We are back for another fun episode of The Audioeclectica Podcast. Episode 3 is a fun one as Justin and myself (Brian), went on a fun shopping excursion to a few stores. One of which was The Record Collector on Melrose Ave in Hollywood. If you haven’t read the feature article on this store, do check it out. The Record Collector is a great store with a lush history of being the oldest record store in Los Angeles. We also went to Headline Records in Hollywood, Game Dude in North Hollywood and Deadly Wax in Granada Hills. We highly recommend The Record Collector.
Stay tuned for more episodes, as we have a lot of great topics upcoming on future episodes!
The other day I was listening/watching an interview Billy Corgan did with Robert and Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots. If you haven’t seen the interview, it’s quite a good one. Billy asks really good questions and the history they all go into is rather fascinating. While I was listening, I had an idea and I started to put it all together. What if in 2026 there was a tour that had The Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots together? Personally, I think it would be one hell of a tour and each night it would be pretty magical. So, with that in mind, I put together what I think would be 2 great set lists for both bands. Also, check out the interview too!
WHO: The Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots
WHERE: Forum- Los Angeles
SET LISTS:
Stone Temple Pilots Set List: 01) Down 02) No Memory 03) Sin 04) Pop’s Love Suicide 05) Meadow 06) Vasoline 07) Big Bang Baby 08) Crackerman 09) Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart 10) No Way Out 11) Lounge Fly 12) Adhesive 13) The Art Of Letting Go 14) Big Empty 15) Where The River Goes 16) Plush 17) Interstate Love Song ENCORE: 18) Meatplow 19) Silvergun Superman 20) Atlanta
The Smashing Pumpkins Set List: 01) Tales Of Scorched Earth 02) Doomsday Clock 03) Zero 04) Quiet 05) Stand Inside Your Love 06) Panopticon 07) Sicarus 08) Siva 09) Bullet With Butterfly Wings 10) Cherub Rock 11) Purple Blood 12) Perfect 13) Wound 14) Empires 15) One And All 16) Bleeding The Orchid 17) Ugly 18) Set The Ray to Jerry 19) Shame 20) Muzzle 21) Drown 22) Bodies 23) Violet Rays 24) War Dreams Of Itself 25) Jellybelly 26) Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) 27) An Ode To No One 28) Thirty-Three 29) The Everlasting Gaze 30) X.Y.U. 31) 1979 ENCORE: 32) Mayonaise 33) Silverfuck
The Magnificent Ones Interview with Robert & Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots:
We are coming up to the halfway point of 2025 and I thought now would be a good time to do a Best Of 2025… So Far. In here you’ll find what I think are the best albums released so far as well as the best concerts I’ve seen all year!
Best Albums Of 2025… So Far: ALBUMS!!!!
01) Idle Heirs- Life Is Violence This album is my absolute favorite of the year so far and I don’t think anything is going to over take it unless Nine Inch Nails puts out their new album this year. I love this album and everything it entails. The sheer rawness and atmospheric nature of it all as well as the devastating nature of it and how real it all comes to life.
02) Linkin Park- From Zero (Deluxe Edition) From Zero is already a great album. It’s not the best thing this band has ever done (Meteora and A Thousand Suns take that prize) but, this album is phenomenal. And I’m being absolutely serious. When it came out towards the end of 2024 it left a lasting impression on me and now with the 3 additional songs added, it just takes it to a whole other level. It’s criminal how good this album is!!!!
03) Guiltless- Teeth To Sky This album is another that is still in rotation and I keep finding more and more to love about this record. As I mentioned in my album of the week feature, having a band play music like this but, flipping the script and making it optimistic instead of straight doom and gloom, really puts this album up high.
04) Spiritbox- Tsunami Sea I’ve quite enjoyed this album. It’s a really well put together album with some really killer songs on it. It’s a really solid second album as well that is quite cohesive. I just recently went to see Spiritbox live and they are a really good live band and these songs definitely go harder than on album as one would expect. It’s going to be interesting to see and hear where they go next.
05) Coheed And Cambria- Vaxis III: The Father Of Make Believe Coheed is back!!! Not that they went away, I mean it more in that after the past two albums which felt kind of long and more of a collection of songs, they are back with an “album” that really kicks ass. If you are a fan of albums such as In Keeping Secrets and Good Apollo Part IV, then you’ll really dig this one. It’s a really good album that has a great flow to it. And there also feels like a renewed sense of the band on this one too as the performances really are kicked up a few notches!
