Matt Montgomery aka Piggy D is probably best known for his work as the fanged four string player in Rob Zombie, a position he has helmed for over ten years. Matt’s latest project The Haxans is the culmination of three years of work which have resulted in the band’s debut full length “Party Monsters”. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Matt recently about the band, the albums creation and where things are at with the latest Rob Zombie album.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how The Haxans initially came together?

Matt Montgomery: This was an idea I had kicking around for some time. I had been working on music with a girl back and forth for years. At first we started by sending CD’s with ideas on them to each other through the mail. It was very archaic. We had two songs under The Haxans name but it was just never really a good fit as we both were going in different directions musically. I knew in order to do this the way I had envisioned it I was going to have to make a change. By chance I met Ash Costello at an awards show through a mutual friend and thought she would get what the project could be. We started hanging out and finding out what stuck musically and that’s when things really started to take shape and become something.

AL: Is the “Party Monsters” album made up of all new material or does it contain ideas from the bands earlier incarnation?

MM: We started recording three years ago. What came out first was “Three Hits From Hell”. That was us trying to find our footing and musical finger print. The oldest song which is still kicking around is “Black Cat Bones” which Ash and I reworked and it made it on to “Party Monsters”. We tried a whole bunch of things both new and old for this record. Its funny how one person’s energy can change the room as I would pull some of the older songs out that I was excited about but after working on them a little bit they just didn’t have the same feel I had hoped for. We really tried to go for what made us both excited and that’s the stuff that kept making it through the filters. There was a lot of material we went through but we went with what made the clearest statement of what the record and we as a band were about.

AL: How does working on a project like The Haxans compare to the work you do with Rob Zombie or some of your other previous groups?

MM: Going back to my work with Wednesday 13 what people saw of me with that group was basically just from a live stand point. I never wrote any riffs or lyrics with them. With Rob I have wrote a little but not very much. There has been I think two songs on two records in the time I have been with him. I played on all the records but I wasn’t the guy sitting around for months figuring out where all the riffs would go. In a way “Party Monsters” is the first thing I have done since my first solo record that I did a long time ago. This album is in a way my first music statement since being a part of groups like Amen, Wednesday 13 and Rob Zombie.

AL: Can you tell us about the most recent video you filmed for the song “Young Blood”?

MM: This is our fifth video as a group and fourth for this album as we have done videos for “Vampira”, “Dirty Magic”, “Black Cat Bone” and “Lights Out” as well. We actually shot five videos in three days. “Young Blood” was shot during the first half of one of those days. We knew visually what we wanted for that one. I directed the last four videos and that made things easier as I knew what shots I wanted to get and where I wanted the camera. I only had to be in one so the rest of the time I was making sure we got coverage of everyone else. We story boarded everything beforehand but we still had to hurry to get everything done.

AL: How did you go about choosing which five songs were going to get video treatments?

MM: That was tough. You just have to listen through the songs and get everyone’s input as to which might be the ones to choose. Of course everyone has their own opinions so it can make things be a bit all over the place. The feedback I got from those who heard the songs all mentioned the songs we shot so we decided to start with those ones.

AL: Have there been any talks to do some live performances of this material?

MM: There has been a lot of talk about doing shows and we have made a few attempts however nothing has come together just yet. We were looking at options to tour in the first quarter of 2018 however schedules just are going to match up. Touring sort of goes hand and hand with why this record took three years to make. Ash and I are these two whirling tornadoes that randomly collided and that’s what we are trying to contain which is just impossible. (Laughs)

AL: Can you give us a quick update on where things are at with the new Rob Zombie album and anything else you might have in the works for 2018?

MM: I have heard things and it’s fucking nuts! It’s really awesome and that’s about all I am going to say. There is a lot of material and things are still in the demo stage so I have yet to go in and play my parts just yet. As for what else is in store for 2018 I am not sure. You would think after being in bands for so long the last thing I would want to do at my age is start another band but, I might, maybe I will start two! There are a lot of things on the list that have been there for some time but I think it’s that way for everyone. We will just have to wait and see.

Joe Bonamassa
Thursday, November 16th, 2017
State Theater, Ithaca, NY

Our score: 3 out of 5 stars

Guitar virtuoso and area native Joe Bonamassa brought his smoking brand of blues to the bustling college town of Ithaca, NY on November 16th performing to a near capacity crowd inside the historic 1,600 seat venue where JB and company let the music do the talking.

The guitarist and his band took the stage promptly at 8pm without the aid of an opening act as on this night it would be all JB. The band quickly got down to business opening up the set with “The Train” and quickly moving on to tracks such as “Blues Desperation” and “How Deep This River Runs” all of which earned the group large rounds of applause. As the set progressed further into the evening Bonamassa and company began to stretch their legs with covers of Albert King’s “I Get Evil” and “Angel of Mercy” and Led Zeppelins “Boogie With Stu” and “How Many More Times” which would close out the night’s performance. The front-man provided little to no banter between he and the crowd aside from band introductions which gave a nod to the stellar backing band which currently consists of drummer Anton Fig, bassist Michael Rhodes, keyboardist Reese Wynan’s and several other impressive players.

At times I did find the veteran blues player to be a bit cold and stand offish to the crowd and to his band however it did not seem to put a damper on the night’s festivities. Before the last note rang out it was clear that everyone within the two level theater seemed to be having a great time and enjoyed every minute of the night’s performance. The tour runs through mid December so there is still plenty of time to catch of these great performances.

