POWER TRIP Announces North American Tour
With Sheer Mag, Fury, And Red Death As Support

POWER TRIP has announced a new set of headlining North American tour dates late this spring with Sheer Mag, Fury, and Red Death. Check below for a full list of dates, and watch for more tour dates to be announced. All tickets for the new headlining dates are now on sale HERE. See a newly unleashed tour trailer HERE.

POWER TRIP’s breakthrough album, Nightmare Logic, earned an overwhelming amount of love across the board, ranging in praise from The New Yorker to a Pitchfork’s Best New Music, to countless best-of/year-end lists The band was awarded the Best Metal Album Of The Year from Loudwire and song placement in the WWE.

Find POWER TRIP’s Nightmare Logic at YouTube HERE, Spotify HERE, iTunes HERE, and at the Southern Lord US store HERE and European store HERE.

POWER TRIP Tour Dates:
1/13/2018 Phoenix Theater – Petaluma, CA
1/18/2018 Astra Kulturhaus – Berlin, DE ^
1/19/2018 Tivoli Ronda – Utrecht, NL ^
1/20/2018 Eventwerk – Dresden, DE ^
1/21/2018 Backstage – Munich, DE ^
1/22/2018 Komplex – Zurich, CH ^
1/23/2018 Schlachtof – Wiesbaden, DE ^
1/24/2018 Sono – Brno, CZ ^
1/25/2018 Stadthalle – Lichtenfels, DE ^
1/26/2018 De Mast – Torhout, BE ^
1/27/2018 Turbinenhalle – Oberhausen, DE ^
1/28/2018 02 Forum Kentish Town – London, UK ^
3/11/2018 Live Music Hall – Koln, DE #
3/12/2018 Turbinenhalle 2 – Oberhausen, DE #
3/14/2018 KB – Malmo, SE #
3/15/2018 Fryshuset Klubben – Stockholm, SE #
3/16/2018 Rockefeller – Oslo, NO #
3/17/2018 Arbis – Norrkoping, SE #
3/19/2018 Cable Factory – Helsinki, FI #
3/21/2018 Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE #
3/22/2018 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK #
3/23/2018 Huxleys – Berlin, DE #
3/24/2018 Täubchenthal – Leipzig, DE #
3/25/2018 Progresja – Warsaw, PL #
3/27/2018 Roxy – Prague, CZ #
3/28/2018 Majestic – Bratislava, SK #
3/29/2018 Durer Kert – Budapest, HU #
3/30/2018 Simm City – Vienna, AU #
4/01/2018 Tvornica – Zagreb, HR #
4/02/2018 Kino Siska – Ljubljana, SI #
4/03/2018 Phenomenon – Novara, IT #
4/04/2018 Komplex – Zurich, CH #
4/06/2018 Sala Santana – Bilbao, ES #
4/07/2018 Teatro Barcelo – Madrid, ES #
4/08/2018 Sala Razzmatazz – Barcelona, ES #
4/10/2018 L’Usine – Geneva, CH #
4/11/2018 Tonhalle – Munich, DE #
4/12/2018 LKA-Longhorn – Stuttgart, DE #
4/13/2018 Bataclan – Paris, FR #
4/15/2018 Trix – Antwerp, BE #
4/16/2018 O2 Academy – Bristol, UK @
4/17/2018 O2 Academy – Birmingham, UK @
4/19/2018 O2 Academy – Glasgow, UK @
4/20/2018 Academy – London, UK @
4/21/2018 Academy Brixton – London, UK @
4/27/2018 Welcome to Rockville Festival – Jacksonville, FL [info]
4/28/2018 Fort Rock – Sunrise, FL
4/30/2018 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA *
5/01/2018 Saturn – Birmingham, AL *
5/04/2018 Carolina Rebellion – Concord, NC
5/05/2018 Broadberry – Richmond, VA *
5/06/2018 Spirit – Pittsburgh, PA *
5/07/2018 Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA *
5/08/2018 The Black Cat – Washington, DC *
5/10/2018 Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY *
5/11/2018 Paradise – Boston, MA *
5/12/2018 The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY *
5/13/2018 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON *
5/15/2018 El Club – Detroit, MI *
5/16/2018 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL *
5/18-20/2018 Rock On The Range – Columbus, OH [info]
5/19/2018 The Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL *
5/20/2018 Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN *
5/21/2018 The Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB *
5/23/2018 Louis’ – Saskatoon, SK *
5/24/2018 The Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB *
5/25/2018 Dickens Pub – Calgary, AB *
5/27/2018 Modified Ghost Festival III – Vancouver, BC [info]
5/28/2018 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA *
5/29/2018 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR *
5/31/2018 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA *
6/01/2018 The Ritz – San Jose, CA *
6/02/2018 The Regent – Los Angeles, CA !
6/03/2018 Soma – San Diego, CA *
6/04/2018 Club Red – Mesa, AZ *
6/05/2018 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM !
6/07/2018 The Mohawk – Austin, TX !
^ w/ Hatebreed, Madball, Terror, Broken Teeth, Insanity Alert
# w/ Trivium, Venom Prison
@ w/ Trivium, Venom Prison, Code Orange
* w/ Sheer Mag, Fury and Red Death
! w/ Sheer Mag and Red Death

