“Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash”

Ash

BMG

Tracks: 22/2 LP’s

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

In celebration of their 25^th anniversary Irish rockers Ash have released a 22 song retrospective of the bands career thus far. “Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash” was compiled by the band themselves and features various songs from the groups eight studio albums along with one newly released track titled “Darkest Hour of the Night”. Since debuting in 1994 the band which has consisted of Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton, Rick McMurray and Charlotte Hatherley have turned out a catchy stream of garage/alternative rock earning them praises and recognition from all over the globe.

Having first heard of Ash back in the late 90’s amidst bands like Pavement, Blur and Weezer I never really got into the band aside from the songs “Kung Fu” and “Jack Names the Planets” which were featured in a couple popular movies from that time. Thankfully now with the release of “Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash” I was able to go back and discover some really great songs I inadvertently skipped over during their initial release. Tracks like “Girl From Mars”, “Burn Baby Burn” and “Shining Light” we definite highlights that had me reminiscing about my late teen years. Being this release was compiled by the band themselves it gave the album a more person feel as knowing that this wasn’t just another stock label compilation gave it extra value along with some great songs that may otherwise have been over looked without the bands input.  

The 2 LP set that we checked out had really great packaging which was printed on high quality card stock and included heavy weight sleeves for each record that featured additional photos and stories from the each era of the band. Though no remastering/mixing was noted each song had a bright mix which really stood out and the inclusion of the band’s latest single “Darkest hour of the Night” was a solid choice giving fans just a taste of the bands latest works. Available in a variety of formats including limited edition lenticular vinyl and a special 3 CD that includes an 18 track rarities CD. Needless to say there are plenty of ways to get your hands on this and we strongly encourage you to do so as “Teenage Wildlife: 25 Years of Ash” is a fresh breath of nostalgia that has been long overdue.

Track Listing:

Side A

1.) A Life Less Ordinary

2.) Arcadia

3.) Darkest Hour of the Night

4.) Kung Fu

5.) Cocoon

6.) You Can’t Have It All

Side B

1.) Girl From Mars

2.) Wildsurf

3.) Shining Light

4.) Starcrossed

5.) Buzzkill

6.) Goldfinger

Side C

1.) Burnbaby

2.) Dare to Dream

3.) Annabel

4.) Machinery

5.) Sometimes

Side D

1.) Oh Yeah

2.) Angel Interceptor

3.) Jesus Says

4.) Orpheus

5.) Jack Names the Planets

Pre-Order Available Here: https://nblast.de/TestamentTOC

The time has arrived for legendary bay area thrash metal giants TESTAMENT to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album, Titans Of Creation, which will be released on April 3 via Nuclear Blast.

Today, the band releases the lyric video for the first single, “Night Of The Witch” here: youtu.be/cF2hIrXq2ss

Chuck Billy comments, “It has been months since the final mixing of ‘Titans Of Creation’ and we are eager for fans to hear it. We feel that we put a lot into this record and at the end of the day it is a TESTAMENT record that stands on its own. We are very proud of ‘Titans Of Creation.’”

“’Night Of The Witch’ uses old school lyrics about witches chanting in the moonlight and casting spells. The beauty of this song is that I worked Eric’s vocals into the chorus. I wanted to incorporate him as he does Dragonlord and this song was a perfect match. It is a heavy song and a great way to introduce everyone to ‘Titans Of Creation.’”

Titans Of Creation was produced by Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson while Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios handled co-producing, recording and engineering. Andy Sneap was responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album. Eliran Kantor stepped up once again to create a new masterpiece of artwork for the cover of this release.

Titans Of Creation will be available in the following formats:

• CD Digipak
• Light Blue Cassette (Limited to 250)
• DLP + CD Mail-order Box Set (Limited to 1500)
• Includes Earth Element Vinyl
• Vinyl
• Fire Element Edition Vinyl (Limited to 2150)
• Air Element Edition Vinyl
• Water Element Edition Vinyl
• Blue Vinyl (Limited to 500; Retail)
• T-shirt
• TS+ DLP bundle

Pre-order your copy of Titans Of Creation in the format of your choice here: https://nblast.de/TestamentTOC

Pre-save the album on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer: nblast.de/TESTAMENTpreSave

Below is the track listing:

1. Children Of The Next Level
2. WWIII
3. Dream Deceiver
4. Night Of The Witch
5. City Of Angels
6. Ishtar’s Gate
7. Symptoms
8. False Prophet
9. The Healers
10. Code Of Hammurabi
11. Curse Of Osiris
12. Catacombs

Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in TESTAMENT represents a necessary component of this latest musical creation. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still including the alluring, brilliant and progressive ingredients they are known for.

TESTAMENT is:

Chuck Billy | Lead Vocals

Eric Peterson | Rhythm/Lead guitar & Vocals

Alex Skolnick | Lead Guitar

Steve Di Giorgio | Bass guitar

Gene Hoglan | Drums

You know that feeling you get when hanging out with your best friends? That sense of pure joy that comes from sharing a love of the same things, laughing at anything possible, and being there for each other through even the toughest of times. Well, if you love True Crime as much as I do, let me introduce you to your two new best friends and hosts of the True Crime Obsessed Podcast, Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle.

Since May 2017, this pair of theater kids have been watching True Crime documentaries and recapping them to their audience in a way that can only be described at hilarious. From garbage bells to super-hot husbands to Patrick’s infectious laugh, these two know how to take even the worst documentary and make you feel like you are laughing about it with your best friends.

Recently, Media Mikes had the exciting opportunity to talk with Patrick and Gillian about their podcast and upcoming tour and they did not disappoint.

