Editors note: According to a report Nov 10 from The Guardian, Robert Plant’s publicist has denied any Led Zeppelin Reunion talks happened, calling it “rubbish”. I guess we can go back to hoping for a reunion someday? Original article remains intact below.
For those holding your breath for a Led Zeppelin reunion, you should probably give it up. Robert Plant reportedly turned down £500 million (approximately $795 million) to reunite with fellow bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul-Jones for a 35 date tour that included stops in London, Berlin, and New Jersey. Son of the late John Bonham, Jason Bonham would have been behind the kit.
According to The Mirror out of the U.K., Plant ripped up the contract in front of promoter Sir Richard Branson. Branson, who is the biggest Led Zeppelin fan had arrangements for flights to all the venues with his jump jet rebranded as “The Mothership.” The rest of the band minus Plant signed the contract immediately while Plant decided during a 48 hour time frame that he is not interested what so ever.
The surviving members of Led Zeppelin last reunited back in 2007 at the 02 Arena in London. Led Zeppelin disbanded back in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham. It’s pretty safe to say at this point Led Zeppelin is no more. Until then, enjoy their music that they have given to us and enjoy our parents and grandparents Led Zeppelin concert stories.
Metal heads and hard rockers have been waiting patiently for the dates of the World’s Loudest Month, while they know it’s May, it’s not quite definite what order they are in. This year AEG Live, Danny Wimmer, and RockHouse are including a new stop called Northern Invasion festival in the Twin Cities (Minnesota).
The World’s Loudest Month brings together the biggest names in rock music.
The 2015 World’s Loudest Month festival dates and locations are as follows:
Monster Energy Fort Rock: April 25 in Fort Myers, FL
Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville: April 25 & 26 in Jacksonville, FL
Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion: May 2 & 3 in Concord, NC
Northern Invasion: May 9 in Somerset, WI
Rock On The Range: May 15, 16 & 17 in Columbus, OH
Rocklahoma: May 22, 23 & 24 in Pryor, OK
River City Rockfest: May 24 in San Antonio, TX
RockFest: May 30 in Kansas City, MO
“With each passing year we continue to work hard to bring something special to the rock fans around the country and to make it easy and convenient for them to attend our events,” comments Joe Litvag, co-executive producer of the WLM series for AEG Live. “That was the reason behind starting Northern Invasion in the upper Midwest. There is such a tremendous community of rock fans in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota, and nothing was all that convenient for them. So, we thought, ‘Why not bring them a rock festival that they can call their own?’”
“After selling over 360,000 tickets last year for World’s Loudest Month we are constantly looking for great cities and strong markets to add to the family of festivals associated with WLM. Minneapolis has an incredible rock radio station and it’s only fitting that we bring Northern Invasion to the region as our newest destination to the World’s Loudest Month,” says Danny Wimmer, co-executive producer of the WLM series for DWP.
Not sure which one to go to? Here are some links to more info on the various stops of the WLM tour.
Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville (April 25 & 26, Jacksonville, FL)
After selling out in 2014, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville kicks off the World’s Loudest Month and celebrates its 5th year anniversary, returning to Jacksonville, Florida April 25 and 26th. Florida’s biggest rock festival lineup will be revealed Monday, December 8, with tickets going on sale Friday, December 12.
Monster Energy Fort Rock (April 25, Fort Myers, FL)
The World’s Loudest weekend includes South Florida’s Biggest Rock Festival, Monster Energy Fort Rock, Saturday, April 25 at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida–the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox–for its 3rd consecutive year after selling out last year. The full festival lineup will be released Monday, December 8, with tickets going on sale Friday, December 12.
Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion (May 2 & 3, Concord, NC)
Rock City Campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the fifth annual Monster Energy CarolinaRebellion. In 2014, the mid-Atlantic’s biggest rock festival sold out of camping and VIP packages, and over 60,000 fans were treated to two and a half days of picture perfect weather. For the 2015 festival, layaway packages will be offered for the first time beginning Cyber Monday (December 1, 2014). Further details regarding layaway (ticket prices, camping and hotel packages) will be announced in the coming weeks, with the concert lineup to follow in early 2015.
Look for details soon about this new rock and camping festival that will take place during the World’s Loudest Month. Lineup, ticket information, and camping information will be announced in December.
