NYS Music 20​17

Tag: metal

  • Ivan Moody Clarifies His Comments About Leaving Five Finger Death Punch

    Several metal and hard rock fans, and various music industry insiders, have always had a lot to say when it comes to Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody. Over the last few of years, fans, music journalists and everyone else that has an opinion on this subject has always felt when it comes to Moody and his constant “meltdowns,” and “alcohol/substance abuse” problems, many are surprised that Moody has not been kicked out of the band.

    Moody was even replaced by All That Remains frontman Philip Labonte, to end the band’s 2016 run with Shinedown and Sixx: A.M., after Moody fell “ill,” and could not finish the remaining dates. As reported by NYS Music, many feel that Labonte’s time filling in for Moody was actually an audition and a possible glimpse into the future. So, at first, when several music news sites started reporting that Moody was departing Five Finger Death Punch after his 2017 commitments to the band started to circulate, not many were surprised that some kind of split between the band had finally happened.

    Hours later, Moody released a new statement saying that he’s not going anywhere.

    Moody’s KBPI statement read:

    I had a meltdown. I was like Kanye West without the money. To be completely honest with you, Death Punch and I have kind of come to a crossroads. We’re very proud of what we’ve done – years and years and years of work… It’s time for us to take our way and go do something else, so after this year… my new band, Villain… I’m so excited.

    After several hours, and no response for anyone in Five Finger Death Punch, Moody released a statement on the band’s Facebook page stating that Moody “sets the record straight,” with a link to the band’s website post of Moody’s statement about his comments to KBPI:

    It’s no secret that this has been a tough year for me and for my bandmates in Five Finger Death Punch. When you put everything you have into making music, both on and off the stage, it can be very frustrating when the music you work so hard to create is not allowed to see the light of day. I know we share this frustration with our fans too, who have come to expect new music from us – fans who mean everything to us. It is true that Five Finger Death Punch has come to a crossroads – and that crossroads is we’re all at a place where we will never again let someone or something hold us back from making music for our fans.
    The lawsuit by Prospect Park holding our new album hostage has taken a toll on me. I was in a rehabilitation facility when Prospect Park decided to sue the band last year, and that was very difficult for me to handle all at once.
    Yesterday I made a statement that was taken out of context by the media – a media always looking to create headlines that will make people click them. The truth is, I want to start a side-project like Corey Taylor has with Stone Sour or Maynard has with A Perfect Circle and I want to do it when Five Finger Death Punch’s deal with Prospect Park is over and we are out of this lawsuit.
    THIS DOES NOT MEAN I PLAN ON LEAVING FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!
    The great thing about being a musician today is that you can explore your creativity in multiple ways without compromising your primary focus.  I learned this watching people like Corey and Maynard and I think their fans are glad they’ve put more music out into the world. I hope my fans are, too.
    All that said, Five Finger Death Punch fans can expect our next album via Prospect Park and we are geared up to tour all throughout 2017.  We are about to leave for South America and Europe and we have other dates TBD.
    All of us in the band have worked incredibly hard over the last 10 years to build this band and none of us are going to let that go just because our record company is trying to sabotage us.  I am sorry if the media took my statement as a resignation, but I assure you it wasn’t.” IVAN MOODY – vocalist Five Finger Death Punch

    Moody’s side project Villain will consist of members from Gemini Syndrome and Coal Chamber.

  • Lamb of God Taking Hiatus

    Metal Injection reports on a recent interview with Sixx Sense that Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe has stated the band will go on a hiatus following the bands summer tour. Blythe, in an recent interview, talked about needing rest from a busy last couple of years. In that time, he has dealt with being jailed in the Czech Republic for accidentally injuring a fan, leading to the fan’s death and a grueling touring cycle, in search of money after bills stemming from legal issues started to mount up.

    Lamb Of God is on tour all summer, starting in South America on June 6, at Groove in Palermo, Argentina, with Carcass and Heaven Shall Burn. July and August finishes Lamb of God’s summer run in North America, before heading on hiatus following the Aug. 20 at the Comerica Theatre, in Phoenix, AZ with Slayer and Behemoth. The tour will bring Lamb of God to Madison Square Garden on July 27 for New Yorkers wanting one more chance to see the band before the hiatus kicks in.

