Real heavy and dissonant furniture smashery today via deathcore band GOD OF NOTHING‘s new single “Locust”. Love the uneasy and queasy intro leads over the churning, mosh ready hate fest (and the weird af Korn-esque possessed serial killer janitor in a mop closet rubbing his bloody hands together vocals around 2:30).
When asked about the song, Vocalist and songwriter Ritz Holsclaw had this to say “This song is for people that feel alone and left in the dark. It’s a statement letting people know, it’s okay to not be okay. Our friend Adam Mercer is a personal friend that we felt would best fit this song with his experience of struggle. Just know, it’s okay to not be okay.”
Well, that fits with my murderer alone in the dark impression! And it is ok not to be ok, though this song doesn’t sound like Demi Lovato and Marshmello (no hate, I love that song). But yeah, this might not make you feel that much better as this shit is fuckin’ bleak! But we all need to vent those kind of emotions sometimes as well!
An upcoming LP just announced by the band is called Vicious Cycle which is due out March 12 Worldwide on LEGEND Recordings. This is a great label that is also home to acts we adore such as September Mourning, Karma Kids and Paralandra, to name a few.
“Locust” also features Adam Mercer of A Wake In Providence. All pre-orders include 3 instant downloads of already released tracks “Burn” and “Sledge” as well!
One of my personal favorite metalcore bands ever, Germany’sCALIBAN have released many rock solid examples of the genre and worked hard to keep the sound both meaningful and alive in the scene through hard work and valuable, emotionally resonant material. They balance heavy and catchy better than most bands doing that contrast, as well.
Now the band are doing something cool I think they ought to be applauded for, re-recording a bunch of tunes in their native German. I think it is problematic when band’s feel like they can only sing in English because of capitalism and the market share. Hey, wasn’t “Despacito” like the biggest YouTube played video ever? Maybe we should be encouraging more education and culture exchange rather than normalizing English constantly being centered?
From the press release:
It took German metalcore vets, CALIBAN, recording a cover of Rammstein’s “Sonne” to realize that their native tongue was a seamless fit with their time-tempered collision of punishing riffs and Andreas Dörner’s urgent vocals. With fans hungry for the Essen-borne quintet to record an album exclusively in German, the band simply said, “Why not?”, and Zeitgeister, which will be released on May 14th, was born.
11 genre-defining LPs deep into their career, the band’s vision for the album came naturally – a career retrospective and deep-dive into CALIBAN favorites that haven’t had been seen live in some time.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but once we allowed us to make them as different from the originals as we felt it was needed it came fairly naturally”, explains guitarist and main songwriter Marc Görtz. Of course, some updating was necessary when it came to translating the songs to German. “It turned out to be surprisingly tricky,” states Dörner. “While I feel more at home with my native German it made it a lot more complicated, as I had more options to phrase something.”
Formed in 1997, CALIBAN’s legacy has been a tireless one, touring the globe and sharing stages with the likes of Kreator, Killswitch Engage and Dark Tranquillity just to mention a few. Zeitgeister was a welcome homecoming. With the help of long-running producer Benjamin Richter (Moonspell, Emil Bulls) CALIBAN hand-picked seven tracks to bring new life to:
“Trauma” (feat. Matthi from Nasty, originally “Arena Of Concealment”)
“Herz” (originally “I Will Never Let You Down”)
“Ausbruch nach Innen” (originally “Tyranny Of Small Misery”)
“Feuer, zieh’ mit mir” (originally “Between The Worlds”)
“Nichts ist für immer” (originally “All I Gave”)
“Intoleranz” (originally “Intolerance”)
“Mein Inferno” (originally “My Little Secret”)
“Zeitgeister” also boasts a new track, “nICHts”.
Stay tuned for Pre Orders and more info!
Portland spiritual metalcore band FALLSTAR have released a new song from their upcoming Facedown release (and fourth album) Sunbreather. The first really huge sounding melodic yet heavy song I have heard in 2021, I found it a gripping blend of styles with commercial appeal via the excellent and hard to pull off performance by Chris Ratzlaff but still anchored strongly to the underground.
Auteur are a mysterious and electrifying band from the West Coast who merge metalcore and rock influences for a chaotic but catchy sound. Before & After is a must hear and explosive record that fans of ETID, The Bled, Septa, The Bronx, etc. will likely eat up like free blueberry waffles. Don’t just take our word for it. Get the syrup outta your ears and go listen! 11 tracks that show a passionate band really going for it. FAVE SONG: “Strawmen”
Greg Puciato, whose recent streaming event, “Fuck Content,” merged the worlds of recording and performance, has released a video for “Don’t Wanna Deal” (https://youtu.be/h9A1nVA-O5Q), a song whose creation was chronicled in the film.
