Veil Of Maya is streaming their fifth album Matriarch, which will be released May 12, 2015 via Sumerian Records. The album marks the debut of new vocalist Lukas Magyar. The band will be kicking off their headlining tour with Revocation, Oceano, Gift Giver and Entheos.
May 20: Crofoot – Detroit, MI
May 21: Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
May 22: Water Street Music Hall – Rochester NY
May 23: Revolution – Long Island, NY
May 24: Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA
May 25: Canal Club – Richmond, VA
May 26: Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
May 27: Zydeco – Birmingham, AL
May 28: Underbelly – Jacksonville, FL
May 29: Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
May 30: State Theater – Tampa, FL
Jun 02: Mesa Music Hall – El Paso, TX
Jun 03: The Rock – Tucson, AZ
Jun 04: Hard Rock – Las Vegas, NV
Jun 06: Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA
Jun 07: Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
Jun 08: Studio Seven – Seattle, WA
Jun 09: Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC (without Oceano)
Jun 11: Republik – Calgary, AB (without Oceano)
Jun 12: The Pawn Shop – Edmonton, AB (without Oceano)
Jun 13: The Exchange – Regina, SK (without Oceano)
Jun 14: The Pyramid Cabaret – Winnipeg, MB (without Oceano)
Veil Of Maya is: Marc Okubo – Guitar Sam Applebaum – Drums
Lukas Magyar – Vocals Dan Hauser – Bass
Chicago metallers Veil Of Maya is streaming the music video for “Mikasa,” off of their forthcoming album Matriarch, out May 12, 2015 via Sumerian Records. The record was produced by Taylor Larson (Periphery, Darkest Hour) and marks the debut of new vocalist Lukas Magyar.
The band has confirmed an upcoming North American tour with Revocation, Gift Giver, Oceano and Entheos.
May 20: Crofoot – Detroit, MI
May 21: Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
May 22: Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
May 23: Revolution – Long Island, NY
May 24: Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA
May 25: Canal Club – Richmond, VA
May 26: Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC
May 27: Zydeco – Birmingham, AL
May 28: Underbelly – Jacksonville, FL
May 29: Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
May 30: State Theater – Tampa, FL
Jun 02: Mesa Music Hall – El Paso, TX
Jun 03: The Rock – Tucson, AZ
Jun 04: Hard Rock – Las Vegas, NV
Jun 06: Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA
Jun 07: Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
Jun 08: Studio Seven – Seattle, WA
Jun 09: Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC (without Oceano)
Jun 11: Republik – Calgary, AB (without Oceano)
Jun 12: The Pawn Shop – Edmonton, AB (without Oceano)
The new record was recorded at Phil “Landphil” Hall‘s studio in Virginia. Hall tracked rhythm and bass guitar, while his brother, Josh, tracked drums, and guitarist Brandon Ellis tracked the majority of the album’s leads. Barnes took to London Bridge Studio (Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains etc.) in his new homebase in Seattle, WA to track vocals and in fact holed himself up in the very same booth where Layne Staley captured his words. Mixing was completed by Rob Caldwell (Cannabis Corpse, Iron Reagan etc.) in Sarasota, FL and mastering was handled by Alan Douches (Cannibal Corpse, Revocation, Torche, Skeletonwitch etc.) at West West Side in New Windsor, NY.
Revocation recently undertook a short headline tour of clubs in the US. Touring almost non-top since the release of last year’s Deathless (Metal Blade) album with are plethora of different bands. The band has been remarkably consistent as a live band throughout there career and shows in their hometown of Boston have been the stuff of legend. Joined on this night by Black Crown Initiate, themselves hardcore road warriors of late and locals Sexcrement and Coagula at the famed Middle East Night Club for a fun night of metal. Check out these photos by Evil Robb Photography,who caught the wild Dave Davidson of Revocation, in his natural habitat, on stage shredding.
