Month: March 2021

Punk rock band RISE AGAINST is back with a provocative and dynamic new album, “Nowhere Generation”, the group’s first new studio effort in four years. On the upcoming release, the outspoken band points a finger at big business and politics for stacking the social and economical deck against Millennials’, Gen Y’s and Gen Z’s pursuit of The American Dream. Musically, the album is blazing, aggressive punk rock; lyrically, the eleven songs were inspired in part by input from band members’ young children and RISE AGAINST’s community of fans. “Nowhere Generation” is set for a June 4 release and is RISE AGAINST’s first with new label Loma Vista Recordings.

Said frontman Tim McIlrath: “Today there is the promise of the American Dream, and then there is the reality of the American Dream. America’s ‘historical norm’ that the next generation will be better off than the one that came before has been diminished by an era of mass social, economic, and political instability and a sell-out of the Middle Class. The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer.”

Also, today RISE AGAINST debuts the “Nowhere Generation” music video, a stark-yet-dynamic piece shot entirely in black and white that contributes to the cohesive cross-campaign theme of the album: the critique of mainstream pop culture and those at the top who actively work to suppress true equality for all. The video also provides a first look at the visual motif that is woven throughout all aspects of the Nowhere Generation project, such as the album packaging and the band’s socials.

For the “Nowhere Generation” project, the band worked with the Grammy-nominated creative director Brian Roettinger (Jay-Z, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, NO AGE) to craft an impressive and truly inspired capsule of album offerings. Those include:

* CD in a soft pack jacket with a multi-page lyric booklet
* 12-inch, limited edition vinyl picture disc (exclusive to the band’s webstore)
* Deluxe album edition with a distinctive spinning wheel gatefold jacket with die-cut front cover; a 12-page album art booklet insert, and a bonus 7″ featuring two “Nowhere Session” versions of album standouts “Nowhere Generation” + “Broken Dreams, Inc.”; special vinyl color variants for retail worldwide as well as the band’s webstore.

* Standard vinyl format that includes a single sleeve, dorado paper-wrapped jacket, with lyric insert featuring metallic ink; multiple special vinyl color variants for select retailers as well as the band’s webstore.
* Exclusive versions of the album, on vinyl and CD available at Target. A jacket with exclusive interchangeable inserts and special colored vinyl for the LP and a bonus “Nowhere Session” song on the CD.

RISE AGAINST — McIlrath, Joe Principe (bass), Brandon Barnes (drums) and Zach Blair (lead guitar) — recorded “Nowhere Generation” at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, under the tutelage of Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, Chris Beeble and longtime producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (BLACK FLAG, THE DESCENDENTS). Stevenson has worked with the band on nearly all of their acclaimed releases since their sophomore effort, 2003’s “Revolutions Per Minute”, and is often described as RISE AGAINST’s fifth member. “Bill is our not-so-secret weapon,” Principe explained. “He really has helped shape the band; he gets what we want to do and will go with us when we think outside the box. He’s the perfect producer for the style of music we play because he has an insane pop sensibility and the hardcore side to him as well.”

In addition to the communal call to arms embedded in “Nowhere Generation”‘s dynamic title track, there’s the fast and furious anti-establishment manifesto “Broken Dreams, Inc.”, the moody ballad “Forfeit”, “Sudden Urge”, a true nod to the band’s rock’n’roll side with an overall punk-vibe, the simplicity of “The Numbers” with a melody that will stick in your head, and the surprise pop candor in “Talking To Ourselves”, a standout song about wanting to be heard and wondering if anyone is listening. “It describes a lot of what RISE AGAINST does,” says McIlrath, “to speak and scream when we feel there are things that are happening that aren’t being addressed.”

“When I was growing up,” said Principe, “I listened to bands like 7 SECONDS, BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and BAD RELIGION. All of those bands’ music had a sense of hope with the world, a truly positive global view of what life can be. From the beginning, we’ve wanted RISE AGAINST to have that same positivity, to have our music be an inspiration for people to bring about change in their own lives, they just have to put forth the effort and speak up.”

Photo credit: Wyatt Troll

Hear tech death bruisers Hammer of Dawn pay tribute to the Xbox classic Gears of War
The post Track Premiere: Hammer of Dawn – “Fleshless” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

In a new interview with Ghost Cult Magazine, QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre was asked when he will feel comfortable performing in front of live audiences again. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “That’s a really good question, because we’ve had shows booked. And it’s, like, ‘Is this outdoor? How far away? Are they mandating masks?’ And if they say, ‘Well, masks are recommended,’ for me, I don’t like that at all.

“Until I think we can reach herd immunity, where it’s legit safe that way, and I’ve had my vaccine, I think I’ll feel fairly comfortable then,” he continued. “Right now, until we can all get that achieved, there are shows on the books, and it makes me really, really nervous. I don’t like it. But at the same time, we haven’t worked in a year. We were the first industry to close.

