Monday 27 August 2018

Dani Moves Countryside - "Settling In" Week 2



2 weeks and 2 days in the new house already... I have moved the majority of all my stuff from Kilnamanagh to the new house. Just 2 boxes and 1 bag are left at the old house. I will pick them up tomorrow and then I can give the keys back to my previous Landlord. I cleaned the house last Friday. The house looks so empty since everything is removed. Sad and empty. I even moved the little house where Sixxy's mama had lived in to the new place and I managed to dig out the big purple rose bush (without any injuries). The satellite dish has to stay I guess. I can't seem to remove it. I don't get it off the wall. I might ask my previous Landlord if he can help, if not it will stay there. I was hoping to see Oskar one last time but he didn't show up. He must know that we are gone. Goodbye Kilnamangh. A chapter that will be closed by the end of this week. I will always remember my time in Kilnamanagh and surely I will go back there from time to time just to have a look. And to go shopping in my Dunnes Store on Fridays. :)

Yeah, so Friday will be my shopping day now, with a weekly big shopping, instead of stopping at a shop on my way back home several times a week. :) On Fridays I can go back to my ex-local Aldi and Dunnes Store and hit the motorway from there, that's good!


Last thing to sort out is the television now. With the internet you do not really need to jump into a contract with a provider here. There are plenty of options around. I have ordered NowTV at the weekend and will see how this goes. I picked the entertainment package so you get some live TV (SKY channels, MTV, Discovery and so) and you can watch box sets. I can watch on the internet already but it will be better I guess once I receive my stick for the TV.

My highlight of last week was sorting out my post deliveries. After changing my address everywhere I thought I will get my post as I used to get it. But no, my bank statements were sent back to the bank - address unknown. Ok, so I called the local post office in Oldcastle to ask why - but what a surprise. Oldcastle, the closest post office to my house, is not responsible for my area. We are already County Cavan here. No problem at all - they gave me the number and I managed to explain my problem to the correct post office. They then told me that you have to let the local post office know that you have moved there. Now I know. :) And the post man knows too. :) I was very happy last week when I saw the first letter in front of my door.

A big surprise last week was that my new Landlord said that I can have a dog too if I want. So our little family might increase at some stage. But I am not 100% sure about it yet. We will see.

Slowly I am getting used to how quiet it is here. On Saturday, in the garden, you used heard the insects, birds and cows. So peaceful. And when you look out of the window it is just green. No grey walls. The people here are so friendly. This is the real Ireland. I am glad that I did the move and can experience this. It is so different than Dublin. Although living in Dublin was nice too, don't get me wrong. Just different. And I am not out of the world. If I want to go to the city I can. And if I have enough I jump in my car and drive back home to my little green peaceful "island" in County Cavan.

PARASITE INC. - "Dead And Alive" hit the German Charts



REAPER ENTERTAINMENT is proud to announce that the new PARASITE INC. album “Dead And Alive” entered the official German charts at the position #33! That is a great success for the band and the young label!

The band states: "Hitting the official german charts is an incredible mark in our band history. We take a deep bow to all our fans out there who made this possible! "

"Dead and Alive" tracklist: 1. Countershock 2. Once And For All 3. This World 4. Fall Of The Idealist 5. Headfuck Rollercoaster 6. Flesh Decadence 7. Red Wine Collider 8. Sunset Overdrive 9. Cold Silent Hell 10. Dead And Alive 11. Empty Streets (Cover)

More about PARASITE INC.: With the review to PARASITE INC.'s official debut album "Time Tears Down" in late summer 2013 Germany's leading metal magazine Metal Hammer summed it up pretty well: "When in modern melodic death metal a young German band succeeds to become a talking point, there must be something behind it!". Words that are truly emphasizing the young band's musical qualities considering that their first official and self-produced album already hit the top 30 of Germany's official metal-rock-charts as well as the 12th position in Japan's import charts. PARASITE INC. like their metal melodic but death and so does their continuously growing fan base worldwide: no clean vocals, no softeners, no compromise.

PARASITE INC. are: Kai Bigler - vocals / guitars Dominik Sorg - guitars Stefan Krämer - bass Benjamin Stelzer - drums

Wednesday 22 August 2018

MOVEMENTS Announce Fall US Tour Supporting THE STORY SO FAR



After a successful main-stage run on the final Vans Warped Tour, MOVEMENTS have announced a massive fall US tour where they will be supporting THE STORY SO FAR, TURNOVER, and CITIZEN. The tour runs from November 2nd to December 1st, hitting markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, and Philadelphia along the way. Tickets are on sale this Friday at 12 PM local time.

Movements' debut album Feel Something was released October 20, 2017 and rocketed through the Billboard charts, earning chart standings like #2 Top New Artist, #45 Top Current Albums, #190 Billboard 200, #6 Current Alternative Albums, #14 Current Rock Albums, #17 LP Vinyl Albums, #31 Current Digital Albums, #36 Overall Digital Albums and #59 Current Physical Albums.

The songs off of Feel Something have also been earning a staggering amount of streams on Spotfiy, with "Daylily" currently having over 3 million streams, "Colorblind" and "Full Circle" both having over 2 million streams, and "Deadly Dull" and "Third Degree" both having over 1 million streams.

MOVEMENTS is Patrick Miranda, Ira George, Austin Cressey, and Spencer York. TOUR DATES WITH THE STORY SO FAR: Nov 2: Portland, OR - Roseland Theater Nov 3: Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo Nov 5: Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex Nov 6: Denver, CO - Ogden Theater Nov 8: Chicago, IL - Metro Nov 10: Mt. Clemens, MI - Emerald Theater Nov 11: Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater Nov 13: Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom Nov 14: New York, NY - Playstation Theater Nov 15: Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom Nov 16: Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Nov 17: Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory Nov 18: Worcester, MA - Palladium Nov 20: Richmond, VA - The National Nov 21: Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Nov 23: Orlando, FL - The Plaza Nov 24: Tampa, FL - The Ritz Ybor Nov 25: Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade Nov 27: Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory Nov 28: Austin, TX - Emo's Nov 30: Tempe, AZ - Marquee Dec 1: Los Angeles, CA - Palladium (SOLD OUT)

Tuesday 21 August 2018

HELLOWEEN - New Live Release + New Studio Album + More Live Shows



UNBEATABLE
A very special summer season, not only due to the tropical heat, is slowly coming to an end: Festivals have been rocked so hard that we would’ve been sweating even if mercury hadn’t been on a permanent high. Among the massive PUMPKINS UNITED WORLD TOUR’s open air highlights were, of course, the headline slots at Wacken, Barcelona’s Rock Fest and Masters of Rock – but also the mega gigs with IRON MAIDEN at Sweden Rock Festival and Florence’s Firenze Rocks in June were definitely shows we’ll remember for all eternity. Thanks to everyone who has been with us until now!

