Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers, David Dondero

Date: Saturday, February 20th 2016

Venue: The Waiting Room, Buffalo, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Against Me! Front woman Laura Jane Grace made a stop at the intimate Waiting Room in Buffalo, NY on Feb 20th as part of a brief 8 show acoustic tour with her group the Devouring Mothers. Also on the bill for these handful of shows was veteran singer song writer Dave Dondero. The night was part storytelling and part music as both set of performers aimed to provide the audience with a nights worth of entertainment.

As fans were still making their way up the twisted steps of the dual stage venue opening act Dave Dondero took the stage for a less than energetic set. At several points through the 30/40 minute set Dondero asked the crowd if they were actually interested in hearing him play and if not he was ok with leaving. At first what seemed like a joke carried on throughout the remainder of Dondero’s unprofessional and lack luster set.

As the room began steadily filling in Laura Jane and the Devouring Mothers (a group made up of Against Me! drummer Atom Willard and producer/ bassist Marc Hudson) would take the stage and blast through over 20 acoustic renditions of some of Against Me’s material both new and old. In between such songs as “Tonight We’re Gonna Give It 35%” and “Androgynous” Grace read entries from her upcoming book which will be made of countless journal entries and experiences. The set by Laura Jane and company was like a cooler version of “VH1’s Storytellers”. The set was a nice mixture of both new and old tracks which provided something for the various levels of fans the packed the intimate club setting. Missing from the set however was the song “500 Years” which was released in 2014 as a Record Store Day limited edition 7”. Despite this being the perfect setting for the somber number other tracks like “Because of the Shame” and “Two Coffins” filled the void nicely and, despite the of the night being a bit rocky Laura Jane, Atom and Marc did a great job as they more than made it up to the Buffalo fans.

Set List:
1.) Ache With Me
2.) Pints of Guinness Make You Strong
3.) Tonight We’re Gonna Give It 35%
4.) You Look Like You Need a Drink
5.) Sink, Florida, Sink
6.) I Keep Forgettin’
7.) Pretty Girls (The Mover)
8.) How Low
9.) Searching for a Former Clarity
10.) Joy
11.) Androgynous (Replacements Cover)
12.) The Ocean
13.) Harsh Realms
14.) Conceptual Paths
15.) Because of the Shame
16.) Two
17.) True Trans Soul Rebel
18.) Bamboo Bones
19.) Transgender Dysphoria Blues
20.) Black Me Out
(Plus 2 song Encore)


Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL FANTASY
Mahaffey Theater
Saint Petersburg, FL

I feel that Arnie Roth outdid himself with this show. I’ve seen another show that he produced and I liked this one even better. Every show is a little different. As they have over 300 songs to choose from over the Final Fantasy series, there is always a different selection. Some staples are at every show, though, with things such as the Prelude. You just can’t start a Final Fantasy show without that one.

This is a combination show. There is a live orchestra with a live chorus. The music is performed in time with a pre-recorded video showing clips of various Final Fantasy games. For example, if you’re listening to Final Fantasy VII music, you will see clips from the games as well as from the Advent Children movie. So, there isn’t much else to say about this show, because you just have to go yourself. I wanted them to keep right on playing when it was over. I can’t wait until the show is in town again. Go get your tickets. GO!

Steve “Lips” Kudlow is the lead singer and guitar player for the band Anvil. After a period of mainstream obscurity the band was thrust back into the spotlight due to the award winning documentary “Anvil! The Story of Anvil”. The group’s 16th and latest studio album “Anvil is Anvil” comes out at the end of February and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Lips recently about the album’s release.

Adam Lawton: Tell us about the new albums opening track “Daggers and Rum”

Steve Kudlow: I got a call from this guy to be a pirate in a play he was putting together. I thought it sounded like fun so I said sure. He cast me in the role of Captain Snarls and also asked if I could write a song to go along with the play. I ended up becoming super inspired and started writing. I had the music already and was trying to come up with a title. At first I was thinking “Swords and Tequila” (laughs). I knew that wasn’t going to work so I started to think about what I associated with pirates. The first thing I thought was rum, and then I thought about what they used as weapons. That’s sort of how the title came about. I did some more research on pirate music and what are called “shanties” which originated from musical plays. It was sort of mind blowing that I was being asked to make up my own shanty for this play. It was all pretty cool. The song really sounds like it came from a musical play.

