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!

Review: SOULBORN ‘Crash And Burn’ [Track Stream]

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Hailing from Norwich, England, SoulBorn serve up American-style, southern-fried metal with heavy portions of groove; or as the band describes themselves, “This is proper beer-in-hand, good time music.”  Their visually striking album cover, featuring a topless chick wearing only boxing gloves leaves little doubt that their full-length, debut release, ‘Crash and Burn’ not only promises a good time, but also packs plenty of punch. Continue reading →

Decibel Magazine Tour 2018, North America – Featuring ENSLAVED, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, MYRKUR, And KHEMMIS [Full Tour Dates]

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The seventh annual Decibel Magazine Tour 2018 kicks off in North America, featuring Norwegian progressive metal legends, Enslaved, Washington black metal beasts, Wolves in the Throne Room, Danish post-black metal siren, Myrkur, and Colorado doom-metallers, Khemmis (with regional openers in select markets).

Enslaved guitarist, Ivar Bjørnson comments, “I have always wanted Enslaved to be part of the Decibel Tour concept.  Not only is Decibel an institution, and defender of the last line of resistance for the printed metal mag in North America (for a band started in 1991, printed magazines are no small matter), but the Decibel Tour has also become an institution and an icon for metal that we admire here on the other side of the pond. So, to be asked to headline, and to perform with these other very fine artists, is a great honor and a great pleasure. Be there or be trapezoid!” Continue reading →

NIGHTWISH Release Official Trailer #1 For ‘Decades’ [Video Stream]

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Finnish symphonic metal band, Nightwish release epic, cinematic trailer for ‘Decades,’ a painstakingly selected collection of twenty-two of the most quintessential Nightwish tracks recorded throughout the band’s history.  Available on March 9th, 2018, on Nuclear Blast Records, ‘Decades’ is more than just a greatest hits album, but rather a musical journey through some of the key moments of discovery and evolution the band has experienced since their 1996 inception until today. Continue reading →

BLACK MAP Announce Surprise EP, ‘Trace The Path’ And New Music Video, “Let Me Out” [Video Stream]

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San Francisco alternative hard rock group, Black Map, releases a surprise EP today titled, ‘Trace the Path’ on Entertainment One. Off of the EP, the band also drops a brand-new music video for the opening track, “Let Me Out,” directed by Anthony J Garay.  Vocalist and bassist, Ben Flannagan comments about the sentimental and historical location chosen for the video, “We shot this video in the backroom of a bar called Homestead in San Francisco which was first opened all the way back in 1902. Five years ago, Mark and I were having beers at this very bar and decided that we should start a band together, so this space was kind of the inception of Black Map. We thought that it would be fitting to return to that spot and film the video for ‘Let me Out.'” Continue reading →

Review: IRON REAGAN & GATECREEPER Split LP [Track Stream]

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Relapse Records is set to release a devastating split LP of epically retro proportions featuring hardcore-punk crossover thrashers, Iron Reagan, and old school death metal beasts, Gatecreeper on March 2nd, 2018. Split LP’s like this, and similarly compilation albums, have always been exciting for fans of underground music. Not only are they a way to conveniently add immediate variety to a playlist, but at the same time, become exposed to multiple bands at once. It’s a win-win situation. Iron Reagan & Gatecreeper are here to deliver exactly what fans look forward to, with a potent eight tracks of ferocity; the likes of which will transport you into the adrenaline-filled violence of an eighties crossover thrash moshpit, and then straight away into the high-intensity evil of early nineties death metal. Continue reading →

State Of The Art: Vermont Metal/Hardcore Band VOICES IN VAIN [Track Stream]

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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 Vermont!

Hailing from Northern Vermont, Voices in Vain offers “hard-hitting, experimental, metal/hardcore.” Originally formed in 2014, the band has released a self-titled EP and three singles. Their debut, full-length studio album, ‘Narcotics and Animal Instincts’ is anticipated to be released this summer.  At times sounding a bit Lamb of God – mixed up with metalcore breakdowns, separated by erratic, squealing guitar patterns and odd time signatures – their style is definitely unique and exciting. Continue reading →

MAYHEM Announces “Demon Anthology” US Tour [Full Tour Dates]

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Norway black metal pioneers, Mayhem announce US dates for their “Demon Anthology” tour.  Starting at the end of March, they will begin their run in the Northeast with special guests: Atlanta black metal/rock act, Cloak; and New Jersey death/black metal band, Incantation.

Mayhem promises a new live set covering some of the greatest songs from all of their past albums. Their most recent full-length studio album is ‘Esoteric Warfare’ which has received numerous accolades and critical acclaim. Continue reading →

Supergroup, LEGEND OF THE SEAGULLMEN Featuring Danny Carey Of TOOL And Brent Hinds Of MASTODON Premiere Self-Titled Single

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Nautical-themed, psychedelic rock n’ roll supergroup, Legend of the Seagullmen premiere their new single, “Legend of the Seagullmen” from their upcoming self-titled debut album to be released February 9, 2018 on Dine Alone Records.

The whimsically epic concept band sings of ship wrecks and giant mutant squid with the help of a substantial all-star lineup including: Danny Carey (Tool) on drums, Brent Hinds (Mastodon) on guitar, director Jimmy Hayward (Jonah Hex, Horton Hears a Who) on guitar, David ‘The Doctor’ Dreyer on vocals, Pete Griffin (Zappa Plays Zappa, Dethklok) on bass, Chris DiGiovanni on synth, and Tim Dawson on guitar. Continue reading →

MINISTRY Releases Awesome New Comic Book-Style Video For “Wargasm” [Video Stream]

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Ministry drops their new music video for the song “Wargasm” today.  It’s the second video, following “Antifa” last month, from their upcoming studio album ‘AmeriKKKant,’ scheduled for release March 9, 2018 on Nuclear Blast Records.  On “Wargasm,” Uncle Al once again has a strong message to deliver, and this time, with the help of Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory, it’s focused on anti-war. Continue reading →

Review – JOHN 5 AND THE CREATURES ‘It’s Alive!’ [Track Stream]

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John 5 is a renowned guitarist who has graced many well-known musical acts with his unique playing skills including Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth, and Rob Zombie.  As a solo artist with his own band, John 5 and the Creatures, who are set to release their live album, ‘It’s Alive!” today on 60 Cycle Hum Records, he takes center stage for the all-instrumental act.  In the vein of Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, and others who sit upon similar thrones, 5 takes on the role of guitar aficionado, or “shredder” with the confidence and (seemingly) the greatest of ease.

I’ve always hated when reviewers of music, or movies, or anything for that matter, use the word “fun” to describe the piece of art being discussed.  I always looked at it as a cop-out.  You couldn’t come up with any other descriptive words so you fell back on “fun.”  Well, here I am eating my own words as I am about to describe John 5 and the Creatures ‘It’s Alive!’ as exactly that – fun.  From track one to closing note, fun is precisely what can be expected. Continue reading →