UNSTOPPABLE
Fortunately the tour is by no means over, and dates in the US and Canada are next on the schedule – there will also be, due to the tremendous demand, additional dates in Latin America to follow: And as first class support, no other than KREATOR and ARCH ENEMY will be firing up the stages for the Pumpkins! Final shows with the full UNITED cast will take place at the end of 2018 with a right royal farewell blast: In Hamburg, right where all the madness started in 1984, PUMPKINS UNITED will burn down the house with the tour’s last show in the legendary Sporthalle on December 22nd.

UNFORGETTABLE
For those, who mysteriously missed the tour – but also for everyone, who has been a part of it and would love to revisit those unique nights, the boys have recorded the very best moments. Goose bump inducing footage of the PUMPKINS UNITED WORLD TOUR, which has been reveled as “tour of the year” by fans and press everywhere, will be released as a live CD as well as on DVD and Blu-ray at the beginning of 2019, so that those nights can be celebrated over and over without even having to leave the sofa. For now, you can make the wait a bit more bearable with a stream of the full Wacken show at Magenta Music 360 right here: www.magenta-musik-360.de/helloween-pumpkins-united

UNBELIEVABLE
As we are reeling from Wacken and preparing for the upcoming show in Bamberg, those maniacs are already launching the next sensation: For starters, Nuclear Blast has insisted to keep the band on their roster for a few more years, and – double bass drum roll – there will be a brand-new STUDIO ALBUM with KISKE AND HANSEN. With the band’s songwriting trio of Weikath, Hansen and Deris retreating to the studio together with these two exceptional singers in 2019, it’s clear that the album scheduled for 2020 will be no less than epic. If this news doesn’t get your blood pumping then maybe your proper rock baptism hasn’t happened yet – the rest of us are over the moon, because:

THE PUMPKINS UNITED DREAM CONTINUES!

FINAL SHOWS: 07. Sep USA / Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues 08. Sep USA / Los Angeles, CA - The Palladium 10. Sep USA / Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall 12. Sep CAN / Montreal, QUE - Metropolis 14. Sep USA / Worcester, MA - Palladium 15. Sep USA / New York City - Irving Plaza 16. Sep USA / New York City - Irving Plaza 26. Okt COL / Bogota - Knot Fest 28. Okt SVL / San Salvador - CIFCO 31. Okt CHI / Santiago - Movistar Arena ** 02. Nov MEX / Mexico City - Arena CDMX ** 04. Nov MEX / Guadalajara - Foro Alterno 08. Nov ARG / Buenos Aires Luna Park ** ** special guests: KREATOR & ARCH ENEMY 06. Dez POR / Lissabon - Sala TEJO 08. Dez ESP / Sant. de Compostela - Fontes do Sar B.E.C 14. Dez GER / Ravensburg - Oberschwabenhalle 15. Dez GER / Karlsruhe - Knockout Festival 18. Dez SWE / Stockholm - Arenan 21. Dez GER / Bamberg - Brose Arena 22. Dez GER / Hamburg - Sporthalle

Monday 20 August 2018

Simon Hinkler (The Mission) releases new EP "Moving On" September 7th


On 7th September Simon Hinkler proudly releases Moving On on Correctitude Records.

Simon began his musical career in the early 1980's Sheffield, first with Artery, with whom he recorded two albums, two John Peel sessions, and a handful of singles. Then with Pulp, playing guitar, piano, bass and co-writing their first album "It." A spell as a resident studio engineer led to an experimental album "Flight Commander Solitude" on which Simon wrote all the music and played all the instruments... a rare thing in those days. Then in 1985 he returned to Artery, playing rock guitar until he was asked to audition for a new band forming in Leeds, later to become The Mission.

Simon stayed with The Mission for five years, through the first four albums, the chart hits, the extensive world tours, and the general insanity. He left in 1990 and went on to write solo pieces and soundtrack music, before releasing a second Flight Commander album in 1993. The following three years were spent with a three-piece electronic band Mindfeel, before disappearing to the desert in New Mexico.

It wasn't until 2005 that Simon re-appeared with his solo album "Lose The Faith." Since then he has returned to live in the UK after thirteen years in the US and reunited with The Mission for their 25th anniversary followed by a celebrated run of world tours, two new albums, a 30th anniversary, and most recently guesting on Alice Cooper’s five UK arena shows.

Now, with the band taking a break, here is a varied collection of Simon’s songs spanning those years living in the back of beyond. "Every time I come back to making music I’m reminded why I started doing it in the first place. This EP has been a long time coming but I'm very pleased with the way it's turned out.”

Moving On track listing: 01 It Isn’t You 02 Virginia 03 Friends 04 What More Do We Know ? 05 Moving On To pre order "Moving On" go to: the-mission.tmstor.es

WVM Releases Heavy Rock/Electronic Fused Single, “Duel”


Los Angeles based, Electronic/Rock musician, visual artist, and multi-instrumentalist WVM has followed up his stunning, dark electronic rock single, "After the Fall," with the even heavier "Duel."

"The story of "Duel" is, it started from my anger at being racially profiled, but when I write I like writing on a micro and macro level so the micro level was the harassment from racial profiling but then the rest of it morphed into the bigger picture; frustrations in general with all the injustices in world, not just about race but about how messed up the world can be. The story goes: 2 cops stopped me as I was walking down the street for no reason other than the color of my skin. They flashed a light in my face and went through the whole process only to let me go since I have no record. But that's where the lyric 'take away that spotlight from my eyes, nothing can shield you from your lies' comes from. The shield part is the typical police badge etc. So they let me go and I continued walking only to come across the same police officers again 5 minutes later as I was crossing the street. The cop car actually accelerated as if to run me down, the cop driving stuck his head out of the window and laughed and then drove off. I went home after that and started writing 'Duel;' I took my anger in that situation and started getting really angry at the injustices of this world."

"Most of the album is more electronics based and like "After the Fall" this song really defies genres and generic song structures. This is my song structure, don't get me wrong, I write songs that are verse chorus verse chorus, but I really enjoy writing songs like this, where there are no 2 sections alike. It's sort of like walking in a house and visiting each room only once even though you may like it. The only way to visit that room again is to walk back in the front door and do it over, with this song, if you like a section, the only way to revisit is to hear the entire song again. This kind of song structure is unique to me, it's my signature." - WVM

Sunday 19 August 2018

The Anix Releases New Single "Interchanger," Full-Length album Shadow_Movement Out Fall 2018



Detroit, MI - The Shadow_Movement is rapidly approaching as The Anix reveals "Interchanger," the 5th single from the upcoming album. Pushing the cyberpunk-inspired album into heavier territory, "Interchanger" features a more prominent guitar-based chorus while continuing The Anix's signature sound of melodic vocals, pulsing synths and electronic programming. Set in a dystopian world controlled by the elite, the "Interchanger" stands alone - a rogue agent passing through the shadows of foreign lands with no connection and no allies.

