Killer Hill - Frozen Head

Killer Hill is an interesting Helmet side project that dances on the edge of alt rock and thrash metal .IT pulls quite clearly from the wellspring of bands like Mastodon, Red Fang, and of course, Helmet. This is a one of a kind project and one that I think devout listeners are going to find themselves consistently charmed by. Frozen Head is a masterful offering and one that will keep listeners coming back in awe of the unique sonic highways that Killer Hill craft for themselves as they leap from peak to peak on this debut EP. 

I think the thing that really gets me about this record is the willingness to have openly jammy or flashy passages. Yes there are song structures, but the band isn't afraid to just lean into a groove and experience the magic of it for real. They are excited to get deep into the sound and unveil forgotten layers in a way that is thoughtful and tastefully executed. The guitar tone too is gorgeous, it's nice and warm, providing a reprieve for me on a gloomy autumn day. There are a lot of interesting layers on this record and the deeper you delve the more it becomes clear how much work went into these six tracks. From hard hitting thrashers to introspective grooves, Frozen Head executes with aplomb. 

At the end of the day - this is a delightful listen and one that I think more than just Helmet fans will be coming back too. This is a potent offering that leans into its own organic power and the larger vision that helps to shape it into something truly special. Letting yourself get lost in it is a delight and the bands diverse set of influences and willingness to build on old legacies makes for music that is engaging, endearing and endlessly exciting. This is heavy music done right in a way to charm the masses.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/killerhillmusic/

Aliceissleeping - Completely Fine

Now this is an interesting one. The London alt-rock scene has, for generations, conjured up some amazing bands. Completely Fine, the latest from Italian by way of London rockers Aliceissleeping is just another amazing addition to this legacy. Completely Fine is a bombastic and exciting work that sees the band pushing to new levels with potent songwriting and stunning performances. It's a record full of swagger that keeps listeners excited and eager to hear what is going to come next from these rock and rollers. 

There is an intense and fun poetry to this record, the massive vocals on tracks like 'Scary Mary' fuel thrilling songs that keep listeners begging for more. The songs themselves are wonderfully put together, building around frontwoman Alice Dionis but bringing so much more beyond that. These are incredibly well thought out and it's a delight to really sink your teeth into what they've executed here. this is a record that excites the listener with the possibilities it embraces. As a rule, Completely Fine is vivacious and fun - an exuberant rock and roll celebration of life and death in the midst of the shared trauma of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Completely Fine is a very replayable record that keeps listeners obsessed and points towards bold futures for the band. It's a record that builds on all sorts of classic tropes in order to create music that is exciting and powerful. There are countless delicious layers here and a dynamism in the performance that is reflected in the drama of the album art. Completely Fine is a huge step forward for these rock and rollers and it leaves me curious to delve back into the bands catalog. Who knows what they will conjure up next!

Pre-order: 

https://shop.mandronerecords.com/

Interview with Raveneye

One thing is for sure, UK based rock trio Raveneye certainly got themselves a solid headstart for the release of their upcoming debut record. Bearing the mark of frontman Oli Browns’ award winning talent, the band has quickly earned itself a hefty touring resume unlike any other band having self-released their first set of songs, playing alongside Deep Purple, Slash and on world renowned festivals such as Hellfest Open Air and Download. Furthermore, the bands’ debut record ranked up second in Loudwires’ polls for “Most Anticipated release” alongside Airborne and Opeth. The band, who’ve have promised to perform “Hero” on Ghost Peppers were they to reach one of the top positions in the polls, were glad to find that I happened to have more than a few to spare for their undertaking. After having warned the Oli and Aaron about their entertaining but poor decision-making regarding Ghost Peppers, we jumped right into the main subject of the interview that is NOVA, the bands’ widely anticipated debut.

Since this is your debut release. What can audiences expect from this first album?

Oli: Well first off they’re all new songs. We didn’t regurgitate the songs from the EP. We wanted it to be an wholesome experience from start to finish, all written for the purpose of the record. We worked on 25 songs and had them all ready to record in the studio, so we picked the ones that we thought fit the whole color of the record, in order to have the whole story and order that we really wanted.

So there’s certain overarching narrative to the record? Is it a concept record.

O: In some ways. We didn’t so far with it that you can’t listen listen to it on shuffle. We didn’t want it to be that thing where you’re stuck listening to it a certain way some songs always connect with people differently. We didn’t want songs to be crossing over to the next because we didn’t want it to be a disorientating listen when you listen to each track separately. Originally we did want to do a more tied-together concept but for this record we eventually realised that we wanted it to be about each individual song, but the whole record still paints the same picture.