Publicist UK are an intriguing combo which see Dave Witte (Discordance Axis, Municipal Waste drummer) joining forces with Revocation bassist Brett Bamberger and team up with Distant Correspondent’s David Obuchowski and former Fresh Kills mouthpiece Zachary Lipez.
It would be natural to expect pounding rhythms and adrenaline fuelled blasts, especially considering the rhythm section. Only that couldn’t be further from the agenda. Instead gothic post-punk is the order of the day, with the spectre of the late 70s looming largely over the two tracks present here. The sound of the band is decidedly British in its choice of influences, reeking of decaying Chameleons and Fields Of The Nephilim records. “I love it when you talk real politics!” Lipez pines like Andrew Eldritch reciting the works of Fredrik Engels.
Original Demo Recordings (Static Tension) is the kind of effort fans of recent death rock troubadours such as Beastmilk may lap up, although Publicist UK are more retrospective in their style and the reverb and treble heavy production; Spiralling melodies are interwoven amongst the effortless performance of Witte, who provides a solid backbone, largely sitting back to support the song. His pulsing sixteenths accenting every nuance of ‘Slow Dancing To This Bitter Earth’ while Lipez repeats the hypnotic mantra of a chorus over jangling riffs to great effect.
They also use the music as a platform to hit out at faux social rebellion. “Wave a red flag and decorate your handbag” snarls Lipez on the latter number, clearly using it to take a swipe at insincere political campaigners who do much complaining but little to change the systems in which they live.
Since this tempting morsel has been delivered, the group have taken up residence on Relapse Records and are working on a full length. Given the murky depths this release mines, it will be interesting to see if they can progress as strongly as they have started.
Job For A Cowboy bass wunderkind Nick Schendzielos (ex-Cephalic Carnage) have released the off-beat and disturbingly funny ‘Newborns’ video on his YouTube channel, Bassfordays. Brought to life with the versatile Dave Davidson of Revocation, as well as Landon Meier and Matthew Zinke, watch it if you dare to be royally weirded out.
“We’re extremely excited to be part of a roster alongside not just great bands, but great people who are dedicated to the craft and enthusiastic about our vision of where we see Fallujah going. Fallujah is all about pushing the envelope, taking risks, and keeping an open mind; with that mentality we felt Nuclear Blast was the most obvious and logical step for a band such as ours. With our team behind us, we can’t wait to see Fallujah grow.”
Crowbar has spent much of 2014 touring behind their tenth full length record titled Symmetry In Black (out now via EOne Music). Already headlining a tour with Revocation, Havok, Fit For An Autopsy and Armed For Apocalypse; the Symmetry In Winter tour with Unearth and Black Crown Initiate, and appearing at Maryland Death Fest and the Scion AV Rockfest, they have kept themselves busy and also celebrating 25 years of the band in the meantime.
Photo By Keith Chachkes
One thing frontman and guitarist Kirk Windstein did was bow out of his long time “other” band Down in 2013, which the decision helped with him focus on Crowbar instead of balancing multiple bands.
He admits that leaving Down allowed him to put all of his time into Crowbar without juggling schedules. “I do have a clearer vision but it’s not that I have another band to worry about. It’s just that Down is a democracy and so is Crowbar. The difference is, and when I told Phillip [Anselmo], he understood me. ‘You’ve always been in charge of your career. You did what you wanted to do. If you wanted to stop doing Down and do Superjoint [Ritual], you did it. If you wanted to stop that and concentrate on a record label, you did it. Stop that and do a solo record, you did it.’ He was very cool about it, of course. He is my brother. I love him until the day I die. He was very cool about everything.”
“The situation for me in my life had changed to simplify my life was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Now I’m in control. Now as in an arrogant asshole – I’m in control of when I tour, where I tour, how long I tour. My wife does merchandise. To us, Crowbar is a family business. So if we’re not on the road doing Crowbar, we’re at home being a family. To me, it was a logical, perfect step for us as a family. You saw what you saw and this band kicks ass. I put us against anybody. I ain’t scared of nobody. We don’t need bells and whistles, explosions, dragons, demons, light shows or none of that bullshit. I’m proud of what we do and I believe in what we do. That’s why I’m doing it.”
