“The Blame Game” is the latest video from the Minneapolis, MN based rock band City of the Weak. Directed / Edited by: Cody Hoffman & City of the Weak the video showcases not only the band’s music but also the immense visual appeal that the band carries. The group is currently touring the US through October as special guests on the “Not So Sound” tour with Solice. Be sure to check https://www.cityoftheweak.wordpress.com for a full list of dates.
“Repentless”
Slayer
Nuclear Blast
Producer: Terry Date
Tracks: 12
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
“Repentless” is the latest offering from thrash legends Slayer. The album which is being released via Nuclear Blast and features 12 take no prisoner tracks produced by Terry Date (Slipknot, Pantera). “Repentless” is the bands twelfth studio album and the first to feature Exodus guitarist Gary Holt who has been performing with the group since 2011 and Paul Bostaph who rejoined the group in 2013.
After an 8 year wait Slayer are back with their latest offering titled “Repentless”. Though the band looks a little different these days the groups sound is still just as brutal as ever. Tracks like “Repentless” and “Vices” blast through your senses like a hot knife through butter while songs like “When the Stillness Comes” and “Implode” will have your head banging and fist pumping whether it wants to or not. Though nothing can compete with the bands classic “Reign In Blood” era line up and sound the band which since 2011 has featured Exodus guitarist Gary Holt and more recently drummer Paul Bostaph the current lineup comes as close as possible.
Clocking in at just over 40 minutes what “Repentless” lacks in run time it makes up for in guitar riffage, machine gun like drumming and of course plenty of vocal wailing provided by vocalist/bassist Tom Araya. Long time Slayer fans may find some points of the album lacking intensity, however I found the slower paced moments quite fitting and enjoyable as they not only showed diversity in the groups sound. They also gave me a second or two to catch my breath in between the albums more speedy moments. The album is available in multiple formats including a Limited Edition version which includes special packaging and a bonus DVD with a making of the album documentary and a complete live performance from the bands 2014 Wacken Festival appearance.
Track Listing:
1.) Delusions of Saviour
2.) Repentless
3.) Take Control
4.) Vices
5.) Cast the First Stone
6.) When the Stillness Comes
7.) Chasing Death
8.) Implode
9.) Piano Wire
10.) Atrocity Vendor
11.) You Against You
12.) Pride in Prejudice
“30 Years of Tourment”
GWAR, Butcher Babies, Battlecross
Date: Friday, September 18, 2015
Venue: Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Antarctic natives GWAR slaughtered their way to the Water Street Music in Rochester, NY on Sept. 18th as part of their current “30 Years of Tourment” tour. Along for the ride this time around were the always lovely Butcher Babies and Detroit darlings Battlecross. The night proved to be a mixture of sweat, energy and several unknown liquids which were expelled on to the crowd by the night’s headliners providing the perfect recipe for Friday night.
Kicking off the night was the band Battlecross who blasted through a 30 minute set which set the bar relatively high for the following acts. Vocalist Kyle Gunther seemed to give everything he had from start to finish which complimented the rest of the bands in your face performance which seemed to ignite the incoming crowd. Up next would be the lovely Butcher Babies who despite this being the bands last night on the tour certainly did an amazing job of taking things to the next level as not only did the band command the crowd’s attention from the stage but took things further as both Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey took turns working the security barrier which at times was over flowing with energetic crowd surfing fans. GWAR would be next where they proceeded to close out the night in typical blood soaked fashion. This was the first time the band has performed in Rochester since the addition of both Pustulus Maximus on guitar and Blothar on vocals and the crowd seemed to enjoy the new characters and what they brought to the live performance. Though the performances seemed to lack the energy and spur of the moment banter once provided by the late great Oderus Urungus (Dave Brockie) the set did feature some songs fans hadn’t heard live in awhile such as “I Bonesnapper”, “Babyraper” and the always entertaining ”Meat Sandwich”.
It was great to finally see the latest incantation of GWAR however there was something missing. Undoubtedly the absence of founding member Dave Brockie cast a big shadow for this reviewer and even though the bands current lineup put on a great show it was very apparent that Mr. Brockie left some extremely large latex and goo covered shoes to fill.
GWAR Set List:
(Partial list)
1.) Sick of You (Dubstep Version
2.) Vlad the Impaler
3.) Saddam a Go-Go
4.) Jack the World
5.) I Bonesnapper
6.) Babyraper
7.) Meat Sandwich
8.) Let us Slay
9.) Sick of You
Sean Yseult is probably most recognized as the co-founder/bassist for the heavy metal band White Zombie, a group which dominated MTV with its hit song/video “Thunder kiss 65” in the early 90’s. Since the groups disbanding in 1998 Sean went on to play with several other acts such as The Famous Monsters and Rock City Morgue. In November of this year, Sean will showcase a different part of her artistic abilities in “Retrospective”- a love letter to her long-time muse, New Orleans which will be on display at Sacred Gallery in NYC through December 31st. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Sean recently about the exhibits creation and her return to New York City.
Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your upcoming exhibit “Retrospective” which opens in November?