06) Youth Code- Yours, With Malice I’ve been a Youth Code fan for quite some time so, when it came time for this record to arrive, I was pretty stoked and it’s a banger! Though only an EP, Yours, With Malice doesn’t lose a beat with the punishing and menacing beats pulsating along with vocals that reflect the trying times and harsh reality of it all.
07) Tonguecutter- Minnow When I first heard Tonguecutter’s Minnow, I thought I was in a time machine back to 1993 in a great way. This band and album have been a really cool surprise to hear in 2025. They make music that I’ve always loved and give it a bump in energy. Really look forward to more from Tonguecutter. They are one of those bands if the right people hear it will really resonate!
08) Black Map- Hex I’ve been a fan since the first single dropped and Black Map keeps getting better! Hex is one hell of an album. It’s short, concise and very direct in its approach. Throughout the 9 songs and 32 minutes, you are taken on a ride of great riffs and rhythms along with soaring melodic vocals. I keep finding myself listening to this album as whole more so than picking songs. Give this one a good spin!!
09) SOM- Let The Light In I remember seeing SOM open for Holy Fawn a couple years back and I was hooked from that point. Their new album, Let The Light In, is a tremendous album that really expands upon their already epic nature. I find myself listening to this a lot when I need something a bit more calming or relaxing as their post-metal sound reaches new heights.
10) Machinekit- Goddamn Vanity This LA techno-punk band is awesome! The new album, Goddamn Vanity, strikes quite hard. It’s abrasive and quite powerful. The way this album gut punches you is superb. The aggressive nature of this album is harks back to late 80’s Ministry and Broken era Nine Inch Nails. Also, their live show is one of the most fun and energetic shows you can see!
BEST CONCERTS OF 2025… SO FAR:
01) Poison The Well, Glassjaw, Better Lovers at Hollywood Palladium 02) Snot at SoHo Santa Barabara 03) Helmet and Slomosa at The Regent Theater 04) Jerry Cantrell and Filter at Ventura Theater 05) Danzig and Down at Forum 06) Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse & Carcass at Forum 07) Deftones at Forum 08) Spiritbox at Hollywood Palladium 09) Kerry King at Fonda Theater 10) All Cobalt/Audioeclectica shows!
Ever since I heard “I’m Just The Driver” by Black Map a few years back, I’ve been hooked on them. When I think of the band Black Map, I know I’m consistently going to be hearing a really solidly good rock record with great riffs, soaring melodic and velvety vocals, pulsating low end and thunderous drums. So it’s no surprise to me that their new album Hex, delivers the goods on this record.
From the get go the rock begins. Chock full of hooks and those driving riffs and rhythms, “Disintegrate” sets the tone for what the next eight songs bring. There are moments that remind me a bit of Thrice, Cave In and Failure throughout. The melodic sensibilities that compliment the heaviness on the album is what makes Black Map stand out. And if what the company in which I just mentioned is what this is reminiscent of, that’s some good association. The way this album flows shows that Black Map have really honed in on creating a lush album. At times too even when the music goes into a slower tempo, the weight of the lyrics and delivery of the vocals of Ben Flanagan are just as heavy as his bass, or Mark Engles guitar tone, or the earth shattering drums of Chris Robyn.
There’s a very introspectiveness to this album. In a time when there is a lot to think about and deal with, having a voice like Ben’s that melody rich and soaring with passion, gives the listener ease and connection without having to shout or scream. Though there are moments that are very direct. The guitar work on Hex is also a bit more in a progressive nature. Not in the way of Dredg, even though there are shades of it, it’s more in tune with how Failure expands upon it’s sound in a spacey way. And to top it off with Chris Robyn’s drums it’s like the icing and cherry on top as the bass lines and drums connect in a way that as I mentioned above is quite thunderous. Trust me, when you hear it live, you will definitely know! Hex is a tremendous album that packs quite a lot of goodies in it’s 32 minute running time. And it’s one of those that you’ll want to start again so you can pick out more things to enjoy about this record. And a round of applause to producer Beau Burchell who really brought out some of the best work the band has done.
Fact Pattern is one of the bands that since I started Audioeclectica, I’ve been quite enjoying. They are one of the few bands that label themselves “industrial” that actually sound like that. Their most recent album, The Same Outcome, came out late 2024 (review to follow soon) and it’s uite the gem of an album! One of the things I have always liked most about Fact Pattern is their use of melody in their songs. Rather than it be this pummeling drilling, there’s an ambient/atmospheric undertone throughout and vocals that capture the lyric very well! Their latest single/video “Fingers To The Flame” is one hell of a track and it also happens to be the album closer. Really excited for what is coming up with Fact Pattern. They are a very visceral live band as well so you should check them out!!!
