the release gives what you’d look for in a black metal release, while also giving such a creative touch, expanding the genre. The title track “Teraphim – Puhdistava Tuli” sees AZAGHAL combining pure evil, incredibly smart instrumentation, and deep occult vibrations. The samples really add sVch a layer of evil, and seriously destroys all in its path. The song gallops along furiously with its demonic hooves, and Chernobog (yes, that’s his name) displays some incredible drum work. What a beast of a song, and “Teraphim – Puhdistave Tuli” is where I see AZAGHAL at their strongest. Another genius piece takes form in “Hanen Musta Liekkinsa (His Black Flame)”, and this is where AZAGHAL really takes us into a darker realm. Their solid, steady, and solemn guitar riffs tear at the heart in both an aggressive and aesthetic way, slaying the mind. The march in “Hanen Musta Liekkinsa” shows great depth, and quality songwriting abilities.
I know I keep saying it, but man does this Moribund Cult keep kicking a ton of ass this year, and Teraphim is another blasphemously brilliant black metal release for your collection. And with such a reputation, expect to see the beast within AZAGHAL continue to rediscover the front of evil.
Listen to AZAGHAL’s masterpiece, “Hänen Musta Liekkinsä”, off of their 2009 Moribund Cult release, Teraphim.
Here at All About The Music, we just had to get the down low. What are some of your guilty pleasures that one might not expect to find on your ipod? I mean, everyone’s got em’, so you’re bound to get some great answers! Come take a look, a laugh, and even a listen as a ton of musicians and professionals in the music industry got together for the fun. Is there more cooking up at All About The Music? Yup. Are we going to plug this question into every interview we do from now on? Yup. Stay tuned…
*In no particular order besides alphabetical order:
Andrew Apanov (Ultimate-Guitar) – “I listen mostly to electronic music, since I happen to be a drum&bass (it's also known as jungle) DJ. Have been doing it for over 5 years now, and although I'm an editor-in-chief of one of the biggest guitar websites - that's my music =) My iPod's library consists mostly of musical podcasts and DJ mixes, though I have quite a few artists whose releases are constant residents in my playlist. First of all these are the likes of Break, Nympho, Spectrasoul, Icicle - techy, rolling, minimal and melancholic, though very funky sound. When listened on a proper sound system (wherever at home or on a dancefloor), tracks of these guys get under one's skin, seriously. Rarely there is more mainstream stuff like Chase & Status (really happy for the guys, they moved from underground to producing new Rihanna's album now) or Fresh, or Hospital Records' artists.”
Scott Beck (Ventana) – “Aqua – they’re a fun band that puts me in a good mood, plus dancing like an idiot to it in clubs is always entertaining. Also 9 out of 10 European metal bands seem to quote Aqua as an influence, ha!”
Ben Bruce (Asking Alexandria) – “My absolute guiltiest pleasure, I don't like to admit, would have to be the Moulin Rouge soundtrack! I am a huge Elton John fan, which again is a very guilty pleasure, and I thought the Moulin Rouge version of Your song was really something great. Incorporating the spoken word, opera, and full orchestras, not to mention Ewan McGregor has a great voice, it makes for a very fun and cheesy sing along whilst on tour with the lads!!!”
Re: Well, Christina Aguilera is a babe, and you can’t deny the piano man :-) This one’s for you, Ben!
David Bryan (Imperial Vengeance) – “Guilty Pleasures: There are many. Too Many. I have whittled it down to my personal top three though. Pet Shop Boys - "Its a Sin" (largely because of the production that the guys always have with their records, but you have to admit, they DO write a good song). Kate Bush- "Wuthering Heights" (Because she is the original High Priestess of Weird). The Bangles - "Hazy Shade of Winter" (A great "take" on a song, and just HOW delicious are the 4 ladies in question?)"