Sean Yseult: The exhibit is going to have a little bit of everything. There are pieces from shows I did in New Orleans 10 years ago. Mostly I am going to be showing my large 4ft by 6ft pieces I did recently for a show in New Orleans titled “SQIREE D’EVOLUTION”. It’s kind of a tongue and cheek yet morbid setting of a party in New Orleans set in the 1870’s. It’s based around a secret societies party that has gone wrong. It’s a really fun show. The exhibit will also have some pieces from my “MISSISSIPPI MERMAIDS” show where I figured out how to put girls inside of bottles on the ocean which is a little different. (Laughs) I also have some pieces from way back that are old black and white Polaroid’s done in the style of Joel-Peter Witkin and Bellocq. There is a lot to look at as they gave me a tone of space so I am going to fill it out. (Laughs)
AL: Where did your influences come from for “SQIREE D’EVOLUTION” and “MISSISSIPPI MERMAIDS”?
SY: I really don’t know where I got the idea for “MISSISSIPPI MERMAIDS” and having girls in bottles. Maybe I watched too much “I Dream of Jeanie” when I was growing up. (Laughs) For “SQIREE D’EVOLUTION” I was hugely influenced by the Dutch Masters. I made an enormous black back drop and the photos have a serious light/darkness to them with an intensity of color. A lot of people walk up to them thinking they are paintings. I am very happy with how those turned out. I definitely draw from a few different areas.
AL: With the pieces that are coming from different exhibits how did you go about choosing those selections?
SY: I looked at everything I had done and it all has this sort of timeless quality to it. You can’t really tell which era the pieces are actually from. Even my new pieces which are in full color and set in the 1800’s have those elements. It’s very hard to tell the time as they are a bit ghostly and a lot of them are portraits of women in various states of dress or undress. It all sort of fits together somehow. (Laughs)
AL: What is it that draws you to this type of subject matter?
SY: I moved to New Orleans and became entranced with the people and the beauty of the city. The city is in this sort of state of decay and things are falling apart. In the summer especially girls are running around in slips and things so it’s hard to tell really what period you are in. It’s pretty amazing. To me it’s just so beautiful and there are so many lovely people. I just enjoy photographing it all.
AL: Coming back to New York for your first solo show is sort of a home coming for you. What do you think the experience is going to be like?
SY: I am really excited! I originally moved to the city to attend Parsons School of Design for photography. Its finally coming full circle that I get to come back there with my photo’s after all these years. Parsons is where I met Rob and we started White Zombie which sort of derailed my photography for awhile but after the band broke up I moved to New Orleans and started back up with my photography. I have shown off and on at different galleries but it’s going to be so great to show at Sacred Studios. I have been making visits up there ever since I was offered the show.
AL: How did the opportunity to show at Sacred Studio actually come about?
SY: I was at an opening last spring at a private gallery at the Chelsea Hotel for Dee Dee Ramone. My old A&R guy from Geffen Records was there and he pointed out this artist that he loved named Vincent Castiglia. We started talking and he had shown at Sacred Gallery and thought they might like my work. He put me in touch with them and I talked with Kevin Wilson the gallery director and from there things moved pretty quickly.
AL: With being so involved with your photography as of late do you feel your music has sort of taken a back seat?
SY: Not always. I sort of flip flop back and forth depending on my schedule. For the last year though I would have to say yes. I spent 2 years putting together “SQIREE D’EVOLUTION” which was a lot of very intense work. Now I am more curating and gathering things to put a show like this together. I do have a new band called Star and Dagger which will be recording with the amazing Chris Goss later this year. We have a lot of songs written but just haven’t had time to get everyone together.
Drummer Anton Fig has been performing both live and in the studio since the mid 1970’s. He has worked with artists such as Bob Dylan, Madonna and most notably as the drummer for David Letterman’s house band the CBS Orchestra. Anton released his first solo album “Figments” in 2002 and recently re-released it in 2015. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Anton recently about the albums re-release and its creation and also about his impressive session work.
Adam Lawton: “Figments” was originally released in 2002. Can you tell us about the decision to re-release the album?
Anton Fig: When the album was initially released there were a few people who heard it however at that time the transition from retail to online sales was just starting to take place. Stores were closing up and the stuff on the web was still just starting to happen. Things weren’t the way they are now with social media and everything so it was hard for people to access the album. I felt the album still sounded fresh and vibrant and with there being a number of ways to get the word out about it re-releasing the album seemed like a good thing to do.
AL: Thinking back to when you first started working on the album what do you feel was the driving element in releasing your first solo album after being in the music business for quite some time prior?
AF: I always had said to myself that once it became easier to record and digital recording was more available that I would put out a record. Going into a traditional studio is quite expensive so being able to record from your home and not have to travel and all that made things much easier. I did travel a little bit to work with some of the people on the album and I did my drums in a studio but all the mixing and overdubs I did at home which was relatively inexpensive. In 2002 home recording was still new. Nowadays everyone has the ability to record digitally from just about where ever. By doing things the way I did back in 2002 it was more affordable at the time. All the songs that make up the album were ones that I had sort of saved up over time. From there I went about putting the right people to each of the songs.
AL: How far back in your career did you actually start writing some of this material?
AF: I was in a band in the 80’s called Spider. We were managed by Bill Aucoin who had managed Kiss and we were always encouraged to write in that group. After that group ended I just kept writing. Over the years I had built up a group of songs that I wanted to get out there. I picked the songs I liked the best and just went from there with finding the right combination of players for each one.