What kind of subject matter do you deal with on this record?

Aaron: Well we kind of cover everything: death, love, hate… the basic emotions

O: The peaks of them though. All of the things that move us in life basically.

Aaron: … breaking people’s ideas of you, breaking the barriers of what people think of you, breaking your own boundaries…

The title of this first record, NOVA, obviously refers to its original latin meaning but also evokes a cosmic vibe that I feel is reflected in the music. Was an atmosphere that you were working with during the writing process or did the title and labelling come afterwards?

A: I think it was kind of serendipitous. We decided on the word but then when we looked at it a little closer we realised that it did all relate so intrinsically to everything.

O: We had no idea that it was latin for “New” at first, like you said.

Aaron: Then you’ve also got Nova as an explosion.

O: We originally thought of calling the record Supernova but it would’ve put too much focus on one song. Plus I don’t really like the long album names, some of them really work but for our first record we wanted something short.

A: And like you said the term reflected the size of the sound that we wanted to go for. We wanted to go for something that was massive. The room that we recorded in was huge, we had mics up in every corner and we used every channel on the desk to make sure that it sounded massive for a three piece. So that was the spatial concept that we were going for as well yeah.

Oli, This debut record as Raveneye comes after the release of a few solo blues records of your own. Do you see Raveneye as a “next step” or rather a complementary project in your career?

O: It definitely is a next step. When we went into this, I was with a label and management agency and I just didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted to start again, I wanted a band to start things from scratch: no agency, no management, doing it ourselves. We still are pretty DIY; we drive everywhere ourselves, we tour manage ourselves, we’ll sleep in the van… That was something that we wanted when we started this out, this would be our next step to build our own lives, with people that really believe in our choices rather than just going “Oh ok, you’re the artist, we’ll have you do this”. We’re involved in every part of this business as well as in the music. We wanted to be independent and work with people that respect our work.

Has this changed some of the dynamic when it came to writing or your way of operating as an artist as a whole?

O: Totally, and this was the intention as well. I enjoy being a solo artist but there’s a certain disconnect that you get with your musicians. I mean there is a connection, but they’re still hired people, whereas in a band there is a relationship and a lifestyle that we live. We live and breathe Raveneye. It’s not just doing the gig and learning the songs, this is our lifestyle now. The best way to describe it is when we’re writing our songs, we’ll all work on building the tracks to where they need to be, at the finishing point we envisioned. It’s not for ego or saying “my part is better!”, we all want to work on delivering the best song.

When you first started playing together, was there a specific idea as to the sound you were going for? How did the sound of Raveneye come to shape itself?

A: We were lucky that at the start of Raveneye we had some tunes that Oli had already written, he wrote the EP. So we had these songs as a template to come from and got the vibe straight away; the riffing, the killer guitar solos… so we kind of developed what Oli had set in place to write the new material on the road and tour this stuff. 

In the two years since your inception you’ve already stacked up an impressive resume: shows at Hellfest, Download, opening slots for Deep Purple, Slash with Myles Kennedy… How did this all come about, given that you’re only just releasing your first record?

O: (laugh) Well the Slash thing was pretty incredible because he had gotten a hold of our single Breaking out. Someone had sent it to him and so they got in touch with us and offered us some european shows. He books his bands, which is really cool, he’s really involved in it, he really cared.  We work hard on moving our stuff on and off stage and being the easiest band supporting. We try to be like ghosts, you can barely notice us, which I think is what helped us get the US tour with Slash as well, because we’re so low maintenance !(laughs) They were really lucky experiences. At that point we started developing a team that believed in us as well, a good management that put the word for us and keeps an eye on these things. Deep Purple was a really lucking thing; their supporting band were not able to play two of the shows and we found the spot. It’s been an incredible ride. The EP was just for the UK, we just were trying to get noticed. We sent out hundreds of emails, made so many phonecalls, contacted everyone and pretty much no one replied (laughs). We didn't care though, we knew what we wanted to do and we went to achieve it. We’re really proud that it allowed us to make this record.

What are the plans beyond the release of this record?

A: Well we’ve got a busy year coming up. We’ve got a tour through Germany and France supporting Zodiac. We then go back to the UK and do another headline tour for a month. Then we’ve got a couple of weeks in Spain. We’ll head to america in January, back to Europe in February/March in time for the festival season around April through June. We’ve got the next year planned ahead for some heavy touring. We’re super excited and we’re so glad that we’ve got the album coming out now so that we can get back on the road and get playing again. We miss playing

O: We miss the music! (laughs).

You’ve kept pretty busy since the start of the band though!

