Deaf Havana’s new album All These Countless Nights is still a couple weeks away, but the group has given us another glimpse at what the album is going to sound like with the video debut of “Fever”

The new video is actually part three of a bigger story, with “Sing” and “Trigger” being parts one and two.

“I always loved the idea of having several videos that were all part of a bigger story, I felt like the three singles, (“Sing”, “Trigger” and “Fever”) were perfect for this as they all shared and underlying theme of feeling alienated and out of control,” said lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Veck-Gilodi.

Veck-Gilodi also remarked that “Fever” is the darkest song on the record and is about heavy drinking and how a visit to his mother helped bring change to his lifestyle.

All These Countless Nights will be the band’s first album released through SO Recordings.

“This album needs to take us to a higher level,” asserts Veck-Gilodi. “Not necessarily in terms of chart positions, because I don’t care about that. I just can’t wait for people to hear the album. We appreciate the fact that everyone’s waited this out with us. It’s going to be great.”

All These Countless Nights can be preordered here and features several different pre-order bundles, including a gorgeous red vinyl record, along with a rad art print. The album will be released on January 27.”

Album Review: Sepultura – Machine Messiah

By

Luke Spencer

-

January 12, 2017

Brazil’s thrash legend Sepultura bring the band’s fourteenth album Machine Messiah.

https://vimeo.com/199193560

Text Review:

The resurgence of legendary thrash metal bands last year came as a rewarding breath of fresh air as many new albums from long running bands were able to win listeners over. And now at the beginning of 2017 Sepultura has decided to give their newest entry in Machine Messiah; the fourteenth full album under the band’s name and it also is the first new album from Sepultura since 2013. Brazil’s Sepultura is a unique entity however in that it is one of the few long running bands that has no original founding members in the lineup. With the Cavalera brothers long gone from the group the name Sepultura continues on and in theory could keep going for many years. For long time fans of the name and lovers of thrash this is a good thing, but according to Max Cavalera it’s not exactly what people should be happy about. At the very end of last year, Max fired a shot at his former band and talked about how he hadn’t heard anything from them in years. He then added the statement: “tell me one great song they have written since I left? Name one great album they have put out after that? I haven’t seen anything. I don’t know one name of one song as popular as “Roots Bloody Roots”.

While there still appears to be bad blood from the former Sepultura founders, it should be said that the name has still carried on for many years even without any of its founding members. In fact the band name has been going out without the Cavaleras since 2009’s A-Lex. So it’s not like the current members have been sitting around collecting royalty checks. With brief history and opinions out of the way, Machine Messiah is the new album in this legendary thrash metal band’s history. There is definitely enough talent to create something brutal and fast and along with so many strong entries from other thrash legends last year, it’s understandable to get your hopes up. It’s in the albums’ highlighted single “I Am The Enemy” that we got a glimpse at what Sepultura has to offer on their fourteenth LP.

“I Am The Enemy” starts off ferocious. The opening few seconds with Derrick Green’s growl and a prominent drum pound by Eloy Casagrande set a great pace for the track. There are some quick burst solos that help add some higher pitch to a fast single that clocks in under two and a half minutes., also marking the shortest track on Machine Messiah. There definitely feels like a passion and intensity was given in this song, but after listening several times you start to realize that this feels like it is heading in a different direction than the Sepultura from the 80’s and 90’s. That is not a negative statement about the song “I Am The Enemy”, but it is definitely hard to not notice as you listen to this song and album that the style is changing from the past. As you go down the track list and hear varied elements like flamenco guitar in “Iceberg Dances” and string sections in “Phantom Self” you can hear how the thrash sound is slowly being placed in the backseat while other styles in metal and overall music take the wheel.

When I listened to Machine Messiah from the beginning it was when I got to “Sworn Oath” that it really hit how Sepultura is not only different from what it was decades ago, but that it will continue to change. This song like the others are not bad or poor in quality, but there isn’t much to really get involved with. It’s a very status quo style of thrash that has a hard time keeping your attention. For every sequence in a song that feels like the intensity is going to pick up or the breakdown is coming and we’ll get something strong, it’s either stifled or just continues at the same pace to the point where nothing feels like it progresses. And then before you know if the songs just fly by and the album is over. There isn’t anything jarring or awful, but there also isn’t anything fantastic.

When people now hear the name Sepultura it will come with phrases like “which version” or “original or the current one”. That stretches past member lineups now. Machine Messiah proves that Sepultura, while still a strong band, is not the same group and dynamic that it was. And while I reiterate that the songs and this album are not bad, there isn’t much to connect with outside of a strong drum rhythm or the occasional guitar sequence. Overall, Machine Messiah will appease most diehard Sepultura fans who have stuck with the band through thick and thin. And while the majority of thrash and metal fans who were hoping for the next strong album from a great band like Sepultura will find several tracks worth replaying, they will for the most part be looking for a return to their roots.

