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Pointfest 2023 Brings Incubus, Coheed & Cambria, and More To St. Louis

By
Luke Spencer
-
The Pretty Reckless at Pointfest 2023 | St. Louis, MO

Pointfest has been an establishment for 105.7 The Point and the greater St. Louis area for decades. Most people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois are familiar with the event and many have attended at least one in their lifetime. Several elements made Pointfest 2023 unique from past Pointfests.

Whether it was the mid-west weather actually behaving for a festival day and not causing delays or cancelations, a larger than normal attendance (or at least the largest I personally have seen in the three Pointfests I have attended), or possibly the lack of Neanderthal meatheads trying to start fights in between sets, the biggest feeling that I consistently had about Pointfest was that not only was it peaceful, but it was a different vibe altogether than normal rock station festivals.

Pointfest 2023 lineup

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Top 10 BEST Debut Metal Albums!

It’s possible this has to do with the lineup. Ending with Incubus who have been a part of Pointfest in previous years, the headlining band started their set with several mellow tracks in their long discography. It wasn’t meant to rile the crowd up, but rather to set a mood and enjoy the night peacefully. It was not what I was expecting, but it was also well-performed and the crowd was engaged. Singer Brandon Boyd was intent on living in the moment and experiencing the environment and the vibe from his performance and mannerisms flowed through Hollywood Casino Amphitheater.

Coheed & Cambria, off the heels of Vaxis II, returned to St. Louis and shredded their way through a set reliving 2000s classics and newer songs. This was my third time seeing Coheed live and this was in my view the best performance I’ve seen from the New York group. There was such a strong focus on the performance and keeping things tight that it made for a clockwork set of music revolving around Claudio Sanchez’s created futuristic world. Like Incubus, it wasn’t about riling a crowd up but rather setting a mood to enjoy the music.

And representing the home crowd was Greek Fire. A band where singer Moon Valjean has brought the St. Louis flag around the world to wave at concerts. This was part hometown welcome and part proof of tenacity for Moon who was battling voice issues. As a morning show host and vocalist, he’s a trooper for toughing it out. Along with Greek Fire came Mama Moon to support her son on stage, and a quick acknowledgment of Jeff Burton who is still a part of St. Louis in many ways.

Among many other sets including Bad Omens, Badflower, Band Maid, and Des Rocs, it adds further proof that 105.7 The Point and Pointfest try to give the most value for a radiostation festival. I have attended many of these radio shows through different states and while many can be fun and well run, it’s always impressive to see just how much The Point tries to make their show an event for the city. As many bands as possible in a venue that people can enjoy the entire day. This is not the norm in most cities.

I’m not going to shamelessly plug every lineup that Pointfest has ever had. As with every lineup for an event, some people prefer one group of bands or style of music to others. Sometimes lineups really speak to a person or don’t connect at all. Pointfest 2023 felt like a complete show. It had established acts as well as upcoming names that are gaining the right attention. There were no toxic or obnoxious acts that cause people to head for concessions or the bathroom. Pointfest 2023 was an event that was worth being at and remembering because it was peaceful, lively, and it felt good to be a part of. I hope this Pointfest is remembered for the many positives that were held this year.

Interview with Bad Omens at Pointfest 2023

Tina Turner IS Rock And Roll | The Podcast That Rocked

By
Luke Spencer
-
Tina Turner Is Rock And Roll

The Podcast That Rocked for 5/2/23. Talking about how Tina Turner is rock and roll, the return of Creeper, blessthefall, Nikki Sixx not playing bass, and more. 

CLIFFDIVER GOFUNDME LINK = https://www.gofundme.com/f/tylers-recovery-by-cliffdiver

The Podcast That Rocked on YouTube
The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify

Discussion List:
0:00 – Intro and The Rizzuto Show 
0:47 – Tina Turner, Queen Of Rock And Roll 
2:35 – Nikki Sixx Didn’t Play Bass 
4:58 – Cliffdiver Accident 
6:31 – New Creeper 
7:34 – New blessthefall 
8:23 – Billboard Mainstream Rock Top 3 
9:37 – Thank you YouTube Members & Patrons! 

