The 2016 Epiphone Revolver Music Awards had performances by Stitched Up Heart, Lacuna Coil, Anthrax and Megadeth, plus a ‘Fallen Heroes All-Star Jam‘ featuring Ace Frehley and Bumblefoot with members of Megadeth, Slipknot, Pop Evil, Annihilator, Mutoid Man, Butcher Babies, and Red Sun Rising. Continue reading
As previously reported by Ghost Cult last night the Revolver Music Awards, previously known as the Revolver Golden Gods Awards have made a comeback. Taking place December 13th in New York City, at Webster Hall, the event will be co-hosted by Jose Mangin and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. The full list of nominees is now announced: Continue reading
All-star mash up albums are great when they work – for example Roadrunner United or Dave Grohl’s Probot project. But they are terribly underwhelming when they don’t – for example this year’s Teenage Time Killer or any number of fast-buck tribute albums.
Metal Allegiance (released via Nuclear Blast), a project centred around Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick and former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, features a revolving cast of singers, and definitely counts as an all-star mashup. Each track features a different singer and focuses on a different style of metal. Despite the cheesy name, the self-titled debut manages to avoid being a hockey tribute and instead is a perfectly satisfying, if safe, tribute to the genre.
The 10 tracks on offer cover pretty much all areas of mainstream metal of the last decade or so. Opener ‘Gift of Pain’ (featuring Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe) is a solid mid-paced chugger, featuring the kind of groove you’d expect on a Lamb of God album track. ‘Dying Song’ sees Phil Anslemo do his best Layne Staley impression over a Black Label Society-eque southern rocker. ‘Can’t Kill The Devil’ (featuring Testament’s Chuck Billy) is a classic slice of American thrash. All the way through, the quality of the music can’t be faulted.
Troy Sander’s spot on ‘Let Darkness Fall’ gives a glimpse of how Mastodon could have sounded if they were more of a thrash outfit but retained their experimental edge, while King’s X singer dUg Pinnick and Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta come together perfectly for what is probably the album’s highlight in ‘Wait Until Tomorrow’; Pinnick’s haunting baritone juxtaposes Jasta’s aggression in what is one of the few surprises on the record. Matt Heafy’s bland appearance on the dull ‘Destination Nowhere’ is the only real stinker (how far he and Trivium have fallen since he guested on 2005’s Roadrunner United album).
But throughout Metal Allegiance, it’s Skolnick that shines brightest. His blistering solos are scattered throughout the record and add some urgency and life to each track. The scorching guitar work on ‘Gift of Pain’, the Spanish interlude of ‘Let Darkness Fall’ or the grungy groove of ‘Wait Until Tomorrow’ all make them a more enjoyable listen. It’s only the self-indulgent masturbation of seven-minute instrumental ‘Triangulum’ gets old pretty quickly, even if it does feature half a dozen guitarists.
Metal Allegiance is good fun, but it’s not particularly adventurous; there’s no surprise or controversial inclusions, no one from the extreme edge of metal. Every musician involved can boast a lengthy and successful career and a few spots on the Billboard 100. It is, however, an enjoyable listen and would make a great showcase introduction to the genre for someone who hadn’t heard any metal before, and offers fans a chance to hear some of their favourite singers in a slightly new setting. And that’s no bad thing.
8.0/10
DAN SWINHOE
It is nearly two decades since Apocalyptica first muscled their way into our collective consciousness as “that band that plays Metallica songs on cellos”. What at first appeared merely a neat gimmick has seen them become a fully fledged, credible and long-term band – one who have proved that metal doesn’t need to be played on electric guitar, and a tale of two cities, with big vocal singles such as ‘I’m Not Jesus’ and ‘I Don’t Care’ sat alongside stimulating dark instrumentals. It is this successful formula they look to replicate on eighth album Shadowmaker (Eleven Seven).
Having previously relied on a (frankly impressive) guest list of vocals (including Corey Taylor, Cristina Scabbia, Max Cavalera and Till Lindemann amongst many others), this time around the Finnish cellists have enlisted Franky Perez (Scars on Broadway/Slash) on 7 of the 11 full tracks, the first time they have used the same vocalist across an album.
However, consistency is an issue in the vocal led tracks; first track proper ‘Cold Blood’ is confident, competent and possessing of a strong chorus, and ‘Hole In My Soul’, a simple balladic shuffle, tugs on the cello strings of the heart; not a million miles from the more lachrymose moments of HIM, but ‘Dead Man’s Eyes’ fucking drags on and on becoming a song that fails to evoke any emotion other than annoyance, ‘House of Chains’ could be a Shinedown outtake, and ‘Sea Song’ sees interest wade out amongst the waves.
Meanwhile, the title track gets stronger and more interesting for the lengthy mid-to-late instrumental section, ripping through a Kirk Hammett style lead that segues into a Mercyful Fate darkened ambiance; ‘Reign of Fear’ intrigues and ensnares with mournful cello leads dancing languidly over riffs of varying tempos; and the aural voyage of ‘Til Death Do Us Part’, with its lengthy emotive passages dovetailing with stabs and lurches, is the album highlight.
