Anticipated Albums

Anticipated Albums: Dead Cross- Dead Cross II

The long awaited second album from Mike Patton, Justin Pearson, Dave Lombardo and Michael Crain aka Dead Cross is just about here. On October 28th (via Ipecac Recordings), Dead Cross returns with an abrasive and socio-political 9 song record that will leave you in shambles. The album, while both a ravenous hardcore collection, and at times, a politically-charged opus, has its roots in friendship, with the band rallying together after Crain received a surprise cancer diagnosis. “Words can’t even begin to describe how much this album means to me. It’s birthed of pain and uncertainty,” explains Crain. “The slow, excruciatingly painful, and nauseating recovery from cancer treatments were the catalyst for every riff and note on this album. However, my will to live and be with my brothers Justin, Dave, Mike, and co-producer Ross Robinson, got me out of bed and running into the studio every day to get it all on tape.” And that couldn’t be more true. This album although only 9 songs is unrelenting and what you’d want in a follow up to the band’s 2017 debut.

The first song releases “Reign Of Error” has an interesting backstory to it. “’Reign of Error’ was recorded almost as quickly as it was written and I believe there’s a very good explanation for it,” adds Crain. “I haven’t told anybody this before, least of all the rest of the band or Ross, but I honestly felt a strong presence in the studio that day. Those riffs flew out of me and when Dave sat down at his kit it was almost as if we’d played that song a thousand times before. It literally just happened so fast. Bam! One take. I’m not trying to paint a dark or fantasy-like story either. Having just escaped death and still healing from my cancer treatments I was incredibly sensitive to energy and the other side. There was someone else there. Not evil but benevolent and inspiring. I honestly believe it was Dave’s old bandmate and friend Jeff. I think he just wanted to jam with his friend again and perhaps did so through me. There I said it. Whether people believe it or not I really don’t care. I’m just grateful that I had that experience.”

Personally, I’ve been very excited for this new release from Dead Cross. I throughly enjoyed the debut and am stoked on this one for sure. October 28th can’t come soon enough. Now, lets just hope they tour it!!!


Dead Cross- Reign Of Error:

New Release: The Cult- Give Me Mercy

I remember when I was a little kid watching MTV and there was a band that I saw their video for and I became very intrigued by them. The first song I heard and video of their’s was “She Sells Sanctuary.” There was something about it that clicked. Then fast forward a little bit and then the release of their album Sonic Temple came out and “Fire Woman” was all over MTV and I couldn’t get enough. From that point, I became a fan of The Cult. Throughout the years, I’ve still followed them and they still bring it each time. Their most recent albums have been really, really good (check out the albums Choice Of Weapon and Hidden City, soooooo good!). Anyways, today The Cult announced their next album and released a killer single to go along with the news. THE CULT will release its new album, “Under The Midnight Sun”, on October 7 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD) the first single, “Give Me Mercy”, is classic Cult with a bit more of an etherial twist. Speaking on the song, singer Ian Astbury said “I was absolutely enamored with this piece of music Billy Duffy (note: he’s a very underrated guitarist and songwriter) had written, and it perfectly fit these thoughts I’d been having about our culture’s need to move past assumptions of duality. We need new language because words can’t express where we’re going.” With Billy adding “‘Give Me Mercy’ has all the hallmarks of the new classic CULT to my ears … fresh yet familiar.” That couldn’t be more true. The Cult have a signature sound and that is heard on the song but, there is something new to it that gives it the fresh feel!

The Cult- Give Me Mercy:

New Release: Russian Circles- Conduit

I’ll admit, it’s been a minute since I’ve been excited by a new Russian Circles song. After their album Memorial, I kind of fell off on them a bit. Perhaps I was looking for more evolution from them or something else. Either way, my time away has made for this new track they released today be on repeat since I heard it. This is the Russian Circles I remember and liked. Great riffs and rhythms power this pummeling track. The song the released is called “Conduit” and it’s from their upcoming album, Gnosis out August 19 via Sargent House. If this is the direction Russian Circles is going with on their new album, I can tell you right now, it’s about to get very loud and awesome!

Russian Circles- Conduit:

New Release: Billy Howerdel- Beautiful Mistake

Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle/Ashes Divide is preparing to release his debut “solo” album, What Normal Was on June 10. Ahead of the release, Billy will be releasing a new song each week until the album is released. Already “Poison Flowers” and “Free and Weightless” have been released (and they are pretty damn good songs). Now, we have the third song to be released “Beautiful Mistake.” Speaking on the song “We’re often too hard on ourselves,” says Howerdel in reference to the theme behind the song. “The Japanese philosophy Kintsugi, the Appreciation of Imperfection, inspired a new way for me to reflect on mistakes. Forgiving others can often be easier than forgiving ourselves.” This song is one of my favorites on the record. It’s got a very moody vibe that inhabits the best of the 80’s new wave era. Wait till you hear the whole record and in sequence!!!


