Low and soulful blues rock is a style that is NOT focused on in the current radio scene. The only time you can even come close to hearing anything that deep is when you walk by a local dive bar in a big city. It’s a shame because there is something extremely natural and relatable with everything in this style, from the lyrics to the low bass line.

So when a big name media outlet like Rolling Stone even acknowledges that a band with this sound is an upcoming band you need to know, then it is definitely something worth paying attention to. A three piece group from Brooklyn whose attitude can be defined as “no f’s given” also sends a message as a band worth noticing.

Gritty blues rock bands like Highly Suspect should remind people what can be done with just the basics. Vocals. Guitar. Bass. Drums. No special effects, no digital layering, just raw music. There is a very personal and close feeling when listening to music like this and it’s hard to explain until you put in your headphones and just listen.

Mister Asylum marks the Brooklyn natives first full length LP. Playing music like this in a market dominated by nu-metal and screaming is not an easy task and can easily be swept under the rug if it doesn’t leave an impression. Leading with the single Lydia, a song about a past relationship, Highly Suspect set an instant impact with gravelly vocals and a great build.

When I first heard this song on Octane I was instantly swept up in the vocals. There is a raw talent here and a fire in the expression. It all stands out well and is very audible in front of some fantastic bass and drum rhythms. Hearing the lyrics “I can’t Breath” shouted just resonates with some great imagery and this song just feels emotional and powerful.

You can hear an audible passion in Johnny Stevens and the Meyer brothers’ performance in this song. It truly feels like this track is something you can hear just as clear and loud in person as it sounds on this recording. Lydia is a fantastic way to introduce new listeners to a band.

One remark I must make about this song is that while it shows the vocal talent well, Lydia does not come close to demonstrating the instrumental talent that these three possess. There are tracks in Mister Asylum that show the abilities that Highly Suspect are capable of – from deep rhythms to absolutely brutal guitar solos. As far as blues rock goes, this album offers a fantastic hybrid of the sub-genre into the rock world with varying speeds and intensity.

Where Lydia was a great introduction to the style of Highly Suspect, songs like Lost are the ones that showcase what the band is capable of. A majority of tracks on Mister Asylum tend to resemble the style of Lost more than Lydia, but only in the most positive of ways. While there are tracks that bring the tempo down to an extremely low tone, there are others who set the room on fire.

With ten tracks at an average of about four minutes, you get the impression that these three took their time in creating this album. It was a work that took years as opposed to a stretch over a few months where the band tried to flesh out some time to add to three good songs. Even if not every second is absolute poetry or a musically composed masterpiece, you can definitely tell there is drive behind it all.

Normally when you hear someone describe their personal motto as “No F’s given”, you tend to be a little turned off. In the case of Highly Suspect, you can hear it in their music that it’s a life motto in a good way.

Overall, Mister Asylum is an album worth checking out for any gritty rock fan looking for a new group to follow. And just like Rolling Stone suggested, this band is one you need to know about, because if they continue to grow from an album like this, then the sky is the limit.

Album Review: High On Fire – Luminiferous

By

Luke Spencer

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May 31, 2015

Oakland’s metal kings High On Fire offer a new light to thrash fans and a new headache to crotchety old next door neighbors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3S98xE_RKg

https://vimeo.com/129394357

Text Review:

You will be hard-pressed to find a band more ferocious and guttural than Oakland’s High On Fire. While many metal bands go through drastic style changes or may have their intensity tempered, High On Fire is one of the best examples of a band who’s fire can’t be extinguished.

The growling of Matt Pike’s rhythmic vocals paired with long thrash metal tracks has not only stood the test of time, but continues to stand as a testament to the band’s ability. Since 1998, High On Fire have toured the world several times over and played bands ranging from Mastodon and Baroness to Dethklok and Andrew W.K.

Luminiferous marks the band’s seventh full album. While the release of this album is in June 2015, the album’s first single “Slave The Hive” has been out since December of 2013, as a sponsored music video from Scion AV – meaning fans have been waiting for a full album after this single for over a year and a half.

