Finnish Gothic Metal pioneer, Ville Valo (VV) of HIM, will release his debut solo album, Neon Noir, on January 13th via Heartagram Records, distributed by UMG/ Spinefarm. Pre-orders are, at last, live at the link below. The previously announced world tour is quickly selling out. Now he has released a new single, “Ville Valo (VV) of HIM Releases a New Single “The Foreverlost” – which you can stream now!
Seven years after their previous, eponymously titled, album Def Leppard are back with Diamond Star Halos (UMG). It is a long gap between records and right from the off their trademark arena-ready hard rock is in full swing in ‘Take What You Want’ – with it’s crunching chords and touches of On Through The Night. The first three tracks conform to their trademark sound, with the seventies-inspired, glam stomper ‘Kick’ one of the highlights – they have compensated for the familiarity by stuffing it full of hooks. ‘Fire It Up’ is a hard rocker with a slinky little riff and daft and hackneyed lyrics designed purely for a singalong.
Finland’s legendary group Apocalyptica released their new album Cell-0 (Universal ) earlier this year, the band has postponed their 2020 North American tour to 2020. Pettru Kivilaakso shared a video message to fans! “Hi guys…we surely are living in unbelievable times at the moment…”Continue reading
Rammstein previously announced their summer 2020 headline tour of Europe, including a Date in Coventry, UK. Now they have added Cardiff to the mix, with other potential dates filling in tba. The band will play Principality Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday June 14th 2020 – an event that will once again break records, succeeding both Stadium MK and the recently announced Ricoh Arena (Coventry) as the band’s biggest ever UK headline concert. This will be the second of two shows to be announced in Great Britain for 2020. Tickets for the Cardiff show go on sale on Wednesday 31st July at 10 am (local time) exclusively via the following authorized outlets: Eventim, AXS, Ticketmaster, Big Green Coach, and the Venue. All times refer to the local time in the respective country. Rammstein is touring in support of their recent new self-titled album, out now via Universal.Continue reading
One of the best things about reviewing music, in my opinion, is having a music-savvy senior editor that encourages me to review music that is not in my wheelhouse. I have realized that if I was left to my own devices, I would likely stay in my little Heavy Metal utopia, reviewing only what I picked. I received the promo email from my editor about doing a review of Japanese act HYDE. Full disclosure, the only musical act I was familiar with from Japan was Babymetal. So, when I got the promo of HYDE’s new album, Anti, (UMG), I felt a tiny twinge of trepidation. After all, what do I know about Japanese music? Absolutely nada. How was I going to do a fair an accurate review of this music was my query. As soon as the first track off of Anti, started playing, all my fears of doing an inadequate review dissipated. The music that came pouring into my earbuds was the kind of music that bridges all humanity. HYDE’s music possesses a universal sound that almost any person can enjoy or relate to. On a personal note, I broke out in goosebumps from about 5 seconds into listening to the album, an involuntary reaction my body reserves for only the best soul touching music.Continue reading
Bolstered by the runaway smash hit (roughly $168 million at the box office in five weeks) of the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox), Queen’s classic song ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is now officially the most-streamed track from the 20th century, achieving more than 1.6 billion global streams. Universal Music Group (UMG) announced the news and Billboard made the report that also indicated the track has also become it the most-streamed classic rock song of all time, edging out Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Sweet Child O’Mine’ and ‘November Rain’ and a-ha’s ‘Take on Me’ in both categories. The ranking considers all registered streams on global on-demand streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and others, as well as streams from an official song or video streams on YouTube.Continue reading
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