Set List:
1.) The Train
2.) Mountain Climbing
3.) Blues of Desperation
4.) No Good Place for the Lonely
5.) How Deep This River Runs
6.) Breaking Up Someone’s Home
7.) I Get Evil
8.) Angel of Mercy
9.) Slow Train
10.) Driving Towards the Daylight
11.) Boogie with Stu
12.) Last Kiss
13.) How Many More Times

Final Cross-Country Run of The Vans Warped Tour
Will Take Place in 2018

Farewell Tour Celebrates Historic Legacy With Nods Toward
25th Anniversary In 2019

Read the Official Statement from Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman
www.vanswarpedtour.com

Read the Exclusive Interview with Lyman and Vans Vice President of Events and Promotions,
Steve Van Doren on Billboard.com

November 15, 2017 – Los Angeles, CA – The Vans Warped Tour, widely known as one of the most successful and longest running festivals of its kind, will have its final cross country run in 2018. It will mark the tour’s 24th year on the road. “I have been a very lucky person to have traveled across the country and sometimes around the world as one of the founders and producers of the Vans Warped Tour, and today with many mixed feelings, I am here to announce that the last full cross-country run will take place in 2018” shared Lyman in the official statement. To read Kevin’s full statement, click here:

Billboard.com exclusively interviewed Kevin Lyman and Steve Van Doren on the decision and plans for the future. Read it here: 

Dates for the 2018 tour have been revealed. See them in full at http://vanswarpedtour.com/2017/finaltour

While the lineup has not been announced, fans have seen artists like Blink-182, Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, NOFX, Green Day, The Used, Paramore, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Machine Gun Kelly, The Black Eyed Peas, My Chemical Romance, Neck Deep, Pierce The Veil and more take the Warped Tour stage over the years. The final summer will not disappoint

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BLACK VEIL BRIDES RELEASE NEW SONG “WHEN THEY CALL MY NAME”
NEW ALBUM VALE OUT JANUARY 12, 2018, PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE TODAY
NORTH AMERICAN CO-HEADLINE TOUR DATES WITH ASKING ALEXANDRIA KICKS OFF IN JANUARY

NEW YORK, NY (November 3, 2017) — Today, BLACK VEIL BRIDES release new song “When They Call My Name” off their highly anticipated fifth full length album, VALE [LAVA/Republic Records].

Listen to “When They Call My Name” Here!

After quietly fueling fan anticipation over the past month, BLACK VEIL BRIDES share the details for their anxiously awaited fifth full-length album, VALE [LAVA/Republic Records]—available, January 12, 2018. Pre-Order VALE Here!

The official pre-order grants fans immediate downloads of the first three songs to be released off VALE, “My Vow,” “The Outsider,” and now “When They Call My Name.” Listen to “My Vow” Here and “The Outsider” Here!

Produced by longtime collaborator John Feldmann [blink-182, Panic! At the Disco], VALE sees BLACK VEIL BRIDES sharpen their signature sound to knife point precision.

The band hits the road on January 10th, 2018 for their North American co-headline tour with Asking Alexandria in Salt Lake City and will hit major markets across the country including New York’s Terminal 5 on February 8th and more! Tickets & VIP Packages are on-sale now. Check out the full itinerary below and purchase tickets here!

To keep in touch with the band, join the new BVB ARMY and be the first to get news by Text Message! Sign up at www.BVBARMY.com OR Text BVBV to 856-282-2769

BLACK VEIL BRIDES have shocked and electrified modern rock back to life. Their critically acclaimed self-titled fourth album, Black Veil Brides, bowed in the Top of the Billboard Top 200 and received “Album of the Year” at the 2015 Alternative Press Music Awards. It followed up 2013’s Wretched and Divine, which crashed the Top 200 at #7 and yielded the signature smash “In The End” proclaimed “Song of the Year” at the Revolver Golden God Awards. Playing to millions of rabid fans worldwide, they’ve ignited festivals such as Download and Rock on the Range and been tapped for high-profile tours with Avenged Sevenfold, Slash, Mötley Crüe, Hollywood Undead, and more.

Tour Dates:
1/10 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
1/11 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
1/12 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
1/13 St. Paul, MN Myth Live
1/15 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
1/17 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE – Indoor
1/18 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live
1/19 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club Stage
1/20 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
2/2 Worcester, MA Palladium
2/3 Portland, ME State Theatre
2/4 Montreal, QC M Telus
2/5 Toronto, ON Rebel
2/7 Norfolk, VA The NorVa
2/8 New York, NY Terminal 5
2/9 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
2/10 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
2/12 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
2/13 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works
2/14 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
2/16 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Live
2/17 Houston, TX House of Blues
2/19 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
2/20 Tempe, AZ The Marquee
2/22 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
2/23 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
2/24 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
2/25 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre
2/27 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Concert House
3/1 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Theatre
3/2 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

Anthrax and Killswitch Engage To Mount Epic Sequel With “KillThrax II”

SiriusXM Will Present All Dates

“‘Evil Dead II.’ ‘Dawn of the Dead.’ ‘The Godfather: Part 2.’ ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ All sequels that are better than the original. Add ‘KillThrax II’ to that list. Back by popular demand, KillThrax is coming at ya again my friends.” — Scott Ian, Anthrax

What do you do when you’ve co-headlined one of the hottest metal touring packages of 2017? Well, like any rock band that cares about its fans, you do it again, but you take it to the places that missed out the first time. And that’s exactly what metalcore masterminds Killswitch Engage and legendary thrash/metal masters Anthrax are announcing today — “KillThrax II,” a 29-city tour of North America presented by SiriusXM that kicks off January 25 in Montreal, Canada and will zig-zag across the continent to wind up in Portland, ME on March 4.