ROTR sold out in advance for the second year in a row in 2014, with 120,000 concert-goers on-hand at Columbus Crew Stadium to experience blistering performances from 60 of the world’s hardest rocking bands on three stages over three days. In 2015, ROTR will welcome live music’s top cable channel, AXS TV, to film the weekend as part of their live festival coverage. Weekend Field GA and Stadium GA layaway tickets are on sale now at www.rockontherange.com. Also new to Rock On The Range in 2015 will be the Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 VIP Lounge which features amenities such as dedicated Wi-Fi, charging stations, private restrooms, premium food options and more. This upgrade will be available on all ticket purchases. Returning packages like the ROTR VIP Packages, Hotel and Ticket Bundles and Camping packages will go on sale Monday, November 10 at 10:00 AM ET. Detailsand prices for VIP, Hotel, and Camping Packages are available at www.rockontherange.com. Regular tickets will go on sale once the band lineup has been announced in early December.
In May 2014, a record crowd of over 60,000 fans turned out for the eighth year of America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party featuring the best current active rock artists and classic bands at “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds. Rocklahoma’s seat renewal process will begin on Monday, November 17, 2014 and runs through Wednesday, January 7, 2015. The renewal option is available to those who purchased a Weekend Reserved or VIP Package ticket in 2014. To renew seats for 2015, please call 866-310-2288 or email info@rocklahoma.com and a team member will contact you as soon as possible. Rocklahoma’s 2015 lineup will be announced in January.
River City RockFest returns to the AT&T Center in San Antonio for its third year. Look for concert lineup details to be announced soon. In 2014, nearly 20,000 were in attendance at San Antonio’s premier rock festival, with 25 top rock bands performing on four stages.
Rockfest returns to Penn Valley Park in downtown Kansas City for its 23rd year. In 2014, Rockfestclosed out the World’s Loudest Month festival series with over 50,000 in attendance for the seventh consecutive year of America’s largest one-day music festival.
The World’s Loudest Month mobile app is available to download via iTunes and Android.
Nineties industrial metal band Static-X’s front man, Wayne Static recently passed away in his sleep suddenly at the age of 48. Despite many reports to the contrary, a direct representative of the Static family yesterday said, that the death was not drug related and that Wayne and his wife have been drug free since 2009. Despite that, a specific cause of death has not yet been reported.
Static-X thrashed its way onto the scene in 1994 with the fan favorite Wisconsin Death Trip and has maintained an underground popularity since. Static-X took a three-year hiatus from 2009-2012 while Wayne worked on his solo effort Pighammer. In 2012 he restarted the band with all new members. In 2013 they hung it up for good and with Wayne’s passing any future reformation seems highly unlikely. sends our condolences to his family, friends and fans.
It’s hard for some bands to take an extended break and make their comeback with the same fire and passion they had the first time around. They’re fighting against the naysayers who claim they’re just making a quick buck off the name and legacy of the band and the pressure of a fan base salivating for new songs. Enter At The Gates.
Their new record, At War With Reality is the first studio album in 20 years for the Gothenburg metallers. And talk about pressure? They’re known as the chief innovators of an entire sub-genre of metal music. Having inspired an entire generation of bands from Unearth to Lamb of God and pretty much every other early 2000’s metalcore outfit. Their riffs have been long heralded as the defining sound of the Swedish melodic death metal scene. So when a band with this kind of pedigree decides to get back in the studio after a couple of decades away, all eyes are on them.
The band picks up where they left off. Not succumbing to the modern trends of metal, At The Gates’ At War With Reality is true Swedish melodic death metal. The big catchy riffs are front and center. It’s almost as if they’ve sent notice to all the students of their sound, letting them now class is back in session. The masters of their genre are back doing what they do best.
Now there comes a downside with that. Unfortunately as good as they are at their craft, the record does sound a bit outdated to modern ears. If you didn’t grow up with this sound, younger fans might just pass them off. And if they’re unfamiliar with their work they might claim they’re ripping off the very bands they inspired. And unfortunately perhaps time has passed them by. You have to give them a ton of credit for making their kind of record but I couldn’t help myself from being bored half way through listening to it. Sure the musicianship is fantastic and some of the riffs stick out more than others but there’s this layer of ‘sameness’ to it all. Songs just kind of blend in to one another and I had to check my music player more than once to see if I was listening to the same song still or not.
