Earlier this year for Record Store Day, fans of Mastodon and Feist were treated to a single with the band and singer/songwriter covering each other’s songs. There was probably many a Mastodon fan that weren’t aware that they’d ever like a song by Feist, and vice versa, but she did an interesting cover of “Black Tongue,” while the Atlanta quartet Mastodon-ized her “A Commotion.” Alas, all 5,000 copies of the single sold out immediately, but as of today, you’ll be able to pick up the digital version of the single at all your finer digital retailers, like Amazon and iTunes.
What’s arguably cooler than the single is that at both Mastodon and Feist‘s websites (as well as above), there’s an interactive version of “A Commotion.” While Feist’s version of the video plays, you can drag a mixer back and forth to toggle between Feist and Mastodon’s version of the song, or just leave it in the middle and listen to a mash-up of the two.
And it is official! There have been hints for quite a while that Gojira might be playing some new shows, what with the fallout of the cancellation of their tour stint with Dethklok and Lamb of God hindering their initial efforts to tour. There have also been comments by the band members themselves that they might consider playing a show in New York this summer. Earlier today, we also gave you an update on Slipknot’s Knotfest which Gojira will be a part of.
And finally, a few new tour dates throughout the Midwest and along the East Coast have officially been announced by Roadrunner.
So far, eight dates have been announced, with the first one taking place in New York City. It is unclear whether the eight shows, which include the Knotfest show in Minnesota, will be everything there is or if there will be even more shows. A fan can hope, right?
Check out the tour dates after the jump. Read more »
While Fear Factory are noted as the forefathers of cyber metal, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is arguably the song that helped Nirvana kill hair metal in the early 90’s. So what do the two have in common? If you had asked us before we heard frontman Burton C. Bell’s interview with MusicFrenzy.net, we would’ve said” not much.” As it turns out, the Fear Factory frontman actually appeared in the music video for Nirvana’s breakout hit.
You can listen to audio of the entire interview over at Blabbermouth. However, here’s what Bell had to share in regards of how he ended up in the music video:
“I was a big Nirvana fan for a long time, and I saw them a bunch of times on the Bleach tour. After seeing them a few times, I’d run into them, a friend of mine actually played on the record, Nevermind — he played cello on ‘Something In The Way’. So we had a copy of that record almost five months before it came out. What happened was that, before the record came out, they had a show in L.A. at the Roxy, and after the show, they threw out flyers saying, ‘Hey, come to our video shoot.’ And so me and my roommate got the flyer with the directions on it and we went to the video shoot the next day. . . And what happened in the video wasn’t even supposed to happen. The audience just went nuts.”
As many times as we’ve seen the music video (who reading this actually hasn’t seen it once? …Didn’t think so), we’ve never found ourselves going “Oh hey, that mosher looks like Burton from Fear Factory!” Then again, we can’t say we’ve ever actually tried looking for him. You can watch “Smells Like Teen Spirit” after the jump in case you want to try and find Bell in the clip. Read more »
Have you seen the gentleman on the left?
Some band members get stuck in foreign prisons, others just seem to disappear: Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman allegedly has not been seen in days. This is following a Facebook post which was allegedly written by the vocalist himself in which he cancelled the upcoming UK tour dates with The Cult and The Mission. The post has meanwhile been deleted, but of course it is still floating around the internet. It is not sure if it was actually written by Jay or the work of a fan with Facebook hacking skills, either way the content was as follows:
Dear Gatherers,
It gives me great pleasure to announce the cancellation of the upcoming gigs with The Cult and The Mission.Frankly, playing at a gig with The Cult never appealed to me in the first place. The only reason we allowed ourselves to be talked into it was to blow both bands off the stage and to steal their respective audiences. As the concert has been downgraded to a venue that we have recently headlined (and sold out) it doesn’t make sense. In addition to this Gatherers would only get to listen to a one hour set.
Then there would be a problem with the dressing room and witnessing The Cult charge the fans $200 per head for a Meet & Greet.
Lastly, all their songs suck! They clearly have no integrity (they refer to their hometown as L.A.)…
On a more positive note KJ will be recording in Argentina just after Christmas and Brixton Academy is booked for Spring.
I do believe the band will play a private gig at Metropolis Studios (London) which is of course open to all Gatherers (you are the first to know!).
I hope you are all as relieved as I am!
Black Jester
PS I don’t want your money
PPS Life without KJ is unthinkable!
The remaining band members have since released another post reacting to and apologizing for the first one, as well as commenting on Jaz’ sudden disappearance:
A statement was posted on Facebook, reputedly by our singer, maligning both The Cult and The Mission and pulling us out of the shows.