AL: Was this one of the first songs you ended up writing for the album?

SK: Yes it actually was. It was the first song I had lyrics for. I had probably written a couple others at the same time and musically this was I think number 3 or 4. In the studio we called all the songs by their numbers and this one was done really early. Despite it being 3rd musically it was the first completed. Interesting enough song 2 as it was known as was actually one of the last ones to be finished.

AL: The album has 12 tracks listed but a 13th track is included as a bonus on some versions. Can you tell us about that?

SK: Truth be told there is no such thing as bonus tracks. We recorded 13 tracks and all 13 tracks are going to be released eventually. Considering 99% of people listen to music free on the internet these days there is really no such thing as bonus tracks because no matter what version of an album you may get it ends up out on the web for everyone. The “bonus” tracks were just additional tracks that needed to be separated for distribution purposes. We did one version of the album for people who pledged money towards its being made which of course is different from the one found in stores. By doing that we also were able to give the fans in Japan that additional pledge track. The Japan version of the album ended up being the pledge version and easily the most obscure.

AL: Do you guys have any special packaging or limited edition versions of the album planned for release?

SK: Most everything is going to be done in digi-packs. We also are going to be releasing the album in a clear double vinyl format which is going to be really cool. What’s great about the vinyl is it will also come with a digital version of the album so fans can put the vinyl away as a collector’s piece.

AL: Being 16 albums in your career as a band how do you go about keeping things fresh and new from album to album?

SK: I don’t think that is something you consciously do. I don’t really think about it in those types of terms. For me it not about wondering how am I going to come up with something but more so how am I NOT going to come up with something. (Laughs) Every time I get to express myself it’s exciting. It’s a hell of a lot of fun to make new songs. You have to make it that way because if it’s not then the end result isn’t probably going to turn out very well. Just have to have fun with and not waste time. Working with Rob (Reiner) he always wants the next part and to be able to keep going so that’s what I mean by not wasting time.

AL: Do you and Rob have the same relationship now as you did when you first started the group in the late 70’s?

SK: Absolutely! Our relationship is actually the most magical aspect of all this. You end up meeting someone and you find out they think the same way as you. I compare it to when people finish each other’s sentences. With Rob and I we finish each other’s riffs. We grew up together and have listened to the same music our entire lives so we have the same mind set on things. We are very in-tune with one another.

AL: How has the addition of Chris Robertson on bass helped the bands dynamics?

SK: Chris has been with band for about 2 years now however this is his first time actually recording with us. We are really blessed to have Chris and things just fell into place with him. At the time when we needed a new bass player we weren’t really out there searching for someone. We had a tour coming up in 3 weeks and we needed someone pretty quick. We had our friend Sal Italiano come on board for the tour and after worked with him and Jon another friend of ours through the “Hope in Hell” album. When it came time to find someone again I asked my friend Jon if he knew any one. He suggested this guy Chris as he was the guy who taught Jon how to play all of our songs. Chris came in and just blew us away. Sal did another tour with us and we had Chris along as part of the road crew. When the tour ended we had a one off show in Germany that we still had to do so I called Sal to confirm everything. While we were talking Sal stated he wasn’t going to be going. There wasn’t much I could say other than ok. Chris joined the band and here we are. Chris has a great sound and style and along with being a killer bass player he is a great back up vocalist. Chris is really great to work with and is honored to be part of Anvil.

AL: What type of tour plans are in place and has there been any more discussions about another Anvil film?

SK: We are currently out on the road in Europe with Udo Dirkschneider. We will be overseas until early April supporting Udo and then after that we will be starting a headlining tour in the U.S. in mid April. That tour is set to run through mid June. As for another film we have about 40 minutes or so of usable footage and it’s something we continue to work on as the band continues to progress.

