If the Hives are the first offensive in a Swedish rock invasion, then In Flames were the early reconnaissance team, quietly spreading their supercharged melodic death metal in whatever North American clubs would take them. Reroute to Remain, In Flames’ fifth album, is their latest missive, an album that’s heavy and pummeling yet accessible enough to potentially crack the limiting ceiling of the extreme underground. And if that happens, in a way, they’ll have Slipknot to thank for it. “We met Slipknot in Italy a couple of years ago,” vocalist Anders Friden relayed from a Detroit dressing room. “We just… Read more »
Strahov Stadium has had it all – communist rallies, anti-globalization protests, gymnastics exhibitions, drive-through movies and, now, Ozzfest. The crumbling structure, which stands as the largest stadium in the world per square foot, lent itself well to Ozzy Osbourne and his latest touring comrades, who hit the venue Thursday night for the seventh stop on the metal tour. With their stage parked in the middle of the field, the hard rockers used only half of the 200,000-capacity stadium, carving out an almost cozy cradle for Bohemia’s metalheads within the concrete monolith. While the tour got off to a less-than-grand beginning… Read more »
Even a fortune teller couldn’t have predicted the diverse range of guest talent that will appear on Third Eye Blind’s third album, Crystal Baller, which the band hopes will be ready for release by October. Of the 12 or so songs on the record – the group currently has 26 nearly completed tunes from which to choose – at least three will feature cameos. Limp Bizkit main man Fred Durst co-wrote and will play guitar on “Misfits,” party-meister Andrew W.K. will provide back-up vocals on “Messed Up Kid” and Kimya Dawson from the Moldy Peaches will sing on “Self Righteous.”… Read more »
Who the hell is Andrew W.K.? He’s a classically trained pianist from small-town Michigan turned death metalhead who discovered confectionery pop and hair metal and decided to throw together a bunch of songs that combined all of his musical interests into one single, energetic project. Oh, and he likes to party – a lot. Just about every song on his debut album, I Get Wet, features the word “party,” including “It’s Time to Party,” “Party ‘Til You Puke” and the first single, “Party Hard.” The latter explosively sums up the simple Spinal Tap edict as eloquently uttered by keyboardist Vivian… Read more »
A Superior Court judge in California threw out a lawsuit that accused Slayer and Columbia Records of marketing death metal to minors. On October 29th, a California judge threw out the lawsuit, which was filed after a fifteen-year-old boy was murdered by three teenage Slayer fans who claimed that listening to the band caused them to commit the crime.
Another punk band bursting out of Orange County, Thrice segregate themselves from the monotonous throng of pop lightweights overwhelming the SoCal scene by delivering some much needed meaty hardcore musicianship and potent lyrics. Bringing that furious sound of their debut Identity Crisis to the stage of Anaheim’s House of Blues recently (8/9), the foursome performed before a sold out hometown crowd with metal-crushing vigor. “It was really, really fun,” said breathless frontman and songwriter Dustin Kensrue backstage after the gig in an exclusive interview with Virginmega.com. “The kids were going crazy and we played almost all of our first record… Read more »
The amount of formative records hitting their 20th anniversary in recent memory is enough to make your back hurt just thinking about it. Sean Mott of Metalcore Nerds recently spoke with Atreyu guitarist Travis Miguel about celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Curse, the band’s breakout album from 2004. The band is just days away from their sold-out anniversary show in Southern California with Eighteen Visions and Death By Stereo, followed immediately by two consecutive performances at When We Were Young. The weekend will be dedicated to celebrating the album that set the band up for success. The 20th anniversary… Read more »
Halloween season is upon us! One of the most festive ways to get in the spirit is with a playlist that embodies the haunts, chills, thrills, and spooks that await us in October. Here are 15 essential spooky rock songs to get your Halloween playlist started. Misfits — “Scream!” The Misfits have been unprecedented pioneers of the horror punk genre since the 1970s with their immaculate blend of horror-themed lyrics, imagery, and wardrobe. Any of their songs can be considered vital for your Halloween playlist. This just happens to be a top track and personal favorite. AFI — “Halloween” In… Read more »
Life comes at you fast and music news can break even quicker. With all the announcements that happen in a single day, it’s easy to lose track of who’s releasing what, when your favorite artists are hitting the road, and all the mayhem that happens in between. Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered. Every week we keep track of the latest in new releases so that you don’t have to—from artists who are just starting to make their mark in the business, to scene staples with so much more to deliver. This week, we heard singles from a plethora… Read more »
In a recent social media statement, metalcore mainstays Veil Of Maya revealed that they are going on hiatus and canceling all forthcoming shows, effective immediately. The post reads, “We have made the difficult decision to have Veil Of Maya go on hiatus and we will not be playing any of the upcoming festivals or tours.” It continues, “We apologize to our fans and appreciate everyone’s support over the years. This break is necessary for us to reassess our future, and we hope you understand. When the time feels right, we’ll update you on what’s next for Veil of Maya.” Though,… Read more »
