This is exciting!! Alphamega has released a new single and it’s a banger! “Pariah” is a melodic metal jam for sure. The soaring vocal melodies, deep personal lyrics, hard charging riffs, and banging drums make this one hell of a track. Their first two songs released “No Longer Broken” and “Annhilator” are more heavy, this one is a bit more mid tempo but it shows their ability as songwriters to be dynamic and explore different sounds and ideas, while still holding down their roots! Alphamega is about to leave their mark on the rock world! Take notice!
On Friday May 6, Alphamega will be playing at The Federal in North Hollywood as part of Audioeclectica’s Birthday Bash. So make sure you come out and see what all the fuss is about! Tickets HERE!!!!!!!
A lot of bands claim to be industrial but at the end of the day, they just aren’t it. Thankfully there is a band that I’ve been fond of for quite some time that knows how to truly embrace and do industrial music justice and that is Fact Pattern. Ever since I heard this band, I was hooked. They have the influences and inspiration running through them that I’ve been into for years like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Godflesh and even bits of The Cure and other 80’s New Romantic/Goth. When you hear Fact Pattern and see them live, everything comes together to create a sonic assault that will leave you not only wanting more but your blood gets pumping. One of their songs that I’ve always really enjoyed, “Appendage” has found new life with this killer remix. This song is on a whole other level now!
On Friday May 6, Fact Pattern will be playing at The Federal in North Hollywood as part of Audioeclectica’s Birthday Bash. So make sure you come out and see what all the fuss is about! Tickets HERE!!!!!!!
I love a good collaboration whether it’s a guest vocal, guitar part/solo, etc. More often than not, these collaborations take the song to a whole other level. One song that I heard a while back that I’ve been quite fond of is “Enjoying The End” by Royalty Kult. The combination of Royalty Kult and what guitarist Doc Coyle (God Forbid/Bad Wolves) brings to the table makes this song stand out. The delicate melodies that Doc brings in the beginning sets the tone for the introspective and dark lyrics of vocalist Josh Bauserman. As the song continues, the heavy of the music matches up with intensity of the rest of the song. Royalty Kult is one of the best up and coming bands I’ve heard in a long time.
On Friday May 6, Royalty Kult will be playing at The Federal in North Hollywood as part of Audioeclectica’s Birthday Bash. So make sure you come out and see what all the fuss is about! Tickets HERE!!!!!!!
Royalty Kult (Featuring Doc Coyle)- Enjoying The End:
Throughout the years, the voice of a band can really be the difference between a good band and a great band. I distinctly remember the first time I heard a particular band. I was walking along Sunset Blvd on my way to another show and I heard a band just starting and I was completely taken aback. I went to the entrance of the club this band was playing at (The Viper Room), got in cause I knew the door guy (perks of being under 21 at the time and knowing the right people), and from that point in time (pun totally intended) I was hooked not just on the music but the voice. That band was Onesidezero and the voice I heard that has stuck with me ever since was that of Jasan Radford. Fast forward to today and Jasan’s new band Centershift, have just put out their debut EP, A Different Shade… and let me tell you, it’s pretty damn good.
For almost 30 minutes and 7 songs, the moment you put the EP on, it connects with you. The raw emotion and honesty is extremely prevalent on this album. The lyrics to the first song “9” alone pinpoint to that. Speaking on the EP singer/guitarist Jasan Radford said “A Different Shade… is the first piece of what we as a band went through, either personally or together during the last few years. In a way, we wrote and recorded the trials and accomplishments life threw our way.” With that in mind, you the listener can surely find more to connect with. As the EP continues with the stellar “My Own World” (and if you haven’t seen the video for this song, CHECK IT OUT!!), the story begins to unfold and be told. There is a real flow to the way this was all put together. The music that accompanies the passionate words and melodies are on a level on its own. There is a style and tone when you hear these songs that are delicate and full of texture but also hard charging and quite fiery. Then you combine that with the velvety voice and touching lyrics and you’ve got a recipe for one hell of an album. There is one song in particular that I’ve been completely enthralled with and that is the song “Kingdoms.” This one closes out the EP and it’s EPIC! You really need to hear that song (along with the rest of it!).
Centershift is one of the new bands I’m most excited about. The band is made up of Jasan Radford (Onesidezero/Abloom) on vocals/guitar, Ryan Shane Stuber (Shuvel) on guitar, Ted Wenri (Bemus) on bass and on drums Stefan Storace. The four of them have created something that stands up to their other work but also shows the musicianship they have worked on for years and their progression as songwriters. This band is one of those that are the perfect bridge between rock and heavy music. A Different Shade… is only the beginning of where this band has the potential to go.
