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/

Review: Black Temple “It All Ends”

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Black Temple had my attention prior to even hearing one note of their music. There were several variables as to why they impressed me. The first being that they were declared the “most violent and energetic live act in Sweden.” I mean how impressive is that? I’m sure that captures the attention of most every metalhead. It’s been mentioned that the band has probably trashed more instruments and amplifiers than they can afford. Second, they were the first band being signed to the label Razzia Notes. One of the cool things about the new label is that it’s owned by Anders Fridén lead singer of the Gothenburg metal legends In Flames. Razzia also has a collaboration with Century Media as well so they will be distributing this album and possibly future albums. Anders himself is quoted with saying “”First time I heard BLACK TEMPLE, I freaked and I said to myself, ‘I gotta work with these guys somehow.” The trio has been together since 2010 and have a variety of influences which may contribute to their unique sound. Continue reading →

Review: Wildlights Self Titled Album [Now Streaming]

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Jason Shi & Johnny Collins

Jason Shi & Johnny Collins

Over the past several years we have seen the formation of super groups more often. Artists coming together creating an all star team of sorts and releasing material. Now we have a super duo. Jason Shi comes to us from the North Carolina based rock band ASG. They last released “Blood Drive” in 2013. We have been fortunate enough to catch ASG live on two occasions. Jason who also plays guitar has a clean singing voice that sounds just as pitch perfect in person as it does on the recordings. He brings to the table an amazing array of vocal tones that helps build a truly inspiring sound. The other all star in the duo is Johnny Collins from Thunderlip who also hails from the Tarheel State. They recently released Sunday Driving in January of this year (2015). The band has more of speed punk vibe, but has other elements that draws interest from outside the genre. Johnny’s drumming in the band is a staple of their sound and what really gives them that fast paced vibrant sound.

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All Them Witches Release New Song [Streaming]

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All Them Witches are preparing for another release after their sophomore album “Lightning At The Door” really turned heads. The band has saw success with their retro sound which helps them stand apart from the slew of other bands that are flooding the market. The band has successfully scored a slot on the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky that is usually more mainstream rock and metal. This may be a sign that the band is breaking into the mainstream, but at the same time able to maintain the sound we all grew to love. The band is set to release their 3rd album “Dying Surfer Meets His Maker”, on October 30 via New West Records. They have released a new song from the album (which is streaming below) titled “Dirt Preachers”. The song is more of exactly what any All Them Witches fan would want.

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Cariosus!

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

This month’s state is Illinois!

It’s time to clean the shit out of your ears, because we are about to introduce you to a new band from the windy city of Chicago. Cariosus released their debut EP in February and it’s titled “Crime & Punishment.” When an album starts with an intro of Richard Ramirez quotes you just know you have stumbled onto something great. As if the Nightstalker intro wasn’t enough the album art work is equally amazing. The band has a major brutality that entombs you on every song. Then on a few songs particularly “Contra Mores” you get to see the melodic side of the band. Slowed down guitar picking leads you into growls and gutturals at first, then midway through the song there is more delicate picking and just a touch of clean singing. The clean singing helps break up the constant screaming so it doesn’t become repetitive. When it’s done in a minimalistic fashion like this I’m a huge fan of it. The singing doesn’t take anything away from the band, and actually keeps the heaviness intact by breaking the mold of what we are used to. Frontman Alex Pfister is a talented singer on both ends of the spectrum. Every instrument seems to play an integral part in the sound. The guitar parts at times seem to be battling each other back and forth. “Misanthrope” is a stand out song on the album, the lyrical content keeps you interested. “I hate everyone, I hate the things you say” I’m sure everyone can relate to this. And, for you morbid fucks it gets a little gory for you too. The album is 6 tracks that unleash this pure heaviness and great instrumentation. (If you buy the hardcopy cd you get an extra track) At times it will remind you of Carnifex, but their own twists that put them in a region all their own. “Voluptuary Eradication” is one of the best tracks on the album. The sound is all over the place and constantly changed pace. If you are in the Chicago area I suggest you get out and see these guys play. September 4th they will be playing with our good friends in Krisiun (Who I may add have a kick ass new album out) and several other bands on the Devastation of the Nation Tour. They have some kick ass shirt designs so make sure to pick up a shirt and a copy of the cd. Chicago won’t be able to contain this band forever and I fully expect them to garner a huge fan base as time progresses. Continue reading →

Asheville, NC: Coal Chamber, Fear Factory, Jasta & More….