Liz Ciavarella-Brenner (Earsplit PR) – “A bunch of Cher records sit snuggly between Cathedral and Christ Inversion though I don't really consider it a guilty pleasure. I've been pretty vocal about my obsession with Cher for a lot of years now. Her early stuff -- "Dark Lady," "Half Breed," "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" etc. -- some of it borders on straight up gypsy music. Cher slays ;)”
Dave Davidson (Revocation) – “One of my guiltiest pleasures would probably be Fall Out Boy. Not really a fan of their older stuff but the last couple of records they've put out were awesome. Phil's guilty pleasure is probably Boys 2 Men, he will straight up sing that CD from front to back when he’s drunk and it always brings the laughs. Anthony is also into a lot of pop, right now I think he's on a Lady Gaga kick.”
Re: Alright, I can dig me some Lady Gaga.
Vince Edwards (Metal Blade) – “Bayside and 311 for me! Chad Sexton is one of the best drummers around and Bayside just writes good rock songs that don’t fit neatly into any “scene”.
Alex Gilbert (All About The Music/Ultimate-Guitar/SMNnews/Killer Tours) – “Linkin Park and Paramore!! Everything each respective band has put out I love – even the love ballads put a huge smile on my face! They’re both soooo catchy. Chester Bennington is one of my favorite singers/lyricists + Hayley Williams is a babe! Another would be real rap like Nas, Jadakiss, Styles P, Planet Asia, etc. – the list goes on for awhile… In a way, rap is the real hardcore, where they are talking about real everyday life and death situations, not just random shit talking, and no chugga chugga choo choos!”
Dana Gordon (Independent Music Media/Gibson USA) – “CCR....Creedence Clearwater Revival... John Fogerty was an amazing songwriter and even today CCR songs are a staple on American radio....for me whenever I hear CCR it brings me back to a time when I was just a kid and reminds me of a special person and time.”
Josh Grabelle (Trustkill/Killer Tours) – “Phil Collins - just undeniably catchy. Great songwriter! Adam & The Ants - one of my favs from when I was a kid. Meatloaf - can't deny the "loaf". The Format - it's like pop meets folk music. So good.”
Aidan Gray (SMNnews) - "I have to be honest, I love me a bit of Britrock. From Oasis to Kasabian to some of the more dance fueled singles that chart in the UK. Some of those tunes could make an absolutely meaty metal track. Nothing like a little drop-D and a burst of larynx to turn a top pop tune into a mosh worthy anthem."
Anthony Guzzardo (Earache Records) – “I have over 5 gigs of wrestling theme songs.”
Matt Haines (Killer Tours/All About The Music) – “People don't know that I listen to Stevie Ray Vaughn and when they see it, they freak out. It's awesome to see people's reactions and how much I know all the lyrics and guitar riffs.”
Rebecca Hollcraft (Becca) – “Josh Groban is one of the guiltiest pleasures on my iPod. His voice is so incredibly soothing and the songs have the most beautiful melodies...I a sucker for that. I also have tons of karaoke songs from various pop stars (Kelly Clarkson) and musicals (Wicked) so I can always expand my range!”
Nicole Hollis-Vitale (Deathwish Inc.) – “Hmmm Guilty pleasures... I feel like most the music I listen to are guilty pleasures, but... I love Mariah Carey. I have since I was a little girl, and even though I know she is batshit crazy and has half the voice she did when she first started out, I'm still a fan! I also can't stop listening to the new The Dream record. I have a thing for R&B. Most of the new stuff is kind of wack but this record is awesome, I also love Ne-Yo, Maxwell, John Legend and Mayer Hawthorne. I don’t necessarily think I should be guilty of those things, but my ipod on shuffle goes from Hatebreed, to baby making music, to indie rock and then Obituary. I'm all over the place I suppose!”