He is now AWOL and has not contacted any of his band mates. We are deeply embarrassed by this and offer our sincere apologies to all involved. We are all concerned about our missing singer’s welfare. Killing Joke made a collective decision to play with The Cult and The Mission in September. It was agreed by all of the band that we would do these shows. Indeed, we thought that they were something to look forward to, even though they were downsized. We would still like to honour our commitment to this tour, the other bands, and all the Gatherers and people who have already bought tickets and made travel arrangements. If this proves not possible, Killing Joke will make alternative arrangements to compensate for the trouble caused.
Meanwhile we are doing everything we can to make this tour happen and locate our missing singer.
This is quite the mystery indeed, and we will keep you updated if any new information surfaces. Meanwhile, if you happen to run into a guy that looks a lot like Al Pacino, feel free to contact us about Killing Joke’s missing vocalist.
[via Blabbermouth]
Oops, wrong Thurston
Have you heard of Twilight? No, not the movies about sparkly celibate vampires, the black metal supergroup. Already featuring members of Nachtmystium, Isis and The Atlas Moth, they’ve now gotten even more cred, as former Sonic Youth guitarist and vocalist Thurston Moore has joined the band. Twilight, which includes Nachtmystium’s Blake Judd, producer Sanford Parker, and Stavros Guilenopolis from Atlas Moth, among others, recently confirmed that Moore will be on board for their next album.
“We knew Sonic Youth already through their soundman, Jeremy Lemos,” Judd told the1stfive.com. “He has a band called White/Light and that’s how they know him. They toured together. He’s also has worked with Rob Lowe from Lichens a lot, so that’s how we know these guys. The Sonic Youth folks, whenever they were in town, would always be over at the studio, so I met them on a number of occasions recording over there and Thurston really likes our music and, uh, loves Black Metal. And now that Sonic Youth’s broken up, and he’s essentially divorced, he’s got plenty of time.”
Judd is extremely excited about Moore joining the band, calling it a “fucking amazing, amazing feeling”:
That is a perfect example of like what people ask: “What’s the best thing about what you do?” You know, most people expect the answer to be traveling, sex, money. No, man. The thing that makes me feel like I’m rich it’s the experience. I’ve done so much shit, and worked with so many cool people, and I’ll get to work with Thurston and that…I would…you know Century Media could offer us a hundred thousand dollars to make that Twilight record and say: “Blake, you get ninety percent of that money but Thurston Moore’s not gonna be on the record, or, you can be on it and we’ll give you ten grand and that’s what you have to make it work.” And I would, I would take the ten grand and work with Thurston. That’s like how much I love Sonic Youth.
The band’s last album came out in 2010. Presumably if they’re booking studio time for the next one, which Judd says they have in the article, then their next album, and first for Century Media, will be out later this year or early next year.
New-rosis? It appears that five years after their last album, Given to the Rising, Neurosis might be ready to unleash a new one. This 30 second teaser, Electrical Transmission 1, is sparse and consists of little more than a blurry black and white image of a reel to reel recorded and ambient noise that grows in intensity. Just when something really heavy sounds like it’s about to happen, the “transmission” cuts off, leaving us wanting more. Well played, Neurosis. We’ll bring you more information on what will presumably be a new album as soon as we hear about it.
Good news for all the Knotfest ticket holders among us! We recently reported that both Lamb Of God and Dethklok had to cancel their shows at the inaugural Knotfest, Slipknot’s very own summer festival taking place in Iowa on August 17 and in Minnesota on August 18. Lamb Of God’s cancellation, as you all know by now, is due to Randy Blythe still being held in the Czech Republic for the time being (we gave you the Top 5 Responses by fellow musicians to that yesterday).
It was unclear who would be replacing the two bands at Slipknot’s dark carnivalesque metal festival, but one of the two replacements has now been announced, and it is none other than Machine Head. The festival organizers commented on the replacement as follows:
The mighty Machine Head has been tapped as one of the artists to replace the cancelation of Lamb Of God and Dethklok. We are very excited that Machine Head is rushing back from Europe to play Knotfest. They will perform at both the Iowa and Somerset/Minneapolis Knotfest shows. We expect to announce another artist in the next day or two.
They sure landed a great replacement with Machine Head, and soon we will know who the second contender will be, so things are looking good for the first official Knotfest. The festival is an idea long in the making and was initially set to take place on September 9, 2009, alas it did not happen back then. Slipknot mastermind Clown is really excited about the idea finally being realized:
We wanted to do it from the very, very beginning, but we accepted that there was a lot of things we wanted to accomplish for ourselves. And we figure, right before we take a little hiatus and get ourselves together for this next record, which is gonna be phenomenal, that we would end it with two shows called Knotfest. So we’re very excited, and we’re gonna bring rock ‘n’ roll back to some kind of level of conceptual thinking, and we know everybody’s gonna have a blast.