Channah Zapotoczny: Why you picked the format with you did with the documentaries for your true crime podcast?
Patrick Hinds: You know it’s so funny cause I think about this all the time. When we decided to work together, we sort of work shopped different ideas together of what kind of true crime podcast we wanted to make. We were going to make a three-part podcast every week that was going to dry and straight forward. It would start with an interview segment and then we would talk about something that we have seen, like a TV show or another podcast or something and then the last part would be focused on true crime. So we were doing this pilot episode and when we sat down to do the part when we talk about something, we decided to talk about the documentary “The Imposter”. Gillian and I were relatively new friends at that point. We knew that we really enjoyed each other but I didn’t know that she was like a completely unintentional comedian. So when we started talking about “The Imposter”, the things that stood out to her was like the quirky details or the things that we were really enraging and she has this really funny way of articulating it. So I was laughing hysterically and we had no thought of making a comedy podcast. So when I was listening back to all the different segments and putting it together. I realized that there was nothing else out there in the podcast space with two friends just recapping true crime documentaries and I said I think found our podcast.
Gillian Pensavalle: And even still it has evolved into the madness it is today. In the early episodes, we sound like we are not trying to disturb someone in the next room. In those very early episodes, you can hear Patrick laughing off mic and not really leaning into what/who we are.
Patrick: I wanted to make a nerdy high brow NPR thing, so then we opened up the wine and the bourbon and started making it for real [laughs].
Gillian: Yeah!
Channah: What’s funny is that when I am listening Gillian, you comments are exactly what I am thinking…
Patrick: [laughs] That’s why it works, so many of our listeners say to us that we are having the conversations they wish they were having with their friends when watching these documentaries. It is so funny because a podcast like that should exist but it wasn’t what we meant to make at all.

Channah: So if you could would you go back and change anything?
Patrick & Gillian (together): Nooooooooooo!
Patrick: We were lucky enough that we both of us have been making podcasts long enough to know that the show will become what it is suppose to be. So I am just so glad we have the common sense to let it be what it was clearly meant to be, right?
Gillian: Right, I love the evolution of it. In all of the podcasts that we have worked on or are working on, there is that evolution you can see. Especially for Hamilcast, in the beginning it is not what it is now. It just became that. We just leaned into what it is. We didn’t even think anyone would be listening.
Patrick: That’s true we made this thing just so that we could hang out. We didn’t make it to have it be as successfully as it is.

Channah: How long do your recordings typically take?
Gillian: A long time. Well because, we do a lot in one sitting.
Patrick: We do like five ads per episode. We do a bonus episode every week and then the regular episode. Sometimes twice a month we will do an after party, which is us just hanging out talking about whatever is one our minds or usually “Newsies” the movie [laughs].
Gillian: Yes, most importantly “Newsies” the movie [laughs].
Channah: That is such a good movie and is one of my favorites.
Patrick: Oh God it is so good… So recording could sometimes take like five hours. We always know that we nailed it though when we are starving, sweating through our clothes and have no voices.
Gillian: We usually start at 5:30pm and go to 10:30pm and by the end of it my eyes are usually half closed. And that is after working all day on top of it.
Patrick: I just realized our last recording day, I worked 17 hours. I was up at 4:15am to watch everything and then we recorded that night till 10:30pm. It was insane.
Gillian: The thing is that when it is 9:30pm and we are recording the last thing, it can’t sound like it’s the last thing. It has to sound like it is the first thing or the only thing.
Patrick: Exactly! Gillian and I don’t get much of a chance to hang out during the week anymore and it is our only hang night. We are never manufacturing that last hour. I feel like the last hour is usually the best because we are so amped at that point.

Channah: So a fun question for you; let’s say someone was going to bring you in to consult on a documentary and you were going to help them make it. What would be your advise to them to make the documentary great?
Patrick: I love the thing these documentaries are doing when they will setup an interview subject and not tell them that the camera is rolling. The interview subject thinks the camera is on when they get asked the first question but it is rolling the whole time and you get people doing ridiculous things like adjusting their genitals or talking to themselves and they always keep it. I am obsessed with it.
Gillian: That is always great.
Patrick: I worked with a director recently and one of the things that that I learned about making a bonkers documentary was that they did all these interviews with all these experts, put them in the film and then went and took them out. Listen if your story is that bonkers and the experts are getting in the way. I say get rid of them. Get rid of them.
Gillian: Just let it become what it will become. “Capturing the Friedmans” is not about the dad and his issues. It was about this circus clown, so then it became about that.
Patrick: In conclusion, give me a strong 90 minutes. Nobody needs longer than 90 minutes. We always talk about this documentary “The Long Shot”
Gillian: 42 minutes!
Patrick: 42 minutes is a dream, you are in and out. You laugh, you cry. It’s perfect.
Gillian: It leaves you wanting more.

Channah: On your show, you were so excited to meet Rabia (Chaudry) and talk with her. Was meeting her everything you hoped for?
Patrick: Rabia and I had a conversation on the phone and we were in love. It was wonderful. The first time I met her was at CrimeCon, our booths were near each other. Because I had that long phone conversation with her, I ran over to her booth and literally knelt down and she looked at me like she was going to call the police. She had absolutely no clue who I was. I just sat there and thought this wasn’t the reaction I expected. After I told her who I was it was great.
Gillian: Then you dragged her over to me…
Patrick: Do you remember how amazing that moment was…
Gillian: That was amazing.
Patrick: We could stop screaming about how amazing she smelled and we just kept hugging her. She was hugging us back. Rabia gives back the energy that you give her. We were so excited to meet her and she was then so excited to meet us.
Gillian: I loved hugging her and smelling her…and that’s not weird [laughs].
Patrick: We are doing two shows with her. Our show in D.C. and Orlando, we are doing with Rabia and Susan (Simpson).

Channah: I will be at the show in Orlando. Are you guys worried about coming to Florida?
Patrick: [laughs] We are afraid that we are going to be met with pitchforks and alligators at the airport. No, I am very much looking forward to going to Florida.
Gillian: A lot of them just lovingly want to change our minds. And our minds aren’t set. We have a very specific job, which is talking about what is in the documentary.
Patrick: It is not our fault that Wrinkles the Clown was from Florida [laughs]

Channah: Speaking about the tour though, I know you are doing three different types of shows. What can we expect from it?
Patrick: Actually, the funny thing is in Florida it’s the only show that we are doing that we have never done before. In Boston, we are doing the show with Lance (Reenstiema), Tim (Pilleri) and Maggie (Freleng) and we are covering “Missing Maura Murray”. The reason we are doing this show again is because we did it in Brooklyn and it was just so great. The pride show in San Francisco and Seattle is just going to be so gay [laughs]. So Florida and D.C. with Rabia and Susan are going to be fun. We warned them they are walking into the lions den.

