No other contemporary chart-topping rock album sounds remotely like Metallica’s St. Anger. Never mind the whirlwind tempos, multiple rhythm changes and seven-minute songs. What’s really unusual are the lo-fi tones and unconventional constructions. The drums don’t crack, they clang, and cymbals cut out abruptly. There are no guitar solos. Once in a while a guitar lick lags behind the beat, and frontman James Hetfield’s vocals occasionally veer off key. Stranger still, that’s exactly the way Metallica and producer Bob Rock wanted it to sound. “I wanted to do something to shake up radio and the way everything else sounds,” said… Read more »
Proving that no one does Metallica better than Metallica, acts such as Sum 41, Limp Bizkit, Korn and Avril Lavigne gamely covered songs by the hard rock group at MTV’s annual tribute concert on Saturday while fans impatiently awaited a set by the honorees themselves. Playing in public for the first time with new bassist Rob Trujillo, Metallica ran through a fast and furious medley of songs, including “Creeping Death” and “Sanitarium,” before unveiling the speed-metal song “Frantic” from their upcoming album, “St. Anger.” Still a little rusty from a long layoff, Metallica performed “Frantic” twice after deciding that the… Read more »
Great White, the heavy metal band whose pyrotechnic display set off a blaze that killed at least 95 people in Rhode Island, used similar special effects without authorization just last week, a New Jersey nightclub owner said on Friday. As authorities seek clues in what may become a criminal investigation of Thursday night’s inferno, attention is already focused on the shower of sparks that the band used to kick off their fatal gig at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Great White played on Feb. 14 at the Stone Pony, a club in Asbury Park, New Jersey made… Read more »
Embattled song-swap service Napster Inc., facing a judge’s order which could put it permanently out of business, announced Thursday it had settled copyright infringement lawsuits brought by hard rockers Metallica and rap artist Dr. Dre. “I think we’ve resolved this in a way that works for fans, recording artists and songwriters alike,” Metallica co-founder Lars Ulrich said in a statement announcing the deal. “Our beef hasn’t been with the concept of sharing music,” Ulrich said. “The problem we had with Napster was that they never asked us or other artists if we wanted to participate in their business.” Under the… Read more »
VRSTY are continuing their conquest with their new heavy pop banger “The Plug”, all about falling in love with someone that you know is bad for you.
VEXED are back with a new record and a new track aiming to takedown a side of the heavy music culture that needs to disappear.
Thank goodness it’s Friday because that means we’re back with an all-new Fresh 5! Regardless of whether your world is feeling vibrant and full of color or if it’s starting to hit that point of the year where you want to curl up under a pile of blankets and pretend the world doesn’t exist until spring rolls around again, we’ve got the latest and greatest in alternative, metal, indie, and more to soundtrack your mood. While the album releases will inevitably slow down until the start of 2025 (how are we even talking about a new year already?!?), we’ve got… Read more »
Metal juggernauts Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine are teaming up to co-headline The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour.
Protest The Hero announced a 10th-anniversary tour in celebration of their record Volition, featuring fan-favorite track “Clarity.” For fans of the 2013 record, the technical metal act is playing the entire record from beginning to end. The anniversary shows begin on August 1 at Detroit’s St. Andrews Hall and wraps up on October at London Music Hall in London, Ontario. Excitingly, hardcore duo ’68 will bring their “back pocket[s] full of riffs” on the road for all dates. Additionally, Greyhaven and Kaonashi will open on select shows, too. Protest The Hero shared on social media, “If Volition is ten years… Read more »
To celebrate Black History Month, Donny Lloyd, the exceptionally talented guitarist of the bubblegum pink pop-punk duo Honey Revenge, immerses us in a reflection on the impactful Black musicians and artists who have played a pivotal role in shaping and enriching their artistic journey through the music industry. From discovering a kindred spirit and fellow pink-guitar virtuoso in Marc Okubo, the guitarist of Veil Of Maya, to drawing inspiration from the musical legacy of their own flesh and blood within their mother’s musical repertoire, Donny has curated a soundscape that spans a diverse spectrum of Black musicians. These influences not… Read more »