It’s a shame because these guys were once kings of the metal scene. And I know a lot of die-hard fans will eat this record up and proclaim it album of the year but it just isn’t doing it for me anymore. I listened to so much of this kind of music that maybe I burned myself out on it. I can’t say it’s a bad record at all. And it’s not as if the time I spent listening to it for review purposes will be the last time I hear these songs, I just can’t give it the universal acclaim that everyone else is giving it right now. Some songs like “Upon Pillars of Dust” and the title track bring the ferocity you expect but they’re surrounded by so much filler that even standout tracks don’t really standout much.
The production is top-notch and everyone is on point technically. Vocalist Thomas Lindberg sounds as good as ever. He has that harsh scream that radiates anger but also has a clarity about him. No pig squeals or death gurgling noises here. The record comes off very much as a guitar player record as most Swedish metal does. These guys worship at the altar of the riff and it shows. Guitar players everywhere will have a ton of fun picking apart these songs as they have with the band’s entire back catalog.
At The Gates are fully back in the fold of the metal roster after spending the years following their reunion as a touring only band with this release. Fans will be pleased with what they hear. The band doesn’t take any weird twists or turns or rely on any gimmicks. This is their sound and that’s it. But At War With Reality is unfortunately at war with blandness. If you love the Swedish sound you will love this. If more modern melodic death metal like Black Dahlia Murder is your speed, approach with caution but for all you know, you might fall in love with a new favorite.
Key Tracks: Upon Pillars of Dust, At War With Reality
At The Gates will be touring the United States next spring as part of the Decibel Magazine Tour with Converge. You can purchase At War With Realityhere.
Tampa, FL based death metal veterans Obituary will release Inked In Blood on October 27 via Relapse Records making it their first album release in over five years. This, next to Cannibal Corpse’sA Skeletal Domain, is one of the biggest death metal releases of 2014. Last year, Obituary successfully crowd funded this album, but does the music deliver back to what the fans invested in?
Right away the album kicks into high gear with “Century Of Lies” The drums and rhythm guitars sound clutch as ever, vocalist John Tardy may not have the pipes he had twenty years ago, but still delivers the haunting and monster-like vocals that still fit with the music and atmosphere. But his best vocals are showcased in the title track in the middle of the album.
By the time we get to “Violent By Nature” and “Pain Inside,” the pace slows down a tad but still brings the traditional Obituary sound that we are still used to with blazing guitar solos in between verses. I will say the studio quality isn’t the greatest, but it adds a charm to the album giving it a more raw, old school sound.
The drumming of Donald Tardy is still blazing fast, giving the band a true back-bone to keep the tunes running. The track “Visions In My Head” really showcase his talent with the all the tempo changes.
When “Violence” starts, the tempo moves fast like it did at the beginning of the album, but the guitar tracks stand out more than they did previously with bone-crushing riffs and solos. That trend continues with the tracks “Deny You” and “Within A Dying Breed.” It’s clear the album’s best tracks are the longer songs that are deeper into the album.
The album ends tastefully with” Paralyzed With Fear” making you want more from this band. Obituary has put out a death metal masterpiece and showing their as vital as ever.
Overall, a fantastic album that really takes the listener back into the nasty swamps of Tampa and showcase what true death metal is all about. Clearly the Kickstarter campaign worked out quite nicely for both the band and the fans.
On Sunday, Oct. 19, Buffalo’s Town Ballroom was treated to a timeless spectacle, in the likes of which metalheads have simply come to expect from the one and only GWAR. Only this time around, something very different was in the atmosphere. It was the kind of family-like atmosphere you’d typically feel around the Thanksgiving dinner table or at a Fourth of July barbecue.
On March 23 of this year, the band lost longtime frontman and friend, Dave Brockie, to an accidental heroin overdose. Since his passing, many have been skeptical about GWAR’s fate in the metal universe, but that didn’t stop an impressive crowd of loyal fans from storming the gates of hell to greet the “scumdogs” head on.
