My all time favorite album is The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails. It’s an absolute masterpiece and then some. Truly, it’s one of those albums that the more you listen, it always sounds impeccable. There are a batch of song I could focus on for this topic but, I thought I’d pin point one song that I’ve always had a deep admiration for and that song would be “La Mer” which can be found as Track 11 on Disc 1. “La Mer” is a really poignant song within the whole of The Fragile. The song itself was conceived during a very dark period in Trent’s life. While on stage in 2009 he disclosed that he had rented a house at the time of the making of The Fragile, on an ocean with the external intent to write some music, but in reality had contemplated suicide there. This song was the only song to come out of that time and place. He still feels strange playing it live because it serves as a reminder of this period. And each time it’s played live there is a feeling that sails from the stage to the audience that gives you chills when you least expect it. There are a few different versions of the song with each one giving you a bit of a different listening experience and vibe. I highly recommend checking the other ones out.
It’s an exciting day if you are a Chelsea Wolfe fan as her first solo single since 2019’s Birth Of Violence has been released. “Dusk” is now upon us and a North American tour has been announced. The trek kicks off in 2024 on February 27th in San Diego and wraps up March 30th in Los Angeles, with stops throughout the U.S. and a few dates up in Canada. “Dusk” is a bit of new territory for Chelsea as this song has a bit of a gothy trip hop vibe to it, which I’m quite enjoying. News of a new album looks to be on the way as it was also announced that Loma Vista Recordings will be releasing new music from Chelsea Wolfe.
I thought I’d try out something different on Audioeclectica. I’m always looking out for new music, artists and bands to listen to. Recently I was introduced to Honeycrush (aka Alexandra Antonopoulos) and I’ve gotten more and more intrigued as I listen. There’s something really interesting and profound within the words and music of Honeycrush. It reminds me a bit of Emma Ruth Rundle in the vulnerability and the poetic nature of the songs. Something else that Honeycrush reminds me of are artists like PJ Harvey and Fiona Apple. When you hear Honeycrush, you’ll be able to pick up on the subtle inspiration of them. The two songs released from her upcoming EP, Milk Teeth, are raw and emotive while at the same time telling a story that you get more and more immersed in with each listen. “Milk Teeth” and “Stars” are two songs that will stick with you and leave you wanting more. Take a chance with me and experience something different with Honeycrush! The debut EP, Milk Teeth is out on October 17 via Dune Altar.
There comes a time in every bands evolution when a change is needed. In the case of Baroness, they have been one of the most consistent bands in the sense of evolving. Be it member changes, color schemes, and life, there is no shortage of inspiration for this band. I still remember hearing the Red Album for the first time and digging it but, it wasn’t until the Blue Album, when I really think the band found its stride. Along the way, Baroness carved out their own little corner in the heavy music world and have pursued a path that is their own. And on their new album, Stone, Baroness have reached a true triumph as a band.
Carrying on the lineup from Gold & Grey, Baroness’s new album STONE, has defined the sound of the band. There is a resounding strength and focus found throughout this album. Musically, this album is on another level than they’ve gone before. Each member of this band Sebastian on drums, Nick on bass, Gina on guitar and vocal and of course John on guitar and vocals, are playing with a sense of confidence that takes new shapes and is quite inspiring. The rhythm section of Sebastian and Nick are quite the tandem in how they play off each other and the vibe that radiates from that part is captivating. Then you have the full emergence of Gina Gleason coming through on each song. I must say too, as a long time fan of this band and having seen all the different lineups, Gina is the perfect fit for this band. Just like Seb and Nick, Gina brought a new light to the band for the better and it’s really showing on this album. John still has a knack for those sludgey riffs and those delicate pieces that get quite tingling as each listen plays on. Thematically this record is quite the trip. One of the things that I truly enjoyed most about this album was getting swept up in journey that it takes you on. As an album enthusiast (albums are not lost on me. That’s a topic to be discussed at a later time), what you get with STONE is a piece of art that is explosive, delicate, psychedelic and introspective. Having songs like “Last Word,” “Beneath The Rose,” “Choir,” all in a row is a trifecta of YES!!!! Then there’s “Anodyne” and “Shine” that open up other worlds right into another trifecta of epicness with “Magnolia,” “Under The Wheel” and the closing track “Bloom.” One quick note that has to be made is, FINALLY, the album isn’t brick-walled into the skies above!
Listening to STONE and letting it take over is a journey you should most definitely take. It’s one of those albums that you’ve always known they had in them it just took the right lineup to make it. When you take Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple, Gold and Grey and put them together it forms a colorful stone and out of that you get Baroness.
I’ve been on a bit of a Helmet kick as of late. While going through their catalog, I made the obligatory stop at the Judgement Night Soundtrack and the collaboration they did with House Of Pain on the song “Just Another Victim.” Listening back to the song it’s still a banger. The whole soundtrack is a classic and still holds up quite well. Especially this song as well as the Slayer and Ice-T collab. Helmet’s style of dropped tuned guitars mixed with hip hop definitely ushered in a movement and this song is a testament to it being done right and well!
END has unleashed the title track, “The Sin Of Human Frailty” ahead of the release of their new album (out Oct 27th). This track is one of those songs that really encapsulates what END is all about. It’s heavy, pummeling, punishing and has a groove to it that is sure to get you head-banging. With each release, be it a single or album, END keeps digging in and pushing the aggression. END’s new album, The Sin Of Human Frailty is going to be one of the best albums of the year and one of the best heavy albums of 2023. Ever since I first heard END, I’ve been hooked and it’s only getting better. So, make sure you listen to END!
