Author Archives: Steve Savage

About Steve Savage

Writer and music enthusiast based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, always interested in discovering new and different music no matter what the genre. Hit me up anytime if you know about something I should be listening to or if you just wanna talk music in general. Peace!

World’s Loudest Month Spotlight: JOYOUS WOLF [Official Video]

By | |
Comments Off on World’s Loudest Month Spotlight: JOYOUS WOLF [Official Video]

*This is part of the “World’s Loudest Month” segment where we branch out and focus on bands that fans can see at this year’s biggest music festivals during the month of May, 2018.  This week, we’re checking out Joyous Wolf.*

Appearing on both the Rock on the Range and Carolina Rebellion festival’s roster this May are Southern California’s throwback rockers, Joyous Wolf. Since forming the band in 2014, they have been wowing audiences with their refreshing brand of bluesy, modern-style, classic hard rock sound and electrifying live performances. A huge part of that onstage electricity is powered by lead vocalist Nick Reese who impressively channels his inner James Brown and Jim Morrison as he shakes and shimmies like a bonafide old soul frontman – ladies beware. Throw in some jumps, a flip, and a few splits that would make David Lee Roth stand up and take notice, a tremendous voice that are equal parts Eddie Vedder, Bob Seger, and Robert Plant, and you have one dynamically entertaining individual in Reese. Continue reading →

State Of The Art: Maryland’s LOUDER THAN QUIET [Videos + Track Stream]

By | |
Comments Off on State Of The Art: Maryland’s LOUDER THAN QUIET [Videos + Track Stream]

*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!

Hailing from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, melodic death metal/post-hardcore band, Louder Than Quiet brings a unique brand of high-decibel, eclectic variety. Since originally forming in 2010, the quintet consisting of Urico (vocals), Domo (bass), Anthony “Airospace” (drums), Danny (lead guitar), and Alireza (guitar and vocals) came together while in high school when they discovered their common interest for heaviness in music. They’ve since greatly expanded their fanbase through consistently performing in Washington DC and surrounding areas. Continue reading →

SYSTEM OF A DOWN Announce West Coast Tour and Confirm Headlining Slot at Aftershock Festival 2018 [Tour Dates]

By | |
Comments Off on SYSTEM OF A DOWN Announce West Coast Tour and Confirm Headlining Slot at Aftershock Festival 2018 [Tour Dates]

System of a Down, a band that needs no introduction has been teasing at something big brewing over the course of the last four days. With just simply the cryptic, single word “THREE,” along with a retro-style beach photo, tweeted at 10am on April 6th, 2018 from the band’s official Twitter page; followed by “TWO” tweeted approximately 24 hours later on April 7th with planes and a bomb added to the photo; then yesterday the word “ONE” with more bombs appearing; it seemed they were counting down to prepare the world for something significant to be unleashed. Could it be a new album? A new tour? Continue reading →

ALESTORM and GLORYHAMMER Announce North American Tour [Full Tour Dates]

By | |
Comments Off on ALESTORM and GLORYHAMMER Announce North American Tour [Full Tour Dates]

Scottish pirate metal marauders, Alestorm join forces with fantasy power metal warlords, Gloryhammer to pillage and plunder their way through North America this September. Be prepared for a night of epic tales, drunken partying – and a giant inflatable duck – the likes of which you will never forget, when their ships disembark in your town. Full tour dates below. Continue reading →

IMPENDING DOOM Announces New Lyric Video for “The Wretched and Godless” and Details for Upcoming LP [Video Stream]

By | |
Comments Off on IMPENDING DOOM Announces New Lyric Video for “The Wretched and Godless” and Details for Upcoming LP [Video Stream]

California Christian deathcore veterans, Impending Doom announce brand new single, “The Wretched and Godless” along with official lyric video. The new track is off the band’s upcoming sixth full-length studio album entitled ‘The Sin and Doom Vol. II,’ set for release on June 22nd, 2018, via Entertainment One. It can be pre-ordered here. Continue reading →

Review: ABHORDIUM – ‘Omega Prayer’ [Album Stream]

By | |
Comments Off on Review: ABHORDIUM – ‘Omega Prayer’ [Album Stream]

