Anticipated Albums: Narrow Head- Moments Of Clarity

Back in 2021 when I went to see Quicksand, there was a band called Narrow Head that opened up for them that caught my attention. They had this really cool vibe the mixed 90’s alternative rock and shoegaze together in a way that felt fresh while at the same time paid homage to those that came before them (Swervedriver and Siamese Dream era Pumpkins to name a couple). Since then, I’ve been following them to see where they would go next. Their latest single “Caroline” from their upcoming new album, Moments Of Clarity (out February 10, 2023), is one of those songs that sways with a melodic sensibility while driven with a sheen of distortion that gives a tension to the song that is emotional on one end and revelatory on the other. Speaking on the song “I’ve always thought Caroline was such a singable name,” frontman Jacob Duarte admits. “I’ve written dozens of songs using that name but never really brought them to life. I guess Caroline is a pseudo name I use for lyrics. Just rolls off the tongue. So when people listen to this and think to themselves ‘who’s Caroline?’ I don’t think I know who they are either.”

I for one am anticipating this album as one of the albums to look out for in 2023. Narrow Head have a strong grasp on their influences and are inspired by them, thus creating a sound that while nostalgic, it feels right and fresh for the time. Be on the lookout for Narrow Head when they come through town on their upcoming tour!

Narrow Head- Caroline:

Narrow Head- Gearhead:

Narrow Head- Moments Of Clarity:

Narrow Head Tour Dates:

Feb 04: Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live
Feb 05: Birmingham, AL – The Firehouse
Feb 06: Nashville, TN – The Blue Room at Third Man Records
Feb 07: Lexington, KY – The Burl ~
Feb 09: Indianapolis, IN – The Hi-Fi ~
Feb 10: Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall ~
Feb 11: St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall ~
Feb 13: Houston, TX – Warehouse Live Studio ~
Feb 14: Austin, TX – Scoot Inn ~
Feb 15: Dallas, TX – Granada Theater ~
Feb 17: Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad ~
Feb 18: Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom ~
Feb 19: San Diego, CA – Music Box ~
Feb 21: Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre ~
Feb 22: San Francisco, CA – August Hall ~
Feb 24: Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre ~
Feb 25: Seattle, WA – The Crocodile ~
Feb 26: Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre ~
May 13: Las Vegas, NV – Sick New World Fest        
May 15: Denver, CO –    Hi-Dive
May 16: Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge
May 17: Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
May 18: Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
May 19: Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
May 20: Cleveland, OH – Mahall’s        
May 22: New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
May 23: Brooklyn, NY – TV Eye
May 24: Boston, MA – The Sinclair
May 25: Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
May 26: Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
May 27: Durham, NC – The Pinhook
May 28: Atlanta, GA – Masquerade Purgatory    
May 30: Miami, FL – Gramps
May 31: Orlando, FL – The Abbey
Jun 01: Tampa, FL – The Crowbar
Jun 02: Pensacola, FL – The Handlebar
Jun 03: New Orleans, LA – Santos

~ w/ White Reaper, Taipei Houston

New Release: Metallica- Lux Æterna

On April 14th, 2023, the 12th studio album by the one and only Metallica, “72 Seasons” arrives. This new 12-song outing was once again produced by Greg Fidelman along with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. The first single “Lux Æterna” is out now! Speaking on the album, James Hetfield said “72 seasons. The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are. I think the most interesting part of this is the continued study of those core beliefs and how it affects our perception of the world today. Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.” The band also announced a full world tour with Pantera as part of the trek in the States!