“I see all these dumbasses around [my home state of Florida] that cry about the mask and it’s infringing on their rights, and all this stupid stuff, and it’s so ignorant. And I’m thinking, yeah, but, motherfucker, you work. You have a job right now. I don’t. So you can cry about it, but you’re still earning a paycheck every week; you’re still doing your business, even if it’s, ‘Oh, I work from home now.’ Okay, but you’re still working. We’re not working where we earn an income on touring and the stuff that we do. Yeah, we’re working as far as songwriting, but you’re not getting paid to sit home and write lyrics; that doesn’t come until way down the road. So, it’s gonna be a while before any of us feel comfortable, I think.

“I think people will be super stoked just to go to a show,” Todd added. “You could play ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’, and people would probably be happy just to be out with their friends and seeing a stage and hearing music again. But for us, this is our job. This isn’t, ‘Oh, we’re gonna go out with our friends and have a good time tonight.’ We’ve gotta do this every night on tour. And so if one of us gets sick, that shuts the whole tour down. If I get sick and I have to quarantine, or I’m positive [for COVID-19], or whatever, that’s a wrap — that tour is done; it’s done. I’m not a guy that really hangs out much anyway. We will definitely be more isolated, not accessible. No aftershow, probably no meet-and-greets. We get on stage, we play, and that’s it. So it’s gonna be a while, unfortunately. But I don’t feel comfortable at all right now.”

La Torre went on to say that he has come under fire from some of the QUEENSRŸCHE fans for publicly speaking out in support of mask mandates and vaccinations. “I’ve had people say, ‘I’m not buying anything from him. He’s a fucking commie libtard socialist,'” he said. “And I’m, like, ‘Well, you’ve gotta pick one, number one. Number two, you don’t even know what you’re talking about.’

“Look, the reality is what it is, and I’m not gonna be silent about if somebody asks me my views on the mask or vaccines or whatever. I mean, vaccines work — that’s why we don’t have polio here anymore. People say, ‘Oh, but you can get a flu shot and still get sick.’ Well, yeah, you can die still wearing a seat belt, but more lives are saved wearing a seat belt than people that die wearing a seat belt. So I look at things from a very empirical, scientific perspective. No feelings are involved; it’s purely pragmatic.

“If everybody would just be sensible and not selfish, we would probably be a lot further along now, but it is what it is,” he added. “And I understand people have to work.

“I’m not against a band, like, ‘We’ve gotta play a show live.’ I get it — I totally understand that; I respect it too. But this was not talking about that — this was asking do I feel comfortable. I don’t feel comfortable. But if the band said, ‘We have a gig tomorrow,’ I would go do the gig, but I would be nervous.”

Todd’s debut solo album, “Rejoice In The Suffering”, was released on February 5 via Rat Pak Records. Todd created the LP with his songwriting partner Craig Blackwell and producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris.

Steel Bearing Hand’s death-laden razor blade of thrash cuts through all pretenders with irresistible riffing power!
The post Track Premiere: Steel Bearing Hand – “‘Til Death and Beyond” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has blasted Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s performance of their hit song “WAP” during Sunday’s Grammy Awards.

“WAP”, whose title itself is an abbreviation for “wet ass pussy,” is a track filled with explicit lyrics referencing female empowerment and sexual pride. During the show, the singers changed many of the original lines in “WAP”, and CBS censored out others, while performing on a stage that featured a pole on a massive high heel, and ending with the two rappers writhing together on a giant bed.

Earlier today, the 45-year-old Cooper, who defines himself as “conservative in ideology,” posted an episode of his “Cooper Stuff” video podcast in which he addressed Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s Grammy appearance and suggested that it was a good example of how humanity has always been dexterous at confusing evil with good.

He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We’re living in a world right now where there are certain Dr. Seuss books that you cannot sell on eBay,” referring to the fact that six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published because they “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” according to the business that preserves the author’s legacy. “They are just too much for anybody to even be allowed to buy; they’re being yanked down from all the bookstores and stuff like that. It’s just too much; it’s too evil. So you can’t go on eBay and buy it — too evil. But you can, and must, applaud the sexual degradation of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion simulating sex together on the Grammys. This is the perfect example. You must celebrate it. In fact, if you don’t celebrate it, then you’re actually a bad person, and you kind of, like, don’t love people. You’re actually not nice. This is the perfect example, you guys.”

Cooper went on to read chapter 5 verse 20 of the book of Isaiah, which states: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.” He said: “‘I don’t think that would ever really happen.’ Really? It’s happening right now. It’s been happening in America for the last few years like crazy — especially the last five years, especially during the last year.