Confirmed tour dates are below. Go here for all ticket and purchasing options.

Havok will serve as the opening act for the entire tour.

Said Anthrax’s Frank Bello, “After playing so many amazing shows last year with our friends Killswitch Engage, I’m psyched for round two of KillThrax, and we’re adding Havok to the heaviness!!” Added Charlie Benante, “The shows were great, the audiences were great, and we all felt great about the whole thing, so why not do it again?”

“We are looking forward to the next leg of the ‘KillThrax’ tour,” said KsE singer Jesse Leach. “We had a blast on the first one and we enjoyed sharing the stage with the humble legends Anthrax! There is such a synergy between the two bands and a certain unity that is infectious, so it was a no brainer to put this package back together and hit the road. It’s an honor and we are excited for these shows, the fans, and the good times! KillThrax is gearing up for round two, so let’s keep the party rolling!”

As with the inaugural KillThrax tour, Killswitch Engage and Anthrax will rotate the show’s closing slot on KillThrax II. Fans can also expect a night of high energy, musical ferocity and sheer intensity, and what one reviewer called “an incredible night of live music with heavy hitters that provided hours of escape into metal bliss.”

Confirmed dates for KillThrax II are below.

JANUARY
25 Metropolis, Montreal, QC
26 London Music Hall, London, TN
27 Sherman Theatre, Stoudsburg, PA
28 The National, Richmond, VA
30 Janus Landing, Tampa, FL
31 The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC

FEBRUARY
2 Club Stage @ Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
3 Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN
5 Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN
6 Iron City Music Hall, Birmingham, AL
8 Concrete Street Music Hall, Corpus Christi, TX
9 Lonstar Pavillion, Lubbock, TX
10 Criterion, Oklahoma City, OK
11 El Rey Theater, Albuquerque, NM
13 House of Blues, San Diego, CA
14 House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
16 Revolution, Boise, ID
17 Knitting Factory, Spokane, WA
19 The Ranch, Edmonton, AB
20 Revolution Place Casino, Grande Prairie, AB
21 Mac Hall, Calgary, AB
23 Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
24 Skyway Theatrer, Minneapolis, MN
25 Anthem @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Sioux City, IA
27 The Forge, Joliet, IL

MARCH
1 Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD
2 The Dome, Rochester, NY
3 Palladium, Worcester, MA
4 State Theater, Portland, ME

“The Blood of Gods”
GWAR
Metal Blade Records
Producer: Ronan Chris Murphy
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The story of GWAR is one that has been carved across the history of this barren and hopeless planet and continues on with the group’s latest offering “The Blood of Gods”. The bands 14th studio album is nothing less than a sacred text chronicling the rise of humanity against their makers, and the massive battle between GWAR and the forces of all that is uptight and wrong with the world. Over the course of the albums 12 tracks the band challenges the sins of their great mistake, from politics, pollution, and organized religion, to fast food, and factory farming. Humans are shown as what they are; a parasitical disease that must be eradicated before they suck the planet dry. “The Blood of Gods” is a sonic scar…a question asked and answered…Death cannot kill GWAR!

With the passing of GWAR front man Dave Brockie aka Oderus Urungus in 2014 many a bohabs questioned the future of the band. Thankfully the band forged on with the addition of former bassist Michael Bishop stepping up to the mic in the form of Blothar the Berserker. Though the transition caused some to start the #BlotharRuinedGwar movement the band took everything in stride allowing three years to pass before giving fans a true taste of the newly helmed GWAR. “The Blood of Gods” is a fresh take on an old favorite that will undoubtedly have some bohabs up in arms. The twelve track offering from the costume clad space aliens is made up of a variety of styles ranging from the Slayer esque “Auroch” to the catchy “I’ll Be Your Monster” (think early Motorhead). Other notable tracks include the Michael Derks (Balsac) penned “Fuck This Place” and in my opinion one of the best GWAR tracks to come out in the last fifteen years “Phantom Limb”, a haunting tribute to the bands fallen leader which details the bands doubts and insecurities while trying to satisfy a looming presence.

“The Blood of Gods” is a fresh and fitting entry into the GWAR mythos that showcases the determination of a band and its members to move past events that would end lesser groups. I will save all the “This doesn’t sound like Oderus” listeners the trouble as No! This does NOT sound like Oderus and that is ok because it’s not nor is it trying to. Each track on “The Blood of Gods” is a blending of styles which cement a new foundation for GWAR as they continue forward on their quest. Over the course of the albums twelve tracks listeners get a variety of new material which is sprinkled with familiarity making for a really an enjoyable listen.

Track Listing:
1.) War on Gwar
2.) Viking Death Machine
3.) El Presidente
4.) I’ll Be Your Monster
5.) Auroch
6.) Swarm
7.) The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo
8.) Death to Dickie Duncan
9.) Crushed By the Cross
10.) Fuck This Place
11.) Phantom Limb
12.) If You Want Blood (You Got It) **AC/DC Cover**

The hotly anticipated rock event of the year returns, as Brit Floyd brings the music of Pink Floyd to life once again with its lavish new stage show, ‘Pink Floyd Immersion World Tour 2017’. The spectacle of a Pink Floyd concert experience is truly recaptured in high-definition sound, and with a stunning million dollar light show and state of the art video design.