“For All Kings”
Anthrax
Megaforce/Nuclear Blast
Producer: Jay Ruston
Tracks: 11

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

NY thrash legends Anthrax are back with a brand new full length studio album titled “For All Kings”. The album which is the bands 11th studio release and the first to feature lead guitarist Jon Donais features 11 blistering tracks produced by veteran producer Jay Ruston. “For All Kings” is being released in the states via Megaforce Records and internationally via Nuclear Blast and is available in a variety of formats.

As soon as I hit play “For All Kings” dominated my speakers. The albums opening track “You Gotta Believe” features the bands same signature in your face riffing which cemented them as one of the pillars of the Big 4 of Thrash on the early 80’s while the genre was still developing. The opening track sets the stage perfectly for what is to come and is immediately followed by another great track titled “Monster at the Gate”. Catchy sing along choruses, thunderous drum fills and a blazing guitar solo by new comer Jon Donais made this easily one of my favorites. This is not Donais’s only shining moment as the addition of the former Shadows Fall guitarist seems to have taken the bands already aggressive thrash sound and infused it with some heavy metal virtuosity. If you don’t believe me check out tracks like “The Battle Chose Us” and “Zero Tolerance” they are perfect examples of what I’m talking about.

If you are looking for heavy, the latest offering from Anthrax will certainly fulfill that need. Probably one of the bands most vicious sounding albums to date “For All Kings” is a near perfect testament from a band that has been waving the flag for heavy music since the early 80’s. Yes there were one or two tracks which for me personally missed the mark however the remaining 9/10 tracks easily outweigh anything negative and quickly pushed those short comings into the back of my mind. With such a solid release this early in 2016 Anthrax have certainly set the bar high.

Track Listing:
1.) You Gotta Believe
2.) Monster at the End
3.) For All Kings
4.) Breathing Lightning
5.) Suzerain
6.) Evil Twin
7.) Blood Eagle Wings
8.) Defend Avenge
9.) All of Them Thieves
10.) The Battle Chose Us
11.) Zero Tolerance

LAMB OF GOD Announces U.S. Headline Tour with CLUTCH and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY + Festival Performance Dates

U.S. Tour Ticket Pre-Sales Begin TODAY @ 2:00pm Local Time

Festival Appearances Include Bonnaroo, Rock On The Range, Rock’n Derby

This week, LAMB OF GOD wraps up their winter tour with special guests Anthrax and supporters Deafheaven and Power Trip. If you did not get a chance to catch them on this tour, you will soon – LAMB OF GOD is pleased to announce their next U.S. headline tour, which kicks off Saturday, April 30th and features support from renowned rockers Clutch and heavy metal veterans Corrosion of Conformity. Throughout the tour, LAMB OF GOD will perform at several festivals, including Bonnaroo, Rock On The Range, Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville, Rock’n Derby, and more.

Pre-sale tickets for LAMB OF GOD’s spring headline tour dates go on sale today at 2:00pm local time, and public on-sale begins Friday, February 12th at 10:00am local time. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates and visit www.Lamb-Of-God.com for tickets and more information.

LAMB OF GOD Tour Dates:
Remaining U.S. Headline Tour Dates w/ ANTHRAX, DEAFHEAVEN & POWER TRIP:
Tue/Feb-09 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
Thu/Feb-11 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fri/Feb-12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