AL: Do you find it hard for people to really take notice of an album like this being you are mostly know for your drum work?
AF: I think what surprised people most was the fact that “Figments” isn’t really a drum record. This is a song record along the lines of a Phil Collins album or something like that. There aren’t drum pyrotechnics or anything like that as it more about song production. That’s the record I wanted to make. I feel it adds something because it has a bit of a surprise element to it based just on that score.
AL: Did you creative process differ any on this album as opposed to some of the others you have appeared on?
AF: When I am working on someone else’s project generally my main concern is the drums. They are the ones in charge of the overview of things and how they want the song to sound. I am there to try and help them realize that vision as quickly as possible. When you are doing your own record you have to have that overview. Once I had the drum sounds down I sort of forgot about them and had the big picture more on my mind. It actually helped my drumming a lot as I was forced to look at the big picture as opposed to only the drumming.
AL: When you are approached with session work opportunities what is it that you look for in a project prior to agreeing to work on it?
AF: I think mostly it’s if I am the right person for the session. I look at if it’s something that I can be mostly myself in. If they are asking me to do something that I am not really suited to do you almost want to tell them to get so and so to do it but, I generally try to do all of the projects I am asked to do. Nowadays I have a set up where I can do drums remotely as I have my own studio. In a situation like that you are not in a room with a producer or artist so you have to decide what the best way to approach things are and how much of yourself you can put into that session. It can be a bit harder working that way at times.
AL: One of the groups you have been involved with over the years was with Kiss and later on Ace Frehley. How did that relationship come about?
AF: At the time I think Peter Criss had broken his arm or something like that and wasn’t going to be able to drum on the upcoming album “Dynasty”. I worked on that album and from there I got asked to do another album with them titled “Unmasked”. With Ace I was playing in my band Spider at the time and we were auditioning bass players. One of the guys who came in was friends with Ace and mentioned he was looking for a drummer for his solo project. He got me an audition with Ace and from there I ended up doing the record and becoming friends with Ace. Right after that is when I got the gig with the Late Night Show so that’s where things ended with the band. I have played on a good majority of Ace’s stuff most recently “Anomaly”.
AL: Up until recently your work with Kiss was done as a ghost writer. Is it hard going into projects like that where you know you will not to be credited?
AF: With Kiss I knew upfront that I wasn’t going to be credited. They told me I would be paid well however I could not talk about it. That was always my understanding with them so I never talked about it. Gene Simmons mentioned it in a book of his recently and my name was also added to the liner notes of the re-issued “Dynasty” album. Once they started talking about I also started talking about it. It was over 20 years or something like that where I didn’t say anything about my involvement. I knew we had an agreement and I stuck to it. Today it’s hard to do something like that as there are no secrets.
AL: Are there plans to tour behind “Figments”?
AF: I would like to but with every song having a different line it would be quite difficult. The album is almost like a playlist that you would put together. It would be hard to fully recreate the albums line up. I suppose I could put together a band and do some of the songs. I think if a song off the record gets a lot of attention and people are asking for it then I will think more about taking it out on the road. For now though I am out with Joe Bonamassa and have be selling the album at the shows so I am out there with it.
Heavy Metal group Sevendust is back with a brand new album titled “Kill the Flaw”. The album which is being released on October 2nd will be the bands 11th studio album and their third since joining Asylum/7Bros. Records. Media Mikes had the chance recently to discuss the new release with the groups lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon who detailed the bands solid work ethic and its upcoming plans in support of the album.
Adam Lawton: With “Kill the Flaw” being the bands third album in three years do you ever find it hard to keep up with the one album a year pace or is that something that the band has come a custom to over time?
Lajon Witherspoon: For us this is what we were born to do. We were blessed with the energy and the passion to make music so once we all get in a room together things just start to happen. The days of putting out an album and going on to tour in support of that album for a year or two is gone. To remain relevant you have to keep putting out new material in order to keep things fresh. Even if you had an album that had a bunch of hit singles if you are not out there with something new it’s easy to be forget these days.
AL: Like with previous release from the band you guys handled not only the music side of things but also the albums production. Do you find it hard balancing both of those roles in the studio?
LW: With all of us being in this band since day one we look at one another as artists, producers, singers and writers. Because of that it’s easy to have that respect for one another in the studio. It’s never been a big deal for us to work like that. We all know this band like a book and have been together for so long that there are no egos when it comes to this type thing.
AL: What do you find to be the benefits of keeping things internal as opposed to bringing in someone from outside the group and, is this way of working something that has evolved over time for the band?
LW: Sometimes we do feel like we need to bring in someone from the outside to sort of police what is going on but more so lately we like to just be able to go in and see what we can come up with as a band. It’s a friendly affair when we work like this and we are a band throughout the whole process which is something we really enjoy. I think it is something that has evolved over time. You work on different albums in different ways and over time you find you niche in what works and what doesn’t. Me personally I think we work best when we go into a room with no plan and maybe Morgan starts by laying a drum beat down or Clint starts with something on guitar and we just go from there. That’s where the magic starts.
AL: What led you guys to choose the song “Thank You” as the albums lead single?