Media Mikes is teaming up with Brit Floyd to give TWO fans a chance to attend the band’s upcoming stop in Orlando, FL at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on November 19th. If you are interested in winning this pair of tickets, Let us know via our contact us page with your favorite Pink Floyd song. Winners will be chosen at random on November 1st, 2017. One entry per person per household. Good luck!

The hotly anticipated rock event of the year returns, as Brit Floyd brings the music of Pink Floyd to life once again with its lavish new stage show, ‘Pink Floyd Immersion World Tour 2017’. The spectacle of a Pink Floyd concert experience is truly recaptured in high-definition sound, and with a stunning million dollar light show and state of the art video design.

As well as performing the favorite moments from The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall and The Division Bell, Brit Floyd will also pay special tribute to the Animals album, in its 40th anniversary year, with a show stopping rendition of ‘Dogs’, as well as a host of other Pink Floyd musical gems. The Brit Floyd show has truly become a phenomenon, widely regarded as the world’s greatest live tribute to Pink Floyd. Faithfully recreating the scale and pomp of the final 1994 Division Bell tour, complete with circle screen and multiple moving light design, lasers, inflatables and theatrics, a Brit Floyd show really is as close as fans will ever get to experiencing the magnificence of a Pink Floyd show live.   More than a tribute, it’s as good as they say. Believe the hype and don’t miss it!  The new ‘Pink Floyd Immersion’ show promises to be Brit Floyd’s most ambitious and best production yet.

Tour dates:
Wed 1 Nov Johnstown PA Cambria War Memorial Arena
Thu 2 Nov Shippensburg PA Luhrs Performing Arts Center
Fri 3 Nov Atlantic City NJ The Event Center at Borgata
Sat 4 Nov Hamilton ON First Ontario Concert Hall
Mon 6 Nov London ON RBC Theatre at Budweiser Gardens
Tue 7 Nov Wilkes-Barre PA Kirby Center
Wed 8 Nov Providence RI VETS
Fri 10 Nov New Brunswick NJ State Theatre
Sat 11 Nov Manchester NH Verizon Arena
Sun 12 Nov Huntington NY Paramount Theatre
Mon 13 Nov Lynn MA Memorial Auditorium
Tue 14 Nov Reading PA Santander Performing Arts Center
Thu 16 Nov Charlotte NC Ovens Auditorium
Sat 18 Nov Augusta GA The Bell Auditorium
Sun 19 Nov Orlando FL Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Mon 20 Nov Tallahassee The Pavilion at The Centre of Tallahassee
Tue 21 Nov Knoxville TN Tennessee Theatre
Fri 24 Nov Tulsa OK Brady Theatre
Sat 25 Nov Pueblo CO Memorial Hall
Sun 26 Nov Casper WY Events Center
Tue 28 Nov Regina Conexus Arts Centre
Wed 29 Nov Calgary AB Jack Singer Concert Hall
Thu 30 Nov Edmonton AB Winspear Centre
Sat 2 Dec Kamloops BC Sandman Centre
Sun 3 Dec Prince George BC CN Centre
Tue 5 Dec Vancouver BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Wed 6 Dec Bellingham WA Mount Baker Theatre
Thu 7 Dec Spokane WA Fox Theatre
Sat 9 Dec Yakima WA The Capitol Theatre
Sun 10 Dec Boise ID Morrison Center
Mon 11 Dec Eugene OR Hult Center

GWAR fans were first introduced to Blothar the Berserker in 2014 when he returned to Earth shortly after the death of Oderus Urungus. Since that time Blothar has cemented himself as the formidable leader of the crack addicted space aliens from Scumdogia. On October 20th the band will release their 14th studio album titled “The Blood of Gods” via Metal Blade Records. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Blothar recently about  the new album, the bands upcoming fall tour and which celebrities they have in their sites to slay.

Adam Lawton: The band recently wrapped up its debut appearance on this summer’s Warped Tour can you tell us a little bit about that?

Blothar: It was miserably hot! With us coming from Antarctica and being over a million years old it wasn’t exactly a glory gig getting dressed in a semi truck and then exposing ourselves to a whole new group of young people. Despite all the annoyances and high level of venereal diseases that were flying around we did it. We had trouble even getting good drugs out of these kids. What is ecstasy anyways? I don’t want drugs to make me feel good. I want drugs to amplify my misery! It was however a delight to see all the innocent faces upturned and the light drain from their eyes as they witnessed something they had never seen before and possibly never will see again. It’s always fun to play to a crowd who has never seen us before so it was a good time.

AL: Gwar’s new album “The Blood of Gods” will be your first full length recording with the band. What do you think you were able to bring to the album?

Blothar: Without Oderus we knew we had to do something different. If we had just gone and done the same thing we knew it would probably come off as a cheap imitation. There are things that Oderus did that were wonderful and they were his so, for us to try and recapture that was much less interesting. Gwar has always been a group effort. When Oderus was around people could work behind the scenes and not be visible as Oderus’s role in the band was to be the front man and be seen. Now that he is gone there is room for everyone who helped create this project to become more known. Everyone in the band has risen to the occasion beyond anything I could have imagined. Who knew Balsac was such a great lyricist. That guy knows the Gwar voice better than anyone. Oderus was a great writer and his songs were jammed full of words and phrases. I made a deliberate choice to scale back on the lyrics and let the sounds be the focal point.  I mainly wanted to add the hooks and melody. This is definitely a different approach from the last few Gwar albums. That’s not to say they never had these types of elements but I think this album has more of those things and the music has more space.

