This year has been a great year for heavy metal releases, and Life Of Agony‘s newest album A Place Where There’s No More Pain released by Napalm Records has had some hype leading up to it since it has been 12 years since the previous album Broken Valley. But now things are different for LOA. For starters, Mina Caputo coming out as transgender, new record label, the band spent a few years apart with various bands and projects, so now was the perfect time for the band to be active again, reintroduce themselves to the music industry, and be a force to be reckoned with.
This album is by far LOA’s darkest album. As soon as you start it, opening track ‘”Meet My Maker” has a dark catchy rift pelted out from Joey Z’s heavy guitar, then you hear the vocals with the lyrics “Clinging on to what was then when what is now decides….” and you’re just like “fuck yeah. LOA is fucking back.” Yes, once again, for the 5th time, the vocal style is completely different from the other albums, but you know it’s LOA. But it works. Mina’s vocals fit all the songs perfectly. The lyrics scratch deep. The music is hard. But what makes this album standout among the other albums is the dark gloomy, impending doomy atmosphere.
There is an element in this album that has to be brought up. And that is producer Matt Brown. The mixing and producing that he did this for album is brilliant and masterful. I’m not sure of what other projects Brown has produced, but he is one of the guitarists and songwriters for LOA drummer Sal Abruscato’s other band, A Pale Horse Named Death.
Those who have heard A Pale Horse Named Death’s two amazing albums, are familiar with dark, doomy, gloomy, Type O style music. So it should come as no surprise that Matt Brown and Sal Abruscato’s style had a strong influence on this album. The best produced song on the album is “Dead Speak Kindly.” It has all the elements that I just mentioned. But the song that stands out to me the most is the next track which is “A New Low.” That song is heavy and sludgy as hell and really strikes a nerve and speaks to the soul. Then “World Gone Mad” goes fast and hard to get the mind rushing again. Perfect workout music.
When you get to the end of the album, it ends strangely but appropriately with “Little Spots Of You” which was a soft piano lead track with Mina’s vocals going in a more gentle direction. It’s a great way to end a doomy album. Overall, A Place Where There’s No More Pain is damn near perfect for where the band is right now. I would rank this easily the best LOA album since 1995’s “Ugly.” Easily this is another contender for the best metal album of the year, and that’s saying a lot considering all the great metal albums being dished out this year. A lot of these songs need to be played live. They can be live staples for this band for sure.
Key Tracks: Meet My Maker, A New Low, World Gone Mad
A highlight of this particular show was the homecoming of Brit Floyd bassist and Chapman stick player, Ian Cattell. Cattell grew up in the Syracuse area and performed in many Syracuse area bands prior to joining the Australian Pink Floyd Show in 2005. He is equally adept at channeling Roger Waters and David Gilmour. One unique instrument he employed during the later era Floyd songs is the Chapman stick. It is a long 10 or 12 stringed guitar used to play bass and melody lines. Cattell’s gig with the Australian Pink Floyd Show led to his current one in 2011. You can read more about Catell in the NYS Music preview interview 
Brit Floyd dipped its toes into every era of Pink Floyd’s history, from the psychedelic era “Astronomy Domine” off the band’s 1967 debut album to the opening numbers, the instrumental “Cluster One” and “What Do You Want From Me” from 1994’s The Division Bell.
The graphics used introduced the year of each song played and mixed public domain videos and images along with original animation synchronized to the music and lights.
Cattell and musical director/guitarist Damian Darlington took on the vocal roles of Roger Waters and David Gilmour with daft precision. Cattell’s inner Waters proved a highlight throughout the night. Cattell also took turns on Gilmour-sung songs such as on the A Momentary Lapse of Reason track, “One Slip.” Cattell claims his natural voice is more similar to that of Gilmour’s. This was proven on the latter era Floyd songs he captained.
The band is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Animals album on this tour. Following the second set opener “Astronomy,” the band broke into the familiar keyboard intro and pig noises that open “Pigs on the Wing, Part 1” from that album. The crowd immediately responded in favor. Not stopping there, Brit Floyd seamlessly worked its way through the remainder of the “first side” of the criminally overlooked album.
Following the Dark Side tracks, the spirit of Syd Barrett paid a visit to Crouse-Hinds in the form of “Wish You Were Here” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-VII).” The video screen flashed video of early Floyd performances and glimpses of Barrett to the applause of the crowd. During “Wish You Were Here” Scordo and Darlington traded acoustic riffs as Darlington sang accompanied by those in attendance.
Our goal is to have earplugs available to fans at all shows across the country, promoting hearing protection and bringing to light an overlooked issue in the enjoyment of live music, ensuring years of future listeners. This is just the start of a campaign that will grow and expand over the next few months and years.
Listen to the show below and check out the numerous events taking place across New York State to honor this milestone anniversary in Grateful Dead history.
Born in Knoxville, TN in 1947, Hampton founded the avant-jazz Hampton Grease Band in Atlanta, recording the 1971 album Music to Eat for Columbia Records. This album garnered the title, “Second worst selling record in Columbia history” upon its release, but in a retrospective review of the reissue, The Vinyl District describes the album as:
MAYfesters can come for the weekend of just for a single day and create their own schedule online for any of the 140 sessions of yoga that vary in type and skill level. In between sessions, Vendor Village is open to attendees where they can shop for local and hand crafted goods and receive holistic services from healers in the Wellness Center. At night, the main stage is alight with national and regional touring acts. MAYfest and Catskill Chill founder Dave Marzollo spoke to NYS Music about the upcoming festival and how the yoga and music focus of MAYfest sets it apart from other festivals.
PM: MAYfest highlights Music, Art and Yoga. What sets MAYfest apart from other music festivals?
PM: Over the last two years of MAYfest, you have attracted a wide audience. For fans considering attending, what kind of festival-goer does MAYfest invite?