‘Omega Prayer’ is the second full-length studio album from Finnish blackened death metal band, Abhordium, released on October 27th, 2017 and distributed by Plastic Head Distribution. A common issue with extreme metal albums such as this one is that the music can tend to suffer from lack of variety, causing many of the songs to sound similar to each other. Such is definitely not the case with ‘Omega Prayer.’ Each track on the record offers something uniquely different while never straying from its overall darkly chaotic and brutal atmosphere. Continue reading →

The Bucket List with MEKA NISM

By | |
Comments Off on The Bucket List with MEKA NISM

* For the Metal Nexus’ Bucket List series, we pose the age-old question to some of your favorite artists: “Before you die, which band(s) would you want to see play live that you haven’t seen before, and why do they mean so much to you?” *

This week, we focus on Orlando, Florida’s art metal mavens, Meka Nism. The quintet consisting of Meka (vocals), Bobby Keller (lead guitar), Jarret Robinson (bass), Christopher Lane (drums), and Jay Adkisson (keys) have made quite a name for themselves in the metal world through their uniquely eclectic, genre-melding sound. Influences swirling throughout their music include everything from opera, to rock, to nu-metal, to black metal, and beyond. It’s no wonder that we see such a wide array of musical styles pop up on each band member’s bucket list. Continue reading →

Women’s Month: Tatiana Shmaylyuk of JINJER

By | |
Comments Off on Women’s Month: Tatiana Shmaylyuk of JINJER

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

Today we focus on the stunning and amazingly talented, Tatiana Shmaylyuk – lead vocalist of Ukrainian prog metal band, Jinjer. Having joined the group in 2010, Shmaylyuk has been essential in propelling them to reach accolades that include being named Best Ukrainian Metal Act of 2013 and 2016, and Best Metal Video for “I Speak Astronomy” in 2016. As a frontwoman in the primarily male-dominated world of metal, Shmaylyuk’s vocal ability, range, and stage command put her not only in a class of her own, but in a position to rival some of the best men in the game. Continue reading →

Review: ZEKE – ‘Hellbender’ [Track Stream]

By | |
Comments Off on Review: ZEKE – ‘Hellbender’ [Track Stream]

Pacific Northwest punk thrashers, Zeke are set to release ‘Hellbender’ via Relapse Records on March 30th, 2018 – the band’s first full-length LP in 14 years. Their energetic, high-octane sound on ‘Hellbender’ is equal parts Motörhead-style rock n’ roll/thrash and Circle Jerks’, West Coast-influenced hardcore punk. The band takes a noticeably blue-collar approach to the songwriting by stripping things down to just the bare essentials – no frills, no fluff, no gimmicks; just pure, in-your-face, guitar-driven ferocity. With the traditional three power chords per song punk model, blazing guitar solos, and highspeed kick-snare-kick-snare drumming, ‘Hellbender’ offers a concise 15-track, 20-minute asskicker of a record that leaves no opportunity for a dull moment. Continue reading →

Jeff Irwin (WILL HAVEN) On Chi Cheng (Deftones) “I Feel That He Truly Was An Angel On Earth”

By | |
Comments Off on Jeff Irwin (WILL HAVEN) On Chi Cheng (Deftones) “I Feel That He Truly Was An Angel On Earth”

 

Originally formed in 1995 as an underground act in Northern California, Will Haven has taken their distinct brand of extreme music to the masses over the years on tours with huge names such as Slipknot, and fellow Sacramento representors, Deftones. Chino Moreno even co-produced Will Haven’s 2007 release, ‘The Hierophant’ along with Far’s Shaun Lopez. The band would later work with Slipknot’s percussionist, Chris “#3” Fehn who would take over bass duties on 2011’s ‘Voir Dire’ which was listed among Metal Hammer’s “Top 50 Albums of the Year.” The current lineup now consists of founding members, Grady Avenell (vocals) and Jeff Irwin (guitar); along with Mitch Wheeler (drums), Anthony Paganelli (guitar), and Adrien Contreras (bass). ‘Muerte’, the band’s first album to be released under the Minus Head Records label, was recorded secretly at Pus Cavern studios in Sacramento with the help of Joe Johnston engineering and co-producing; along with guitarist, Jeff Irwin. Mastering was handled by Logan Mader (Devil You Know, Fear Factory, Periphery). Special guest appearances include Yob’s Mike Scheidt on the song “No Escape,” and Deftones’ Stephen Carpenter who contributes writing and performance on closing track, “El Sol.”  Continue reading →