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever
(according to Google Bard)

Creeper “Cry To Heaven”
blessthefall “Wake The Dead”
Foo Fighters “Rescued”
The Rizzuto Show X Rocked | Join in at 1:33:00

___

From Google Bard: “Tina Turner was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in the 1960s as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, and later went on to a successful solo career. Turner is known for her powerful vocals, energetic stage presence, and flamboyant style. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Brownsville, Tennessee, in 1939. She began her singing career in the early 1950s, performing with various bands in the St. Louis area. In 1957, she met Ike Turner, and the two began performing together. They married in 1962, and the Ike & Tina Turner Revue became one of the most popular live acts in the world. The couple’s marriage was turbulent, and they divorced in 1978. Turner went on to a successful solo career, releasing a string of hit albums, including “Private Dancer” (1984) and “Break Every Rule” (1986). She also starred in the film “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” (1985). Turner retired from live performance in 2009, but she continued to release new music. Her most recent album, “Tina Turner: Simply the Best” (2013), was a greatest hits collection. Turner died on May 24, 2023, at the age of 83. Turner was a groundbreaking artist who broke down barriers for women in rock music. She was also a survivor of domestic violence, and her story inspired millions of people around the world. Turner was a true icon, and her legacy will live on for generations to come.”

Creeper Announce New Album Sanguivore, Share “Cry To Heaven”

By
Luke Spencer
-

CREEPER TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM SANGUIVORE ON OCTOBER 13 VIA SPINEFARM 
BAND SHARES NEW VIDEO FOR TRACK “CRY TO HEAVEN” — WATCH

A new chapter in the thrillingly theatrical story of CREEPER gets underway today as the acclaimed UKband shares the brand new single and video “Cry To Heaven” and announce theFriday, October 13 release of their third album Sanguivore. 

Watch the video here.

CREEPER’s previous albums — Eternity, In Your Arms and Sex, Death & the Infinite Void — have seen the band enamour an army of devotees, a highly committed following that propelled their second album to aTop 5 chart position. 

Vocalist William Von Ghould says, “Keeping in line with the band’s ethos of aggressive musical progression, the song is once again an ambitious departure from previous works. ‘Cry To Heaven’ turns the key and unlocks a door to a new world of decadent excess. The introduction to a new tragic story of love, loss, and vampires. This is Creeper at their most outrageous, harking back to a time where Jim Steinman ruled the airwaves in leather gloves and Aviators.”

Opening with the rousing harmonies of the devil’s own choir, “Cry To Heaven” immediately establishes another fresh evolution of CREEPER’s style. It’s a luscious, maximalist wall of sound in which swaggering hard rock at its most anthemic is amplified by punchy, high-drama synths, topped by the band’s signature vocal interplay between William Von Ghould’s sinister croon and Hannah Greenwood‘smajestic range.

It’s a track which sees CREEPER extending and updating the lineage of the darkwave hedonism of The Sisters of Mercy with the crunching guitars and wounded roar of Danzig. Those two bands are also reference points for the accompanying video, which sees Von Ghould channeling classic Andrew Eldritch vibes within a visual that feels like an S&M twist on The Lost Boys.

The song’s lyrics also tease the narrative that will unfold within the Sanguivore narrative. Its references to blood lust, sex, cannibalism, and a human disguise hint at a new story of ill-fated love and corrosive lust — themes which burn throughout CREEPER’s previous album concepts.

For the uninitiated, a sanguivore is an entity that needs to feast upon blood to survive.

“Cry To Heaven” is the latest result of CREEPER’s collaboration with the twisted mind of producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Royal Blood, The Cult, Killing Joke).

Sanguivore is now available to pre-order or pre-save HERE.

In addition to its digital release, the album will be available on physical formats which include limited edition vinyl formats and CD.