Future U.S. Headline Tour Dates w/ CLUTCH & CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
+ Spring Festival Performance Dates:
Sat/Apr-30 – Fort Myers, FL @ JetBlue Park – “Fort Rock”
Sun/May-01 – Jacksonville, FL @ Metropolitan Park – “Welcome to Rockville”
Tue/May-03 – New Orleans, LA @ The Orpheum
Wed/May-04 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
Sat/May-07 – Concord, NC @ Charlotte Motor Speedway – “Carolina Rebellion”
Sun/May-08 – Reading, PA @ Reading Eagle Theatre
Mon/May-09 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
Tue/May-10 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues Boston
Thu/May-12 – St Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Fri/May-13 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Westfair Amphitheater – “89.7 The River’s Rockfest (KIWR)”
Sat/May-14 – Somerset, WI @ Somerset Amphitheater – “Northern Invasion”
Mon/May-16 – Binghamton, NY @ Magic City Music Hall
Tue/May-17 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
Thu/May-19 – Toronto, ON @ TD Echo Beach
Fri/May-20 – Schaghticoke, NY @ Schaghticoke Fairgrounds – “Rock’n Derby”
Sat/May-21 – Columbus, OH @ MAPFRE Stadium – “Rock on the Range”
Mon/May-23 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
Tue/May-24 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Wed/May-25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
Fri/May-27 – Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
Sat/May-28 – Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater Pomona
Sun/May-29 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
Tue/May-31 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater at CenturyLink Field Events Center
Wed/Jun-01 – Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Thu/Jun-02 – Penticton, BC @ South Okanagan Events Centre
Sat/Jun-04 – Calgary, AB @ Calgary Stampede Corral
Sun/Jun-05 – Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre
Mon/Jun-06 – Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition Park Hall A
Tue/Jun-07 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
Sat/Jun-11 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival – “Bonnaroo”

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• Lamb of God to release “The Duke” EP on November 18
• Lamb of God’s “As The Palaces Burn” Feature Film Debuts on Video On Demand on June 3rd
• Black Veil Brides Release New Song “When They Call My Name”, New Album Out January 12, 2018
• Black Veil Brides Announce New Album “Vale”
• Slayer, Lamb of God and Behemoth Announce “Spreading the Apocalypse” Tour

Singer/guitarist/songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter is heading throughout Florida (and one show in Hilton Head Island, SC) starting in March 2016! His latest album was released in 2015 called “The Heart” and if you haven’t heard it I would highly recommend it.

Check out below for a complete list of dates to catch Donavon live! Don’t miss it!

March 10, 2016
687 Central Ave Saint Petersburg, FL – State Theatre
8pm

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• Anthrax to Release “Chile on Hell” Live DVD
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• CARNIVAL OF MADNESS: First Tour Dates Announced; Unleashes August 13 In Cleveland With Shinedown, Papa Roach, Skillet, In This Moment & We As Human

“Soundcheck”
Leslie West
Provogue
Tracks: 11

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Soundcheck” is the newest solo offering from legendary Mountain front man Leslie West. The album is the much anticipated follow up to West’s 2013 release “Still Climbing” which featured guest performances by Mark Tremonti, Jonny Lang and the late Johnny Winter. “Soundcheck” follows in the same suit as “Still Climbing” while taking things to the next level with brilliant performances on all 11 of the albums tracks by West and company.

From start to finish Mr. West and his assembled group of musicians are in top form as they blast through a variety musical styling’s covering everything from gritty rock ‘n’ roll to heart wrenching acoustic tinged ballads that echo to the inner most points of the listeners musical soul. The albums opening track “Left by the Roadside to Die” works perfect in its placement by setting the stage for what the listener is in store for. Mixed in with a handful of original tracks are a plethora of re-worked covers including Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” a rawkus rendition of Gretchen Wilson’s “Here For the Party” an eerie instrumental version of the Beatles track “Eleanor Rigby” and a one of a kind rendition of “You Are My Sunshine” featuring Peter Frampton. Other guest performers include Queen’s Brian May on the track “Goin’ Down” and the late great Jack Bruce on the live recording of “Spoonful” a recording which until now has never been released.

If you are a long time Mountain/Leslie West devotee then “Soundcheck” will fit perfectly in to your music collection. For the more casual listener you will be hard pressed to find a track on here you won’t like. The production on each of the 11 tracks is really on par and even though the last track is a live track recorded in 1988 it still sounds crisp and in line with the previous 10 tracks making this a great album to listen to over and over.