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After finally releasing their first studio album in over 13 years Coal Chamber has organized one of the best touring lineups in recent years. Of course you have Coal Chamber, and co-headlining is Fear Factory who have a new album releasing August 7th entitled “Genexus”. The Devil You Know was on select dates of the tour and it features Howard Jones formerly of Killswitch Engage. On the date we were attending at The Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina we got Jasta. The band of course features the namesake of the band Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed and Kingdom of Sorrow fame. If you thought this was enough there are still two bands left. Motor City Metal band Saint Ridley was immediate support for the bands. They were also on Coal Chamber’s previous tour with Filter and Combichrist. The opening band was Los Angeles based nu metal band Madlife, who became the pleasant surprise of the night.

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Domestic Godzilla!

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DG

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

This month’s state is Illinois!

Chicago based groove rockers Domestic Godzilla formed in 2001. The band has a style and sound that really melds various genres together creating this beast of a band that has gained attention all across the Windy City and afar. One of the most recognizable elements of the band is the vocal style of singer Scott Coca. Moments pass and you have these beautifully sang melodies, by the time you blink it slams into these break neck screams that haunt your ear drums. Chicago was usually always a tour stop for national acts and DG often opened for national touring acts. The band released a video for the song “Guerrilla” in 2002. With each song the band’s sound changes so you don’t get anything repetitive. If you had to make comparisons the band sounds like a mixture of a much more brutal Incubus with elements similar the band Flaw, and a dash of Nothingface. Chicago natives loved the band and showed up in hoards to see them live. Unfortunately the band ended up going into a hiatus.

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Review: Krisiun – Forged In Fury!

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Brazilian death metal masterminds Krisiun have emerged again to unleash some brutality on the masses. Set for worldwide release on August 7th, 2015 via, Century Media Records, “Forged In Fury” will please any death metal fan. The album was produced by Erik Rutan and features cover artwork by renowned artist Joe Petagno who has worked with Motorhead, Marduk and Vader in the past.  Continue reading →

Johnson City, TN: Poynte, Guns Out At Sundown, Sons Of Texas!

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Poynte

Poynte

How often is it that 3 bands you are dying to see come together on one bill and actually have a date within a drivable distance. (Let me tell you now, In Eastern Kentucky this doesn’t happen too damn often) First to get the crowd up and going the Atlanta based band Poynte took the stage. They immediately had the attention of the crowd. The whole audience immediately stopped talking amongst themselves and all eyes were on the stage. After the first song they scream from the stage “They say rock n roll is dead”. They began to demonstrate just how alive and well rock n roll is. They started playing the song “In My Head” and I kept thinking to myself it sounded really familiar. Upon further investigation it’s a Jason Derulo cover. Never in my life did I think a band could cover a rap song and make me like it. Check that off my bucketlist. Kenny the vocalist has an amazing singing voice, but when he screams it made my jaw drop. He sings a lot more than he screams, and let me tell you when he screams it is at that perfect moment and it fits like a glove in the song. Guitarist playing his axe with a drumstick is always good to see. Then they get the crowd involved “When I say weak ass, you say bitch”. I honestly don’t think I’ve heard “bitch” screamed so loud (except for that one time at that Denny’s in the ghetto.). When they played their final song you could see everyone in the crowd exhale. Everyone in the crowd was wanting more.

