Tag Archives: Dave Lombardo

INTERVIEW: Mike Vennart and Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro) of Empire State Bastard Breakdown “Rivers of Heresy”

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Ghost Cult Keefy caught up with Mike Vennart (ex-Oceansize) and Simon Neil of Empire State Bastard. The supergroup features the duo from Biffy Clyro, along with Dave Lombardo (Mr. Bungle, ex-Slayer, Dead Cross, etc.) After getting rained out at Riot Fest, the guys were kind enough to circle back with Keefy to pick up the chat with us. They discussed their love of extreme metal including Grindcore and Death Metal, a breakdown of the new album, subverting the expectations of Biffy fans, working with Lombardo, adding Naomi Macleod (Bitch Falcon) to the live line-up on bass, signing to Roadrunner Records, their first USA gigs, and much more!  

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CONCERT REVIEW: Chat Pile – Nerver – Empire State Bastard Live at Le Poisson Rouge 

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Le Poisson Rouge (LPR) is one of the great music venues in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Located on Bleeker Street, just a block and a half south of Washington Square Park, it plays host to a wide variety of musical acts ranging in style from Disco to Punk to Hip Hop and some Heavy Metal. Wikipedia notes that the room capacity is 700 but that likely includes a hallway bar and other spaces.  In anticipation of a crowd heating the place, the air conditioning is always set on arctic and the room stays fairly comfortable. No food is served there but Bleeker is almost entirely made up of restaurants, so there will be something available for any taste. Something very interesting happened at LPR recently, and three bands rattled the windows of the entire neighborhood for a night.  

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ALBUM REVIEW: Gunship – Unicorn

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What is it about our aching nostalgia for the eighties that finds us being drawn back to this magical decade? Perhaps video did not actually kill the radio star until the end of this era? 

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Festival 2023 Part 3 

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Friday:

A challenge of being a concert photographer is seldom experiencing a full set. Often, I dash between stages, trying to capture each band as if on a Pokémon quest – though “gotta shoot ’em all” has a different ring to it. Nonetheless, the silver lining is I often witness a good portion of every set over the weekend. Here are my top picks and suggestions from Bloodstock’s two smaller stages, showcasing their stellar support for the underground scene and nurturing emerging metal talent in the UK and beyond.Continue reading →


Empire State Bastard Share New Sing and Video “Moi?” – Books Exclusive Saint Vitus Bar Headline Show

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Empire State Bastard have shared “Moi?,” the fourth new song to be released from the band’s eagerly anticipated debut album Rivers of Heresy which is set to arrive worldwide on September 1st. Available on today on all streaming platforms, “The Looming” follows the band’s recent singles “Harvest,” “Stutter,” and “The Looming.”Continue reading →


CONCERT REVIEW: The Misfits – Megadeth – Fear Live at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre

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I am not going to say that reunion tours are not shameless cash grabs. Up to this point, KISS and Bauhaus are the only bands successful at luring me out to them. However, The Misfits were an equally important part of my youth. The mere thirty-minute drive into Tampa, was too tempting, despite my lingering resentment with Danzig’s terrible Elvis tribute album. Going to an outdoor venue in Florida after May, added to the difficulty level of taking my misanthropic self into a 20,000-seat-capacity amphitheatre. Fear being on the bill provided more motivation, however thanks to misinformation regarding the start time at the venue and Tampa traffic, Fear had finished their set as I set foot into the venue.  

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Tortured Demon – Rise of the Lifeless

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Here’s what I know for sure. Given a couple more years and some seasoning, Tortured Demon is going to put out some brilliant Thrash Metal. And that’s not to dismiss what the British outfit have done on Rise of the Lifeless (Self-Released) as there are very interesting aspects to discuss, but this is still a band that’s figuring out what its sound is. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Argenthorns – The Ravening

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This is one of those one-man Black Metal projects, isn’t it? Figured as much. What gave it away, you ask? Well before even listening to Argenthorn’s The Ravening (Avantgarde Music) the band’s name and record label sort of told me everything I needed to know. That and there’s a track titled ‘I Incursion II A Procession of Spectres.’ 

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Dave Lombardo Shares a New Solo Single – “Separation From The Sacred”

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Legendary drummer Dave Lombardo, known for his iconic career formerly in Slayer, and currently with Testament, Suicidal Tendencies, Mr. Bungle, Dead Cross, Venamoris (with his wife Paula), Satanic Planet and more, will release his debut solo album this spring. Rites Of Percussion, “An experimental journey into rhythm and sound” will drop on May 5th, 2023 via Ipecac Recordings. Pre-orders are live in several formats now at the link below. Check out the second solo single from Dave for the track “Separation From The Sacred!” Dave will be on tour this year with Mr. Bungle, Suicidal Tendencies, and an appearance with collaborator and composer John Zorn. 

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