The Anix's 6th full-length album Shadow_Movement will be available October 19, 2018 through the independent record label FiXT.



About The Anix: The Anix is the electronic-rock project of Los Angeles composer / producer Brandon Smith. Combining his love of cinematic sci-fi, anime and comic books with synthesizers, electronic programming, alternative rock, powerful vocal hooks and anthemic choruses, The Anix creates a visionary future of art and music.

Originally founded in 2001 by Brandon Smith and later joined by brother Logan Smith with long time friend Chris Dinger, the group toured the Hollywood rock club circuit for several years. After writing hundreds of songs and playing countless shows, the band signed a deal in 2008 to record their first full length studio album titled Demolition City. The band then landed a deal with The Diesel Management Group and toured throughout Europe on the “Rocket Science Tour” with electronic masterminds Apoptygma Berzerk.

In 2011 The Anix signed a record deal with Cleopatra Records to record their second studio album titled Sleepwalker. In 2016, The Anix began the process of reinventing themselves, shifting away from a touring band into a studio project. After a full year of development, the group emerged with Ephemeral in March 2017 as their 2nd album on Cleopatra Records.

In 2018, The Anix completed their metamorphosis from band to solo project as front-man & songwriter Brandon Smith signed with FiXT, the artist-owned/operated independent record label of electronic-rock pioneer Klayton (Circle of Dust, Celldweller, Scandroid). Focusing on releasing regular singles throughout the year, The Anix is poised to embrace the future.

The Big Move - Dani & Cats Move Countryside - Week 1


Change is good. The new house was empty and ready that we move in. So no point to stay any longer in the old house and to hang on to it. The big move was scheduled for 11th August. The new place is 94km away, on the map up North and then to the left. In the middle of the country, border Co. Meath/Co.Cavan. On that day I drove up and down twice. The second time to get the cats. Oh my cat - the drama in the car. You can not imagine. Freddy was so stressed, he peed himself. Pheebie screamed the loudest and Sixxy meowed because of Pheebie... 1 hour and 20 minutes. The longest drive ever.

I was a bit worried that the cats will be scared at the beginning in the new house but as soon as they were out of their boxes they started to explore the house. And demanded food. And they seemed to be pretty happy. So that was good, nothing to worry about from that side. The cats were happy so I am happy too. So, that was it. After spending my whole life in cities I did it. I moved to the countryside. In the back road where I live now are a hand full of houses which belong to my so called "village". But of course well distributed over a bigger area as the land that belongs to every house is much bigger. I can't see my neighbours for example. From my kitchen window I can see the farm from my Landlords and also the land across the road is theirs. The next small town is Oldcastle which is 6 km away. Oldcastle is a lovely little town with some small shops, hair dresser, pharmacy, restaurants, pubs of course and two petrol stations. The countryside is the typical beautiful Irish countryside. Nature pur. Green everywhere, lots of trees, grass. Lots of space. Clean air, no rubbish. No city noise. Insects, birds, lots of cows. :)

Today is Sunday, the 19th of August. The 8th day in the new house. So what has changed?

1) The views from my windows (see photos below).
2) Shopping trips need to be planned now. So every Friday after work I will visit LIDL and ALDI, and maybe my Dunnes Store in Kilnamanagh and do my shopping for the whole week.
3) I have so much more space.
4) It is quiet. No party noise at the weekend.
5) The cats are more active and all three are best friends now.
6) The house has it's own water supply from a well.
7) The commuting. To be honest: in the morning it is a pain. Instead of 12 minutes I drive 1 hour 15 minutes if everything goes well. To reach the motorway is a nightmare as the roads have most of the time no road markings. And it is sooo dark here. No street lights. Cities are so much brighter. I have never realised this fact. Now I know.
8) I have 10 times more grass to cut at the weekend. :)
9) The people around are very friendly and helpful. My new Landlords are really awesome too.

Every day that I drove home to the new house I thought how lucky I was that I found such a nice place to live. On the motorway you can leave the work day behind and the closer I come to my house the landscape becomes more and more beautiful. The hectic from the city is left behind and the clocks start to go slower. I will update you every week about my new life at the countryside.

The Big Goodbye - How it started.



The 19th of July 2018. The day that changed everything. A day I wished would not have come so soon. The day, when my Landlord came late in the evening and told me that unfortunately they will be selling the house I was living in for more than 10 years. The house that had become my home, the house in which I spent most of my time in Ireland in. The house and garden that my first cat Miez picked as her home, the house in which she had her kittens and Sixx was born in the wardrobe in the night from March 5th - March 6th 2013, where Pheebie added herself to the family 2 years later, and where Freddy came to at the end of last year. The house with the crazy heron which stood on the shed every day in the morning and evening, waiting patiently for food...

Of course not everything was perfect there. Oh boy, much much did I complain about the neighbours. The noisy party neighbours, with their partis every weekend. I will so not going to miss them!

Anyways, long story short... Since I while I already had the feeling that my days are numbered in the house. With the booming economy and lack of supply of houses the situation is going absolutely crazy since 2 years. Prices for houses to buy have jumped through the roof again and renting is becoming more and more unaffordable. And there is no sign of an end to it. With Brexit in front of the door the housing situation might become even worse. So my plan was anyways to move out of the city, to the countryside. Buy my own little farm house one day. On the day, the 19th of July 2018 I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to buy as I was still saving for the deposit. So buying was out of the equation.

And renting a new place? But where? In a city where the average rent is 1900 EUR a month, where there is little to no supply and where the few places you can find do not allow pets. Strictly no pets allowed - I certainly would not leave my cats behind. Although I knew I had until March 2019 until I had to leave the house I started to panick. What if I cannot find anything with the cats?

But sometimes wonders do seem to happen. On 26th July I called someone who knew about a house that was empty and the owners decided to rent it out to someone this year. A viewing was arranged for 28th July and two days later I got the good news that I can move in. Goodbye Parkhill West, Kilnamanagh.

PIG and SASHA GREY Darkly Collaborate on KC & the Sunshine Band's "That's That Way (I Like It")"



“People with big smiles peddling bad sh*t, waving a lot of flags and banners ... something dark and death-like in the disco,” describes Raymond Watts of post-rock band not only about his new single “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (a cover of the disco 70s hit by KC & the Sunshine Band) but also of the current state of the world. “Under the seemingly glitzy, 'good time' vibes, it seemed to resonate with what's going on around us at the moment.”

