iii was recorded with producer Misha Hering in Hackney’s (largely analog) Holy Mountain Studios around the corner from the rehearsal space wherePuppy first started making music together.
Upon the EP’s surprise digital release towards the end of 2019, “Serotonin” quickly established itself as a fan-favorite.
“We’ve always liked the concept of lyric videos,” Price says. “They’re essentially karaoke tapes to which nobody is expected to sing along. Also, like a public service announcement, Ceefax or LED street signs, there’s a kind of clunky outdated-ness to the sight of words slowly panning across a surface to convey a simple message.”
He continues. “In this spirit, we thought it would be cool to take the idea of a lyric video and stretch it to breaking point, cramming in so many textual and visual interpretations of the song that it becomes almost uninterpretable. This felt all the more relevant at a time when social interactions, work obligations, and even live music itself are conducted from behind the flat faces of computer or telephone screens, mediated by confusing interfaces and dependent on the arbitrary whims of WiFi connections. We have never been more easily interconnected, and yet communication has never felt this hard. In a sense, this is what the song ‘Serotonin’ is about.
“Built up indecipherably on top of one another, the languages, ciphers, fonts, codes, and texts we use in our video are less a textual translation of our lyrics than a rhythmic component of the song itself. Rather than simply offering a transcription of the words, they instead adopt a more aesthetic, melodic role, optically enacting parts of the music like a computer visualiser or light show. On one hand, if you’re familiar with, say, British Sign Language or basic Arabic, our video could open the song to you in a way that might otherwise have remained closed. On the other hand, you could instead be confronted with a confusing collage of disparate symbolic elements, emotive jargon and an abundance of useless visual stimuli.
“We hope that the accumulative effect of this process creates something akin to a nightmare Zoom conference or the most confusing karaoke tape of all time!”
Fans can now purchase iii pressed onto translucent green vinyl, picked to perfectly complement the official artwork, here.
iii TRACKLISTING: “Powder Blue“ “Agatha” “_fig.1” “Serotonin” “Charms” “_fig.2” “Star Of The Sea” “Letterbomb”
Puppy‘s critically acclaimed debut album,The Goat, is also available via Spinefarm Records.
Many cover songs in rock have either paid tribute or put a unique spin on a classic in a great way. This list features none of those. This list takes a look at the top 10 worst cover songs in rock. Sorry in advance for exposing you all to some of these.
Click below to watch the video and scroll below for links to each song.
Songs featured on the list: Celine Dion & Anastasia – “You Shook Me All Night Long” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21iW_YMLvmU Dance Gavin Dance – “Semi-Charmed Life” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uryqMS4HhbA Falling In Reverse – “Gangsta’s Paradise” = “Gangsta’s Paradise” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7DUB-zLvw8 Five Finger Death Punch – “Gone Away” = “Gone Away” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIQK4-9YFW0 Hollywood Undead – “The Immigrant Song” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bla_7Q4WOHw Limp Bizkit – “Behind Blue Eyes” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr8uesBowS4 Marilyn Manson – “Highway To Hell” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVpnl9V0ctA Puddle Of Mudd – “About A Girl” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTiibb34Pwo Six Feet Under – “TNT” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf5L9BRlTJQ Train – “Light My Fire” = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txrsdTJ-KDg
While storming the official German album charts with a Best Of album at a phenomenal position of #2, POWERWOLF prove, metal is alive, healthy and they are the leaders of the one and only metal mass. Their new album, Best Of The Blessed, shows no sign of slowing down: POWERWOLF truly deserve the title for one of the most successful metal bands of modern times, while Best Of The Blessed is showcasing an impressive career of more than 15 years being the high priests of heavy metal in glorious style!
With their 2015-album, Blessed & Possessed, POWERWOLF achieved Gold status for the first time and stayed at the Top of the charts for more than nine weeks, followed by several number #1 records. Celebrating its 5th album anniversary this year, the band has just premiered a brand new lyric video to their sing-along classic and album title track!
On their new album, Best Of The Blessed, POWERWOLF deliver more than just another Best Of collection. Released on July 3rd, 2020, via Napalm Records, the album is featuring 16 metal anthems and timeless classics by the band, while several tracks are shrouded in a brand new shape. Crushing, new versions of hits such as “We Drink Your Blood”, “Kiss of the Cobra King” or the ultimate festival hymn, “Resurrection by Erection”, turn this very special album into a soundtrack to explore POWERWOLF as fans have never heard them before! But, also POWERWOLF‘s captivating live performances are highlighted on Best Of The Blessed: this must-have magnum opus will include 14 Live tracks; the LP Box Edition and Earbook will even get you more of the band’s incredible live sound.