The news comes as CREEPER are set to play the Heavy Music Awards at the OVO Wembley Arena tonight, where they’re nominated for Best UK Artist, Best UK Live Artist and Best Single for “Ghost Brigade.” Their previous accolades include landmark awards from Kerrang!, Metal Hammer and Rock Sound.

Completing the CREEPER line-up are founder members Ian Miles (guitar) and Sean Scott (bass) along with drummer Jake Fogarty.

Creeper


SANGUIVORE TRACKLIST:
“Further Than Forever”
“Cry To Heaven”
“Sacred Blasphemy”
“The Ballad Of Spook & Mercy”
“Lovers Led Astray”
“Teenage Sacrifice”
“Chapel Gates”
“The Abyss”
“Black Heaven”
“More Than Death”

blessthefall Return With Wake the Dead, Anniversary Tour

By
Luke Spencer
-
blessthefall

BLESSTHEFALL ARE BACK
BAND SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “WAKE THE DEAD” — WATCH
HOLLOW BODIES 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR SET FOR SUMMER

blessthefall are back and in two very big ways! 

The Arizona quartet — Beau Bokan [vocals], Eric Lambert [guitar], Jared Warth [bass], and Elliott Gruenberg [guitar] — return with the video for the brand new single “Wake the Dead,” their first new track in five years.

The band will also embark on the Hollow Bodies 10-year anniversary tour later this summer, marking their first live appearances in four years. So, yes, the band is back and it is a welcome return for the fanbase!

Watch the video here.

blessthefall “Wake The Dead”

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever
(according to Google Bard)

“To all the fans…we’ve seen you and heard you over the last five years,” says Bokan. “We’re back and this one’s for you. ‘Wake the Dead’ has all the elements that define our band. We took our time writing it but didn’t overthink. We wanted the first song to melt your faces from the beginning and drag you to the end without slowing down. We hope you love it as much as we do.”

As for the much-anticipated anniversary tour, Bokan said, “Hollow Bodies was the album that took our band to the next level and for that we are forever grateful. Being able to do a 10-year anniversary tour and play the record in its entirety is going to be incredibly special. It’s been four years since we played a live show and want to pick up right where we left off. We can’t wait to see your sweaty faces in the crowd!”

All dates are below.

BLESSTHEFALL ON TOUR:
WITH CASKETS, KINGDOM OF GIANTS, + DRAGGED UNDER:
8/3 Santa Ana, CA
8/4 Roseville, CA
8/5 Portland, OR
8/6 Seattle, WA
8/0 Salt Lake City, UT
8/9 Denver, CO
8/11 Minneapolis, MN
8/12 Chicago, IL
8/14 Toronto, ON
8/15 Montreal, QC
8/17 Boston, MA
8/18 New York, NY
8/19 Philadelphia, PA
8/20 Baltimore, MD
8/22 Atlanta GA
8/23 Tampa, FL
8/24 Pensacola, FL
8/25 New Orleans, LA
8/26 Houston, TX
8/27 Dallas, TX
8/28 Albuquerque, NM
8/31 Las Vegas, NV
9/1 Phoenix, AZ
9/7 Alton, VA*
*Blue Ridge Rock Fest

blessthefall’s notched back-to-back Top 25 debuts on the Billboard 200 with Hollow Bodies [2013] and To Those Left Behind [2015], while 2018’s Hard Feelings marked their third straight Top 5 bow on the Top Alternative Albums Chart. With the latter, Unclear claimed the band “may have struck serious gold,”while Alternative Press applauded how “blessthefall blend old-school vibes and a fresh new sound.“ Speaking to their enduring legacy, they’ve racked up hundreds of millions of streams with “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” at 33.8 million Spotify streams followed by “Hollow Bodies” at 26.2 million Spotify streams in addition to landing syncs in franchises such as Splinter Cell. In the wake of a successful 10-year anniversary tour to celebrate Witness in 2019, blessthefall went quiet for the next two years. Between the global pandemic and various other gigs, the members still kept the lines of communication open. The band now emerges from a half-decade of dormancy, and not a moment too soon.
___

blessthefall “Wake The Dead”