Metallica- 72 Seasons Track Listing:

01 – “72 Seasons”
02 – “Shadows Follow”
03 – “Screaming Suicide”
04 – “Sleepwalk My Life Away”
05 – “You Must Burn!”
06 – “Lux Æterna”
07 – “Crown Of Barbed Wire”
08 – “Chasing Light”
09 – “If Darkness Had A Son”
10 – “Too Far Gone?”
11 – “Room Of Mirrors”
12 – “Inamorata”

Metallica- Lux Æterna:

Metallica Tour Dates:

04/27 Amsterdam, NET – Johan Cruuf Arena (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
04/29 Amsterdam, NET – Johan Cruuf Arena (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
05/17 Paris, FRA – Stade de France (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
05/19 Paris, FRA – Stade de France (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/26 Hamburg, GER – Volksparkstadion (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/28 Hamburg, GER – Volksparkstadion (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/16 Gothenburg, SWE – Ullevi Stadium (feat. Volbeat & Mammoth WVH)
06/18 Gothenburg, SWE – Ullevi Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/04 East Rutherford, NJ – Metlife Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/06 East Rutherford, NJ – Metlife Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/11 Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/13 Montreal, QC – Stade Olympique (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/18 Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/20 Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/25 Los Angeles, CA – Sofi Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/27 Los Angeles, CA – Sofi Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/01 Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
09/03 Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
11/03 St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
11/05 St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
11/10 Detroit, MI – Ford Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
11/12 Detroit, MI – Ford Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
05/24 Munich, GER – Olympiastadion (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
05/26 Munich, GER – Olympiastadion (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/07 Helsinki, FIN – Helsinki Olympic Stadium (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
06/09 Helsinki, FIN – Helsinki Olympic Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
06/14 Copenhagen, DEN – Parken Stadium (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
06/16 Copenhagen, DEN – Parken Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
07/05 Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
07/07 Warsaw, POL – PGE Narodowy (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
07/12 Madrid, SPA – Estadion Civitas Metrpolitano (feat. Architects & Mammoth WVH)
07/14 Madrid, SPA – Estadion Civitas Metrpolitano (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/02 Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/04 Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/09 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/11 Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/16 Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/18 Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/23 Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
08/25 Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
08/30 Seattle, WA – Lumen Field (feat. Pantera & Mammoth WVH)
09/01 Seattle, WA – Lumen Field (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/20 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Greta Van Fleet & Mammoth WVH)
09/22 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)
09/27 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Greta Van Fleet & Mammoth WVH)
09/29 Mexico City, MEX – Foro Sol (feat. Five Finger Death Punch & Ice Nine Kills)

Anticipated Albums: High Command- Eclipse Of The Dual Moons

One of the things I love most about bands that craft actual albums is the detail they put into it. Not just the music but also the subject matter and how it relates to certain topics and imagery. A few weeks back a band was brought to my attention and I’ve really been digging what they are cooking up. Allow me to introduce you to High Command. This band is more than just your regular metal band, they take it to another level. Taking their metal cues from the likes of Dio, Mercyful Fate, with a bit of Obituarty, a tinge of Bathory and a dash of Discharge, High Command have crafted a sound that feels fresh with a throwback sense. It’s something I like to call, “Epic Metal.” I know, just what we need, another sub-genre but, it fits. The bands latest and upcoming second album, Eclipse Of The Dual Moons, the band have upped their storytelling game and expanded upon where their first album left off. The band place themselves as omniscient narrators of the world they have created making for a very intriguing and visceral listening experience. It’s refreshing to hear a band like High Command take such time and pride to craft something on a deeper level than the atypical topics. I look forward to hearing where the band continues to go with this and evolve. Cheers to High Command on a well chosen path!

PRE-ORDER: High Command- Eclipse Of The Dual Moons:

https://highcommandsl.bandcamp.com/album/eclipse-of-the-dual-moons

Siege Warfare:

Imposing Hammers Of Cold Sorcery:

Fortified By Bloodshed:

By: Brian Lacy

New Release: Arc Angles- Hammerhead

One of my all time favorite bands I’ve ever written about on Audioeclectica, Arc Angles is releasing a new EP in early 2023 and I’m super stoked on it. Arc Angles if you don’t know are a killer post-hardcore, space/noise rock band that have been a favorite of mine basically since I started this. Through the years they’ve evolved their sound a bit with each release and the inspiration that follows them makes for some really kick ass tunes. As a three-piece band, the amount of volume they emit could activate richter scales. Singer/Bassist Chris Matalone along with Guitarist Nick Bradford and Drummer Brian Hollenbeck pack quite a punch with their style and songwriting. The three of them together have created something that feels urgent and focused with substance and depth, making this a stand out amongst their peers and in within the rock world.