Puciato said of the new track: “I ‘Don’t Wanna Deal’ with having to come up with something to say about this song or video clip so I’m not gonna.”
The 16-track Fuck Content album features five new songs not available on Puciato’s critically-acclaimed solo debut, Child Soldier: Creator of God, as well as live versions of ten of the album tracks. While all vinyl variants have now sold out, a collectible Blu-ray is currently available, as are limited-edition, Jesse Draxler-designed merch items (https://federalprisoner.shop/). Both the film and album are available digitally, with downloads available directly via the Federal Prisoner webstore, and album streams available across all major platforms.
Fuck Content is a reflection of where Puciato is in his post-The Dillinger Escape Plan life. He recently celebrated the release of Killer Be Killed’s sophomore album, Reluctant Hero, with the band landing on the covers of both Revolver and Kerrang!. The album also debuted atop the iTunes Rock and Metal charts. His solo debut, Child Soldier: Creator of God, arrived the previous month, with Consequence of Sound saying the 15-song album delivers “an experimental yet heavy sound that echoes Puciato’s versatility as an artist.” Puciato released four videos to accompany the release: “Do You Need Me to Remind You?” (https://youtu.be/d7Iaw_wjhaY), “A Pair of Questions” (https://youtu.be/VgCMGAvurl0), “Deep Set” (https://youtu.be/sJhPsE6K5t0), and “Fire For Water” (https://youtu.be/kcq8ooRTRpw). In addition to writing and recording two high profile releases, Puciato surprised fans at the end of last year by joining Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell for a pair of special performances.
Powerful crossover act Extinction A.D. have released a menacing metallic EP of hardcore covers, their first music to be released since 2018’s excellent Decimation Treaty. The tracks are all covers of American Hardcore bands from the 1980s including DRI, Youth Brigade and The Dead Kennedys. I am especially liking the “Reaganomics” cover as a timely reminder of how trickle down has always been empty promises/so much piss.
“Early 80’s American hardcore is one of, if not my favorite era of music,” says vocalist and guitarist Rick Jimenez. “I’ve always wanted to pay homage to it. Doing it through the lens of Extinction A.D. was not just a lot of fun, but put focus on how much things haven’t changed since the Reagan era of the united states.”
I have to admit I wondered, like many, if Steve Tinnon could fill Tim’s big shoes as vocalist in beloved technical metalcore stalwarts WITHIN THE RUINS. They are one of the metalcore bands I have most enjoyed over the years and have plugged often in various publications. Happy to report that this new material is massive and as crazy as ever. I cautiously say it, but “Black Heart” might even be the catchiest song they have ever written with HUGE potential due to this head snapping riffage like Within The Ruins channeled “Thunderstruck” on meth and just an unbelievable level of confidence projected by the whole group! It’s maniacal and will make fans optimistic again about the group’s future. Tinnon seems downright possessed.
Here’s hoping when shows return that they still incorporate older material in the live set as well, though. Gotta mix it up!
The track comes by way of the band’s impending full-length of the same name, set for release via Entertainment One (eOne) / Good Fight Music on November 27th. A lot of music writers are gonna be scrambling to add this to some lists, I’ll wager.
Black Heart will be released on CD, LP, and digital formats. For preorder options, visit THIS LOCATION.
Comments Tinnon of the track and accompanying video, “We’re extremely excited to release the video for the title track to our new album, Black Heart! We really enjoyed making this one and getting to tell a bit more of the story behind the music. It’s a very angry, personal song, and a lot of the tracks stem from what it’s about. It’s an important track in regards to the overall theme of the record, and we couldn’t be happier with how the video turned out!”
No, it is not specifically an exercise anthem (not fat shaming! Like Planet Fitness we are a judgement free zone), but it could be!
I am one of those East Coasters who never get tired of anything this band does musically. I have seen them many times and they always deliver and still have the best pits. It’s just all smiles and flying fists and friends. Always self-motivating and empowering? Appreciate that shit, y’all!
“Weight Of The False Self” crushes and is another gem in a long line of Hatebreed shout along face smooshers. Order the new album HERE. Fucking stoked!