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OF MICE & MEN + SIRIUSXM
Premiere Cover of Pink Floyd’s “Money”

New Album “DEFY” Out January 19

Winter 2018 Headline Tour With BLESSTHEFALL, CANE HILL, & FIRE FROM THE GODS Kicks Off On January 31

Of Mice & Men —vocalist/bassist Aaron Pauley, guitarist Alan Ashby, drummer Valentino Arteaga, and guitarist Phil Manansala— have shared another new track from their forthcoming and much anticipated album “Defy”, out January 19 through Rise Records. The song “Money,” which is a Pink Floyd cover, premiered via SiriusXM’s Octane earlier this week and is now available at all DSPs.

Listen to “Money” here.

The band will embark on a headline tour, which kicks off on January 31 in Berkeley, California, with Blessthefall, Cane Hill, Fire From the Gods, and Mscw in tow. The trek runs through March 7 in San Diego. All tour dates are below. Tickets and VIP packages are available here.

Defy was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, Skillet, The All-American Rejects) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Rise Against).

Of Mice & Men released the explosive and unforgettable new tracks “Warzone” and “Defy,” which followed the previous one-two punch of the singles “Unbreakable” and “Back to Me.”

OF MICE & MEN ON TOUR:
With Blessthefall, Cane Hill, Fire From the Gods
1/31 — Berkeley, CA — The UC Theatre*
2/1 — Santa Cruz, CA — Catalyst*
2/2 — Portland, OR — Wonder Ballroom*
2/3 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon*
2/4 — Boise, ID — Knitting Factory*
2/5 — Salt Lake City, UT — Complex*
2/6 — Denver, CO — Summit Music Hall*
2/8 — Minneapolis, MN — Music Hall MPLS*
2/9 — St. Louis, MO — Ready Room
2/11 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
2/12 — Detroit, MI — Crofoot
2/13 — Toronto, ON — Opera House
2/14 — Montreal, QC — Corona Theatre
2/16 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
2/17 — New York City, NY — Gramercy Theatre
2/18 — Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony
2/19 — Philadelphia, PA — Trocadero
2/20 — Charlotte, NC — Underground
2/21 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade Heaven
2/23 — Orlando, FL — Beacham
2/24 — Destin, FL — Club L.A.
2/25 — New Orleans, LA — House of Blues
2/27 — Houston, TX — White Oak
2/28 — Dallas, TX — Canton Hall
3/1 — Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine
3/4 — Vegas, NV — Vinyl @ Hard Rock Live
3/5 — Flagstaff, AZ — Orpheum
3/6 — Phoenix, AZ — Nile Theatre
3/7 — San Diego, CA — SOMA
*No Cane Hill

