Last winter Keefy caught up with Mike Hambright of Raleigh, North Carolina’s oceanic-themed Progressive Music band Into The Deep! They released their new album “Blackfin” to start 2024 and we caught up to go track by track on the album, discuss the album’s themes, and more!Continue reading
I headed out to Berkeley for a night of good old-fashioned Thrash and Progressive metal, in what was to be my most anticipated concert of early 2024. None of these bands have ever disappointed me, and I had no reason to believe tonight would be any different. I was pleasantly surprised that the show was nearly sold out. And after a quick stop by the merch table led me to find out sales were brisk, but also that Prong’s excellent recent album State of Emergency (Napalm Records) was sold out for the entire tour and may not be repressed by the label. This is a total bummer but I’m stoked for all the sales, and glad I got one on pre-order when the record came out. Tommy Victor also remarked from the stage the new album was hard to find now. Feel free to check out our recent interviews with Tommy and the good old times we shared.Continue reading
Ghost Cult Keefy caught up with Bumblefoot of Progressive Metal supergroup Whom Gods Destroy! Their new album Insanium is releasing via InsideOut Music! We talked to Ron about how the group from from the ashes of Sons Of Apollo – his work at the same time on the new Art Of Anarchy album, the heavy direction of this band and influences such as Pantera! Ron also talked about songcraft, guitar technique, revisiting other projects he has been in such as Asia, and some thoughts on revisiting Guns N Roses’ – “Chinese Democracy!”
February 9th and 10th the Footprint Center stage, in Phoenix, AZ, lit up with the powerhouse that is Tool with direct support from Boston bred/and mostly now Germany-based band Elder. Elder started by warming up our ears to their heavy riffs and long instrumentals. This was my first time experiencing Elder, and I had never heard of the band until then. After this one experience though, I can easily see how the band fits and compliments Tool on this tour, as they too have some psychedelic and captivating soundscapes that just simply fits. Continue reading
Music that’s right here, right now, with echoes of glories past. A dream of an album that takes off fast, edgy, in a punky rush, sounding like … a punky Rush!
With an expansive sound and members whose past jobs include Devin Townsend, Haken, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress and The Neal Morse Band amongst others is Temic. The idea for this project was first suggested back in 2017, but various touring commitments and a pesky pandemic meant it came to naught until now.
Thermal count is rising in perpetual writhing, the primordial ooze of albums continues, and the sanity they lose choosing their favorites of the year. Awakened in the morning, to more ear-pollution warnings…
Now I can only laugh, as I read our epitaph – we end 2023 with cheer, in the light of our Albums of the Year.
May you all rust in peace…Continue reading
After such a fine introduction to the albums that have soundtracked our 2023 (Part 1 – 75-41), we now get into the belly of the beast and plunge on through the never, a testament to the diversity and abundance of alternative and heavy music that availed and impressed us this year.
So, without further ado (fewer words, more riffs…)Continue reading
2013 saw Ghost Cult crown Surgical Steel (Carcass) as our inaugural Album of the Year in a democratic aggregated vote process, untouched by editorial hands (other than the sliding of the abacus balls from one side to the other – or rather the logging of votes and the use of a rather rudimentary spreadsheet), a format we continue to utilise as the years pass, and the seasons grey. Our dedicated team of writers, editors, photographers make their submissions on demand following a month of much wringing-of-hands and profanities being aimed into the editorial mailbox.Continue reading