“Why would anybody ever call evil good and good evil? It’s simple: because they just redefine the terms. The question is, who is going to define what is good, and who is gonna define what is evil?

“Every dictator in history says that what they were doing was good,” he continued. “That’s what they believe. If you go back and you read some of Hitler’s speeches, he’s, like, ‘I’m gonna set people free — free from the bondage of the Ten Commandments.’ In his mind, he’s a liberator. It’s always like that, you guys. All you do is you just redefine evil and you redefine good. That’s what’s happening right now on the Grammys.

“Now, I know there are people going — some of my ‘woke’ friends — ‘John, you’re making a big deal about nothing. It’s always been oversexualized.’ And yes, okay, of course, Grammys have always been oversexualized,” Cooper added. “Music has always been oversexualized. Hollywood has always been oversexualized. Two differences, and they matter. Number one: this is just a step beyond what we’ve seen. That’s all. I mean, you’re right — it has always been that way. Fine. This is pretty overt, all right? This is pretty over-the-top stuff.

“But the biggest difference that is not the same is that 20 years ago, when Madonna did it — in fact, Madonna was really pushed into stardom from a performance like this. I can’t remember if it was Grammys or was it MTV Awards. I don’t really remember, but I watched a documentary on it a few years ago on Netflix; I can’t remember what it was. She did this performance where she was simulating self-sex and rolling all around on the stage. The difference was this: nobody said that she was virtuous for doing it. That’s a major difference, you guys. She was doing it because it was a climate of hedonism — it was a climate of sex, drugs [and] rock and roll. That’s the motto of my generation and the generation before me — sex, drugs, rock and roll. It’s a rebellion. It was a revolt against Christian values, traditional values, even just Western values in general. The family values — it was a revolt against traditional sexuality. But it wasn’t because they were virtuous. Nobody looked at Madonna and was, like, ‘She’s such a virtuous person. I really want my daughter to live this way.’ Nobody did that. That’s the difference. Madonna was doing it and getting famous because she was courageous and brave to do something that was like shock rock. Now it’s not just shock rock. Now it’s, like, yeah, we’re redefining what virtuous is. So we’re taking paganism, and we’re not just saying, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna get famous ’cause I’m willing to be into paganism and hedonism and idolatry and sexual degradation,’ and this and that and the other. No — we’re saying, ‘I’m doing all those things because I know what virtue is. I know what morality is. I define morality.’ That is what it means to call evil good, and good evil.”

Cooper recently published his first book, titled “Awake & Alive To Truth (Finding Truth In The Chaos Of A Relativistic World)”. It “tackles the reigning philosophies of our day of post-modernism, relativism, and the popular view of the goodness of man-and combats these viewpoints by standing on the absolute truth of the Word Of God,” the book’s description reads.

In various interviews over the years, Cooper has said that he “always had faith in God” and that his mother was a “Jesus fanatic.” He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

One of the best horror anthologies to come along in recent years is getting another sequel. Esteemed filmmaker and composer Rocky Gray is back with more blood, gore, and screams in “10/31 Part III”, available for pre-order via Indiegogo.

Best known for as the former drummer for Grammy Award-winning band EVANESCENCE, Gray had made a name for himself in the horror movie scene with the first two installments of the “10/31” series. Directors for the newest feature include Michael Ballif, director of “They Live Inside Us”; Jacob Perrett, director of “Spine Chiller”; Brad Twigg, director of “Killer Campout”; and Zane Hershberger, director of “Force To Fear”; with special effects artist Cody Ruch on board providing some “killer” practical effects. Also returning is horror hostess Malvolia: The Queen Of Screams to guide us into our world of monsters and madmen. Music for all of the segments will also be provided by Gray.

Prior to joining EVANESCENCE, Gray was best known as the guitar player for seminal Christian metal bands LIVING SACRIFICE (a band whose members went on to join P.O.D., NORMA JEAN and more) and SOUL EMBRACED. Rocky joined EVANESCENCE shortly after the recording of the band’s debut album, “Fallen”. The CD featured a reworked version of a SOUL EMBRACED song written by Rocky, “Tourniquet”, and sold over 17 million copies worldwide.

Upon his exit from EVANESCENCE in 2007, Gray claimed that he had been served a gag order by singer Amy Lee’s management preventing him from discussing the reasons for his departure from the band.

Orphaned Land mastermind Yossi Sassi invites you to hear some new sonic wildness…if you dare.
The post Video Premiere: Yossi Sassi & Oriental Rock Orchestra (ft. Mats Levén) — “Hear and Dare” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Gimme Metal TV has announced the debut episode of “The Ball”, set to premiere later this month.