Sasha Horn (Metal Review/Novembers Doom/These Are They) – “There's a couple of things that I listen to that would be considered severely left of Metal. But keep in mind that listening to things far removed from Metal, makes Metal sound more Metal. Enjoy. Brand New - Daisy: Soooo totally emo-rock, with the emphasis on emotional. Granted, it's a horrible band name that can't be taken seriously beyond album number one, but don't let that sway you from indulging in this band of four that are extremely well-versed in the art of Fugazi meets Fall Out Boy (description in a nutshell). Translated, this means: Playground pop for the truly tormented soul. Carolina Liar - Coming To Terms: Now this is an interesting pleasure, because I'm pretty sure they're pro-God, which would totally destroy my Metal street-cred had I not owned a Metal Identification card for so damn long, but the fact that they're not force-feeding me psalms from the bad book means that I won't allow their denomination to tarnish their pristine craftsmanship in fusing the sounds of U2, The Killers, and Shiny Toy Guns (another guilty pleasure). I'm a sucker for a good hook, and CL are obviously suckers for writing them, 'cuz they're all over the place. Guitar-driven power pop at it's finest. Robyn - s/t: Robyn is a Swedish chick that came up in the industry about twelve years ago on the dirty wings of a major label and wrote the kinds of songs that were mapped out in conference rooms: Processed and disinfected. Whether the label dropped her or she opted to get the hell out, I'm not sure, but she fell mostly out of sight of the eyes of the states for over a decade (even though her popularity sustained overseas), only to resurface crafting the kinds of tunes that she said she wanted to make all along, but weren't fully embraced in the arms of the corporate. Electro-sugar pop akin to Britney Spears, but a little dirtier and a tad bit more street; she could stomp Spears in a heartbeat. I love the production on this album. Santogold - s/t: Let it be known that in my mind I have a love affair with Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and since she probably wouldn't give me the time of day, I lower my standards just a tiny, little bit and ask Santigold instead (she's since changed her stage name from Santogold to Santigold), and then she reads that last bit, backhands me in the cheek, and force-feeds me a watch. Yeah, she's got attitude like that. This lady is a veteran of the industry, having co-produced and written many songs for brand names and garnered stellar results. Now, she heads out on her own to throw out tough, danceable art-rock/electro-dub-punk. She's a leader in her chosen medium. I've read that she won't reveal her age, but she's upwards of mid-thirties, I think. And I like that. She shows the lollipop-lickers how it's done. Booyah.”
Emmanuel Jessua (Hypno5e/ABGOATR) – “Well, I hear a lot of classical music and latin music like Malher, Arvo Part, Tito Puentes, and Café Tacuba. I’ve grown up in South America and lived over there for 12 years. For classical music, all my influence for composition comes from classical music.”
Micah Kinard (Oh, Sleeper/Violent Lighting/Steadfast Modesty Clothing) – “My guilty pleasure band is Flickerstick. Haha, though that is not necessarily the most random thing you will find on my iPod. I also LOVE Fiona Apple and Sarah McLachlan, but I rep them proudly. haha.”
Gabriel Luis (Fallen Martyr) – “Muse and Radiohead. 2 amazing bands. What I like about them the most is that they are progressive music; they do and sound how they want. And that’s a pretty metal thing to do. Also, Radiohead is pretty strange. Strange bands are always awesome. 3 6 Mafia and Project Pat. I like rap, and sometimes I gotta listen to something else other then metal. I also find that it’s better to write new material when listening to music that is very unlike the style you play. You can pick up inspiration from anything if you really just have an open mind.”
Nick Miller (A Skylit Drive) – “I definitely have some guilty pleasures on the pod. I've been rockin’ some Natalie Imbruglia and Sarah McLaughlin. They both have some beautiful songs that are so well written. Definitely some song-writing inspiration. Plus Natalie Imbruglia is smokin’.”
Ryan Minic (Ryan’s Rock Show) – “This is going to kill any credibility--if any--that I have, but sometimes I'll throw on Justin Timberlake. Mainly because it gets girls horny, and I can’t hate on a dude whose music gets me laid.”
Natalie Perez (AMP Magazine/Hails And Horns/Killer Tours/The Examiner/etc…) – “Some of my quality pleasures includes Backstreet Boys, Boys Like Girls, Duran Duran, Fall Out Boy, Gavin DeGraw, Keane, Kings of Leon, My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco, Simply Red, Switchfoot, Tears for Fears, Three Days Grace, Tokio Hotel. Why do I choose these acts? Because they are like children to me; they grew up with me throughout my life and have helped me through the hard times and the good times and continue to burn within me and forever will until the day I die.”
