Metal Riot

Dustin Kensrue and the Thrice boys lead the pack for me this month. It was my favorite hard rock record of September, even though it also has some very quiet moments. I know there was a lot of super good heavier stuff out this month (Pig Destroyer, Bangladeafy and the proggy, great new Voivod or rowdy Clutch releases of course deserve a tip of the hat) but pound for pound I think Thrice’s first release for Epitaph is a fantastic release and probably my favorite from the band since way back around The Artist In The Ambulance.  That is not to say they haven’t released anything good since then, far from it. I just happened to really connect with these new songs and think it is a damn fine rock album, as great a release from a band ten albums into their celebrated career of expectation upturning as you are ever likely to hear.

I can remember around the time of The Illusion Of Safety or maybe Artist when they were working with Island that there was chatter in the press they were gonna be the next Metallica. I thought that was a bit much of an expectation to hoist on the dudes and people should prob just let them do their own thing and develop. In 2018 a song like “Everything Belongs” might make you think they are the next Coldplay. I for one love Coldplay but that would also be kind of ambitious. Not to say Thrice can’t still sell a buttload of records. This album has plenty of room for hit material, but also makes interesting statements and musically is an excellent balance between accessible and far from bland artistry. Heck, Emma Ruth Rundle is even on it and everything she touches is amazing.

Read more BELOW.

Big news today as Metal Blade Records is proud to welcome Killswitch Engage to their roster! Partnering with Sony Music Entertainment outside of North America, the band will be releasing their upcoming album in 2019 worldwide. I love all their records but consistently rock Disarm The Descent and As Daylight Dies in my car the most often these days. Whatever they do though always has the drive, passion and depth that fans know and love. And of course…RIIIIFFFS!

Man, with this in the works and the new effort from Exmortus coming out this week, we are having a jubilantly thrash-corian week, huh? Yes, I just wrote that. I will hang my head in shame now…or, bang it?

Metal Blade’s CEO/founder Brian Slagel comments: “I have been a huge fan and friend of Killswitch for a long time, so it is truly an honor to be able to work with them. So happy to welcome them to the Metal Blade family.” 

Jesse Leach (vocals): “I’m beyond stoked to sign with the legendary Metal Blade Records and Columbia/Sony Music. It’s clear they truly understand and believe in what we do as a band, and we’re psyched to have them on our side. It’s an exciting new chapter for KSE and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.” 

Adam Dutkiewicz (guitar): “I’m very excited to say that Killswitch Engage will be joining forces with Metal Blade Records and Columbia/Sony Music! Super stoked to join the ranks with a long list of many epic metal acts, as well as a team of excellent human beings who truly have a genuine love for metal music. Here’s to an awesome future with awesome labels!” 

Benjamin Voss, Senior A&R Manager Columbia/Sony Music Germany: “I am very happy and proud to work with such an amazing band like Killswitch Engage in the future. We are absolutely excited about releasing their new album on Sony Music outside North America.” 

Currently finishing work on their upcoming album, Killswitch Engage have taken a break from recording to embark on a summer European tour with Iron Maiden. The trek will also see the band appear at various premier festivals (Sweden Rock, Graspop Metal Meeting, Hellfest, etc.), along with a few special headlining shows. Then in the fall, the band will be touring across Australia with Parkway Drive. See below for all dates!

Metalcore vets and proud pit starters Sworn Enemy are touring the 15th anniversary of As Real As It Gets with one of my favorite live acts in thrash, Thy Will Be Done, along for the trip. Fans of East Coast motivational metal need to get fired up and represent!

Dates BELOW.

“After five years away we realized the heartbeat of BLEEDING THROUGH is still beating. We feel one of the best things that we could have done was to step away and concentrate on other aspects of our lives and let the dust settle on BLEEDING THROUGH, as people knew us. Our motivation to write the record was purely because of our passion for our music. The creative blood that runs through our veins, which hasn’t changed since 1999. I feel that our creativity and passion is being put on display in this new record, Love Will Kill All. We feel music is the ultimate expression and whether people want it or not we felt the need to express ourselves again. The beauty is that no one can stop it from happening. ‘Set Me Free’ is a song that speaks of new beginnings.” – Brandan Schieppati 

Bleeding Through always had a little too much of the sort of emo revenge/girl done me wrong vibe for some more traditional death metal heads, but don’t make the mistake of thinking they weren’t a killer metalcore band. One of the best, in fact. I saw them twice to date and each time, once at the Troubadour and once at Warped years ago, they completely conquered the stage in a blur of energy, passion and technical skill. They are arguably one of the most intense bands to come from Orange County of the last twenty years . People who thought they peaked early probably didn’t give enough love to Declaration or the few after that.

I am listening to John Denver right now and doing bong rips but while I am currently in a more mellow mode, I still suggest you check out the band’s latest scorcher and welcome them properly back to the thick of the metal fight. I can’t wait to hear the whole new record and want to run through a brick wall from the adrenaline spike. I hope they put out “No One From Nowhere” as a single as well, a punishing scream fest soundtrack as battering ram tune I caught already besides “Set Me Free”. Anyway, enjoy!