A PERFECT CIRCLE ANNOUNCE SPRING TOUR

By

Luke Spencer

-

January 9, 2017

A PERFECT CIRCLE ANNOUNCE SPRING TOUR

BAND HELMED BY MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN AND BILLY HOWERDEL EMBARK ON FIRST NATIONAL TOUR IN SIX YEARS

Jan. 9, 2017, LOS ANGELES – A Perfect Circle will trek across North America this Spring in the outfit’s first tour since 2011, with the month long outing kicking off at The Pearl in Las Vegas (April 7 and 8).

The band previously announced a May 7 performance at the Hollywood Bowl as well as a trio of festival dates: Welcome to Rockville (April 29), Fort Rock (April 30) and Carolina Rebellion (May 5).

The tour news arrives as the band begins work on their first new album since 2004’s eMOTIVe. “Getting back to writing music with A Perfect Circle is a great way to start the new year,” APC co-founder and guitar player Billy Howerdel said.

Tour dates:

April 7 & 8 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl

April 10 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre

April 11 San Diego, CA Open Air Theatre

April 13 San Francisco Bill Graham Civic

April 14 Reno, NV Reno Event Center

April 15 Salt Lake City Maverik Center

April 17 Denver, CO 1st Bank Center

April 19 Kansas City, MO Starlight Amphitheatre

April 20 St. Louis, MO Chafietz Arena

April 22 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

April 23 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre

April 25 Austin, TX HEB Center at Cedar Park

April 26 San Antonio, TX Freeman Coliseum

April 27 Houston, TX Smart Financial Center

April 29 Jacksonville, FL Welcome to Rockville

April 30 Ft. Myers, FL Fort Rock Festival

May 2 Atlanta, GA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

May 3 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

May 5 Charlotte, NC Carolina Rebellion

May 7 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

A Perfect Circle’s current line-up is Maynard James Keenan (Tool, Puscifer), Billy Howerdel (Ashes Divide), James Iha (Tinted Windows, ex-Smashing Pumpkins), Jeff Friedl (Puscifer, The Beta Machine) and Matt McJunkins (Eagles of Death Metal, The Beta Machine).

Tickets for all non-festival shows are on-sale this Friday, Jan. 13 at 10 am local time. Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl show are on-sale now.

The band re-launched their website and webstore over the weekend, which can be viewed at aperfectcircle.com.

Album Review: Agalloch – The Mantle

By

Luke Spencer

-

January 8, 2017

A look back at Agalloch’s 2002 sophomore album The Mantle.

https://vimeo.com/198558104

BLACK MAP DEBUT “RUIN” SINGLE FROM UPCOMING LP

By

Luke Spencer

-

January 6, 2017

BLACK MAP DEBUT “RUIN” SINGLE FROM NEW LP

SUPPORTING CHEVELLE IN JANUARY

IN DROVES DUE OUT MARCH 10, 2017

PRE ORDERS NOW LIVE!

January 6, 2017 — Rock act BLACK MAP have revealed an all new single today from their all new LP coming out next year. “‘Ruin’ was one of the first songs we wrote for ‘In Droves,’ says bassist and frontman Ben Flanagan. “The song is from the perspective of someone who sees the world coming apart before their eyes and detailing the chaos as they look for a way out.”

The new track is also available on all major streaming services and will be offered as an iTunes instant gratification track. Fans who pre order the album today will get both “Ruin” and the previously released “Run Rabbit Run” single immediately as a download.

Black Map will release In Droves on Friday, March 10th 2017 via Entertainment One (eOne) in North America and SPV overseas. The band only wrapped up production on the effort last month with Aaron Hellam at Oakland’s Hellam Sound (The Trophy Fire) and created an ambitious but no less intense sophomore set, a boundary smashing, down-tuned heavy rock slab.

The band will be hitting the road this January with Chevelle in a co-support role with Dinosaur Pile-up. Dates kick off next week on January 13th in the band’s hometown of San Francisco at the legendary Fillmore. The dates will hit a majority of the western states before wrapping up Boulder, CO on January 26th. Click here for all tour dates.

ROCK ON THE RANGE SELLS OUT IN RECORD TIME

By

Luke Spencer

-

January 3, 2017

ROCK ON THE RANGE

SELLS OUT IN RECORD TIME

METALLICA, SOUNDGARDEN, AND KORN

HEADLINE AMERICA’S LARGEST AND MOST ACCLAIMED ROCK FESTIVAL

MAY 19, 20 & 21

AT MAPFRE STADIUM IN COLUMBUS, OHIO

+LIVE+ (WITH ALL ORIGINAL MEMBERS)

AND OF MICE & MEN ADDED TO LINEUP

Tickets for the 11^th annual Rock On The Range have sold out in record time, just over one month after going on sale. This marks the fifth consecutive advance sell-out for Rock On The Range, May 19, 20 and 21 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH.