Rich Nelson (Earache Records) – "As a nostalgic nod to my nu-metal phase you will find Limp Bizkit and Korn on my iPod. Certainly guilty pleasures as I've been exposed to much better music since my teenage years. Every now and then I'll get the urge to blast songs from Significant Other and Follow The Leader, though the Caffeine pants and UFOs stay hidden in the closet (you never know when you might need a quick escape via parachute!)"
Re: Excellent delivery my friend! Now I know y’all be lovin’ this shit right here, L, I, M, P, BIZKIT is right here:
Nate Newton (Doomriders) – “I can’t speak for the other guys but for me it would definitely be 80's pop. Maybe its nostalgia from having grown up in the 80's, but that era of music had a profound influence on me. Duran Duran's "The Chauffer", the Go Go's "Head Over Heals", Missing Persons "Noticeable Ones", Stray Cats "18 Miles To Memphis", Scandal "Goodbye To You", INXS "Mystify", General Public "tenderness", i could go on for hours...... Why? Because they were GREAT cohesive songs with great hooks. Just like all of my favorite punk/hardcore bands... Bad Brains, Black Flag, The Misfits - they all had catchy songs with hooks. This is something that I work very hard to put into Doomriders. I’m not interested in piling riffs on top of each other. I'm not interested in writing the HEAVIEST song of all time. Music like that doesn't stick with you. I want to write the song that you sing to yourself to get you through a shitty day at work and honestly... I learned that from growing up in the 80's and listening to pop music.”
Ralphy Pinkster (Skateboard) – “Well to start my iPod only has around 4 out of 8 gigs of music (mainly metal) but I guess the left of center albums I have on it, right now, are "The Offspring- Greatest Hits", "The Smiths- The Best of the Smiths" and "The Smiths- Strangeways, Here We Come"... Regarding The Offspring, I've been a fan for many years (since 1997 or 1998) and got the album the year it came out. As for The Smiths, a bunch of my friends from college were really into them and after hearing them tons of times on my friend's playlists and many drunken sing-a-longs I decided to get these albums. Now if you asked me about CDs I owned you would get more embarrassing answers... Guilty pleasures (which I haven't listened to in many years) include: Creed - Human Clay - I'm a 90s kid... I loved this band and after 10 years I'm still telling myself "I still need to buy My Own Prison", hahaha. Linkin Park- everything from Hybrid Theory to Meteora... I loved this band back in high school and freshman year of college and purchased their prime albums.”
Re: Duly on Linkin Park. You and me both, brother! Here’s the catchy heartwarmer called “The New Divide”.
Cody Plucker (All Metal Resource/Killer Tours) – “Lady Gaga - Best pop star since Michael Jackson in my opinion. Rihanna - One of the best voices in R&B and pop. Creed - My Own Prison as with several songs off of their later albums are severely underrated and shit on by rock purists and elitists.”
Al Ravage (Ravage) – “It's not on my ipod, but recently while touring in California I picked up a cassette tape of the La Bamba soundtrack. It was the first 'rock" album I owned when I was a kid - I got it for Christmas when I was 8 years old, I think. And I annoyed everyone else in the van by blasting it. I still like the Los Lobos versions of the Ritchie Valens songs and the Buddy Holly song that is on there. I also like the Orion The Hunter album by Barry Goudreau and some of the guys from Boston. We used to listen to that a lot on roadtrips despite its schlocky lyrics it is a really fun album, and we have been listening to an old cassette tape of the Top Gun Soundtrack a lot in the van ad nausea - everyone in the band can't get enough of that.”
Etan Rosenbloom (MetalSucks/Cerebral Metalhead) – “I don't believe in the concept of the guilty pleasure. Music taste is way too personal and uncontrollable to necessitate defense or embarrassment. That said, I can't get the new Kelly Clarkson album, All I Ever Wanted. I'm willing to give Adam Lambert a chance, but since he still hasn't released his album yet, Kelly sits high on the throne as the most compelling singer to emerge from American Idol. She's passionate and powerful, tough but vulnerable, and she's got such a classic pop belter's voice but without any of the histrionics that sink so many other pop singers for me. She can A great singer ain't nothin' without great songs to sing though, and that's where All I Ever Wanted kicks the most ass. There's so much quality songcraft on this fucker. I rock out unapologetically to "My Life Would Suck Without You" and "I Do Not Hook Up." Try as I might, I can't find "Cry" sappy. The title track has a killer Franz Ferdinand groove to it that more pop artists should use. And that's just four of the first five songs. Look, this is a mainstream pop album. There's schlock, a lot of the lyrics suck, and almost everything about "whyyawannabringmedown" is a horrible idea. But pop albums aren't really about the gestalt. They're about songs, and All I Ever Wanted has so many great ones, and Kelly even sells the bad ones.”