All That Remains’ walking example of male privilege and denial Phil Labonte made a giant ass out of himself yet again by going on Infowars (Disinfowhores) and talking with pedo apologist Milo. The segment was so fucking tone deaf to what is really wrong with society as these smug trolls huffed one another’s gas. Infowars even called Phil the last defender of freedom and metal. To paraphrase Emma González , BULLSHIT!

Google exists if you want to watch the day old choad of a segment. I don’t recommend it and am NOT linking it. Labonte espouses a very fact phobic brand of Libertarian thinking, from what I have always gathered from him. Myself and a lot of LGBTQ fans of OTEP (as well as Otep herself), took him to task recently for repeatedly using “faggot” like it was ok for him to say it, ever. He even mansplained to Otep, a lesbian activist, why it is ok. Dude, fuck that.

Any label that supports All That Remains at this point should take a look in the mirror. The Madness is platforming such fucking idiocy. Infowars even said of Labonte ,“One man is fighting against the pussification of rock music.” Pussies are way stronger than you, chump.

Now Phil is on Infowars probably smirking that he gets to talk to a gay pro troll like Milo who loves offensive words and harming people or doxxing trans people. It is disgusting. Fuck your gun murder apologist nonsense. Fuck your FACT IGNORING support of Milo, who worked with Breitbart to allow NAZIS to copy edit the actual content of the site! You are officially now chumming it with an actual collaborator and basically just became one, Phil.

Milo clearly has major self hate issues he hides behind a cocky veneer, even as he helps people who hate gays.

The REAL freedom in metal is being fought for by anti fascist bands who want more representation, more diversity, more lgbtq, women, POC. Not by your smug cis white male know it all metalcore pop bullshit. I don’t even dislike ATR’s music. I like a lot of poppier metal and rock bands like Pop Evil or Halestorm or Baby Metal, for example. What I don’t like is people helping Trump culture where nothing matters flourish.

Here is an article about how the 2nd Amendment was ratified to PRESERVE SLAVERY!!

God bless the Parkland kids for having more guts than most of the media and the “let’s debate this like adults” wishy washy generation that gets steamrolled and falls for Republican tricks EVERY TIME! Fuck Bi-partisan compromise on kids being murdered. The NRA are literally buying politicians like Marco Rubio who trade dead kids for dollars and in ground pools and cars and then dare to feign like they care to the survivor’s faces.

We should change the names of AR-15s to “Marco Rubio” because they are so easy to buy.

— Sarah Chadwick// #NEVERAGAIN (@sarahchad_) February 23, 2018

Talib Kweli refused to play the Riot Room in KC after he learned the venue supported booking black metallers Taake. Taake claim to be just about shock rock and used a swastika onstage once. Sorry, but bands who do that shit SHOULD get dragged about it for the rest of their careers. It should have heavy social consequences, not something to chuckle about over at Decibel Beer Fest to your chums and say ,”Remember when I used to flirt with symbolism that millions died because of. I’m so edgy.”

Phil, if you think you are more of an activist than Talib Kweli, I have REAL news for you. And like Otep, I am not entirely against responsible gun owners, but we do NOT have that as our general policy in America. The laws are wayyy too easy. Teens can get an AR-15 easier than a car? Fuck you.

Anyway, it was cool to talk to Talib today on Twitter where he was fighting with a racist black metal apologist and he reshared a few of my tweets I hope y’all will check out. Shout out to Dawn Ray’d.

Yup. Ppl know the truth you tried to conceal @thatoastedone https://t.co/tN7u9uSMTV

— Talib Kweli Greene (@TalibKweli) February 23, 2018

Anyhow, yeah… if you think Taake isn’t racist, THIS was their official response to being called on it years ago:

So yeah, let’s stop allowing bands like Taake and All That Remains to coast on a free pass for being dumpster fires in the name of “free speech.” It is not “SJWs” that are ruining society by hoping we are more inclusive and kind to one another or that our kids aren’t mowed down for NRA profits.

Phil, if you can read, here is an article DECIMATING every talking point the NRA ever spouts. Eat shit, all of you murder apologists. Or go run away from the shots fired like the “good guy with a gun” guard who was afraid to go into the school to save the Florida kids as they were slaughtered, despite being armed.

Oh, and to hell with Chris Barnes for thinking those kids included crisis actors. You are extra cancelled. Never supporting you again. Or Megadeth. Or Danzig.

I also know people can change over time. But one way to get the benefit of the doubt is to seem like you REMOTELY GIVE A FUCK! Not by being a “well, actually” defensive mansplainer after kids are massacred.

Too many great bands these days exist who aren’t shit heads to bother with continuing the careers of outdated moronic meatbags who help enable the worst aspects of America with their ignorant political views. I am done. Billy Corgan said that “SJWS” are the same as the KKK. Eff the Pumpkins reunion. Done.

Wayyyyy over the toxic fact resistant apologists out there in rock and metal. Get a life and help make life better for the World, not centering trolls, nazis, gun nuts and fuckbois.

\m/

A school shooter doesn't give a shit if you are a democrat or a republican. This should concern us all. It could be your child.

— GLOBELAMP #neveragain (@globelamp) February 23, 2018