Ashley McBryde Joins Halestorm On “Terrible Things”

By
Luke Spencer
-

HALESTORM ENLISTS GRAMMY, CMA AND ACM WINNER
ASHLEY MCBRYDE FOR DUET ON “TERRIBLE THINGS” OUT NOW;
LZZY HALE REVEALS HER “UNMASKED” VIDEO PORTRAIT
ON BILLBOARD TO DISCUSS MENTAL HEALTH

GRAMMY-winning hard rock band Halestorm today released a duet of “Terrible Things” from their album Back From The Dead with GRAMMY, ACM, and CMA Award winner Ashley McBryde.

“’Terrible Things’ is a song about hope and forgiveness of one’s self, and this world we live in,” said Lzzy Hale.  “To elevate the heart of this track we asked the baddest woman in Nashville, Ashley McBryde, to lend her incredible voice. I’m so in awe of her power and am so grateful to have her join us! I know the message will resonate and inspire you. We are imperfect beings, capable of so much evil. But I will not lose faith, because in my dreams I believe we are not these ‘Terrible Things.’”

Halestorm ft. Ashley McBryde “Terrible Things”

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever
(according to Google Bard)

“I’ve loved Halestorm for longer than I can remember,” shared McBryde. “I thought my team was messing with me when they said Lzzy asked if I wanted to sing on ‘Terrible Things’ with them. But it turns out they were being serious, so of course I said yes. I am so happy to be on this track with Lzzy. She’s a phenomenal human being and someone I continue to look up to.”

Yesterday Billboard shared Lzzy Hale’s “Unmasked” video, a short form video portrait series in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Sound Mind Live promoting an open dialogue on mental health.  Hale speaks candidly about her struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome and offers hope for others combating similar issues.

Back From The Dead earned critical acclaim upon its release last year; Rolling Stone included a Q&A with Lzzy Hale in their Grammy Preview and Associated Press claimed Back From The Deadwill “definitely be in the running for best hard rock/metal album of the year.”

For more information on Halestorm, visit and follow:
https://www.halestormrocks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/halestormrocks
https://www.instagram.com/halestormrocks/
https://www.youtube.com/user/HalestormRocks
https://www.tiktok.com/@halestormrocks

VEXED Release “X My Heart” From Negative Energy

By
Luke Spencer
-

Uprising UK Alt-Metal Unit VEXED Unleash Sinister Second Single, 
“X My Heart (Hope To Die)” + Official Music Video
Watch HERE!

New Album, Negative Energy, out June 23, 2023 | Pre-Order NOW!

One of the hottest newcomers in alternative metal, UK trio VEXED, unleash their second single off of their anticipated sophomore full-length, Negative Energy, out on June 23 via Napalm Records! The disturbingly heavy new track from Vexed is entitled “X My Heart (Hope to die)”, and comes with a haunting official music video.

Fierce “X my <3 (Hope to die)” deals with the eternal question of what happens after death, and the idea that it should be okay to never get this answer. Vocalist Megan Targett’s vicious growls kick right in after the lurking intro, and together with heavy drum patterns and electronic-sounding guitars, her multifaceted vocals create a captivating, restless soundscape.     

VEXED’s crushing first single “Anti-Fetish” has already received great attention! The track was recently aired on BBC’s Radio 1 Rock Show, and is currently in rotation on SiriusXM Liquid Metal while commanding at #6 on their weekly countdown show, The Devil’s Dozen. Upon release, it was lauded by the likes of Revolver (Best New Songs), Loudwire (Weekly Wire), Knotfest and many more, and was also added to various official Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Deezer playlists.
 
VEXED on “X my <3 (Hope to die)”:
“’X my <3 (hope to die)’ was the catalyst for Negative Energy. After months of writers block and feeling like giving up, this song opened the floodgates for inspiration and creativity. Inspired by the victims of religious extremists, cults or abuse of power, this song is about how one person shouldn’t be able to dictate other people’s lives based on their own personal opinions.”       