Many diehard GWAR supporters made themselves known with their signature white wife-beaters and tee shirts, featuring hand-drawn fan art and brandings, proudly displaying the words “Hail Oderus”, referring to Brockie’s stage name, in bold black Sharpie. The masses showed up early to take in the entire event from start to finish, not missing a single beat or a single excuse to mosh during the opening acts.
American Sharks from Austin, Texas, kicked off the night with a relentless assault of punishing chords, driving melodic vocals and pulverizing punk beats. For only a three-piece, they started the night off right, creating energy amongst the GWAR and Decapitated fans alike, paving the way for a night they’ll all remember for years to come. As it was my first time hearing them, I can say that they instantly reminded me of a cross between Danzig-era Misfits and Black Sabbath. I found it very refreshing, and from what I heard, the majority of the crowd seemed to agree. These guys even announced that they had a black and white vinyl for sale at their merch table, which fans could color in for a chance to win six hundred and sixty-six dollars; one of the most unique gimmicks I’ve ever heard from a band.
However, the infamous death metal tyrants, Decapitated, were another story all together. They got the crowd amped with their soundcheck by abruptly breaking into “Walk” by Pantera before moseying off stage to cast an ominious cloud over the night. Their well-received soundcheck was then immediately followed up by an eerie drum, bass, and guitar intro on a backtrack, which shook the venue to its core with overwhelming bass bombs. The overall feel reminded me of the beginning of a Ridley Scott film, before they quickly switched gears and started their first song. The same merciless death and thrash metal vibe their fans know and love was on full display, with all-powerful low growls courtesy of vocalist, Rafal Rasta Piotrowski leading the charge. The guys are currently promoting their latest album, Blood Mantra, which in my opinion is a must-listen for any old or new fans of death or thrash metal.
Then, finally, the “scumdogs of the universe” themselves appeared before an awestruck crowd, with theatrics meant to send chills down your spine. But despite their usual displays of blood, guts, alien monsters, and just downright gore, you still can’t help but get the impression that in the end, they’re just here to warm our hearts. Their songs are fun and energetic. Even their merch table caters to the masses with an array of comics, action figures, cartoon shirts and hoodies, and even onesies! That’s right! Want your newborn or toddler to be immersed in the GWAR universe right from the beginning of their lives, then check out their hilarious onesies. You won’t regret it.
As for their set, they covered their entire discography, treating us to classics as well as newer material off of their latest album, Battle Maximus. But more importantly, Buffalo was introduced to their two newest members, Blothar and Vulvatron. Now armed with two lead vocalists, Blothar, the “male barbarian from the distant past”, and Vulvatron, “the female cybernetic assassin from the distant future”, delivered an action packed set, complete with ritualistic sacrifices and blood-squirting breasts, courtesy of Vulvatron’s demonic tendencies. And although she didn’t make an appearance until much later in their performance, she clearly isn’t the type who needs to keep up appearances in order to maintain a commanding presence.
All in all, it was a great night and none left disappointed. I can only hope to have just as much fun and be just as captivated at future shows. Hail Oderus!
Six years after their last album, 2008’s All Hope Is Gone and down two members, Slipknot is aiming for the jugular with .5: The Gray Chapter. Following the tragic death of bass player Paul Gray who was said to be a chief songwriter in the band and the unceremonious firing of drummer Joey Jordison, Slipknot find themselves in an uncomfortable spot. Surrounded by controversy and dealing with fan backlash after the band made a major style shift following their second record Iowa, can Slipknot once again reclaim their place at the throne of the metal kingdom?
The first single released from The Gray Chapter, “The Negative One”, had fans rejoicing that the band was back to their roots. Slipknot started off as a noisy, percussion driven, chaotic band that took the metal rule book and didn’t just throw it out the window but lit it on fire and blew it to pieces with a shotgun. However, starting with their third album Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses), the band started to introduce a more melodic texture with ballads and songs fit for mainstream radio. This caused many fans to blame lead singer Corey Taylor’s radio hard rock friendly side project Stone Sour for the style shift. Slipknot always had the brutal speed-freak hyper aggression on every album but more and more of their sound was changing and the ratio was starting to become more 50/50.