Track Listing:
1.) Left by the Roadside to Die
2.) Give Me One Reason
3.) Here for the Party
4.) You Are My Sunshine
5.) Empty Promises/Nothin’ Sacred
6.) A Stern Warning
7.) People Get Ready
8.) Goin’ Down
9.) Stand By Me
10.) Eleanor Rigby
11.) Spoonful

Lamb of God, Anthrax, Deaf Heaven, Power Trip

Date: Saturday, January 16, 2016
Venue: Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA

Media Mikes Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Lamb of God made a stop in the city of brotherly love on January 18th as part of their winter headlining run which is in support of the group’s most recent release “Sturm Und Drang”. Along with the Richmond, VA natives were NY thrash metal legends Anthrax, black metal group Deafheaven and the crossover/thrash 5 piece Power Trip. The historic venue was packed to the rafters with energetic metals fans who were more than ready to live up to their “Killadelphia” name sake.

Starting of the night was the impressive Texas based thrash band Power Trip. The group blazed through a 30 minute set which grabbed the crowd’s attention and didn’t let go. Front man Riley Gale put on a stellar performance that was two parts vintage 80’s thrash and two parts modern metal making for a great start to the evening. Deafheaven would take the stage next basked in an eerie green glow that did little to win over the Philly fans. Despite the lack of vocals in the bands overall mix the group’s unique sound only further agitated the crowd who were not shy about showing their displeasure for the group. This displeasure from the crowd was returned with several gobs of saliva courtesy of lead singer George Clarke. Thankfully things did not get too out of hand as the bands set came to a rather unimpressive end.

Anthrax would follow giving the night the proverbial shot in the arm it needed after the previous bands rough time. The band sounded tighter than ever and looked great. Each of the members worked the stage like the veterans they are as they shredded their way through classic tracks such as “Caught in a Mosh” and “Antisocial” before performing their newest song “Evil Twin” which is the first single of the bands upcoming album titled “For All Kings”. Though the bands set was brief they packed every ounce of energy they had in to those 9 songs bringing the sold-out venues energy to maximum levels. Headliners

Lamb of God would close out the night in the city they consider their second home as Philadelphia was one of the very first cities to really embrace the band and their sound. Lead singer Randy Blythe made several notes of the bands relationship with the city to which the capacity crowd responded with huge applause. The groups set was a perfect mixture of both new and old as in between such classic LOG songs as “Desolation”, “Walk With me in Hell” and “ Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” were new tracks such “512” , “Still Echoes” and the bluesy tinged “Overlord” a song I was certainly excited to hear live. Despite vocals being a bit hard to hear at times the bands set was tight and well rehearsed. I am sure it will only get better as this was just the second night of a tour that runs through mid February.

If the combination of a capacity crowd and a solid bill of heavy music wasn’t enough to make you have a good time this evening then you may have wanted to check your pulse. As the sweat soaked fans spilled out on to the chilly streets on Philly it was safe to say that most if not all in attendance got their monies worth and then some.

Anthrax Set List:
1.) Fight’Em Til You Can’t
2.) Got the Time
3.) Caught in a Mosh
4.) Antisocial
5.) Evil Twin
6.) March of the S.O.D.
7.) In the End
8.) Indians
9.) Among the Living

Lamb of God Set List:
1.) Desolation
2.) 512
3.) Walk with Me in Hell
4.) Still Echoes
5.) Ruin
6.) The Subtle Arts of Murder and Persuasion
7.) Overlord
8.) The Faded Line
9.) Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
10.) Set to Fail
11.) Blackened the Cursed Sun
12.) Erase This
13.) Vigil
14.) Laid to Rest
15.) Redneck

“The Magic of Winter”
Wizards of Winter
Date: Sunday, December 27th 2015
Venue: The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater
Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Tri-State area based Wizard of Winter brought their own unique brand of holiday cheer to the Syracuse, NY area on December 27th as part of the group’s 2015 “Magic of Winter” tour. The night proved to be a great extension of the Christmas holiday as the night’s performance took you on a magical music adventure which made for a very enjoyable concert experience.