Their latest release, entitled Daisy, features the lead track “Hammerhead,” which has quite a message. Singer/bassist Chris Matalone had this to say about the song “The idea behind the song came while watching news coverage during the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While describing the indiscriminate violence in the war, a journalist used the adage, ‘If all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail,’ and that phrase really made an impression on me. “It captured the brutality, recklessness, absurdity, and inhumanity of the war, and it was a natural jumping off point for the rest of the imagery in the song.  But I do think it’s about more than just that one conflict. Broadly, it’s about the unhinged use of power by leaders of all types, on all sides of belief spectrums and group affiliations, and how there is a difficult but righteous obligation for us all to resist tyranny in all its forms.”

Daisy will see its release on New Years Day of 2023. The EP was produced and engineered by Christopher Dwyer and mixed by J. Robbins of Jawbox. When you hear “Hammerhead” it’s a sonic assault of rock that is only the tip of what else Arc Angles have in store throughout the rest of the EP. Take a moment and check out this killer song and great band!

Arc Angles- Hammerhead:

Check Out Their Previous EP, Apocalisp:

New Release: The Smashing Pumpkins- Beguiled

My excitement level is pretty high right now. After last week seeing Nine Inch Nails for my 19th time and now this week, the news is finally released about The Smashing Pumpkins long awaited new album! “Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts”. The 33-track collection, whose title is pronounced “autumn,” is being billed as a sequel to 1995’s “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness” and 2000’s “Machina/The Machine of God”. The LP will be released as three 11-track “acts”, eventually culminating in a three-act rock opera. Act 1 of “Atum” will arrive on November 15 2022, Act 2 on January 31 2023, and Act 3 will be made available, along with a special-edition box set featuring all 33 album tracks plus 10 additional unreleased songs, on April 21, 2023. “Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts” was written and recorded over a four-year period by Corgan and the rest of the current SMASHING PUMPKINS lineup: guitarists James Iha and Jeff Schroeder, plus drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.

The first single “Beguiled” is out now and features a video that was made and performed live on TikTok of all places. And to make things even more interesting,  Billy Corgan will premiere a new track every week for the next 33 weeks on his new podcast, “Thirty-Three With William Patrick Corgan”. The first two episodes, featuring the songs “Atum” and “Butterfly Suite”, are out now.

Not only is this exciting but The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction tour starts next week and runs through November. What a show that will be. I know I’ll be attending it. See you there!

The Smashing Pumpkins- Beguiled:

Anticipated Albums: Powder Pink & Sweet- Little Stories

I remember the first time I heard the term shoegaze. It was around the time that The Smashing Pumpkins released Siamese Dream and all these reviews I read and interviews kept referring to this new sub-genre called “shoegaze.” I thought what a strange term for a genre of music. Then it was explained to me (keep in mind I was only 7 or 8 when Siamese came out) and it made sense. Then later on I was exposed to the great My Bloody Valentine album, Loveless, and that’s when I truly found my deep fondness for shoegaze. Over the years the sub-genre has grown to include other elements from different genre’s making it quite a trip to listen to. There is one band that has combined shoegaze with dream pop, indie rock and a tinge of 90’s alternative rock that has captivated me. Allow me to introduce you to Powder Pink and Sweet. The band was formed in 2016 by the eclectic Cris Verso. And through the years since, Powder Pink and Sweet have carefully crafted a batch of hypnotic, dreamy and lush songs. Their upcoming EP, Little Stories, captures all the above and then some. The first single “Slightly Hopefull” is a dreamy and contemplative tune that provides quite the escape from the harsh realities of the COVID lockdown. Little Stories will be released Friday November 4th.