DEFY TRACK LISTING:
1. Defy
2. Instincts
3. Back to Me
4. Sunflower
5. Unbreakable
6. Vertigo
7. Money
8. How Will You Live
9. On The Inside
10. Warzone
11. Forever YDG’n
12. If We Were Ghosts

“Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life”
Author: Scott Ian
Da Capo
Hardcover: 243 pages

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Anthrax guitarist and co-founder Scott Ian has seen his share of dive hotels, dirty tour buses and decrepit green rooms. “Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life” is a collection of his craziest stories recounting Ian’s life on the road as a touring musician. Along the way the guitarist shares his experiences and encounters with celebrities like Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, David Lee Roth and Steven Spielberg to name just a few.

As the follow up to his autobiography “I’m The Man” guitarist Scott Ian takes readers even further into the depths of the heavy metal underworld. Unlike Ian’s first book which was a more biography than tell all where “Access All Areas” is the total opposite recounting in detail some of the writers more interesting encounters. Very rarely do you get to hear let alone read in published form stories like those shared by the veteran guitarist. From his experiences as a Pro Poker player playing alongside Kiss’s Ace Frehley and ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill to a confrontational meeting with REM front man Michael Stipe. Easily my favorite excert from the book was that where Ian sets the record straight about his guest appearance on “Married with Children” which was to include a story line featuring Christina Applegate.

Over the course of “Access All Areas” 243 pages readers are treated to a bevy of laughable stories that have not been shared before. As I made my way through the book I just kept thinking that even having one or two of these experiences in a life time would be enough for most people but to be able to compile enough for a book was mind blowing. Scott Ian has certainly to this point lived quiet an interesting life full of off the wall experiences which he has candidly detailed in this book. You don’t have to be a fan of heavy metal to enjoy this book as there are plenty of other colorful characters outside of the music world that you will surely recognize making “Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life” a great pickup for any and all.

JUDAS PRIEST FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS WITH BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM – ‘FIREPOWER’

Judas Priest could easily rest on their laurels at this stage of their highly successful and influential career. However, the legendary metal band – singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis – refuse to do so as evidenced by the arrival of their eighteenth studio album overall – ‘Firepower,’ which can be pre-ordered via the link http://smarturl.it/Firepower.

Set for release on Friday, March 9th, 2018 via Epic Records – the album is comprised of fourteen tracks of pure and highly inspired metal. And to mark the occasion Priest has reunited with producer Tom Allom (the man behind the board for all of the band’s releases from 1979-1988, including such stellar classics as ‘Unleashed in the East,’ ‘British Steel,’ ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ and ‘Defenders of the Faith’) and with Grammy Award-winning producer Andy Sneap also helping to raise the sonic bar even higher.

“Tom Allom has got this classic metal thing,” explains Halford. “And Andy is a bit more of a ‘modern metal producer’ but his thinking is a little bit different to Tom’s. And I think to get this balance between that classic old school metal to what Andy’s world is was just a remarkable coalescence.” “Tom Allom has been with us since 1979, so his knowledge of ourselves and our music in general is immense,” adds Hill. And according to Travis Priest returned back to a recording method that worked incredibly well on the band’s earlier classics – “We went back to the organic way of recording where it’s all of us in a room and we got to play together.”

The album’s first single, ‘Lightning Strike’ will be available worldwide on Friday, January 5, 2018, and on the same day the song’s music video will be premiered (and can be viewed via http://smarturl.it/JPLightningStrikeVid). Full album pre-order and a PledgeMusic pre-order (https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/judas-priest) will also begin the same day which includes exclusive limited autographed colored vinyl, autographed vinyl test pressings, an exclusive Judas Priest t-shirt and an extremely limited number of Judas Priest autographed guitars.

With the impending arrival of ‘Firepower’ and its ensuing tour (which kicks off on March 13th), THE PRIEST IS BACK!

