Author Archives: Fist

About Fist

Greetings and salutations. Call me Fist, I'm a proud Kentuckian and I've used metal to help me get through the suffering of living in the bible belt. I am an encyclopedia of metal. I'm a fan of all types of metal. My main goal here is to help people find more music they will fall in love with. Hope you enjoy our words! \m/

Wendy Dio On Ronnie James Dio Hologram “Don’t Judge It Until You’ve Seen It”

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They always say there is a great woman behind every man and that couldn’t be more true with Wendy Dio, wife of the late great Ronnie James Dio. The legendary front man who spent time fronting the bands Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Rainbow, Elf, and Dio. Ronnie James Dio is the man who popularized the metal horns we all throw in the air to show our love and support. Wendy and Ronnie were married in 1975 and in addition to being his loving wife she was also his manager as well. In the 80’s, she managed the Los Angeles rock bands Rough Cutt, and Hellion. In 2009 Ronnie James Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer. At the time Dio had just began working with Heaven & Hell again. The following year in 2010, Heaven & Hell announced they were canceling all summer dates as a result of Dio’s illness. Unfortunately we lost our great metal warrior on May 16, 2010. His last live performance was with Heaven & Hell on August 29, 2009, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Since his death Wendy has kept his name alive by forming The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable fund dedicated to support cancer prevention research, raise awareness and educate the public. It’s not surprising that Dio himself was a very charitable person as well. He was a passionate supporter and contributor to charitable work, including his commitment to “Children of the Night” for over 25 years, as well as numerous animal charities. Thus far has The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund has raised 2 million dollars. Some of the ways in the past they have raised funds is the Ride For Ronnie which is on it’s 4th year this year which will feature Steven Adler’s All Star Band, Dio Disciples, Beasto Blanco and more. Last year’s ride raised over $40,000. They have also started an annual Bowl For Ronnie event as well. You can check out information about the Ride For Ronnie and other events here.

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World’s Loudest Month Spotlight: THE FEVER 333 [Official Video]

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The Fever 333 is one of the most anticipated live bands of the summer. Vocalist Jason Aalon Butler formerly of Letlive is well known as a showman on stage. Having previously saw him perform with his previous band at the inaugural Chicago Open Air fans saw him not only sing with complete perfection but also climb to the top of the scaffolding on the stage approximately 400 feet up in the sky. Everyone eye in the crowd was watching Butler as he ascended to the top still screaming out vocals to the top of his longs. That is just one aspect of what you should expect when seeing him live and in the flesh. Of course he isn’t the only accomplished musician that makes up this stellar group. Following Butler’s Letlive break up, he teamed up with former The Chariot guitarist Stephen Harrison and Night Verses drummer Aric Improta to create The Fever 333 in July 2017. The singer also announced in the last few days the formation of his new hardcore band Pressure Cracks. The Fever 333 trio quickly signed to Road Runner Records and released their 7 track EP ‘Made An America’. The band has said their focus is on “community, charity, and change” and Butler adds: “The movement is much greater than the music. The art is only a contingent piece. We want to make sure we’re just as involved in the activism and actual activation. By no means do we expect other artists to take on this task. “Most of the people who made big improvements were either assassinated or just called crazy. We make it ostensibly clear that everything we do is in an active effort for change. It’s about bringing back that socio-political mindfulness. We’re trying to write the soundtrack to the revolution that we know is about to happen.”  Continue reading →

State Of The Art: Maryland’s SHARPTOOTH [Official Videos]

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Photo Credit: Kat Nijmeddin

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

This month’s state is Maryland!

 

Formed in Baltimore, Maryland the 5 piece hardcore band Sharptooth have truly made a name for themselves on the East Coast. Did I mention they are also a dinosaur themed band? Who doesn’t love some fucking dinosaurs? Sometimes a new incredible band just appears in front of you and clicks instantly. That is just what happened after watching a recent interview with Jon’s Untitled Podcast and Sharptooth vocalist Lauren Kashan. The in depth chat opens a window into the singers personality and it makes their music even more alluring. You can hear the entire conversation here. Their fierce hardcore sound is known for it’s politically driven lyrics and their live shows are an unstoppable force of chaotic energy. Led by aforementioned vocalist Lauren Kashan the band is one of hardcore’s most promising up and coming acts. Sharptooth also includes the talents of Keith Higgins and Lance Donati on guitars, Phil Rasinski on bass and drummer Conor Mac. The bands debut came in the form of an EP in 2014 which was titled ‘Chompers’. Their debut full length ‘Clever Girl’, released on October 27, 2017 through Pure Noise Records. The first track released from the album was “No Sanctuary” which included some truly inspiring lyrics. Kashan stated about the song “This song is about us as LGBTQIA people telling the rest of society how you can and cannot talk to us, and the insidious ways that language shapes the way people interact with and treat each other. The lyric ‘every time that you say ‘f*ggot’ is a bullet through my head’ directly illustrates how hateful slurs and rhetoric lend credence to homophobic views, and negatively impacts the way the world treats people like me. It’s a slur that’s been used against me personally, and against all of the members of this band, queer and straight alike, and it feeds directly into a cycle of hate that has the potential to manifest as violence against us, and other members of the LGBTQIA community. People say “sticks and stones will break my bones”, but words can and do directly impact our culture and the ways that members of different groups are treated. We can ALL work together to be more mindful of the way we communicate with each other so as to create a safer world for all people.” Sharptooth isn’t the type of band that hides meaning in their lyrics, everything they want to say is screamed right in your face with pure aggression and angst. For example “Fuck You Donald Trump” also from ‘Clever Girl’ doesn’t beat around the bush, you know exactly what this song is about and the bands activism in lyric form makes them much more than just a hardcore band.