Boundarieshave announced their debut full-length, Your Receding Warmth, due out November 13th via Unbeaten Records. To mark the occasion, the band shared the devastating lead single “Carve” with an accompanying music video that ‘…follows the good and bad that rushes into one’s life to fill an emotional gap’. I love how the very angry vocals are still intelligible, yet all consuming. Also really like the guitar tone, heavy but not just completely distorted mush. The very first riff even reminded me of RATM for half a second before going into more metalcore/aggro post hardcore territory. Also really digging the album title, painting a relatable picture of estrangement. The anticipated album was recorded with producer Randy Leboeuf at Graphic Nature Audio and we look forward to it. . Your Receding Warmth is available to preorder here and the music video for “Carve” is available to watch on YouTube as well as to stream on Spotify.
Posted by longhairedpoet on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 1:35 PM (PST)
Danish metallic hardcore noisemakers Eyes have released a video for their song “Distance” over at Decibel Magazine!
“Distance” comes off the band’s upcoming debut album Underperformer due out September via Indisciplinarian.
Eyes is made up by five young veterans from the Danish metal and hardcore scene, and the new album Underperformer reflects a combo that does not worry one bit about what fans, the scene, or people in general might think. One senses an artistic kinship with bands such as Daughters, Pissed Jeans, and Converge, all bands who started out with a particular sound and have changed and developed their musical vision significantly; something Eyes aims for as well, and succeeds in.
Barely over two years since the band’s eponymous debut EP saw the light of day, Eyes delivers their Underperformer. The record was produced by Tobias Munk Tønder (Église, Drukner), mastered by Jacob Bredahl (Lifesick, I Am Bones) who also contributes guest vocals to several songs on the record, and completed with artwork by Jon Gotlev/No Heroes.
The new video for “Distance” was directed by Ausrine Kurgonaite and Chey Long-Andersen.
Eyes lead singer Victor Kaas states about the “Distance” single:
“‘Distance’ is the shortest and most aggressive track on the record, by a small margin, as the whole record is pretty fucking aggressive. It was also one of the first songs we wrote for the album and it ended up being the song that really shaped the sound of Underperformer. Lyrically, the song is about discovering when something isn’t as it should be in your life. The feeling of reaching out, only to be met with dismissal and misunderstanding. If you’re depressed; don’t stop reaching out. Not everyone will understand; someone will.”
Excited to see some unexpected news in my inbox today! One of the more influential (but still pretty underground and not appreciated enough by new jacks) hardcore bands of the last few decades are getting more love!
Bridge Nine is excited to announce that we will be releasing BURIED ALIVE‘s new EP Death Will Find You on August 21st! Hailing from Buffalo NY and featuring Terror’s Scott Vogel on vocals, Buried Alive were known for their unique metallic edge and, despite their short-lived existence, proved to be one of the most influential hardcore bands from the late 90’s. Twenty years after their initial breakup, Buried Alive are back and ready to release “Death Will Find You”, an EP featuring two brand new songs and two re-mastered songs from their split with Reach The Sky.
The friends at MetalSucks are reporting that Matt Heafy has a new solo deal with Roadrunner. Makes sense. He plays his ass off doing covers and other various things all the time. More Matt!
He also has made a metal cover of the iconic “Toss A Coin To Your Witcher”! I have been praying too the Gods of Metal to have Hetfield sing this in season 2, but I will settle for Heafy! Sounds damn close anyway! Hails!
On Wednesday, June 3rd, Killswitch Engage – Adam Dutkiewicz [guitar], Joel Stroetzel [guitar], Mike D’Antonio [bass], Justin Foley [drums], and Jesse Leach [vocals] – began posting an array of pictures from their history to the band’s official Instagram feed: https://instagram.com/killswitchengage/. The band wiped its Instagram page clean and proceeded to share one image per year per day, starting with 1999 and going through 2019. It was a mere hint of what was to come.
Today, June 23rd, Killswitch Engage unveil a comprehensive and in-depth 20-year timeline that documents so many of the band’s memorable career milestones and storied history, with plenty of captivating images. The clickable, scroll-through timeline boasts flyers from early shows, live shots from festival appearances, and fan tattoos. It also traces major tours, video shoots, album releases, Grammy nominations, lineup changes, and beyond. The timeline functions as a digital museum that effectively tells the complete Killswitch Engage story.
The timeline was created specifically for Killswitch Engage fans to enjoy and to reminisce.
