Once again ready to take over and rock Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, High Elevation Rock Festival 2017 has been announced. Headlined by Korn, Five Finger Death Punch, A Day To Remember, Stone Sour, Halestorm, the fest will be a two-day event takes place Friday, September 22nd and Saturday, September 23rd, after last year’s smash success. Pre-sale tickets on sale tomorrow, April 19th. More details below: Continue reading
Cursed (Another Century) hits a lot harder than Wyoming Metalcore quintet Righteous Vendetta’s past works, such as the Lawless (Red Cord) album and the Defiance EP (Street Smart). Sadly, though, it is an album that falls short of their promising reputation, and, yes, it is a heavy album, but upping the ante seems to have cost them their originality.Continue reading
ShipRocked Day 3 got under way at picturesque Costa Maya, Mexico. The cruisers who left the ship for the beach and the sun were treated to a fun day of action hanging with artists and making new friends. At night more music poured out of the speakers and onto the stage with the all-star band The Stowaways, who performed the first of two sets. The Stowaways includes a who’s who of rock and metal royalty in their lineup such as David Ellefson of Megadeth, Marcos Curiel and Wuv Bernardo(P.O.D.); John Tempesta (The Cult, Motor Sister); Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Bumblefoot, Guns N’ Roses); Jonny Hetherington and Tavis Stanley (Art of Dying); Lukas Rossi, Josh Newell, and Miles McPherson (The Halo Method); Carly Smithson (We Are The Fallen); Dave Buckner (ex-Papa Roach); Oli Herbert (All That Remains); Joey Duenas (Anew Revolution, ex-Unloco); . They played songs like Temple of The Dog’s 90s classic ‘Hunger Strike’, Megadeath’s thrashterpiece ‘Peace Sells’, Metallica’s ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’, and tributes to the recently passed on Scott Weiland (STP’s ‘Vasoline’) and Lemmy (‘Ace of Spades’). Halestom and Nonpoint figured prominently on Day three as well.
Day 4 was a full day at sea back to Miami which meant hijinks on the high seas the entire time. High winds canceled some of the outdoor activities, but the bands moved to the Sprinkler Lounge and the big theater too. In addition to FFDP playing an extra long set, Day 4 included Helmet, who was the band most talked about after the headliners by other bands on the cruise in terms of the “must see factor”. Up and comers like The Dead Deads and Red Storm Rising and another performance by the Stowaways. All in all ShipRocked #7 was and action packed, awesome time had by all. Once again special thanks to Rick Triana for RIPT Media Productions for throwing down behind the lens, and in front of it too; bringing Ghost Cult readers as close to the action as possible without being there. ShipRocked 2017 is already being booked, so we highly recommend this one-of- -kind, dream come true experience for music fans!
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RICK P. TRIANA
Rocklahoma 2016 has announced it’s lineup for it’s 10th anniversary. Taking place at the Catch The Fever festival grounds in Pryor, OK from May 27th to 29th this year. The headline bands are Scorpions, Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, along with Megadeth, Chevelle, 3 Doors Down, Sixx:A.M., Collective Soul, Sebastian Bach, Bullet For My Valentine, Great White, Sevendust, P.O.D., HELLYEAH, Steel Panther, Pop Evil, Saint Asonia, Bang Tango, Last In Line, Thousand Foot Krutch, Texas Hippie Coalition, The Sword, Red Sun Rising, Hatebreed, DevilDriver, Mystery, Wilson, Avatar, Wild Throne, The Glorious Sons, Citizen Zero, Banshee, Nova Rex, Prophets Of Addiction, Beggars Jam, NiteRain, Freeway Mad, Midnite Sin, 3-D In Your Face, Teer, 5-Star Hooker, Dead Metal Society, Electro_Nomicon, Kore, Rozzik, Diamond Lane, Chaotic Resemblance, Project Terror, The Tip, NICNOS, Stolen Rhodes, Screaming For Silence, DREK, A Course Of Action, Lovebettie, BC and the Big Rig and more. Fan interested in attending can get specially priced Rocklahoma pre-sale tickets now with the password “ROK10”. Ticket prices go up when the public on sale begins, next Monday, Jan 18th at noon local time. http://bit.ly/ROK2016
ROCKLAHOMA 2016!!! Here we go! We can’t wait to celebrate America’s Biggest Memorial Day Party with you! Get your…
Posted by Rocklahoma on Monday, January 11, 2016
Northern Invasion has expanded to two full days – Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, 2016 at Somerset Amphitheatre in Somerset, WI. The confirmed lineup includes:
Disturbed
Rob Zombie
Korn
Shinedown
Chevelle
A Day To Remember
Bring Me The Horizon
Seether
Lamb Of God
Ghost
Sixx:A.M.
Pop Evil
Clutch
Sevendust
Hellyeah
P.O.D.
