Comments Off on Interview With Chris “OJ” Ojeda Of Byzantine
Chris “OJ” Ojeda of Byzantine
We were fortunate enough recently to sit down with Byzantine founder/guitarist/singer Chris “OJ” Ojeda when the band headlined the Summer Slam Festival in Johnson City, Tennessee. The band was recently signed to Metal Blade Records after they received national success with their 5th and latest release “To Release Is To Resolve”. The band still has a handful of dates left on their short tour. Their next release is highly anticipated and will be the bands first release on Metal Blade. We’d like to thank OJ for his time as it was a pleasure to not only see him and the band perform live again but to speak with him one on one is much appreciated. Continue reading →
Comments Off on The Universe of Isolated Antagonist
The year was 1992. Science fiction classics like Aliens3, TheLawnmowerMan, Freejack and UniversalSoldier were playing in theaters along with the ever-so-humorous ArmyofDarkness that still illicit bouts of uncontrollable laughter some twenty four years later. Sci-Fi bestselling books likeSnowCrash by NealStephenson(one of my personal favorites), Quarantine by GregEgan and StephenGould’s seminal classic Jumper were in first print and flying off bookstore shelves (pre-Amazon Kindle days, kids). BoyzIIMen, SirMix-a-Lot, KrissKross, TLC and VanessaWilliams topped the musical charts (*sigh*). Hell, many of you were not even born yet and may not have even heard of any of this literature, music or movie selections. Know what also dropped in ‘92? How about FearFactory’s “Soul of a New Machine”.That’s right. Their debut that took the Metal world by storm and still remains relevant today. Fast forward to today and tell me what happens when classic Science Fiction story meets old-school, IndustrialMetal? IsolatedAntagonist happens, that’s what…
Comments Off on State of The Art: Delirium Tremors
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is Alaska!
Delirium Tremors was actually born in Colorado as a recording project by singer/guitarist Jamie. The band since then has seen some location changes and is now based in Anchorage, Alaska. It’s not only mountain men living in The Last Frontier, Delirium Tremors unleash some hard hitting metal with a mixture of both harsh and melodic vocals. They have recently shared the stage with Sick Puppies and Mos Generator and competed in the Van’s Warped Tour Battle of the Bands. The band has an upbeat tempo pace and perfect melting pot of sounds. You want some in your face lead guitar parts? You got it. The well timed drum beats are well placed leading into and out of the chorus. The song writing encased in these tracks show that the band is experienced in both composing and performing. It’s not often I’m only able to hear 2 tracks from a band an then compelled to write about them. However, the songs “Witness” and “Shimmer” are great examples of what I think Delirium Tremors really does well. They have a throwback sort of sound kind of melding alternative, hardcore and nu-metal all together. While those genres may not be appealing to you when isolated by themselves, I can assure you this is something you will want to listen to. Some of the best bands out there right now are trying to fight the right median between clean vocals and harsh and find a contrast or mixture that work. What Delirium Tremors has here is find the answer to what a lot of bands attempt to do and can’t never seem to get it right. I certainly look forward to hearing more from what this amazing Alaskan releases as I’m sure it will be impressive.
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is Alaska!
For my first State of the Art from Alaska, I bring you DECEPTICIDE. They are 4 piece Thrash/Death Metal band that formed in 2008 in Anchorage, Alaska. Currently the band has 3 original members and a Bassist who joined the band later on. The members include: Enzo Montana (Guitar), Brian Harris (Drums), Ryan Hull (Vocals) and Kev Stevenson(Bass). Their music has an amazing mix of sounds that really come together for a bad ass sound. The amazing guitar riffs played by Enzo really sets the tone for their music. The explosive raspy vocals by Ryan really take their sound to the next level and gives the band an overall killer vibe. The members are all super talented and their skills are displayed throughout their music. I’m certainly looking forward to hearing anything new from these guys and I’m sure you will be too!
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is Alaska!
So, on we move to our next state for July: Alaska. Our northern most state is home to a remarkable amount of really good Metal. Hidden gems that have yet to make it out of our northern-most and most sparsely populated state. Look up Metal bands on Wikipedia and you get precisely one. Spend about five minutes going a little deeper and this lack of interesting music becomes an instant misconception. One good band after another emerges. Maybe being isolated from the rest of the continental United States limits the ability to get past the borders but these bands are way too good to remain so. One such band that was actually chosen by a couple of our staff this week is Griffith.
Comments Off on THE KING MUST DIE Releases Video for “These Later Years”!
Bay Area thrashers The King Must Die have released a new video for the track “These Later Years”. The clip for “These Later Years” is a nostalgic look back at The King Must Die’s first five years together, as well as a look back into the long-time connections between the band members who have been in and out of bands together since the late-80’s; all this, combined with an intense performance in their “home-base” rehearsal studio. The band are able to set their self apart from the competition and succeed in one of metals most beloved genres. The King Must Die is a thrash metal band formed in 2011 and operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area. All five members of TKMD came of age at the height of the Bay Area thrash scene and those influences are evident in their aggressive, riff-driven, uptempo music. 2016 saw the release of their new record, ‘Murder All Doubt’ which picks up where their 2014 debut, ‘Sleep Can’t Hide the Fear’, left off and shows a continued evolution of TKMD’s signature sound. If you love their sound as much as we do make sure to pick up the album here.