Brent Schindler (Gwen Stacy) – “I don't think it's necessarily a guilty pleasure, but I have the soundtrack of the musical RENT on my iPod... it’s my favorite musical of all time.”
Austin Spence (Embryonic Devourment) – “There's an artist I have on my iPod called MATISYAHU that's pretty odd for my tastes I guess. He is a Jewish rabbi that sings reggae style dance hall music. I just dig the sound and its great for throwin on the iPod while you're getting stoned. There's also another artist I listen too which Colin of the band VILE showed me called ZAP MAMA. This chick plays all the big weed fests and has the most interesting African music....open minded metalheads rule!”
John Strachan (The Funeral Pyre/Prosthetic Records) – “Morrissey/The Smiths – I have pretty much everything that’s been released by this man. Some of the best songs ever written and one of my favorite lyricists of all time. CSS – Amazing pop band. Just good tunes that are pretty fun to listen to. Vicente Fernandez – the godfather of mariachi. Unbelievable songs and definitely the first of his kind.”
Leticia Supple (Metal As Fuck) – “Things people would never expect to see on my iPod are: Hip hop would be the first one. I'm a big fan of international acts like Roots Manuva, and Nas, and underground local acts like Hektic, The Link, D.R.U.Z.E, Nikolai, Mase & Mattic, and others like old Crossbred Mongrels. I chose this first off the bat because I recently admitted on our site, in a forum, that I happen to get into some British hip hop in particular. It was met with an astounded "hip hop????" followed by total silence. Eeeek. Even though I'm pretty well renowned for liking my metal brutal, heavy, and evil as fuck, there's just something about hip hop. Of course, some acts are a bit like Aussie grindcore as well, lyrically, and some horrorcore (which The Link does extremely well, and this dude is a metalhead too by-the-bye) is brilliant. Whoopee and jug band music (esp from the '70s) would be the second one. The one band I'm thinking of is Captain Matchbox; it's a bit of everything, all acoustic, often fast as hell; it's a bit loungey, a bit jazzy, and sometimes it's perfect. I've been assured that if you're stoned it's even better... Not surprisingly, really, given that's how all of it was composed and recorded! The third isn't music at all. It's language programs. I've got Swedish, Croatian, German, French, and Finnish on my iPod at the moment, but the only language I'm really focusing on - mainly because as an editor I'm a total words geek - is Finnish. It's a beautiful, lyrical, and incredibly complicated language, and the technicalities of it astound me. There are 15 cases!! OMG. But the only words that have so far stuck in my head are personal pronouns, beer (olut/kalja), thank you (kiitos), swear words (like vittu), and random things like 'this is a table' (!). Some of my writers and photographers, though, are Finnish, so that helps ;)”
Kevin Talley (Daath/professional studio drummer) – “Abba!! In addition to Queen, they were extremely ahead of their time. They were just more subtle about it than Queen so the average person can't really tell they are over the top. Abba's phrasing, progressions, arrangements, and over all songs are incredible. Yes, a ton of cheddar is in there but that's all for the better. I love the cheese!! haha. It's so freakin awesome to crank Abba. If you don't know about it, you are missin' out!!!”
Richard Thomas a.k.a. Stitch (Mushroomhead/Ventana) – “Duran Duran - Greatest Hits. Anytime my band members see that in there I get busted on, I grew up always seeing their videos on MTV {hungry like the wolf was on every 10 minutes} it was always my favorite as a kid. I honestly think they are a great band and wrote some amazingly catchy songs, just don't hear that kinda song writing anymore.”
