Metal Riot

Void Vator

This used to be a funhouse
But now it’s full of evil clowns
It’s time to start the countdown
I’m gonna burn it down down down
I’m gonna burn it down

Hey y’all. No, I am not gonna be writing about Pink here today despite quoting her song “Funhouse” above. I just figured it was a good way to segue the title of this article into news about Slipknot, since they have masks and stuff.

Mr. Corey Taylor says…the new Slipknot album is now in the demo stages and is gonna be “Iowa levels of heavy”, which is to say not as heavy as, say,  Xibalba but heavier than Stone Sour or the last album. So that is still pretty darn heavy. The band are hoping it will land on the 20th anniversary year of their debut, making a neat little bloody perfect crop circle to pit within.

Somewhere between Black Label Society and Pop Evil lives the new performance video from Void Vator, a hot little number called “Until It’s Gone”. The video sort of features the band rockin’ out, partyin’ and bein’ dudes, but not every music video has to be rocket science or…I was gonna say brain surgery but we do cover a lot of death metal on this site and so we are fans of gory brain surgery videos, actually. “Until It’s Gone” is off their 2017 released debut EP, Dehumanized. Dudes, that is pretty close to the name of one of my favorite Dio-helmed albums of all time but I dug your video so we will let it pass this time. Just don’t call the next EP Heaven & Smell or something. Or…do? That might actually be awesome.

This band has some rockin’ vibes and seem like they love what they are doing. A lot of bands have to pose these days or seem to be cooler than thou so it is nice to see a band just letting their hair down and laying down some big fat heavy rock action.

Anyway, Void Vator has ALSO announced their SOUTHWEST 2018 TOUR. Launching July 19th in Las Vegas, the tour will wind through Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico before winding down Phoenix on July 28th. Check the dates out on their Facebook page.

The most extreme item on this Friday news list of note is that Axis Of Despair have two new tunes out, “The Wolven Law” and “Crush The Empire”. These new songs follow the already released and self-explanatory “A Life Of Ceaseless Grind.” If you like grind and real rollicking hell punk you will eargasm to this immediately and then perish only to have your organs re-animate and burst forth still dancing and raging from your flesh prison and doing a little organ jumping bean grind ritual mosh with each other…nevermind. It all goes off the rails so fast around here. Where was I?

This Swedish grindcore group was formed by current and former members of Nasum, Coldworker, Infanticide, Volturyon, Livet Som Insats, Nervgift, Overtorture. Shit, you had me at Nasum. Their Contempt For Man full length is gonna be out this year on Southern Lord. Southern Lord are once again having a virtually unstoppable year. I am still ass kicked by Jesus Piece, Baptists and the new Eagle Twin. Damn, dudes!

But yeah, check yourself out Contempt For Man‘s presently consumable onslaughts over at Bandcamp HERE. This band is certainly a wrecking crew. My neck hurts after like five minutes of this music. Love the dry, harsh vocal sound over the brittle tones and explosive performance energy! Top notch.

Clown from Slipknot has directed the band’s latest clip “XIX” from .5: The Gray Chapter. The track is very dark and has a certain gothic feel, one of their more interesting and nuanced numbers. Even if the clip wasn’t sure to be a singalong live anthem ready made as a great segue between heavier numbers ala Korn’s 4 U it features naked ladies in veils with nooses dangling between their breasts and some stark imagery of floating coffins, twisted trees and flowers. A cool clip and song.

Check it out BELOW.

Neurosis are arguably the band the most heavier leaning and cerebral artsy types can all agree on as outright kings in their field. The long running band of psychedelic tribal warriors were birthed from the Pain Of Mind political days but evolved over the years into nearly a force of nature themselves. We even gave their Honor Found In Decay record a five star review. Yep, there might as well be a fifth season called Neurosis. The band of deeply rooted punk metal elite champions will trek north to make an appearance at Heavy Montreal this year amidst a line-up including NOFX, Faith No More, Slipknot, Mr. Iggy Pop, Testament and Korn.

Find out more BELOW.

Slipknot are back with a second song from their forthcoming album. It’s got this kind of killer Arch Enemy groove metal intro before Corey Taylor shows over an atmospheric verse why he is one of the most versatile vocalists in rock. And that chorus aint too shaby either, though it sounds a bit indebted to David Draiman (in a good way). Then the shit gets all semi commercial/faux-black metal with a whip cream flanger topping in the bridge. My verdict…Overall, this is knot going to suck- though Joey is very much missed.

Click HERE to check it out.

Slipknot have released a brand spankin’ nu video for recent single “The Negative One”, which is rumored to feature Chris from Lamb Of God on drums. I’m not so sure. It doesn’t sound as hard hitting as his drumming usually does, but maybe he adjusted things to sound a bit more tribal, if it is him.  The song is fuckin’ cool, though. Very much reminds me of the first Slipknot album but a bit more chaotic.

It’s been a good time in metal for sexy ass crazy demonic babes who are scary and seem possessed in music videos of late, between the girl in this Clown directed clip, the (scariest one) contortionist exorcism chic Pixie (from Game of Thrones) in Savage Messiah’s recent video and the chic in the recent fucking A+ evil awesome new Belphegor joint “Conjuring The Dead”. Something weird is in the air.

Click HERE to get your negativity out.

Well, this was unexpected.

In news sure to shock the metal community, it turns out Meg White has been out of the limelight since the White Stripes broke up because she has been plotting big things…becoming the new “Number 1” in Slipknot. It turns out White has always been a metal fan and that the mask will help her acute anxiety.

Comments Meg (turning down the Black Keys and putting down her Alison Mosshart voodoo doll):

“Maggots are white. How’s that for starters! I just wanted to call our 5th Stripes album ‘Satan’ but Jack insisted on adding the “get behind me…” part. Now Behemoth are getting all this press for ‘The Satanist’. I could fucking murder somebody. You want to hear an Icky Thump!? How about I smash you over the head with this tiny red drum kit! But yeah, that was the start of the end. It really caused a rift between me and Jack. I wanted to bring in elements to the Stripes to show where the blues eventually evolved…ass thudding metal! Throw in a Krokus or W.A.S.P. cover. But no! Jack was so always busy making guitars out of bird feeders. Well now I am “Number1″ in reality! Bitches will finally get to hear my speed and brutal finesse.”

According to sources (a dream I had), Meg has already penned a few contributions for the top secret next ‘Knot release. Working titles include “Raconteurs = Shit” and “Black Orchid”. Personally, I adore Meg and think this is going to be a lot of fun.