New Music Friday: April 29, 2022

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):

Cave In- Blood Spiller:

Terror- Pain Into Power:

Breaking In A Sequence- Leave Me Be:

EP’S/ALBUMS:

Centershift- A Different Shade…

F You Songs: Filter- So I Quit

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!

Filter- So I Quit:

New Release: Don’t Panic- Time Machine

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!

Don’t Panic- Time Machine:

Deep Cuts: The Smashing Pumpkins- Bleeding the Orchid

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):

On The Rise: Loss Becomes

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.

Loss Becomes- Demons:

Loss Becomes- Healing:

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:

Track One: Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days

Killswitch Engage’s album Alive Or Just Breathing is more than a game changing album, it’s a metal masterpiece. I had heard the songs “Fixation On The Darkness” and “My Last Serenade” before I heard the whole album but, when I started with track one, I knew a shift was coming in heavy music. “Numbered Days” is one hell of an opening track. Musically it’s heavy and melodic in all the right spots. Lyrically and vocally it’s powerful and gritty along with a generous helping of positivity. It’s one of those perfect album starters. The sing alongs over the years when they play this song live is so much fun to watch and listen to. It’s also interesting to hear Jesse Leach sing this song as well as Howard Jones. Both have such a commanding presence and voice that the message echoes quite loudly!

Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days (with Jesse):

Killswitch Engage- Numbered Days (with Howard):

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:

Same Name Songs: Jawbreaker VS Tool- Parabola

For a multitude of reasons, same name songs always have a way of intriguing me. Ever since I started this topic, I try to find same name songs that are on opposite sides of the spectrum to compare. There is never truly a right answer which makes it all the more fun. The preference part is what I’m most interested in. With that in mind, I present to you the song name “Parabola” by Jawbreaker and by Tool. Which one do you prefer?

Jawbreaker- Parabola:

Tool- Parabola:

New Music Friday: April 8, 2022

Lots of killer tunes and albums came out this past week. We’ve got new music from Centershift, Vexes, Loather, Rammstein, Decapitated (feat Tatiana from Jinjer), Helms Alee, and Dalek (feat Adam Jones of Tool). Check out these jams and let me

Centershift- And So (Featuring Tallulah of Grumpy Plum):

Vexes- Low Choices:

Loather- Snake Oil:

Rammstein- Zick Zack:

Decapitated- Hello Death (featuring Tatiana of Jinjer):

Helms Alee- Tripping Up The Stairs:

Dalek- A Heretic’s Inheritance (featuring Adam Jones of Tool):