LW: That was a song that I didn’t really see as the first single but afterwards I am glad it was. When you put out an album you want all the songs to get their due but “Thank You” is an incredible, inspiring song that turned out great. I am super proud to have it as our first single but again I really feel that this album has 9 other singles people need to hear along with this one. These songs are our babies and we want people to hear them all.
AL: The album can be preordered at www.sevendust.com with a couple different bonuses. Can you tell us about some of the things your guys are offering to the fans who pre-order the album?
LW: We try to do different things which we hope will make people feel more a part of what we have going on. We have packages where you can get limited edition t-shirts, signed copies of the album to actually getting to listen to album in the studio with the band. We try and make things more personal and take away some of the machine like elements.
AL: What type of tour plans do you guys have in place to support the release?
LW: We start rehearsals in about 2 weeks and after that we will be hitting the road with Godsmack. That’s going to be a great time as we haven’t toured with those guys in quite some time. It also has been awhile since we haven’t done a tour where we headlined. It’s going to be great to just go out there each night and rock a 45-50 minute set. When that run wraps up we have another list of shows in the works prior to my new baby being born in December and then after a little break we will be back out there. We are just really excited with everything we have going on and can’t wait for people to hear this new album.
Alex Skolnick is probably best known as the guitarist for the legendary thrash metal band Testament. When not performing with the group Alex keeps busy with numerous side projects such as The Alex Skolnick Trio and, his latest endeavor Metal Allegiance, The group which features a laundry list of some of today’s top heavy metal performers is set to release their debut self titled album on September 18th and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Alex recently about the album and the group’s formation.
Adam Lawton: How did you first get involved with the Metal Allegiance project?
Alex Skolnick: It all happened pretty fast. I was on the “MotorBoat Cruise” playing with Testament and that’s where the very first performance under that name happened there. There were a bunch of us guys hanging out during dinner one night and some of the guys were talking about set lists. They wanted to add in some classic Van Halen and I was the guy who was pretty up on that stuff. I wasn’t really planning on playing and Mike Portnoy sort of threw it out there as a joke and I went along with it and everyone went nuts. We ended up having this great jam and afterwards we were talking about more shows in the future and I said I would be for it any time. I get a call one day asking if I would be interested in doing an album. I had never worked with any of these guys before but I was willing to give it a shot. I went in thinking it was going to be mostly an album of covers with possibly two or three original songs. Up until this point all we had played together was covers. When we got together the writing process just took off. We started off with just a couple songs we felt great about and it just sky rocket from that point on.
AL: Being that you all had never worked together before what was the creative process like for the group?
AS: We all are fans of this music and we wanted to make an album that we would be excited about putting out. We all had ideas as to what makes great album and we wanted to make sure that we captured the performance of each player involved with the record. There’s a lot of great stuff being recorded these days digitally but we wanted to take a more analog approach and incorporate elements from areas that inspired us to become musicians.
AL: Was a majority of this album created separately and sent back and forth via email or was there a point where everyone got together and recorded as a group?
AS: We worked in a couple different phases. The first phase involved the three core guys of the project. Myself, Dave Ellefson and Mike Portnoy were brought together by our mutual friend Mark Menghi. The four of us got together during the holidays and did our first session. A few weeks later we got together again for a second session. Those sessions were all done in a traditional band type recording session. In February we went out and did the “ShipRocked” Cruise and after getting back we began the next phase of work which we did in Long Island at Mike Portnoy’s home studio. There was some stuff that got sent back and forth via email but a majority of the album was done the classic way with everyone being present in the same recording space.
AL: When it came time to bring in the various guests who appear on the album who was the person making those decisions?
AS: The four of us myself, Dave, Mike and Mark made all of those decisions together. We call ourselves “The Core Four”. There was a constant stream of text messaging that we all would reply to where we all made suggestions related to the music. We decided that we would all have to agree as to who was going to be asked to be a part of the project. There were some ideas that didn’t end up happening as ultimately we felt they just wouldn’t fit and some of those may have helped sell more records but this wasn’t about that. Everything was about the feel of the track and how each piece fit and worked together.
AL: With the project taking on almost a life of its own is this something you guys hope to continue to expand on or, is this album the closing piece for the group?
AS: I believe we would like to keep this going indefinitely. There is no reason not to. We don’t want to be limited to just performing on cruise ships or at large events. We do have plans to do those types of events but we also want to do more. We have the album release show in New York at the Best Buy Theater which is going to feature most of the personnel from the album. That’s something that is going to be hard to duplicate on a tour but we are figuring things out as we go. We just announced our first international show in Mexico City which will feature the core group along with Mark Osegueda from Death Angel on vocals. There are a number of different levels that this project can work on which I think is going to be really great.
AL: Outside of the Metal Allegiance project what else are you currently working on?
AS: I have a lot of stuff going on. I have my first acoustic album out which is called “Planetary Coalition”. This is a world album and is something that I always wanted to make. I have a bunch of great artists featured on there including Rodrigo y Gabriela. Last year the trio recorded a live concert and it came out really well. We also recently wrote a few new songs and I think we are going to release that as a live album. I’m going to be a part of the “Axes and Anchors” cruise which is a cruise for guitar enthusiasts. Zakk Wylde is going to be there along with Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker and a bunch of other great players as well. Testament has mostly one off shows booked as of right now and in between those we are writing new material with hopes of having a new album out next year.