O: That’s true

A: And it’s always sort of cold-turkey. This is probably the longest time that we haven’t actually toured. We finished the record on June 1st and got back and we haven’t really played a tour since then. We’ve done shows here and there but we live for touring. When we realised that yesterday we thought “That’s why we’re going crazy!”.

O: “We haven’t played for 3 months!” (laughs)

So you’ve come to crave for this routine after a while.

A: Absolutely, yeah.

O: Totally. We do a lot of work on our computer and we look after so much of everything that the bit that keeps us motivated is the touring and playing the music. The admin is so important to us but we can do that on the road as well. The more on the road we are, the happier we’ll be. We’re happy to be away for as long as we can.

A: There’s also something kind of sickening in that I love the whole routine of touring. You know you’ve got to get up, get on the road, drive a couple of hours, find coffee (laughs)…

… It’s not the healthiest routine, might I add!

(Oli and Aaron bust out laughing)

O: Totally! You’re totally right! We try though! We stopped having McDonalds now.

A: We try and eat as healthy as we can, make sure we’re fit and healthy before we even get on the road. But yeah, we really love touring. 

Certain artists need a certain time and space for the writing process. How about you guys? Were you able to write parts of the album on the road or solely in between tours?

O: It was kind of a combination of both. At the start of the year we were hitting a bit of a dry period and at that point we didn’t really have enough songs either. We had a few songs that worked and a few songs that could work, but that wasn’t good enough so we got a hold of ourselves and wrote 20 songs and kept on pushing ourselves. But then afterwards we went to… Las Vegas? 

A: Yeah! We had our list of tunes, the album was ready and we had the short list of what we thought we were going to have. We flew to America and had a couple of days to adjust, and in those few days Oli would tune his guitar and play a riff and we’d be like “hey, that’s something! Let’s work on that!”. We had this day off in Vegas which we spent locked in a hotel room, writing this song. We finished the song on our day off in Vegas when we could’ve been gambling… (laughs)

O: … going to strip clubs… (laughs)

A: I think in an ideal world I would like to have some time off to write. I kind of like the idea of getting in a headspace. When we started writing, things were moving kind of slowly but then we ended up building a momentum and by the end of it, our first single “Hero” happened in a day. It was the last song we wrote and it just came out. Having the time is really nice but it’s not always a reality so … We’re happy to write on the road as well.

… or in Hotel Rooms in Las Vegas.

A: Yeah ! (laughs)

O: Instead of enjoying ourselves! 

A: It was cool actually because we got hooked up by Slash’s guitar player Frank of the Conspirators, his old man works in Vegas and was able to get us a really nice room. Normally we’re on a budget deal where we sleep in really dingy, crappy motels.

O: We’ll sleep in the crack houses. (laughs)

A: Pretty much! But this was the one time in the whole tour that we actually had an amazing room, in this wicked hotel; 50th floor, looking out on Vegas. It was amazing… and we locked ourselves in a room and wrote a song. 

At least it was a nice room.

O: AND at least the song made the album.

A: AND it made the album yes! (laughs)

O: If it didn’t make the album, this would be a different story!

“Bloody hell, I missed Vegas for THIS?!!”

(laughs)

A: “Shit!”

O: It was “Walls” actually, the single that we’ve just released this week.

To touch upon my friend and colleague Matts’ trademark question. I’d like you to finish this sentence for me: “I’ve never told this to anyone before, and I probably shouldn’t… but…”

(Laughs)

O: Oh my god… My first concert was a Wheatus concert. (Laughs)

A: Well… Oli and I always end up sharing the same bed together on tour. (Laughs).

 Was the Wheatus concert around the time they had “Teenage Dirtbag” out?

O: Yeah! And I even wore the freshman’s hat and I was at the back going “Oh my gooood!”

A: Oh god…

Could you name one of your favorite albums, movies and books?

O: For albums I’ll go for Superunknown by Soundgarden. My favorite books are the Game of Thrones series, I’m obsessed with them. I know it’s not the most exciting answer though. For movies I’ll go with Saving Private Ryan, that intro is just devastating. 

A: Ok so my picks will be Grave Western Valkyrie by Rival Sons. My favorite book is Shogun by James Clavell. I recently read it again on an audiobook. It’s the size of the bible, it’s a massive book. It’s incredible. It’s about Japan, the Samurai and stuff like that.

I do love movies… I might go with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s just so epic.

Any closing words? 

A: Be sure to check us out on our social media. You can find us there, it’s us at all times speaking to you. Get in touch!

O: We actually tweeted yesterday that we’d be in Paris and we had lunch with some fans today!