Set for release on August 31, 2018 via Metropolis Records, “That’s The Way (I Like It)” is a seemingly unlikely collaboration with author/DJ/singer/actress Sasha Grey. “Sasha is a total joy to work with,” he says. “She's has an intuitive understanding, a great sense of humour and great delivery. She completely got the idea of the song working as duet and it is a true / Sasha Grey collaboration.”

While “That’s the Way” has been covered by other artists as musically diverse as Dead or Alive, Giorgio Moroder and Spin Doctors (!!!), ’s version follows a different path... a darker and sinister one. “Bless them all but the version is definitive ... enough said 😉... and they don't have Sasha Grey,” he laughs. “The song was never really in my orbit although I was aware of it,” he explains. “I was kicking around ideas for potential covers for and my girlfriend suggested this song. I took a listen and heard the lyric in a way that wasn't smutty or titillatingly suggestive but much darker and a little bit threatening.”

The accompanying tracks on the eponymous EP include remixes from his previous album Risen (release date: June 2018) with knobs tweaked by some notable names in the Post-Rock genre. “Stabbing Westward, Hanzel und Gretyl and Ego Likeness all remix songs from the last album, and each one of them take the original song above, beyond and into a whole new space,” he explains. “I absolutely love what they've done with them because they've seen something that is in the album version, run to the edge of imagination with it, and given each song a hefty dose of adrenalin and a kick in the ass!” Also included is his own remix of the title track, the “PIG In The Disco Remix” which kicks off with a placid intro that launches into the midnight dancefloor anthem. “I really like remixing my own stuff,” he snickers. “After the process of being mother and midwife to the song, I get to murder and massacre the soul I put into it and possess it with another beast entirely.”

In addition to the release of the EP, will be hitting the road with punk/metal/industrial legends Killing Joke. “To be asked by the mighty Killing Joke to tour the US with them is indeed a great honour,” he beams. “They have been present for the whole of my time working in music but our paths have never crossed until now. I have always been a great fan of Youth's production skills in particular so I was thrilled when he agreed to remix the & Sasha Grey single That's the Way (I like It) for a 10 inch limited vinyl only available on the tour.”

The tour will encircle North America including kicking off on Sept. 1st at Seattle's El Corazon til Oct. 6th final date in Tustin,CA's Marty's on Newport with stops in Los Angeles (Sept. 5 @ Regent Theater), NYC (Sept. 12 @ Irving Plaza), and Detroit (Sept. 28 @ Smalls). “I have absolutely no idea what to expect except the unexpected,” Raymond replies. “Killing Joke have a thunderous live sound and have certainly attained the status of 'national living treasures'. I think it’s a great bill to be on, and hopefully a great one to see and hear. We have a new album and single to promote, and they have over 40 years of active service in the trenches of epic rock 'n' roll to celebrate ... what could possibly go wrong?”

Watts and have had a very exciting and active history since his beginnings in the late 80s. Aside from his groundbreaking albums, he has been a visible part of the industrial music scene since the early 1980s. He has toured with KMFDM (of which he was also a member), Nine Inch Nails, Schaft, Schwein, and Einstürzende Neubauten, among others. He has written music for fashion and film for Chloe, Marios Schwab, Halston, The Row and the sound design for the exhibit Punk: Chaos to Couture at NYC’s Metropolitan Music of Art. But the most ground-breaking and perhaps most rewarding was his collaboration with the late and immensely celebrated fashion icon Alexander McQueen who commissioned Watts and his old Psychic TV partner-in-crime John Gosling to embellish the serene instrumental track “Inside” (from 's Genuine American Monster album). The fluid soundtrack to McQueen's masterpiece, Plato's Atlantis, the show was reprised after McQueen’s untimely death as the finale of Savage Beauty, the posthumous retrospective that broke all records at The Metropolitan Music of Art in New York and Victoria & Albert Museum in London.



That's the Way (I LIke It) Tracklisting: 01 - That's The Way (I Like It) - Rougher 02 - Truth Is Sin (Shame On You Remix by Chris Hall Stabbing Westward) 03 - That's The Way (I Like It) (PIG In The Disco Remix) 04 - The Revelation (The Fukken Uber Revelation Remix by Hanzel und Gretyl) 05 - Cult of Chaos (8 Arrows remix by Ego Likeness)

SICK OF IT ALL Announce New Album "Wake the Sleeping Dragon!" and European Tour



SICK OF IT ALL are pleased to announce their upcoming album, entitled ”Wake The Sleeping Dragon!“, is scheduled for release on 02 November 2018.

Working with friends is one of the key factors that are very important to SICK OF IT ALL, so asking Ernie Parada for the striking front cover was an obvious choice: “There is no reason to burn bridges in this business”, says drummer Armand Majidi . “Our history with Ernie Parada goes back to the late eighties, so working with him, there is a kinship that makes things easier to communicate.”

Singer Lou Koller and Parada came up with the idea of doing monster-movie styled art as the cover. “The dragon climbing the Empire State was a concept I always wanted to see brought to life, so the two ideas were destined to come together this way.”

SICK OF IT ALL and Tue Madsen, who mixed and mastered “Wake The Sleeping Dragon!”, have maintained a long-lasting relationship based on understanding, friendship and most importantly, good results - three factors any band would be very happy with. The Jerry Farley also became a very important part of the creation of this album. After working with him at Nova Studios on Staten Island, New York, they went for a closer approach on this album: “This is the first time we've ever had a producer involved from start to finish, including the song-writing process. His objective viewpoints helped settle a lot of little issues that could have easily become stumbling blocks, and the songs themselves ended up benefitting from them.”

Keep your eyes and ears open for a new song soon. While the band is currently playing summer festivals such as Summer Breeze, Reload or Summer Blast, they have already lined up more shows in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy in November, as well as co-headlining the Persistence Tour 2019.