Vexed “X My Heart”

Negative Energy achieves pinnacle musicianship and gripping, profound and brave lyricism. Instead of opting for forced positivity like many of their contemporaries, the Hertfordshire three-piece channel every ounce of their Negative Energy into these 13 tracks – recharging themselves for an uphill battle. 

The band states:             
“We are so proud to present to you our second album. Since our first release, we have each endured traumatic experiences, surrounded by death, betrayal, pain and grief.  In order to find any strength, we first had to accept that we weren’t okay, then take our trauma and face it head on, sharing our vulnerability, fears and weaknesses.  Instead of forcing ourselves to try and be positive we put all our negative energy into the album in order to begin our own repair and to overcome.”

Pre-order the devastatingly heavy Negative Energy NOW:

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever
(according to Google Bard)

Haunting intro track “PTSD” sets a stage of dread for the carnage to come. “We don’t talk about it” – featuring pitch-shifted verses emulating a disguised voice – explores childhood trauma and survivor’s guilt. “Panic attack” centers on mental health issues, representing terror and frustration through heavy riffs and grooving vocals. Furious “Lay down your flowers” (feat. Alpha Wolf vocalist Lochie Keogh) showcases extreme vocals and bombarding drums, while disturbingly groovy following track “There’s no place like home” draws inspiration from ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The unbelievably heavy “Extremist” gets straight to the point, kicking off with fast and demanding vocal rhythms, while “Default”, on the other hand, displays multifaceted lead singer-to-watch Megan Targett’s high-soaring clean vocals juxtaposed against her menacing deep growls. This is equally evident on standout, dynamic “Trauma Euphoria”, also featuring some of the most impressive guitar work on the album. The album’s most emotional offering, “It’s Not The End”, serves as a magnificent dedication to a loved one passing away while manifesting their legacy, before sliding into instrumental interlude “DMT” – cradled by lo-fi beats with hints of 808, delivered in fresh VEXED style. Intense album finale “Nepotism” wraps up Negative Energy with a knot of rage before slowly fading out into darkness. Negative Energy proves itself as a stunning, devastating musical conduit – ventilating the band’s pain-stricken burdens and breathing life into their fresh approach, delivered with a vengeance.
 
Negative Energy Tracklisting:   
1. PTSD
2. Anti-Fetish
3. We don’t talk about it
4. X my <3 (Hope to die)
5. Panic attack
6. Lay down your flowers
7. There’s no place like home
8. Extremist
9. Default
10. Trauma Euphoria
11. It’s not the end
12. DMT
13. Nepotism

VEXED is:
Megan Targett – Vocals
Jay Bacon – Guitar
Willem Mason-Geraghty – Drums
 
VEXED online:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Website
Napalm Records

___

Vexed X My Heart

ICE NINE KILLS Announces The Silver Scream Novel

By
Luke Spencer
-
Ice Nine Kills | Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023
Ice Nine Kills | Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2021

Ice Nine Kills
Announces Preorders For The Silver Scream Novel
With Vinyl Audiobook Narrated By Candyman’s Tony Todd
Pre-Order Now HERE

Fresh from the cutting room floor, The Silver Scream exposes the bloodiest behind-the-scenes details of the most gruesome, shocking, true-crime tragedy of our time. Part autopsy, part grisly director’s “cut,” this is the only book with a comprehensive exploration inside the mind of America’s notorious, celluloid-obsessed, rock star turned cinema-copycat murderer, Spencer Charnas.

Bayonet Award–winning television reporter Roy Merkin is the only storyteller in possession of the journals scrawled by disgraced psychotherapist Dr. Ian Black. The Silver Scream reconstructs, with unflinching detail, how fiction became fact, art imitated death, and the most horrific movie murders by the likes of Jason, Leatherface, Freddy, Michael, and the rest became real.

Merkin courageously slashes open the ghoulish mind and tortured nightmares of Spencer himself, probing deeply, with razor-sharp precision. Learn how the box office created so many oblong boxes. Understand why this rock n’ roll heartthrob chose to stop so many human hearts.