AL: Was coming up with a new style part of the reason an album featuring you took so long to complete?

Blothar: Yes. We had to find a way to be able to make music without Oderus. We went down a few different paths before we got to where we are with this album. There was also a lot of material that was created during this time. We needed to focus on eight songs that seemed to have what it took to be a Gwar record in order to make the best record we possibly could. A lot of material came very last minute which tends to be fairly typical. Between April and May we wrote a lot of the music. Once we figured out what we were doing and how it was supposed to go that’s when things took off. Prior to all of this the band was very distracted with lots of other things aside from having to work without the guy who had such an important vision. We didn’t know how to deal with the massive hole that was left and it took awhile to figure everything out.

AL: The first single released from the record was titled “Fuck This Place”. With Gwar having been around for millions of years now why have you just decided to say fuck this place?

Blothar: Gwar has always been this sort of cosmic Gilligan’s Island. We are stuck on this planet that we can’t get off and the few times we have gotten off we get sucked right back in. “Fuck This Place” I think is in some ways like all the rest Gwar being in the wilderness. We are looking around and now that Oderus is gone things look a lot different. Balsac wrote this song because he just didn’t like what he saw anymore.

AL: The album also features a cover of AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood”. Was this the bands idea or just another trick by manager Sleazy P. Martini to try and make more money off the fans?

Blothar: When you do a cover really you are not making any money for yourself. Sleazy doesn’t like that so he had AC/DC killed and replaced by animatronic puppets. As a result we now collect all of their publishing. What Sleazy wants is important and the theme of us dealing with corporatization is all across the new album. We did the first recording of this song for the AV Club. I think that recording is actually a much better vocal performance that what ended up on the album. I wish we did that first version now. (Laughs) It’s a tough song to sing. Like most AC/DC songs its bit ridiculous as you don’t really know what it’s about.

AL: The band heads back out on the road the same day the album releases (Oct. 20). Who has the band decided to kill this time around?

Blothar: People keep expecting the Trump family to show up. Maybe they will? It would be nice to just move through all of them at one time. He does have a lot of kids though. Sawborg Destructo has been making some noise lately so he might show but, as far as celebrities goes aside from Trump I’m not sure. That guy we found out is immortal. We have been ripping his guts out every night and he keeps coming back for more! We can’t figure out a way to keep him down.

AL: Do you think “Blood of Gods” will finally silence the #BlotharRuinedGwar movement?

Blothar: No! It’s not going to silence it. What it is going to do is kick it into overdrive. That’s what I am expecting it to do anyways. This album is polarizing and people are going to either like it or not like it. Gwar has such an immense history that musically it’s difficult because people will hear this record and hear things they maybe haven’t heard since “This Toilet Earth”. At the same time you have people who will listen and there experience from the band has been from “Violence Has Arrived” on and they are expecting a more metal sound. “Blood of Gods” is somewhere in between. It definitely is a lot different as compared to the group’s last three albums.

BLACK VEIL BRIDES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM VALE OUT JANUARY 12, 2018, PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE TODAY UNLEASHES TWO NEW SONGS “MY VOW” & “THE OUTSIDER”

BAND ANNOUNCES BVB ARMY PHONE NUMBER FOR FANS

NORTH AMERICAN CO-HEADLINE TOUR DATES WITH ASKING ALEXANDRIA ON SALE TODAY

NEW YORK, NY (September 29, 2017) — After quietly fueling fan anticipation over the past month, BLACK VEIL BRIDES share the details for their anxiously awaited fifth full-length album, VALE [LAVA/Republic Records]—available, January 12, 2018. Pre-Order VALE Here!

The official pre-order grants fans immediate downloads of the first two songs to be released off VALE, “My Vow” and “The Outsider” which was released online last year. Listen to “My Vow” Here and “The Outsider” Here!

Produced by longtime collaborator John Feldmann [blink-182, Panic! At the Disco], VALE sees BLACK VEIL BRIDES sharpen their signature sound to knife point precision.

On the album, front man Andy Biersack stated: “We cannot wait for the BVB army to hear VALE in its entirety! In my opinion, this record is the most complete and exciting album we have done to date. The opportunity to work with John Feldmann once again over the course of the past 2 years creating VALE was an incredible experience and I am thrilled with the collection of songs we have put together as a band. The Latin translation of VALE is “be well, be strong!” and central to the message of this record. We hope to continue to inspire our fans and friends to embrace their own individuality and inner strength. The central narrative once again finds “The Wild Ones” characters facing the challenge of moving on from the pain and anguish of their past and looking to a new chapter in their lives. This concept is one that is near to my heart and I believe will resonate with those that find themselves cast on the fringe of society. From our inception Black Veil Brides have stood up for the outcasts and disenfranchised, with this album as hope to give you hope, fun and most importantly a kick ass rock and roll record.

The band hits the road on January 10th, 2018 for their North American co-headline tour with Asking Alexandria in Salt Lake City and will hit major markets across the country including New York’s Terminal 5 on February 8th and more! Tickets are on-sale now. Check out the full itinerary below and purchase tickets here!

