Review: THREE LANE ROAD – S/T [Single Streaming]

Three Lane Road don’t care if you call them a classic rock, an 80’s band or hair metal. They aren’t worried about labels at all. The Texas based rockers are happy with their sound and want to spread it to the masses. The band formed in 2015 and have been chugging along ever since. Melodic vocal lines sang by Wayne Brito coupled together with tastefully driven guitar leads with both Allan Davis and Wayne Brito bring to life a nostalgic rock feel. It certainly drives home the old school feel of rock and the goose bumps are included at no additional charge. The bottom end rhythm section of bassist Steve Musket and drummer Chuck Geisel sear together the sound that is Three Lane Road collectively. The band draws inspiration from bands like Journey, Dokken and Skid Row. Like their influences the band doesn’t only create amazing music, but they capture your soul with their lyrics. Three Lane Road have released their self-titled debut. Recorded at Empire Sound Recording Studio in Carrollton, Texas and was produced by Alex Gerst. It was mastered by Derek Taylor at Milo Studio. Continue reading

Review: ENTERPRISE EARTH – ‘Embodiment’ [Official Video]

Photo Credits: Through It All Photography

Enterprise Earth got its name after researching the Illuminati and conspiracy theories. It got researched by the band’s frontman named Dan Watson. He was the former vocalist of one of the most brutal bands we know, Infant Annihilator. Byron Sampson plays the guitar as well as Yusef Johnsen, Gordon McPherson does bass and Aaron O’Toole is the drummer. After the band was finished with the vocalist of Attila they moved to his record label Stay Sick Recordings, leaving former label We Are Triumphant behind. ‘’XXIII’’ is the name of their first ever EP which has been a big hit. As stated by the band itself “Spread like wild fire on the internet and quickly became very talked about”. 1 year later they released their first album ‘’Patient 0’’. On the 14th of April they spit out this massive chunk of heaviness we know as ‘’Embodiment”, mixed/produced and mastered by Buster at Impact Studios.

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Plague Throat Release “Fallible Transgression”[Official Video]

So, today’s news is something brutal. Yes, presenting you the new video release by Indian death metal band Plague Throat. So, Plague Throat are a death metal band from India, hailing from the city of Shillong, Meghalaya nestled beautifully on the peaceful hills of the North Eastern India. They rapidly rose to fame right after their highly acclaimed EP release back in 2013, entitled, ‘An Exordium To Contagion’, which set the ball rolling, especially creating havoc in the national underground scene. More success followed when they went on to represent India at the Wacken Open Air, 2014 edition, after triumphing in the national wacken metal battle finals. And ever since then, they haven’t turned back, but only continued to pulverize the fans here in India and abroad as well with their music and decimating live performances. I know cause I have had the honor of watching them live once when they shared the stage with the mighty Cannibal Corpse and deathcore stalwarts Suicide Silence in India. They have also opened for international hotshots like Dying Fetus, Carcass, Sikth, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Hacktivist. Continue reading

Review: CUSTOM BLACK – ‘Smoke Shall Rise’ [Album Stream]

Custom Black is a heavy doom rock trio from the plains of Kansas City. One thing that instantly let’s you know a band is good is when artist David Paul Seymour is involved. The renowned artist created the bands logo. He has done album art or logos for various bands like Wofat, Bastard Lord, Clouds Taste Satanic, and Stone Machine Electric. This of course puts their artwork in competition with some well known bands in the realm of stoner and doom music. Although often times the artwork is enough to entice you to purchase the album, Custom Black have something much greater inside the packaging. On February 21st the band released their debut album ‘Smoke Shall Rise’. The album which was self-released was recorded and mixed by Justin Mantooth at Westend Recording Studios and mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Their style is full of mouth watering riffs, copiousness amounts of groove and classic breathtaking doom vocal tones.  Continue reading

EARTH WITCH – Out Of The Shallow LP Review (+Stream!)

Normally, I don’t cover music that is local to my region of central Illinois. BUT now is a very necessary exception, as Champaign’s Earth Witch (finally!) dropped their debut LP last month, entitled Out Of The Shallow. The trio of Ivan Catron (vocals, guitars), Derrin Coad (bass), and Nathan Landolt (drums) do more than harness the heavy on the album, delivering an untainted showcase of raw doom rock in all its riffing glory. Featuring percussive, bass grooves and powerful, gritty vocals – Out Of The Shallow is a must-listen for the blues rock enthusiast in 2017! Continue reading

Chicago Open Air Spotlight: DRAGONFORCE [New Song Streams]

*Every Thursday from now until Chicago Open Air gets here we will be releasing an article about a band playing the festival to get you familiar with them.*

This week’s artist is DragonForce.

On Saturday, July 15th, these power/speed metal legends will be taking the Chicago Open Air stage for their first Danny Wimmer Presents festival. Like many from the States, I became familiar with DragonForce sitting at home as a kid playing their songs on Guitar Hero like “Through the Fire and the Flames” and “Fury of the Storm”. They’ve produced epic material consistently with symphonic elements while Herman Li is shredding at the speed of the light. There is also something in their sound that makes you think of old school video games tunes (some have even referred to them as “Nintendo Metal”). The band has went through several lineup changes since forming in 1999 but original guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman still remain a part of the group. DragonForce is releasing a new album titled ‘Reaching Into Infinity’ this year and details can be found about it here. You can stream two tracks off of it below right now! Continue reading

DOYLE: “Hopefully We Get To Do Another Misfits Run, That Would Be Nice”

DOYLE recently spoke to Joshua Toomey on Talk Toomey Podcast about The Misfits reunion and the possibility of another round of shows with the reunited lineup! You can hear the full interview below!