Channah: Since you will be in Orlando for your show, does that mean you will be coming to CrimeCon 2020?
Patrick: You know, we don’t know yet. We are trying to figure out our schedules, so once we do we will let everyone know.
Channah: If you do attend, is there anyone you wish will be seated next to you?
Patrick: Last year, we were right next to Susan and Rabia, so that is my fav. If Lance, Tim or Maggie are there, we would love to be next to them. Maybe stick us next to someone we’ve never met before, that would be fun.
Gillian: Well there are some parameters…
Patrick: Yeah, we don’t want to be next to Nancy Grace…
Gillian: Or the Cannibal Cop… they are both always at CrimeCon [laughs]

Channah: Patrick, in almost every episode you claim that someone is hot. If you had to rank your top three, who would they be?
Patrick: Let’s start with Ryan Ferguson, that has to be number 1.
Gillian: I approve.
Patrick: I am in the middle of editing episode two right now of “Don’t Fuck with Cats” and I am on the record of saying that John is hot…
Gillian: John Green?
Patrick: Yeah, John Green.
Gillian: Ok I will accept [laughs]. We also have a lot of women that we think are super hot and super smart…
Patrick: Totally…
Gillian: We had someone in “Dirty John”, the super hot smarty pants girl…
Patrick: Laura Richards…
Gillian: Yes, Laura Richards. And so many people in “Holy Hell”. It’s always weird cause when we are recording it’s just like we are hanging out and we forget other people are listening. So when people from the documentary reach out to us and it happens more often then you think, we forget that other people are listening.
Patrick: I really want Deanna (Thompson) from “Don’t Fuck with Cats” to be our friend
Gillian: I love her.

Channah: Is there anything that you wished I asked that I didn’t?
Patrick: Just that TCO has some really super awesome announcements coming out. So just keep an eye out for that!

2020 Winter Namm

Thursday, January 16^th – Sunday, January 19^th 2020
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

The multi story Anaheim Convention Center was over flowing with musical buzz recently as the venue once again played host to the annual Namm (Nation Association of Music Merchants) Convention. The trade show which showcases the latest and most innovative editions to the music instrument market is the place to be for dealers, vendors, artists and anyone else lucky enough to be able to attend the industry only event. Over the course of four days the biggest companies in music instrumentation pull out all the stops to ensure their respective products and brands get noticed amongst the ever growing sea of competitors.

As we made away into the towering Anaheim Convention Center we quickly devised a plan as to how we were going to tackle this at times overwhelming environment. This year we decided to work our way from the top down. Housed on floors two and three were some of the industry’s biggest companies which consisted of Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed Smith and Marshall to name just a few. The Gibson area was easily the most impressive as not only did it sport rows and rows of guitars from its three brands Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer, the large space also sported multiple player stations complete with headphones allowing attendees to check out the instrument of their choice in a somewhat isolated space. Having set ups like this are a must in an environment where the outside din of noise causes even standard person to person conversation to become difficult. At the end of the room was a full performance stage which over the course of the four days was graced by several Gibson artists including Slash, Lzzy Hale and Phil X of Bon Jovi.

Fender also sported a noteworthy space which took on more of a museum type approach complete with velvet ropes and ornate framing of some of its premier instruments. Attendees also could catch a glimpse on the new George Harrison “Rocky” Stratocaster guitar which was showcased upon a spinning day-glow background which teased the viewer’s senses. Making our way down the escalators to the main floor we casually passed the likes of Dave Amato of Reo Speedwagon and Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult talking with attendees about some of their latest projects and happenings.

Floors two and three are tame compared to the main floor which houses not only stringed instruments but also percussion, brass instrumentation and various other musical odds and ends. You never know who or what you will stumble upon when wandering around the cavernous hall. Trekking from front to back we took in displays by companies such as Ace Products Group, Keisel guitars, Kemper Profiling, SJC Drums and Zildjian cymbals. While navigating the semi-chaotic walks ways to each of these booths we inadvertently bumped into the likes of Skidrow bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist Dave “Snake “Sabo, as well as Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, guitarist Devin Townsend  and bassist Victor Wooten who was dazzling onlookers during one of several demo’s he had scheduled.

As the weekend slowly came to a close we left the Anaheim Convention center with tired legs, ringing ears and wish list’s a mile long. Year after year Namm continues to raise the bar not only with the amount of exhibitors they showcase but also in how the event organizers handle the ever growing crowds. Security checks were fast and efficient as was badge registration and pick up resulting in very few if any lines to wait in. You would think with an event this big there would be a few hiccups along the way and, if there was anything like that attendees were unaware as the event had a comfortable, somewhat stress free feel that even the city of Anaheim itself was in on as many area business’s were offering discounts to convention attendees which was really great.

Needless to say MediaMikes.com had a great time covering this year’s event and the only thing we would change is to be able to find more time during the next event to take it all in as there is just so much cool stuff going on you don’t want to miss anything.

Amberian Dawn will release their eighth studio album, “Looking For You” on January 31st via Napalm Records and enter a new, but still familiar sounding musical universe, mixing the best of both worlds into a new genre: ABBA-Metal! The album’s multi-faceted and emotional lyrics provide a suitable background for soaring guitars and elegant classical interludes which showcase the bands shift from power metal to a more symphonic metal sound. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the bands keyboardist Tuomas Seppala recently about the band’s new album, the changing of their style and working with Finnish artist Kebu.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the new album “Looking For You”?

Tuomas Seppala: “Looking For You” is a really nice album with a new and fresh sound. After releasing our previous album, I had a long writers block. I just couldn’t write good stuff with the “old style” anymore. After six or seven months or something, I realized that I need to change something so that I would be able to compose good stuff again. Then I started to compose a kind of synthesizer – disco music and that felt really good. Then I introduced a couple of those new songs to band mates and I was surprised that they liked the songs and also said that those songs could be easily converted to AD songs. That’s how I started to make music again and with a different kind of style. Now there’s only one “traditional” AD song on this album, a symphonic metal song “Symphony Nr.1 Part 3 – Awakening”. I got Fabio Lione of Rhapsody to make a guest appearance on that song. It was great.

AL: The band’s sound has gone through changes over the over few years. Was that a natural transition or something that was done by design?

TS: It’s been a natural transition, but it’s not been easy all the time. I’ve had several writer’s blocks after I’ve finished with an album and trying to start working with new songs. I always write music based on the feeling I have for it and I usually can’t force myself to do anything else. For example, if I’m not in the mood for power metal, I simply cannot write any good power metal material. Maybe some average stuff, but that’s never good enough for me. All the stuff I’ll write and publish must be just perfect to me (at that time). But it’s obvious that my point of view for music has changed during all these years and I wouldn’t be happy with the stuff I wrote 10 years ago, if I had been writing that exact same stuff right now. 