Interview by Robin ONO

A huge thank you goes out to the band and to the staff at Him Media for making this article possible!

Raveneye

Official Website

http://www.raveneyeofficial.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/itsraveneye/

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFJ1mW0qLQS-iHjifaIioRQ

Bandsintown

http://bandsintown.com/raveneye

Official Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ItsRavenEye

Twitter

https://twitter.com/itsraveneye?lang=fr

Sixteen Scandals

Sixteen Scandals are one of those fun alt-punk bands that help to make the genre so gosh darn worthwhile. Stripped down and unafraid to acknowledge pop roots as well as more traditional punk ideas their new single Don't Call Me Shirley is a surprisingly summery and fun track that all you rock and rollers can dance along too. Epic in scale and simply danceable these guys have been able to put together punk rock that speaks to 2015. Sixteen Scandals gets what makes this type of music so special and it gives you something that lets you feel alive. In a world of sorrow we need more music like this - music that's out there to help you and not to harm you, it gives you a chance to cleanse yourself in loud guitars and half-shouted vocals. In a world where punk rock too often takes itself too seriously Sixteen Scandals is able to be intelligent, funny, but also poignant - speaking to the human condition and giving us a chance to find freedom.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/sixteenscandals

Plaguewielder - Chambers of Death

To start off this funeral doom album review with both a pessimistic and thus fitting statement to set the mood, let me just come clean and state that despite my eager will to promote my home-countries' metal scene, I have pretty much given up on it at this point. Rare seem to be the bands that escape the tendency to string together gimmicky , uninspired and incoherent riff collages to step back and simply pay attention to the overall compositions, which truly saddens me. It is for this reason that I am extremely proud and excited to bring you my review of this debut-record by Plaguewielder from Luxemburg, a lone Funeral Doom band in a country void of any doom metal scene to hold on to.

Like I've said before, one of the most poignant elements that sets this band apart from the rest of the scene is its maturity when it comes to composition and its strong attention to atmosphere and ambience. Right from the start of the record, Chambers of Death captivates the listeners' attention and immerses the listener into its bleak, haunting atmosphere with the majestic "Existence is our Exile", which starts out with the vocalists' hair-raising howling, tortured screams (think Asphyx or Suicidal Black Metal).
With its 48 minute runtime spanning split into 5 lengthy compositions, the band manages to justify its grand sense of ambition with an overall great sense of experimentation complemented by the albums' equally polished sense of progression from start to finish. Thankfully, the albums' production quality, while not airtight by any means, adds a great sense of authenticity to the bands' performance while also offering the band enough means to build up a captivating atmosphere nonetheless. It seems as though the band were well aware of the possibilities offered by their recording conditions and decided to make the most of it, turning it into an asset rather than a limitation.
Whereas Funeral Doom can easily succomb to its' inherent risk at sounding monotonous or long-winded, Plaguewielders' Chambers of Death shows a great deal of diversity and nuance while balancing out the right amount of repetition and ambience to keep a hypnotic, sombre vibe throughout the entirety of the albums' playtime. About half-way into the album, the band introduces some orgue-type synths, creating an interesting mix between the guitars ringing like desolate chimes from a barren cathedral and the 70s' style Dario Argento Horror soundtrack synth melodies. The second to last track of the record also takes an interesting turn with its shrill piano melodies and its heavy post-rock influences. The track picks up the pace and eventually begins its ascent into a beautiful climactic buildup with echoing tremolo picked guitars, sunny synth layers and roomy drums battering in the distance. While this description may make the track seems out of place on a doom record, this temporary change of mood, oddly enough, fits and a complements the overall vibe of the album, adding a nice layer of nuance to the overal sound of the record without ever breaking its progression or mood. The track actually leads into one of the darkest tracks of the whole record "Funeral March", with its massive droning riffs and its gripping sense of gloom; a dark, epic outro toward the albums' conclusion.

Overall, despite a few hiccups here and there in terms of production and "tightness", "Chamber of Death" is a great debut album that shows the bands' great potential and talent.Thanks to the bands' close focus on feeling, ambience and atmosphere, Plaguewielder have put out a gripping, well-crafted record combining tradition and well justified experimentation. The band has nothing to envy from its fellow Funeral Doom counterparts overseas and I dare say this might well be one of the only Luxemburgish band to pull it off. For fans Doom Metal, Depressive Black Metal or even Post-Metal, this is one band from my homecountry that I am proud to present and endorse.