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Frank Fontsere (FOZZY) When Fans Heard Them On The Radio “They Were Shocked When They Found Out It Was Fozzy”

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Photo Credit: David Weaver

 

Atlanta’s Fozzy formed in 1999 by lead singer Chris Jericho who is widely known as one of the most recognizable figures in wrestling and guitarist Rich Ward. The band is signed to Century Media Records and has released two studio albums through this label. The band’s current lineup consists of Chris Jericho, Rich Ward, Frank Fontsere, Billy Grey and Paul Di Leo. Jericho has characterized the band by saying, “If Metallica and Journey had a bastard child, it would be Fozzy.” Originally started as a cover band, Fozzy produced their self-titled debut album, and it featured mostly covers of bands such as Dio, Krokus, Twisted Sister, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe and Judas Priest. In 2005 they released “All That Remains” which included all original content. As of now the band has released 7 studio albums and one live album. Their newest album “Judas” is probably one of the best albums the band has released. The title track “Judas” is not only a hard rocking single but the video is by far one of the most entertaining videos I have seen in quite some time. Fozzy has dates scheduled on tour from now until the end of April and also a couple already booked over the summer in July and August. Continue reading →

An Interview With RUSTY SHIPP [Audio]

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Photo Credit: Joy Slaprez

 

 

Rusty Shipp is one of the most unique bands that you will ever hear. The band is based in the land locked city of Nashville, but they are a nautical rock band. Formed in 2014 the band has released ‘Mortal Ghost’ which was seen by many to be one of the top albums of 2017 and the band has much more to offer. They plan on releasing a few more singles prior to putting out another record. Once you hear the groove and intelligent lyrics that put in their songs you will instantly become a fan.

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Women’s Month: Mercedes Lander of KITTIE / WHITE SWAN

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March is National Women’s Month, and we have decided to celebrate some our favorite women in metal. Every Saturday during March we will honor some of the most respected women in the metal and hard rock world.

 

It’s been twenty years since Mercedes Lander started the Canadian metal band Kittie (with sister Morgan and original bandmates Fallon Bowman and Tanya Candler) in London, Ontario. They brought one of the heaviest and most fierce acts we had seen to date, and this is for all bands not just girl bands. There was a thing or two the guys could have learned from the harsh anguish they brought to their music, and I’m sure plenty of their male counterparts took notes and learned from Kittie’s quick rise to stardom in the metal world. Their debut album ‘Spit’ was what got everything started in 2000. The album still to this day is highly regarded as one of the best metal albums of that era. ‘Spit’ was was certified gold by the RIAA and sold at least 600,000 copies in the United States. Keep in mind when ‘Spit’ was recorded the members of the band were only 15-18 years of age. Kittie went on to release their sophomore record ‘Oracle’ in 2001. It was also in 2001 that guitarist and backing vocalist Fallon Bowman left the band. Her infamous growls on the song “Brackish” instantly made her a fan favorite. They followed ‘Oracle’ with the release of ‘Until the End’ in 2004. Continue reading →

Elijah Witt (CANE HILL) “Nickelback Is A Hit Machine”

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Cane Hill formed in 2011 in New Orleans. They took their time finding their sound and released their self titled debut in 2015, then released their first full length in 2016 titled ‘Smile’. This is the album that truly got fans to open their eyes. The band doesn’t just impress in the studio either. We had the opportunity to see Cane Hill at 2017’s Chicago Open Air and their performance was one of the most dominating of the weekend, which is saying a lot considering the lineup was packed with heavy metal icons like Slayer, Behemoth, Lamb Of God and Body Count. The band has announce they were releasing a new album titled ‘Too Far Gone’ in 2018. Everyone was excited for the album, but when it dropped they quickly brought on a fire storm of new bands. ‘Too Far Gone’ has been one of the most talked about albums this year. Elijah Witt stated about the album “A lot of these songs reference a time in our lives when we were really headstrong about what we were doing as far as drugs were concerned and believing we were invincible. It took this shift as we realized we were losing ourselves. I think it’s lucky we recognized that before it became a problem. We definitely went a little bit past our limit, and we’re coming to terms with those mistakes. We went too far gone with everything. The title encapsulates the entire era.” They are the fresh meat in the nu-metal genre and they are proving that newer bands can crank out material that can compete with the elder nu-metal that are still relevant today like Korn, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot and Papa Roach. ‘Too Far Gone’ will likely be one of the best albums of the year for most people. The genre has only had a handful of bands still keeping the sound of the late 90’s and early 2000’s alive, but that has changed with Cane Hill turning heads and proving they can unleash an album that makes those veteran acts realize there is new competition in their genre.  Continue reading →