Now, getting back to how this ties into the new record. If that first taste of The Gray Chapter had you hoping for Iowa 2.0, I’m sorry to tell you it isn’t the case. This record feels like a direct link to Vol. 3, completely bypassing All Hope Is Gone, which was the bands more experimental effort. But does that mean it’s a bad record or it isn’t a “real” Slipknot album? Far from it. But at this point what is a “real” Slipknot album? Going by their overall catalog they now have more albums that sound like the hybrid heavy/melodic sound we’ve been used to for the past decade than the first two off the wall records that launched them to superstardom. If that’s the case, The Gray Chapter is the most “real” Slipknot record to date.
If you’re still holding a candle for the first two albums, hoping they’ll ditch the “Stone Sour crap”, I hate to break it to you but you’re missing out. The Gray Chapter knows when to dial up the hatred and spew out a diseased metallic headbanger but also when to slow things down a bit and let emotion shine through. Corey Taylor knows how to sing beautiful melodies with agony and disgust in his voice and he showcases that multiple times on The Gray Chapter.
However, even though the band has struck a balance, that doesn’t mean the album doesn’t come off as disjointed. It’s almost as if no thought was given to which order the songs will appear. But when you think about it, there isn’t an album Slipknot has done where the songs flow from one to the next. But what the band has done, which more need to do, is not front load the record. Far too often these days all the best songs are found at the beginning of the album. The Gray Chapter does have some issues with “filler” but great songs are found at the beginning, middle, and end sections of the album.
And speaking of great songs, Slipknot has brought some absolute monsters on this one. “The Devil In I” is hands down one of the best songs the band has ever written. It will be a live staple until the band dissolves and is a strong contender for not just best metal song of the year, but the overall best song released this year. Other stand out tracks include the sonic haymaker that is “Custer”, the fantastic opening ballad “XIX”, and the Paul Gray tribute “Skeptic”.
The only serious downside to the record aside from some forgettable filler songs is the production. The songs seem to lack a fullness that older records had. Even when you crank the volume it just feels like something is missing. Whether it’s a lack of punch in the drums, or missing bottom end, the songs feel like they needed a bit more time in the mastering portion of production. It’s a shame because every other record before had a tremendous sound to it. But The Gray Chapter has almost a demo like feel to it. As if we aren’t hearing the final product.
Slipknot have changed as a band. No doubt about it. But that doesn’t mean they’re a lesser band than they used to be. They’ve never stopped experimenting even when they find a formula that works. This should be lauded by the fan base, not condemned for not sounding like records that are over ten years old. Slipknot never forgot their roots, they still know how to bring the pain. But they also know how to bring the emotion, depth, and maturity that defines a legacy. With the addition of The Gray Chapter to their discography, Slipknot has made the case to be a Rock And Roll Hall of Fame contender when they become eligible for induction.
The Faceless, a California death metal band, have split with their bassist and drummer, Evan Brewer and Alex Rudinger, respectively, as of Oct. 20 via Facebook announcement.
Brewer, who has played with the band for the last four years, appeared on their latest album, Autotheism. Brewer noted that the reason for his departure had to do with scheduling conflicts. He elaborated by saying that he would like to do more “teaching, make more music…and to also have availability for any…opportunities.” Similarly, Rudinger noted that he would like to pursue other projects and is interested in “looking for work.”
Both departed one week before Knotfest, set to hit the stage in a week in San Bernardino, California, from Oct. 24 – 26. Rudinger apologized to fans who were “looking forward to seeing [The Faceless perform].” He also noted that he would not be leaving his other band, Conquering Dystopia.
The Faceless have not issued a statement regarding Rudinger and Brewer, or their upcoming performance at Knotfest.
Unearth, hailing from Eastern Massachusetts, are primed to hit the road on tour in support of their new album, Watchers of Rule, from eOne Entertainment on Oct. 27. A week before the tour started, I got the chance to sit down with the singer and guitarist, Trevor Phipps and Buz McGrath respectively, to have a fun chat about what was in store for the tour and the album.
Tour starts October 13.
Jeff Ayers: So your tour starts in a week, are you guys pumped?
Trevor Phipps: Yea super pumped.
Buz McGrath: Fully pumped, i mean, we got Darkest Hour, the realist motherfuckers in the game –
JA: Yea, can you guys speak a little bit about how this tour lineup came to be? It seems really well put together.
BG: We went through a hundred lineup changes, and everyone canceled on us, so Darkest Hour, we suckered them into it.