Ultimately, Shadowmaker shows that the true essence of Apocalyptica lies in the instrumental. Unfettered by the constraints and adamantine chains of a traditional rock song structure they are, as they always have been, at their best, most dynamic and most interesting. Flitting between that and standard rock fare leaves them with a patchwork quilt of an album – the stitching may be great, but the overall aesthetic is muddled.
6.0 /10
STEVE TOVEY
There is an awfully thin line between dependability and predictability; a line that can drop you into the camp of much-loved or much-derided, dependent on where that line falls. Consider the latest album from Italian metal outfit Lacuna Coil. If I was a betting man (which I’m not, but humour me) I would lay a not inconsiderable sum of money that you already know what Broken Crown Halo (Century Media) sounds like already don’t you? And you would be right and I would be rich.
Broken Crown Halo is the latest album from the Coil and it is another perfectly serviceable slug of pop music masquerading as heavy metal. This is their seventh (yes, that is not a typo) album and will please their fan base no end, guarantee them a booking at several festivals across the summer where people will look at one another and go “I quite like Lacuna Coil” without really being able to put their fingers on exactly why.
It is self-evident that Lacuna Coil has a recipe that they like sticking to. Opening track ‘Nothing Stands In Our Way’ has one of those big riffs and big choruses which will appeal to those who like a bit of fist pumping in their heavy metal. Not that there is anything that is wrong with fist pumping heavy metal (far from it), but here it feels ever so predictable and, worse, contrived. You know when the chorus is going to hit, when the solo will come in, when the key change will take hold. It’s much the same elsewhere on the record; Korn should phone their lawyers for copyright infringement on ‘Die and Rise’ and you know already without even needing to listen to it that ‘I Burn In You’ is one of those broken-hearted, pained rock songs that Lacuna Coil can knock out at will.
If all of this sounds like I’m winding up to launching into a crescendo of bile and vitriol then you’d be mistaken because the record sounds fine. No, really, it sounds fine. The problem I have with Broken Crown Halo, like much of their other work, is that Lacuna Coil usually have plenty of industry but not enough artistry to move them out of the second division. We have heard this all before – and we’ve heard it all before from Lacuna Coil. Broken Crown Halo is another record from Lacuna Coil, but I’m not sure that the world really needs one irrespective of how reasonably nice this one sounds.
6.0/10.0
MAT DAVIES
Currently weaving their way across the U.S. on the Revolver sponsored “Hottest Chicks In Rock” tour, Italian Gothic Metal act Lacuna Coil and co singer Cristina Scabbia in particular, has forever received plenty of attention for their passionate and dramatic music and high energy live shows. On the phone from Reno, Nevada Cristina is remarkably chirpy considering the gruelling tour schedule the band have lined up in support of soon to be released new album Broken Crown Halo (Century Media).
“It’s a long tour, people don’t see that it is a lot of hard work to do this, being away from our families and friends for most of the year is difficult but this is what we do. I’m not complaining about it because I love playing live and connecting with our fans but it’s not all glamour.”
It is this fearless work ethic that has propelled the Milan act to the forefront of gothic and mainstream metal scenes. One look at Lacuna Coil will tell you how important family and togetherness is for them. From the uniform stage gear the band dons each night to the way the band interacts with each other it is clear that friendships between the band members run deep. A fact that made the recent announcement by drummer Cristiano “CriZ” Mozzati and guitarist Cristiano “Pizza” Migilore that they were “retiring” from the band after sixteen years, all the more shocking.
“We have known this was happening since December (2013) really. We sat down to discuss the tour schedule this year and they let us know it was time for them to do something different. It was readily apparent that they were not into the touring lifestyle and that’s fine. There was no fight or anything like that. We are continuing on our path and they are on theirs. It did not affect the album and there was still a very friendly atmosphere when we were recording the album together. Cristina recalled. “Marco our bass player is our main songwriter anyway so nothing much will change writing wise.”
As anyone who follows LC across various social media platforms can attest, Miss Scabbia is an avid user of social media helping promote her band but also to give fans a real glimpse behind the veneer of magazine covers and photo-shoots into the real world of a touring rock band. She may be characterized as the glamorous and sexy diva of Gothic Metal but a pampered princess she is not.
“People think you are becoming a millionaire touring all the time but bands have to tour now more than ever just to pay their bills! I posted a status on Facebook the other day looking for an outlet to buy something and some girl wrote “Why don’t you get someone to bring you that? You are a millionaire you can afford it. People seem to think you get on a couple of magazine covers and all of a sudden you are super rich but it is really not the case. The fact that people seem to think things like that makes me want to post more on Facebook and Twitter and show people what our lives are really like. It is a luxury to have this job but we also spend a lot of time working our asses off! That’s a reason why I wrote a column for Revolver Magazine so I could show people what life was really like for bands.”