Review: LAST LEGION – ‘Muspelheim’ [Video & Album Stream]

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Merging massive dueling guitars and epic lyrics infused with Norse mythology, Last Legion melds technical melodic riffs with the primal aggression of Scandinavian metal. When the war horn sounds, these New World Vikings gather from the far corners of the earth. In 2013 the New York based band released their debut album ‘Edge Of The World’. That debut cemented that these New Yorkers will be a dominant force when it comes to the viking metal genre. Powerful riffs and gut wrenching vocals that any established band would proud of. Last Legion not only have Norse mythology lyrical themes but they blend technical death metal, and various other styles that really make the band unique. The band recently released their follow up album ‘Muspelheim’. The album was produced by Aady Pandit (Jotunheim). Vocalist Jason Ayala has said “We are always trying to top ourselves, so I have to believe that our magnum opus is yet to come. However, I will say that this album is a massive step forward, and we are incredibly proud of what we have created”.

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An Interview With BLACK INCOME’s Henrik Thrane!

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Denmark’s Black Income is not ordinary band. These rockers have a unique style that blends several different genres to create a sound and style that you have never came close to hearing before. Influenced heavily by the grunge era and stoner rock the band incorporates melodic thought provoking lyrics with a fuzzy guitar heavy sound. It’s what I like to call “heavy stoner grunge”. They use the best portions of both genres and their own unique creative input which brings a final product that is jaw dropping when you first hear it. You might even hear a little desert rock influence in there like Queens Of The Stone Age as well. The band formed in 2011 but didn’t really get things started until 2012. Black Income teamed up with producer Soren Andersen (Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp, D-A-D) and entered the legendary Medley Studio in Copenhagen, where bands like Radiohead, D-A-D and Kent has recorded some of their best albums. Their debut album would be released via Mighty Music titled ‘Noise Pollution’. The band has already began work on new material and has released the track “Drugs” which is available for stream on Spotify. Black Income plans to release one more single prior to their sophomore upcoming album release.

 

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Howard Jones Hanging With KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Recently “They Are Friends Who Saw Me At My Worst…It Was Good To See Them Again”

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Some of you may know Howard Jones from the legendary time he spend in Killswitch Engage. He spent 10 years in the band from 2002 – 2012.  The first album that Howard appeared on was 2004’s ‘The End of Heartache’. Howard replaced singer Jesse Leach that had fell into a depression and decided to quit the band telling the band via email right before they had some shows lined up. Killswitch quickly started looking for a replacement. The previous album ‘Alive Or Just Breathing’ was the last to feature Leach. The album had some critical response so the success of ‘The End Of Heartache’ sealed the deal that the band had made the right decision in selecting a new vocalist. The title track was nominated for Best Metal Performance for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. The album also was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 7, 2007. Killswitch Engage was/is one of those bands that instantly grabbed the attention of most metal heads. Not just any band can cover Dio’s “Holy Diver” and still be accepted by the metal world. In 2012 Howard left the band to gain control of his diabetes, which had been hard to control while on tour. There wasn’t much time off for him as he almost immediately formed Devil You Know. The original lineup of the band was Howard on vocals, Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish, Hiss of Atrocities) – guitars, Ryan Wombacher (Bleeding Through) – bass, backing vocals, Roy Lev-Ari (Hiss of Atrocities) – guitars and John Sankey (Divine Heresy, Fear Factory)– drums. Since then Roy Lev-Ari and John Sankey have left the band. The current drummer of the band is Mike Sciulara (Extinction A.D.). I was fortunate enough to see the band a couple times while on tour with Coal Chamber and on stage they put on an amazing show. Howard’s vocals are still brilliant and he carries that same perfect tone he made so famous in Killswitch. Devil You Know released two albums ‘The Beauty of Destruction’ (2014) and ‘They Bleed Red’  (2015). The on July 26, 2017, the band announced via social media that they have changed their name to Light the Torch. The band in a way wanted a fresh start, and I believe the name has a better ring to it. The band is now set to release their debut under the name Light The Torch with ‘Revival’ which will be out on March 30, 2018. The singles “Calm Before The Storm” and “Die Alone” has already been released from the album and if this is any indication the album is going to be a complete success.  Continue reading →