As one of the most acclaimed guitarists and artists we have seen, Steve Vai has achieved a lot in terms of success and styles. Even so, it’s perhaps unusual to associate him with the image of Biker gangs and riding Harleys, yet this is exactly what is conjured by Vai/Gash (Mascot Label Group). Recorded around thirty years ago with his, sadly departed friend Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto, this collaboration now sees the light of day.
As one of of the axe-slinger supremes of the band Allegaeon, Greg Burgess is an expert at metal, not just riffs. His own band put out an album worthy of Ghost Cult’s Albums of the Year list, Damnum (Metal Blade), which you should get. We are super-stoked that Greg shared his list of Top Metal Albums of 2022 with Ghost Cult!
Ghost Cult caught up with our old pal Matt Harvey of Exhumed to discuss the new album from the band, “To The Dead” – out now from Relapse Records. In addition to catching up on his life and the band and Bay Area Death Metal, Matt treated us to a track-by-track breakdown of the new album. In addition, he discussed the many contributions from members of the band, current, and past who made an impact on the new album!
Not long after sitting down with the self-titled release (M-Theory Audio) from Living Wreckage, it becomes abundantly clear that metallic, dazzling and thumping guitars take center stage.Continue reading
Jeff Hanneman, legendary guitarist of Slayer passed away on May 2nd, 2013, nine years ago today. Ghost Cult continues to fly the flag of Slayer high, and customarily we celebrate the life of Jeff, the music he made and the stages he left scorched. His legacy as a riff maker, songwriter, soloist, and metal personality has not been dampened since his death. In the time since he passed, Ghost Cult covered Slayer just as heavily in Jeff’s life, as they released a final studio album with Jeff’s contributions (Repentless), had a legend and friend hold down his spot live (Gary Holt of Exodus), released a comic book with Jeff’s likeness, completed their final world tour ever of two years, released an incredible film/music video trilogy (The Repentless Killogy), former bandmate DaveLombardo wrote a loving tribute to his fallen friend, and we have created two career-spanning retrospectives (read them here and here) on the end of the band. From the time Jeff passed and every night on that final world tour, Slayer honored Jeff during ‘Raining Blood’ with the “still reigning” banner. As we say every year at this time: Hail Jeff and hail Slayer!
Ghost Cult caught up with guitar great John 5 ! John is kicking off a new headline tour to support his 2021 solo album “Sinner” – with support from The Haxans! We talked to John about tour plans, tips for successful touring, his guitar rig, his playing regimen, the upcoming “Freaks on Parade” with Rob Zombie – Mudvayne – Static- X – and Powerman 5000 ! Interview by Keefy (https://www.instagram.com/ghostcultkeefy). Video editing by Omar Cordy of OJC Photography (https://www.instagram.com/ojcpics). Theme music by Salted Wounds (https://www.instagram.com/saltedwoundsnyc).Continue reading
Bay Area thrashers Vio-Lence might have only been around for eight years but what a magnificent near-decade it was. From their classic hyper-aggressive debut Eternal Nightmare (MCA Records) to the controversial lyrics of ‘Torture Tactics’ and a deliciously questionable vegetable soup and vinegar “vomit bag” plastic record sleeve, the band also launched the career of a certain Robb Flynn who went on to form 1990s game-changers Machine Head, eventually to be followed by guitarist Phil Demmel. With three studio albums under their belts, the band went their separate ways in 1993, only becoming a full-time going concern again in 2019.
Simply put: Allegaeon manifested 10 dizzying tracks of utter brilliance; gave (further) proof the band is profusely proficient as a whole and individually; and created a Technical Melodic Death Metal album packed with so much aggression and speed, it sounds like Monster fornicated with Red Bull.
While Embrace The Unknown (Frontiers srl) sees Spirits of Fire continue down the path of classic metal emulation last seen on their 2019 debut, its presentation sees more polish this time around. The production job courtesy of Aldo Lonobile, is considerably cleaner than before, giving the performances much better clarity. Guitarist Chris Caffery continues to lead the charge with an array of Savatage-inspired acrobatics while bass legend Steve DiGiorgio and drummer Mark Zonder make for a hard-hitting rhythm section without getting too flashy.
Five years used to feel like a long time in music. Entire scenes have risen, consumed all and fallen away to be a nostalgic footnote (or an ever-lasting sea change) in the same length between Once Human‘s last release and Scar Weaver (earMUSIC), their re-birth of a third album.