*This is part of our monthly State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state. This month’s state is Hawaii.*
Ever wonder what the soundtrack of mutilation might sound like? Pretty sure it’s Gorgos. Hailing from a beautiful place like Honolulu, Hawaii, yet they have no shortage of brutality. It’s death metal, it’s slam, a little bit of grind thrown in the mixer. What churns out is blood soaked and meaty riffs. This is carnivorous music. Continue reading
Based out of Los Angeles, Worldwide Panic is a hard rock/heavy metal band that formed in 2016 with the aim of writing heavy, catchy music with personal and meaningful lyrics. In a world mired with social and political controversies, Worldwide Panic offers a more relatable take on everyday life and overcoming the trials and tribulations the common man faces. The compose songs with an approach that focuses on a mix of clean and aggressive vocals and a riff sound. With those guitar worshiping riffs and the balance of both clean melodic vocals and screams Worldwide Panic appeals to listeners all across the hard rock and heavy metal spectrum. Continue reading
Candlemass are one of the most important names in Doom Metal. Along with Saint Vitus, Trouble, and The Obsessed they all helped create a form of music that was heavily influenced by the forefathers of Doom and Gloom: Black Sabbath! From their 1986 debut classic ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ to the 2018 ep ‘The House of Doom’ Candlemass have been one of the hardest working and most consistent bands in the Metal scene. However, with the upcoming release of ‘The Door to Doom’ (available February 22nd via Napalm Records) the band have managed to top past glories and have (arguably) released the best album of their long career! Continue reading
Black Thorn Halo is a heavy metal/thrash metal band from Austin, Texas that was conceived in 2010 by vocalist Ralph Lopez and bassist Jack Krupski. Needing a line-up change to take the music to a new level, Lopez and Krupski brought in Whore of Babylon guitarist Craig Leach and drummer Eric Mulero. Clawing their way through the metal scene in Austin, San Antonio, and Central Texas, Black Thorn Halo is becoming a force to be reckoned with by having a brutal, tight, and energetic live show. These Texans are about to show you what metal is like in the Lone Star State. Continue reading
After releasing their first ever EP back in 2013 called ‘An Exordium To Contagion’ Plague Throat are back with their second EP ‘Evolutionary Impasse’ and it will crush your soul and send it straight back to hell!
*This is part of the Epicenter Festival Spotlight segment where we help you get to know some of the non-headlining bands performing at the festival. This week we introduce you to High On Fire!*
If you are familiar with High On Fire you will be in agreement that it’s hard to believe they are billed earlier in the day on the inaugural Epicenter Festival lineup. The mastermind behind the band is of course Matt Pike known famously as one of the best doom guitarists ever from his work with his other band Sleep. He formed High On Fire in 1998. Pike is a talented musician that has a huge discography between his bands. With Sleep he has released 5 albums and one EP, and with High On Fire he has released 8 studio albums and 1 live album. He was also a part of the bands Asbestosdeath (which was was an early incarnation of Sleep) and Kalas who combined have released 2 EPs and 2 albums. The one area where High On Fire differs is that Matt Pike in addition to playing guitar also is the vocalist as well. His vocal style is gritty, raw, aggressive and it’s impossible to not thoroughly enjoy. The bands most recent album is ‘Electric Messiah’ which released in October via Eone Music and the album has been on nearly everyone’s best albums of the year list. In addition to that successful album High On Fire has also been nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance. With the nomination they are joining some legendary past nominees like Metallica, Motörhead, Faith No More and TOOL, this is the first time the band has been nominated in their twenty-year career. In regards to their nomination the band had this to say: “We are so honored to be appreciated by our peers,” says vocalist and guitarist Matt Pike. “We love and live our art.” “It doesn’t matter whether we win or not,” says drummer Des Kensel. “It’s just an honor to be recognized for our hard work and sacrifice after devoting our whole lives to music.” Finally, bassist Jeff Matz adds, “This is pretty mind-blowing. We’re beyond thrilled about the nomination. We all put a lot of sweat and sleepless nights into writing and recording this album. It’s amazing that our efforts are being recognized in this way.” On February 10th High On Fire won that Best Metal Performance Grammy for their album ‘Electric Messiah’ beating out other metal powerhouses Between The Buried And Me, Trivium, Deafheaven and Underoath. With that much talent in one category it certainly shows you the talent that High On Fire will bring to the Epicenter stage. Continue reading
Looking for a new act to add to your collection? Well look no further because She Cries Wolf is the band you need!
Director and writer Bob Nalbandian, who is probably best known for his compelling ‘Inside Metal’ documentary series, returns as the director and producer of the new documentary “Band vs Brand.” The new film, which will be coming to DVD and digital streaming outlets in March 2019 via Cleopatra Entertainment, covers the topic of making the comparison between the artistic integrity of a band vs the often exploitative business side of the music industry. It’s an interesting deeper dive into a topic that’s been heavily discussed lately among music enthusiasts, especially fans of classic hard rock and metal bands of the seventies and eighties. With many of these now “legacy” acts having, in one way or another, endured multiple lineup changes, deaths of key members, breakups, legal battles, and other turmoil, the idea of when a band is still the same band worthy of carrying on their original namesake logically comes into question. Well-known names such as Dave Ellefson (Megadeth), Jack Russell (Jack Russell’s Great White), Frank DiMino (Angel), Dave Lombardo (Sucididal Tendencies, ex-Slayer), Marc Ferrari (Keel, Ferrari), Nik Turner (Hawkwind), and other notable veterans of the music industry weigh in to offer their personal insights on the “Band vs Brand” debate. Continue reading
Lindsay Schoolcraft, vocalist and live keyboardist for seminal metal band Cradle of Filth, is the guest on this episode of the BREWtally Speaking Podcast!! Continue reading
Fun Lovin’ Criminals
So Fun Lovin Criminals just graced our shores here in the UK. They provided an evening which consisted of their DJ doing a set of some hip-hop and dance classics to warm the crowd up, then Huey Morgan and crew hit the stage to entertain with a super chilled-out evening from the get-go. Continue reading