Ice Nine Kills The Silver Scream Novel

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Debut Metal Albums!

Inspired by Ice Nine Kills’ fifth studio album of the same name, The Silver Scream pays homage to some of the great horror film classics of the last forty years. Chock-full of references and nods to films such as Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Saw, Edward Scissorhands, The Shining, and IT, The Silver Scream blends horror fan fiction and Ice Nine Kills’ style of storytelling into a unique concept all its own

The Silver Scream is scheduled to be published in August 2023 in hardcover and e-book worldwide, with a limited-edition vinyl audiobook edition featuring Candyman actor Tony Todd.

Signed hardcover + exclusive limited edition vinyl audiobook variant bundles available
through ICENINEKILLS.com and RAREBIRDLIT.com

ICE NINE KILLS ARE
Spencer Charnas – Vocals
Dan Sugarman – Guitar
Ricky Armellino – Guitar
Joe Occhiuti – Bass
Patrick Galante – Drums

___

Ice Nine Kills Silver Scream Novel

Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever (from Google Bard)

By
Luke Spencer
-

The best use of Google Bard and any Artificial Intelligence (AI) program is to ask Bardy questions about heavy music. This video looks at the Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever (from Google Bard). 

Top 10 BEST Metal Albums Ever (from Google Bard)
Top 10 WORST Metal Albums Ever (from Google Bard)

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback and had fun with these Google Bard videos. I already have another set of questions and answers set for Bardy so we’ll see how well the reaction is for that. In the meantime, join us for New Music Night on Twitch every Sunday night at 7PM EST!

Click here for a video on the
Top 10 BEST Debut Metal Albums Ever!

Black Sabbath is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released on 13 February 1970 by Vertigo Records in the United Kingdom and Warner Bros. Records in the United States on 1 June 1970. 

Paranoid is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in September 1970 through Vertigo Records in England and Warner Bros. Records in the US.   

Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 3 September 1984 through EMI Records in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in North America.   

The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden.   

British Steel is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 11 April 1980 by Columbia Records. 

Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 1990, by Capitol Records. 

Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records.   

Master of Puppets is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. 

Vulgar Display of Power is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera. 

Reign in Blood is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on October 7, 1986, by Def Jam Recordings. 

From Google Bard: “These are just a few of the many great metal albums that have been released over the years. There are many other albums that could have been included on this list. But these 10 albums are all essential listening for any fan of metal music. It is important to note that these are just opinions, and there are many people who enjoy these albums. Ultimately, it is up to the individual listener to decide whether or not they like a particular album.”

Memorrhage – Memorrhage | Album Review

By
Michael Reitemeier
-

With nu-metal making somewhat of a resurgence lately, it’s been compelling seeing heavy music wash away its guilty pleasure genre and bring about a more groovy, involved listen. From top to bottom, whether it’s the chaos of Omerta/Tallah or the nuances felt in Sleep Token, you’re sure to have heard it somewhere recently. For Garry Brents, it’s this genre that gets a sleek new polish in his project Memorrhage with his upcoming self-titled debut album. It’s a blessing, too – Brents has explored so many other styles in his other projects like the cybergrind of Gonemage and the skramz in Cara Neir. The buck doesn’t stop there, either, as Brents somehow manages to rapid-fire these releases; with Memorrhage, though, there’s rumblings all around social media for how impactful this release could be, so let’s hone in on Memorrhage.

The bounce riffs kick off Memorrhage instantaneously in “Memory Leak” to set the stage of controlled chaos that will be prevalent throughout this debut. Brents shares: “A thematic foundation about this album is that each song is episodic in nature. Each song is a different POV of cybernetics, androids, technology, futuristic utopias/dystopias, etc.” Sprinkling in subtle electronics and making full use of production tactics are the name of the game on this record to craft the immersion that’s set up further with the grisly pixel art cover. That includes binaural guitar runs in “Exit” that will reward headphone listeners who can pick up on its intricacies amidst the fast-paced nu-metal soundscape.