Sadly just a couple of days before this interview took place we learned of the tragic passing of GWAR front man Dave Brockie a.k.a. Oderus Urungus a moment Cristina acknowledged on her Twitter account. “That was really sad. He was a very cool guy with a sarcastic sense of humour. I loved their cinematic style and he was a very cool guy when I met him.”
Considering she grew up in the glare of media attention, one could hardly blame Cristina if she was bored of the Metal “Sex symbol” tag she inherited. While the she may be wearing similar attire to her male counterparts onstage these days there is no doubting the 41 year-olds charisma and ability to turn heads where ever she goes. “I think it’s cool to use social networks to show people your real personality. I can be a tomboy on the tour bus! I don’t ware high heeling and make up all the time and I want people to see that. A teeny tiny girl from Italy, a size three! I’m not perfect and I’m not a model. I think if I can give any message to the younger generation it is that you can be confident without having to fit into that mould. I’m not surely what people mean when they say hot. For me someone needs to be more than just good looking. For every photo of me all dressed up there is an image of me in jeans and a hoodie. I like to show the real me online but I like to keep the lives of my family, my friends and my partner private. If you show too much then you don’t have any privacy. I take the sex symbol tag with a pinch of salt because it doesn’t affect my life. I know who I am and I would never do anything I was not comfortable with. I don’t feel doing tours like this (The Hottest Chicks In Rock) as anything other than empowering for women. I am showing that you can be successful on your own terms. I’m 41 and have an album in the charts and make music with people I love. I can’t think of anything better than that.”
Being sexy and provocative is something rock bands have been doing for years, yet strangely it’s only remarked upon when the protagonist is a female. “The funny thing is bands like Mötley Crüe have been taking their shirts off and selling an image of sexuality for years but no one pays attention to men doing that!”
Lacuna Coil have yet to choose a replacement guitar player, but the drum stool has seen the rapid appointment of former The Agony Scene sticksman Ryan Folden. As Cristina explains this was an easy choice. “He started as our drum tech and filled in for Criz when he and his partner had their baby girl. He’s a great musician and a perfect guy to have on a tour bus. It was really important for us to have someone we felt comfortable with and who understands the touring lifestyle. As for the guitarist we are carrying on with just Maus for now but the response from musicians expressing interest in becoming part of our band has been phenomenal. As soon as we put a status online we were inundated with emails and video auditions. We really appreciate it but we aren’t auditioning anyone right now. It’s going to take some time for us to decide on what the right thing to do is. I think it’s really cool with one guitar too. It gives the band a more rock vibe which I think is really interesting.”
Lacuna Coil may cautiously be soldiering on with one guitar player for now but this is not the only change in the LC camp. After working with producer Don Gilmore for a few years, the Italians felt it was time for a change drafting in Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach) to helm the mixing desk for Broken Crown Halo. “Jay owned the studio we recorded the last couple of records at so again it seemed a natural choice. We met Jay through Don but they are completely different. Don is a really hands on guy who wants to get every aspect of the recording right where as Jay stands back and looks at the whole picture. Our engineer Kyle also was really helpful. He has a lot of great ideas and plays many instruments. I am very happy with the results.”
Indeed Broken Crown Halo feels like a very natural progression from Dark Adrenaline. There has even been talk of Lacuna Coil taking inspiration from legendary horror director Dario Argento and soundtrack masters Goblin on this new record. “Yes very much. We grew up with these movies. They left a mark on us as kids. We wanted to combine those atmospherics with our music as a lot of themes fit well with the record. We haven’t written about Zombies and Vampires, but only used them as a metaphor for the destruction and horror we see in the world today. I think the record has such a spirit of defiance. We have been through a lot of things as a band in the last couple of years, couples splitting up and other conflicts, but whenever you touch the bottom you always rise to the top. It’s about facing all the adversity over the last fifteen years and still coming out on top. The song we released the video for “Nothing Stands In Our Way” is a great example of that. It tells of how we overcame the adversity life has thrown at us and we are still going strong today.”
ROSS BAKER
Like a bat out of hell……Ghost Cult #18 is here! The new issue features none other than Down on our cover.We interviewed Jimmy Bower about the changes in the band and their amazing new EP, Down IV, Part II. Issue #18 also includes interviews with Lacuna Coil, Beastmilk, Sevendust, Sabbath Assembly, Kyng, Amenra, ReVamp, Lord Dying, Anciients, and Dragged In To Sunlight. We also have complete coverage of the legendary Roadburn Festival, and a recap the 16th annual New England Metal And Hardcore Festival. Plus concert reviews from the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Carcass, Red Fang, Scale The Summit, The Ocean, & The Atlas Moth. We also have special feature with the late Dave Brockie, as well our largest section of album reviews to date. Made especially for your tablet device or smartphone! Check it out and tell a friend! Twice!