Rock legends Metallica, Soundgarden and Korn will each headline one night of America’s largest and most-acclaimed rock festival. +LIVE+, featuring the group’s original lineup of Ed Kowalczyk (vocals, guitar), Chad Taylor (guitar, backing vocals), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums, percussion) has just been added to Rock On The Range, along with Of Mice & Men.

The unprecedented Rock On The Range music lineup includes: Metallica, Soundgarden, Korn, The Offspring, Volbeat, Primus, Bush, +LIVE+, Chevelle, Papa Roach, Seether, Coheed and Cambria, Alter Bridge, The Pretty Reckless, Taking Back Sunday, Of Mice & Men, Thrice, Amon Amarth, Pierce The Veil, Sum 41, Skillet, Dillinger Escape Plan, In Flames, Gojira, Biffy Clyro, Motionless In White, Nothing More, Beartooth, Starset, Every Time I Die, The Story So Far, Deafheaven, Zakk Sabbath, Rival Sons, The Amity Affliction, Attila, Norma Jean, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, I Prevail, Turnstile, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Red Fang, Dorothy, Kyng, Radkey, As Lions, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Sylar, Fire From The Gods, Badflower, Wage War, Goodbye June, Cover Your Tracks, DED, Bleeker, Royal Republic, Mother Feather, Aeges and One Less Reason.

The ROTR Rolling Rock Comedy Tent will feature sets from nationally known comedians plus Columbus’s top comedy talent. The full comedy lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.

Rock On The Range celebrated its 10^th year in 2016 – and after a decade of setting the standard for American rock festivals, the crown jewel of the World’s Loudest Month showed no signs of slowing down, with 120,000 “Rangers” from around the globe descending on MAPFRE Stadium. Last year, the festival received awards of recognition from both Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and the City Council, as well as a resolution from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners acknowledging more than $140 million in economic impact that the festival has contributed to the city over its 10-year existence.

Rock On The Range is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, AEG Live, and MAPFRE Stadium.

Rock On The Range is supported by our rockin’ sponsors: Monster Energy, Bud Light, and Zippo. These partners, along with many others, will feature interactive experiences, artist meet & greets, and other unique fan engagement opportunities throughout the festival.

Website: www.RockOnTheRange.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rockontherange

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rockontherange

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rockontherange

Hashtag: #RockOnTheRange

Announce Video: https://youtu.be/rXz3NNWgKo4

About AEG Live: AEG Live is one of the largest live music companies in the world. The company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music events and world-renowned festivals. AEG Live operates in North America, Europe and Asia through 16 regional offices that support its tours, which include such artists as Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Kenny Chesney; produces or supports over 25 music festivals, including the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival; and owns, manages or books more than 60 clubs and theaters. AEG Live presents more than 8,000 shows annually worldwide and conducts business under such globally renowned brands as AEG Live, Goldenvoice, Concerts West, Messina Touring Group, Marshall Arts LTD, and Madison House Presents. www.aeglive.com

About Danny Wimmer Presents: Since 1993, music industry veteran Danny Wimmer has been producing concerts and festivals, both large and small. In 2011, he formed Danny Wimmer Presents, which now produces several of the largest rock and alternative festivals in the U.S. By combining A-list talent with local cuisine and culture, DWP has become recognized within the industry for delivering the highest-quality entertainment experiences to fans, artists, sponsors, partners and host cities. DWP creates memorable and all-encompassing festival experiences, leaving both consumers and partners with lasting and meaningful impressions. DWP will continue to add new music festivals to its already stellar portfolio, which includes Rock On The Range, Monster Energy Aftershock Festival, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, Louder Than Life, Monster Energy Rock Allegiance, and Chicago Open Air, among others. www.DannyWimmerPresents.com

About Precourt Sports Ventures, LLC & MAPFRE Stadium: Precourt Sports Ventures, LLC (PSV) is a privately held investment and management firm focused on the sports-entertainment business, with a particular interest in the growing sport of soccer. As the Managing Partner, Anthony Precourt formed PSV in 2012. PSV currently owns and operates Columbus Crew SC of Major League Soccer and its iconic home: MAPFRE Stadium (pronounced “MAH-fray” Stadium). MAPFRE Stadium is the first ever soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer. It opened its doors on May 15, 1999 to a sellout crowd for a match and in 2016 Columbus Crew SC set single-season MAPFRE Stadium records for sellouts and total attendance. The venue continues to host numerous national and international soccer events while also serving as the proud home of the annual three-day festival Rock On The Range, which returns for the 11^th installment in 2017. The venue was named the world’s most influential stadium of the decade by Stadia Magazine in 2010, and has won a Sports Turf Managers Association Field of the Year Award in 2010, 2013 and 2015. In 2008, the venue added a permanent stage in the North End, allowing for up to 35,000 fans to take in concerts and other marquee events. MAPFRE Stadium received its current name in a historic partnership announced in 2015. www.MAPFREStadium.com

Patreon Q&A #4

By

Luke Spencer

-

December 31, 2016

The fourth informal Q&A for my patrons on Patreon!