Best Of The Blessed Tracklisting: 1. We Drink Your Blood (New Version) 2. Army of the Night 3. Demons Are a Girl‘s Best Friend 4. Werewolves of Armenia (New Version) 5. Saturday Satan (New Version) 6. Amen & Attack 7. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone 8. Resurrection by Erection (New Version) 9. Sanctified with Dynamite (New Version) 10. Kreuzfeuer 11. Armata Strigoi 12. Kiss of the Cobra King (New Version) 13. Killers with the Cross 14. Sacred & Wild 15. In Blood We Trust (New Version) 16. Let There Be Night
CD 2 – The Live Sacrament (Wolfsnächte 2018): 1. Fire & Forgive 2. Incense & Iron 3. Amen & Attack 4. Demons Are a Girls Best Friend 5. Killers With The Cross 6. Armata Strigoi 7. Blessed & Possessed 8. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone 9. Resurrection by Erection 10. Stossgebet 11. All We Need is Blood 12. We Drink Your Blood 13. Werewolves of Armenia 14. Lupus dei
Earbook & LP Box (The Live Bonus Sacrament): 1. Sanctified with Dynamite 2. Army Of The Night 3. Coleus Sanctus 4. Let There Be Night
The story of POWERWOLF, beginning in 2004, reads like a true fairytale, but is the result of one of the most hard-working and entertaining live bands on the heavy metal planet. POWERWOLF has not only received plenty of Gold and Platinum awards to date, numerous releases have entered the official album charts at the pole position #1. With Blessed & Possessed (2015), POWERWOLF achieved Gold status for the first time, while the predecessor, Preachers Of The Night (2013) – as well as the incredible DVD, The Metal Mass (2016) – hit the official German album charts at #1. POWERWOLF‘s holy mass in the name of heavy metal is unstoppable, their latest magnum opus, The Sacrament of Sin (2018), again entered the album charts at #1. The accompanying Wolfsnächte tour, in which POWERWOLF headlined large venues with their phenomenal stage performances, became a single major triumph – as well as the numerous summer festival shows in which the crowds were thrilled and completely captivated by the ‘wolf and their unique, (un)holy metal mass!
Neck Deep has released their latest single “I Revolve (Around You)”, accompanied by a cosmic, out-of-this world music video created by Félix Kerjean and the team at Remembers.
“’I Revolve (Around You)’ is a song about love on a planetary scale,” shares frontman Ben Barlow of the single; “It is one big metaphor, comparing love to the movement of the planets. Picturing love on that scale really makes everything else seem small and insignificant. The song comes at a point of epiphany on the record- the realization that despite life’s trials and tribulations, love conquers all.”
“Musically it’s hard hitting and impactful, and actually features one of my favorite ever sections in a Neck Deep song where I got to channel my inner Tom DeLonge, which for a song about space I feel is pretty fitting! It’s the first time we’ve done a full animated video and we’re so stoked on how it came out, the amazing team at Remembers in France did a beautiful job embodying the feeling of the lyrics.”
“I Revolve (Around You)” joins recent singles ”Fall”,“When You Know” and “Lowlife”from the band’s forthcoming album, All Distortions Are Intentional. Due out July 24, 2020 via Hopeless Records, this album is conceptually rich, with themes of disconnection, existential confusion, and the search for meaning.
The album tells the story of a loner named Jett who we met in the music video for “Lowlife”, who lives in Sonderland, a combination of “Wonderland” and the somewhat obscure word “sonder”: the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own, with their own ambitions and worries. “It’s that strange existential realization that you are not the entire world,” explains singer Ben Barlow. “Everyone around you feels and lives the same way that you do. You’re just an extra in their story.”
Neck Deep has partnered with Target for an extremely limited one-time pressing of All Distortions Are Intentional, complete with 2 bonus acoustic tracks as well as alternate cover art and packaging. Fans can pre-order today and will also be able to grab the CD in stores on July 24, 2020.
The forthcoming album is the follow up to 2017’s monumental release, The Peace And The Panic, which catapulted the band into mainstream success with a #2 charting position on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and welcomed their first U.S. Late Night TV performance. All Distortions Are Intentional is a journey of self-discovery and personal expression not unlike the rise of the band itself.
Neck Deep enlisted the talents of Grammy-nominated A-list producer Matt Squire (Panic! At The Disco, Ariana Grande, One Direction) to create ADAI, recording in Wales at the legendary Monnow Valley Studio, which has been a recording home for artists like Oasis, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Joss Stone and more. Squire and Neck Deep tucked themselves away at the world-famous residential studio, located in the gorgeous but remote Wye Valley in the heart of the band’s native Wales. The decision to create the album ‘at home’ was an important one; on the eve of what’s certain to be Neck Deep’s greatest exposure to the world yet, it’s a grateful and decisive acknowledgment of where they’ve come from, both literally and figuratively.