    Blythe stated:

    I got out of prison and immediately went on tour, because I had five lawyers and they were just hemorrhaging money like crazy. I went from jail to home to, ten days later, being at Knotfest to home for a month or two, then out on tour with Lamb of God, then back to the Czech Republic to go to trial, found not guilty, then come home, then finish up the rest of our tour and finally end in South Africa. And then we took a little time off, but there were some changes in the organization and they started writing another record and we need to make money, so it was back in the studio. And it was back on tour again for this last record, and that cycle is not gonna end until August or September of this year, I guess. So it’s just been, like, grinding, grinding, grinding. And when I’m not on the road, I’m working on writing and photography.

    [These are] things that make me happy. But it’s at a point now where it’s like, at the end of this tour cycle, it’s gonna be like, boom, it’s time to take a break for real and concentrate more on writing and being at home with the family. It’s time for me now, at the end of this… ‘Cause we got off, after I got done with the whole prison thing and then finishing that tour, we got off the road and then we started writing a new record, and then we recorded that record. And we didn’t tell anyone that we were recording — nobody knew. They thought we were just chilling at home, and then we go on tour before the record even comes out.

  • Fishbone Reunited at the Fairfield Theater Company

    It was an interesting night for all of those that attended the Fairfield Theater Company on March 23. Most guests were obvious die hard fans of the eclectic group. People of all different ages were dressed for the occasion, bobbed their heads to every song, mouthed out lyrics and moshed their way through the center of the floor. But those who were unaware of the strange nature of Fishbone, seemed to be unpleasantly surprised by the brash and outrageous group.  Eight band members mobbed the stage, which was just a few too many for the venue to hold – there always seemed to be a competition between instruments and voices. It didn’t seem to bother those who were familiar with the music because they were recognizable inflections, but there were times when it was hard to make out the melody being sung from horn section, which made up a third of the band.

    The group is known for their diverse musical styles and tones. They range from funky and technical ska, to bold and brash thrash. But different venues work well for different bands and genres. For example, seeing Metallica at the Blue Note wouldn’t be very fitting, nor would putting John Coltrane at Red Rocks. This is all an outsider’s point of view as well.  Again, those die hard fans were having the time of their lives. But there were many out of place patrons (ones lacking leather clothing and chains) that left early or lost interest halfway through. Fishbone was undoubtedly very talented and professional and the venue has hosted some incredible shows that were perfect for it’s size,  but they  just didn’t have the space to let Fishbone loose. There were too many sounds and tones to be shoved through their PA system, which ranged from a theremin, to a fret-less acoustic bass guitar. It felt unintelligible at times, which was only true during the heavy parts.

    It wasn’t all indeterminable noise. As stated before, Fishbone is well known for there buck-wild performance and expansive genre selection. They played a well-balanced setlist, oscillating from ska, to punk, hard rock and back over again, so it wasn’t a constant barrage of sound the entire night. Ska and reggae styled songs like “Unyielded Conditioning”  were very well done. Each instrument could be heard clearly and it was enjoyable for everyone. But songs similar to “In The Cube” a ten minute hard rock/metal track about sitting on the toilet, were musically all over the place and contained too many tone variations for the sound system to handle, especially during the heavier parts.

    Again, no one was at fault here. The Fairfield Theater Company is a fantastic venue with a huge stage, open area, and Fishbone and Rebuilder, the opening act, did their jobs and did them well. Rebuilder is a punk/ rock band out of Boston Massachusetts and gave 100 percent. Their sound was a little familiar, pulling out all the stops listeners would expect from a punk band. But it was reassuring to see that genre of music still thriving.  Fishbone gave it their absolute all as well because this is the first time all of the original members have shared a stage for sometime. But somethings aren’t meant to go together. Like pineapple on pizza – great for some people, but just not a good mix for others. And when a band is trying to make a come back like they were, they need to appeal to as many people as possible, and a more intimate venue in central Fairfield was not the place to gain a larger audience.

    This may seem like the interpretation of an older, less tolerant soul. But rest assured, loud and brash music is still fantastic to see live, but only in the proper setting. Fishbone is a group known specifically for their wild performances, but just be sure to see them in the right venue to give listener’s ears some space to enjoy the music instead of leaving them ringing.

  • The Mockstrosity Tour Crashes into Buffalo

    I like to think anyone can appreciate a joke band with a solid gimmick. Just as long as it doesn’t go over people’s heads, anyone should get it under the right circumstances. That’s what drew me to Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall on the March 23 to see the Mockstrosity tour, a collection of three such joke bands with substantial cult followings taking their gimmicks nationwide.