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Guns Out At Sundown

Next up was Guns Out At Sundown. I think I lost about 10 pounds just watching these guys. They are one of the most energetic bands I have seen in a really long time. Lead singer Nate had a smile on his face the entire time. I know that a lot of bands love performing, but you can tell when they can’t stop smiling. I spoke to Nate afterwards and he said “I try not to smile so much because I know it’s not metal, but I just can’t help it.” The most metal thing of all is playing music because you love it, and you could tell Nate and the rest of the band love what they do. They mentioned something on stage that I think anyone that has ever stood out in a crowd could relate to. “Fuck all those people who look at you different because of piercings, tattoos or long hair.” The song “Heart Be Still” comes across live just as fucking heavy as it does on the album. Being able to experience it live really reaches out and touches your soul. These guys are road warriors and spend almost half the year on stages across the U.S. so you can bet your ass they sound amazing on stage. I took a moment to blink and one of Chris Tepper’s drumstick comes flying at me. It hits me in the shoulder and I’m able to pick it up before the hordes of fans trying to dive on it. (Thank goodness it didn’t knock my beer out of my hand, I would have been mad). These guys are legit. They sound just as good live as they do on the album. They also had a recent dust up with a local band in New Jersey. (New Jersey explains it all really) But, Nate tells me everything is cool now and GOAS and the local band (Too Far Lost). He says they have contacted each other and apologies have been served all around. It was just great that the headlining band Trapt had the backs of their support band, and for that they deserve some kudos. If you have not seen the Maryland based band play yet, make plans. They are awesome live, take your girlfriend and they will sign her tits. Also buy their merch guy Keith a beer, he’s a pretty down to earth fella as well.

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Sons Of Texas

One of the bands I have been wanting to see for a while is Sons of Texas. They have this amazing sound that is heavy as shit and melodic at the same time. People always jump straight in to the vocals, but what stands out to me the most with this band is the groove created by bassist Nick Villarreal. His deep tones and twang in each song really set them apart. It’s often hard for a bassist to stand out in a metal band and he is able to do that. So bass players out there pay the ticket price and take notes. You can’t talk about this band and not mention Jes De Hoyos and the nonstop shredding he unleashes. When they began playing the song “Baptized In The Rio Grande” I think everyone in the crowd was singing along. Singer Mark moves around on the stage and has this deep tone to his voice that at times reminds you of Phil Anselmo. Trust me though, he can hit some killer notes that Phil probably can’t. (No Offense Phil) They have the perfect metal sound. When things couldn’t really get any better Kenny from Poynte joins them on stage. Having two great singers dominate a song was just a total bonus. Not too heavy, not too mellow. They have a killer chorus that has everyone singing along with them almost every song. One thing that makes a band great is when they kick ass on stage and then you meet them and they are just as down to earth and approachable as anyone else.

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Sons Of Texas w/ Kenny from Poynte

This has been one of the better lineups anyone has put together this year. The bands fit so well together and you can just tell they all get along well. When you are watching a band play and you see members of the other bands on the side of the stage watching you know that it’s going to be a great show. These guys have been on tour together for weeks, and they still want to catch each other’s set. We hope to catch all the bands again in the future.

Make sure to follow these guys on social media:

Poynte: Facebook, Twitter, http://www.poynte.com/

Guns Out At Sundown: Facebook, Twitter, http://www.gunsoutatsundown.com/

Sons Of Texas: Facebook, Twitter, http://www.sonsoftexasmusic.com/

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Super Snail Fuzz!

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Super Snail Fuzz is one of those bands you don’t need to know a shit ton of info about. Just popping in their cd and letting the music overwhelm you is enough. They released “Space Mountain” a year or so ago but it is still relevant. It’s very hard to describe the sound they have and I really don’t like to pigeon hole a band in a specific genre. Musically they have a 70’s, stoner retro kind of sound, but the lyrics by Nuno “Doc” Costah bring something I haven’t heard in a while to each song. He has this harsh, gravelly voice and it reminds me of some old school grunge vocals. It’s really the best of both worlds. Once I was through the first song I knew it was something special. “Surfin The City” has this amazing chorus that just makes you want to sing along and jump around. I may also add that not only are these guys great musicians but great human beings as well. After corresponding with drummer Joao Freitas he mailed me a copy of “Space Mountain”. It has bounced from cd player in my truck, to cd player in my car since arriving in my mailbox.

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In June they released a new song entitled “Low Desert Highway”. The song is a 10 minute example of how desert rock supposed to sound. I think that is just a sample of what is to come with this band. The style of music they play can break barriers. With the right promotion they can easily gain fans who may not usually like stoner rock, or desert rock. Of course they are going to get the fans who do like it because they have perfected their sound and added elements that help them stand out in the crowd of new bands that are flooding the market. I am surely hoping they can make it to the U.S. on their new album tour. If not I may be buying a plane ticket to Portugal because they are that good that you will want to fly across the world just to head bang to them live.

 

Make sure to follow Super Snail Fuzz on facebook here.