This week, the band announced an official BVB Army phone number as a new way for fans to keep up with the group. Join the new BVB ARMY and be the first to get news by Text Message! Sign up at www.BVBARMY.com OR Text BVBV to 856-282-2769

Get ready for the band’s biggest year yet.

Tour Dates:
1/10 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
1/11 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
1/12 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
1/13 St. Paul, MN Myth Live
1/15 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
1/17 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE – Indoor
1/18 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live
1/19 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club Stage
1/20 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
2/2 Worcester, MA Palladium
2/3 Portland, ME State Theatre
2/4 Montreal, QC M Telus
2/5 Toronto, ON Rebel
2/7 Norfolk, VA The NorVa
2/8 New York, NY Terminal 5
2/9 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
2/10 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
2/12 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
2/13 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works
2/14 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
2/16 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Live
2/17 Houston, TX House of Blues
2/19 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
2/20 Tempe, AZ The Marquee
2/22 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
2/23 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
2/24 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
2/25 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre
2/27 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Concert House
3/1 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Theatre
3/2 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

BLACK VEIL BRIDES ANNOUNCE MASSIVE 2018 CO-HEADLINE TOUR WITH ASKING ALEXANDRIA
TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH

NEW YORK, NY (September 26, 2017) — BLACK VEIL BRIDES are back. To launch into 2018, the Los Angeles rock powerhouse will embark on a North American co-headline tour with Asking Alexandria kicking off January 10 at The Complex in Salt Lake City, UT, rolling through major markets coast to coast, and concluding in Sin City Las Vegas, NV at House of Blues on March 2.

Crown The Empire will act as support on all dates. Tickets are go on sale on Friday, September 29th. Get them HERE. Check out the full itinerary below.

BLACK VEIL BRIDES remain synonymous with explosive live performance. Be sure to catch them on this run!

BLACK VEIL BRIDES have shocked and electrified modern rock back to life. Their critically acclaimed self-titled fourth album, Black Veil Brides, bowed in the Top of the Billboard Top 200 and received “Album of the Year” at the 2015 Alternative Press Music Awards. It followed up 2013’s Wretched and Divine, which crashed the Top 200 at #7 and yielded the signature smash “In The End” proclaimed “Song of the Year” at the Revolver Golden God Awards. Playing to millions of rabid fans worldwide, they’ve ignited festivals such as Download and Rock on the Range and been tapped for high-profile tours with Avenged Sevenfold, Slash, Mötley Crüe, Hollywood Undead, and more.

Tour Dates:
1/10 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
1/11 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
1/12 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
1/13 St. Paul, MN Myth Live
1/15 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
1/17 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE – Indoor
1/18 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live
1/19 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club Stage
1/20 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
2/2 Worcester, MA Palladium
2/3 Portland, ME State Theatre
2/4 Montreal, QC M Telus
2/5 Toronto, ON Rebel
2/7 Norfolk, VA The NorVa
2/8 New York, NY Terminal 5
2/9 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
2/10 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
2/12 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
2/13 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works
2/14 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
2/16 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Live
2/17 Houston, TX House of Blues
2/19 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
2/20 Tempe, AZ The Marquee
2/22 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
2/23 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
2/24 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
2/25 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre
2/27 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Concert House
3/1 San Francisco, CA The Warfield Theatre
3/2 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

10 Years presents lead video for the song “Novacaine” in front of new album “(how to live) AS GHOSTS” coming October 27.

Pre-Order Link:
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/10yearsmusic

ABOUT 10 YEARS
10 Years has come a long way since their inception in 1999. The band landed a deal with Universal/Republic Records on the strength of their two independent releases, 2001’s Into the Half Moon and 2004’s Killing All That Holds You. Their major label debut, 2005’s The Autumn Effect, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album chart thanks to their breakthrough hit, “Wasteland,” which topped Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, and “Through the Iris,” which hit No. 20 on Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. The band followed that success with 2008’s Division, featuring co-production work from Rick Parashar (Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam). The album peaked at No. 12 on The Billboard 200 and spawned the hit “Beautiful,” which reached No. 6 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. The momentum continued with 2010’s Feeding the Wolves, which was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, 3 Doors Down) and bowed at No. 17 on The Billboard 200, while the single, “Shoot It Out,” peaked at No. 6 on Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and spent 25 weeks on the chart. The group, which toured the world with such rock greats at Linkin Park, Korn, and Deftones, went back to their indie roots with 2012’s Minus the Machine on their own Palehorse Records, which was part of Warner Music Label Group. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Hard Rock Albums chart, No. 8 on the Top Rock Albums chart, and No. 26 on The Billboard 200.

Dates:
10/13 Knoxville, TN Mill & Mine, +
10/14 Winchester, VA Blue Fox Billiards <
10/15 Morgantown, WV Schmitt’s <
10/17 Pittsburgh, PA Diesel *
10/19 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Club *
10/20 Lynchburg, VA Phase 2 *
10/21 New York, NY Highline Ballroom *
10/23 Greensboro, NC The Blind Tiger *
10/25 Darlington, SC Carolina Night Live *
10/26 Atlanta, GA Masquerade *
10/27 Destin, FL Club LA 99 Rock show w/ Pop Evil *
10/28 Cape Coral, FL Dixie Roadhouse – 93X show w/ Pop Evil *
10/29 Orlando, FL House of Blues *
10/31 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre *
11/02 Lexington, KY Manchester Music Hall *
11/03 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s *
11/04 Sauget, IL Pop’s *
11/05 Joliet, IL The Forge *
11/07 Kansasville, WI 1175 *
11/08 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall *
11/10 Ft. Wayne, IN Piere’s *
11/11 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue *
11/28 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works =
11/29 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen =
12/01 Dallas, TX Southside Ballroom =
12/02 Houston, TX Revention Music Center =
12/04 Birmingham, AL Iron City =
12/05 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore Charlotte =
12/06 Raleigh, NC The Ritz =
12/11 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live =
12/14 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre =
12/17 Chicago, IL House of Blues =