    Hell, the show posters show an evil Ronald McDonald, a black-clad mariachi member, and stupid sexy Ned Flanders tearing up buildings Godzilla-style. They are well aware of their jokes and embrace it wholeheartedly.

    Oh I had questions as to how these bands decided to tour together in the first place. But I left my sense of reality at the door, choosing to believe the story Mac Sabbath singer Ronald Osborne told the audience during their set. Evidently, Mac Sabbath was tired of playing with other “Drive-Thru Metal” bands, like Twisted Sizzler and Bauhaus of Pancakes, writer of the hit song “Taco Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” and organized an “international” tour with bands of different metal genres.

    The first act, Okilly Dokilly, the world’s only “Nedal” band, came on stage rather unceremoniously. Amidst the covered props for the other acts, the five members, with their green sweaters, khakis, and Ned Flanders mustaches, gave the audience their first sense of leaving reasonable music taste outside. The singer, “Head Ned,” greeted the audience with a “Howdilly Doodilly neighboreenos!” in his best Ned Flanders voice before starting off with “They Warned Me (that the devil would be attractive).”

    Their entire setlist was like a rundown of the most quotable Ned Flander’s phrases. Songs like “Godspeed Little Doodle,” “You’re a Jerk,” and the time Ned Flanders was the devil and tricked Homer into eating a donut to steal his soul. Since the whole joke is centered on how a metalcore band writes songs about such an innocent character, it’s all the more amusing how Head Ned alternates between screaming the lyrics and resuming his impression in between songs. This goes to the extreme as he goes on a monologue about how left-handed people are at war with society in general (like spiral notebooks and pants). He would also occasionally wrestle with the keyboardist on stage, when the keyboard wasn’t being thrown around of course.

    Okilly Dokilly ended their show with arguably the most iconic Flander’s quote of them all, “Nothing at All.” Head Ned even revealed himself to be wearing a ski suit underneath his other outfit, to which he just had to say, “Feels like I’m wearing nothing at all.” With one last “Nedal” hoorah, including a bit of the Offspring’s “Gone Away,” Okilly Dokilly left the stage as unceremoniously as they came on.

    The second crazy act on, Metalachi, was lead on stage with a hype man, claiming they’d convert all the Metalachi virgins in the crowd tonight. With a setup that included bra-covered microphones and outfits like any 80’s metal band would wear, the five-piece band, from Juarez, Mexico by way of Los Angeles, launched right away with “Symphony of Destruction” and “Ace of Spades.” Between songs, there would be plenty of banter between the singer, Veca de la Rockha, and the trumpeter, El Cucuy, joking about being so close to the Canadian border and finding a girl to get a green card.

    The range of their covers was all over the place. The beginning had them singing the likes of Dio, Def Leppard, and Guns N Roses, before moving onto Sublime and Journey, where the big guitar player, Nacho Picante, sang “Open Arms,” to an audience member decked out in skull facepaint. Then the violinist, “Queen” Kyla Vera,” performed an instrumental medley containing the likes of Metallica, Zeppelin, and Iron Maiden before moving onto more Metallica, AC/DC, and ending with “Raining Blood.”

    So, yes: a mariachi band playing metal covers. They sound as if a Mexican restaurant house band decided to have a more twisted version of Day of the Dead. But oh man, did I have a smile on my face for every bit of metal I did recognize.

    The final act, the one most people in the audience wore shirts of, the one that had roadies dressed as fast food employees, and had props of evil looking Ronald McDonalds and a burger drum kit, Mac Sabbath took the stage to audio that sounded like it was talking about the evil clown sightings in North Carolina. As their curtain fell, playing their “War Pigs” parody “More Ribs,” Ronald Osborne came out wearing a straightjacket, eventually freeing himself of it as the song went on. As the song ended, as Ronald proclaimed Mac Sabbath are the forefathers of “Drive-Thru Metal,” the audience chanted out “Drive-Thru Metal” (because Buffalonians can’t pass up a chance to chant ‘Let’s Go Buffalo’).

    After performing “Sweet Beef,” Ronald explained the already mentioned reasons for the tour. He joked about partying with Metalachi down in Mexico and how they retired their t-shirt cannon out of respect for Maude Flanders. They later made a reference to “White Wine Spritzer” and Okilly Dokilly’s crazy keyboard player later on, wondering if he could come back on. For some reason, after performing “Lord of the Swirl,” which featured Ronald pulling a giant straw out of his pants and drinking beer, he made a Blue Velvet reference (Pabst Blue Ribbon?) before a lip synced interlude of Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams” where even Ronald acknowledged, “That was weird.”