‘FIREPOWER’ TRACKLISTING:

1. Firepower
2. Lightning Strike
3. Evil Never Dies
4. Never The Heroes
5. Necromancer
6. Children of the Sun
7. Guardians
8. Rising From Ruins
9. Flame Thrower
10. Spectre
11. Traitors Gate
12. No Surrender
13. Lone Wolf
14. Sea of Red

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: judaspriest.com

Greta Van Fleet burst onto the rock music scene in early 2017 with their debut EP titled “Black Smoke Rising”. By September the track “Highway Tune” was topping the Billboard charts. To capitalize on this momentum the band has released a second EP titled “From the Fires”. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with the bands guitarist Jake Kiszka about the bands new EP, their recent tour with Halestorm and the bands plans for 2018.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some back ground on Greta Van Fleet and possibly tell us some of your influences?

Jake Kiszka: With Josh, Sam and I being brothers our influences are very similar. We were exposed to music at a very early age. I remember going on trips and listening to bands like The Allman Brothers. We had access to the same vinyl collection so I think that had a lot to do with what we are doing now. Danny also was in to a lot of the same music. Around the time I got into high school I started bringing friends over to jam and eventually Josh would start coming out and singing then a little later Sam started coming out and playing bass. A short time after all that happened Danny started coming over and was basically the last piece of the puzzle.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands new double EP “From the Fires”?

JK: We had put out “Black Smoke Rising” and we still had a bunch of songs that we had either written or recorded so to showcase some other elements of our playing we dipped into those songs. We also wanted to cover some material from a one of our influences Sam Cooke. We had those songs and some live tracks that we picked from for this release.

AL: How does your work on this release compare to that of your debut EP?

JK: The first EP was a spread of songs we had written over the course of five years. “Highway Tune” was actually the first song we had ever written followed by “Safari Song” about a year later. “Flower Power” was another song that was written about two years into the group’s existence and “Black Smoke Rising” was written right before we were set to go in to the studio and record.

AL: What type of process does the band have for song writing?

JK: We write in a lot of different ways. A lot of times one of us will bring something to the table and then we all decide if it is something we want to work on. That’s when the four of us really start to contribute to making one piece of music. We all bring things in to the writing process so it tends to vary.

AL: You guys just wrapped up a tour with Halestorm. Can you tell us about that experience?

JK: It was fantastic! Seeing people singing our songs and just rocking out was really great. I don’t think that was something any of us really expected as our sound is a bit different. The whole experience of that night after night was shocking and humbling.

AL: You guys have a string of sold out shows lined up through December. Can you tell us your thoughts on that?

JK: That’s another thing that was not expected. We really didn’t figure all those shows would sell out so quickly. It’s going to be a great thing that takes us right up until the holidays and then after that we plan to head into the studio in January to record our first full length album.

AL: What can we be expecting from that new album?

JK: The album will probably be another spread of both newer and older material that we have written at different points in time. We hope to have the album done early to mid 2018. With everything that has happened for us this past year we have gained some resources that will help us take things further with this new album. We will be looking to hit bigger venues and festivals as well as hitting some new countries also.

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The Documentary “Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)”
Out Now on Blu-Ray and DVD
From Shout! Factory

The November 13, 2015 terrorist attack in Paris claimed 130 lives around the city – 89 of them at the Eagles of Death Metal’s Bataclan Theatre concert.

Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) spotlights the American rock band as they recount their experiences before and after the tragic events. The film explores the deep bonds between band co-founders Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme (also a member of Queens of the Stone Age), as well as the intense connection the band has always had with its devoted fans, which moved them to return to Paris to perform once again in February 2016.

Directed by Colin Hanks, Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) includes accounts of fans who survived the Bataclan attack, extensive behind-the-scenes footage of the band, and interviews with Bono and The Edge of U2 … and serves as a portrait of resilience in the face of unspeakable horror and a life-affirming coda to the events of November 13.