“Kill the Flaw”
Sevendust
Asylum/7Bros. Records
Produced by: Sevendust
Tracks: 11
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Southern hard rockers Sevendust are back with a brand new album titled “Kill the Flaw”. This will be the bands 11th studio album which coincidentally features 11 new tracks which were not only performed by the band but also produced by the group as well.
Sevendust continue in the tradition of their previous releases with “Kill the Flaw”. The album which will be the group’s third release in the corresponding number of years is spattered with the band signature sound which has been pounding eardrums since the late 90’s. While the album features familiar tones and textures it embellishes on those taking the listener and the band to new levels. Tracks like the albums opener/lead single “Thank You” which perfectly sets the stage for the subsequent track’s it blends the bands melodic yet raw style they are known for while songs like “Letters” with its catchy rhythmic choruses and the acoustic guitar tinged “Chop” both seem destine to be staples in the bands always impressive live show.
“Kill the Flaw” doesn’t reinvent the wheel but instead it capitalizes on the strengths Sevendust are known for. Lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon sounds stronger than ever as does the rest of the band consisting of Clint Lowery, Morgan Rose, Vince Hornsby and John Connolly. Together on “Kill the Flaw” the band proves that even after 20+ years in the music business you can still remain fresh and consistently put out solid records year after year. The album will be available Oct. 2nd via Asylum/7Bros. Records and is currently available for pre-order through the bands website www.Sevendust.com
Track Listing:
1.) Thank You
2.) Death Dance
3.) Forget
4.) Letters
5.) Cease and Desist
6.) Not Today
7.) Chop
8.) Kill the Flaw
9.) Silly Beast
10.) Peace and Destruction
11.) Torched
“Black Magic”
Motorhead
UDR
Producer: Cameron Webb
Tracks: 13
Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars
Motorhead the band that goes one louder brings you their latest studio offering “Bad Magic”. The album which was produced by Cameron Webb and released via UDR is the bands 22nd studio album and features 12 brand new tracks from the Lemmy Kilmister fronted group along with a unique cover of the Rolling Stones classic “Sympathy for the Devil”.
For me personally Motorhead ranks right up there as one of the most killer hard rock/heavy metal bands. Not only has the band been rattling speakers since the mid 70’s but they are one of the few solid acts from that era still putting out new music on a regular basis that still holds true to the bands original sound and style. “Bad Magic” is the latest offering from the band and sadly I just couldn’t get into the album. From a production standpoint the album is very tinny with little to no low end. At first I had thought something was wrong with my speakers but after about the 5th track I realized it was what it was. Though there were some notable performances such as the aggressive “Evil Eye” which features some great drumming by Mikkey Dee and the ballad like “Till the End” which contains an impressive solo from Mr. Phil Campbell other mentionable high points were few and far between.
Ultimate Motorhead fans will certainly want this for their collections because where else are you going to find Lemmy performing a Rolling Stones track? However if you’re a more casual listener or looking for a starting point in Motorhead’s impressive recording career I highly suggest starting at the beginning and working your way forward.
Track Listing:
1.) Victory or Die
2.) Thunder & Lightning
3.) Fire Storm Hotel
4.) Shoot Out All of Your Lights
5.) The Devil
6.) Electricity
7.) Evil Eye
8.) Teach Them How to Bleed
9.) Till the End
10.) Tell Me Who to Kill
11.) Choking on Your Screams
12.) When the Sky Comes Looking for You
13.) Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones Cover)
“23 Live Sex Acts”
Against Me!
Total Treble Music
Tracks: 23
Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars
“23 Live Sex Acts” is the latest offering from the band Against Me! As the title suggests the album features 23 live tracks which were recorded during various shows from the bands tour last year. The album is being released via Total Treble Music in both digital download and CD formats as well as on special edition colored triple vinyl.
If you have never experienced an Against Me! live show the band’s latest live album will get you as close as possible without actually being there. “23 Live Sex Acts” is easily one of if not the best live album I heard in a very long time. With a set list spanning the groups 13+ year career and capped off by near stellar sound production (I felt the bass could have been more present) I couldn’t have really asked for much more as the tracks blasted through my speakers. Older tracks like “Cliché Guevara” and “Pretty Girls (The Mover) sit perfectly with new tracks like “FUCKMYLIFE666”, “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” and the in your face “Osama Bin Laden and the Crucified Christ”. The album isn’t just a bunch of piped in crowd noise as at one point during the track “New Wave” front woman Laura Jane Grace stops the song to scold security for attempting to throw out a fan. Its brief moments like this that truly put you in the moment making the listening experience very real.
Whether you are a seasoned Against Me! fan who has seen the band countless times or you’re new to the group this album is for you. Over the course of 23 tracks you get an intense live feeling while being presented with a solid representation of the group’s diverse catalog. If you are any type of music fan at all then you would be doing yourself a tremendous disservice not picking up a copy of this album.