    In the spaces between the songs, Ronald essentially did stand-up comedy all revolving around bad food and restaurant puns, though he pretty much had to carry the show since Slayer McCheese and Grimalice couldn’t talk due to their costumes, and The Catburgler just doesn’t talk, he just made rimshots at the bad punchlines. I’m pretty sure at one point, he was just reciting the “The Duck Song,” (the one that goes “Got any grapes?”)

    In all fairness, Mac Sabbath themselves do pretty solid Sabbath covers, capturing the various kinds of metal genres they spawned back in the 70’s. But when “Children of the Grave” becomes “Chicken of the Slaves,” complete with Ronald downing some chicken nuggets and slapping together metal spatulas, it very much becomes it’s own unique thing. The same goes for closers “Frying Pan” and “Pair-of-buns,” complete with Ronald eating the head off a fake bat.

    I’m probably not looking hard enough as to when bands like these go out on nationwide tours, since I’m a fan of similarly comedic acts like Weird Al and Ninja Sex Party. I can legitimately see how someone came up with these bizarre ideas, both with and without the use of illicit substances. And I can see why each of them has legitimate cult followings. The three bands do well enough on their own, but playing all together in one night play off each other well. Okilly Dokilly brings the modern reference weirdness, Metalachi brings out the ethnic party atmosphere, and Mac Sabbath brings the bizarre politics/classic rock vibes. Certainly something to enjoy and laugh with for an evening.

  • The Rest in Space Tour Sells Out Clifton Park

    The Clifton Park performance on Sunday, March 5 for the Rest in Space Tour may have left fans covered in pizza and Doritos, but smiles were stretched across their faces. Pierce The Veil acted as kings for a day performing at the sold out venue alongside Falling In Reverse and Crown The Empire as they all brought the Rest in Space Tour to Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park.

    The show opened with metal group Crown The Empire who kicked off their set with the hit “Zero” off of their most recent album, Retrograde. Crown The Empire kept the energy up from the very start of their set, encouraging fans to crowd surf to the front of the venue. Front man Andy Velasquez tried to encourage the action by discussing their tradition of having crowd surfers at the venue.

    During their hit “The Fallout,” a fan crowd surfed to the front of the venue with two beers in hand for the band. “Is this what I think this is? This is the best day of my life,” said Velasquez as he took the beers from the fan. This was the first time that Crown The Empire played a sold out show the Clifton Park venue. Due to this, there seemed to be additional energy and joy given off by the band. The set contained an entertaining performance by Velasquez by using all areas of the stage to get fans’ attention, as well as from bassist Hayden Tree and guitarist Brandon Hoover.

    Following Crown The Empire was the rock band Falling In Reverse who initiated a food fight during their set. Fans found themselves being victims of the “Bad Girls Club” after foods like Doritos and an entire pizza were rained upon them. Besides food being thrown around during “Bad Girls Club,” the song of the night seemed to be the way the crowd reacted to “Fashionably Late.”

    When the band started “Alone,” a fight broke out in the middle of the song, and as security escorted people out of the venue, Falling In Reverse decided to start the song over again. This was Falling In Reverse’s first performance at the Clifton Park venue since their headlining show in 2012 which resulted in front man Ronnie Radke leaving mid-set due to his disapproval of actions by the audience.

    After personally kicking out fans who came to the show to protest Falling In Reverse, this was the first time in four years that the band decided to play their set at the venue. Although this led to the show starting on an odd note, by the end of the set, Radke seemed grateful for the way the crowd responded to their set. The band all bowed together, as Ronnie thanked the crowd for the performance

    When Pierce The Veil took the stage, the sold out venue became the loudest it was the entire evening. All four members took the stage exhibited intense energy which included guitarist Jaime Preciado jumping to all parts of the stage. “Do you guys like to make noise out there, Clifton Park?” said frontman Vic Fuentes as the crowd screamed back at him.

    Their set opened with fan favorite “Dive In,” off of their new album, Misadventures. A more emotional song of the night, Fuentes spoke a little before performing their first single off of their new album, “The Divine Zero.” “I was a super timid kid and I didn’t have that voice yet, I didn’t have my confidence yet,” said Fuentes. For Fuentes, music became his, “one thing” to build up his confidence. With this, he dedicated the song to everyone in the audience.