He said he likes how things are moving along with Crowbar and has regained control of his career. “Now I call my own shots. At my age…not to sound like a dick but I deserve to be in control of my own life and my career. With Crowbar, I do that.”
A bit of kitchen sink album, this one – prog, power, death, bits that sound like Extreme (the band), a concept that makes Demanufacture look like a children’s story (OK, it is hardly the most developed story anyway…) and part 1 of a trilogy I’m keen to see if it can keep up with the level of this first one.
The album I wanted ‘At War With Reality’ to be, but with a metric tonne of breakdowns (or possibly beatdowns – I still get them confused) on top. Blistering with Gothenburg tinged spiky riffing, dual guitars flying, full on vocals and some good old fashioned metal aggression, Old Wave of Swedish Melodic Death Metal style. No remorse, no repent, no let up, no problem!
I have always had a very strong dislike of Opeth. Then they released an album that doesn’t sound like Opeth. Now loads who did like them, don’t, and loads who didn’t like them, do. Not normally a massive prog fan either, but this album is really good. AND somehow I’ve now started to get into the older stuff I’ve never liked before like Blackwater Park and Still Life. Weird, innit.
21, Overkill– White Devil Armory (Nuclear Blast/eOne)
Continuing their brilliant run of form that near matches their classic first 3 albums since signing for Nuclear Blast with another energetic, full-on, thrash classic. Really loving the vitality but above all the quality of the tunes. Always had a soft spot for Overkill and well chuffed they’re still flying the flag louder and harder than any other “old school” thrash band. Proud to review this one here.
Set your HM-2 pedals to kill… Really enjoyable old school Death Metal romp. Plenty of Dismember, plenty of Entombed, bit of Morbid Angel in places, and just sounds like a bunch of guys who know what they’re doing having fun with metal they love. ‘sGot big riffs. And I like Nick Holmes vocals on it, too. More cookie monster than cookie cutter and add a distinctive edge.
So, I split the two albums out and Dark Matters was in the ‘Not Quite…’ list. It took me a little while and a few listens to forgive Sky Blue for not being Epicloud. But seeing as Epicloud is probably my favourite album released in the last 10 years it was always going to be difficult. Sitting very much in the Addicted, Epicloud pop-metal end of the DTP arsenal, it can’t help but be a great, enjoyable listen. I just think he perfected it last time around, so this has a touch of diminishing returns. Still think it’s bloody good, like (hence it making the top 20).
‘im from Mastodon, ‘im from Dillinger, another ‘im from somewhere else (can’t be bothered to google it, sure someone will say below) and a Max Cavalera relegated to side-man all pulling off (tee hee) a bloody great album of riffs, grooves and big old tunes. Lovely stuff.
17, Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen (Metal Blade)
The first track is possibly the greatest chest-beating Heavy Metal track of the year, resplendent (I’ve always liked that word) in its’ Bathory meets Manowar glory. After such an blinding start the album could only struggle to live up to expectations. It is bloody good though, and the last track is also amazing. Does what Primordial do, and does it well. One I reviewed, too, so you can check that out here if you like
16, Machine Head – Bloodstones & Diamonds(Nuclear Blast)
OK, still haven’t fully gotten grips with this one – it’s not long been out, there were other albums to cram in before end of year, reviews, life, all that, plus it’s a pretty long album and there’s a lot of music going on (contrary to popular belief, your average Machine Head track isn’t as bone head as many think these days), so sticking this one here. I know it’s good, I know I like it, just not lived with it enough to know how much.
Still, I know it brings the riffs, diversity, some intelligent song-writing, some really cool choral and non-metal touches, and I know I’ll like it more once I spend some time with it and the songs separate out.