Neck Deep leapt from side project to fulltime band in 2012, after a single track online led to a pair of EPs followed by a deal with Hopeless Records. They struck a chord with a burgeoning audience, quickly heralded as leaders of a resurgence in hook-heavy punk, with an immediate accessibility and fun attitude combined with genuine concern for issues like loneliness, depression, and anxiety. The instant relatability of the band’s songs and overall approachable attitude endeared them to a new and incredibly passionate generation, with devotion to rival the biggest titans of melodic rock.
All Distortions Are Intentional marks Neck Deep’s arrival as an arena-confident band. Having mastered all of the strengths of the scene that birthed them, Neck Deep have evolved to this next stage, and as their crowds grow larger, it’s clearer than ever just how much this “silly little band” has come to mean to people.
The Podcast That Rocked episode for 7/14/2020 featuring Geaux Gretchen. Discussion on ICP calling out Dahvie Vanity and wanting the Juggalos to beat him down in the streets, New Metallica music coming this week, Dee Snider’s argument on band’s performing AFTER retirement and farewell tours, and more.
ICP VS. Dahvie Vanity: War Of The Woop
The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -More info on social distancing concerts and if they can work. -ICP vs Blood On The Dance Floor. Violent J wants Juggalos to attack Dahvie Vanity in the streets. -Metallica is releasing new music VERY soon! -Dee Snider calls out bands who have several “Retirement Tours”. -Steel Panther announced a virtual concert for August. It’s fun to speculate their potential shenanigans. -2021 Tour News, Upcoming Albums, Random Thoughts, and More!
Following the enormous success of the physical release of their latest, chart topping album, Afterburner, Sacramento five-piece, Dance Gavin Dance have released the brand new music video for One In A Million. The animated video is directed by Rob Shaw (Portlandia, At The Drive In)and takes viewers on a weird and wonderful psychedelic adventure. Watch the videohere or by clicking on the image below and find the album on your streaming platform of choice here.
The band also recently announced that they will be celebrating the July 10th physical release of their chart topping new album, Afterburner with a very special, full production, multi-camera broadcast of their Album Release Show. The streamed show, in association with Sound Rink Live, will give fans all around the world the very first opportunity to see Dance Gavin Dance play new songs from Afterburner during the full live set. This special event will take place on Friday July 17th at 6pm PST/9pm EST. Tickets are available now from DanceGavinDance.Live
Dance Gavin Dance were faced with a difficult choice back in April when the release date for their 9th studio album was set. They could either push back the release date altogether in order to allow for the COVID-19 induced manufacturing shut-down and release the album both digitally and physically or, give fans the album they had been waiting patiently to hear and go ahead with a digital only release on the agreed date, forfeiting the sizeable physical pre-order sales contribution to their week 1 chart positions. The band chose their fans over a chart position and released the digital-only version of the album on April 24th.
In a hugely impressive turn of events, Dance Gavin Dance once again proved their undeniable popularity as Afterburner (Rise Records) soared straight to the top of the charts hitting #1 across the Current Album, Alternative, Digital, Rock and Heavy Rock charts and #14 on the Billboard Top 200.
The long-awaited physical release of ‘Afterburner‘ finally dropped last Friday (July 10th) and comes an exclusive double disc CD with instrumental versions of all songs from the album available only from Target and exclusive vinyl variants from both Urban Outfitters and FYE. A full variety of merch bundles are available here.
Dance Gavin Dance‘s ninth studio album, Afterburner, which has already clocked up 47.5 million streams since release, was produced by the group’s frequent collaborator, Kris Crummett, (Issues, Sleeping With Sirens, Mayday Parade) and Drew Fulk a.k.a. WZRD BLD (Lil Wayne, Motionless in White, Bad Wolves). The album is a landmark mission statement that encompasses DGD energy past, present, and future. It is a killer and dynamic demonstration of what the quintet does best, and is equal parts aggressive, melodic, and unrestrained, and has been met with high critical acclaim.