While a wait like that can drive many fans and listeners insane with anticipation and in some cases cause people to forget, High On Fire’s sound is unique in that once you hear them, you know you won’t forget. On the Press Release promoting the new album, it stated that “Luminiferous is the unequivocal culmination of the band’s characteristically unhinged yet entirely focused savagery. ”

Hearing that a band like High On Fire is focusing their talent on specific political and world problems is something that can cause eruptions to listeners not used to hearing aimed anthems. But with songs like Slave The Hive, you can already tell that their targeting the world elite and their corruption will have an extremely loud message.

Slave The Hive is truly brutal in every sense. What I love about this song is that not only does it jump in with both feet to the volume, but High On Fire take their time with letting each instrument be heard before the vocals start blowing out your ear buds. The bass and drums are extremely deep and hearing Pike scream “Slave The Hive” becomes truly hypnotic.

When I talked about taking their time to set up each instrument and being able to hear what’s involved before the speed takes off, I think High On Fire may be some of the best at this – Luminiferous is further proof of that. Continuing from albums like Devilution and Blessed Black Wings, this album continues in building a foundation with their instruments and only after that starting to show the focus of the song.

While some tracks on this album like The Falconist and The Cave are capable of bringing the album’s pulse down, at no point do you feel like the band isn’t living up to their expectations. A foundation is built in the rhythm and these songs are just as deep and gritty as the full octane shredders.

A song like “The Cave” is proof that metal musicians are capable of much more than just playing instruments for ten minutes with the volume knob turned to 11. The flow and line of songs like these give more introspective and insight to a band like this than any guitar solo could. It’s the thrash that draws you in, but it’s talent shown in songs like The Cave that sinks the hooks into you.

Through nine long running tracks, High On Fire continue to showcase just how powerful they are years after their inception. Even if every song in their 2015 entry isn’t something you’ll be begging to repeat as soon as it’s over, the songs that punch are the ones that leave a permanent mark.

High On Fire and this style of metal can be extremely intimidating to the casual rock fan. Especially when matched with the growling lyrics of Matt Pike. But for metal heads and guitar lovers, something like Luminiferous is beyond mandatory and a crime to not invest in.

Overall, Luminiferous shines more light on the talent that High On Fire possess. Your teeth with rattle and your eyes will bounce if you listen to this new album correctly and will anger your crotchety neighbors in the best possible way.

Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK Lineup Announced! SLIPKNOT, FAITH NO MORE, MARILYN MANSON, DEFTONES & 30+ more!

By

Luke Spencer

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May 29, 2015

The Monster Energy Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA has been announced with official dates and listed performers. 2015 marks the fourth year the Aftershock festival has presented today’s current and classic names in hard rock and metal, and this year continues the tradition with Slipknot, Faith No More, Deftones, Shinedown, Jane’s Addiction, Marilyn Manson, Coheed & Cambria, Stone Temple Pilots, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Bring Me The Horizon, All Time Low, Sleeping With Sirens, Eagles of Death Metal, Black Veil Brides, and many more.

The addition to an amazing lineup that will feature something for every rock fan across four stages in two days is probably one of the most exciting inclusions to a festival in years: NXT. The Orlando based developmental field for WWE features some of the best professional wrestlers from around the world (Japan, Ireland, UK, US, etc.) and brought them to one organization and present a full production show with high energy, fan interaction, amazing lights and stage spectacles, and a current wrestling product that fans of the sport can get behind. Seeing Finn Balor’s entrance is worth admission alone.

This year’s Aftershock is scheduled to his Oct 24^th and 25^th at Gibson Ranch just outside Sacramento. Some of the performers have spoken about Aftershock and their excitement.

Corey Taylor of Slipknot says, “We are really looking forward to playing AFTERSHOCK in Sacramento! A lot of great bands—can’t wait to see everyone, from Manson to Clutch. Sacramento won’t know what hit it when me and my friends are through.”

Deftones‘ Chino Moreno says, “We’re looking forward to being one of the headliners at AFTERSHOCK this year and performing in our hometown. It’s always special to return to the city that made us.”