* Co-Headline dates with RED
< Headline w/ Otherwise supporting
+ 10 Years headline
= Supporting Chevelle

Links:
http://10yearsmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/10yearsmusic/

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Matt Bachand is probably best known for his work with the heavy metal band Shadows Fall however since 2014 he has been a member of the band Act of Defiance which features former Megadeth members Shawn Drover and Chris Broderick along with former Scar the Martyr front man Henry Derek. The band is set to release their second full length album titled “Old Scars, New Wounds” and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Matt about the release, his switch to bass guitar and the plans prospective tour plans.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us a little bit about the band’s new album “Old Scars, New Wounds”?

Matt Bachand: Everything was different for us this time around with this record. With the first record Chris and Shawn wrote a majority of the album and they did it pretty quickly. They went from not having a band at all to having a record out in a matter of months. When I came in the material was pretty much done. I did write some bass lines around things which was a bit different from me but it was fun to be doing something different. This time around we had a good chunk of time to work the material and provide input. We all wrote a bunch of stuff for the album and you can definitely tell that this is a band no and not just a project.

AL: Can you talk about the decision to record separately from one another?

MB: That was done more by necessity than anything. We didn’t have a budget that would allow us all to travel and stay in one place while we recorded so we worked on things in each of our own locations. With all of us living in different parts of the country the cost would have been astronomical just for travel not to mention studio time. Once everything was done we sent it to Dave Otero for mixing and after a few tweaks everything was sounding good. Dave was awesome to work with and gave us a great sounding product.

AL: What has the transition from guitar to bass been like for you?

MB: I had known Shawn for a long time going back to when Shadows Fall toured with King Diamond and he was a tech for them. He knew I played bass in a cover band around where I am from and also knew that Shadows Fall was going to be taking a break for awhile so they gave me a call. Even though I had played bass in a cover band I had never really written music from a bass perspective. I think part of the appeal for me in wanting to do this was it was something different from what I had been doing. On that first record I was basically just writing and playing around what had already been written. I was focusing on now being apart of the percussion section as opposed to just riffing. With the bass playing off of what the drums are doing I really wanted to make sure I locked in with Shawn first.

AL: What are the plans for the band to tour behind the release?

MB: We are trying to pull some things together as we speak. We had a few things lined up but unfortunately they have fallen through so we are working as quickly as we can to remedy the situation. In the mean time we are working on some play through videos and things like that to keep things moving and to keep everyone involved with the band.

AL: Has there been any talk of Shadows Fall coming out of hiatus any time soon?

MB: Everyone is super busy right now so we haven’t really talked about it. Jason is playing with Overkill and Jon is with Anthrax and I am doing this project so everyone has a lot going on right now. A couple other guys in the band have families now so we have to figure out the timing. After 20 years of being in a band life eventually gets in the way so everyone has slowed down. Nothing is out of the question for us to play again it just has to be the right time for everyone.

For more info on Act of Defiance visit https://www.facebook.com/actofdefiancemusic/

Michale Graves is a singer/actor who first burst onto the music scene as the front-man for the mid 1990’s reincarnation of the seminal punk rock band The Misfits. Since his departure from the group Michale has enjoyed a successful solo career and appeared in a number of different short film projects. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Michale about his career and his recently announced “Beginning of the End” tour which has him and his band revisiting all aspects on the singers 20+ year music career.

Adam Lawton: What was going on with the Misfits at the time of your departure?

Michale Graves: There was a lot going which led up to the bands break up in Orlando. There were a lot of things going on that were dysfunctional for the band. Looking back having been removed from the situation for almost 20 years now, I was a difficult young man to deal with at times. Here I am the lead singer of one of the most influential/popular punk rock band of all time. I was difficult at times. With that being said I contributed an awful lot of work to that bands vision, soul and direction. I was very much a huge reason the team we started off as was experiencing so much success. After the “American Psycho” album especially I wasn’t really being respected for what I brought to the band. I was being treated like and unruly, bothersome kid. If I said something that wasn’t liked I was told that if I didn’t like what was going on I could go home as there were a 100 people willing to take my place. That didn’t make me feel very special. That was a very disrespectful place for those core guys to take. Things were a real mess at the end. Guys didn’t talk or stand up for each so everyone was practically alienated from one another. We weren’t a team anymore with the same goal in mind. Things were just a mess. I decided to give it all up so I could keep my integrity and not be some sort of yes man for a thing I helped build. Everything aside when the four of us were together we were a great band. When we were a unit we working together we were great! It’s sad and unfortunate that things drove us apart.

AL: After the Misfits you started a solo career and also working with other artists such as Marky Ramone. What was it like being out from under a band and being able to do your own thing?