TP: [laughs]
BG: Then they agreed, and it was supposed to be a month, but they [could only do] twelve shows. But everyone on this tour is awesome.
JA: I actually got the opportunity to talk with Jason Keyser, the singer of Origin on their last tour, and he said he was excited to hit the road with these bands, being such a different kind of lineup.
BG: His last name is Keyser?
JA: Yea, Jason.
BG: Oh I can’t wait to meet him, I am just gonna call him KEYSER all day.
JA: [laughs] He will probably love it.
BG: Yeah, we never met them, but we are hoping to make some new friends there.
JA: I bet you will, they are great dudes. This tour is going to end with the Housecore Horror Film Festival. Were you guys on that last year, and what is that going to be like?
TP: No, this is our first time. Horror movies and heavy metal! How can you go wrong?
JA: So let’s talk a little bit about Watchers of Rule. Where did the name come from?
BG: It was originally called Breakdown Lane, but we changed it to something more epic. [laugh] But [Trevor] Phipps is going to tell you more about that.
TP: Yeah, Watchers of Rule came from the entire record being about personal experiences and current events, not politics. Watchers of Rule to me means those that have the power to watch over us, are actually the ones with the power.
JA: Very cool. I love the album artwork as well, who was the artist?
TP: That’s Richey Beckett, he is from the U.K., he did the album artwork for a band on my label IronClad Recordings, called Armed for Apocalypse, and the album was The Road Will End. It was killer cover, and everyone in Unearth liked what he had to offer, and it turned out he was a fan of the band as well, so he drew up a cover for our record.
JA: Awesome, it totally fits the sound. I listened to the whole record, and I thought you guys brought a solid full album experience on this. What is your writing process? Do you hit the studio with a ton of ideas or does it take shape in the recording process?
BG: We have a lot of it down before we hit the studio, but a lot of the ‘detail’ stuff happens in the studio while you are doing it. But ninety percent of the music is there before we get into the studio.
JA: Lyrically speaking too, do you go into an album with an overall idea lyrically? Or does that kind of morph as the music is being written?
TP: It kind of morphs as the music evolves. It is a mood a might feel with a specific song. Also though, it does reflect the past year or two before the record was written. On tour, if I come across something that inspires me, I’ll just jot down a note that might impact me at that time, and I will go back and revisit that and if it matches up how I feel about a certain song, I’ll jot down some lyrics to it.
JA: So I am sure you have been playing some of this new material out, and getting the crowd feel for it. My favorite track on the record is “Guards of Contagion”, I think that you guys bring everything that Unearth is about with that track. Is there any track you guys are excited to start working into sets?
BG: Yeah that is one of them!
TP: That is the second single that is coming out, in a month or two.
JA: Awesome!
BG: We haven’t played that one live yet, we are playing it on this upcoming tour, and it should be fun.
JA: Speaking of this tour, what’s next for you guys after this wraps up?
BG: I don’t know, do you know any bands that need someone to tour with them?
JA: [laughs] I could put the word out!
BG: Tell em Unearth is looking for gigs!
TP: We don’t have anything solid, but we will be touring on this record, so keep an eye out.
Unearth in South Africa
JA: You guys are usually busy, touring and playing as much as you can. Do you have any favorite places to play?
BG: I like Los Angeles. Just because it’s kind of shitty, and Hollywood. It’s fun to visit once a year, and be a “hollywood” band.
TP: I also like Japan. It’s like a different country there. Most countries around the world are either very American or very European, and there is something different about Japan, unique from the rest of the world.
BG: Keith Buckley put it best. When we toured with Every Time I Die in Japan, Keith said ‘If you gave a five year old girl ecstasy, and then constructed everything she rambled on about, you would have Japan.’
JA: [laughs] Wow. I love that!
BG: It’s perfect.
JA: Final question. Are there any bands that are currently in constant rotation on your IPod or whatever?
TP: The band I discovered [recently], our merch guy showed us the band Nails, and I know they have a few records out now, and they are ridiculously heavy. Very much enjoying them right now.
BG: Solid band, that is. Let me tell you about another band, called Nails. [laughs] They are so heavy. [laughs]
JA: Also, I consider myself lucky to be in this area, because there is always a budding metal scene in Albany and the surrounding areas, so I get to see a lot of great, talented bands.