AL: Where did the term “ABBA Metal” come from?

TS: That’s just something we came up with. I’m not sure whether I invented the term or if I just saw the term used on chats and social media first. Anyways, I like the term and it’s really a good genre to describe AD’s current style.   

AL: Was the decision to cover “Lay All Your Love On Me” made before or after the creation of ABBA Metal? and why did you choose this song?

TS: I had been preparing this cover song for many years before we actually decided to record it. Also, the ABBA-metal genre came up at some point after I had all of the songs ready for new album. I knew that we really need to start using this ABBA-metal genre because it’s really what this music is all about. 

AL: Being a keyboardist what was it like working with fellow instrumentalist Kebu? And what was that process like?

TS: We had really good co-operation with this album. Kebu has this huge arsenal of vintage keyboards and together we finalized the keyboard sounds with his gear. Some of the sounds and tones are made by Kebu and some of those are made by me. It’s a good combination and I think we can work together in the future too. In short, the process was like that – I first made the arrangements for keyboards and then we decided that which parts were going to be played with my gear and which parts were going to be played with his synthesizers. Kebu used a lot of time to develop those keyboard sounds and presets. I also used ABBA’s Benny Andersson’s personal synthesizers on some songs. I recorded some parts at his studio in Stockholm.

AL: Are there any plans in place to tour behind the release?

TS: We’re planning to tour later in 2020 but we don’t have anything confirmed yet. We’re probably going to tour in Europe again because that’s doable. Touring in the US is much harder to make happen.

For more info on Amberian Dawn click here:

To Order your copy of “Looking For You” click here:

Watch “Black” Featuring Mark Morales Today via Consequence of Sound Solo EP, “Ether,” Available Now via Rise Records

The second video from Lamb of God guitarist MARK MORTON’s new solo EP – a cover of the Pearl Jam hit “Black” featuring vocalist Mark Morales – has been revealed today. Watch the video today, exclusively via Consequence of Sound at https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/01/lamb-of-god-mark-morton-video-pearl-jam-black/. 

“The early ‘90s were such an important and vibrant time for rock music in general, and I feel like ‘Black’ is one of the great songs from that era,”MORTON says. “Our approach in covering it was to present a super stripped-down version, sticking the essence of the song. It’s got a very lonely feel to it and Mark Morales delivered an absolutely incredible vocal performance.”

Ether, MORTON’s second solo offering, was released this month via Rise Records. The primarily acoustic EP is comprised of three original tracks and two covers that showcase MORTON’s diversity as a musician. As with last year’s solo debut, Anesthetic, the guitarist enlisted the talents of various musicians and vocalists to bring his songs to life. 

Morales, who regularly tours as part of MORTON’s live band, sings two songs on the EP – the original track “All I Had To Lose” and “Black.” Additional vocals are provided by Lzzy Hale on TheBlack Crowes cover “She Talks To Angels,” Killswitch Engage/Light the Torch vocalist Howard Jones on “Love My Enemy” and Moon Tooth singer John Carbone on “The Fight.” Ether was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Gojira, Trivium). 

Watch the video for the EP’s first single, “All I Had To Lose” featuring Mark Morales, at https://youtu.be/0oEBUIAqlQY. Ether is available via digital retailers. For a list of providers, visit https://riserecords.lnk.to/ether.

Physical copies of Ether are available for pre-order via Rise Records. 

Anesthetic, MORTON’s first 10-track solo album, was made alongside a dream team of highly respected musicians from a multitude of musical worlds. Singers on the album include Chester Bennington, Randy Blythe, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy, Alissa White-Gluz, Mark Lanegan, Chuck Billy, Jake Oni, Josh Todd, Mark Morales and Naeemah Maddox. Musically, MORTON performs all guitars, with Roy Mayorga, David Ellefson, Ray Luzier, Paolo Gregoletto, Alex Bent, Mike Inez, Jean-Paul Gaster, Steve Gorman, Marc Ford, Yanni Papadopoulos and Chris Brooks completing the band. The single “Cross Off,” featuring late Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington and Trivium‘s rhythm section of Paolo Gregoletto and Alex Bent, spent six weeks in the Top 10 Active Rock US radio chart and has now amassed more than 14 million plays on Spotify and YouTube. 

Following the 2019 release of Anesthetic, MORTON took his live band, consisting of Morales on lead vocals, Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves) on guitar, Nick Villarreal (Sons Of Texas) on bass, Art Cruz (Lamb of God, Prong, Winds of Plague, on a North American co-headline tour with Light the Torch. 

MORTON recently wrapped a handful of intimate acoustic shows in the UK as a three piece with vocalist Mark Morales and guitarist Joe Harvatt.

INCLUDING MYSTERIOUSLY TITLED VIDEO “DANCE OF THE CLAIRVOYANTS” MACH I

“Dance of the Clairvoyants”, the first single from Pearl Jam’s forthcoming album, Gigaton, is now officially available. Listen to “Dance of the Clairvoyants” HERE. 

“I can’t tell you how proud I am about this group of songs, ” explains Jeff Ament. “As you know, we took our time and that benefited us taking more chances. ‘Dance’ was a perfect storm of experimentation and real collaboration, mixing up the instrumentation and building a great song, and Ed writing some of my favorite words yet, around Matt’s killer drum pattern. Did I mention Mike’s insane guitar part and that Stone is playing bass on this one?  We’ve opened some new doors creatively and that’s exciting.”

To accompany the single, Pearl Jam have released mysteriously titled video “Dance of the Clairvoyants” Mach I. Watch the video HERE.

As previously announced, Pearl Jam will release their much-anticipated eleventh studio album, Gigaton, on Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records on March 27, 2020 in the US. Internationally, the album will be released and distributed by Universal Music Group. Produced by Josh Evans and Pearl Jam, Gigaton marks the band’s first studio album since GRAMMY award-winning, Lightning Bolt, which was released on October 15, 2013.

Gigaton is available for pre-order now at http://PearlJam.lnk.to/GigatonPR.