Machine Head will be playing both shows and are joining the ranks of Serj Tankian, Deftones, Prong, The Urge, Dirtfedd, Cannibal Corpse, Gojira, and Dillinger Escape Plan.
[via Blabbermouth]
How has thrash survived for over three decades? By being one of the easiest genres of metal to appreciate, that’s how. The diversity of thrash allows for speed, groove, technicality, and ambience to varying degrees, and metalheads around the world know it and love it. And despite the fact that some thrash groups still carry the stigma of their reputations from the ’80s and ’90s, there are few genres that have been able to last as long while still generating new talent on a consistent basis. Today, we get new material from a couple of thrash greats and several thrash-inspired groups, as well as plenty of other great new music! Enjoy!
Testament, Dark Roots of Earth (Nuclear Blast)
After the triumphant comeback album that was 2008′s The Formation of Damnation, Testament has not faded from view – if anything, they’ve worked harder than ever to stay in the public profile. Their efforts have paid off, as anticipation for this new album is very high. In many ways, Dark Roots of Earth is a callback to Testament’s releases from the ’90s, and some comparisons being drawn because of this are inevitable. Both Eric Peterson and Chuck Billy have alluded to this album being much heavier and more intense than The Formation of Damnation, which will undoubtedly have dedicated fans comparing the album to 1999′s The Gathering, which remains one of the heaviest albums in Testament’s discography. As if that weren’t enough, drummer Gene Hoglan filled in for Paul Bostaph during the recording sessions and is now a full-time member of the band again, having previously played on 1997′s Demonic. The album also features songwriting credits for Del James, who has collaborated with the band on almost every band since 1992′s The Ritual, and credits for Steve “Zetro” Souza, the group’s original singer from their days under the name Legacy. You can pick up the deluxe CD/DVD version for a nice collection of covers and an extended version of one album track. But the real prize for some will be on the iTunes deluxe version, which also includes the version of “A Day in the Death” that was recorded with Lamb of God’s Chris Adler on drums.
Nachtmystium, Silencing Machine (Century Media)
The buzz generated by the newest installment in Nachtmystium’s discography has not been quite as universally positive as one might expect, but I chalk that up to people have false hopes and expectations where they shouldn’t. The band had stated when recording this album that it would be a black metal album, insinuating that the progressive elements of Assassins and Addicts (parts 1 and 2 of the Black Meddle series) would not be as prevalent on Silencing Machine. The band has kept their promise, relegating the progressive and abstract influences to a few tracks towards the end while delivering solid black metal on the rest of the album. I fail to see why people would be upset with Blake Judd and Co. for keeping their word. Regardless, though, as long as you’re not one of those people apparently hoping for Nachtmystium to start sounding like Cynic, Silencing Machine should be an enjoyable listen for you.
Tankard, A Girl Called Cerveza (Nuclear Blast)
Long before the newest wave of American thrash bands came out and started creating thrash with a party atmosphere, Tankard was throwing back beers while throwing up horns all over Europe. Another band celebrating their thirty year anniversary in 2012, Tankard has always been consistent in one crucial thing – knowing how to write riffs that make you feel happy to be alive. A Girl Called Cerveza is certain to do just that, as the band will want to impress everyone on the first release of their new deal with Nuclear Blast. My one complaint about this album, though, stems solely from the first thing you get to experience about the album – the cover art. While not quite as foul as the artwork from 2002′s B-Day, this new cover art doesn’t measure up to any of its more immediate predecessors, lacking the humor factor of Thirst, the titillation of The Beauty and the Beer, and the sheer awesomeness of Beast of Bourbon. Still, though, I give Tankard kudos for having the balls to make this into their album artwork.
Dew-Scented, Icarus (Prosthetic)
One of the most underrated metal bands to ever come out of Germany, Dew-Scented plays a solid mix of thrash and death metal, combining the best parts of the German metal scene into one amazing band. Unfortunately, the process leading up to Icarus was a rough one for Dew-Scented, as member after member kept leaving the band for various reasons, until only singer Leif Jensen was left of the previous lineup and the only original member left in the band. However, Jensen brought together a solid group of new musicians and made Icarus happen, which is a relief for fans that wanted more of the excellence that was created on 2010′s Invocation. Now on their ninth full-length album (and also their ninth album whose title starts with the letter I), Dew-Scented has overcome the obstacles and looks poised to be around long enough to at least get to number ten.