BG: Do you know Ted E. Toll?
JA: Oh yeah!
BG: Good ol’ Teddy. [in a Ted impression] Hot Shit!
JA: Ha! [my impression] Have ya met my dog?
BG: Everyone has an impression of that guy! He was one of the first guys that brought us out there. I remember we showed up to Albany, and the first time I’ve been there, and he shows up with an envelope of money, to give us to play, and then gave us beer –
TP: And Oreo cookies!
BG: Yeah! Before we even played. I was like this is great!
JA: What was the venue?
BG: Valentines. We got to thank Ted for doing that for us and other bands, great guy. Great area to play.
Some would say that good music is fast, or energetic, or any other adjective to describe their favorite band. While some of the fastest guitar players in the world have notoriety based on their immense talent, other bands have an amazing knack of sparking an emotional response for listeners. Beartooth, on a lyrical and musical level, brings out this idea — that even if an album is simple, it can still be “good.” Especially in the metal and hardcore community, where ‘shredding’ guitars have quite the prominence, this may be a foreign concept, but some of the best metal records of all time still capture an emotional response, no matter what exactly the musicians are doing. Beartooth’s debut album, Disgusting, is a prime example.
The driving sounds of the music kick off into the leading track, aptly titled “The Lines,” a sad song about an addiction. The album came out in June, but its sounds are just now making rounds. The music is simple, but quite interesting. It will please fans of old hardcore, such as Black Flag; it draws influence from a more brash act such as Slipknot (especially “Body Bag”), as the band has mentioned; and the emotional melodies are reminiscent of bands like Linkin Park, Falling Up, and other powerful alternative acts (“In Between,” “Sick and Disgusting”). Overall, Disgusting should be praised as a strong debut and will be enjoyed by a wide variety of people both for musical and lyrical content.
“We are the sons/We are the daughters/The generation of disorder,” Shomo screams toward the end of the first track. These lyrics alone give rise to the tensity of the rest of the album. Many of the words, written by Shomo, surround personal struggles which many can relate. “Beaten in Lips,” Shomo said, is about child abuse. “This is for the kids with the beaten in lips/Whose parents try to shut them up using their fists/Keep living loud and proud/They never can hold you down.” But don’t let select positivity fool you. That same track further encourages said victims to “wipe the walls with kerosene,” and notes that “this is the sound of your children revolting,” before the rest of the band launches into a rhythmic assault.
On a musical level, this album is not dynamic. It is in your face. It is loud and vulgar. It is an example of how to write an emotional melody (especially on the chorus of “In Between”) while adding enough angry chaos through noisy dissidents close to obnoxious leads at some points. Rhythmically as well, Disgusting approaches a high level of integrity as it boarders — in a few spots in progressive influenced patterns, whereas some of it is simply fast and fight – starting. For an example, check out “Relapsing.” Further, one of the best tracks on the album for its quality, musically, and lyrically is “One More.” It’s the anthem of the album and could be enjoyed by even those who despise this genre.
From an overall view, Disgusting is a strong debut. Shomo’s gifts as a producer, lyricist, and musician are clear, but the band has room to grow. We’re looking forward to seeing this promising band evolve.
Key tracks: The Lines, In Between, One More
The album can be purchased on iTunes, in stores, and from the band.
The band picks up where they left off. Not succumbing to the modern trends of metal, At The Gates’ At War With Reality is true Swedish melodic death metal. The big catchy riffs are front and center. It’s almost as if they’ve sent notice to all the students of their sound, letting them now class is back in session. The masters of their genre are back doing what they do best.
Tampa, FL based death metal veterans 
The first single released from The Gray Chapter, “The Negative One”, had fans rejoicing that the band was back to their roots. Slipknot started off as a noisy, percussion driven, chaotic band that took the metal rule book and didn’t just throw it out the window but lit it on fire and blew it to pieces with a shotgun. However, starting with their third album Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses), the band started to introduce a more melodic texture with ballads and songs fit for mainstream radio. This caused many fans to blame lead singer Corey Taylor’s radio hard rock friendly side project Stone Sour for the style shift. Slipknot always had the brutal speed-freak hyper aggression on every album but more and more of their sound was changing and the ratio was starting to become more 50/50.
