James Kent, based in Paris, has released several records since 2012 under the name Perturbator. His music under this moniker can be loosely defined as synthwave but, in reality, Perturbator’s evades such straightforward categorisation. Incorporating elements of early synth-based music, as well techno, gothic rock, ambient music, and metal, Perturbator has been compared to Kraftwerk, John Carpenter, and Nine Inch Nails, amongst many others.
Deftones had a banner year in 2020, dropping their impeccable Ohms (Reprise Records, review here) and celebrating the 20th anniversary of arguably their best album, White Pony. Unbeknownst to fans, and music journos, there is an entire secret history of White Pony the band revealed this year. For years we had been hearing that the band was interested in a remix album, either of an entire past release or perhaps a new album. It turns out, the band always intended White Pony to have a companion album or EP of remixes, called Black Stallion. Among the fanbase, this potential release lived in the lore of their minds, as much or more than the Eros sessions we may, or may not ever see the light of day (and we understand why guys). Now the band has capped off their year with the fleshed out and realized Black Stallion release (also Reprise).
For just one weekend the Banc of California Stadium was transformed into a carnivalesque outdoor funhouse for the Adult Swim Festival. The stadium was alive with colorful distorted animations reminiscent of children’s cartoons and claymation scenes warped and hyperbolized beyond the mind’s comprehension, while a giant Meatwad dome sat across an even larger inflatable slide shaped like Morty’s head vomiting a rainbow.
One of the best parts about reviewing albums is getting to deconstruct the music on the album and expose the soft squishy underbelly that the band hides deep within the tracks. The newest release from 3TEETH, Metawar (RED Music), is a case in point. The third studio album from the Los Angeles-based band is a cataclysmic master stroke pregnant with thinly veiled innuendo and tightly coiled enigma. Let me break that down for you in Skullgurl terms, this album is fanfuckingtastical.Continue reading
If you are after a deep and introspective album that’ll make you ponder about the world’s mysteries, Cheap Love (Arising Empires) by To The Rats and Wolves isn’t the album for you. That’s because Cheap Love is the album you want to be playing halfway through the night at your local alternative club. With just enough heaviness and to get away with fitting under an alt-label and the right amount of infectious hooks and beats per minute.
This eleven-track release will keep you partying til the early hours of the morning!Continue reading
EDM superstar Marshmello’s recent concert inside of the game Fortnight may just revolutionize the future of concerts and gaming! Dumb and Dumbest Podcast #98 is streaming right now, and it’s about Marshmello’s Virtual Concert. Dumb and Dumbest is a music industry podcast hosted by music executive Matt Bacon (Dropout Media, Ripple Music, Prophecy Productions) and Publicist Curtis Dewar (Dewar PR). Continue reading
There comes a point, it seems, for a lot of bands where they decide to go in a direction that would seem directly opposed to their core sound, or sound with which they are most associated with. Now, and this will not turn into a witch hunt or anything, but these creative directions often split fan bases and in turn lead to a lot of anger, comment, though in balance, often also acclaim. At one such crossroads are Aussie metalcore band The Amity Affliction, and their sixth album Misery (Roadrunner).Continue reading
After teasing an announcement for a few days on social media, Asking Alexandria revealed they have guested on a track by EDM artists Slander and Crankdat. You can hear now hear ‘Knee Before Me’ and read the bands’ track below. Continue reading
When Chester Bennington died on July 20th, it sent a shockwave through the music world. Although there seems to have been a lesser number of deaths in the music world this year compared to last, they have been no less painful. The fact that he died by suicide is tragic, and should not come with any sort of stigma, or lessen his greatness and accomplishments. As a singer, musician, and icon in the rock world, in many ways, he served as the distinctive voice of the millennial generation, in a way few others have.Continue reading
It’s a tricky thing growing up and playing music. I don’t mean “former child stars gone bad, next on TMZ”. Most bands that hit the mainstream have something catchy, visceral, and often a magic quality about their talent. The problem is that once you’ve gotten a taste of that hot hot spotlight, usually a band or artist ends up uncompromising to stay in front of it. The few that don’t ever sell out, fight an uphill battle the rest of their careers. This is the fight Linkin Park have been in since about album three, and now they are in it again on album seven in almost 20 years, One More Light (Warner Bros.)Continue reading