America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party Returns
Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23 & Sunday, May 24
At Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma
 
Early Bird Passes On Sale Friday, January 24 at 10:00 AM CT

Rocklahoma is set to take place on Friday, May 22, Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24 at Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma, just outside of Tulsa. Now in its 14th year, the three-day camping festival features some of today’s top rock artists, including Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Staind, Papa Roach, Halestorm, Anthrax, I Prevail, Alter Bridge, and many more. 

Produced by AEG Presents, Rocklahoma is America’s Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Party and showcases the best new rock acts and classic artists performing on three stages. With onsite camping amenities and unparalleled VIP packages, Rocklahoma lives up to its motto of “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Rock.” 

The music lineup for Rocklahoma 2020 is as follows (subject to change): Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch, Staind, Papa Roach, Halestorm, Anthrax, I Prevail, Alter Bridge, The Pretty Reckless, Motionless In White, Body Count, Hollywood Undead, Hellyeah, Badflower, The Hu, Jelly Roll, Bad Wolves, Dirty Honey, All That Remains, Jinjer, Warrant, Brass Against, Bones UK, Knocked Loose, John 5 And The Creatures, Butcher Babies, From Ashes To New, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Diamante, Goodbye June, BulletBoys, Liliac, Color Of Chaos, East Side Gamblers, Budderside, Paralandra, Hericane Alice, Travis Bond, Fist Of Rage, Outlaw Devils, 90lb Wrench, Severmind, Love Sick Radio, Mind Of Fury, Jessikill, Straight Six, The Rumours, Chaotic Resemblance, and more. 

Mike Mushok from Staind said the following about performing at this year’s festival, “We had a blast reuniting for some great shows last year, and we’re excited to be playing Rocklahoma again.” 

Rocklahoma producer Mike DuCharme said, “Rocklahoma festival IS Pride, Culture and Community! Our fans grew up coming here and now their kids are following suit. We share their same enthusiasm and vision and have worked hard to make sure there was something for everyone. We are excited to have Slipknot make their first festival appearance, surrounded by several returning fan favorites including Five Finger Death Punch, Staind and Papa Roach, plus a few that helped build the history of the event like Anthrax, Halestorm and Warrant. Fans can expect further improvements to the site and experience in 2020. Get ready to rock as this year promises to be another weekend long party!” 

Passes go on sale at early bird pricing on Friday, January 24 at 10:00 AM CT at www.Rocklahoma.com, and will increase to phase 2 pricing on Friday, January 31 at 5:00 PM CT. Payment plan options are also available, allowing purchasers to split the cost into monthly payments. Fans are encouraged to buy early and save. Limited quantities of Groupie, Roadie, and Rockstar VIP Packages are also available.

Please visithttps://rocklahoma.com/passes.html for details. 

Current pass pricing is as follows, while supplies last: 

Weekend Admission Passes:

Weekend GA: $144 plus fees

Weekend Military GA: $120 plus fees

Weekend GA 4-Pack: $516 plus fees

Weekend Reserved Admission (comes with food & soft drinks): $399 plus fees

VIP Packages:

Groupie Package: $700 per person

Roadie Package: $1,125 per person

Rockstar Package $3,350 per pair 

Note: All Weekend tickets are for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

The campgrounds are a unique part of the Rocklahoma experience, and will be open from Sunday, May 17 at Noon CT through Tuesday, May 26 at Noon CT. General Admission and VIP camping are available at checkout and are only available with weekend ticket purchases. Information on camping add-ons can be found at https://rocklahoma.com/camping.html. 

Fans are invited to kick off the party early at The Roadhouse where local Oklahoma favorites, top tribute acts, and national legends will headline the D&B Processing Stage each day. The Roadhouse will also feature food trucks, a full-service bar, and a great place to hang with your friends throughout Rocklahoma. Festival doors open at 2:00 PM daily, and doors for The Roadhouse open at 11:00 AM daily. Rocklahoma is located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK.

The Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds is a premier destination for a multi-day festival and includes onsite camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas and much more. 

For more information on Rocklahoma, visit: www.Rocklahoma.com

“If we define fun as the unknowing acceleration of time, then Rammstein’s particular brand of self-obliteration, in which time collapses entirely, is a guaranteed good time” —THE NEW YORKER

“Go for the fireballs, stay for the self-mythologizing and angst” —THE NEW YORK TIMES

“The commitment to excessive pyromania was epic stagecraft on a Wagnerian scale, several notches up from most arena rock. More important was that the six-piece band… wasn’t dependent on those fireworks but could have easily punished and soothed the senses to nearly the same effect with music alone.” —THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

“One of heavy music’s biggest and most dynamic live acts” —CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND

This year will see the North American debut of the most extreme spectacle in live music, when RAMMSTEIN brings its full-scale stadium production to this continent for the first time ever. Rock n roll’s most ambitious pyro-theatrical experience will be on display for a series of 10 open-air dates beginning August 20 at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal and setting eight U.S. stadiums ablaze before a final bonfire at Foro Sol in Mexico City on September 27. The tour is produced by AEG Presents. 

Tickets will be go sale to the public 10am local time Friday January 24. For further information, pre-sales, special packages etc., go to rammstein.com.

The full itinerary for the tour, RAMMSTEIN’s most extensive series of N.A. shows since its 2011-2012 tour, is as follows:

Thursday, August 20, 2020 – Montreal, QC – Parc Jean-Drapeau
Sunday, August 23, 2020 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
Thursday, August 27, 2020 –  Washington, DC  – FedExField
Sunday, August 30, 2020 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium
Thursday, September 3, 2020 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Sunday, September 6, 2020 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
Thursday, September 10, 2020 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome
Saturday, September 19, 2020 – Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Sunday, September 27, 2020 – Mexico City, MX – Foro Sol  

RAMMSTEIN’s six-man lineup CHRISTOPH SCHNEIDER, FLAKE LORENZ, OLIVER RIEDEL, PAUL LANDERS, RICHARD Z. KRUSPE, and TILL LINDEMANN, has remained unchanged since the band’s 1994 formation and 1995 release of its debut album, HERZELEID.  RAMMSTEIN’s second album, SEHNSUCHT, released in 1997, propelled the band to international fame and featured the GRAMMY-nominated single “DU HAST.” MUTTER, the third RAMMSTEIN album, was released in 2001 and was supported by what would be the band’s final U.S. tour for nearly a decade. REISE, REISE, the band’s fourth studio album, was released in 2004, preceded by the GRAMMY-nominated single “MEIN TEIL” and followed by fifth album ROSENROT in 2005. LIEBE IST FÜR ALLE DA, the sixth RAMMSTEIN studio album, was released in 2009 and reached #13 on the Billboard 200, making it RAMMSTEIN’s highest-charting album in the U.S. up to that point. LIFAD would be the first RAMMSTEIN album since 2001’s MUTTER to be supported by North American touring: On December 11, 2010, RAMMSTEIN played its first U.S. date in 10 years, a one-off headline at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The MSG show sold out in less than 20 minutes and was followed by extensive North American Tours in 2011 and 2012, which would sell out venues including the Forum in Los Angeles, Chicago’s Allstate Arena, the Bell Centre in Montreal and more. RAMMSTEIN made its debut on U.S. network television during the 2011 tour, performing “DU HAST” and “FEUER FREI!” on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!