On Friday May 6, Centershift will be playing at The Federal in North Hollywood as part of Audioeclectica’s Birthday Bash. This show will also serve as Centershift’s EP Release Party! So make sure you come out and see what all the fuss is about! Tickets HERE!!!!!!!
This is an exciting week for new singles, albums and EP’s! It seems that each week we get more and more solidly good tunes. Check out new tunes from Nothing More, Downset, Oni, Breaking In A Sequence, Lions At The Gate, Terror, Cave In and Centershift!
SINGLES/VIDEOS:
Nothing More- Tired Of Winning:
Downset- The Place To Be:
Oni- Secrets (featuring Iggy Pop & Randy Blythe):
Lions At The Gate- Find My Way (featuring Tatiana of Jinjer):
The art of the F You song is actually quite simple. Take a person or event in your life/world that is bothering you, work up some aggressive music and then unleash the venom that is brewing inside and you’ve got one hell of a good way to express those feelings. One of the songs that I tend to go to when I need a to let out a good F You is “So I Quit” by Filter from their album, The Amalgamut. This track is a perfect F You song. It’s simple and to the point and the BIG F YOU at the end is superb!
Last year I cam across a band that really peaked my interest. What I heard was a mix of alternative rock from the 90’s, electronic rock, prog rock and a bit of an industrial tinge. Put that together and you have one hell of a band called Don’t Panic. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Don’t Panic strives to make sure their style of music and live show stands out among the pack. Singer Dylan Rowe’s emotional, hard charging vocals and stage presence set the tone. Musically, Jeffrey Robens (guitar), Ryan Obermeit (bass) and Mundo Rascon (drums) provide the right flair and charm to the songs, giving them a different life all on their own. The video for their song “Time Machine” is dramatic and quite thought provoking as you listen to the words. Speaking about the track singer Dylan Rowe said “The song is about letting go, while also remaining vulnerable to the people and moments that have and will continue to shape our lives. Every moment in life can affect us in some way, and it often consumes our thoughts and the important decisions we make. This leads us off into new emotional territory that can often result in some interesting choices.” And that summation truly helps catapult Don’t Panic into a different realm in terms of songwriting and meaning.
Don’t Panic is part of the Audioeclectica Birthday Bash on Friday May 6 at The Federal in North Hollywood. Don’t miss your chance to see them live! Tickets available at audiocobalt.bpt.me!
The deep cut is something that I feel has become a lost element of music today. Everything is so focused on singles and the “hit” that so much of the time, there are songs that get left out and bypassed. As you’ve noticed the past couple years that my level of postings about The Smashing Pumpkins has gone up over that time and that’s because I’ve really delved deep in their catalog. One of the albums that I’ve truly come to love is 2007’s, Zeitgeist. Not only does this album foreshadow a lot of what our society has become but, it’s also one hell of a great album start to finish. There is a particular song on Zeitgeist that I keep going back to and that is track 3, “Bleeding The Orchid.” This song is quite interesting and profound. The song is indirectly inspired by the death of Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley and it also features a bit of an homage to the band with the harmonies you hear in the song. Also the guitar solo on this track by Billy Corgan further proves my point that he is truly an underrated guitarist. This song is one that I really wish would make it’s way into upcoming set lists as it’s an absolutely great and touching song.
The Smashing Pumpkins- Bleeding The Orchid (Live at The Viper Room, 2010):
Heavy music has always been my go to. The list is endless of what draws me into this type of music. One of the things that I look and listen for in bands these days is authenticity. It’s one thing to “rip off” a band or style but, it’s another to use all that as inspiration to forge something that is real and honest. Enter New York’s Loss Becomes. Packed with an aggressive style that harks back to the days of NY Hardcore in the 80’s and a bit of early Metalcore (a la Vision Of Disorder) and you’ve got quite the recipe for heavy. Speaking of recipes, one of the other things that drew me into Loss Becomes was the guitarist, Chef Brian Tsao. I’ve been a fan of his in the cooking world for some time and when I heard he had a band I was quite intrigued to check it out and I’m glad I did. Loss Becomes is a band that not only delivers the goods but keeps evolving within the heavy music realms. The songs released so far are unrelenting in heaviness but there’s also a line of melody throughout that keeps the listener engaged.
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.