With this being the groups first time in Syracuse anticipation was certainly high as concert goers filled in the seats at the multi tiered Crouse Hinds Theater. The show began promptly at 8pm as the band kicked off their impressive 26 song performance with a song from their debut album “The Magic of Winter” titled “Flight of the Snow Angels”, a fitting opening number which set the stage perfectly for the rest of the night’s performance. Former Trans-Siberian Orchestra narrator Tony Gaynor would take the stage several times painting a vivid picture of the upcoming number which helped those in attendance sink deeper into the spirit of the night’s performance though, I personally found these moments (which also included a 15 minute intermission) to sort of halt the night’s momentum as it seemed like the band would no sooner start to get in a groove only to have it broken up by brief pieces of commentary. All of the members of the group put on stellar performances including several standout moments by former Trans-Siberian Orchestra vocalist Guy LeMonnier, Violin/Vocalist Natalia Niarezka and lead guitarist Fred Gorhau who blazed his way through intricate solo after solo without missing a beat. Songs such as “Ebeneezer” Savatage’s “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)”, “Season’s Lament” and the upbeat “Gales of December” sounded really great as they made their way into every nook and cranny of the theater prolonging the Christmas holiday just a touch longer.

As the night’s performance came to a close the Syracuse crowd seemed pleased with the show they had just witnessed. As the band left the stage the crowd thanked the performers with a heavy blanket of applause which the performers seemed very appreciative of. With such a good response from the groups Syracuse debut my hope is they continue to make stops in Orangeman country for many more holiday season to come.

Set List:
1.) Flight of the Snow Angels
2.) Magic of Winter
3.) Arctic Flyer
4.) Special Feeling
5.) First Snow (Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover)
6.) A Night of Reflection
7.) Sing Alleluia/ 3 Ships
8.) Once Long Ago
9.) 3 Kings
10.) Nutrocker (Electric Light Orchestra cover)
11.) Ebeneezer
12.) Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage cover)
13.) March of the Metal Soldiers
14.) Season’s Lament
15.) Just Believe
16.) Gales of December
17.) Whoville
18.) Waken to the Sound
19.) Toys will be Toys
20.) The Journey
21.) Queen of the Winter Night (Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover)
22.) Electric Blue (Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover)
23.) Little Help (Joe Cocker cover)
24.) Spirit of Christmas
25.) Requiem (Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover)
26.) With One Voice

It’s is with great sadness that Media Mikes reports the passing of a true Rock/Heavy metal icon. Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister passed away on December 28^th at the age of 70. Lemmy was the in your face front man of the heavy metal band Motorhead which Kilmister formed in 1975. The group went on to release twenty two studio album as well as several live albums. The group is probably best known for their 1980 album release “Ace of Spades” which spawned the bands signature song of the same name. Lemmy worked with countless other acts and artists including Wendy O. Williams and Dave Grohl. He also appeared in a number of television shows and films including the 1995 comedy “Airheads” staring Brendan Fraser, Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi. A statement on the bands Facebook page read:

“There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. He had learnt of the disease on December 26^th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made its way down the street, with his family.”

“We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.”

“We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please…play Motorhead loud, play Hawkwind loud, play Lemmy’s music LOUD.”

“Have a drink or few.”

“Celebrate the LIFE this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself.”

“HE WOULD WANT EXACTLY THAT.”

Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister

1945-2015

Born to lose, lived to win.

The Media Mikes crew would like send our heartfelt condolences to all the friends, family and band members of Lemmy. He will truly be missed.

“Winter Warriors Tour”
Battlecross, Havok, Nekrogoblikon, Black Fast
Date: Monday, December 14, 2015
Venue: Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Our Score:3 out of 5 stars

Metal Injection’s 2015 Winter Warriors tour made a stop at the Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY as part of a brief 6 show run. The bill which featured Black Fast, Nekrogoblikon, Havok and Battlecross was certainly not one for the faint of heart as all 4 bands commanded the crowd’s attention before pummeling them with a barrage of bombastic sonic landscapes.