RAMMSTEIN broke into the U.S. Top 10 for the first time with the May 17, 2019 release of its untitled seventh album, which entered at #9 on the Billboard 200. Produced by Olsen Involtini with RAMMSTEIN, the untitled record is comprised of 11 new RAMMSTEIN tracks including singles “AUSLANDER,” “RADIO” and “DEUTSCHLAND,” which have amassed combined streams and views exceeding 200 million. The release of the album was followed by the sold-out Europe Stadium Tour 2019, which ran May 17 through August 23, 2019.

REVEALS LEAD SINGLE “ELLA“

Danish composer, vocalist and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Myrkur (Amalie Bruun), journeys into the heart of Scandinavian culture. Through Bruun’s crystalline vocals, an array of traditional instruments and storytelling, ‘Folkesange’ offers listeners an immersive, emotional and transcendent experience that resonates in today’s turbulent times

Myrkur’s Amalie Bruun has always paved her own path and challenged underground preconceptions of heavy genres. Just after newfound motherhood, Bruun set out on a journey into the very heart of the Scandinavian culture that marked her own childhood with the release of her new album, Folkesange.

Due out March 20 via Relapse Records, Folkesange relinquishes black metal for a refined yet far-reaching evocation of traditional folk, combining songs ancient and new to sublimely resonant effect.

Today, Myrkur has unveiled lead single and album opener, “Ella” which she explains is “the result of years of studying, playing and listening to traditional Nordic folk music. This is my version of a new folk-song, with roots planted in history and in the past. It is my ode to mankind and our connection with nature – a rite of passage as a woman and a rebirth-ritual in the sea.”

She continues, “Three years ago I decided to share a video where I performed an old Scandinavian folk-song on the nyckelharpa. After this I realized that I had a strong need to create an album within this universe and that other people also wished to hear this. So I started working on picking out what old songs to reinterpret as well as write my own version of this. Ella is this.”

On Myrkur‘s first two full-length studio albums (2015’s M and 2017’s Mareridt), she recast black metal in the most personal yet expansive of terms, their blending of Bruun‘s Danish folk roots with tempestuous internal struggles breathing new life into a subgenre whose followers can be rigidly possessive.

After the nightmare-induced visions that wrought themselves throughout 2017’s immensely acclaimed Mareridt, Folkesange offers an emotional sanctuary, a means to reconnect to something permanent and nature-aligned. It’s an awareness that’s become deeply bound to the album’s organic, regenerative spirit.

Storytelling, rites of passage, and the invocation of a continuity that passes through time and generation are all part of folk music’s tapestry, and Folkesange taps into all these currents in their most essential form. In part a purist’s approach to the genre, free from over-interpretation and fusion, the use of Kulning (an ancient Scandinavian herding call) and traditional instruments throughout, such as nyckelharpa, lyre and mandola offer adeeper, more tactile connection to their source, an unbroken line of communication back to the past.

But the album is no museum piece; it resonates in the here and now, aided by the spacious production of Heilung member and musical collaborator Christopher Juul. Cinematic yet intimate, Folkesange exists in a state of boundless reverie, bourne by string-led drones, cyclical, elegiac rhythms and Bruun‘s frictionless voice, all carrier signals for deep-rooted, ancestral memories, and associations felt on an elemental level.

An immersive experience in its own right, but also belonging to a wider, pagan folk-based renaissance that has attracted a devoted following worldwide, Folkesange answers a need that has become ever more pressing in turbulent times. A zeroing in on a resonance that is both intrinsic and enduring, it’s a rediscovery of personal grounding, and an experience that reaches beyond culture to remind us of a shared, deeply rooted inheritance. A tuning fork that binds the personal and the universal, Folkesange is a reminder that the most transcendent experiences are those closest to home.

Folkesange sees its release March 20, 2020 via Relapse. There will be several limited deluxe vinyl versions available.

For more info and to pre-order, go here . “Ella” is available today on all streaming services here.

MyrkurFolkesangeRelapse RecordsMarch 20, 2020
Pre-Order Here

Track Listing

1 – Ella

2 – Fager som en Ros

3 – Leaves of Yggdrasil

4 – Ramund

5 – Tor i Helheim

6 – Svea

7 – Harpens Kraft

8 – Gammelkäring

9 – House Carpenter

10 – Reiar

11 – Gudernes ViljeVinter

Myrkur Live Dates:

07/09 – 07/11: Gefle, SE – Gefle Metal Festival

08/05 – 08/08: Jaroměř, CZ – Brutal Assault Festival

QUEENSRŸCHE, RATT, AND CHRIS JERICHO’S BAND FOZZY ARE SET TO JOIN KISS AS THEY CELEBRATE A DECADE AT SEA

The most popular Gold Record Award winning American group of all time and iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Famers KISS have once again partnered up with the industry leaders in music festivals at sea, Sixthman to announce the upcoming voyage of The KISS Kruise X. The KISS Navy will set sail for their tenth mission from Miami to Harvest Caye, Belize & Roatan, Honduras from October 30 – November 4, 2020 aboard Norwegian Pearl.

The announcement comes on the heels of 2019’s sold-out KISS Kruise IX, from where the band announced live onboard that their final show of all time will take place in July 2021. Fans can go to TheKissKruise.com for more information on pricing and availability. From KISS’s electrifying shows and exciting activities with each member of the band to autograph sessions with artists from the lineup and much more, the tenth adventure is sure to be an experience of a lifetime.