Hosted by MTV VJ alumnus Riki Rachtman and presented by Knotfest.com, “The Ball” will find the former “Headbangers Ball” host reviving that classic heavy metal music video show feel in an episode that will feature videos from the likes of MEGADETH, METALLICA, POWER TRIP, and so much more.

“I think we are all starving for something like this,” comments Rachtman. “There are so many great bands currently making videos that might never get the eyes watching them.

“I hear the ridiculous comments about rock being dead. I find that to be preposterous. Especially in heavy music. It is alive and the fans are rabid for it. It might be a video you haven’t seen in decades or one that was just dropped. It could be a video you forgot about and watching it brings back the excitement of the first time you saw it.

“There was nothing more flattering than being stopped and told that I turned someone on to their new favorite band.

“I’m hoping some of the younger fans get into some of the old-school thrashers and some of us rock vets see how many great bands are out there now grinding.

“The great thing about Gimme Metal and Knotfest is we are all doing this for the right reasons. ‘The Ball’ feels more outlaw. No budget; no fancy sets with greenscreen. It’s all shot from my phone.”

Adds Gimme CEO Tyler Lenane: “Just like my 13-year-old self, a whole generation of fans got their first exposure to metal from MTV’s ‘Headbangers Ball’. From the first note of the show’s theme song, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH’s ‘March Of The S.O.D.’, you could be sure Riki Rachtman would play something you’d never heard before. We’re genuinely excited to be able to bring ‘The Ball’ to the Gimme Metal audience of metalheads.”

“The Ball” will premiere on Gimme Metal TV on March 27 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. The event is free. To watch, download the Gimme Metal app for free and be sure to catch up with Rachtman in the live chat.

View a recent interview with Rachtman, conducted by Knotfest’s Ryan J. Downey, below.

Gimme Metal TV runs 24/7, giving you unlimited music videos, interviews, live performances, and other amazing clips and shows from Metal Injection, as well as your favorite metal bands and artists. With Apple Airplay and Google Chromecast features, you can cast it to your TV or laptop.

Last month, BUTCHER BABIES released the official music video for their latest single, “Yorktown”. The song, which features a guest solo from guitarist Andy James (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH), was produced and co-written by Matt Good (FROM FIRST TO LAST). It is the third taste of the band’s forthcoming EP, tentatively due later this year via an as-yet-undisclosed record label. BUTCHER BABIES previously released the tracks “Bottom Of A Bottle” and “Sleeping With The Enemy”, both of which are also expected to appear on the EP.

BUTCHER BABIES guitarist Henry Flury told the “BODS Mayhem Hour” podcast that the songs for the EP have been done for a while. “We’ve been sitting on this stuff for a long, long time, and we kept it hidden,” he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “Before the pandemic happened, we had this whole rollout, and [we] had a plan. At that time, you could actually plan for things. Crazy enough, you could actually see the future and know what could possibly happen. Not like now where you don’t know what’s gonna happen week to week. So, yeah, we’ve been sitting on that, and then we had to basically push everything back. But it was okay, because no one was really doing anything anyway. I think it would have been a mistake to have released this stuff, and then the pandemic happens, and then you can’t do anything on it; it’s already out there. So it kind of was a blessing and a curse at the same time. But, yeah, we’ve been sitting on the songs for a while now.”

Regarding the songwriting process for BUTCHER BABIES’ new material, Henry said: “The thing about this EP that was interesting is we went in with Matt Good to do these songs. And he was a much different-style producer than we worked with previously. And that was kind of the point — is to go in with somebody and really shake things up. Basically, the only idea that we brought to the table before we went into the studio with him was ‘Yorktown’, and that was really just a riff. And that was kind of it. Everything else was made up right on the spot. And that is something that we hadn’t done in a long time. So we were able to write right there in the studio, and we would bust out, like, a song a day. And that was kind of how we were working.

“We had ideas before where you just beat ’em into the ground and you can keep reworking ’em, and they just kind of get diluted,” he explained. “And more often than not, those ideas would kind of go away; they just don’t have a spark. There was really nothing there to begin with, and so you keep working on an idea, and then it just doesn’t really develop into anything. In the studio environment with Matt, we were able to basically start an idea, and, like, ‘Yeah. Okay. How about this? And then this chorus.’ And then — boom — we had a song. ‘Bottom Of A Bottle’ came super quick. I had a riff, and I was, like, ‘Okay, yeah, that riff works.’ It was kind of easy, a no-brainer. And then it just developed into a song, and — boom — by the end of the day, we had ‘Bottom Of A Bottle’. That was it. It was shocking. We were, like, ‘Holy shit. We have a song.’ And at that time, it had been a while since we had written anything.”

In July 2019, longtime BUTCHER BABIES bassist Jason Klein announced his departure from the band. He has since been replaced by Ricky Bonazza.