Summer 2018: 17.08.18 (DE) Dinkelsbühl - Summer Breeze 18.08.18 (DE) Trier - Summer Blast 19.08.18 (DE) Rostock - MAU Club 21.08.18 (PL) Poznan - Klub U Bazyla 22.08.18 (DE) Magdeburg - Factory 23.08.18 (DE) Lindau - Club Vaudeville 24.08.18 (DE) Wörrstadt - Neuborn Open Air 25.08.18 (DE) Sulingen - Reload Festival 26.08.18 (NL) Amsterdam - Melkweg

Headlining Show: 10.11.18 (FR) Issy les Moulineaux - le Réacteur 11.11.18 (FR) Mulhouse - Noumatrouff 13.11.18 (FR) Montpellier - Secret Place 14.11.18 (FR) Biarritz - Atabal 15.11.18 (FR) Limoges - CCM John Lennon 16.11.18 (FR) Durtal - Durtal - l'Odyssée 17.11.18 (FR) St Brieuc - Streetpunk Ink Mas Party 18.11.18 (FR) Le Havre - Le Tetris 20.11.18 (ES) Victoria - Sala Jimmy Jazz 21.11.18 (ES) A Coruna - Playa Club 22.11.18 (ES) Sevilla - Sala Custom 23.11.18 (PT) Lisbon - Tattoo Convention 24.11.18 (ES) Madrid - Sala Copérnico / Sala Carcacol 25.11.18 (ES) Barcelona - Sala Razzmatazz 27.11.18 (IT) Seregno (MI) - Hot Factory 28.11.18 (IT) Rome - Traffic Live Club 29.11.18 (IT) Bologna - Freak Out Club

PERSISTENCE TOUR 2019 - SICK OF IT ALL with IGNITE, Municipal Waste, Walls Of Jericho, Booze And Glory, Take Offense: 17.01.19 (DE) Berlin - Astra 18.01.19 (DE) Hamburg - Grosse Freiheit 36 19.01.19 (DE) Dresden - Kraftwerk Mitte 20.01.19 (CZ) Brno - Sono Music Club 21.01.19 (DE) Munich - Backstage Werk 22.01.19 (DE) Lindau - Inselhalle 23.01.19 (CH) Lausanne - Les Docks 24.01.19 (DE) Wiesbaden - Schlachthof 25.01.19 (BE) Deinze - De Brielpoort 26.01.19 (DE) Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle 27.01.19 (UK) London - O2 Forum Kentish Town

INFEST Festival 2018 – Celebrating 20th Anniversary!


INFEST Festival 2018 – Celebrating 20th Anniversary!

23rd-26th August will see the return to Bradford of the UK's longest running annual industrial/electronic music festival! And it's going to be a peach.

INFEST bills itself as an 'EBM / Industrial / Noise / Synthpop' event but it encompasses so many more musical 'shades of black' than it credits itself for.

Last year's festival highlights included: the glorious return of REVOLTING COCKS, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album 'Big Sexy Land'; with Front 242's Richard 23 leading the first half of the set before Chris Connellytook it all to a whole other level and together with Paul Barker (Ministry) on bass and Jason Novak (Vampyre Anvil), the band were the dominating force of Infest 2017. 'Beers, Steers and Queers' was the honorary anthem for the weekend after that masterful performance.

New(ish) contenders for the 'who stole the show' competition last year were the masked (and possibly crazed) Swedish EBM duo, WULFBAND, who pummeled the Infest crowd with a high octane live performance.

Anonymous; relentless; unstable; raw and high octane, WULFBAND have to be seen live to really get the full experience. EBM at it’s finest.

Alongside electronic wizards ROTERSAND,the glorious stalworths of german industrial-metal DIE KRUPPS; a powerful and inventive(iVardensphere) and many more, Infest 2017 was consistently enjoyable, exhausting and worth every penny.

2018 will be a poignant INFEST Festival....20 years and alot has changed. The regular crowd and crew have lost some loved-ones but a few things have always remained with Infest: clever and up-date line-ups and a really fun, irreverent atmosphere. Infest never takes itself too seriously; even though it really could. The festival raises the bar musically every year and it also raises money for different charities every year. It hosts a market hall which gives a platform to small 'alt' businesses/makers/record labels; it hosts cringe-tastic karaoke sessions and incidental 'off-campus' activities like group trips to the ice-rink or

This year's line-up is dominated by the monster booking of Peter Hook + The Light (of Joy Division/New Order infamy) which will be a joy to fans of the old school. But also on the bill are those other musical shades of black we mentioned already. Bristol's MESH; L.A.'s AESTHETIC PERFECTION; the mighty CUBANATEare obvious crowd-pullers for fans of electronica but also the opportunity to see newer musical acts like ACTORS and V>lh>ll and LIEBKNECHT is like being given a beautifully curated taster menu of what is going on in alternative electronic music 2018. Genius line-up.

Flights from Ireland to Leeds/Bradford are still dirt-cheap; accommodation in Bradford is easily got; University campus venue bar prices are a gift....you have no excuse! See you there!

For more info: infestuk.com

Article & photos by Fiona Killeen / Ministry of Agröculture Promotions


Tuesday 17 April 2018

Iconic Canadian Reggae Artist SNOW Releases the Official Music Video for “Informer 2018”


Photo credit: Jassa-Campbell-Photography
Darrin Kenneth O’Brien, the Canadian reggae artist known as SNOW, has debuted the official music video for his latest release, “Informer 2018”.  The music video for the re-worked version of his chart-topping single from 1993 continues the 25th anniversary celebration of the release of Snow’s song “Informer”.  The brand new version of Snow’s breakout reggae single is currently available on all digital music retailers and streaming platforms.   

To bring the music video for “Informer 2018” to fruition, Snow teamed up with Roton Music and flew out to Bucharest, Romania to film for several days.  The video was directed for Radikal Records by acclaimed Romanian music video director Bogdan Pau of Next Generation Media Creative.   In the “Informer 2018” music video, Snow appears at a night-club with a surprise performance, as the club-goers vibe to the infectious beat of his newly re-worked version of “Informer”.  The vividly-colored, bright video embodies the vibrant new energy behind the new “Informer 2018”, a collaboration between Snow and one of the UK’s hottest production teams, Audiofreaks.

Written by Snow, M.C. Shan, and Edmond Leary, “Informer” was the lead single from Snow’s debut album, 12 Inches of Snow, which sold over 8 million records worldwide and was certified RIAA Platinum in the U.S. and CRIA Triple Platinum in Canada.  The infectious nineties classic “Informer” made U.S. history in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling and the highest-charting reggae single ever.  The song’s enduring popularity has continued from 1994, where Snow won a Juno Award for Best Reggae Recording, to 2017, when he received a SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award.  For the new re-recorded, re-worked version of “Informer”, the award-winning producers in Audiofreaks gave the classic reggae hit a new dance club sound for 2018.  With Audiofreaks’ fresh new spin on Snow’s reggae phenomenon, “Informer 2018” is set to make waves on music charts around the world again. 

As 2018 marks his return to the music industry, fans can expect to hear more from Snow in the coming months.  With exciting new remixes and collaborations yet to be revealed, Snow is excited to continue his career and ensure the enduring legacy of his name in music.