BABYMETAL
Black Stone Cherry
Yelawolf
Trivium
Asking Alexandria
Parkway Drive
Saint Asonia
Butcher Babies
Turbowolf
Red Sun Rising
Beartooth
Enter Shikari
Aranda
Lacey Sturm
Avatar
Monster Truck
From Ashes To New
The Glorious Sons
Wild Throne
Audiotopsy
RavenEye
City Of The Weak
Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion has been confirmed for May 6, 7 and 8, 2016 at Rock City Campgrounds at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Confirmed acts so far include:
Disturbed
The Scorpions
Rob Zombie
ZZ Top
Five Finger Death Punch
Shinedown
Deftones
Lynyrd Skynyrd
A Day To Remember
3 Doors Down
Alice Cooper
Bring Me The Horizon
Cypress Hill
Pennywise
Lamb Of God
Megadeth
Ghost
Sixx:A.M.
Anthrax
Collective Soul
Clutch
The Sword
The Struts
Asking Alexandria
Yelawolf
BABYMETAL
Pop Evil
Bullet For My Valentine
P.O.D.
Sevendust
Hellyeah
Between The Buried & Me
Parkway Drive
Black Stone Cherry
Saint Asonia
Trivium
Escape The Fate
August Burns Red
Turbowolf
Enter Shikari
Sick Puppies
Filter
Candlebox
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
New Years Day
Aranda
Thousand Foot Krutch
Red Sun Rising
Texas Hippie Coalition
Hands Like Houses
Code Orange
Failure Anthem
Avatar
Lacey Sturm
The Glorious Sons
From Ashes To New
Wilson
I Prevail
Monster Truck
Audiotopsy
Wild Throne
RavenEye
Slipknot, one of the headline acts for Monster Energy Aftershock Festival have paired up to present Slipknot ‘s Scream Park for the Monster Energy Aftershock Pre-Party on Friday, October 23 from 7 p.m. to midnight in Sacramento, California. The pre-party concert and food truck event will be headlined by Hell Or Highwater, with more bands to be announced. Hell Or Highwater has also been added to the festival proper, performing on Saturday, October 24.
Slipknot ‘s Corey Taylor and M. Shawn “Clown” Crahan have partnered with Sacramento-based Scream Park California to produce an event that explores a whole new, intensely visceral world of horror, as only Slipknot can provide. Slipknot ‘s Scream Park features three haunted houses and live horror entertainment. Slipknot ‘s Scream Park will also have an onsite presence at Monster Energy Aftershock on October 24 and 25.
A limited number of guests can gain admission to the Monster Energy Aftershock Pre-Party by showing proof of purchase of an Aftershock ticket. This will allow free access to the Aftershock Pre-Party, which will include live music and food trucks. On the Pre-Party night guests will be able to go through the haunted houses at Slipknot ‘s Scream Park for a discounted price of $15. More details will be available soon about music performances at the Pre-Party and how to obtain free Pre-Party admission, as space will be limited. You can view the trailer for the Scream Park at this link or below:
Slipknot ‘s Scream Park is also offering an Aftershock Scream Park Bundle for $119.50. This package includes one 2-day General Admission weekend ticket to Monster Energy Aftershock and one Scream Park General Admission ticket (a $25 savings). Purchase your combo tickets for both Slipknot ‘s Scream Park and Monster Energy Aftershock Festival at link text or www.Slipknot screampark.com.
Slipknot ’s Scream Park is located at 4909 Auburn Blvd. in Sacramento, California.
Monster Energy Aftershock Festival already boasts an incredible music lineup with four stages and countless attractions such as live, in-ring matches with WWE’s NXT Superstars beyond music for entertainment. Bands appearing in addition to Slipknot are Faith No More, Deftones, Shinedown, Jane’s Addiction, Marilyn Manson, Coheed & Cambria, Stone Temple Pilots, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Bring Me The Horizon, All Time Low, Sleeping With Sirens, Eagles Of Death Metal, Black Veil Brides, and many more.
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
Photo courtesy of BWR PR
POD has released the video for their single ‘This Goes Out To You’ from their upcoming album The Awakening (Atlantic). You can watch the video at this link or below:
The clip for “This Goes Out To You” was directed by San Diego-based filmmaker Gavin Filipiak. Shot on location in the bands hometown, it is a tribute to P.O.D.’s community and local culture featuring “Cholo Goth” duo Prayers, Roller Derby darlings San Diego Derby Dolls, dancers Hob.e, Prime Tyme Ron Myles and Jason Sensation, as well as vintage cars from various local clubs organized by Tribal Streetwear.
The Awakening track listing:
01. Am I Awake
02. This Goes Out To You
03. Rise of NWO
04. Criminal Conversations (feat. Maria Brink)
05. Somebody’s Trying to Kill Me
06. Get Down
07. Speed Demon
08. Want It All
09. Revolución (feat. Lou Koller)
10. The Awakening
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.