The sounds track to 1996’s Escape From L.A. is quite a good one. It features songs from White Zombie, Tool, Ministry, Clutch, Deftones and many more. The film itself is still a fun movie but, the soundtrack is what holds up most. One song from it that I’ve always enjoyed and have hoped for years that would be played live is the contribution from Deftones and their song “Can’t Even Breathe.” It’s an early Deftones track that is a bit of a pre-cursor to where they were headed after Adrenaline. This is one of those soundtrack only songs that should be celebrated!
There are some bands that have a certain aura about them that when they play live. It’s almost as though there is a cosmic shift that delivers an amount of energy that permeates through each person on stage and then into the audience. One such band that has this is the mighty Will Haven. Their most recent tour stop in Los Angeles (well technically North Hollywood) was a prime example of this aura taking over and infecting the crowd.
Opening the night was Arc Angles. If you haven’t heard Arc Angles, you should fix that. This three piece is a band that is explosive, creative and methodical in what they do. Not only did they set the tone for the evening, they sure made it a hard act to follow with their high energy set that showcased songs from their debut album Apocalisp and their most recent EP, Daisy. Having seen Arc Angles a few times and written about them a bunch, it’s been a pleasure to see how they keep pushing themselves to evolve and write songs that are both catchy yet slap you in the face.
Next up was Stronger Than Machines. These guys are one hell of a force to be reckoned with. If Arc Angles set the tone, Stronger Than Machines then raised the bar even more. Their metal-core style fit perfectly for the evening. Another band with a ton of energy that flowed right into the audience. One of the things I really like most about this band is their want to play hard and deliver a show that not only is true to them but also really gets the audience involved. Having a bit of a melodic tinge to their songs shows the dynamic range that they are capable of and they are only just getting started.
Right in the middle was Curse. These guys brought the rock to the night and in a way gave a bit of breathing room of all the heaviness happening. Their set was fun and energetic. Armed with catchy hooks and melodic touches, Curse was definitely not cursed this evening.
Before Will Haven was the Venice legends, Cycotic Youth. They brought a punk rock energy to the night that opened up the pit a bit and started to get the frenzy going. Rocking songs from their first album in many years, Cycotic Youth tore through song after song, and even had a little time for some stories about the early days of the band. They brought the audience to a level that was hungry for Will Haven, which was quite perfect.
Now, Will Haven took things to a whole other level of heavy. Celebrating their now 20 year old classic album, Carpe Diem, Will Haven ripped and tore North Hollywood a new one with their no holds barred performance. That aura I was speaking about at the beginning of this review was all over the stage and then filtered to the audience. With each song, the crowd got more and more into the show. Will Haven kept delivering killer riffs, rhythms and vocals that could be felt throughout the whole building. I’ll never forget hearing Carpe Diem for the first time. It’s one of those albums that when you hear it, it immediately inspires you to want to go make heavy music. Will Haven are one of the best to do this style of heavy music. So much so that when you hear a band imitate it, it makes you want to just go listen to Will Haven. After they ran through Carpe with brilliance, it was time for a couple new songs from their exquisite new album, VII. These new songs and album are one of the best of 2023. Here’s a crazy thought too, Carpe Diem was released 20 years ago and it left a mark on heavy music, and now 20 years after that, Will Haven has delivered another classic album with VII that will and should influence another generation of bands. What a great set Will Haven put on. One of those that I will definitely remember for many years to come.
One last note about the night, this was a pleasure to help put on and curate. Working with The Cobalt Presents (aka The Cobalt Cafe) and The Radford Media Group on putting shows together has been a blast. I highly urge you to come check out what we have coming up. We have been putting shows on for the past 2 years and it’s only getting better!
Back in 1995 there was a song that you absolutely couldn’t escape. It was all over MTV, VH1 and the radio. The song is “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something. Interestingly the song is from their 1993 album, 11th Song but, this song wasn’t released as a single until 1995. The song was so popular that it peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Top 100 and elsewhere across the world, the song would dominate the charts. At the end of the day, it’s one of those catchy 90’s songs that you couldn’t escape and even to this day when it gets mentioned, the song immediately pops in your head. I’m sorry but not sorry hahahaha.
One of my all time favorite bands is The Velvet Underground. I’ve been enamored with them ever since I my mom for introduced me to them when I was seriously a really young kid. I’ll never forget hearing them for the first time and thinking this is totally different and really cool. Immediately I fell in love with songs like “White Light/White Heat,” “Venus In Furs,” “Sunday Morning,” I’m Waiting For The Man,” “Sweet Jane,” “Heroin,” and so many more. Through the years, I’ve delved quite deep into their catalog and found a treasure trove of demos, live versions, alternate versions and more. One of my favorite things is to find old live footage of them from their start in 1964 till their end in 1973. Some of the shows from that era are absolutely astonishing. Today though, I’d like to take a moment and recognize their reunion in 1993 which as of this year was 30 years ago. The classic lineup featuring Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Mo Tucker reunited for a brief European tour including a stop at Glastonbury. During these shows John Cale would sing the Nico parts live, as she passed away in 1988. Also at this time, and I’d have loved to have been there, the reunited Velvet Underground was hand selected to be the support act for 5 shows during U2’s Zoo TV tour. The performance that I’m sharing with you is taken from June 15-17 in Paris, France where the band performed a 3 night residency. The setlist featured many of the bands well known songs, really great choice in deep cuts as well as two new songs “Velvet Nursery Rhyme” and “Coyote.” Sadly though, not long after this tour, the relationship between Reed and Cale became contentious yet again and that was that. The Velvet Underground is not only one of the most influential bands of all time, they are (to me) one of the best bands ever. Take some time and get familiar with The Velvet Underground and you’ll hear and see why I make such a claim.
The Velvet Underground- Live 1993 (Classic Lineup Reunion):
AUDIOECLECTICA 