Beyond their onboard rock shows, KISS is bringing their rare memorabilia collection, the KISS Expo, back to the high seas. Additionally, Queensryche, Ratt, and Chris Jericho’s band Fozzy are set to join KISS as they celebrate a decade at sea with more to be announced in the near future.

A destination of her own, Norwegian Pearl offers guests Norwegian Cruise Line’s signature freedom and flexibility to enjoy 11 onboard bars and lounges, 15 dining experiences, a casino, one outdoor pool, hot tubs, and a full menu of spa treatments. Prices for the cruise start at $1,380 with flexible payment options available and a low deposit of $250 per person. 

Connect with the KISS Kruise at TheKissKruise.comand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #TheKISSKruise

Having released their most gripping album to date, I Loved You At Your Darkest, Behemoth return once again to spread the word of the unholy. On January 24th, the band releases the I Loved You At Your Darkest Tour Edition – an obsidian gem in their discography, including the I Loved You At Your Darkest track-listing with brand new, alternate artwork by Nicola Samori; plus, an exclusive BBC Radio 1 session and unreleased documentary, “Thou Darkest Art”, taken from the band’s career affirming art gallery exhibition in London last year.

Pre-order the I Loved You At The Darkest Tour Edition here: metalblade.com/behemoth

Today, the band has released an official music video for “Rom 5:8”. Behemoth comments: “To celebrate the monumental start of the Slipknot European tour – we proudly present the official video for ‘Rom 5:8’. Ready your voices, Legions, we shall need them!”

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/Uz5hTiDY48E

I Loved You At Your Darkest marked a milestone in the history of Behemoth, being not only the most successful album of the band, but also an audiovisual masterpiece: from its detailed, blasphemous artwork, to the highly vicious and at the same time deeply emotional tracks, Behemoth once again played with fire – and ignited a wildfire burning the narrowminded bigotry of Christianity down to the ground.

Last week, the band already released the digital Live At Maida Vale EP with exclusive tracks that were recorded during an BBC Radio 1 Session. Just like the atmospheric “Wolves Ov Siberia”: https://youtu.be/XAi3-_6imx8

Behemoth will be joining Slipknot on their European “We Are Not Your Kind Tour”, which kicks off tomorrow in Dublin. See below for all dates!

“We Are Not Your Kind” world tour – Europe & UK 2020
w/ Slipknot, Behemoth
Jan. 14 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Jan. 16 – Manchester, UK – Arena
Jan. 17 – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Jan. 18 – Glasgow, UK – The SSE Hydro *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 20 – Sheffield, UK – FlyDSA Arena
Jan. 21 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Jan. 22 – Cardiff, UK – Motorpoint Arena *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 24 – Birmingham, UK – Arena *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 25 – London, UK – The O2 *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 28 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 29 – Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle *SOLD OUT*
Jan. 30 – Paris, France – AccorHotels Arena
Feb. 1 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 2 – Lyon, France – Halle Tony-Garnier
Feb. 4 – Budapest, Hungary – Papp László Budapest Sportaréna
Feb. 6 – Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
Feb. 8 – Stuttgart, Germany – Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 9 – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 11 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum
Feb. 12 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
Feb. 14 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle
Feb. 16 – Hamburg, Germany – Barclaycard Arena *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 17 – Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena
Feb. 18 – Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 20 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
Feb. 21 – Stockholm, Sweden – Ericsson Globe *SOLD OUT*
Feb. 22 – Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena
Feb. 24 – Helsinki, Finland – Hartwall Arena *SOLD OUT*

The Crystal Coconut definitely granted ALESTORM fans their wish: the visionary world travelers have officially entered the recording studio and will return with their upcoming album, Curse of the Crystal Coconut, to be released via Napalm Records in summer 2020. This release will mark the band’s sixth studio album, and promises new anthems bursting with the chaotic energy ALESTORM fans have come to love. Prepare yourself for a level of epic symphonic folk metal insanity that no other band on the high seas could ever aim to touch!

ALESTORM’s latest album, No Grave But The Sea, was a worldwide success – reaching #1 on the US Heatseekers album charts, #14 on the German album charts and other top 20 placements in Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland and Belgium. Grab your best rum, take a swig and hold tight – further album details will be revealed soon (but let’s hope King K. Rool doesn’t steal the demos first).

ALESTORM on Curse of the Crystal Coconut:“Oh wow, humans of planet Earth! We’re super excited to announce that today we have entered Krabi Road Studios in Thailand to begin the recording of the 6^th ALESTORM album, which will be called Curse of the Crystal Coconut! We may or may not have stolen that title from Donkey Kong. Anyway, we’ll be here for the next 3 weeks recording 13-ish songs, some of which will be so absolutely terrible that they’ll never see the light of day. The ones that somehow turn out alright will be released on Napalm Records sometime in the early summer! LOTS OF UPDATES COMING SOON, stay tuned and we’ll tell you all about it.”

Catch ALESTORM on tour and get the chance to listen to some new songs!
21.02.20 ES – Madrid / La Rivera
20.03.20 AU – Melbourne / Download Festival
21.03.20 AU – Sydney / Download Festival
04.06.20 SE – Solvesborg / Sweden Rock
12.06.20 CH – Interlaken / Greenfield
14.06.20 US – Donington Park / Download Festival
19.06.20 BE – Dessel / Graspop Metal Meeting
20.06.20 FR – Clisson / Hellfest
03.07.20 ES – Barcelona / Rock Fest
04.07.20 IT – Villafranca di Verona / Rock The Castle
09.07.20 CZ – Vizovice / Masters of Rock
31.07.20 UA – Ternopil / Faine Misto
06.08.20 HR – Pula / Headbanger’s Holiday
08.08.20 NL – Leeuwarden / Into The Grave
14.08.20 DE – Dinkelsbühl / Summer Breeze
21.08.20 DE – Haddeby / Baltic Open Air
05.09.20 DE – Selb / Festival Medieval

Record-breaking rock juggernaut FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH are already having a happy new year as they release “Full Circle,” the electrifying second track from their highly  anticipated 8^th studio album F8, out February 28^th. “Full Circle” is the follow up track to the current hit single “Inside Out” (official music video) that crashed into the Top 10 shortly after its release. “Full Circle” is available now on all streaming platforms and fans who pre-order the album digitally will receive an instant download of “Full Circle” and “Inside Out” along with one more new track before the album release date. Listen to “Full Circle” here.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH have amassed over 3 billion streams to date, over 2 billion video views andare the 3^rd biggest artist in the hard rock space measured by total consumption (sales and streams) – surpassed only by Metallica and AC/DC. Building upon the already impressive achievements of 4 Platinum and 6 Gold records, the band will release their new album F8  in the following formats: CD, digital download, mastered for iTunes download, double gatefold vinyl and picture disc vinyl. F8 is available for pre-order  now, as well as special band-curated F8merchandise bundles of albums with exclusive t-shirts, hoodies and more.