About Radikal Records: Established in 1990, and based in the greater New York City area, Radikal Records is one of the United States’ leading independent record labels.  In business for more than 25 years, they are focused on marketing, promoting, and distributing artists – not only to audiences in the USA, but also on a global basis to partners world-wide.  Artists included on their roster over the years include: Kristian Nairn, DJs From Mars, Tony Moran, Salt Ashes, 2 Unlimited, N-Trance, Zombie Nation, ATB, Yello, Scooter, Schiller, Blank & Jones, Cosmic Gate, Sinead O’Connor, Ayah Marar, and many others.  

SNOW "Informer 2018 (Official Music Video)
Watch it HERE

Friday 13 April 2018

OOMPH! – Sign worldwide deal with Napalm Records


Photo Credit: Agata Nigrovskaya

The pioneers of German Rock are now heavy part of the Napalm Records family! 

Since their founding back in 1990, OOMPH! have been leaders in the scene and have created their very own version of hard Rock music. Along their journey they were never afraid of fusing any influences. This courage was rewarded by creating their own niche between Metal, Industrial, EBM and Gothic! They have shaped a new musical genre in Germany with bands such as  Rammstein, who have named OOMPH! as one of their influences.

Gold and Platinum Awards, international chart entries, the #1 single "Augen Auf!" are just a few examples of their remarkable success. For OOMPH! being on top of German Rock music is the result of lots of hard work and fearless creativity. Now they have found a strong partner with Napalm Records!

OOMPH! on the signing with Napalm Records: “Right between both of our last tours in Russia and Europe, we started to gather new ideas for our upcoming 13th studio album! With these first new songs we contacted various record labels and were able to choose from 8 very promising offers in the end!  

We are extremely happy to have found in Napalm Records a strong and broad partner world-wide, who has worked extremely successfully in all different areas of Rock and Metal with their artists in recent years. Napalm Records offers exactly the right prerequisites for our next steps and we look forward to a long-term collaboration!"

Thomas Caser, CEO Napalm Records states: “With OOMPH! we proudly present one of the most exciting and influential German Rock bands as a brand new signing on Napalm Records! We are very much looking forward to a successful future with the band!” 

OOMPH! are currently working on a new studio album – scheduled for a 2019 release via Napalm Records! 

Thursday 12 April 2018

40 Years in the Rock 'n'Roll Wilderness BY James Stevenson



LABEL PInk Gun RELEASE 27 April 2018

James Stevenson started playing guitar professionally in 1977 forty years ago hence the title of his retrospective 2 CD pack ’40 Years In The Rock ‘n’ Roll Wilderness’.   His career has included Chelsea, Generation X, Kim Wilde, Hot Club (with Glen Matlock), Gene Loves Jezebel, Annabel Lamb, The Cult, The Alarm, The International Swingers (with Glen Matlock and Clem Burke), Tricky, Scott Walker, Holy Holy (with Woody Woodmansey and Tony Visconti) and many more.  

He’s played on a around 400 tracks. This is his own selection of some of his favourites. “It was hard choosing, but I didn’t want it to run to more than two CDs” says James.  

There are 32 tracks on the two discs. Some were hits – such as 'Water On Glass’ by Kim Wilde and ‘Brand New You’re Retro’ by Tricky. Others are more obscure – a rare live recording of Gen X performing Bowie’s ‘Andy Warhol’ and Henry Badowski’s ‘Baby Sign Here With Me’. There’s also the previously unreleased ‘Big Tears’ featuring Gary Holton on lead vocals.  

‘40 Years In The Rock n Roll Wilderness’ is fascinating collection of music spanning the forty year career of one London’s most remarkable guitarists and will be available  HERE.

Comeback Kid to release MIDNIGHT OIL cover 'Beds Are Burning'



Canada's finest hardcore/punk outfit Comeback Kid have announced the release of brand new music in the form of a two track single titled Beds Are Burning. The single will include the band's cover of the Midnight Oil classic of the same name, as well as previously unreleased song 'Little Soldier' which came together during the Outsider sessions.

Commented singer Andrew Neufeld: "A while back I randomly saw the video for the song Beds Are Burning. I had heard it in passing many times before but the video intrigued me at that particular time. After finding out that it was a protest song about giving back lands to an indigenous group in Australia,  it resonated with me because of the current situation our Canadian government has with its indigenous people."

The single will be released digitally on May 4th via Nuclear Blast. A limited print run of 500 7" vinyl will be (mainly) available on tour during their upcoming Australian dates onward. See the tour schedule below.

Comeback Kid will be playing at the three Slam Dunk Festival dates next month, don't miss their killer performances at those shows!

26.05. UK Leeds - Slam Dunk Festival North 27.05. UK Hatfield - Slam Dunk Festival South 28.05. UK Birmingham - Slam Dunk Festival Midlands

Wednesday 11 April 2018

RadioDriveBy's Trent Clark Joins Craig Owens' badXchannels


Photo credit: Matt Cardinal

As badXchannels' mastermind CRAIG OWENS continues his musical metamorphosis of the more experimental side of rhythm-based alternative music, he has tapped friend and fellow musician TRENT CLARK of alt-rock band RadioDriveBy to join in the evolution. "Trent’s a close friend, who’s been on a similar path in life," explains Craig. "We spend our days trying to make sense of it all, and when making music it kind of all becomes one thing. The collaboration allows for a focus of purity and expression when creating. It’s nice to be able to let go of control, it’s exciting, and makes me want to make music again." 

Adds Trent: "The meeting of our minds was such an organic experience, and I think that lends itself to the music we've been making. I had played a show with Craig awhile back, and he asked if I'd ever be interested in doing some writing together. From there we just started jamming out on a pretty consistent basis, and then *boom* here we are now! It's been a great ride so far. The universe has a funny way of putting you in the right place, at the right times."

As the product of their collaboration, badXchannels have released the new video "Memory". Originally premiering on Alternative Press, the video was filmed in Sedona, Arizona by Swiss director John Osterman, offering an atmospheric and cinematic glimpse inside which Altpress describes as the "slow-evolving, late-night-listening grooves of badXchanels."    

"One of the songs we've done together that I am super proud of is 'Memory', which was a really great experience composing together," Trent says. "I love working with Craig because he is very driven and passionate about making great music. When we write together, we never know what we are going to come up with, which is really exciting."

In addition, badXchannels have announced a trio of Texas shows in May with the ethereal Fifty Grand and the experimentally ambient Eastghost. 

May 18th - Austin, TX @ Sidewinder May 19th - Dallas, TX @ Prophet Bar May 20th - Houston, TX @ Houston Undrgrnd

"I know we've got a bunch of stuff that you'll be hearing in the future that I am excited to share with the world," explains Craig. "We've been super inspired by all sorts of ethereal, dark, and raw sounds as of late, and have been especially inspired by movie scoring and sound design. We keep a very open mind to music, and draw inspiration from an eclectic mix. The new stuff to come will definitely speak for itself!"

