Hard rock heavy weights, Asking Alexandria, have set and maintained an exceptionally high bar for themselves. It’s extremely disheartening to admit that their new record, See What’s On The Inside (Better Noise), falls slightly short of their usual standard. To be clear, there are very few bands that can achieve AA’s technical prowess. Critically, the record ticks a lot of boxes it’s supposed to. If this had come from a band like Buckcherry or Shinedown, it’d be a great release. The very problem is that this doesn’t sound like an Asking Alexandria album; It’s completely devoid of the biting, soul-exposed, gritty back-alley-of-a-rundown-city sound that made the band who they are.
Tag Archives: Opeth
Opeth and Mastodon Book a Co-Headline Tour
Two progressive metal legends Opeth and Mastodon have booked a co-headline tour for 2021 The two bands last toured together in the USA in 2011, with Ghost as the opener on their first national tour. The late year North American this fall will have direct support from Zeal & Ardor kicking off in Asheville, North Carolina on November 16th and wrapping in Denver, Colorado on December 5th. The pre-sale takes place tomorrow with the general on sale Friday, September 17th, 2021. Opeth continues to tour behind 2019’s In Cauda Venenum (Nuclear Blast) and Mastodon will soon release their new album Hushed and Grim.
EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Kesem – “No Future”
Los Angeles-based Progressive Metal band Kesem will released tyheir new album Post Terra via Sentient Records on September 24th. Muscially brilliant, and politically conscious, Kesem is a rising band you need to know for 2021. Althought they are focused on forging their own unique path creatively, fans of bands such as Dream Theater, Voivod, Opeth, Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard, Cynic and others will become quick lovers of this group. Check out their new single, “No Future,” exclusively at Ghost Cult!
Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Judas Priest, Korn, Mercyful Fate, Opeth, Emperor, and More Booked for Copenhell 2022
Copenhell has announced its first bands for 2022 next summer and it looks like a banger. Metallica will make their debut appearance ever at the fest performing on the new fourth day, June 15th, 2022, as announced on social media by Lars Ulrich, who is from Denmark. Metallica will offer a pre-sale for tickets through their Fifth Members Fan Club. Joining the band will be Iron Maiden, Kiss, Judas Priest, Korn, D-A-D, Mercyful Fate, Emperor, Bad Religion, Opeth, The Hellacopters, Bersærk, Jinjer, Gloryhammer, Death To All, Of Mice & Men, Artillery, Dog Eat Dog, Siamese, Destruction, Orm, Redwood Hill, Ghost Iris, Withering Surface, Xenoblight, Hällas, Lok, Gatecreeper, Knocked Loose, Svartsot, Soren Andersen, Eyes, Denial Of God, Wayward Dawn, Lifesick, Nyredolk and more to be announced. The fest runs from June 15th – 19th 2022.
Arctangent Festival 2021 is Postponed to 2022
In some heartbreaking news for this summers’ UK festival circuit, Arctangent Festival, the best fest for Progressive Metal, Tech-Death, Djent and related sub-genres is canceled for 2021 and postponed until 2022. The festival made the announcement on social media today. Bands returning in 2022 include Opeth, Cult of Luna, TesseracT, MONO, Amenra, Maybeshewill, Alces, Perturbator, Leprous, Enslaved, Caspian, The Locust, Agent Fresco, Oathbreaker, Intronaut, AA Williams, Bell Witch, Jo Quail, Svalbard, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, and Bloodlet.
GHOST CULT PRESENTS: Mini-Metal Mixtape #20
Metal and Coffee’s Mini-Metal Mixtape, presented by Ghost Cult Magazine is back with another new episode! Time to get your weekly dose of an essential mix of the newest extreme music by essential bands, and a few classics baked in there too! In the latest edition of Mini-Metal Mixtape, episode #20, curated by Ebonie Butler a.k.a, Metal & Coffee, she brings an eclectic array of bands Neurosis, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Cave In and Burst. In her 12-year journey as an extreme metal DJ, Metal & Coffee has delved into the depths of the heavy music world to bring you a new mix each week. Metal & Coffee has been featured on Philadelphia’s most popular college radio station, WKDU 91.7 FM, and has also spent time as the resident New Releases DJ over on GIMME METAL. Stream the newest playlist right now!
ALBUM REVIEW: Gojira – Fortitude
It should be clear by now that inertia and complacency are words that simply don’t exist in the vocabulary of French progressive death metal act Gojira, and with the latest album Fortitude (Roadrunner Records) the band have made some of their biggest and most diverse strides to date.
ALBUM REVIEW: Moonspell – Hermitage
Every album that Moonspell releases explores a different facet of their Gothic Metal style, sometimes responding to the one before it in a constant tug-o-war between darkness and light. Their thirteenth album, Hermitage (Napalm Records), is no exception. In contrast to the grandiose symphonics of 2018’s 1755, the band opts for a scaled-back, atmospheric approach with more Prog influence thrown in than usual. It seems to invoke the band’s early vibe without going full throwback and also reminds me of Tiamat or Opeth in spots.
ALBUM REVIEW: Einherjer – North Star
Whenever the subject of influential Viking metal rears its head from beneath freezing, storm-ridden waves, Dragons of the North (Napalm Records) by Norwegian act Einherjer usually finds its way into the conversation fairly quickly. Released in 1996, the record still remains a favourite among fans of the excessively hairy subgenre, and twenty-five years later the band are still going strong.
Hellfest 2021 Is Canceled
The organizers of Hellfest have been officially canceled after the French government culture ministry said summer events would be allowed to go ahead — but with a limit of 5,000 people, all of whom must remain seated, to meet COVID-19 restrictions.This is a bad sign for the upcoming European festival circuit this year as other countries are likely to follow the same protocols. The Union of Contemporary Music (SMA), which represents festivals, concert venues and producers, said late Thursday that the figure had been agreed at a meeting with culture minister Roselyne Bachelot. Hellfest, which drew 180,000 people in 2019, generally features a lineup which is 90 percent made up of international acts and 20 percent of spectators coming from abroad. Hellfest 2021 was to have featured Deftones, Faith No More, System of A Down, Judas Priest, Puscifer, Korn, Volbeat, Opeth, Dropkick Murphys, Northlane, Deep Purple, Wardruna, Rival Sons, Devin Townsend, Suicidal Tendencies, and more.