On The Road…with Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach, In This Moment and From Ashes To New


Five finger Death Punch Papa Roach ITM From Ashes To New

As the summer heat gets further away and we press on toward winter, all of the fall tours seem to be hitting my town at once. Earlier in the year it seems like there were hardly any tours worth going to, let alone any with a deep enough bill to make one be need to be there. Five Finger Death Punch on the strength of their new album Got Your Six (Prospect Park) put together such a bill that people came out early, and rocked out in droves. From Ashes To New energized the early crowd with their hybrid mix of modem metal and old school rap metal sounds. High energy stage shows with two front men and uplifting jams are the blood of this band, and we are going to keep an eye out for them for years to come. Following that up is In This Moment’s theatrical stage show that just floors people. Hard to believe the leaps this act has taken since starting out as a little metalcore band from Las Vegas. Front woman Maria Brink channels her inner Madonna via costume changes, props, and sheer bravado. Resurgent hit-makers Papa Roach are in the direct support slot on this tour. Their sets are always a rabid sing-a-long with fans, screaming out the words to every song and hopping around in step to the beat. At last it was time for FFDP, themselves now the modern rock and metal torchbearers in America, taking up the reigns from the mostly absent Metallica the last half decade. With larger than life staging, the larger than life band prowls all over the stage jumping off risers, all while their fans try to soak it up and hold on to what the band doles out. Everything about this band screams Las Vegas spectacle or Texas Roadhouse. Thanks to Evil Robb Photography who caught all the action for Ghost Cult with the cam in hand!

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography
 

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography

Five Finger Death Punch, by Evil Robb Photography

Papa Roac, by Evil Robb Photography

Papa Roach, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

From Ashes To New, by Evil Robb Photography

From Ashes To New, by Evil Robb Photography
 

[slideshow_deploy id=’34505′]


P.O.D. – The Awakening


The_Awakening_by_P.O.D

For a veteran radio rock band producing a heady concept album may seem strange, but San Diego’s P.O.D. has made a career of making left turns seem right. They have been able to shift chameleon-like from their early days as So-Cal hardcore punks, to Nu Metal, to active rock torchbearers while still writing big hits. When you are a band at this level, the choice to make a concept album at this stage of the game is a curious move, but a welcome one.

Following a day in the life of the main protagonist, with all the moral choices a person has to make daily, The Awakening (T-Boy/Universal) is tied together with little vignettes in the form of the intros and outros of tracks. Some of the acting is hammy in places, but in the context of the album, it works. Without being too preachy, the long running Christian act continues to ply its faith through lyrics firmly on each track. Opening with the posi-rock of ‘Am I Awake’, the track sets the tone. I expect arena rock ready hit single ‘This Goes Out To You’ to be heard in the PA system of every NFL stadium this fall. It’s an homage to the SoCal lifestyle the band grew up with and their fans.

The broody ‘Rise of NWO’ is going to be a hit with the bro in your life that follows Facebook groups and Reddit threads about The Illuminati, and False Flag nuts. The track is heavy and features Sonny Sandoval’s deft rhyming. Marcus Curiel, along with help from drummer Wuv Bernardo have done some of the best guitar work in the history of the band on The Awakening. ‘Criminal Conversations’ features In This Moment’s Maria Brink in the lens of an adulterous relationship. Musically the ballad works, and I can see it being a hit with fans, but I wasn’t crazy about the collabo. One exciting thing about the album is the band reconnects with its punk roots on ‘Speed Demon’ and ‘Revolución,’ which features Lou Koller from Sick Of It All. The most surprising track on the album is ‘Want It All’. In addition to the heart tugging vocals and lyrics covering the “why are we all here” stuff, it is a slick Jazzy tune, complete with smokey horns and vibraphone parts that chill you way out.

The Awakening feels like a comeback album for a band that didn’t need to make one. It’s cool to see them challenge themselves and their listeners at a time when many other bands just mail it in.

7.0/10

KEITH CHACHKES


Audio: P.O.D. Featuring Maria Brink: Criminal Conversations


The_Awakening_by_P.O.D

P.O.D. (Payable On Death) is streaming their new song ‘Criminal Conversations’, featuring a guest appearance from In This Moment singer Maria Brink. You can hear the track at this link or below:

A behind the scenes video for the recording of the track with Brink has also been released:

‘Criminal Confessions’ comes off of P.O.D.’s upcoming album The Awakening (Atlantic) due out on August 21st.