The mastermind behind such seminal alternative bands Chiodos, Cinematic Sunrise, The Sound of Animals Fighting, and Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, Owens took some time off after the final breakup of Chiodos in early 2015 to re-find his muse. In the two years since, he has moved back home to Detroit after a brief stint in Los Angeles and gotten back to what drew him to music in the first place – the desire to create and shape the music within his soul. Keeping a low profile and recording music as badXchannels, Owens drew inspiration from a broad swath of music that includes film soundtracks and scores, Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean. Having collaborated with such luminaries as Dr. Dre, D12, Fifty Grand (of TeamSesh) and gotten support from underground superstar Bones, Owens leaves no stone unturned, creating music from inspiration rather than record label demands.

With more music on the horizon and more surprises in store, Craig and his new cohort Trent are planning on experimenting and writing new material.  "We’re going to continue releasing single after single over the next few months, begin touring, and continue on the journey that seems to be just getting started with badXchannels," he concludes. "The goal is to continue releasing quality content and leave a legacy in the strength, and entirety of our musical catalogue - to communicate with the world and hopefully leave an indentation for those who feel the same way about life as we do."

badXchannels "Memory"
WATCH VIDEO HERE

Janet Gardner announces UK tour in May 



After encountering a recent health scare, Janet Gardner has announced a UK tour at the end of May 2018 kicking off in Edinburgh on the 23rd.  

Janet can’t wait to land:   “It’s always an honor to take the stage in the stomping grounds of so many legendary bands. We can’t get across the pond fast enough!”  

JANET GARDNER May 2018:   23rd         EDINBURGH – Bannermans 24th         NOTTINGHAM – Rock City Basement 26th         MANCHESTER – The Factory 27th         BRIDGWATER – Cobblestones 28th         LONDON - Underworld

Best known as the lead vocalist of the all-female rock band Vixen, Janet Gardner's powerful vocals propelled Vixen to the top of the Billboard charts with crossover hits "Edge of a Broken Heart" and "Cryin'," and found the band opening for the likes of Deep Purple, Ozzy Osbourne, The Scorpions, Kiss, and Bon Jovi.  

Teaming up with guitarist/songwriter/producer Justin James (having worked with Staind, Collective Soul, and Tyketto), Gardner has ventured into the solo realm to unleash a new side of her musical creativity. Together, Janet and Justin have penned a collection of emotionally charged songs with gritty grooves, infectious hooks, and inspired lyrics that merge hard rock influences from the last four decades.  

A sample teaser was put up on YouTube and literally exploded overnight. This quickly landed a deal with Pavement Entertainment. Early feedback on the album has stated that "Janet's voice is just as dynamic and powerful as it was back in 1988. Rock fans are going to be blown away by this solo album."  

The full-length self-titled debut was released on August 18, 2017, worldwide via Pavement Entertainment in conjunction with Pavement's cohorts Eternal Sound Records for Europe.  

In an era primarily dominated by male rock musicians, Vixen's all-female line up, matched with their undeniable musicianship and Gardner's unique and powerful vocal style, propelled the band quickly to Gold Album status and earned the band critically acclaimed success that is still celebrated to this day. Vixen, along with their predecessors, helped pave the way for the current wave and success of female-fronted acts such as Halestorm, In This Moment, The Pretty Reckless, and many others.

LORD OF THE LOST ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM & EUROPEAN TOURDATES



LORD OF THE LOST are a multi-talented, modern metal band whose music presents itself far beyond genre stereotypes: a solid metal base featuring industrial parts or other dark rock elements – nothing is impossible. This band takes a flying leap beyond genre parameters – better than ever! Their previous releases topped the German album charts already, while the upcoming release THORNSTAR will in no way be inferior to past efforts. This, their sixth studio album, reveals even more sonic facets of the band, all the while remaining hard and forceful.

The deep and emotional concept behind the album follows the story of a doomed high civilization - THORNSTAR is a record unique in both sound and concept.

Singer Chris Harms on this concept: “From the beginning it has been a big vision we had with THORNSTAR – the concept demands a lot of responsibility. And the final result overtook us completely.”

Tracklisting: CD1: 1. On This Rock I Will Build My Church 2. Loreley 3. Black Halo 4. In Our Hands 5. Morgana 6. Haythor 7. Naxxar 8. Cut Me Out 9. The Mortarian 10. Under The Sun 11. In Darkness, In Light 12. Forevermore 13. Ruins      CD2: 1. Abracadabra (feat. Dero Goi) 2. Voodoo Doll 3. The Art Of Love 4. Lily Of The Vale 5. Penta 6. Free Radicals 7. Live Pray Die Repeat

LORD OF THE LOST live with THORNSTAR 2018: 04.10.18 DE - Frankfurt / Batschkapp 05.10.18 DE - Hannover / Musikzentrum 06.10.18 DE - Berlin / Columbia Theater 11.10.18 DE - Nuremberg / Hirsch 12.10.18 DE - Cologne / Essigfabrik 13.10.18 DE - Dresden / Alter Schlachthof 18.10.18 CH - Pratteln / Z7 19.10.18 DE - Munich / Backstage 20.10.18 DE - Stuttgart / Im Wizemann 26.10.18 DE - Leipzig / Werk 2 27.10.18 DE - Hamburg / Markthalle 31.10.18 ES - Barcelona / Salamandra 1 01.11.18 FR - Toulouse / Rex 02.11.18 FR - Nantes / Ferrailleur 03.11.18 FR - Paris / Boule Noire 21.11.18 UK - Newcastle Upon Tyne / The Cluny 22.11.18 UK - Glasgow / Ivory Blacks 23.11.18 UK - Manchester / The Ruby Lounge 24.11.18 UK - London / Electrowerkz 25.11.18 UK - Bristol / The Fleece Bristol

Tuesday 10 April 2018

Manic Street Preachers Releases Track "International Blue" From New Album RESISTANCE IS FUTILE



"International Blue" is the first new release from MANIC STREET PREACHERS in four years and is available today in the U.S. Taken from the band’s thirteenth studio album RESISTANCE IS FUTILE out on Shornday/The Orchard on April 13, 2017, the single is unfiltered and classic Manic Street Preachers. Inspired by the city of Nice in the mid winter sun and the life’s work of French Nouveau realisme artist Yves Klein, the song is built over an immense riff that echoes the twin Manics album peaks of Generation Terrorists and Everything Must Go.  

Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) explained “I’d been digesting the lyric for five years, since being in Nice and finally joining the dots between Yves Klein’s International Klein Blue and the vast open blue of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a moment of connection that felt perfectly natural – not forced or intellectualized. A different kind of enrichment that feels increasingly difficult to find. The track itself is carried by the kind of naïve energy that powered ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’”.