Plaguewielder
Official bandcamp
https://plaguewielderdoom.bandcamp.com/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Plaguewielderband

Black Space Riders - Refugeeum

There is something inherently magical about Black Space Riders and their new record, the ephemeral Refugeeum. These guys are turned on to a darker reality and are fully aware of the import that their music can have. The way they have constructed their whole record is daring and charming, it proves the eternal might that this kind of music can have. By fusing traditional rock ideas with a lot of new age concepts you get yourself an album that ebbs and flows across the ear drums and leaves you questioning your very reality.

The thing is, Refugeeum charms the listener because it is beautifully constructed. The songs rise up gently, never shocking and yet always fresh. There is something inherently innovative about what Black Space Riders do, simply because there music is so spacey and adventurous. You find yourself entering musical soundscapes that you never thought to navigate before and it leaves you with a smile on your face as you try to reach out and find a way through the murk. Refugeeum is the product of musical geniuses coming together to share sublime music that reflects the beautiful triumph of the human spirit even in times of adversity.

At the end of the day, Refugeeum with its exotic melodies and dreamy majesty is the kind of thing that will keep you spinning this record again and again. They sound incredibly unique and yet never stray frighteningly far from traditional rock tropes. It proves that there is still a lot to be said in the genre and speaks to the virtuosity of the musicians that they are able to pull off something so audacious without ever coming across as flashy. Mind expanding and jaw dropping these are anthems for a new generation of rock and rollers.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BlackSpaceRiders

Year Of The Goat - The Unspeakable

Year Of The Goat have rapidly captured my imagination and showed me the strange eternal power that rock and roll can have. Now on their third release (Man these guys just crank 'em out!) Year Of The Goat impress me because they are able to take standard rock tropes and invigorate them with a sense of power and honesty that few of their peers would ever have the audacity to imitate. What I'm saying is that Year Of The Goat may very well be the band who usher in a brave new era of rock and roll.

There is something wonderfully epic about this band, as is clearly evidenced on the slow burning intro, the almighty All He Has Read. It shows you the bands occult sensibilities and their ability to reach deep within themselves to help generate a reflection of the fucked up realities that we must all deal with on a day to day basis. Beyond that there is something vaguely orchestral about what Year Of The Goat do. It makes them all the more magical - they capture the imagination and show you that the genre still has a lot of unexplored corners. Sure - Year Of The Goat use a lot of old ideas, but their implementation is rather unique and gives added flavor to a fresh sound.

At the end of the day you have to acknowledge that Year Of The Goat are the kind of band who will blow your mind with soaring vocals and crunchy riffs that have just enough bite to keep you coming back again and again. At once melodic and groovy The Unspeakable sees Year Of The Goat really coming into their own as musicians and songwriters. Ready to take the world by storm I feel like this record represents a crucial stepping stone in what could very well be the next great rock and roll success story.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/yearofthegoat?fref=ts

Johnny Wore Black - Walking Underwater Pt 2

It's rare that I find a record as unique sounding as this one, when I reviewed Johnny Wore Black when their debut came out I was fairly impressed with the distinct music they created, it seems like they took the idea and ran with it. Reminiscent only of Menace's Impact Velocity (A little known Mitch Harris side project) Johnny Wore Black are doing something truly special with their music and Walking Underwater Pt 2 speaks to the incredibly in depth and artsy music that these guys have become renowned for crafting.

There is something wonderfully anthemic about Johnny Wore Black, even though they almost never rely on big choruses. There is a distinct arena feel, you dig into this music and you start to feel it grooving its way into your bones. The soundscapes here are incredibly rich and as you sink into them it's easy to close your eyes and not want to find a way out. Johnny Wore Black are a lot more exciting than many of their peers and don't seem concerned with a lot of the boundaries that limit their peers. Here they stand, triumphant sitting back and enjoying the fact that they have just released what is quite frankly a masterpiece of an album.

Inherently progressive and singularly interesting to listen to I'm very excited for the future of this band. Johnny Wore Black understand what they want to do with their art and they've been able to craft it such that it can have a massive appeal, from pop kids to fans of more underground music. Deeply fascinating and immaculate in its conception this promises to be an extremely iconoclastic release and shows a deep wellspring of potential. Who knows what these modern masters will be up too next?