2016’s Summer Slam in Johnson City, Tennessee got started off with a bang. Promoter Sean Carden and sponsor Roberson’s Tennessee Mellomoon Moonshine put together an amazing line-up of bands from start to finish. If you wasn’t there to witness the onslaught of metal you should be ashamed of yourself.It was a perfect Friday night to throw some horns in the air. The night didn’t get off to a slow start by any means. Scent of Remains took the stage and began their set with speed and authority. The band had recently obtained a new singer, but after practicing with the band for a period of time he left the band leaving them without a singer for this show. However, original singer Michael Yates comes to the rescue and steps up and takes the mic . It shows how much chemistry and brotherhood the band has that he was able to come back play the show with them so they wouldn’t have to cancel. That is something that fans appreciate. The only reason he exited the band is because he relocated a couple hours away. Every note they struck was with complete perfection. The guitarist Jeremy Powers has an amazing playing style. He doesn’t play guitar he caresses it. His hands move in a way that just glues your eyes to him. Their aggressive in your face music style makes them one of Knoxville’s premier metal bands. If you haven’t heard the music look them up and get yourself a big whiff of Scent of Remains. Continue reading →
Comments Off on TED NUGENT To Kick Off Sonic Baptizm Tour!
Photo Credit: Brown Photography
Ted Nugent is one of rock-n-roll’s greatest guitar players. But that isn’t his only talent. When he isn’t holding a gun or bow he is cranking out amazing riffs on a 6 string. Ted Nugent holds a special place in the hearts of any rock n roll fan. The outspoken rocker is about to embark on a nationwide tour, in support of his most recent album ‘Shutup & Jam’ (2014). The album is his first studio album since 2007’s Love Grenade. If you haven’t had a chance to hear the song “She’s Gone” which features the Red Rocker Sammy Hagar I suggest you go check that out now. The Sonic Baptizm Tour kicks off July 1st in Phoenix, Arizona and runs until September 3rd in Muskogee, Oklahoma. If you are itching to meet the Motor City Mad Man you can pick up the Dangerous Zone VIP Experience here. It includes a backstage meet and greet, a VIP laminate, a photo of Ted for him to autograph, and the chance to take a picture with the man himself (with your own phone/camera). Uncle Ted continues to put his personal stamp on good ole American Rock with an extra dose of freedom. While some may recall one of Ted’s biggest hits “Cat Scratch Fever” he has many more hits to draw out of his holster. With his backing band of road worthy veterans he is making several stops across the country and giving some attention to smaller markets and cities that crave live music. One of the smallest cities on the tour is Pikeville, Kentucky on August 19th. The East Kentucky Expo Center will have Ted Nugent along with opening band Grimsley Rose. Tickets for that show available here. Stay tuned as we will have coverage of that show. The last day of the tour in Muskogee, Oklahoma will mark Ted’s 6,570th live show. It isn’t everyday you get a chance to see Ted Nugent live and in the flesh, don’t miss this opportunity. Continue reading →
Comments Off on Review: -(16)-‘s Lifespan Of A Moth
Photo Credit: Shauna Montrucchio
Southern California-based veteran sludge act, -(16)-, return with their seventh full-length album. Entitled Lifespan Of A Moth, the offering is clearly the band’s heaviest, darkest, and most complex material to date. The album is the follow up to Deep Cuts From Dark Clouds and marks the bands 3rd release on Relapse Records. The band broke up for a period of time but their love for all things heavy brought them together again and the band reunited in 2007. The new album was self-produced by -(16)- and recorded with Jeff Forrest (Cattle Decapitation, The Locust) at Doubletime Recording Studio in San Diego, California. Lifespan Of A Moth is set for release this July 15th via Relapse on CD/LP/Digital. Physical pre-orders via Relapse.com can be found HERE; digital preorders are available through the band’s BandCamp page at THIS LOCATION.
*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*
This month’s State is Maine!
Take one listen and you may guess that this band comes from sunny Florida…. no sir… Hatred Alive comes to you from the great north. Rumford, Maine to be exact. Hatred Alive are one of those bands that is just so damn heavy it makes your jaw drop. Sometimes with extremely heavy music there is a major lack of creativity. That isn’t the case here. The very first introduction I had to the band was the track “God Hates Country Music”. The song begins with some old school country music and then suddenly delves into some skull crushing heaviness. “Fuck you and fuck the horse you rode in on” is just a little taste of the lyrics. Need I say more? I’m sure being a Kentucky native and surrounded by country music all the time makes this song appeal to me more so than some, but this music is for any fan of any style. While this particular song is what led me to this band I’ve been able to find other songs that show more proof that this band is exactly what metal heads crave. As of May the band was working on tracking some vocals for new material, which we are more than anxious to hear. Another amazing track “No Mercy” proves that the band is no one trick pony, as they perfect their death and groove style. If you are a fan of old school death metal then this is going to give you the hard on of a lifetime. The band is rounded out with amazing musicians that each add something special to the band. Chugging guitar riffs from Shannon Bates, sinister vocals and screams by Jeremy St. Peter, those thundering bass lines by Rob Bates and the amazing double bass drum kicks and beats by Nick Graham. If you are in/around Maine and have the opportunity to support this band live then i suggest you do so. If they are ever in my neck of the woods you can bet your sweet ass i’ll be there.