Powder Pink & Sweet- Slightly Hopeful:

PRE-ORDER THE EP Via BANDCAMP:

Anticipated Albums: Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed

A few years back I became familiar with the band Holy Fawn. It was one of those right band right situation type scenarios and from that point I was hooked. Their sound has intrigued me since that day. Their ability to mix metal, shoegaze, electronic, alternative, and rock is astonishing. The end result is a musical journey that takes you on ride into sonic territories to parts known and unknown. Their new album, Dimensional Bleed continues that journey and then some. The three songs released from the album so far are just a piece of the whole picture. The evolution of Holy Fawn is on display with Dimensional Bleed. On this album they have really explored different realms of the psyche and added a bit of a psychedelic element to their already trippy sound. I have a feeling that this album is going to take Holy Fawn to new heights. It’s an album that is much needed in today’s world!

Dimensional Bleed is out September 9th via Wax Bodega ! Pre-save it here: https://lnk.to/dimensionalbleed

Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed:

Holy Fawn- Death Is A Relief:

Holy Fawn- Dimensional Bleed:

Holy Fawn- Void Of Light:

New Release: Slipknot- Yen

Slipknot have released a third song from their upcoming seventh album (yes that’s right 7th album). This one entitled “Yen” definitely has a Volume 3 vibe to it with a bit more heaviness. The new album, The End So Far will be out on September 30 via Roadrunner Records. Two other songs “The Dying Song (Time To Sing)” and “The Chapeltown Rag” have already been released.

Slipknot- Yen:

New Release: Bush- More Than Machines

Bush is back with a pretty rockin new track from their upcoming album, The Art Of Survival. The first song released “More Than Machines” is a solid rocker from start to finish. It continues off of the band’s previous album The Kingdom, which saw the band step up the heaviness a bit and I’d throw in a little bit of Gavin’s post Bush band in the mid 00’s Insitutue to the fold too. This track Gavin said “This is an action-packed song with three really big topics. Off the bat, I don’t understand how anyone has the audacity to get involved or assume responsibility for women’s bodies. I wanted to reference that because it’s important to discuss. As much as the song is about the destruction of women’s rights, it’s about the destruction of the planet and the move for A.I. and a world of robots to replace us. It’s a topic we’ve heard since the fifties. I’m not here to teach anything though; my job is medieval like a town crier. I come into town with my elixirs and sing about it, so it hopefully goes out into the universe.” “More Than Machines” is a track that will leave Bush fans excited and happy till the new album comes out October 7.

Bush- More Than Machines:

Bush- More Than Machines (Live):

Anticipated Albums: Spirit In The Room- Flamingo

One of my the releases I’ve anticipated most in 2022 is FINALLY almost here. I’ve long been a fan of this band. I’ve said numerous times they are the best live band in Los Angeles and I stand by that! Throughout their career so far, Spirit In The Room have been conquering venues, slaying audiences and making rock music feel dangerous again. Now, the wait is over as Spirit In The Room is about to unleash their new EP, Flamingo on August 26 via Housecore Records. For those of you that don’t know, Spirit In The Room comes from the vision of Louisiana-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dennis R. Sanders. Joining him on this journey through this crazy world is Kevin Sepriano (Guitar) and Phillip Bailey (Drums/Percussion). Spirit In The Room is the type of band that is unpredictable in a great way. The intensity that radiates from Dennis is infectious and a bit unsettling but, that’s part of the charm that makes this band great. The first song released from Flamingo is “The Bird Of Paradise Alights Only Upon The Hand That Does Not Grasp” is one hell of a way to introduce this release. It’s a song that has a groove that gets under you and the next thing you know, your head is in a particular mind space and the music is in you. Personally, I can’t wait for this release. Its been a long time coming but, it will be worth the wait!

Spirit In The Room- The Bird Of Paradise Alights Only Upon The Hand That Does Not Grasp:

PRE ORDER FLAMINGO HERE- https://spiritintheroom.bandcamp.com/album/flamingo