Interview with Chris Bowes of Alestorm talking about the new album Curse Of The Crystal Coconut, getting the term Fannybaws on Urban Dictionary, social distancing in the middle of nowhere, the one song that went too far and can’t be released, and more.
Alestorm Interview
Alestorm is a multi-national heavy metal band originally from Perth, Scotland. Their music is characterised by a pirate theme, and as a result they have been dubbed a “pirate metal” band by many critics and their fanbase.
A video album review on The Bastards, the third studio album from Palaye Royale. How does fashion rock fair in 2020?
Click below to watch the review and scroll below to hear music from the new album.
Palaye Royale – The Bastards | Album Review
Palaye Royale is a Canadian-American rock band from Las Vegas, formed in 2008 by brothers Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig, and Emerson Barrett. They formed under the name Kropp Circle, later changing their name to Palaye Royale in the summer of 2011.
On March 20 2020, they announced their third album The Bastards would be released on May 29 2020 through Sumerian Records. They embarked on “The Bastards” world tour to mark the beginning of the new era. They traveled across the U.K. and Europe. On the tour, their Glasgow performance was canceled with hours notice, leading to them performing a free acoustic performance. Later, their Birmingham show was also canceled but rescheduled to a sold-out show at KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton They then were forced to cancel the rest of the tour due to the coronavirus outbreak and rushed home from Paris before flights shut down. As of May 29th, the bastards has been released.
LAMB OF GOD has released “Routes,” the fourth single from their June 19 self-titled Epic Records release, featuring a guest appearance from Testament vocalist Chuck Billy.
A visualizer for the track is available now at http://lamb-of-god.com. Fans can pre-orderLamb of God, including a new alternate CD cover version signed by all five band members, now at the band’s official webstore: http://shop.lamb-of-god.com.
“Routes” was lyrically inspired by vocalist D. Randall Blythe’s time alongside native peoples at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota during the No DAPL movement. This protest, which began with just a few Native women and children camping at the site in protest of the pipeline being built so near to their water supply on unceded treaty land, quickly grew to an encampment of thousands and received global attention.
Says Blythe, “I went to Standing Rock because I had heard reports of violence committed on the peaceful protestors there by both state law enforcement and private security contractors, and this violence was not reported in mainstream media for the most part. I went to bring supplies and support these people, who were trying to protect their water, and thereby protect everyone, as everything in the natural world is protected. I was there a week, made some great friends, and learned a lot. It was a very profound experience in my life, and I knew one day I would write a song about it.”
Although Blythe conveys his story through the song’s vivid lyrics, he called in his friend Chuck Billy, who is of Pomo Native American heritage, to lend a deeper authenticity to his narrative. “My experience, although my own, was tempered and shaped by the hundreds of years of brutal oppression of Native peoples in our country,” says Blythe. “So, it was imperative for me to have a Native voice represented on the song, and Chuck Billy was happy to be that voice. At the end, there is a call and response section – Chuck calls and I respond. This is intentional. Musically, it is symbolic of my experience there. A native voice leads, bringing forth positive energy and calling to the people to unite, and I reply, providing support. That was my physical experience, and it is reflected in the song.”
Chuck Billy adds, “It was a great honor as a proud Pomo Native American to be asked by LAMB OF GOD to do some guest vocals on this song. The No DAPL movement by the indigenous people of this country was a historic event. Being able to lend my voice to represent the Native American people, complementing Randy’s storytelling and lyrics, is something really special to me. I’m glad this movement was put in a musical message, and I am extremely happy to have been a part of it.”
Audiences got a taste of the first new LAMB OF GOD music in nearly five years with “Checkmate” back in February, followed by “Memento Mori” and the most recent single, “New Colossal Hate.” All four songs will appear on Lamb Of God, the follow-up to VII: Sturm und Drang (2015). The album was once again produced by collaborator Josh Wilbur (Gojira, Korn, Megadeth, Trivium), fueled by a mountain of riffs and looming rhythmic shadows. It is also the band’s first record with Cruz, who sat behind the kit with LAMB OF GOD in 2018 and became an official member the following year. In addition to Chuck Billy, the new album features a guest appearance from Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed). Blythe sounds more driven and insightful than ever on Lamb Of God, offering up the angriest and most comprehensive diatribes, addressing modern life in the current landscape, of his storied career thus far.