“I’ll never forget when we first started touring and I had to quit my day job to give it a go,” recalls Adam D. “I remember thinking, ‘Just try it for a year, that way you’ll have no regrets when it doesn’t work out, and you can go find a new job.’ 20-plus years later, here we are, and it’s been an amazing ride. I’m so grateful to our fans for letting us continue to do this…THANK YOU, KsE FANS EVERYWHERE!!!”
“It’s hard to believe KsE has been going for so long,” says Stroetzel. “We’re gettin’ old! We hope you all enjoy the photos, as they have definitely brought back a lot of memories for us! It seems like only yesterday we were playing VFW halls in Western Mass and rehearsing in my parents’ basement!”
D’Antonio says, “Looking back at what KsE has seen and done in 20 years is nothing short of mind-blowing to me. How a little band from Massachusetts could tour the world for this long is beyond me. A lifetime of exciting moments and amazing memories…I would not trade it for the world.”
Today, Killswitch Engage are also launching their Retro merch line, where they will be offering new takes on classic Killswitch Engage designs in limited edition quantities. The initial offerings from the Killswitch Engage Retro Collection include designs from the Alive Or Just Breathing and As Daylight Dies album cycles. You can preorder the Retro designs here: https://killswitchengage.merchcentral.com/collections/retro-collection
Overall, it’s been an eventful 20 years for Killswitch Engage.
Recently recognized by Forbes as “one of modern metal’s most cherished acts,” Killswitch Engage first shook the structure of heavy music upon climbing out of snowy industrialized Western Massachusetts in 1999. The band pioneered a DNA-distinct and oft-imitated style, fusing thrashed-out European guitar pyrotechnics, East Coast hardcore spirit, on-stage hijinks, and enlightened lyricism that set the pace for what the turn-of-the-century deemed heavy.
2002’s Alive Or Just Breathing, which followed an attention-getting, self-titled debut, earned its reputation as a definitive album and was named among “The Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of the Decade” by Decibel and celebrated by everyone from Metal Hammer to Revolver. Original singer Jesse Leach departed the band in 2002 and was replaced by Howard Jones, who would front the band until Leach’s return in 2012.
Along the way, Killswitch Engage have garnered three GRAMMY®Award nominations in the category of “Best Metal Performance” in 2005, 2014, and 2020. They’ve received gold certifications for The End Of Heartache [2004] and As Daylight Dies [2006]. The group landed three consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with Killswitch Engage [2009], Disarm The Descent [2013], and their career high best bow at #6 with Incarnate [2016]. The latter two releases would also both capture #1 on the Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums charts. Their total streams have exceeded half-a-billion to date. Along the way, the band has shared stages with some of the biggest acts in the world and have sold out countless headline gigs in six continents across the globe. Their eighth full-length Atonement debuted #2 on the Billboard Top Album chart, #13 on the Billboard Top 200, and once again #1 on both the Top Rock and Hard Rock Album charts.
Killswitch Engage have spent most of their career on the road, sharing stages with Iron Maiden, Slayer, Mastodon, Slipknot, and more. They’ve appeared as a featured attraction at OZZFest, Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, Taste Of Chaos (with My Chemical Romance), Warped Tour, and more.
Pittsburgh, Pa slamming deathcore powerhouse SIGNS OF THE SWARM have unveiled a new music video for “Lost Within Reflection” off of their latest album ‘Vital Deprivation’. The band recently launched their Patreon where they will give anyone who signs up access to unreleased music, watch new music videos before they are premiered to the public, free SOTS merch, tablature, & much more!
The band commented, “We are excited to bring you another video from our latest album Vital Deprivation with Lost Within Reflection. We filmed this on the last tour we did with Shadow of Intent, watching this makes us miss you guys that much more. We can’t wait to get back out on the road and see you all again. Video shot/edited by Dylan Gould of Stay Goulden.”
MOVE are a high energy Boston hardcore act who are defying racism while crafting timely and Earth shaking punk anthems for change! Hit up Triple-B Records for the Freedom Dreams 7" HERE or head to Bandcamp and support this electrifying band on our favorite digital platform.
"...We march on to achieve salvation/Say their names we won’t be intimidated/ I fight and I fight and I fight I refuse to rest until I see progress/All to one day see these fucking freedom dreams/ We'll never stop until we find liberation, Black Excellence unstained by degradation/ Where freedom reigns over incarceration/ Where Black joy is only met with celebration."
RIYL Cold World, American Nightmare, Jesus Piece.