The daily band lineup for Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK is as follows:

Saturday, October 24:
Slipknot, Shinedown, Marilyn Manson, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Bring Me The Horizon, Black Veil Brides, Clutch, Hollywood Undead, P.O.D., Sevendust, Pop Evil, All That Remains, Helmet, Snot, Beartooth, Turbowolf, Art of Dying, Temperance Movement, Kill It Kid, Devour The Day, September Mourning, Stars In Stereo, Raveneye

Sunday, October 25:
Faith No More, Deftones, Jane’s Addiction, Stone Temple Pilots, Coheed and Cambria, All Time Low, Death From Above 1979, Eagles of Death Metal, Sleeping With Sirens, Yelawolf, Failure, Glassjaw, Suicidal Tendencies, Issues, The Sword, Highly Suspect, ’68, Red Fang, One OK Rock, Madchild, Neck Deep, Pink Slips

Regularly priced weekend tickets go on sale Monday, June 1 at 10:00 AM PT at www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com/Tickets and www.flavorus.com. Ticket prices will be as follows:

2-Day General Admission: $114.50
Single Day General Admission: $64.50
Single Day VIP: $119.50

I cannot recommend this lineup or experience enough. This many bands + NXT Live + THAT MANY CONCERT GIRLS is something that everyone should get behind. If you are even remotely close to Sacramento in the end of October or are able to make the trip, then get your VIP tickets and go. It will be a weekend worth saving up for and remembering.

You can find more details at the following sites:

Website: www.AFTERSHOCKConcert.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AFTERSHOCKFestival
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AFTERSHOCKSAC

NXT! NXT! NXT! NXT! NXT! NXT! NXT!

All Time Favorite Albums: The Mars Volta – Frances The Mute

By

Luke Spencer

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May 28, 2015

A series looking at my all time favorite albums. This video is dedicated to 2005’s Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta.

https://vimeo.com/129066959

Album Review: Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface

By

Luke Spencer

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May 17, 2015

Everyone’s favorite alternative snow-mask wearers return to show their Blurryface.

https://vimeo.com/128101346

Text Review:

Every now and then you get a creative group who over the course of a few years becomes a phenomenon and commands a legion of fans, all without sacrificing identity or giving into trends and sales patterns. It does not happen as often as it should, but there are still musicians who maintain their merit through continuing to hold to two things: their own individual music, and their own individual personality.

The two men of Twenty One Pilots may be the perfect example of musicians in the alternative rock scene not only having the time of their lives, but being entirely creative and individual as they want. After a relatively short time since the group’s formation in 2009, these Ohio natives have literally become one of the most sought after music acts in the industry and to this day have some of the best concert sales throughout the US and Europe.

After several featured songs from 2013’s Vessel, they have toured with bands like Neon Trees and Walk The Moon and now run their own headlining shows throughout full sized arenas. Needless to say, expectations are high for the next full album.

When making a album artists may have different focuses for the process. In the press release for Blurryface, Tyler Joseph said, “The one thing Josh and I always had in mind when we were making this record was: How is this going to look and feel live? We were so influenced by the live show. A lot of the writing came from wanting to Create something that we would actually love playing in front of people every night.”

Words like creativity and individuality sound great when describing music and their artists, but do not add up if the finished project doesn’t represent that. So our first look at the new album Blurryface came in the song Tear In My Heart, which undeniably had the feel of two masked men on stage playing their hearts out.

If you are at all familiar with Twenty One Pilots then you can identify Tear In My Heart as their song after 20 seconds into the track. If ever there was a perfect example of a 21st century love song then this song would be it. The piano keys and powerful drums all come through strong with a beautiful chorus that is robust and vibrant. It’s obvious why this song should have been the track to get people excited about Blurryface.

My only real complaint with the song is what many people have already said online in that the bridge, or the driving in a car sing-a-long REALLY takes you out of the song. While the song would have undeniably been way to short without this section, I can’t help but shake the feeling that the song feels disjointed because of this off road venture into a mini song before jumping head first back into the original music.

Regardless of the nitpick and my own personal opinion, this song still stands out as a fully trademarked style by Twenty One Pilots. And that may be their greatest strength: regardless of the style of song they choose, from alternative rock, to hip hop, to reggae, to island sing-a-long, the image of these two men are drenched in the rhythm of each song they write.

I love the energy in the choruses within Blurryface. Songs like Heavydirtysoul, We Don’t Believe What’s On TV and Polarize all capture the same power that Tear In My Heart possesses. It’s the electronic rhythm infused with the piano that stand out, but it’s the vocals and masterful drumwork by Josh Dun that meld everything together.