Killed A Fox

Nifty Croatian rock with groove, Killed A Fox are a pretty cool new band who bring in a healthy mix of influences to get at something special. Their sonic attack is fairly distinct and shows the capability of the band to come forth with a bit of everything and deliver what can only be called a startling and refreshing burst of rock 'n' roll madness. While yes, there are a lot of standard modern rock influences in the vocals, you can also find touches of Primus and other slightly 'out there' acts accentuating the ringing guitar parts and gyrating bass lines. These songs are exciting and oftentimes tumultuous, twisting and turning like there's no tomorrow. When they end in moments of triumphant and glorious rock and roll redemption you have to close your eyes and smile, this is what the lords of rock would have wanted for us. Killed A Fox have a distinct sound and know what they want to do, it's just a matter of clicking 'play'.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/killedafox

The Greater Victory

The Greater Victory are a very cool alt rock band from northern Pennsylvania. I first saw these guys a couple days ago in a tiny club, I would have reviewed their show, but I was the one who booked them and that's kinda screwed up ya know? Here's the thing about this band though, they have a beautiful sense of sadness to them that few of their peers can compare too. Sure they might not have crazy chops or anything, but that's not the point. This music is a veritable chicken soup for the suffering soul, there is something extremely comforting to me about the music of The Greater Victory. They do rock and roll right, they honor a formula that is not fatal to the flesh, but instead strangely triumphant. Perhaps the secret is in the bands name, their sound, despite being sad points towards something happier. Maybe the entire point of this band is to show us to our own greater victory, and even if it isn't, this is still some damn good music.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/thegreatervictory

The Faults

Another crazy day of college life has me running around trying to get all the shit I need to get done, done, but I still have to take time to bring you guys the goods. Today, we have The Faults a fun and punchy rock band reminiscent of the White Stripes and their ilk. A delicious duet who really know how to write some fun rock songs, The Faults are proof that this kind of music can not only succeed but also still rage in 2014. The band have a great sense of how to mix old and new, with bluesy ideas fitting in nicely with riffs that could have come from a Strokes song. The Faults are more than just another rock band, they are speaking to the pure and primal power of the genre. Their sound is surprisingly polished from a two piece, and this actually helps to keep them fairly distinct. I think a rawer guitar might take away from the simple beauty that a lot of these songs possess. Simply put, it is hard to find fault in The Faults and I get the impression that they will rock on righteously for years to come.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/thefaults/app_204974879526524

Livingston-Animal

When I first spun Animal last Thursday I didn't get it. I was preparing myself for a pretty heavy trip, a festival where drugs and alcohol were eschewed rather than encouraged. Something about it didn't sit right with me. Then I spun it again today and something clicked. There is a strange orchestral magic to Livingston's new record that allows it to stand tall. With its beautifully layered production and intricate sound, Animal goes beyond what many of the bands indie rock contemporaries are doing and lays the groundwork for a sound that is far more promising and epic.

Sure, there are a lot of weird touches of electronic music in here and some autotuned parts, but in all honesty, that adds to the strange beauty of this recording. The otherworldly vocal lines on tracks like Big Mouth is touching, it draws me in and touches the soul. If I was to compare these guys to any band around today I would have to draw a link with the Killers. There's the same idea of having prog rock instrumentation within an alt-rock context. That being said, there is a distinctly English touch to these guys sound which sets them apart from their peers. The music on Animal is honest, yet is done very differently than records from other nations, there is a distinct flavor that only Livingston can provide, and it shows clearly on every track of this album.

As the band eases their way through these tracks it's easy to find the beauty behind it. There is an ebb and flow to the music which transcends words and in many ways speaks to the magic of alt-rock in the twenty first century. These guys have great songwriting ideas and this makes for some singularly engaging work. The soundscapes crafted on Animal are stunning and will leave you in awe for spin after spin. Let Livingston work into your heart, you won't regret it. These guys have exciting and interesting new ideas, and after twelve years, it might just be their time to shine.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/livingstonmusic

Jay Smith-King of Man

A Swedish rock hero out to unleash his second solo release. Jay Smith is usually known for his work with the band Von Benzo, but now he seems to be out on a track of his own with the genre sweeping King of Man. This is the sort of modern rock and roll release that has the sort of ubiquity that is almost required to succeed in the modern rock game. You see, King of Man shows us something distinctly human about Jay Smith and it helps all the little people like you and me get a better grasp for what it means to be an artist in his prime.

Part of what makes King of Man so appealing to me is the earthy quality to the music. There is a true depth to what Jay Smith is doing here, like he really wants people to get at the fundamental nature of his music. The result of this is a record that sounds honest, through layers of beautiful production and carefully crafted songs. Jay Smith is a man who really knows how to craft pieces of music, every song here has a unique twist to it, but they all fit in the same general vibe. Even his cover of Cowboys from Hell, which is far removed from the original, brings something new and exciting to the table. This is a labor of love and proves Smith to not just be another rock and roller.

