Jamey Jasta is one of the hardest working guys in all of music. From his bands, Hatebreed, Kingdom of Sorrow and his own solo project Jasta, to his running of Stillborn Records, and his well known podcast The Jasta Show, there is no shortage of all things Jasta related out there. In between all the above, Jamey has lent his vocals to quite a few band’s songs over the years. Here are a few of my favorites he has guested on.
As a music enthusiast since a very young age, I’ve been able to see the power and effect specific bands from a point in time have on genres and on their peers. It’s truly a remarkable thing to see and hear. There is one band in particular that never really got their due and that is a bit unsettling in my mind. That band is Prong.
Back in 1998, the Matthew Broderick version of Godzilla was released. Now, the movie is absolute garbage but the soundtrack is actually pretty good minus one song (Come With Me which had P. Diddy and Jimmy Page collaborating… what an abomination). Anyways among the other songs on the soundtrack the one song that always stood out to me was “No Shelter” by Rage Against The Machine. “No Shelter” has always been a favorite Rage song of mine. It does suck that the song only appeared on this soundtrack though it was a bonus track on the Australian, Japanese and European releases of The Battle Of Los Angeles. Anyways enjoy this great gem by Rage Against The Machine.
Rage Against The Machine- No Shelter:
Over the last few years, as I’ve mentioned before, there is a resurgence of the post-punk sound. Some bands have been able to do it really well like GLAARE and The Black Mare. Those bands and a few others have not only taken that sound to new heights but, have added something else to that sound to make it their own. Which brings me to the band of the week, HIDE. This Chicago based duo led by visual artist/vocalist Heather Gabel and percussionist Seth Sher, has taken elements of post-punk and added a huge industrial twist to their music. HIDE’s debut full length CASTRATION ANXIETY is eerie and dark yet it’s full of the traditional sense of what an industrial band should be. In particular the song “Wildfire” (which is my favorite off the album) is much more than a thunderous industrial song. Lyrically it delves much deeper into psychological ideals. The album as a whole is quite a listen. There is a lot going on that will make you want to dance a little but also smash a wall with a sledgehammer. You can tell listening to HIDE, that in order to fully get what they are all about, you need to see them live. And from their live videos online, that is absolutely true.
Hide- Wildfire:
Hide- Castration Anxiety:
Today in a surprise move, Bad Wolves unleashed a ferocious EP with songs from their upcoming debut album Disobey. Since their incarnation and release of their first song “Learn To Live,” I’ve been really into this band. They really do have that Sevendust meets Meshuggah vibe going for them. Recently, Bad Wolves have made an impact with their great cover of The Cranberries’ classic “Zombie.” On this new EP, Bad Wolves have really brought the goods. The song “Officer Down” is quite topical and pretty heavy. “Better The Devil,” is one of those songs you know will be a great song live. “Shape Shifter” is a solid rocker with some sharp rhythms. Also included is their cover of “Zombie.” Personally I can’t wait for their album, which comes out in May (May 11th is the actual date). Take some time out of your day and check out what Bad Wolves have to offer.
Officer Down:
Better The Devil:
Shape Shifter:
Zombie:
Toast To The Ghost:
Learn To Live:
The A to Z list continues to find the top ten bands/artists in the alphabet. W is upon us and needs help to complete the list.
As usual your suggestions are wanted in completing this list.
These are in no particular order as well.
01) The Who
02) Ween
03) Wu- Tang Clan
04) Weezer
05) White Zombie
06) With Our Arms To The Sun
07) Chelsea Wolfe
08) Will Haven
09) Wilco
10) Tom Waits
Honorable Mention:
Whitesnake
Stevie Wonder
Back in the mid 90’s, Sacramento, California had a very artistic music scene. Bands like Far and Deftones were starting to leave their mark not only in their area but everywhere. During this time though, there was another band that would take a slightly different turn from what their friends in Far and Deftones were doing. Instead of taking the melodic plunge, Will Haven opted for more of a dissidence approach with churning riffs and pummeling rhythms. Through the 20 years the band has been together, even with different line ups, one thing that can’t be mistaken is the impact Will Haven has left in heavy music.
Now in 2018, Will Haven are about to release their (final?) album Muerte (via MinusHEAD records). This album is a complete encapsulation of everything that the band has put into their music and albums. The heavy is still heavy only this time, they have added a bit more atmosphere to their sound. In 2001, Will Haven released an album called Carpe Diem that truly cemented the bands place in heavy music circles. Muerte seems like it’s the album that would have followed that one up. Beginning with the smack in the face of “Hewed With The Brand” and “Winds Of Change” you can tell that this album is not going to let up. In fact the unrelenting nature of Muerte carries through with songs like “43,” Unit K,” “The Son,” “Bootstraps,” and “Now In The Ashes.” The songs “No Escape” featuring Mike Schiedt of YOB and “El Sol” which features Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter, really take the album to another level from all their others.