Gojira, The Flesh Alive (Mascot)
With all the buzz about the release of L’Enfant Sauvage a month ago, no one seems to have noticed that the group is putting out a new DVD today. The likelihood is that the band wants to promote new music more than an album that’s four years old already, and also that Mascot Label Group doesn’t quite have the same public following or press command that a label like Roadrunner does. Regardless, though, if you ever wanted to know more about the writing process for 2008′s The Way of All Flesh, this DVD is worth picking up for the documentary alone. I remain skeptical about the live portion of the release, though, after reading what our MetalSucks comrades had to say about it. However, there is a CD of the live material included in the release, so you can experience it that way too, making this worthwhile overall. HD fans are lucky enough to also get a Blu-ray release of this title, as well.
Also being released this week:
High on Fire, The Art of Self Defense Reissue (Southern Lord)
King of Asgard, …To North (Metal Blade)
A Bullet for Pretty Boy, Symbiosis (Artery/Razor & Tie)
The Company Band, Pros & Cons (Weathermaker)
Hour of 13, 333 (Earache)
Crucified Barbara, The Midnight Chase (Nuclear Blast)
Gaza, No Absolutes in Human Suffering (Black Market)
Attika 7, Blood of My Enemies (Rocket Science)
Charm City Devils, Sins (eOne)
Devilish Impressions, Simulacra (Lifeforce)
Afgrund, The Age of Dumb (Willowtip)
Evoken, Atra Mors (Profound Lore)
The Locust, Molecular Genetics from the Gold Standard Labs (ANTI)
Drone, For Torch and Crown (Metalville)
Last Witness, Mourning After (Holy Roar)
Horse Latitudes, Awakening (12th Street)
Judgement Day, Polar Shift (Minus Head)
Gentlemans Pistols, Gentlemans Pistols (Metal Blade)
Next Week: Led by one of the figureheads of late ’90s shock rock and a hard rock band that had its best years during the last decade, next week is somewhat light on purely metal releases. Still, though, there is plenty of quality material to be had, so be sure to swing through next time!
Fans were shocked to learn that Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and his wife Sandra had been arrested this past weekend for domestic battery in front of a child. Other than the fact that they two had been arrested and released from jail, not much else was known about the incident. Last night, though, Benante’s attorney William L. Hotopp released a statement shedding more light on the events that occurred (at least from the drummer’s perspective).
Painting his client to be the victim, Hotopp said the following in defense of Benante:
“Mr. Benante and his six-year-old daughter, Mia, had traveled to Elkart, Indiana to meet Mrs. Benante and her 17-year-old son, who was participating in a weekend baseball series. At some point, words were exchanged between Mr. Benante, Mrs. Benante and her male companion that led to a scuffle. Mrs. Benante hit Mr. Benante in the face, he pushed her away, and as he turned around to leave with Mia, Mrs. Benante assaulted him from behind, hitting him multiple times on the back of his head with a cell phone.
Police were called, and both Mr. Benante and Mrs. Benante were detained for domestic battery in front of a child. Mr. Benante is understandably distraught by this incident and that his daughter, who he dotes on, witnessed it. Mr. Benante will appear in Elkhart County court this Friday, August 3, and we expect complete vindication.”
As of now, Charlie’s bandmates in Anthrax have still not commented on the matter. Whether you believe Benante and his lawyer’s side of the story or not, it’s safe to say that this could only turn uglier. Here’s hoping that the matter will get resolved sooner than later for the benefit of both Charlie and his family.
According to Metal Injection, the Summer Slaughter Tour’s stop in Tampa, FL tonight was delayed due to a shooting threat. Police evacuated The Ritz Theater earlier today after one attendee reported to security that they had overheard someone threaten to “shoot the singer of Job For A Cowboy.” After re-examining each attendee, police reportedly found no weapon and the show (a few hours behind) went back to normal.
Granted, this situation may have been made into a bigger deal than it needed to. However, considering the recent movie theater shootings Aurora, CO (and not to mention all of the recent concert related violence), you can’t blame security and the venue for being overly cautious. It’s simply a shame to hear of yet another incident happening at a metal show. On the plus side, the venue reportedly made it up to attendees by offering free drinks.
UPDATE: Job For A Cowboy drummer Jon “Charn” Rice has released the following statement to Blabbermouth, indicating that there was more to the threat than originally believed:
“Just to clarify the events that happened this evening, a note was passed to the bartender stating that during our set a man with two knives and a gun was going to hurt people. Cops were called and after the proper precautions were taken, the show set off again, albeit a bit behind. No one was hurt and everyone involved is safe.”
We’ll keep you posted as more develops.
[picture via Periphery’s Jake Bowen]
Posted by Bram Teitelman on Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 6:03 pm
New(ish) Music