Track Listing:
1.) FUCKMYLIFE666
2.) Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
3.) Cliché Guevara
4.) True Trans Soul Rebel
5.) I Was a Teenage Anarchist
6.) New Wave
7.) Walking Is Still Honest
8.) Turn Those Clapping Hands Into Angry Balled Fists
9.) Transgender Dysphoria Blues
10.) Pretty Girls (The Mover)
11.) I Still Love You Julie
12.) High Pressure Low
13.) Don’t Lose Touch
14.) Miami
15.) White Crosses
16.) Osama Bin Laden and the Crucified Christ
17.) How Low
18.) Black Me Out
19.) Thrash Unreal
20.) Unconditional Love
21.) The Ocean
22.) Sink, Florida, Sink
23.) We Laugh at Danger and Break All the Rules
Greg Tribbett is probably best known for his guitar work with Mudvayne and Hellyeah which featured former Mudvayne vocalist Chad Grey and former Pantera/Damage Plan drummer Vinnie Paul. Greg’s newest project Audiotopsy is set to release their debut album titled “Natural Causes” at the end of the summer and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Greg recently about the album, the group’s formation and the upcoming tour plans for this fall.
Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about how you guys came together to for Audiotopsy?
Greg Tribbett: Around July of 2014 I called up Matt McDonough and we got talking about putting something together as we both had nothing going on at the time. I ended up flying up to Matt’s house for a weekend and we wrote about seven songs in two days. We hadn’t played together for about 5 years by this point but things went really well. We decided we needed to get a singer and a bass player so we called Billy Keeton who we knew from the band Skrape. He had already been jamming with Perry Stern so those two sort of came as a package deal. We were really stoked at this point as we didn’t need to look for a bass player. We ended up going down to Florida to record those seven songs and we all gelled together great. It was a great time and things just came together really quickly.
AL: Was there ever any thoughts in your mind when you put the group together about how to distance it from your guys previous works with other bands?
GT: That was definitely on my mind. I didn’t want to sound like Mudvayne or Hellyeah as I have done all that. When I was writing I really tried to concentrate on originality and create things that were both new and fresh. I think we certainly accomplished that.
AL: Was the ability to come up with new material quickly something you have always been able to do or was this something new for you?
GT: It comes pretty easy for me. Usually I will just sit down and start thinking up riffs in my head and play them out on guitar. From there I will start working on the actual song. Within about 20 or 30 minutes I will have a song laid out. When Matt and I got together he was familiar with my work style from all the time we had spent with each other over the years. When I got to his house I came with most of the songs structures already laid out. There may have been one or two songs that we worked on together but for the most part things were pretty much done. I just let Matt do his thing over the riffs that I brought. We did the albums first 7 songs that weekend at Matt’s. A short while later I ended up writing another three songs that we also did at Matt’s. We originally were just going to release an EP but ended up doing a full length release instead.
AL: What type of single release plans do you have for the album thus far?
GT: We have the song “Headshot” out right now but I don’t really consider that to be our single or anything like that. The actual single will be coming to radio soon and that is called “The Calling”. We actually have plans within the next few weeks to do videos for both of those songs.
AL: What types of tour plans are in place to support the album?
GT: Right now we are looking at late fall or early winter to get out on the road. We have a lot of feelers out right now as there are a bunch of tours going out at this time. We are looking at all those and we plan to go with the best offer that suits us. From there we will make all the plans and whatnot that goes along with booking a tour. We will definitely be out there through 2016 promoting the band and the record. We want to go worldwide with this.
“Metal Allegiance”
Metal Allegiance (Philip H. Anselmo, Charlie Benant, Chuck Billy, D. Randall Blythe, Rex Brown, Ron Tahl, Phil Demmel, David Ellefson, Alissa White-Gluz, Mathew K. Heafy, Gary Holt, Jamey Jasta, Chris Jericho, Andreas Kisser, Misha Mansoor, Mark Osegueda, Tim Owens, dUg Pinnick, Mike Portnoy, Troy Sander, Cristina Scabbia, Alex Skolnick, Steve Souza, Ben Weinman, Mark Menghi)
Nuclear Blast Entertainment
Tracks: 10
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Metal Allegiance the brain child of Mark Menghi is a who’s who of some of today’s top heavy metal performers playing collectively together as one group. What started off as a performance here and there has now morphed into a full album of original material. The album which is being released via Nuclear Blast Entertainment features 10 original tracks with performances from D. Randall Blythe, Alex Skolnick, Dave Ellefson and Mike Portnoy to name just a few.
Just when you thought you have heard it all the group known simply as Metal Allegiance goes and releases an album of completely original material. If just the thought of performers like Tim “Ripper” Owens, Philip H. Anselmo, Andreas Kisser and Ben Weinman all being together on one album doesn’t grab your attention then you better check your pulse. I can’t recall a compilation effort of this magnitude ever occurring let alone coming together to create one cohesive album. Tracks like the albums opener “Gift of Pain” which features a note worthy vocal performance by one D. Randall Blythe that instantly shreds your sense to the expansive, twisting and turning “Dying Song” you would be hard pressed to find something on this album that doesn’t appeal to you. A few other tracks I found worth mentioning are that of the over the top “Pledge of Allegiance” which has a classic thrash metal feel complete with dizzying guitar riffs, thunderous double bass and razor like vocal passages provide by Mark Osegueda of Death Angel, and the instrumentally driven “Triangulum (I. Creation II. Evolution III. Destruction)” which features some impressive lead guitar work by a laundry list of great players.