Vocalist Grady Avenell sounds as good if not better than he did at the height of the band way back when. Jeff Irwin (guitar), Adrien Contreras (bass) and Mitch Wheeler (drums) have crafted riffs and rhythms that will draw you in and then attack with a ferocious thunder. If Muerte is Will Haven’s final album, then they really are going out with a bang. The only thing left would be for Deftones to go out on tour and bring Will Haven along (like they did way back when) and let Will Haven destroy the audience. (I’m just putting that out in the aether).
Overall Rating: 9/10
Winds Of Change:
El Sol- Featuring Stephen Carpenter:
Pre-Order HERE:
Review By: Brian Lacy
Back in 2006 a band from Austin, Texas called The Sword, unleashed their Sabbath drenched, stoner rock epic debut Age Of Winters. I remember the first time I heard it and was immediately lost in the smoke of how dank it was. The Sword had made a statement that they were here with that debut. Their follow up Gods Of The Earth continued on that path. It wasn’t until their third album Warp Riders, that The Sword really found their own sound (also with the help of producer/engineer Matt Bayles). Fast forward a few albums till now and The Sword are about to release a new opus called Used Future on us all.
Instead of harking back to their early days, The Sword has evolved their sound from album to album to create a lush wealth of rock on this new album. Used Future is an album that could have come out in the 1970’s. It has this really sweet mix of Thin Lizzy meets The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Used Future is an album that has ways to expand your mind based solely on the music. Some songs like “Nocturne,” “Come and Gone,” and “Brown Mountain,” have an almost cinematic effect, drawing you in slowly until the climax of the song. There are still elements of where the band first drew influence from on tracks like “Twilight Sunrise” and “Deadly Nightshade.” My absolute favorite song on the album is “Sea Of Green.” This song is quite different and a welcome entry from the heavy stoner rock band that I dug many years back. It’s a mid tempo jam that really shows the bands growth as songwriters but might also be one of the best songs they have ever written.
With Used Future, The Sword have created an album that steps outside the box. Their last album High Country was ambitious and very experimental. This new album is experimental as well but it fully encapsulates what the band was and has become. The Sword are here to stay, and as long as they keep making “albums” (yes albums. The kind that you put on and let play), they will continue to have a lasting effect on their fans and those who listen.
The Sword- Twilight Sunrise:
The Sword- Deadly Nightshade:
This is probably the most difficult Ultimate Set List I’ve made yet. I think I’ve made about 15 different versions of this set list. I usually give myself only 25 songs to make these Ultimate Set Lists but, for this one I had to go to 30 songs. It was seriously impossible to make it 25 songs. I actually could have made it longer too (I have one version that is 50 songs). Picking the songs wasn’t just the hardest part either, because there have been so many great players in Trent’s live band, picking those individuals was rather difficult too. Anyhow, here is my Ultimate Set List for Nine Inch Nails. What would be on yours?
Rule 1: What line up of the band would it be
Rule 2: Where would you want to see the show
Rule 3: maximum 25 songs (In order of how the set should go)
Lineup: Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner, Jerome Dillon, Charlie Clouser, Robin Finck, (Yes I picked The Fragile era lineup)
Venue: The Fonda Theater (Saw NIN there during their Wave Goodbye tour and it was amazing)
Set List:
01) Head Like A Hole
02) Mr. Self Destruct
03) Getting Smaller
04) Into The Void
05) Head Down
06) The Day The World Went Away
07) The Idea Of You
08) You Know What You Are
09) The Frail
10) The Wretched
11) Eraser
12) Last
13) Survivalism
14) Copy Of A
15) Less Than
16) Various Methods Of Escape
17) And All That Could Have Been
18 ) A Warm Place
19) We’re In This Together
20) Burning Bright (Field On Fire)
21) March Of The Pigs
22) The Hand That Feeds
23) Gave Up
24) The Perfect Drug
25) Reptile
26) Sin
27) Just Like You Imagined
28) Somewhat Damaged
29) The Fragile
30) In This Twilight
There is something really cool about discovering a band that has been around for a while. As a listener you’ve more than likely discovered the bands latest album and become enthralled by them that you are compelled to go back and check out their other releases. Recently, I heard about a band called The Atlas Moth and when I heard their song “Coma Noir” and I was immediately drawn in. The Atlas Moth released a new album this year entitled Coma Noir and it’s down right epic. The band sites groups like Deftones, Neurosis, Cave In, The Cure and The Flaming Lips among their influences and while listening to the entire album you can hear how all these bands have helped to shape the bands sound. The sheer intensity they emit is very reminiscent of Neurosis, and Cave In (especially their albums Until Your Heart Stops and Jupiter). The band takes chances too and experiments with different moods and textures just as Deftones, The Flaming Lips and The Cure do. It all comes together to make for a psychedelic metal experience. Songs like “Galactic Brain,” “The Last Transmission From the Late, Great Planet Earth,” “Actual Human Blood,” “Smiling Knife,” “Coma Noir,” and “The Streets of Bombay” will have an effect on you and leave you lost in a bit of a trance. The entire album as a whole will almost hypnotize you. After listening to all The Atlas Moth albums, you can definitely hear the bands evolution into an absolute heavy force to be reckoned with. Do yourself a favor and take some time to get lost in The Atlas Moth.
The Atlas Moth- Coma Noir:
Coma Noir-Video:
