Anticipated Albums of 2022

I have hope that 2022 will be a good year. Not that 2021 was all that bad, at least it wasn’t 2020 all over again. We did after all get some amazing new albums in 2021. Now that we are in 2022, there are a ton of new albums that I’m sure will make the end of the year lists vert difficult to put in order. Here’s a list of the bands with the most anticipated albums of 2022 (I’m sure I missed some. So If I did, let me know)!!!

Centershift- A Different Shade Of…
NVision-
Black Map- Melodoria
Cave In
The Cure
Coheed and Cambria
Crosses
Dead Cross
Ghost
Greg Puciatio- Mirrorcell
H09909 (Horror)
Korn- Requiem
Loathe
Megadeth- The Sick. The Dying. The Dead
Rammstein
Author & Punisher
Once Human
Machine Head
Jimmy Eat World
The Smashing Pumpkins
Chelsea Wolfe
In Parallel
Nine Inch Nails
If It Kills You
Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals
Be Well
Anthrax
Baroness
Cult Leader
The Cult
Darkest Hour
Deadsy?
Filter
Jane’s Addiction?
Placebo
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rollin Coffin
Deaf Club
Kiss The Scientist
Duhkha

Band Of The Week: Be Well

Melodic hardcore is one of my favorite sub-genres of heavy music. There’s something about mixing the grittiness and heavy riffs with a melodic tinge that really is catching. That being said, I’d like to introduce you to Be Well, a new band with roots that extend far back and then some. Be Well have come out of the gates with a blend of melodic hardcore and post-hardcore to deliver a very emotionally charged sound. The band is made up of a who’s who of familiar faces, on vocals, Brian McTernan (Battery and renowned producer/engineer), Peter Tsouras (Guitar) and Shane Johnson (Drums) from Fairweather, Mike Schleibaum (guitar) of Darkest Hour, and Aaron Dalbec (Bass) of Bane and formerly of Converge. Be Well’s lyrics are extremely personal, relentless and deep courtesy of Brian McTernan chronicling his struggles with depression, fatherhood, loss and then some. There is a sense of hope to it all in the end though. The bands debut album, The Weight And The Cost, arrives on August 21 (via Equal Vision Records) and so far based on the songs released, this album is sure to be a banger. Hopefully too, once all this madness in the world subsides, we can all catch Be Well live get to see these songs really come to life.

Confessional:

 

Strength For Breath:

 

 
Frozen:

 

 
Morning Light:

 

 

Band Of The Week: The Primals

The sound of the 90’s is instantly recognizable. There’s an essence about it that seeps in and takes over. The “grungy” sound that mixes, rock, metal, punk and many others is one of my favorite sounds. When you take that sound and mix it with the right players and style, you get something quite good. For example, the band of the week, The Primals, have nailed that sound. This three piece comprised of John Henry (vocals/guitar), Andrew Black (drums) and Chad Fjerstad (bass) have taken the 90’s grunge sound, added a little more punk vibe to it. Their sound is catchy without being mainstream. The bands debut album, All Love Is True Love, which came out in late 2018, was produced by John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes). The Primals really knocked it out of the park with their first full length. The ten songs on it are full of piss and vinegar. It’s raw and infectious and just what the rock world needs. It’s bands like The Primals that show that rock music is alive and well. 

 

The Primals- All Love Is True Love:

 

The Primals- Fortune & Sons:

 

Ultimate Set List & Tour: Killswitch Engage w/ Jesse & Howard and Darkest Hour

The first Dream Tour and Ultimate Set List I made was pretty amazing. The line up of Mastodon, Neurosis and O’Brother would be a tour for the ages. After that, I made a list of others that I thought would be pretty amazing. What I present to you is a dream tour that would be absolutely awesome. Imagine if this ever did come to fruition… Killswitch Engage tours with Jesse Leach AND Howard Jones. Each singer gets their own set of songs from the albums they were on, and then at the end they join each other for a few songs. Well, here is the set list that I came up with, the one I’d want to see, along with Darkest Hour as their opener and their set list. Enjoy!!

With all that in mind, here are the guidelines for this now expanded category.

1: Where would you want to see the show

2: What is the order/set lengths of the bands

3: What line up of the band would it be (If necessary)

4: Set List (In order of how the set should go)

 

Venue: 

The Worcester Palladium in Massachusetts

Order: 

1) Darkest Hour (45 mins), 2) Killswitch Engage (45 mins for Jesse, 45 mins for Howard, plus 15 mins for the Encore)

Line Up:

Darkest Hour: John Henry, Mike Schleibaum, Ryan Parrish, Kris Norris, Paul Burnette

Killswitch Engage: Jesse Leach, Howard Jones, Adam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel, Mike D’Antonio, Justin Foley

Set Lists:

Darkest Hour:

01) Doomsayer
02) No God
03) Convalescence
04) Timeless Numbers
05) So Sedated, So Secure
06) Knife In The Safe Room
07) Eclipse
08) Pay Phones and Pills
09) The Sadist Nation
10) For The Soul of the Savior

Killswtich Engage:

Jesse Set:

01) Numbered Days
02) Beyond The Flames
03) We Carry On
04) Life To Lifeless
05) You Don’t Bleed For Me
06) Cut Me Loose
07) Self Revolution
08) Fixation On The Darkness
09) In Due Time
10) Strength Of The Mind
11) Always
12) My Last Serenade
13) Vide Infra

Howard Set:

14) Daylight Dies
15) A Bid Farewell
16) A Light In A Darkened World
17) When Darkness Falls
18) World Ablaze
19) The Arms Of Sorrow
20) Breathe Life
21) Reject Yourself
22) My Curse
23) Rose Of Sharyn
24) The End Of Heartache

Jesse and Howard Together (Encore):

25) Irreversal
26) Soilborn
27) Take This Oath

Album Review: Darkest Hour- Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora

I will be the first to admit that after the past two albums Darkest Hour released, (The Human Romance and their Self Titled album) I had lost interest. The line up changes and musical shift that was happening really just wasn’t cutting it for me. But now on their ninth studio album, Darkest Hour has found their way back to what made them great. I’ve always regarded the band as a very underrated treasure. Musically they combine all the elements I enjoy from punk, thrash and Swedish melodic death metal. On this new album Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora, Darkest Hour have cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned within the heavy music circles.

The moment the first song “Knife In The Safe Room” begins, you know that you are in for a treat. Every single song on this album is something special. In particular ” Timeless Numbers,” “None Of This Is The Truth,” “The Flesh and the Flowers of Death,” “Those Who Survived,” “Enter Oblivion,” “In The Name of Us All,” and closer “Beneath It Sleeps.” Guitarists Mike Schleibaum and Michael “Lonestar” Carrigan have never sounded better together. Along with the input and contributions of former member Kris Norris, the guitar work on this album is what fans have been wanting for years. Drummer Travis Orbin and bassist Aaron Deal have finally hit their stride as a rhythm section. As much as I miss Ryan and Paul in the band, if this is the direction Travis and Aaron are going to go, I’m more than satisfied. Vocalist John Henry has really stepped up his game lyrically and vocally. Personally I think this is the best he has sounded since Undoing Ruin.

The choice to work with producer Kurt Ballou was a great choice. Kurt was really able to dial in on the tones needed to make this a special album. In fact this album is one of the best I’ve heard Kurt produce and record outside of Converge, since High On Fire’s De Vermis Mysteriis. Armed with this album and a renewed sense of purpose, Darkest Hour are roaring back with a no holds barred approach. Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora is an album that will be looked back up in the bands catalog as a standout. The band should be really proud of what they have created. I as a fan, am really stoked on this album. This is everything that Darkest Hour should be.

Overall Rating: A

 

The Making of the Album:

 

Anticipated Albums: Darkest Hour- Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora

Often time as bands go through lineup changes, it takes a while for the band to get back in the swing of things. The new members have a different way of playing and bring a different energy that takes the music on a detour. Then over time as they grow more comfortable, the band comes back to where they should be. Darkest Hour is one of these bands. On their upcoming 9th album, the gents in Darkest Hour have returned to their roots and are about to deliver their most ferocious album in years. You can tell by listening to the first few songs released that these guys mean business. By working with producer Kurt Ballou of Converge and bringing in former guitarist Kris Norris, Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora takes you back to the days of The Mark Of The Judas, Hidden Hands Of The Sadist Nation era. Darkest Hour are unleashing the heavy!

 

Darkest Hour- Knife In The Saferoom:

 

Darkest Hour- Timeless Numbers:

 

 

 

 

Cover Song: Darkest Hour (Judas Priest)- Painkiller

Here is a fun cover song of Judas Priest’s “Painkiller,” by Darkest Hour.  While the vocals don’t reach the highs of the legendary Rob Halford, Darkest Hour’s version adds a bit of heaviness and grit to the song in terms of the musical arrangement and tones.

Check it out:

Darkest Hour- Painkiller:

 

Judas Priest- Painkiller:

 

Album Anniversary: Darkest Hour- Undoing Ruin

It’s really hard to believe that ten years has passed by this fast. It seems like just yesterday I was at the record store buying Darkest Hour’s Undoing Ruin. That album really cemented Darkest Hour as a force in the metal scene in that era. Not only that, but with the additional help of Devin Townsend on the production end, they were able to build on the sound of a lot of Swedish metal bands were doing like Soilwork and In Flames. Undoing Ruin also marked a point for the band in which they added some more melodic parts including cleaner vocals. Not to take away from their current lineup, but the five guys that appeared as the core lineup on many of Darkest Hour’s best albums made this band what it is. On the guitar side of things, Kris Norris and Mike Schleibaum complemented each other perfectly. Ryan Parrish and Paul Burnette were a beyond powerful rhythm section that pummeled through with tight precision. The album as a whole from start to finish was cohesive and tight. Each song flowed into the next without having any moments to deviate from the order. Songs like “With A Thousand Words To Say But One,” “Convalescence,” “Sound The Surrender,” “These Fevered Times,” and “Tranquil.” are standout tracks on their own, but in the context of the album as a whole, they are even better. Recently, Darkest Hour did a tour playing this album in its entirety. Sadly I missed that show and can only imagine how great it was. Here’s to hoping that this recent tour puts the band in the right mindset to release a new album soon that incorporates more of this type of sound.

Darkest Hour- Undoing Ruin:

Undoing Ruin Live (From Germany):