Get more music on their website here.

 

Interview with Jason Rockman, Vocalist of Slaves On Dope!

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rockman

 

 

We were recently able to catch up with Slaves On Dope frontman Jason Rockman. If you aren’t familiar with the band you are probably under the age of 25 or you’ve been living under a large rock. The band stormed the scene in the late 90’s and early 2000’s and won fans over from their stomping ground in Montreal, Canada all the way across the U.S. They were slung in the nu-metal category with other bands of that time frame, but they aren’t really a band you can put in such a narrowly defined genre. I remember vividly buying the album “Inches from the Mainline” just because I thought the album art was cool. Sometimes back then that is how you bought albums, sometimes you won and sometimes you lost. This one was a major win. Slaves was different, they brought a lot of elements to their sound that made them stand out and that is why they still have fans addicted and eagerly awaiting new material.

Metal Nexus: So Slaves On Dope spent some time apart from around 2004 to 2009, What inspired you guys to reform?

Jason Rockman: Kevin and i took some much needed space away from the band, and sorted out life after slaves..we both needed to reinvent ourselves, and we both agree it was the best thing we could have ever done for the future of slaves. we both came back to the table with renewed interest in writing and creating, and it shows in the music we have made since, and are continuing to make
Metal Nexus: When you reformed was there an immediate chemistry or was there an adjustment period to get back in the rhythm with the band?

Rockman: It was like no time had passed. We took to it like a fish in water

MN: You released “Over the Influence” in 2012, How did that seem to go over?

Rockman: The last album was a lot of fun to do. We had zero expectations, and gave zero fucks what people thought of it. We did it purely to please ourselves, and in the process, it ended up making our fans pretty happy. Just the fact that we were back at it was enough to please some, and being able to produce our own videos to accompany the songs was amazing!

MN: We haven’t heard much from you guys as of lately, what has been going on with you, as well as the band?

Rockman: I am really busy at CHOM and CJAD, and work with Heavy Montreal as a spokesperson for the festival. I am also very involved in Montreal and Ottawa Comiccons, and am developing a TV show about Geek culture. Kevin has a studio, and is a full time producer. He also plays a mean game of hockey

MN: We have heard that you guys have been working on a new album, when can we expect another release from Slaves on Dope?

Rockman: We are in the process or recording the next album, HORSE, and hope to have it out in late 2015

MN: I know you have played Amesia Rockfest the past 2 years and will be playing Heavy Montreal in the next couple weeks, How are crowds receiving you guys? Has anything changed with how you perform on stage?

Rockman: It has been great! The crowds seem to really dig it. We are obviously older, but i think we do pretty well for a couple of middle aged men.

MN: A lot of late 90’s and early 2000’s nu metal bands are making waves like Flaw and 40 Below Summer, Do you think nu-metal is making a comeback? Or do you think it never really left?

Rockman: It is definitely starting to make a comeback. Let’s face it, it was a great time for bands in that era, and the aggression was there, It also had a groove to it that just doesn’t seem to happen in newer rock bands

MN: Do you have any plans for a U.S. tour in the near future?

Rockman: Fingers crossed, we should be stateside in 2016. I know the first city that will get a SLAVES U.S show will be Madison, WI..WJJO and the on air staff there are like family…we owe them big time. Randy Hawke and Ozz the bomb.

MN: Also as most people may or may not know you are on the other side of the microphone now too. You of course have your own radio show called “Amped with The Rockman”. How has that been working on the media/radio side of things? Who has some of your favorite interviews been with?

Rockman: I have the best job ever. I am in the position to help young bands get airplay, and really play a part in their development . I feel like SANTA when i am able to tell a band that we have added them to rotation. Some of the best interviews have been with U2, Peter Gabriel, Dave Grohl, Phil Anselmo, Ice T, Mastodon, The Offspring, Queens of the Stone Age and New Order

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I’m sure Slaves On Dope fans worldwide are very pleased they are working on a new album titled “Horse”, as of July 27th Jason was laying down some vocals. Great to know as well that they are doing everything themselves and have 100% artistic freedom. I also want to add that Mr. Rockman celebrated a major anniversary recently. July 25th marked his 23rd year sober and we couldn’t be happier for him. We look forward to hearing the new album and hopefully seeing them on U.S. soil soon.