Flotsam And Jetsam – Flotsam And Jetsam

Posted on May 23, 2016 by News Team

In theory, the new Flotsam and Jetsam album Flotsam and Jetsam (AFM Records) should be called Regeneration. Their press brief says that the band really started in 2015 with the line-up of Eric AK, Mike Gilbert, Michael Spencer, Steve Conley, and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall). For this, I gave Flotsam and Jetsam a fresh listen, forgetting the past albums and attacking Flotsam and Jetsam as a new separate entity. The new album Flotsam and Jetsam is twelve songs lasting 56 minutes. It’s an hour that goes quickly by as the tracks seamlessly blend from one song to another.

The first thing that struck me was the heaviness of opening track. ‘Seventh Seal’ is has a heaviness that weights it down. If it weren’t for the guitar lines and jaunty pace of the song, it could be a doom song. There is something about the song that claws at you and keeps you earthbound. ‘Life is a Mess’ has the same thundering drumming as ‘Seventh Seal’. The vocals have this nu-metal rap feel with 90s metal singing. I hear shades of Testament in the guitar parts. ‘Taser’ opens up like a muscle car on an open backwoods Texas road. It’s fast and it’s wild. The vocals are a bit strained, but the music more than makes up for it. ‘Taser’ has a swagger about it. I went into ‘Iron Maiden’ wanting to love it because I love Iron Maiden. True to form, it’s a Bruce Dickinson epic lyrics love fest. It’s a bit of the ‘Trooper’ in new clothes. I nice wink wink nudge nudge to a great band.

The rest of the album is more of the same. Solid tunes that follow the tried and true metal formula. Flotsam and Jetsam the album has lots of guitar solos in all the right places and heavy drumming and bass playing keep everything solid. Some of the songs are a bit chunky and plodding while others have interesting accoutrements. If you like Overkill and Testament, you’ll enjoy Flotsam and Jetsam.

7.0/10

VICTORIA ANDERSON

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Twisted Sister To Play Farewell Show At The Rock Carnival 2016

Posted on May 16, 2016 by News Team

Rock legends Twisted Sister will headline the second Annual Rock Carnival in Lakewood, NJ. The event will take place will on September 30^th, October 1^st and October 2^nd. Twisted Sister will play the first day of the event and the this will be there farewell show for the U.S. northeast leg of the tour

Twisted Sister guitarist JJ French commented:

“As 2016 marks the end of our live performing career, Twisted Sister is looking forward to returning to the Tri-State NYC area for the final time to the Rock Carnival at First Energy Park in Lakewood, NJ on Oct 1, 2016. In celebrating our 40^th anniversary and our farewell to live performing, we are bringing our “40 & F*ck It” worldwide farewell tour one last time to the area that created us!”

There will be other hard rock and metal acts that will be performing at the Rock Carnival as well, Overkill, Ace Frehley, Fuel, Monster Magnet, Tom Keifer’s Cinderella, Dokken,Texas Hippie Coalition, Doro and American Angel. There will be more Rock Carnival performances to be announced soon.

Rock Carnival producer John D’Esposito commented

“This year’s line-up far exceeds our expectations. The incredible new layout, amenities and resources are sure to enhance the Carnival experience for our fans and their families.”

Three-day general admission and reserved seat weekend packages for this year’s Rock Carnival are on sale now. Three-day “Early Bird” general admission passes start at $95.90 and weekend reserved seat tickets start at $119.99. Get your tickets at the link below.

Skyboxes, reserved seats, daily general admission and VIP experiences (presented by SoundRink) will be available on June 7.

The Rock Carnival online

The Rock Carnival on Facebook

The Rock Carnival on Twitter

The Rock Carnival on Instagram

For more information, visit http://therockcarnival.com/.

Ozzfest Meets Knotfest To Feature Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Disturbed, Slayer

Posted on May 12, 2016 by News Team

Two of the biggest heavy music brands in history have joined together as Ozzfest has returned and will team up with Slipknot’s Knotfest as a conjoined two-day festival. Ozzfest Meets Knotfest will take place Saturday, September 24 (Ozzfest) and Sunday, September 25 (Knotfest) at San Manuel Amphitheater and Festival Grounds in San Bernardino, California.Long-rumoured to be making a comeback, Ozzfest is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Knotfest which debuted in 2012 and has spawned other versions in Japan and Mexico. Tickets for the Live Nation produced fest with a multi-stage, two-day weekend camping event with more than 40 acts — go on sale Friday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m. (PST) at Ozzfest.com and Knotfest.com.

At a press conference earlier today the event was announced, followed by a performance by Zakk Wylde’s Zakk Sabbath. Present were Ozzfest founder Ozzy Osbourne and Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and M. Shawn Crahan. The event began with a movie screening, followed by a question-and-answer session with artists.

Ozzy commented on the event:

“We are here to create havoc and history. Let the madness begin…”

Slipknot, by Evil Robb Photography

Slipknot’s Corey Taylor added:

“This could be the one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of. Starting out as an Ozzfest band, coming into our own with Knotfest and now combining forces to make a little metal history…it was meant to be and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Shawn Crahan also commented:

“Playing with BLACK SABBATH is always an honor. Merging both festivals will be a legendary experience that will be life-changing for all fans. We are excited to bring all the families together again.”

Cory Brennan, President, 5B Artist Management also added his thoughts:

“The impact of Ozzfest on heavy music and on Slipknot, cannot be underestimated.For 20 years, Ozzfest has given fans their first glimpse at bands like Slipknot, Disturbed and countless others, but also bringing new fans and bands together every year. Ozzfest inspired Slipknot to continue this vital tradition with Knotfest, and it’s an honor to celebrate our genre alongside them in 2016.”

The Ozzfest Meets Knotfest 2016 Lineup Is As Follows, with a “Lemmy” stage included on both days for Lemmy Kilmister Of Motörhead, who passed away this past December 28^th.