The new album, F8 was produced by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with long time producer KEVIN CHURKO (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed, Slash, etc). 

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will embark on their nearly sold out European Arena Tour with special guest Megadeth, mid January, before continuing their U.S Arena tour in April 2020. The U.S. spring tour will feature special guests Papa Roach, I Prevail, as well as highly acclaimed newcomer Ice Nine Kills. For all dates, VIP and more info, please visit www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has become one of the most recognizable names in music. They frequently play all major festivals and sell out arenas around the world. Every record since the relase of their 2007 debut album The Way of the Fist, was certified Gold or Platinum by the RIAA.

The band has earned numerous awards and honors and is one of the few recipients of the prestigious Soldier Appreciation Award from the Association Of The United States Army. 

In 2019, the band collaborated with Brantley Gilbert, Brian May and Kenny Wayne Shepherd to release their version of the latter’s hit “Blue On Black,” now one of the Top 10-Selling Rock Songs of 2019, with proceeds from the track being donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation. Their eighth full length album, F8 will be released globally via Better Noise Music on February 28^th, 2020 and will undoubtedly raise the bar again.

Text “5FDP“ to 888 295 5337 (U.S. only) or sign up for the email list at Fivefingerdeathpunch.com to receive breaking FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH news!

California based Heart to Heart have signed with InVogue Records.

The band will be releasing a new single this month along with an EP in the coming months.

Quiet is nice. Quiet is comfortable. But quiet is dangerous, too — because quiet is the perfect disguise for a revolution.

Nick Zoppo knows this. Zoppo is the frontman of Heart to Heart, an energetic California rock quintet that formed a decade ago and has toured North America countless times. Even though the band cultivated a dedicated following and released two stellar full-lengths, Heart to Heart slowly receded from the music scene, laying mostly dormant the past few years. What made Zoppo put his passion on hold? His other passion: professional wrestling.

“In 2015, I moved to Chicago to train with WWE Superstar Seth Rollins,” Zoppo explains, “and three months turned into three-and-a-half years. In that time period, we were still playing a few shows and were still sending music ideas back and forth, it was just a little more tough with me being in the Midwest. I inevitably had to move back to California, and once I came back, we started rocking and rolling again.”

Zoppo’s alter ego, the “Outlandish Zicky Dice”, took the independent wrestling scene by storm, landing him bookings all across the world. Inspired by his character, Zoppo returned to Heart to Heart with a renewed passion, and his fellow bandmates — guitarist/vocalists Johnathan Hayes and Alex Lulow, bassist Justin Bratcher, and drummer AJ Wright — were just as excited to get to work.

The result is Heartbreaker, a six-song release that’s as musically aggressive as it is inherently melodic. It’s the kind of stuff that would stop you in your tracks at Warped Tour, or would make you open Shazam on your phone to identify the song if you overheard it coming from someone’s car stereo.

“Heartbreaker is a new, completely different, mature sound for Heart To Heart,” Zoppo says. “This record means the most to me, especially lyrically. I think of real pain in my life that I connect to music, and that’s what I draw on when writing lyrics.”

Look no further than Heartbreaker’s opening track, “Ø Love,” which finds Zoppo keenly observing, “We all learn from loss and pain and suffering.” Or check out “Someone Else,” which includes a potent bit of dialogue from Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Or just press “play” on standout track “Insufferable,” which sounds like the dissolving of a relationship in real time — and according to Zoppo, it was.

“It was literally what we were going through at the time,” he says. “I am telling the story as it happens — we were breaking up while I was in the studio. I’m speaking my mind and not holding anything back.”

It’s clear that Zoppo approaches each song as if it could be his last, using his lyrics as a way to directly speak his mind, no matter who may get caught in the crossfire. His approach may ruffle a few feathers (“I get texted from the subjects of songs sometimes,” he says with a chuckle), but it also allows for deeper bonds to be formed, as you can hear in the emotionally gripping “The (Q)uiet War,” a passionate song about mental health, which includes a real voicemail message from a musician friend of Zoppo’s who was near the point of ending his own life.

“You can just hear the true emotion and true pain in it,” he says of his friend’s confession, assuring that the friend is in a much better headspace now. “It’s a war inside your head daily. Even me — I play this character that’s full of himself in the wrestling ring, but I’m also trying to remember if I took my depression medication this morning. I like being a public figure that can talk about these things openly, and hopefully try to motivate someone else to remind them there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s completely okay to not be okay.”

Zoppo not is only constantly working on himself, he is also helping others — the singer/wrestler is currently working toward his masters degree in special education, and he makes time in his busy schedule to work in a special ed class as well. All of this goes into making Zoppo a surprisingly vulnerable frontman — but while vulnerability might shine through in the studio, once he gets onstage, all bets are off.

“When I would go onstage, I would be this character that eventually turned into Zicky Dice,” he says. “Angus Young from AC/DC used to say he would black out onstage, and I feel that’s the same for me. I’m all about entertaining the crowd. Yeah, they’re there to listen to music. But this is a chance to give them a performance. I look forward to sharing these songs with the world as an older, more mature me and a more mature band.”

With Heartbreaker, Heart To Heart are ready to reintroduce themselves to the world. They’re older and wiser, sure; they all carry a few more scars, both physical and emotional; but their musicianship is more advanced than it’s ever been, and they’re ready to kick the listener in the face, sonically speaking.

“We really took our time and tried a lot of different things we haven’t done musically before,” Zoppo says. “New vocal techniques, harmonies, guitar overlays… We were in the studio for months, because we knew Heartbreaker had to be something incredible. Everyone here has a lot of shit on the line. We all really want to be our best.”

Quiet has ended. A revolution is about to begin. Heart to Heart are ready for you. Are you ready for them?