15, Judas Priest– Redeemer of Souls (Epic/Columbia)
No, it’s not as heavy as Painkiller, but it does sound like a mix of everything they’ve done til now. Just lashings of good, solid, classic Priest with plenty of nods to their 70s and early 80s stuff (though no Turbo, unfortunately)
And, you know, songs and shit. Good job all round and damn fine album.
The one where they brought it all together, tying up all the threads that make up Fen and producing their best material to date with every track. A sound of a band with confidence and making a statement about who they are. More focused, more “metal” than the last and their definitive release to date.
Note this is MY albums of the year… and by that I mean favourite not “best”. The perception that most people don’t give a monkeys about post-Colony In Flames is completely overridden by the fact that they’re loads more popular now than they were then (though popularity isn’t a measure of quality etc, I know…) It’s just the undergroundzz innit.
According to itunes, this was my most listened to album of 2014, and, yep, I dig it. It doesn’t do anything particularly different, amazing, new or unexpected, but is a step up on everything post-Come Clarity, for me.
Above all I just think it has a load of good songs. And I like good songs. Even more than I like spazzy-jazzy tech metal. Much more than I like spazzy-jazzy tech metal, to be honest… I dig it. Most of you on here will scoff. The band won’t care either way. And neither will I…
Excellently crafted “serious” metal, with a great album dynamic that moves through and between post-Black Metal, UK Doom and post-metal, but doesn’t sound inconsistent or forced. I have Steve Patton of Sea Bastard to thank for bringing these to my attention. Really glad he did. I reviewed here.
This album still intimidates me. I probably could (should?) have this higher in my list, but I very rarely want to listen to it cos it’s hard work. Rewarding, but horrible hard work to listen to. Probably the most extreme, all out clusterfuck of the modern-tech “jazz” Ulcerate/Gorguts/Deathspell Omega influenced death metal albums of them all. This was the highest mark I’ve given anything in a review since I gave Insomnium‘s demo 10 back in the late 90’s (and the only time I’ve had an online slagging for giving a band a great review!). Takes death metal almost to the point of not being music any more.
Just don’t call them free-form… (which I actually didn’t… You can read what I did say here)
10, Edguy– Space Police: Defenders of the Crown (Nuclear Blast)
I really like this. It’s dumb, cheesy fun, yes, but it’s well put together, catchy – I still have a fair few of the songs and riffs bouncing around in my head – good, enjoyable entertaining rocky power metal. Cheesier than the stuff that’ll be on the board that will come out with the port at my folks an hour after Christmas dinner, and I love it for that.
Also, it has the best song Van Halen have(n’t) written for 20 years. Reviewed this one here.
Came to this late in the year as was unsure about its mammoth length (fnarr etc). Atmospheric black/death cleverly sprawling over 85 minutes, it certainly doesn’t drag, filling every one of those minutes with quality.
Was very impressed with these at Bloodstock, the discovery of the weekend for me, so couldn’t wait to check out the album particularly once you hear they’d chucked in a concept to it. Wasn’t disappointed, indeed they exceeded my expectations. Discordant and unsettling and well worth a checking if you haven’t already.
And for the record, I’ve never checked Akercocke beyond seeing them live at the LA2 as a support band 15+ years ago, so no fanboying from me.
Not much to say, other than a massive return with a massive batch of massive songs.
As I said in my review for Ghost Cult: “The Gray Chapter is a statement of intent, a mountain-strong collection of hate-anthems to stand with Slipknot’s best.
All Killer, No Filler, And then some. .5 punches hard, deep and long, undeniably their most consistent album since Iowa. Nine may have become seven, but if you’re five five five, then they’re (still) six six six. ‘.5: The Gray Chapter’ is an album of some significance.”
6, Winterfylleth – The Divination of Antiquity (Candlelight)
It’s a close run thing, but I think I love the classics of black metal more than those of death metal, yet, other than those 90’s gems, I have very little time for black metal – mainly because it tends to involve the aping of the same 5-10 albums again and again (ad infinitum). It’s not a hard and fast rule, there are bands / albums of BM nature I’ve picked up on and very much enjoyed over the last 15-20 years, and this year brought forth a couple of beasts. I’ve already mentioned Fen, but there was also this British classic that brought joy to my ears. Running a gamut (good word) of sentiments and feelings, being more human than a lot of black metal dares to be, ‘Divination…’ excels dynamically, melodically and emotionally. Distinctively Winterfylleth, this is their best yet.