The only downside to having so many different styles in the same album is that it can be difficult to flow from track to track. Not every song will be for every listener. That being said though, it is undeniably unique and interesting to play this album from beginning to end and marvel that the pure talent and creativity level that is featured throughout here. Even if not every song is something to connect with and you may feel like skipping one style, you are almost guaranteed to find another song you love shortly after.

To restate Tyler Joseph’s quote, they made this record with the mindset of how these songs would come off live. After listening to Blurryface it is undeniable that their focus paid off in huge waves. Each song on this album can easily be imagined by these two jumping into the pit mid-song just to have the crowd sing along for them.

Overall, Blurryface is the perfect example of what two artists are capable of when they aren’t restricted and don’t have to hold back. Even if every song isn’t something that every alt-rock fan will love, it’s undeniable that there is something here for everyone, including the die-hard twenty one pilots fans.

Regretting The Past: Creed – Weathered

By

Luke Spencer

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May 13, 2015

After a Diamond Certified selling album, some of the smelliest butts in butt-rock follow it up with a Weathered mess.

https://vimeo.com/127681940

Album Review: Faith No More – Sol Invictus

By

Luke Spencer

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May 10, 2015

After 18 years, Faith No More return to the light and bring Sol Invictus. Can the ingenious minds of yesteryear conquer the day once again?

https://vimeo.com/127382981

Text Review:

There is a line from “The Sandlot” that goes “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” Back in 1989, Faith No More released their album The Real Thing which shook the music world with a huge awakening. To this day, songs like Epic are still played on rock radio.

A band like Faith No More falls into a category like Primus, where they have such a unique identity that it is almost impossible to identify what sub genre they belong in because they are so singular, but they clearly are a staple of rock.

So, after 18 years from their most previous release Album of the Year, Faith No More decided that going on a reunion tour and playing for the crowd just wasn’t enough. And after practicing and working back to the quality they are known for, they announced that “The Reunion Tour is over; in 2015 things are going to change.”

While I cannot speak for everyone, I think that many fans and listeners will go into Sol Invictus hoping that it captures even a fraction of the intensity and passion that they exuded in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It’s very rare to recapture lightening in a bottle, and especially after doing it once already almost two decades earlier. What we received this past March was the album’s first single Superhero. With this superhero came a new hope for what was to come.

My excitement started when I heard the alternating screaming of “Go” from different voices. It instantly had the sound and personality of Faith No More from years ago and quickly led to what is a great song both lyrically and musically.

The piano notes and hearing “Leader of Men” stands out so triumphantly in this song and it ends which the same madness and intensity as it begins. Out of the ten tracks on this album, I don’t think they could have picked a better choice than Superhero to get people excited for what’s to come.

After listening to all of Sol Invictus a few times it dawned on me that this album was the creative work from truly brilliant minds waiting patiently to perform something special. That perseverance paid off. Songs like Separation Anxiety and Superhero bring in the volume while Rise of the Fall and Matador prove they can still bring in the melody.

Separation Anxiety is that dark and gritty style that features Mike Patton’s vocals beautifully while the bass and drums carry this song on a deep rhythm that sucks you into the song and puts you into a rage. It’s eye-opening like many of the songs from Faith No More have come to be labeled as throughout the decades.

There will be many fans who are hoping for more of an “EPIC” style album, but in reality every song from a band like this is an individual entity. This album carries the tradition of delivering a fearless intensity that was set many years ago, and prove that despite years of inactivity, you can still stand at the front of the game.

Say whatever jokes you want about age and rock needing a new youthful generation to revive the genre back to the top. The truth is that it doesn’t matter what stage of life the musicians are in, so long as the music is good. Faith No More just nailed that message into the wall.

Overall, anyone who at any point enjoyed listening to Faith No More will love Sol Invictus. It sounds like Faith No More took their ability out of a time capsule and continued where they left off. It’s something special, and something worth getting excited about.

Photos: WORLD GONE

By

Luke Spencer

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May 9, 2015

My photos of World Gone at Welcome To Rockville! All photos were taken by Luke Spencer in Jacksonville, FL on 4-25-2015.

Jacksonville’s own World Gone opened Welcome To Rockville and brought with them an elaborate apocalyptic setup. Their masks were done by the same designer of Gwar’s gear.