James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) added “Often I just need a great title to set me off. Seeing the word 'blue' struck a chord and set off memories of pure pop records we grew up with – things like the ‘Story of the Blues’ by Wah!, ‘Moon is Blue’ by Colourbox, Orange Juice’s ‘Blue Boy’ and’ In Bluer Skies’ by Echo and the Bunnymen. I immediately thought of the kind of shiny freedom pop we used to hear on the radio as kids and that quickly became the M.O. in my head when writing. I just wanted to make a great Manic Street Preachers driving song; something that evoked the heat haze you see on empty open roads in America. I wanted to channel a Springsteen/War on Drugs sensibility, but through our European filter. Sometimes, aiming for a feeling is enough to make it work”.

Of their first new recordings in four years, the band said: “The main themes of ‘Resistance is Futile’ are memory and loss; forgotten history; confused reality and art as a hiding place and inspiration. It’s obsessively melodic - in many ways referencing both the naive energy of ‘Generation Terrorists’ and the orchestral sweep of ‘Everything Must Go’. After delay and difficulties getting started, the record has come together really quickly over the last few months through a surge of creativity and some old school hard work.”

Following the twin musical departures of 2013’s largely acoustic Rewind the Film and the glacial electronics of 2014’s Futurology, Resistance Is Futile heralds a return to a classic Manics sound described by the band as “widescreen melancholia”. The songs on the album are the first recorded in the band’s new Door to the River studio (near Newport, UK).

The band head out on tour in the UK in April and play their biggest shows in a decade. They will also be playing several festivals including Robert Smith’s Meltdown and will play with Guns ‘n’ Roses at shows in Germany and Denmark.  Manic Street Preachers recently received the Inspiration Award at the Q Awards at the Roundhouse in London. Previous winners include U2, David Bowie and Patti Smith. The band performed a greatest hits set on the night with support from Sleaford Mods.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE Track listing: 1. People Give In 2. International Blue 3. Distant Colours 4. Vivian 5. Dylan & Caitlin 6. Liverpool Revisited 7. Sequels of Forgotten Wars 8. Hold Me Like a Heaven 9. In Eternity 10. Broken Algorithms 11. A Song for the Sadness 12. The Left Behind

MANIC STREET PREACHERS "International Blue"
WATCH VIDEO HERE

Monday 19 March 2018

JONATHAN DAVIS DEBUT SOLO ALBUM "BLACK LABYRINTH"



Jonathan Davis, storied frontman of critically lauded rock band Korn, will be releasing his highly anticipated debut solo album Black Labyrinth on May 25 via Sumerian Records.  Pre-orders for the physical album are available now, at jonathandavis.com or sumerianmerch.com. Listen to 30-second clips of the entire album HERE

Diverse and progressive, Black Labyrinth represents a natural evolution for Jonathan, whose previous musical contributions have yielded two GRAMMY® Award wins, eight GRAMMY® Award nominations, worldwide sales of 40 million-plus, and countless sold out shows in nearly every corner of the globe. In addition to the album’s well-received first single, “What It Is,” which debuted as the #1 most added single on Rock radio, the new album includes “Final Days,” a melodic and atmospheric track, accentuated by subtle hints of sitar and tabla, the straightforward arena-rock anthem “Underneath My Skin,” and ten other tracks primarily recorded live to tape, a departure from Korn’s heavily calculated, meticulous, studio approach to creation. Longtime fans of Korn will still find the familiarity of the band’s unique and unforgettable vocals, synths and commanding guitars in key track’s like “What You Believe” and “Everyone.”

Inspired in part by the Ganzfeld Experiment, and the out of body experiments and hallucinations that often accompany it, Davis focused on religion, consumerism and apathy throughout the album. “There’s a level of enlightenment I want to achieve,” he confesses regarding Black Labyrinth. “With all of the bullshit going, everyone is stuck on their fucking cell phones. This takes us way out of that. No matter how hard you try to fight bad things in your life, life will be what it is. It’s up to you to accept that, combat it, and move forward, or it’s up to you to be in denial. Then, it becomes a thorn in your side until you finally deal with it. This is it. Just deal with it.”

Black Labyrinth tracklist: 1. Underneath My Skin 2. Final Days 3. Everyone 4. Happiness 5. Your God 6. Walk On By  7. The Secret 8. Basic Needs 9. Medicate  10. Please Tell Me  11. What You Believe 12. Gender 13. What It Is

Davis is no stranger to finding success while pushing the boundaries of music. Throughout over 20 years in music, his presence has coursed through film scores, popular video game franchises, and official remixes for the likes of Steve Aoki and more. Along the way, he has also lent his voice to tracks for everyone from Linkin Park to Tech N9ne.  Jonathan Davis will bring these songs to the live arena for the first time in the UK with an exclusive appearance at DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, where he’s scheduled to play the Zippo Encore Stage. For tickets and more info check www.downloadfestival.

Sunday 11 February 2018

LIVE REVIEW: The Menzingers @ Whelans 28th of January + Catayena + PUP - By Pascal Derrien



Nearly 5 years since The Menzingers had played in Dublin. The gig was sold out last week and Wav added 10 tickets on the day. I was told they were dearly chased by unlucky fans who had been caught up late.

Catayena did an OK job. The girls are good musicians and their story telling is efficient but the trio needs to add a bit more humph on stage to fully entertain us.

PUP is a different league altogether. The Canadians are a stage beast, a punk machine. Its energetic, sleek and fun to watch. The crowd responded with enthusiasm and at some point I wondered if they were going to steal the show that night. Brilliant buzz and awesome musicianship.

And the stars of evening came on stage at about 10.15. First date of their UK /Europe tour Dublin welcomed the band from Scranton with open arms. It did not take long for the sing along squad to kick off alongside some candid and good humoured stage diving.

Having two singers with Tom and Greg is a feature the guys are utilizing well on stage and its more than pleasant to see them swapping the lead vocals. Most of the group classics were played, we had anything from the Obituaries and its interactive dynamic with the crowd to their latest hit After The Party. The guys seem to genuinely have fun and the crowd was very keen to give some back.

Super show and great ambiance and if you think it was their first gig in a while I can only anticipate a thunderstorm by the time they reach the end of this tour. No thrills and down to earth their lyrics resonate with a large scope of people. I noticed a fair representation from the US in the crowd but I also spoke to some Brazilians, polish and other music fans from Spain

I don’t know how you translate The Menzingers in Spanish but we may need to find a new word in English to describe the unique atmosphere you can only witness at a Mezingers show 😊

Go on the guys from Philly, you said you would not wait that long to come back, I hope that’s a promise 😊

Written by Pascal Derrien