The most hotly anticipated modern death metal riff-fest of the year did not disappoint in any way shape or form. Power, grooves, and, well, riffs. Riffs that came armed with big meathooks. Some cool Slipknot-y and industrial touches here and there, but this was all about great *heavy* metal. I like the overall sound on it, too, dragging them out of the “death metal” pack and making them sound more in a field of one. Which, I guess is where they now stand…
Another band I’d never been massively bowled over by in the past who impressed me this year. Something to do with the fact they actually have songs with hooks and interesting things going on in them. The album gets better as it goes on, peaking in a brilliant crescendo of ‘O Father! O Satan! O Sun!’.
Added to the music, aesthetically this album is great (cover, production, photos, the official vids as well) and can see why it’s wracked up a number of album of the year awards, including the Ghost Cult Magazine official writers AOTY.
Paul Alan Ryan spun me a couple of Revocation tunes way back at the start of the year, and I was impressed, so had my eye out for this release. Once it hit, the mix of intelligent thrash, Death (Official) and definite lashings of Mastodon in the melodies and approach all wormed its way under the brain to become one of my go to albums in the second half of the year and one that I’ll keep going to into the new year. Really good modern, technical thrash with a touch of (when they were good ‘Rust In Peace’ era) Megadeth in there too. You’ll do me.
Was late to the Mastodon game, arriving some point around 2009 and ‘The Hunter’ was their first “new” album for me. Despite loving a bit of Leviathan and a bit of Crack The Skye (but not so much Blood Mountain), for me, their simpler, rockier stuff definitely suits them and they’ve really come into their own recently as OMRTS picks things up where Hunter left them off. Just tune after tune after tune after tune with swagger and hooks galore and distinctively ‘Don. Also, they have a song called ‘Diamond In The Witch House’ which does it for me in spades.
Two in a row for Sólstafir. Hats off! Svartir Sandar romped it for me in 2011, and by golly, Iceland’s finest have only gone and bloody gotten even better! Last time around it could be argued the album went on a touch too long and the vocals weren’t quite up to the level of the rest of wares on offer (though only by a smidge), well, those minor gripes have been consigned to the bin.
Now, post-rock isn’t exactly my bag of gravy, but Sólstafir delivers atmosphere, emotion and deep feelings, while the dynamic journeys of each track on Ótta pull you along for the ride.
A beautiful, magical album. As I say, it’s not my usual bag. Scroll through my ipod and there’s little similar on there, but Sólstafir have a way of speaking to me. Truly. Deeply.
The Contortionist will be venturing on a North American headline run with Revocation, Fallujah and Toothgrinder supporting. Watch the music video for “Primordial Sound” here, and the Corey Norman directed music video for “Language I: Intuition” here.
Feb 07: Emerson Theater – Indianapolis, IN
Feb 08: Mojoes – Joliet, IL
Feb 10: The End – Nashville, TN
Feb 11: The Concourse – Knoxville, TN
Feb 13: 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL
Feb 14: The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
Feb 15: Backbooth – Orlando, FL
Feb 17: Greene Street Club – Greensboro, NC
Feb 18: Empire – West Springfield, VA
Feb 19: Revolution Bar & Music – Amityville, NY
Feb 20: Webster Underground – Hartford, CT
Feb 21: Brighton Music Hall – Brighton, MA
Feb 22: Le Petit Campus – Montreal, QC
Feb 23: Le Cercle – Quebec City, QC
Feb 25: Mavericks – Ottawa, ON
Feb 26: Tattoo Rock Parlour – Toronto, ON
Feb 27: The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
Feb 28: Thompson House – Newport, KY