Mark Vieira (Prosthetic Records) – “There’s nothing really that weird in my ipod. I come from a pretty diverse musical background, and my ipod reflects that I feel. I mean, as “Prosthetic Records’ guy” I guess people might be surprised to find I have most of Oasis’ and Ryan Adams’ stuff, but I don’t know if that’s really that surprising at all.”
Jon Wilkes (The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/Drummer vs. DJ) - "I have a huge guilty pleasure hidden in my iPod and she is known as Bjork. I listen to all of her records on a weekly basis. She inspires me!!!"
Re: Jon, I have a guilty pleasure for your song “Misery Loves Its Company”. Why did you guys make it so catchy?
Jesse Zuretti (The Binary Code) – “Guilty pleasures...you know, I don't think I'm ashamed of I to. Even the stuff people think is lame. However, I'm always teased for having such a huge admiration for Seal. I absolutely LOVE Seal. Seal has a huge influence on my guitar writing, oddly enough. My girlfriend (even her MOM!) makes fun of me for loving Seal. I think "Prayer for the Dying" is such an awesome song. I listen to it all the time. When I burn CDs for my girlfriend, I sneak it on there once in a while. I'll get a text message later on, with something to the tune of, "SEAL!!?? SEAL!!?? WHY?!" in it. I think the guitar & synth pad arrangements he writes are simply amazing.”
Re: Jesse, yeah bro, WHY?!
So now that you have some laughs in, some artists to now (possibly) check out, what are your guilty pleasures? Wanna comment on someone else’s guilty pleasures? Leave us some comment love!!
Move aside Liferuiner and Thick As Blood, I have a new favorite hardcore band, coming all the way from Italy. Furious, fast-paced, angry, pissed off, etc. - not enough words can describe how crazy this album is. This is defiantly the refreshing face and upbeat band that needed to come out of the straight edge movement in hardcore to keep the genre alive. You don’t hear of Italian hardcore straight edge bands at all! When looking at their profile I was like, “What is this? Holy crap this is amazing!”
With every song having a deep meaning, ranging from straight edge, friends/family, and defending your values, AWAKEN DEMONS has unleashed a beast on their new album from Trustkill Records entitled The Mirror. With every song energetic and making you want to mosh, it’s hard to let this album down without feeling the rage and anger that AWAKEN DEMONS puts into the album. “Abandon the Darkness” is, in my eyes, the new straight edge anthem of the world. Featuring Vincent from The Acacia Strain and having a deep meaning about straight edge and morals, it seriously speaks to everyone.
Without an intro to The Mirror, how do you know it will be any good?... “Coming To An End” comes out full-force with vengeance like you just got hit with a ton of bricks. Setting the pace throughout the whole album as fierce and furious, The Mirror doesn’t let down one bit. To wrap up the album comes the tracks “Victim Of Your Game,” as a calling to all brothers in arms to stand by their friends in times of hardships and in extreme doubts. A classic hardcore example of brotherhood and unity. AWAKEN DEMONS is here to stay and without a doubt at the top of my list of bands to watch out for next year to make an impact all across the world!
*A quick bit of shameless promo for All About The Music. Many of our writers are also writing in other media outlets, so when kickass music comes our way, more than likely you will get a review from 2 or more places. For example, one All About The Music writer reviewed AWAKEN DEMONS at SMNnews, and now for the double shot, Matt Haines stepped in to give the review here.
Listen to AWAKEN DEMONS and their bruiser, “Real”, and the beauty of their Trustkill debut The Mirror is that the album bruises from start to finish!
It’s always good to see a great movie with a great soundtrack – they go hand and hand. Sometimes you have one, sometimes the other, but with SAW VI, it looks like we have both. You can judge for yourself because the movie is open on 3000+ screens today, but regardless of the movie, do pick up the soundtrack because it is packed with a ton of great music. Let’s take a look into the many benefits the soundtrack offers…
Featuring music from Hatebreed, Converge, It Dies Today, Ventana, among many more, the SAW VI SOUNDTRACK is solid, and is bound to have something on there that you’ll love. The soundtrack has a great variety, and the flow is great from start to finish.