    A treat for older fans of Pierce The Veil, for their Rest in Space Tour show, the band decided to do an acoustic performance of “Stay Away From My Friends,” a song off of their second full-length album Selfish Machines, and a song not commonly done by the band live.

    Besides the songs they performed, Pierce The Veil gave an incredible performance. There were minimal errors to be heard in their live performing in comparison to their studio recording. Vocals by Fuentes were crisp, and he was able to do harsh vocals that complemented that of their recordings. The guitar by Preciado was exceptional compared to that of their recorded work. During fan favorite “Bulletproof Love,” Pierce The Veil brought one lucky fan on stage with them throughout the beginning of the song for Fuentes to serenade.  “Are you ready to cut f-cking loose on this last song?” said Fuentes as they led into their encore.

    When it came to the end of their performance, Pierce The Veil closed their set with their intense, powerhouse song, “King For A Day.” The venue felt electric with the energy from the vocal performance by Fuentes, guitar by Preciado, the bass chords by bassist Tony Perry and drumming by drummer Mike Fuentes. The Rest in Space tour concludes on March 10 in Pheonix, A.Z.

  • Hearing Aide: Battle Beast ‘Bringer of Pain’

    Imagine this scenario if you may: you are about to enter an epic battle of man vs the world. You have your leather wrist bands and your battle vest prepared for combat. The boots are all laced and ready to kick up the mud. Deep inside you know something is missing. What could it be? Suddenly the answer came from the metal gods, a wicked and powerful soundtrack to capture the energy of a true warrior. The battle hymn of choice goes by the name, Bringer of Pain from Finland’s own Battle Beast! Today we shall fight for the metal.

    Battle Beast Bringer Of PainNo strangers to the way of steel, Bringer of Pain, is the fourth installment to be added to the band’s ever growing discography. This follow up from their 2015 release Unholy Savior (via Nuclear Blast) and my personal favorite Battle Beast (2013 via Nuclear Blast), they once again present their own unique brand of heavy and power metal to the metal masses. The vocal approach by Noora Louhimo will capture the hearts of the male fans and inspired many females lurking in the genre to take up the horns. With such powerful tracks like “We Will Fight” and “God of War,” they will ignite a flame inside the listener  that will burn brighter than any other star in the sky. The guitar work of Juuso Soinio and the drumming of Pyry Vikki will remind you of Odin’s eight hooved horse galloping to crush the enemies of metal. You will find yourself doing your battle cry as you raise your sword or roll a d20 while playing DND, as each soaring guitar solo with the help of bone crushing war drum makes the opposition tremble before you. Critical hit; victory is yours.

    When it comes to power metal, you know there will be some songs that hit you hard straight into your soul. The track on the album that puts the emphasis of emotion is the very passionate song “Far From Heaven.” The vocals mixed with the guitar skills of Vikki and Björkroth created a masterpiece of melody and melancholy resonance. I am a big scary looking guy and let me tell you, this track makes me feel like a hopeful teenage boy again; simply beautiful. I do admit this is my personal favorite from the new release. Another track that has a wonderful executed dread-filled painted landscape is “Lost in Wars” which features Tomi Joutsen (Amphoris). His deep sorrowful vocals mold a dark picture where a world lost all hope and light because of man’s own doing. It will send chills down your spine with the bass playing of Sipilä giving the song as if it was a funeral dirge. I do see this song  becoming the most popular one on the album in the coming weeks as well as help the band grow their devoted fan base.

    If I could give this album a rating, it would be a solid 5 out of 5. You may order it from the band’s page and your local record store. Buy it and together we will fight with Odin!

    Key Tracks: Bringer of Pain, Lost in Wars, We Will Fight

  • Restless Streets Releases New Single, ‘In Vogue’

    Restless Streets, a post-metalcore band from Albany, NY, released a brand new single along with a corresponding lyric video, titled “In Vogue,” via YouTube on February 9, 2017.

    The song features an overhauled version of Restless Streets’ distinctive sound, now with more melodic elements found in pop and rock music as opposed to harsh vocals featured on previous efforts.” In Vogue” is the second single that they have released since the release of an acoustic EP, We Had It Perfect, and their debut album, Sincerely. Both “In Vogue,” and their first single, “Sugar Free,” can be streamed on their YouTube channel.