A couple days ago, I saw a post that Failure’s drummer Kellii Scott had completed drum tracking for the next Failure album. This was a really awesome thing to find out as I’ve been itching for a new Failure record. As such with news like that, it got my gears spinning and I went on a bit of a Failure dive. What came from it was the a great ultimate set list for Failure. Granted these are just my picks and what I felt would make for one hell of a show.
Guideline 1: What line up of the band would it be
Guideline 2: Where would you want to see the show
Guideline 3: maximum 25 songs (In order of how the set should go)
Lineup: Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards, Kellii Scott, Troy Van Leeuwen
Venue: Fonda Theater- Hollywood, CA
Set List:
01) Wet Gravity 02) A.M. Amnesia 03) Smoking Umbrellas 04) Hot Traveler 05) Headstand 06) Something 07) Sergeant Politeness 08) Distorted Fields 09) Come Crashing 10) Found A Way 11) Another Space Song 12) Saturday Savior 13) No One Left 14) Macaque 15) Stuck On You 16) Magnified 17) Heliotropic ENCORE: 18) Counterfeit Sky 19) Submarines 20) Daylight
Welcome to episode 002 of The Audioeclectica Podcast! We thought it was only fitting that our second episode be about second albums and if they are better than the debut. There’s some state the obvious ones we go through, tough choices, some interesting debates and a quick fire round. We also touch on a future topic of gateway bands and vocalists.
Expect a lot more to come as we have a plethora of topics to discuss and explore. As always your feedback is welcome. Leave us a comment and let us know if there is a topic you’d like us to discuss.
Thank you for your support!
Brian and Justin!
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A few years back when I first heard the band Code Orange, the moment I heard Reba Meyers on the mic, I knew she was special. Not only could she play her guitar with the best of them, the way she brought those songs to life was something else. I remember even going to see Code Orange and walking away from that show thinking Reba was the best part of that band. Fast forward a bit to when Reba did guest vocals on the song “Lowered” off of Greg Puciato’s second solo album, Mirrorcell. That again was a sign that Reba was the real deal and I looked forward to what was to come next. Well recently there have been three singles released from Reba’s upcoming solo debut. The songs released “Certain Uncertainty,” “Get Your Hold On Me” and “Clouded World” have this really great atmospheric and alternative/indie vibe with a bit of psychedelia making for a really interesting listening experience. These songs also showcase what a great vocalist and lyricist Reba is. I personally can’t wait to hear more from Reba when her debut solo album is released later this year. In the meantime, you can see Reba killing it on stage as part of Marilyn Manson’s touring band.
I’m sure this happens to a lot of you. You are looking for something to listen to and out of nowhere you hear something and it immediately hits you. That was the case this morning as I was searching for something to kick start my day. While checking my email I clicked on on particular email and clicked on the video and the absolute bludgeoning really started my day. Allow me to introduce you to Orthodox. This heavy hitting 5 piece band hails from Nashville and they are surely leaving their mark on heavy music. Their upcoming fourth album, A Door Left Open (out 06.06.25 via Century Media), is an all out assault sonically and internally. The album’s barrage of riffs, shredding solos =and countless breakdowns provide the pummeling while the crushing chugs, accentuated by intricate rhythms , ensures that the head banging whiplash-laden listen never gets comfortable. This is the type of album and band that will for sure kick your teeth in and I welcome more of it! I can tell that Orthodox are going for the jugular with this album. This is as brute force as a record that I’ve heard in a long time.
The other day I heard a song that was absolutely pummeling and punishing and it put a giant smile on my face. That song is called “Endless” and it’s by the mighty, Black Magnet. If you aren’t familiar with Black Magnet you should change that. Black Magnet have been a favorite of mine since I heard them a few years back. Their 2022 album Body Prophecy, is an unsung masterpiece and they are one hell of a band. Black Magnet are one of a handful of industrial metal bands that have really put the genre back on the map. This new song “Endless” is as relentless as it is raw. It reminds me of Broken era Nine Inch Nails and Psalm 69 era Ministry. It’s heavy and chock full of electronic goodies to discover with each listen. Black Magnet’s new album, Megamantra, is set for release on Federal Prisoner June 27th, 2025. I know I will be picking this up for damn sure!
AUDIOECLECTICA 