To Purchase the film click here: Shout! Factory

To read our review of the film click here

JOHN 5 and The Creatures to Release “It’s Alive!” Live Album in January
Physical Pre-Orders Coming Soon | Available Digitally via www.john-5.com
“It’s Alive!” U.S. Tour to Begin February 1 in Orlando, FL | VIP Packages Available

JOHN 5 and The Creatures (bassist Ian Ross and drummer Logan Miles Nix) are set to release a brand new live album, It’s Alive!, in January. Becoming available on Thursday, January 25, 2018, It’s Alive! is the first album released by the world-renowned guitarist to be featured on vinyl. A stunning 24-page, full color tour book covering the JOHN 5 and The Creatures tour journeys so far will also be available for separate purchase.

Pre-orders are available now at www.john-5.com/store, with more options coming soon. Fans can check back to www.john-5.com for updates.

JOHN 5 says about the recording of It’s Alive!, “I remember pulling up to a beautiful venue that we played in Sellersville, Pennsylvania and before we were unloading the equipment, the soundman said, ‘Hey guys, would you like to record the show?’ We said, ‘sure that would be amazing!’ I always wanted to have a really great recording of the show. We were a few weeks into the show so we were really well rehearsed, so I said, ‘Alright guys, let’s not jump around. Let’s just really try to get a great performance because we only have one shot – no other shows if we mess up!’ So, we explained to the crowd that we would be recording. You can hear that on the recording of the album, which makes it very magical. It came out amazingly! That’s the magic of live albums to me – capturing the performance.”

It’s Alive! track listing:
1. Guitars, Tits and Monsters
2. Flight of The Vulcan Kelly
3. Six Hundred and Sixty Six Pickers In Hell, CA
4. Here’s to the Crazy Ones
5. This is my Rifle
6. Jiffy Jam
7. Hall Haw
8. Season Of The Witch
9. The Nightmare Unravels
10. Portrait of Sydney Sloan
11. Triple D
12. Black Grass Plague
13. Behind The Nut Love
14. Making Monsters
15. Beat It
16. Now Fear This
17. Medley

JOHN 5 adds, “I’m so proud of it that I wanted to put it out and also tour it like bands used to tour live albums back in the 70s. I thought that was so cool! I’ve put out a lot of records, so I thought – goddammit, I’m going to do it!”

JOHN 5 and The Creatures will begin an extensive tour of the United States in February for a first leg, and will pick back up in late March for a second. The tour will start in Orlando, FL on February 1 and come to an end in Tacoma, WA on April 21. Tickets will become available very soon, and VIP packages will be available exclusively at www.john-5.com/store. See below for a full listing of dates.

JOHN 5 and The Creatures It’s Alive! tour dates:
2/1 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
2/2 – Jacksonville, FL @ 1904 Music Hall
2/3 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
2/5 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
2/6 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger
2/7 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka’s
2/8 – Richmond, VA @ Broadberry
2/9 – College Park, MD @ Milkboy
2/10 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
2/11 – Stanhope, NJ @ Stanhope Theater
2/12 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
2/13 – Boston, MA @ Middle East
2/14 – Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
2/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock
2/16 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland
2/17 – Westland, MI @ Token Lounge
2/18 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies
2/20 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
2/21 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue
2/22 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
2/23 – Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall
2/24 – Chattanooga, TN @ Songbirds
3/29 – San Antonio, TX @ Rock Box
3/30 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
3/31 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
4/2 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
4/3 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
4/4 – Mesa, AZ @ Club Red
4/5 – San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick
4/6 – Los Angeles, CA @ Whisky A Go Go
4/7 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vamp’d
4/8 – Fullerton, CA @ SlideBar
4/11 – Ventura, CA @ Discovery
4/12 – San Jose, CA @ Ritz
4/13 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
4/14 – Fresno, CA @ Full Circle Brewery
4/15 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlows
4/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
4/18 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
4/19 – Bend, OR @ Volacanic Pub
4/20 – Portland, OR @ Hard Rock PDX
4/21 – Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome – Tacoma Guitar Festival

“Nightmare Logic”
Power Trip
Southern Lord Recordings
Tracks: 8

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Texas thrash band Power Trip is back with an all new angst filled album titled “Nightmare Logic”. As the follow-up to the band’s debut 2013 album “Manifest Decimation” the 8 track sophomore effort is being released via Southern Lord Recordings and continues on where its predecessor left off as a reincarnated version of the 80’s thrash sound.