So where does this leave us? Well, we could simply be gaping in the tracks of one of Sweden's rock superstars, but I think that King of Man gives us something more. Jay Smith is revealing the soul of a master to the people and wants us to connect with him and this makes him beautiful. King of Man is an album from a lord of rock, someone who will not be stifled but only turn it up louder. So let yourself be taken in the storm, there's only so much you can take, but Jay Smith will help you with the burden of everyday life. Let down your hair and join the groove, what else can you do?

Find Jay Smith on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/jaysmithofficial

Buffalo Sunn

Buffalo Sunn is the kind of artsy rock band who understand the value of lush production and stellar musicianship. Their new track, By Your Side is a delicious debut, and seeing as they're working with one of the best music promotion companies in the world right now, you know that we'll be hearing more soon! A band with four biological brothers and a pair of honorary ones Buffalo Sunn are the kind of group with a refreshingly direct sense of what they want to do. Furthermore, there is a real depth to the Buffalo Sunn sound, showing us that with By Your Side at least they understand the amount of work that needs to be put in to create a beautifully crafted and very emotional piece of music in the modern alt rock scene. With memorable hooks and touching lyrics, this is the sort of inspiring stuff that sticks with you, regardless of your favorite genre, and I think this is what will ultimately allow Buffalo Sunn to triumph. Honest and bold, By Your Side will come out and touch the hearts of thousands.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Buffalosunn?fref=photo

The Arkanes-W.A.R.

Man, SPV Records has been putting out some of the best rock and roll records of 2014, and they seem to be showing on sign of letting up. The latest gem to come out of the label is the tasty Liverpool quartet, The Arkanes, whose new record W.A.R. is the sort of gem that gets long haired dudes hippity hopping, grooving to a beat that seems to be some sort of unholy fusion of classic rock, grunge, and more than a touch of new alternative stuff. The end result is a record with a distinct sound that is easy to latch in to and then quickly fall in love with.

See, The Arkanes have a great sense of songwriting, and moreover, how their unique take on songs can come forward and give their music a distinct vibe that no other band can truly emulate. With W.A.R. this band manages to rise up and show the world exciting new things can still be done in rock music, be it in low tempo moody tracks like Vampyre or faster rockers like the album closer, Edge, you get a sense that Arkanes just want to live, breath, and simply embody rock and roll. Not a lot of bands have this sort of dedication to the genre, nor the creative potential to really move it forward, but The Arkanes do and this sets them apart, golden gods for a new era.

Dive on in and fill your heart with the rock and roll lust that makes a band like The Arkanes so worthwhile and relevant. In an age where bands start to use up old ideas and leave many concepts played out, The Arkanes are bringing something fresh and exciting to English rock music. Will they be the next fab four? Probably not. But are they capable of touring the world, spreading good vibes and generally making an important, unforgettable mark on rock and roll? Well, if W.A.R. is any indication, then the answer is most definitely yes.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/TheArkanes

Interview with Dustin Schumacher of Inner Temple!

Saturday night I got the chance to call up another great frontman in the form of Dustin Schumacher of the new grunge band, Inner Temple. As we talked, his Pennsylvania accent made me very nostalgic for home, adding to the sadness of our overall conversation (Which dealt a lot of with darkness in modern life) In the interview we get a chance to talk about his band and the future that it will have. We even touch a little bit on his upcoming record.

If you haven't checked them out on Facebook find them here: https://www.facebook.com/innertemplepa

How's it been going with Inner Temple?
It's been going pretty well.

Tell me about the exciting stuff you have going on?
Currently we're working on our first full length album, we released the EP close to a year ago which pretty crazy thinking about it now, we've been writing a lot of new material since the release of the EP. We've been doing a lot of shows and getting very good reactions which is jsut great.

What would you say is the driving force behind Inner Temple?
Just freedom of expression. Expressing what you believe in and helping others to come together as one and share the emotions that you have with other people to let people know that there are people going through the exact same things that you are so people can have something to relate to. Instead of having to be forced to relate to the pop sound and the radio sound, pretending that you're happy all the time which seems to be the standard of pop music. I believe we're in a time when no one is truly happy and it's so hard to relate to that music.

You're criticizing the radio sound, but isn't the radio what broke grunge?
Right, it did. There's a good and a bad to it, when Nirvana, Alice in Chains and all them broke through, they broke through by saying everything was not okay and gave everyone something to relate too.

Do you think that could happen again?
I believe so because I believe people want change really bad right now within music.