The band, who celebrate a massive 1 million album sales worldwide from their catalogue and over 970 million streams, have released 4 videos from ‘Afterburner’ to date – ‘Prisoner’, ‘Strawberry’s Wake‘, ‘Lyrics Lie‘ and ‘Three Wishes’. Combined, they have clocked up an impressive 5.4 million YouTube views and 15.7 million Spotify streams. Watch the video for ‘Strawberry’s Wake’ below:
Dance Gavin Dance were set to play their biggest venues to date on their massive North American headline tour when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. These dates have been rescheduled for 2021. This follows the band’s entirely sold out North American headliner in 2019, where they sold over 90k tickets in one year alone. The remaining tickets for the current headline tour can be purchased HERE. Full list of tour dates below.
On April 24th, 2021 Dance Gavin Dance will return home to Sacramento for Swanfest, the one-day festival headlined and curated by the band at Papa Murphy’s Park. Labelmates Crown The Empire and Issues, along with Animals As Leaders, Knocked Loose, Movements, Fall Of Troy, I See Stars, Veil Of Maya, Hail The Sun, Covet, Tillie, Royal Coda, Eidola, and Wolf & Bear will join DGD on this year’s lineup. The first ever Swanfest took place last year at the City National Grove of Anaheim, CA, which proved to be a phenomenal sell-out success, a rare feat for a festival in its first year.
Tickets and VIP packages for Swanfest 2021 are on sale now HERE.
DANCE GAVIN DANCE US HEADLINER
March 11 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Palladium March 12 — Las Vegas, Nev. @ Brooklyn Bowl March 13 — Tempe, Ariz. @ The Marquee March 15 — Albuquerque, N.M. @ El Rey Theater March 17 — San Antonio, Texas @ Vibes Event Center March 18 — Dallas, Texas @ Bomb Factory March 19 — Houston, Texas @ Warehouse Live March 22 — Oklahoma City, Okla. @ The Criterion March 23 — Nashville, Tenn. @ Marathon Music Works March 25 — Lake Buena Vista, Fla. @ House Of Blues March 26 — St. Petersburg, Fla. @ Jannus Live March 27 — Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade March 28 — Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade March 30 — Norfolk, Va. @ The Norva March 31 — Silver Spring, Md. @ The Fillmore April 01 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Franklin Music Hall April 02 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Franklin Music Hall April 03 — Boston, Mass. @ House Of Blues April 04 — New York, N.Y. @ Hammerstein Ballroom April 06 — Toronto, Ontario @ Rebel April 07 — Columbus, Ohio @ Express Live! April 08 — Detroit, Mich. @ Masonic Temple Theatre April 09 — Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Stage AE April 10 — Chicago, Ill. @ Aragon Ballroom April 12 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Egyptian Ballroom April 13 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ The Fillmore April 14 — St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant April 16 — Kansas City, Mo. @ Arvest Bank Theatre April 17 — Denver, Colo. @ Mission Ballroom April 19 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ Union Event Center April 21 — Seattle, Wash. @ Showbox Sodo April 22 — Portland, Ore. @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom April 24 — Sacramento, Calif. @ Papa Murphy’s Park (Swanfest)
California rock legends, global philanthropists and stripper connoisseurs Steel Panther continue to set new career goals for themselves. After effectively saving the world (we are all reading this press release after all) with the very successful Concert To Save The World in June, the band is now back with another virtual concert event, Rockdown In The Lockdown.
The concert will take place on Sunday, August 16th from the ultra-sanitized, production-filled, multi-camera Drum Channel Studio at Drum Workshop located in Oxnard, CA. The show will be live globally at 2:00PM Los Angeles time, 5:00PM New York City time, 10:00PM (22:00) London time, 11:00PM (23:00) Berlin time, 5:00AM (Monday morning) Hong Kong time and 7:00AM (Monday morning) Sydney time.
Rockdown In The Lockdown will be slightly different from what fans saw last time.
Steel Panther has filmed a series of sketch comedy pieces that will be played throughout the show giving the virtual experience more depth and laughs. The band will again be interacting with fans around the globe via a live chat.
Tickets for the virtual concert will cost $15.00 each; with proceeds from each ticket sold going to benefit a local Los Angeles animal rescue and Live Nation’s Crew Nation Fund (benefitting all touring personnel affected by the Covid-19 pandemic). All fans who purchase tickets to the concert will get access to Steel Panther’s Rockbuster Video Store. The Rockbuster Video Store will be a place where fans can access exclusive content to stream for a period of time. Currently, The Concert To Save The World and the classic Live From Lexxi’s Mom’s Garage will be available with ticket purchase and more content will be added. Anyone who has purchased the band’s latest effect pedal The Butthole Burner prior to the concert will get a free ticket to the event.
The “You Can’t Beat The Meat & Greet” VIP upgrade is also available that includes access to a virtual one-on-one meet & greet, private video chat with 2 band members and a screen shot selfie.