Having caught these guys one night opening for Lamb of God I was instantly hooked as the band’s sound and energy commanded your attention as it was straight up thrash ala early Overkill and Anthrax. The group’s latest album “Nightmare Logic” continues on in that vein but with an injection of modern metal flare and accoutrements. Opening up the album is the lurching “Soul Sacrifice” a track which starts of being reminiscent of early Pantera before catapulting you head first in to the thrash sonisphere. The track then gives way for probably my favorite track from the album “Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe). An infectious number with a chorus that quickly gets logged in your ear drums and with have you singing the line “Swing of the Axe” over and over again. As the album quickly progresses tracks like “Waiting Around To Die” and “If Not Us Then Who” all leave an undeniable stain on your senses as both songs feature the near perfect amount of vintage thrash DNA.

If you are a fan of the big four of thrash (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) and want to recapture the energy those bands provided with their earlier albums but, with a fresh/modern spin then the latest offering from Power Trip is sure to do the trick. First time listeners will also appreciate “Nightmare Logic” as the album is chocked full of great guitar riffs, tongue and cheek lyrics and slamming drum beats which offer repeated opportunities for solid head banging.

Track Listing:
1.) Soul Sacrifice
2.) Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)
3.) Firing Squad
4.) Nightmare Logic
5.) Waiting Around To Die
6.) Ruination
7.) If Not Us Then Who
8.) Crucifixation

“Red Before Black”
Cannibal Corpse
Metal Blade Records
Producer: Erik Rutan
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Cannibal Corpse returns with their 14th full-length studio album titled “Red Before Black” an album which clearly shows the soon-to-be thirty-year death metal veterans are unstoppable! The album serves to not only to reiterate this but to once more raise the stakes, making it very clear who sets the standards when it comes to compelling music this is equally brutal and complex. With 2017 seeing a slew of stunning new releases from death metal’s old guard “Red Before Black” stands strong and is a fitting statement for a band whose career spans almost three decades.

Not for the faint of heart “Red Before Black” is the latest offering from death metal heavy weights Cannibal Corpse and much like previous releases from the Buffalo, NY natives the band burst out of the gate going directly for your face! Tracks like album opener “Only One Will Die” and “Heads Shoveled Off” feature bombastic blast beats and thunderous double bass courtesy of Mr. Paul Mazurkiewicz while tracks like “Code of the Slashers” and “Shedding My Human Skin” feature some of the most guttural, demon summoning growls by George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. With the guitars and bass acting as the proverbial cherry on top of each of the albums 12 tracks “Red Before Black” is one of the bands strongest releases in the past 5 years.

Chances are if you are already reading this then you what Cannibal Corpse is about and are familiar with their sound. If not but, you are looking for some balls to the wall death metal then do yourself a favor and grab a copy of “Red Before Black”! As a band progresses through their career often times sounds and styles change but in the case of Cannibal Corpse the band’s latest offering is equally if not more aggressive than the band’s debut, proving that just because a band gets older doesn’t mean they have to slow down or soften up.

Track Listing:
1.) Only One Will Die
2.) Red Before Black
3.) Code of the Slashers
4.) Shedding My Human Skin
5.) Remaimed
6.) Firestorm Vengeance
7.) Heads Shoveled Off
8.) Corpus Delicti
9.) Scavenger Consuming Death
10.) In The Midst of Ruin
11.) Destroyed Without a Trace
12.) Hideous Ichor

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**