State of the Art: RC.Budaka

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Maine!

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Since this is the last week of our State of the Art: Maine series, I wanted something special. Something different. Something spectacularly good. I won’t lie. It took me hours upon hours to find what I was looking for. Hell, at more than one point I was about ready to give up and use others that were good, but not what I was looking for. So glad I kept looking because what I found is the best Roots Rock band I have heard in years. Brilliant guitar, soulful and emotive vocals; all done with the true feeling associated with 70’s Rock and Hard Rock that is all too often lost today and so hard to emulate. RC.Budaka is that band and their recently released debut CD “Right Hear Right Now” is way too damned good to be any band’s first album. Continue reading →

State of the Art: The Fall of Babylon

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*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Maine!

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For this week’s State of the Art, I’m focusing on a four piece Thrash Metal band hailing from Biddeford, Maine. The Fall of Babylon has a sound that is truly their own. The members include lead Vocalist Arnold Labrack, Guitarist Alex Reed, Bassist Nick Mininni and Gavin Crespin on drums. The band has an astonishing gritty sound to their music that really draws you in and leaves you craving for more. The band is currently working on an album that they hope to release sometime later this year. The band is very diverse and their music really comes together. Music has always been a big part of the band members lives and they really strive to have a sound that people enjoy to hear. Their live shows are something you want to be sure to check out. As I have not experienced one first hand but from watching videos they definitely enjoy what they are doing and put a lot of effort in to making sure the crowd is enjoying the show too!

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TILT “Hinterland”: Progressive Rock Classic, Now!

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Progressive Rock fans rejoice! Steve Vantsis, David Stewart, PJ Dourley, Paul Humphreys and Robin Boult along with John Beck and John Mitchell have joined forces to create TILT. For the uninitiated, Vartisis, Stewart and Boult are better known for recording, writing and touring with legendary FISH for years. Yes, THAT FISH! Steve Vantisis was also the primary songwriter for FISH’s “13th Star” and “Feast of Consequences”. With augmentation by It Bites keyboardist John Beck and guitarist John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, Kino, Arena and It Bites), expectations are extremely high with their much anticipated release of “Hinterland” on June 30th, 2016. Metal Nexus recently obtained a copy of it from Mr. Vantsis, and let me tell you, it is simply amazing!

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Ripper Radio Spotlights And Interviews Our Friends Dollar Llama

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Ripper Radio (Ripper Radio) has spotlighted our friends in Dollar Llama in their 100th podcast.  We would like to thank Dollar Llama for the mad props and their continued support!  Check it out!

Check out Dollar Llama: Facebook  Web  Soundcloud  BandCamp

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Denner/Shermann “Masters of Evil”: A New Twist on Old School Metal!

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When news started to circulate that the legendary guitar duo from Mercyful Fate, Michael Denner and Hank Shermann were putting together a supergroup called Denner/Shermann, there was a collective breath taken in the Metal world. When the line-up was completed with Mercyful Fate, King Diamond and Dream Evil drummer Snowy Shaw, Demonica’s Marc Grabowski on bass and the spectacular vocal range of DeathDealer and CAGE vocalist Sean Peck, that breath was quickly taken away. With the band’s October 2015 release of the “Satan’s Tomb” EP, all air was sucked out of the atmosphere with a huge gasp. This is the stuff Metalhead dreams and others’ nightmares are made of. Their EP was received with rave reviews and with a deafening scream for more material. That wish, thankfully, comes true June 24th, 2016 with the Metal Blade release of Denner/Sherann’s “Masters of Evil”.

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10 Years Of Whitechapel Culminates With “Mark Of The Blade”

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Whitechapel was formed early in 2006 in Knoxville, TN. Damn. Ten years ago. Hard to believe that it has been so long since first hearing “The Somatic Defilement” shortly after its release in 2007. Since then, Whitechapel has developed a huge, devoted fan base with their extreme brand of Deathcore Metal, made a few line up changes, released five devastating albums and landed in the top ten of the Billboard Top 200 with “Our Endless War” from 2014. Stepping up their game at every stage of their musical careers, the June 24, 2016, highly anticipated release of “Mark of the Blade” marks not only a celebration of ten years together as a band but also a musical turning point.

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Louder Than Life 2016 Preview!

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The 3rd annual Louder Than Life festival will take place again soon in Louisville, Kentucky. Loudmouths from all over the country will make their trek to the Bluegrass state for a weekend filled with music, gourmet man food, craft beer and the best bourbon in the country. The festival promoters DWP has amassed a great lineup this year of great headlining acts and some of the best up and coming acts in music. There are also a couple groups on the lineup that you won’t get a chance to see live that often. Headliners Avenged Sevenfold, Slayer and The Cult will close out Saturday night while Slipknot, Disturbed and Korn have been tasked with putting the final touches on the final night of the festival on Sunday. Continue reading →

State of the Art: RipFence

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 *This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State*

This month’s State is Maine!

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Lewiston, Maine. North of Portland, South of Augusta and Bangor. It is the second largest city in Maine with a population just South of 40,000. Only about 92 square miles and sits squarely in the middle of Androscoggin County. A quaint, historic town founded in 1854. Sigh. That is until you start digging around. Back in the corner, where the dust and cobwebs reside (and what is that aweful smell?!?) and it is found that this town is not immune from a brutal form of Melodic Death Metal outfit called RipFence.

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State Of The Art: DEAD SEASON

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This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured State.

This month’s State is Maine!

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Formed in 2003 DEAD SEASON was Founded by brothers Matt and Ian Truman. Ian is the lead vocalist for the group while Matt plays guitar and does backing vocals. They were later joined by bassist Steven Church (2007) and drummer Dustin Fitzpatrick (2014). DEAD SEASON has sold over 25,000 cd’s, an amazing feat considering the band has done it all on their own w/out the help of a record label. The group hail from Paris, ME and have held their own with some of the biggest names in hard rock history. In their 13 year history they have managed to score gigs on the “ROCKSTAR MAYHEM FESTIVAL” and DISTURBED’S “MUSIC AS A WEAPON TOUR” to name only a few. They have also played gigs with and shared the bill with rock icons like SLIPKNOT, AVENEGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK, KORN, MEGADETH and MOTORHEAD. Trust me, that was the short list. These guys have played with everyone.

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3Eighty3: “Raw F*ckin’ Power”!

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Remember the Hard Rock and emerging Metal bands in the 70’s and early 80’s? Hard driving, guitar based Heavy Blues with straight attitude and catchy, clever lyrics. Dance, bang your head, fist in the air, good times, Rock n’ Roll. Did you start to loose interest when the glitz, glam and cheese took over? Did you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when MTV told you that Guns N’ Roses and the up and coming Grunge bands were the future of Metal? Did you breathe a sigh of relief when Pantera dropped “Cowboys From Hell” and quickly dispelled all that nonsense? Yeah, me too. Funny thing is, that I still love the sound of the first wave of Hard Rock here and the British Invasion from overseas. Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, early Motley Crue, Cinderella and Triumph. Well, I recently discovered a band that has its roots deep in this era of our beloved music. If you have not heard of them, let me introduce you to Alvarado, Texas’ 3Eighty3. Continue reading →