MG: It was very tough at first. I worked with Dr. Chud still for a bit after we left the Misfits but it was hard. That was a starting over point for me. By the time I started working with Marky I very confident in my ability and I was in great shape. I had it in my mind that there was no other person aside from Joey that could sing those songs as good as me. That was a highlight of my career for sure. Getting to perform and talk with Marky was just great. To be around that crew was very special. I remember when all those guys were alive and still the Ramones. Being from New Jersey I was in the same circle as all those guys. They were always around so all those years later to be the guy with Marky and be privy to certain conversations it was an incredible time for me. We were a great band.

AL: In April you released your first live DVD titled “Black Thorn 51 Live” can you tell us about that?

MG: We filmed that in Queens, NY as a three piece. Mikey Pain is playing bass and Tony Baptist is on drums. There had been a shortage of high quality, high produced videos of us performing that I felt like we needed to put something out. We taped the show and after listening to it we felt it sounded really good so we pulled the trigger. This is the tip of the iceberg for what is coming. Right now I am focusing on a major uptick in video production and content across my social sites including my new official site that is being built. There’s going to be a lot more content coming out. I am feeling a momentum with my career right now that making for an exciting time. A lot of my stuff has been very scattered which I think has made it harder for people to grasp what I am doing so I am working on consolidating all of that in hopes of providing a clearer vision for people.

AL: You have started appearing in a number of short films recently. Can you tell us about that?

MG: A couple years ago I partnered with Mark Allen Stuart to create a company called Hydraulic Entertainment. That’s where all my past records live. There is a ton of music we produced through that company. Most of the films that have been done are ones that Mark has come up with. He would write and produce them and then I would appear in them. For me as an artist I was able to step away from the writing role and jump into the acting side of things. We have started with short films to help us get our feet wet in an effort to create bigger things. There is defiantly a lot more to come. I am working on a project right now that has me both behind and in front of the camera. We have a lot of talented, motivated people in the industry with us on this. It’s pretty exciting.

AL: For you was it film or music that grabbed your attention/interest first?

MG: I think it was music first for me. My earliest memories related to music come from listening to records and the radio with my uncle. I always remember music having a profound effect on me. When I listen to music as strange as it may sound it’s almost like I can see it. It stirs something inside me that causes all these other internal things to start up. Acting quickly followed but things have just been all encompassing really. I have always had this urge to communicate.

AL: Can you tell us about the “Beginning of the End” tour you just kicked off?

MG: This is a very large tour. We are going to be trying to cover as much ground as we can in an effort to raise my visibility within the industry and get myself in front of fans who might not realize what I have been doing as of late. I have found there’s a good chunk of people who the last time they saw me was 1999. This new show is a powerful, physical assault. We are playing all of the legacy Misfits songs that people love. We are playing tons of songs from the “American Psycho” and “Famous Monsters” albums. We are doing around 30 songs a night and I have brought back the make-up to help showcase the story I try to create each night over the course of our set. If fans want to meet me I am super accessible at each show as I enjoy meeting and talking with everyone so please come out and say hello.

For a complete list of tour dates visit Michale’s Official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Michale.Graves

GWAR Delivers “State of The Union” and Drops New Song
“El Presidente”

The countdown is on as GWAR gets ready to release their bone-crushing, corpse-grinding new opus “The Blood of Gods” out October 20th via Metal Blade Records. As the world continues hurtling through space towards a great conflagration of death and destruction, your alien overlords have dropped “El Presidente,” the second single from the album. Hopefully this will speed things along! Head over to metalblade.com/gwar to listen to the track and pre-order your copy of “The Blood Of Gods.” Digital pre-orders come with instant downloads of both “Fuck This Place” and “El Presidente.”

Additionally Beefcake the Mighty, has issued a brief “State Of The GWAR Union” address. Watch it HERE.

Concerning the album; “The Blood of Gods” chronicles the rise of humanity against their makers, and the massive battle between GWAR and the forces of all that oppose them. Along the way, the band challenges the sins of humanity from politics, pollution, and organized religion, to fast food, and factory farming. Humans are shown as what they are; a parasitic disease that must be eradicated before they suck the planet dry!

GWAR LIVES MOTHERFUCKERS!

GWAR:
9/15: Knoxville, TN @ The International
9/16: Middletown, OH @ Land of Illusion
9/17: Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest

GWAR W/Ghoul, Doyle and U.S. Bastards:
10/20: Richmond, VA @ The National
10/21: Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
10/22: Toronto, ON @ Opera House* (No Doyle)
10/23: Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls
10/25: Greensboro, NC @ Arizona Petes
10/26: Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
10/27: New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
10/28: Worcester, MA @ Palladium
10/29: Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
10/31: New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
11/1: Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
11/2: Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom* (Stonecutters Open)
11/3: St. Louis, MO @ Pop’s
11/4: Sioux City, IA @ Hard Rock
11/5: Lawrence, KS @ Granada

GWAR W/Ghoul, He Is Legend and U.S. Bastards
11/7: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
11/8: Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid
11/9: Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatoon Events Center
11/10: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
11/11: Calgary, AB @ The Palaces
11/13: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore
11/14: Portland, OR @ Roseland
11/15: Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
11/17: Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
11/18: Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club
11/19: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
11/21: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/22: Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater
11/23: Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
11/24: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
11/25: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
11/26: Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
11/28: Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
11/29: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live
11/30: Houston, TX @ House of Blues
12/1: San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater
12/2: Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theater
12/3: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
12/5: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
12/6: Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
12/8: Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
12/9: Peoria, IL @ Limelight
12/10: Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall

For More Info Visit:
http://www.gwar.net