You can join in on the questions for only $2 a month! Click here = https://www.patreon.com/Rocked

Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2016

By

Luke Spencer

-

December 23, 2016

A look back at my favorite albums of 2016 in rock, alternative and metal!

https://vimeo.com/196683284

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2017 Announces Thirty-Five New Additions To Its Massive 2017 Lineup

By

Luke Spencer

-

December 20, 2016

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS – set to take place from August 18th through August 20th, 2017 at the Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada — announces over thirty-five new additions to its massive 2017 lineup. The festival has quickly become the premier event in the US for underground heavy rock, psych, doom, alternative, and beyond, and as the roster grows for this year’s edition, they’re clearly looking to push their boundaries even further.

Headliners remain TBA, but joining previously-announced generation-defining acts like Neurosis, Swans, and French prog lords Magma, comes UK grind legends Carcass, whose reunion continues to bring gruesome tales of dissections and unparalleled.

They’ll be in good company with Norwegian black metal legend Abbath, formerly of Immortal, who released a raging self-titled debut album under his own name this year, New York’s Myrkur, whose own debut, M, disrupted black metal genre convention on nearly every level, and USBM innovators Wolves In The Throne Room, who continue to refine a style they helped establish more than a decade ago.

Look for the Melvins to boggle brains with their brand of heavy rock – still unique unto itself after more than three decades – as well as for the new project Crystal Fairy with Buzzo and Dale from the Melvins, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Mars Volta) and Teri Gender Bender (Le Butcherettes) to bring to life their debut album, which releases in February on Ipecac Recordings.

This latest announcement also brings sludge-laden chaos from the pair of Weedeater and Buzzov*en, Refused to remind us of the shape of the punk that came in their wake, and Chelsea Wolfe to emit a darkness that even Las Vegas in the summer won’t be able to hold at bay.

The reunited Slo Burn (vocalist John Garcia’s first project post-Kyuss) will play an exclusive US show at Psycho, and a special highlight performance from psych-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke is open eyes, ears and minds alike as he celebrates a career spanning more than fifty-years years.

Also added are long-running mischief-makers Murder City Devils, alt-rock legends Echo And The Bunnymen, progressive thrashers Vhöl (members of Yob and Agalloch), Pelican, Cult Of Luna, Psychic TV, and as it did with the landmark 2016 edition, the fest digs deep into the heavy rock underground once again to unearth the best of up-and-coming bands from the States and beyond. Along with the already confirmed riff-crushers Windhand, Blood Ceremony, Slomatics, and Domkraft, Elephant Tree (UK) have signed on alongside fellow fest-newcomers Khemmis, Sumac (members of Isis), Gatecreeper, Snail, North, Cult Leader, Hollow Leg, Summoner, Floorian, Wizard Rifle, Merlin, and Morne.

Further lineup announcements will follow in the New Year — including headliners — so stay tuned for more from the best and biggest heavy festival the US has ever seen.

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2017:

8/18/2017 – 8/20/2017 Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV [tickets]

PSYCHO LAS VEGAS 2017 Confirmed Lineup:

Abbath
Blood Ceremony
Buzzo*ven
Carcass
Chelsea Wolfe
Code Orange
Cough
Crystal Fairy
Cult Leader
Cult Of Luna
Domkraft
Elephant Tree
Floorian
Gatecreeper
Hollow Leg
Inter Arma
Khemmis
Magma
Merlin
Minsk
Morne
Mulatu Astatke
Murder City Devils
Myrkur
Neurosis
North
Oathbreaker
Pelican
Slo Burn
Slomatics
Snail
Sumac
Summoner
Swans
The Skull
Vhol
Weedeater
Windhand
Wizard Rifle
Wolves In The Throne Room
Zeal & Ardor

For further info contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.

http://www.vivapsycho.com

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/psycho-las-vegas-2017-tickets-27758793298

http://www.facebook.com/psychoLasVegas

http://www.facebook.com/events/1636267026703732

http://www.instagram.com/psycholasvegas

http://www.twitter.com/psycholasvegas