LAMB OF GOD propelled heavy metal into the new millennium two decades ago with the prophetically titled New American Gospel. They followed with 2003’s As the Palaces Burn, which made the Rolling Stone list of the Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Ashes of the Wake (2004) was the first LAMB OF GOD album to be certified gold by the RIAA, followed by Sacrament (2006), which debuted in Billboard’s Top 10. Wrath (2009) earned the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hard Rock, Rock, and Tastemaker charts and was No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Those No. 1 positions were repeated with Resolution (2012). VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) debuted at No. 3 in North America and in the Top 5 in several countries. The single “512” from VII: Sturm und Drang received a Grammy nod for the “Best Metal Performance,” making it LAMB OF GOD’s fifth Grammy nomination.
Slaves — featuring drummer Zack Baker, guitarists Wes Richmond and Felipe Sanchez, bassist Colin Vieira, and new vocalist Matt McAndrew — have announced their new album To Better Days.
The album arrives on August 7 via SBG Records. Pre-orders are live here.
To celebrate the album announcement, the band has dropped the new song “Wasting My Youth,” which premiered yesterday at SiriusXM Octane on Test Drive.
Watch the video for “Wasting My Youth” here:
“There is a lyric, ‘The feeling I’ve repressed is going out of style,'” McAndrew explains. “It’s about finding the truth and holding it back [feeling] like coming to the brink of sneezing and then missing it. You have this build up, this realization, and these feelings that are coming to a head and need to be released. Maybe that release is pleasure or maybe it’s pain or maybe just catharsis. But it’s a relief to have it out. If you miss that opportunity for release, you don’t get it again. ‘Wasting My Youth’ is about that bottled up frustration that comes from staying in a situation past its expiration date and what that does to a person.”
Regarding the album, the singer states, “We’re excited to finally share our new album, To Better Days with you. I’m so proud of how this record turned out and how well we all worked together to create these songs. We feel it’s the band’s best work to date and we hope you enjoy the music as much as we enjoyed making it.”
TO BETTER DAYS TRACK LISTING: “To Better Days” “Prayers” “Witch Hunt” “Talk To A Friend” “Eye Opener” “Bury A Lie” “Heavier” “Footprints” “Cursed” “Wasting My Youth” “Clean Again” “Secrets” “Like I Do”
The Podcast That Rocked for May 26th, 2020 ft. Geaux Gretchen. Talking about trouble with Beartooth, Ronnie Radke disagreeing with Lzzy Hale, Mainstream Top 3, bands working on new material in quarantine, and more.
Thanks to everyone who tuned in live for the live stream and was in the chat. Scroll below for discussion topics and links.
One Less Tooth In Beartooth
The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -Beartooth part ways with guitarist Kamron Bradbury. Bummer. -Corey Taylor has new solo album coming. Awesome! -Ronnie Radke and Lzzy Hale have differing opinions on bands surviving COVID-19 quarantine. -Shinedown cancel their postponed 2020. Bummer. -Many bands are working on new music for 2020 while in quarantine. Awesome! -Top 3 Mainstream Rock Songs and more.
I absolutely disagree with this mindset. if you’re in a band and slept in a van in a Walmart parking lot peeing in bottles to get ti the next venue in time riding on a nothing but a dream and hope YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS we will ALL make it through. https://t.co/xpPeqdsRfi
It crushes us to have to announce that the #SDDeepDiveTour is canceled. The health & safety of our fans, crew, & venue staff is of the utmost importance to us…💛 See below ⬇️ for our full statement + more info: pic.twitter.com/gKDHCy8IPM
Australian metalcore outfit IN HEARTS WAKE have teamed up with Polaris vocalist Jamie Hails on their new single and music video “Hellbringer.” The single–out today, May 26–is the third release from the band’s upcoming 100% carbon offset album KALIYUGA due August 7 via UNFD. Watch “Hellbringer” below or stream/download it via your preferred digital platform.
“Hellbringer” features gleefully wicked guitar licks, mosh-friendly breakdowns and the anthemic choruses IN HEARTS WAKE are known for. The single and its accompanying video jubilantly celebrates the freedom and joy of unbridled heavy music, in defiance of those people who call it ‘the devil’s music’. The band reminds people that they don’t need to take themselves too seriously, as they create a video that parodies the awkwardness of live music streams in the new normal created by COVID-19.