With a project as big as Metal Allegiance that certainly was a little bit of skepticism on my part as to how this album was going to work and sound. With so many working parts it was head spinning just reading the track roster in early press releases however immediately after listening to just a couple tracks it all made sense as the playing contained on each of the 9 (10 for the deluxe edition) was at the highest level it could possibly be at. You can almost hear each performance egging on the next to “top that” which made for an awesome listening experience. I really have to tip my hat to Mark Menghi for pulling this off and I hope that more of these albums will follow.
Track Listing:
1.) Gift of Pain (Blythe, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Holt)
2.) Let Darkness Fall (Sanders, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Brown, Menghi)
3.) Dying Song (Anselmo, Skolnick, Menghi, Portnoy)
4.) Can’t Kill the Devil (Billy, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Demmel, Kisser)
5.) Scars (Scabbia, Osegeuda, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy)
6.) Destination Nowhere (Heafy, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy,)
7.) Wait Until Tomorrow (Pinnick, Jasta, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy)
8.) Triangulum (I. Creation II. Evolution III. Destruction) (Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Mansoor, Weinman, Benante, Demmel, Thal)
9.) Pledge of Allegiance (Osegueda, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Benante, Holt, Kisser)
10.) We Rock (Deluxe Edition Only) (Oseugueda, Jericho, Owens, White-Gluz, Billy, Souza, Skolnick, Ellefson, Portnoy, Kisser, Demmel, Holt)
“The Twenty Fifth Hour”
Terror
Victory Records
Tracks: 14
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Los Angeles hardcore band Terror is back with a brand new full length album titled “The Twenty Fifth Hour”. This is the bands 6th studio album and the follow up to the groups 2013 release “Live by the Code” which was also released via Victory Records.
“The Twenty Fifth Hour” immediately picks up where the bands previous release left off. Vocalist Scott Vogel hits the ground running with lyrics that speak true to the daily struggles that even someone completely removed from the hardcore scene can relate to. Tracks like “No Time For Fools” with its classic hardcore mid section break down to “Blinded By the Lights” which features a crescendoed ending adds to the proverbial icing on the cake to an already excitable track. “Trust No Face” which features an intense guest performance by No Warning vocalist Ben Cook is definitely worth a listen as is the albums closing track “Deep Rooted”.
Terror once again proves why they are easily one of my favorite hardcore bands out there. The band pulls no punches in its approach both lyrically and instrumentally as “The Twenty Fifth Hour” gives you something to think about while also providing you with some killer opportunities to bob your head to the beat. Though the album only clocks in at just over 22 minutes that brief period of time is utilized to its maximum potential.
Track Listing:
The 25th Hour
No Time For Fools
Bad Signs
Feed the Rats
The Solution
Blinded By the Lights
Trust No Face (Feat. Ben Cook)
Why?
Mind At War
Snap
Sick and Tired
Life Goes On
Both of You
Deep Rooted
Earth, Wind and Fire/Chicago
August 21, 2015
Starlight Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars
They were two of the most popular bands of the 1970s and 80s, blessed with great writing, vocals and the two best horn sections of any act EVER! On Friday night, the Elements and the group from the Windy City got together and put on a show I hope to remember for the rest of my life.
Like other shows I’ve attended (Hall and Oates/Michael McDonald/Average White Band, REO Speedwagon and STYX), the show promised to be special because not only would you get to listen to the bands individually, there was also a great jam session with both groups on stage together.
The evening was kicked off with both bands on stage performing a few Chicago songs. After a rousing performance of “Dialogue Part I and II,” Chicago vacated the stage and Earth, Wind and Fire took command of the evening. Lead singer Phillip Bailey and company brought the crowd to their feet with “Boogie Wonderland.” Even at age 64, Bailey’s sweet voice carried the evening. Along with original group members bassist Verdine White, whose brother Maurice shared the bands vocal duties until forced to retire in 1994 for health reasons, and percussionist/vocalist Ralph Johnson, the band went on an extended jam session on “Serpentine Fire,” led by Verdine White’s heavy bass lines. This had anyone who wasn’t standing already up and dancing in the aisles. Other classics covered in the set included “That’s the Way of the World,”Let’s Groove,” and the groups contribution to the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” film, a peppy “Got to Get You Into My Life.”
After a short intermission it was Chicago’s turn to take the stage, featuring original members Robert Lamm on keyboards and vocals and the amazing horn section of Lee Loughnane, James Pankow and Walter Parazaider. Playing favorites like “Make Me Smile,” “Just You and Me,” and “Saturday in the Park,” the band was spot on the entire evening. In fact, the only time the audience took a break and sat down was during “Colour My World” which, as I recall, was the first song I ever slow-danced to! It was also great when the band segued into “Get Away” after finishing “Hard to Say I’m Sorry.” The song always fades out when you hear it on the radio but on the album (I’m going to take a guess and say “Chicago 16”) it picks up nicely and gives the song a fun ending.
But the best was yet to come when, at show’s end, Earth, Wind and Fire returned to the stage and the two groups turned the energy up to “11.” Familiar hits, from “September” to “25 or 6 to 4” were performed with the power of not one, but two horn sections. I can only imagine that this is how heaven sounds! After three and a half hours the bands said goodnight to an adoring crowd who gave them a much deserved ovation.