Billy Howerdel- Beautiful Mistake:

Anticipated Albums: Billy Howerdel- What Normal Was

Billy Howerdel best known for his work in A Perfect Circle is gearing up to drop his debut solo album, What Normal Was on June 10. Now, you might think “solo album?” wasn’t Ashes Divide his solo project? Well yes and no. This album was originally started as a follow up to the first Ashes Divide album but as time progressed and the songs began to continuously take shape, it just didn’t work in the realm that is/was Ashes Divide. This album is shaped quite differently. Billy mentioned about this album “This is me stepping back into my early teen self and making the record I would have made if I had the means and the knowledge when I first picked up a guitar—just in 2022. It’s that moment as a kid when you hear a record, close your eyes, and go somewhere else. That was the time I found my lane, so to speak. During the making of this album, a global pandemic’s chaos had a silver lining. It gave me time to tighten the songs into the place I’d hoped they could be. When I look back, I don’t think I’d change anything about it.” With that in mind, these songs pay homage and hark back to a time when music was making a huge impression on the life of Billy Howerdel.


Billy Howerdel- Free And Weightless:

Billy Howerdel- Poison Flowers:

Anticipated Albums: The Halo Effect- Days Of The Lost

This is exciting. The Halo Effect is a new band featuring 4 former members of In Flames and 1 member of Dark Tranquility. This is quite the collection of members. Having 4 members of In Flames alone makes this very intriguing. Ever since these members left In Flames that band has gone downhill. So it’s very refreshing to have them come back together and form a new band. Their debut album, Days Of The Lost will arrive on August 12, 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records and their first tour is opening for Machine Head and Amon Amarth across Europe. Already a few songs have been released and so far it’s everything a fan of In Flames have been waiting for. I can’t wait for this album. It’s one of the most anticipated albums of 2022 for me.

Shadowminds:

Feel What I Believe:

Days Of The Lost:

New Release: Machine Head- Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate

The mighty Machine Head have released the details for their long awaited new album. Of Kingdom And Crown will be unleashed on August 26. This is the bands 10th studio album! The new album is a 13 song concept record based around a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is stained crimson red. Robb further explains the concept of the album “Thanks to my 2 teenage boys my family has become obsessed with this awesome Japanese anime series called ‘Attack On Titan‘. The album’s concept was loosely inspired by the series in the senses that in the storyline, there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ guy, both characters believe they’re doing the right thing as it applies to their being, but make no mistake, both are committing acts of pure atrocity and evil. The opening track ‘Slaughter The Martyr‘ is basically our character #1’s origin story.”

In addition to founder and longtime member Robb Flynn and bassist/vocalist Jared MacEachern, current Machine Head guitarist Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka (of Decapitated) was involved in the studio sessions for this outing. While Matt Alston holds the drumming position in the band’s touring lineup, Entheos/ex-Animals As Leaders drummer Navene Koperweis took on the percussion duties for the record in the studio.


Machine Head- Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate:

New Release: Rammstein- Zick Zack

Rammstein have a new album coming out on April 29 called Zeit. They’ve released a new single and video ahead of the release for their song Zick Zack. Rammstein’s videos have always bee interesting and depending on the subject matter rather playful. The lyrics for the track and the video deal with what is nowadays often a compulsive tendency on the part of the individual towards self-optimization, sometimes through radical alteration of the visual appearance by use of the scalpel. And it’s all done in a way that only Rammstein can do it!

Rammstein- Zick Zack:

Anticipated Albums: Godmother- Obeveklig

Oh boy!!! This is exciting!! A few years back I heard about the band Godmother in an interview with Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan. Basically he was raving about them and how they were the next in line. Fast forward a few months later, I finally got to see Godmother live when they made a stop in LA with Cult Leader at The Satellite/Spaceland (R.I.P.). What a show it was. They were amazing live and it was honestly one of the most fun I had at a show in a long time. There was even an impromptu limbo contest mid set on the floor of the venue. Anyways, Godmother are badass and heavy as all hell. I’ve been waiting a hell of a long time for some new jams from them and today that happened in the form of the song “Teething” from their upcoming EP, Obeveklig (Out May 6)! This track is a blistering minute and a half of heavy! ENJOY!


Anticipated Albums: Greg Puciato- Mirrorcell

Greg Puciato’s debut solo album Child Soldier: Creator of God was one hell of a tremendous album. It was my favorite album of 2020 and I still gravitate towards the record on a consistent basis. A few months back word began to spread that Greg was back in the studio working on the follow up. Well now the wait is over and the details have been released. Mirrorcell will be released June 17 via Federal Prisoner. The first song released “Lowered” features Reba Meyers of Code Orange as a guest vocalist. On this album, Puciato once again recorded all vocals, guitars and bass for the collection, and continued his long-running relationship Producer Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Cure, Snapcase)along with Chris Hornbrook (Dhani Harrison, Big Black Delta) who played drums on the nine-song album.

Greg Puciato- Lowered (Feat. Reba Meyers):