Vocalist Jake Taylor shared how the video’s concept was developed:
“At some of our American shows, extremist groups have picketed outside, telling our fans that they’re ‘going to hell’. If only they knew just how positive the energy inside the venue was! Never judge a book by its cover. So rather than fight hate with hate, we decided to have some fun and lean into the metal stereotype. In 2020 with live streams becoming the new norm, we decided to stage our own hell-bent circus. We thought it would be funny to ask Jamie to dress up as a werewolf, turn me into a vampire and rain blood on the entire band. Guess Halloween came early this year. Thank you Blade.”
“Hellbringer” follows two previously released singles, “Son Of A Witch” and “Worldwide Suicide,” from KALIYUGA which was entirely carbon offset. The band measured every power socket, light bulb, pound of freight, travel and food consumed during the recording process of the record. They found the total carbon footprint came to 26.37 tonnes of CO2e. This has been entirely offset through the purchase of carbon credits in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor of Western Australia. The album will also be packaged and manufactured plastic free, using recycled materials.
Pre-orders of KALIYUGA are available now at unfdstore.com.
For more information on the album as well as exclusive insights, news and content, visit thehouseofkali.com.
Los Angeles based rock duo Dead Posey have announced the release of their new EP, Malfunction. The 4 track collection will be out June 19th via Sumerian Records/Position Music and is available for pre-order here.
Like ghosts from rock ‘n’ roll lovers past, wedded duo Dead Posey‘s aggressively provocative sound lingers between two worlds like Jekyll & Hyde, instantly hypnotizing you. Following up on their debut EP Freak Show, Danyell Souza (Vocalist/Producer) and Tony F. (Producer/Multi-instrumentalist -formerly of Eve 6) have concocted a world from the dark corners of their minds with their 2nd EP, Malfunction. For a taster of what’s to come, watch the below teaser video, featuring snippets of each of the 4 new tracks.
The four track EP invites listeners into a nightmarish fever dream, fueled by Danyell’s wicked vocals, Tony’s unholy guitar and drum tones, and flashes of soul-sucking industrial production meticulously arranged by the two. Topped with lyrics that will haunt and seduce you into the pair’s twisted minds, what better way to visually symbolize Malfunction than with the cover art they photographed, last minute while in quarantine at home along with the rest of the world.
The potent energy on Malfunction is sonically conveyed by the tension and duality of the band’s two members. Danyell and Tony’s hands-on, tug of war approach in the studio taps into a chaotic rawness that otherwise wouldn’t be attainable without their dynamic. Danyell says,
“We are perfectionists to a fault, we have to remind each other sometimes to kill our darlings so we don’t go completely insane.”
Tony then adds:
“We do pretty much every last thing ourselves, so we have grown a shorthand in communication on how we make music. I think we encourage each other’s best attributes while also reigning in some impulses that might lead us astray. There’s a real yin and yang balance going on that gives Dead Posey its power and makes it what it is.”
Malfunction EP Track Listing 1. Head of the Snake 2. Parasite 3. Bad Things 4. Holy Roller
Dead Posey broke into the rock scene in 2018 with their Sumerian Records debut EP Freak Show and standout track “Don’t Stop The Devil”, which now has over 20 million digital spins from their ever-growing ardent fanbase. Feeding a vigorous appetite for performing live, Dead Posey has unfurled their punk-infused high-octane live shows at notable festivals such as Louder Than Life and Aftershock and have unleashed their riveting energy on illustrious stages such as Rock City and Electric Ballroom in the UK, Gramercy Theater in NYC and other iconic venues in the US.
Dead Posey’s music has been heard in Fox’s Lucifer, MTV’s Teen Wolf, Marvel shows like Cloak & Dagger and Jessica Jones and Netflix’s Jack Whitehall –Travels With My Father among others, as well as in ads for Taco Bell,Sony PlayStation, Riot Games’ League of Legends, and many more. The duo has been featured in the likes of The Huffington Post and Guitar World Magazine, Hot Topic on their “I Like Scary Movies Experience” feature, popular podcasts such as The Boo Crew & The Fred Minnick Show and more.
Excellent news from AMARANTHE: The band just finished the studio recordings for their new masterpiece! The sixth studio album from the Swedish modern metal heroes will be out on August, 28th, as the band revealed in a digital press conference last weekend.
The band states:
“Our sixth album is now completely DONE! Last Sunday, a few select press members and music industry professionals got the opportunity to hear our new effort, and the response was overwhelming, fanning our flames of excitement even further! We can now offically unveil that the album will be out on August 28th, and the entire AMARANTHE band and team is smouldering with anticipation to unleash this monster upon an unsuspecting world – stay tuned for the most monumental and accomplished AMARANTHE record to date!”
More information on this highly anticipated album will follow soon. Check the AMARANTHE and NUCLEAR BLAST channels to stay up to date!
With their foundations tracing back to 2008, the group has released 5 albums since then (2011’s Amaranthe, 2013’s The Nexus, 2014’s Massive Addictive, 2016’s Maximalism, and 2018’s Helix), consistently delivering hauntingly catchy tunes led by their unique three-part vocals. Within their arsenal of hit singles – with “Drop Dead Cynical” leading right at the front – a myriad tracks have been received very well via press and fans alike; having also gained countless plays on both radio stations around the globe and across streaming services (the group’s songs have been streamed close to a billion times on Spotify). A string of support tours have blazed AMARANTHE‘s trail in front of huge crowds as well as at their own headline concerts (the group impressively once performed in front of 10,000 fans at Liseberg, Gothenburg). They have kept working incredibly hard over the years, the latest product of which culminated in the form of Helix, which achieved them some of their highest chart positions in the band’s history (Switzerland #21, Germany #29 etc.).
Today multi-platinum band Shinedown has released their new single “Atlas Falls,” sharing a message of optimism and faith in humanity amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PRESS HEREto listen and watch the lyric video here:
Until now, “Atlas Falls” has only been available as part of an exclusive T-shirt and song bundle for Shinedown‘s fundraising relief effort for humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief, one of the largest providers of humanitarian medical resources in the world whose mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing essential medical resources needed for their care. The band has raised more than $300,000 and counting (including a $20,000 donation from Shinedown that kicked it off), for the organization which is currently working to providepersonal protective equipmentto frontline health workers responding to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and essential medications and supplies for patients. This includes 10,800 shipments to more than 1,800 health care facilities across all 50 U.S. states and 62 countries, totaling more than 3.4 million masks, 2.8 million gloves, 119,000 gowns and coveralls, 600 oxygen concentrators and ventilators, as well as 40.1 million doses of medications to treat a range of chronic and acute health conditions. Shinedown is continuing its fundraising efforts – the “Atlas Falls” T-shirt is still available for purchase with 100% of proceeds going to Direct Relief –PRESS HERE to purchase.
Written eight years ago during the sessions for the Amaryllis album but never released, “Atlas Falls” was always special to the band and it became clear to them that it was the right time for the song’s message to arrive as the world was beginning to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing inspiration from the Greek myth of Titan Atlas who carries a celestial sphere on his shoulders, “Atlas Falls” is a reassuring anthem that if Atlas falls, we will lift each other up in times of strife. Shinedown pulled the song from their vault for their partnership with Direct Relief, and now as the world continues to combat the coronavirus, the release of the song continues to remind us that when times get tough, we will hold each other up and we will stand tall…together. “Atlas Falls” is already a Top 20 rock radio hit and climbing.
“The response to ‘Atlas Falls’ has been overwhelming, and Barry, Zach, Eric and I cannot say thank you enough to Shinedown Nation and everyone around the world that has supported Direct Relief during the COVID-19 response. The faith, the love, and the showing of humanity has just been incredible. ‘Atlas Falls’ is a reminder that we are at our best when we need each other, and the only way through this is together,” says Shinedown front man Brent Smith.
“Direct Relief is so deeply grateful for the extraordinary commitment of Shinedown Nation to help keep health workers safe as they put themselves at risk to keep all of us safe,” shares Direct Relief President & CEO Thomas Tighe. “This support translates into immediate, practical help, and is such a wonderful example of everyone pulling together and doing whatever we can to protect those who are most vulnerable.”
Stay tuned for much more to come from Shinedown. The band recently released a “prelude” – a sneak peek at a very special upcoming project – PRESS HERE to check it out. Additionally, front man Brent Smith and guitarist Zach Myers are working on their next Smith & Myers album. For up-to-date information, please visit www.shinedown.com.
Just like a beautiful flower can bloom from a pile of dirt, even the worst of albums can have a good song. This video looks at 10 good songs on bad albums from rock, metal, and alternative.
Click below to watch and scroll below the video to find a link to each song on YouTube.
10 Good Songs On Bad Albums
Also, I understand that many people out there find the albums I talked about good. This is just one person’s opinion. …and the opinions of those who suggested these albums/songs. …and the opinions of many people over the course of the past few decades. Whatever. Like what you like.
Special thanks to those who did give suggestions in YouTube comments, on the Discord server, and on Patreon. You can join the Rocked Discord here: https://discord.gg/5YTGapt