After a small spattering of local talent the main bills opener Black Fast would be first to take the stage. The 4 piece progressive thrash group hailing from St. Louis, Missouri did an impressive job with the short time they had as they did a great job loosening up the crowd with their set which was a mixture of older songs along with a couple from the group’s latest release “Terms of Surrender”.

Up next would be the group I was definitely most excited to check out. Los Angeles, CA natives Nekrogoblikon who up until now have been relatively scare here on the east coast made up for lost time as they shredded through a 30 minute set complete with several appearance by the bands mascot Mr. John Goblikon who assisted the band in working the crowd into a feverish frenzy. The band’s unique brand of mythical tinged metal rang through the venues walls as the band performed songs of their latest release “Heavy Meta” before closing out the set with an impressive rendition of the song “Powercore” which was complete with over the top synth and guitar work that easily made your head spin. Filling the difficult spot of performing after Nekrogoblikon on this night would be bestowed upon Century Media artist Havok. The band which formed in Denver, CO in 2004 mixed classic thrash elements with modern day accoutrements. The groups sound could be described as early Megadeth on speed as each of the bands 4 members are certainly no slouches at their respective instruments. Though lead vocalist/guitarists David Sanchez’s expletive filled rants became a bit tiresome as the bands set went on the group still did a solid job keeping the night’s energy level high.

Tour headliner Battlecross would close out the night in impressive fashion. Having just seen the band opening for GWAR in September I was anxious to see what the band from Detroit could do with a full length set. Needless to say I was not disappointed as the guys seem to only get better each time I see them. With the added time to their set the members of the band wasted no time going right for the throat. The set list was a solid blend of new and old as the band performed a variety of songs from its back catalog however the set lacked any material from the bands August 2015 release “Rise to Power”. Vocalist Kyle Gunther and company certainly appeared to be in top form despite being at the end of months and months of touring proving BattleCross can certainly bring it any place at any time. Though you can never be too sure of a Monday night club show the audience and bands alike seemed to enjoy the night’s festivities making this unseasonably warm night in Rochester, NY a good one for heavy music.

Battlecross Set List:
1.) Force Fed Lies
2.) My Vaccine
3.) Beast
4.) Ghost Alive
5.) Never Coming Back
6.) Flesh & Bone
7.) Get Over It
8.) Kaleb
9.) Push Pull Destroy

MediaMikes favorite hip-hop duo, Kansas City based Dr. Dilznik and the Last Rekrute, have released the video for the first single off their upcoming album, “SOS – Stuck on Stoopit,” the fourth and final installment of the Stoopit series, scheduled for release this coming Spring.

The song, “Adios Caballos,’ was produced, mixed and mastered by legendary Kansas City producer S.G. and samples the song “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzurus, best known for it’s inclusion in the film “The Silence of the Lambs.”

Check out their new video here:

Fred Gorhau is the guitarist for the NY, NJ, and PA metro area band The Wizards of Winter. The group which formed in 2010 has strong classical and progressive rock influences features several former Trans Siberian Orchestra members. The group recently released their second full length album titled “The Magic of Winter” which is a continuation of the groups 2014 self titled release. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Frank recently about the new album, the group’s ties to the Trans Siberian Orchestra and the bands upcoming holiday tour.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the group’s initial formation?
Frank Gorhau: We all come from different backgrounds. Me personally I come from a rock and heavy metal background. The group was put together by our keyboardist Scott Kelly, his wife Sharon and Steve Ratchen the bass player. The whole concept behind the group was there was a food pantry in the area that needed help. Scott and company wanted to do something so they decided to put a band together. The first year they were performing they did strictly Trans Siberian Orchestra (TSO) music. I joined the group in the second year when things really started picking up. People were asking where they could get our music and there really wasn’t a place. We decided we better do a CD so we did and now we are just releasing our second album. We have some former members of TSO appearing on the album and have had the chance to tour with 5 former members thus far. It’s great to be able to get together and do something that has grown exponentially. The group has gone from being a TSO tribute act to performing 20 of our own original songs with just a couple TSO classics thrown in for the member of that group who our now playing with us. We are doing a holiday rock concert of our own so it’s fitting to throw in some of those great TSO pieces.