The “Heart and Soul” tour, featuring Earth, Wind and Fire and Chicago, continues through September 6. If they’re coming your way make plans to see them. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
SET LIST: (Both groups) Beginnings, In the Stone, Dialogue (Part I & II), (Earth, Wind and Fire) Boogie Wonderland, Jupiter, Yearnin’ Learnin’, Serpentine Fire, Devotion, That’s the Way of the World, After the Love Has Gone, Got to Get You into My Life, Fantasy, Let’s Groove, (Chicago) Introduction, Questions 67 & 68, Make Me Smile, So Much to Say, So Much to Give, Anxiety’s Moment, West Virginia Fantasies, Colour My World, To Be Free, Now More Than Ever, Call on Me, Hard Habit to Break, You’re the Inspiration, I’m a Man, Street Player, Just You ‘n’ Me, Hard to Say I’m Sorry/Get Away, Saturday in the Park, Feelin’ Stronger Every Day, (Both groups) September, Free, Sing a Song, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Shining Star, 25 or 6 to 4.
Here are the remaining shows on this leg of the Heart and Soul tour. For tickets click here.
August 28, 2015 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheater
August 29, 2015 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Springs PAC
August 30, 2015 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
September 1, 2015 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
September 4, 2015 – Raleigh, NC – Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
September 5, 2015 – Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live
September 6, 2015 – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Event Center
“This Summer’s Last Stand Tour”
Slipknot, Lamb of God, Bullet for My Valentine, Motionless in White
Date: Wednesday, July 29th 2015
Venue: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Slipknot’s “Summers Last Stand Tour” made a stop at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Darien Center on July 29th. Along with the masked 9 piece band from Iowa was Lamb of God, Bullet for My Valentine and Motionless in White. With a line up this impressive the energy outside was running high and as the night progressed each act did a great job building on that energy.
Opening up the night was Scranton, Pennsylvania’s very own Motionless in White. The band performed a brief set which included songs off of each of the bands 3 albums. Though fans were still making their way into the venue those who were able to get through the slow moving security lines were treated to a solid performance by the up and coming metal band. Bullet for My Valentine would take the stage next performing a handful of songs off their upcoming album titled “Venom” in between the new tracks were fans favorites such as “Raising Hell” and “Waking the Demon” which both were definite highlights of the bands set.
Virginia metalers Lamb of God were up next and instantly took the night to the next level. Flanked by large video screens and an impressive lighting rig the visual elements of the show seemed much higher than previous shows by the band. Vocalist Randy Blythe stalked the stage like a deranged psycho path stalking his next victim while spewing out thought provoking lyrics. Drummer Chris Adler laid an impressive rhythmic path which guitarists Mark Morton, Will Adler and bassist John Campbell followed beautifully. The band performed a few songs from their recently released “VII: Sturm Und Drang” along with such LOG classics as “Ghostwalking” and “Laid to Rest” with the always prevalent “Redneck” closing out the set. The band sounded and looked better than ever which made for a great show experience. Shortly after the members of Lamb of God left the stage two giant red curtains emblazoned with large black S logos would close of view of the stage. As the anticipation built so did the crowd which seemed to almost double from when the house lights first came on.
Once the lights came back down and Slipknots “XIX” began playing through the PA it was on. Front man Cory Taylor dominated the stage as the band performed a variety of songs ranging from their break out hit “Wait and Bleed” to newer songs such as “The Devil and I” and “Before I Forget”. DJ Sid Wilson provided a bevy of entertainment as he jigged and shook his way around the impressive stage which included a giant devil head. Guitarist Mick Thompson and Jim Root handled the 6 string duties perfectly while new members drum Jay Weinberg and bassist Alessandro Venturella handled a fair share of the rhythmic duties which were highlighted at times by the addition of Shawn “Clown” Crahan and Chris Fehn. The band as a whole sounded better than ever and performed this night at the top of their game.
With a number of dates left on the “Summers Last Stand Tour” you would be doing yourself a tremendous disservice if you don’t catch one of the remaining dates. Each of the four bands leave nothing on the table making the night worthy of the price of admission and then some.
Motionless in White Set List:
1.) Break the Cycle
2.) Devil’s Night
3.) America
4.) Abigail
5.) If It’s Dead, We’ll Kill It
6.) Unstoppable
7.) Reincarnate
Bullet For My Valentine Set List:
1.) Now Way Out
2.) Your Betrayal
3.) Raising Hell
4.) Scream Aim Fire
5.) Army of Noise
6.) Tears Don’t Fall
7.) Waking the Demon
Lamb of God Set List:
1.) Walk With Me in Hell
2.) Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
3.) Still Echoes
4.) 512
5.) Ghost Walking
6.) Ruin
7.) Hourglass
8.) Vigil
9.) Laid to Rest
10.) Redneck
Slipknot Set List:
1.) Sarcastrophe
2.) The Heretic Anthem
3.) Psychosocial
4.) The Devil in I
5.) AOV
6.) Vermillion
7.) Wait and Bleed
8.) Killpop
9.) Before I Forget
10.) Sulfur
11.) Duality
12.) Disasterpiece
13.) Spit It Out
14.) Custer
15.) (sic)
16.) People=Shit
17.) Surfacing