The tempo switch in “Reek” is a solid attention-grabber and probably caught the attention of Big Money Cybergrind who helped release this awesome single. Those turntable scratches are a staple of nu-metal but somehow never seem to get old and mix right in with the closing breakdown, one of the best moments on Memorrhage. Panic chords welcome in “Finesse” as some of the more left-field moments come to fruition, definitively worth an immersive listen for the synths really stealing the show here. It’d be remiss to not mention that clean vocals make an appearance in “Old Wave”, a track about “an old model of an android coming to grips with being outdated. It upgrades through means of black market avenues but is still reeling from feelings of an inferiority complex.”

I love tracks with a shorter length, and Memorrhage has just that in “Lost” clocking in at 1:37. With an even faster pace than usual, the Slipknot inspo is indelibly infused into this rager of a midway point for the record. Meanwhile, the groove is the focus in “Knurl” as things slow down with some dreamy reverbed cleans and a busy bridge to switch things up. And past that, it gets downright drone-y within “Brain Wield”, showcasing the sheer range across metal employed in this debut. The most emphatic singing is present on “Lunge” as Memorrhage throws everything at the wall in this song – and it somehow manages to stick! An easy personal favorite on Memorrhage – if you’re not showing friends that one, the most accessible track is “Utility”. Memorrhage wraps up with “Ex-Sprite” with rapping of all things, and again, it works. Everything Garry Brents attempts, manages to work. Some tracks shine brighter than others, but there’s a lot to enjoy in Memorrhage’s first release. Expect to hear some buzz about Memorrhage when it releases 6/16/23.

Follow Garry Brents on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok!

The Used – Toxic Positivity | Album Review

By
Nadia Pulgar
-
The Used Toxic Positivity
The Used Toxic Positivty Album Review

The Used are back after three years with a new album titled Toxic Positivity. It features eleven tracks that explore various styles of composition all the while remaining very true to the essence that is The Used. There were several tracks that pushed the album to a higher status in terms of melodies and instrumentalization. Frontman Bert McCracken has delivered an album in which he quite openly discusses coping mechanisms during vulnerable moments in the psyche. 

Strongest tracks in no particular order were Headspace, Pinky Swear, Top of The World and Dopamine (it pulled at the heartstrings because it rang similar to The Bird and The Worm. Strong contenders for favorite tracks off the album were, I Hate Everybody, Giving Up, and House of Sand. 

The Used “Giving Up”

Headspace is where McCracken allowed for his story to be told about his struggles with mental illness, which he has been public about in the past. The song exposes how the invisible fight to remain healthy within one’s own mind is an everyday fight with oneself. It is blunt and quite refreshing to hear such honesty about a topic that is taboo for many still to this day.   

Click here for an album review on
Take Me Back To Eden by Sleep Token

Drummer Dan Whitesides executes a perfectly balanced and gentle approach to the dreamlike upbeat song that is House of Sand. The song takes two very different themes and blends them effortlessly: Lullaby-like instrumentalization while lyrically painting a picture of chaos when everything is inevitably crumbling down. 

Pinky Swear stood out loudly and wonderfully with great heavy riffs that balanced the crisp vocals coming through. While the song seemed bright during some of the verses, it leaned more towards the heavy side and allowed for McCracken, Whitesides, and bassist-back-up vocalist Jeph Howard to belt out some serious screams that rang true to the screamo that I fell in love with when listening to The Used all these years.

Joey Bradford did an outstanding number with the guitar throughout Top of The World. The song has moments where you just can’t figure out where it is going instrumentally. I kept going back to listen to the guitars because I can’t picture how insane the fretwork must look in person. This one is the song to listen out for when the band goes on tour next week. I really do hope they include it in the setlist. 
Toxic Positivity will definitely be an album that I’ll add to my playlist for singalongs on road trips this summer. With over twenty years in the running, The Used have done it again and this album shows why they are still a crowd favorite for all this time.

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The Used Toxic Positivity Album Review The Used Toxic Positivity Album Review

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