DOYLE, the current project of Von Frankenstein, with CANCERSLUG vocalist Alex “Wolfman” Story, and a current touring lineup rounded out by bassist Brandon Strate and drummer Brandon Pertzborn, continues the lineage of Doyle’s former projects, pairing crushing metal riffs with ferocious Punk Rock swagger. Most of you however know DOYLE from his shredding guitar work with THE MISFITS. DOYLE has been supporting their upcoming LP DOYLE II: AS WE DIE, in stores May 5th from EMP LABEL GROUP, and Doyle’s own MONSTERMAN RECORDS. AS WE DIE will be available Worldwide on CD and LP May 5, and is currently available for pre-order from empmerch.com, including several international versions with alternate artwork configurations, including art by legendary horror/comic/album cover artist Mister Sam Shearon, known for his iconic works with Rob Zombie, Iron Maiden, Clive Barker, KISS, Ministry, Rammstein, X-Files, and more. On DOYLE’S Louisville, Kentucky tour stop the veteran guitar player spoke with Joshua Toomey of TALK TOOMEY PODCAST. Doyle speaks about THE MISFITS reunion shows saying “Just another day at the office”, “Hopefully we get to do another Misfits run, that would be nice”. The sheer idea of being able to see reformed MISFITS with Glenn Danzig back on the microphone instantly causes chill bumps. Their performance at Denver Riot Fest was the first show with Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle since October 29, 1983 and was billed as “THE ORIGINAL MISFITS”. The band was rounded out by Dave Lombardo on drums; Acey Slade on second guitar. THE MISFITS then went on to play Chicago Riot Fest as well making it the second and final date the band has played with the original lineup thus far. In a Rolling Stone Interview Jerry Only said of the first appearance “A lot of bands, when they do big reunions, they’ll book some small club gigs as warmup shows,” “I thought that this was the perfect warmup show for what we do. I thought us coming back to Denver out of all the places on the planet Earth was … why not?” THE MISFITS doesn’t do things on a small scale, and with DOYLE hoping for another run of shows we certainly hope it pans out. Continue reading

The Bucketlist With LO-PAN’S Jeff Martin! [Throwback Edition]

 

Lo-Pan have been dominating ear drums all over the U.S. for years. The Ohio 5 piece recently dropped their 5th release, an EP titled ‘In Tensions’. The EP continues Lo-Pan’s onslaught of infectious, riff-filled grooves that we have all came to love and admire. Each member of the band is a force to be reckoned with, bassist Skot Thompson is the mad scientist of groove, Jesse Bartz brings the beatdown on the drum kit, Jeff Martin unleashes his soothing prowess at the microphone and newcomer Chris Thompson has taken over the riff master position after Adrian Lee Zambrano exited the band. Their unique stage setup also makes for an incredible show, with Bartz and his drum kit being up front and center of the stage and vocalist Jeff Martin bellowing the songs out from the shadows in the back. Call it metal, call it stoner rock, call it what you will, but their sound is unmistakable and an instant addiction to the ears of any true music lover. Continue reading

Review: DIMMU BORGIR – ‘Forces Of The Northern Night’ [DVD]

Almost thought about clubbing Dimmu Borgir along the likes of Tool ? You know what I did there, don’t you ? But fret not anymore. After seven long years, Norwegian flag bearers of symphonic black metal are ready to thwack your ass with a double DVD, titled, ‘Forces Of The Northern Night’, releasing on 28th of April via Nuclear Blast. Yes that is damn right, a double DVD that features their live rituals from Oslo and Wacken Open Air accompanied by an orchestra and a choir. Sounds colossal doesn’t it ?

Now, Dimmu Borgir has been around for a very long time, 24 whopping years to be precise and has been performing their rituals all over the globe, each time robing in more fans to their ever increasing infantry. It’s remarkable to witness them as a dynamic band who’s sound has changed a lot since their inception. Although, that very fact has been the hotbed of criticism and have made Dimmu Borgir receive some flak from the black metal purists, nonetheless, it still holds true that they have carved a rightful niche in the hearts of many metalheads. This DVD release is a testimony of this very fact and of their musicianship despite many hurdles. Continue reading

Review: SILENT PLANET – ‘Everything Was Sound’

Silent Planet is a metalcore band from Azusa, California and are currently signed with Solid State Records. They formed in 2009 and recorded their first album, ‘Come Wind, Come Weather’ in 2011 with Matt Goldman in Atlanta, Georgia. Their second album, ‘Everything Was Sound’, was released in July of 2016.‘Everything Was Sound’, is exactly what you’re looking for if what you’re looking for is darkness. In their sophomore album you’ll find haunting music and brutally honest lyrics that feel very personal. Vocalist/lyricist Garrett Russell is quoted, “So many people feel completely alone. This album was inspired by the people I’ve interacted with who feel like nobody can or wants to understand them.” With each song you, as the listener, are taken on a journey of pain and emptiness. A descent into the nothingness that the disenfranchised call home. Utilizing a surprising mix of orchestral melodies, driving guitar, thundering drums, and screaming vocals, they’ve created something pretty damn good. Think Linkin Park if they were really angry and had something relevant to say. Continue reading