Rockdown In The Lockdown is being sponsored by Monster Energy and all tickets and VIP upgrades are available here: https://lnk.to/steelpantherlive.
“More Music! More Comedy! More Spandex! More Panther! Steel Panther would like to inform you that it is STILL totally legal to attend this concert naked, but please wear a mask if you’re around strangers!”
Steel Panther continue to make headlines with their daily video vignettes helping folks know what day of the week it is. A short musical intro gives way to a band member explaining which day it is for their viewers. The series has gained such popularity that various entertainment friends have made cameos as well. Corey Taylor of Slipknot/Stone Sour, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Chris Kael and Jason Hook of Five Finger Death Punch, Kid Rock, George Lopez, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge, Rob Riggle and Joey Fatone of ‘N Sync have all shown up on the popular video series.
The videos can be seen daily on all social media platforms. The band also recently released a music video for their newest single “Let’s Get High Tonight” as their original boy band incarnation F.P.C. (Four Pump Chumps) from their chart-topping album Heavy Metal Rules (https://lnk.to/HeavyMetalRules). The Frankie Nasso directed video was unearthed from the band’s archives and can be seen here:
An interview with Le Champion Chris Jericho talking about the new KISS cover group KUARANTINE, The Rock Of Jericho and bands he currently listens to, hopeful plans for 2020 including live shows, if social distancing crowds can work at rock concerts, and more.
Click below to watch the interview and scroll below to hear music from KUARANTINE!
Chris Jericho Interview
Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, musician, podcaster, author, actor, and entrepreneur, currently signed to both All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In professional wrestling, he is also well known for appearances in WWE between 1999 and 2018. Noted for his over-the-top, rock star persona, Jericho has been named by journalists and industry colleagues as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
Pallbearer’s highly-anticipated fourth album, Forgotten Days, arrives Oct. 23 via Nuclear Blast.
The band has simultaneously released the eight-song album’s first single, leading with a video for the title track. “I’m extremely stoked to finally share this song with everyone,” says singer/guitar player Brett Campbell. Commenting on the Ben Meredith directed clip, Campbell continues: “The video for ‘Forgotten Days’ tells the story of an unfortunate traveler who journeys too far, and becomes lost in the depths of both inner, and outer, space. What is real when you cannot trust your own mind?“
“Forgotten Days is us exploring what is natural to us,” says bass player/songwriter Joseph Rowland. “The songs tell me where I need to go when I write. We wanted to focus on songs that were visceral and enjoyable to play live – that our audiences would enjoy experiencing. We’re also getting back to more of the groovier and heavier elements of Pallbearer. Heartless is fairly uptempo and technical. This one is a little more open, it hammers you.”
“This record has a lot of thematic ties to our first record,” Rowland continues. “When we were writing Sorrow and Extinction, my mother was terminally ill. It’s been 10 years since she passed. It’s taken me all of this time to take a really good look at myself. While we were writing Forgotten Days, I knew, ‘Now is the time to sit down and begin to understand who I have become.’”
“Joe and I have always written lyrics separately,” adds Campbell. “But we always end up with lyrics that are connected by threads. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it’s because we’ve been in close proximity for a long while. Between Heartless and Forgotten Days, we were home for an extended period of time. I think we finally had time to reflect. Memory is a big aspect of the new record. The passage of time. How things change as perspective changes. Was the past truly the way that you remember it at all?”
The Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Earth, Johan Johannson) produced album was recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios in West Texas. Michael Lierly, drummer Mark Lierly’s brother, once again created the album’s artwork, crafting images that were roughly hewn yet heartbreaking in their expressive heft. The striking cover is the ideal foil to Pallbearer’s thick musical and lyrical melancholia.
Cover image by Michael Lierly
Forgotten Days track list: Forgotten Days Riverbed Stasis Silver Wings The Quicksand of Existing Vengeance & Ruination Rite of Passage Caledonia
Forgotten Days pre-orders are available now. The eight-song album is available in a number of limited edition vinyl variants with physical bundles available via both the Nuclear Blast and Pallbearer webstores, as well as digitally and on CD/cassette. The title track “Forgotten Days” is offered as an immediate download with digital pre-orders on iTunes, Amazon Music and Bandcamp. Listeners can pre-save the album and listen to the title track on all DSPs: https://nblast.de/PallbearerFD.
The Summer 2020 edition of “How Did I Miss This?!” where my patrons suggest and vote on what albums they want covered that I missed. This video reviews Amends by Grey Daze, Electric Pentagram by Lovebites, Titans Of Creation by Testament, Verminous by The Black Dahlia Murder, Hindsight by Emmure, and I Let It In And It Took Everything by Loathe.