Also featuring unreleased music from Lacuna Coil, Mushroomhead, Chimaira, Outbreak, Nitzer Ebb, and unreleased Saw VI remixes from Suicide Silence and Shadows Fall, it’s great to get all of this value on the SAW VI SOUNDTRACK, plus it helps establish the band’s commodities, and stuff like that. All the more reason to spend the cash. You can thank the fine folks at Trustkill for all this. Also, look out for exclusive music videos from Hatebreed, Mushroomhead, Suicide Silence, and Memphis May Fire to promote for this soundtrack.
Go buy your copy now!
SawVI Soundtrack Track Listing (Available October 20)
:6 CHANCES: 01. Hatebreed "In Ashes They Shall Reap" 02. Lacuna Coil "The Last Goodbye" * 03. It Dies Today "Reckless Abandon" 04. Mushroomhead "Your Soul Is Mine" * 05. Chimaira "Warpath" * 06. Danko Jones "Code Of The Road"6
LESSONS: 07. Suicide Silence "Genocide / Saw VI Remix" * 08. Memphis May Fire "Ghost In The Mirror" 09. Outbreak "The Countdown Begins" * 10. Shadows Fall "Still I Rise / Saw VI Remix" * 11. Type O Negative "Dead Again" 12. Converge "Dark Horse"6
CHOICES: 13. Kittie "Cut Throat" 14. Nitzer Ebb "Never Known" * 15. Every Time I Die "Roman Holiday" 16. My My Misfire "The Sinatra" 17. The Flood "Lethal Injection" 18. James Brothers "More Than A Sin"
BONUS DIGITAL TRACKS: 19. 69 Eyes “We Own The Night” 20. Ventana “Watch Us Burn” 21. Miss May I “ Forgive & Forget”
BLEEDING FIST, the name sums it up well. Many people (privileged idiots) mis-interpret black metal for being depressing, and the music of the devil. While the latter may be true, black metal as depressing is just a stupid assumption sometimes. Leave that duty to “emo” music. I mean, like all music should do, black metal has something to say, and case in point with BLEEDING FIST. Their music is filled with hate for this fucked up world, blasphemy, and revenge, and upon listening to their latest, Bestial Kruzifix666ion, it seems like the band will fight to the death, even with their bleeding fist. Now let’s take a look into their anthems of destruction…
Bestial Kruzifix666ion opens up with “Morbid Psychotic Distortion Part 1” which unleashes huge doses of hatred (see video down below). The song has a huge rhythm section, and BLEEDING FIST starts things out big. The shred factor also plays a key role, where influentially, BLEEDING FIST takes upon many genres like black metal, death, and thrash, combined for a greater evil you could say. “Sabbath Ov Mist” begins the unholy march with drum rolls building up the chaos, and you can just tell BLEEDING FIST is going to unleash something big. The song then blasts off with huge guitar tones layered with Luciferian evil, all at a fast pace. There are plenty of details in “Sabbath Ov Mist” where BLEEDING FIST builds up one part after another. I especially like the outro with the counter guitar attacks, the effective use of the whammy bar, and the evil in its message. I’ve got to say, BLEEDING FIST does have some pretty creative black metal. “Morphogenesis Of The Holocaust” is the jam on this CD, and BLEEDING FIST really let’s the metal shine, shred, and shatter the soul. BLEEDING FIST unleashes such brilliant dark melodies, and this eye opener of a song unleashes all hell! It’s fVckin evil, and BLEEDING FIST has been consistently strengthening their attack. I mean, recording an album each year isn’t an easy feat, but how about two in a year (2006, 2007)?!
Another crazy thing about black metal that I’ve learned over time, you never know where you are going to find it. Just like how Canis Dirus is from in the middle of nowhere in Minnesota, BLEEDING FIST hails from Slovenia. Then again, you don’t have to be from some powerhouse state/country to make metal – you can do it anywhere, and every country I’m sure has its angst ridden youth. Since black metal is such an underground and kvlt genre, it’s not as if the band’s have sell x amount of records, and have billions of 14 year old hipster fans. The tr00 fans of black metal will always remain loyal, and that’s the beauty of the genre (note I said tr00 black metal fans, not the commercialized mall goth creeps, or the retards who like Sothis).