AL: You recently started working with Jonny Z and Chuck Billy how did that partnership come about?
FG: I think Jon had seen some things from us and he reached out to me while we were on the road last year. He asked me for my info which I jumped at right away because Jon’s pedigree speaks for himself. We spoke and he asked if we had any video of a full show. Sadly I did not have any pro-shot material at the time. He really wanted to see our full show and as luck would have it he happened to be in Philadelphia when we were playing in nearby Easton, PA. The show was sold out and from there one thing just led to another. He started Breaking Bands with Chuck Billy and Maria Ferrero and they have been making things happen for us quite a bit this year. We are super excited and can’t wait to get out there.

AL: What can you tell us about the new album which came out earlier this month?
FG: I think “The Magic of Winter” is sort of a continuation of our first album. I am really happy with my playing on this record and our producer Eric Rachel did a fantastic job on things. It’s a really great sounding record. Tony Gaynor who was the original announcer for TSO does a great job not only announcing the song but tying the story in with everything. The story acts as this metaphorical train which takes the listeners from one place to another as it looks into various people lives during the holiday season. At first I wasn’t too sure of the story line and how it would all work but after seeing how it affects our fans and having some of those fans come up to me crying after the show really meant a lot. The album was a lot of fun and with it being the holiday season people can get emotionally involved with this release. We try to address all aspects of the holidays both happy and sad with our songs. We know that sometimes the holidays can be difficult for people and we do try to address that. I think people appreciate at that as it shows that they might not be the only ones with those feelings at this time of year.

AL: Were you more involved with the creation of the new album as compared to the previous when you were still relatively new to the group?
FG: I did play on the whole first album but only really had my hands in a couple of the songs. Most of the stuff was already there and I just put my spin on things. With “The Magic of Winter” I was intimately involved with the writing and arranging. We started putting all this stuff together in March or April so to have it all done for a November release is pretty good. There was a lot of good feedback that happened during the creation of this project and I am just super happy and proud of what we came up with in such a short time.

AL: How does the writing process work for the group being that there are quite a few members in the group?
FG: If there is one person more than any that brings in material I would have to say it is Scott. He comes up with a lot of ideas just sort playing around. Scott and I work well together whether we are retooling a traditional Christmas song or working on a new piece of material. Everyone brings something to the table. All twelve of us don’t normally get together to write but there is a core four or five that do work together and throw ideas back and forth. From there we bring the more solid ideas to the rest of the group and share with them what we think would benefit the track. It’s just been a really great experience.

AL: Having a history that is really entrenched with pieces of the Trans Siberian Orchestra be it through starting as a TSO tribute band to recruiting former TSO members, how do you go about differentiating those similarities from your own material?
FG: We are definitely similar and that’s not something I am going to pretend we are not. We started as a TSO tribute, our name comes from a TSO song. I wear that on my sleeve as sort of a badge of honor. I am a fan and to get to know these guys as friends now is something very special to me. We do have some differences in that we don’t take as much of the traditional Christmas music and rework it with a modern spin. TSO has done quite of bit of that. I think a larger portion of our material has vocals too it where TSO is mostly instrumental. We try to have about a 60/40 split between songs with vocals and straight instrumentals. We try to keep things interesting for the listener without going too far outside of the normal song structure.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands current holiday tour run?
FG: We are bringing out a few new effects with us this tour to help enhance the stage show. We have changed up the storyline a little bit as we don’t want to keep doing the same thing year after year. We won’t be doing all of the new record but we will be doing somewhere between 5 and 6 songs from that. The idea of the show is that it all takes place within a snow globe and as the globe is shaken the scenes change. The new material is sounding really great live and I think people are going to really enjoy what we have in store for everyone this year.

“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