ALBUM REVIEW: The Ghost Next Door – Classic Songs Of Death And Dismemberment


Like many sub-genres, Progressive Rock has seen a stylistic ebb and flow, with a few strong bands rising to set the tone that inspired those who followed in their wake. 

As Metal veterans, The Ghost Next Door takes you back to prog’s high water mark in the mid-nineties when bands like Tool and Faith No More rose to prominence and broke boundaries. On Classic Songs of Death And Dismemberment (Ripple Records), they create a moody blend of post-grunge-tinged Rock that puts the lyrics front and center. At the heart of the songs are social observations and commentaries on the state of the world. Continue reading


Tool’s Debut Full-Length Album “Undertow” Turns 30


Thirty years ago today, Tool released their debut album Undertow (Zoo Entertainment/Volcano). Following the industry buzz of their EP Opiate a year earlier, the band catapulted to mainstream success on the back of singles and disturbing videos and MTV staples such as “Sober,” “Prison Sex” and “Intolerance.” Check out this playlist of undertow content and read our retrospective review from its 25-year anniversary. Continue reading


Tool’s Back Catalog Hits Streaming, New Album Release Looms


Tool, one of the last holdouts of mainstream bands against streaming platforms, has released its studio albums to all major streaming services (DSPs) today. All four previous studio LPs — Undertow, Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days — and the band’s 1992 debut EP, Opiate, are available. The Opiate EP has incredible artwork and the band filmed a new video for it two years ago, that hopefully sees the light of day eventually. The band even has its own playlist on Spotify one day one, a rare feat! Not released to streaming was the audio part of the beloved and rare Salival DVD/CD set with live tracks outtakes and their infamous cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1970s classic ‘No Quarter’. Tool’s famous demo that got them signed in 1991, 72826, posted up on YouTube, Apple Music, Google Play and Pandora. Their upcoming fifth album, Fear Inoculum (RCA) releases, August 30th. The band has performed two new songs, ‘Invincible’ and ‘Descending’ since April.Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Untertow By Tool Turns 25


The year was 1993 and the times they were a changing. The generational pull of Gen X was underway and a new American President ushered in a hopeful, new time for a while. Some of the cultural touchstones of the time included a weekly science fiction program about aliens and monsters dominated prime time in The X-files, the best comedy in ages, Groundhog Day reminded us why Bill Murray was and is a goddamned national treasure, and Jurassic Park was the most dominant movie in half a decade. Also, a little known “alternative metal” band from Los Angeles, by way of everywhere else named Tool hit the scene with their début full-length album and changed the course of modern music. Oddly those particular references to pop culture coinciding with Tool’s ascendance from the underground to popularity all signal a weird synchrony that was represented by the band and the music they brought to bear.

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Blind Idiot God – Release A Video For Their Track Rollercoster, New Album In The Works


Reactivated legends Blind Idiot God have shared a video for their track ‘Rollercoster’, from their cult classic 1989 album Undertow, reissued recently via Indivisible Music. The band is heading into the studio soon to make their long-awaited fifth album, due out later in 2018.Continue reading