On The Road… with In This Moment


in this moment black widow tour

Hot on the heels of their hit album Black Widow (Atlantic), Las Vegas rockers In This Moment have brought their impressive stage show to audiences all over the world. Emphasizing the more goth rock elements of the band’s personality, the sound of the group has evolved from their metalcore beginnings ten years ago. Their wild stage show involves elaborate sets, back-up dancers, lights, smoke pylons, props and many evocative costume changes from front woman Maria Brink. Seeing In This Moment live is a veritable circus, with Ms. Brink as the Ring Master. Seen here at the Worcester Palladium, we send thanks to our comrade Evil Robb Noxious of Evil Robb Photography for sharing this photo set with our followers.

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

In This Moment, by Evil Robb Photography

[slideshow_deploy id=’24964′]


In This Moment Releasing Rise Of The Blood Legion: Greeatest Hits (Chapter 1)


in this moment rise of the blood legion greatest hits chapter 1

In This Moment is releasing Rise of the Blood Legion – Greatest Hits (Chapter 1), a CD + DVD best of collection of their material during this era on May 5, 2015 via Century Media Records.

Maria Brink had this to say:

Rise of the Blood Legion – Greatest Hits (Chapter 1) is a tribute dedicated to everyone who has risen with us through the blood, the sweat, the thick and the thin. We are honored to have such a beautiful connection with our Blood Legion family, It’s amazing that Century Media Records is releasing this compilation so everyone can hear our personal favorites over the last ten years. We love you all and the journey has just begun, Stay the course with us “We are immortal , We rise from the wraith, We are eternal, You are my blood legion My faith.”

“This is for you”

Chris Howorth from the band had this to say:

“This compilation is for the “Blood Legion” our die hard fans, We wouldn’t be doing any of this without our fans, this album is for them. The songs were hand picked by Maria and myself and we feel they show the growth of our band over the last 10 years, I hope everyone enjoys this. Thanks again for joining us on this incredible journey!”

CD tracklisting:

Whispers of October*
Beautiful Tragedy*
Prayers*
Daddy’s Falling Angel*
The Rabbit Hole#
Forever#
Into the Light (live version)&
The Gun Show%
The Promise%
World in Flames%
Rise with Me^
Blood^
Scarlet^
Adrenalize^
It is Written^
Burn^
Whore^
The Blood Legion^

*Taken from the album, Beautiful Tragedy
#Taken from the album, The Dream
%Taken from the album, A Star-Crossed Wasteland
^ Taken from the album, Blood
Taken from the album, Blood at the Orpheum

DVD tracklisting:

Beautiful Tragedy (produced by Robert Hall)
Prayers (produced by Mike Wildt)
Forever (produced by MyGoodEye, directed by David Brodsky)
The Gun Show (produced by MyGoodEye, directed by David Brodsky)
The Promise (produced by MyGoodEye, directed by David Brodsky)
Adrenalize (produced and directed by Robert Kley)
Blood (produced and directed by Robert Kley)
Whore (produced and directed by Robert Kley)

In This Moment on Facebook


Red Dragon Cartel-Red Dragon Cartel (Japanese Edition)


ob_8f240d_promoimage-21

Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee got his newest band, Red Dragon Cartel, together last year and their eponymous debut album (Frontiers Records) shows that there is some great potential. The album features others who are well-known to metalheads such as Maria Brink of In This Moment and former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno on some of the tracks.

 

The second track ‘Shout It Out’ could very well be the next anthem at sports games. If not that, it can certainly get the crowd going as an opening song. It has the crunching guitar sound that many metalheads desire as well as singer Darren James Smith yelling “Who’s your master?”

 

Brink on ‘Big Mouth’ is a welcome change in the male dominated sound of the album. Her singing style goes well with the band’s sound. It is a song that both fans of Jake E. Lee and In This Moment are sure to enjoy.

 

The finale of the album, ‘Exquisite Tenderness,’ is a bold move for a heavy band. It shows that Lee is more than just a talented guitarist. He had written the piece at the age of six when he was being trained as a classical pianist. It’s a perfect way for someone who has been praised for his guitar work to give listeners a bit of a surprise.

 

The bonus track on this edition of the album is an acoustic version of ‘Feeder’. This version is better than the one that actually made it onto the album. It is more interesting to listen to the acoustic guitar solo because it is a break from most of what the album sounds like. There is also more of Lee’s piano chops to be heard here.

 

Overall, the album seems to suffer from sounding a little too generic. It is disheartening to say that about a guitarist who has played with some big acts. However, ‘Exquisite Tenderness’ and the acoustic version of ‘Feeder’ prove that Lee and the rest of the band still have a few tricks up their sleeves.

 

6.0/10

Red Dragon Cartel on Facebook

 

MELISSA CAMPBELL