Anyways, back to BLEEDING FIST. Bestial Kruzifix666ion is a great release for your black metal obsessions, and if you just can’t get enough, BLEEDING FIST has an upcoming MCD called Macabrum Bestia Ex Abyssus to be released in early 2010 by Moribund Records, the label who has seriously been kicking some major ass this year! And I bet you they’ll continue to kick ass for the years to come. Keep those bleeding fists raised!
Check out BLEEDING FIST’s music video for “Morbid Psychotic Distortion (Part 1)”, off of their 2009 Moribund Cult release, Bestial Kruzifix666ion. It’s fucking killer.
To me A DIFFERENT BREED OF KILLER always strayed away from the path when it came to deathcore. On their debut album, I, Colossus the band approached the genre than most, and it didn’t go unnoticed. They seemed for technical and forward thinking than the rest of the pack, so this recent update from the band shouldn’t surprise any fan who realized A DIFFERENT BREED OF KILLER’s true potential.
Our friend Amy Sciarretto at Noisecreep has tipped us that The City, the band’s new album will be produced by their drummer Nija Walker, and it will be recorded in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. This will enable the sound to be more dynamic than your basic ‘left speaker/right speaker’. The music will be able to come at you from all directions, literally surrounding the listener. Talking to Noisecreep, Walker explained the new recording approach as "Imagine hearing a drum fill racing by you, or a creepy vocal line behind you, in a dark room. Picture, if you will, the sound of five channels of guitar tracks. Those are the experiences you can expect." While it’s being questioned if this is the first time a metal band has used this approach, it’s still a huge step for metal and for music as a whole.
As of right now, the band is searching for a record label, as their contractual obligations with Rise Records are over. It will be interesting to see which record label will be lucky enough to sign these young faced visionaries, because The City is bound to turn a couple heads.
OH, SLEEPER is out with their debut on Solid State Records, Son Of The Morning. This is their sophomore release from their last album, When I Am God. What is very unique about Son Of The Morning is that it is a concept album, putting Satan and God against each other. Not very many bands can pull this off but OH, SLEEPER pulls it off wonderfully and in amazing detail. Each song on the album depicts a story of somebody on how they found their faith to denounce Satan.
Son Of The Morning has such a powerful beginning with the self-titled track “Son Of The Morning”. The song is from Satan’s standpoint on how people don’t believe in him. It is quite possibly one of the heaviest songs on the album. The song is filled with such emotion that all the band members put everything they have into it. And on the other end of the spectrum “The Finisher”, based on God’s point of view on faith and the way of Him. “The Finisher”, is the finished blow on the album with the decisive win over Satan with faith.
What really came out on the album was the unique fill style and onslaught Matt Davis brings on the drums. There is not one spot on the album that isn’t characterized by the explosiveness on the drums. Not only do the drums impress, but also the vocals by Micah Kinard show the true expression of lyrical technique and writing. His lyrics have the best stability of any vocalist today. The 15-second holding scream on “World Without A Sun”, is just an example of how developed the lyrics and patterns are on the album.
OH, SLEEPER is on the top of their game by releasing Son Of The Morning. With Progressive technique and relentless emotion in each song, this album is a must have for any hardcore/metal fan. Expect the same intensity with Son Of The Morning as you did with When I Am God. Son Of The Morning is straight from the heart and a masterpiece. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Check out OH, SLEEPER’s music video for “Son Of The Morning”. It’s really cool!
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About Us
All About The Music
Big Rapids, Michigan, United States
All About The Music was created by Alex Gilbert to help music furthur reach its potential. Alex also writes for SMNnews and Ultimate-Guitar.com. Alex is enrolled in the Music Industry Management program at Ferris State University, and an active member of Music Industry Management Association, which functions as a model production company. All About The Music is always at work to spread the music as much as possible. With a true love for the music and all aspects of the hard work involved in the business, over here we really are "all about the music".
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Attention metal labels / A&R's. Check out our buddies in Dissonant. For some real killer, metal click the banner below. Trust me and click it.
Watch this killer music video for their song Sepulchral Terrors off of their 2008 release Copy Burn Distribute Repeat
WINDS OF PLAGUE – The Great Stone War (2009)
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