Do you think this desire for change goes to life in general?
Yes, I fully believe that life in general is just a very tough thing right now to live the day by day and work the 9 to 5. To always have a happy face. a lot of people have customer service type jobs and have to do that. It's especially tough with prices of gas rising, and it's just tough to survive anymore. Then you have people who are poor who really need things like food stamps, but they're being cut, it's terrible, I don't think anyone is truly happy anymore.

That's pretty interesting. So this sort of cultural sorrow... what's the solution to the sadness?
I think the solution is coming together as one and stop fighting each other because that gets you nowhere. Look back in history where does that get you? Nowhere. The main message outside and inside of music is to come together. To just be one, because we are one, there's one human race.

What song in particular off the EP most deals with this?
I honestly will say that the EP and the majority of what I have been writing is more about personal affairs more than worldly affairs.

And will that be found on the record too?
The personal affairs yes. I don't really like to go into worldly affairs inside of my music, because that causes too much debate on either end.

Tell us, what kind of personal affairs are you trying to deal with?
The EP touched on things like, having an alcoholic father which a lot of people can relate too which is very sad. Any kind of addicted parent is sad. The main part of the EP was breakups and being with another person and that person being totally obliterated from your life that's really tough. That's pretty much what the record is going to be as well. It will be very, very dark as people going through that can understand.

So, you don't think in this time of happiness we don't need something happier to lift our spirits?
That's tough as well. While some people need happy music in order to feel happy other people tend to feel better listen to someone that understands them, being engulfed in that darkness. Some people feel great after going to a show where they can totally relate to the artist.

What was that quote from Eddie Vedder about that?
They asked him "You have this, you have that, you're a multi million dollar artist on a huge record label, you've been creating songs for over 20 years, how do you keep creating such sad music when you seem like you would be one of the happiest people there is. He said "You never forget what made you start writing in the first place" That's true. People have good days, people have bad days. You have to remember where you came from and why you started to do something.

This desire to get at where you came from, I guess that's a founding a concept for the band right?
I write about things that I've been through. I'm not going to sell off and say I know what people have been through when I've been through it, I can't do it and I won't do it.

For the fans then, what are the major differences between the EP and the album musically?
There are going to be a few songs from the EP on the album. They'll be remastered to get them up to par with the album. But, it all ties in very well. All the songs tie in very well to each other. You really can't tell a year difference, and I'm saying that in a good way. You can't say "They've lost this" or "They're trying something different" It all sounds like it was made in one breath, I like that.

It gives your work a sense of unity.
One song does not sound like "Oh it shouldn't belong on this album" It's all on the same basis. That's the best way I can say it.

You have a very distinct sound, a lot of people in reviews have compared you to Nirvana or whatever. How do you personally deal with those kind of comparisons?
Trying to be Nirvana is sad. To that I say Fuck off. I'm not Kurt Cobain, I don't want to be Kurt Cobain. My drummer is not Dave Grohl, he doesn't want to be Dave Grohl. My bassist is not Kris Novoselic, he doesn't want to be Kris Novoselic. We're Inner Temple, we're not Nirvana and we don't want to be Nirvana. We just play what we like. If people want to honestly compare us to Nirvana, I got to say, we're being compared to one of the biggest bands that ever existed, I guess that's a good thing right?

Would you agree with me a lot of people have only listened to a handful of Nirvana of songs and claimed to be superfans but don't get at the magic of the deep cuts?
I know what you're trying to say. I'm not trying to bash on anyone, I'm sure there are people who only like Red from us, and maybe after this album they'll only like one more song. Does that make them a fan? Maybe. But, I think with any band you're allowed, as your free will to like one or two songs and that's it. It's free will, you can like what you like.

Do you think that there's going to be a new wave of grunge bands then?
I believe that there will be a new wave of reality musically. We might not label it as grunge, it could just be an alternative wave, which is what grunge is, alternative. I believe we're heading towards an alternative or a grunge wave. People are just tired of today's music. Where is this current or next generations Beatles. Where are they? You can't honestly, I can't honestly, maybe someone can, but I can't tell you who the new idol is, the voice for today's youth, or tomorrows youth and it's sad because it's so cookie cutter right now. I think people are yearning for that, to have that next voice, somebody who speaks for them when they can't speak for themselves. They might not be a musician but when they find that person who completely relates to them, that's their new voice.

When do you think was the last time we had that kind of voice?
To be honest, and I'm not saying it any relation, or to correlate to what we previously said, but I honestly believe that the last era of having a voice was the 90s grunge era.

Would you agree that in general rock music has become less honest over the last few decades?
I believe that we are currently in the 80s in terms of sound. It is more about sex drugs and rock and roll then it is about feeling. That's what the 80s was all about, hairspray, and drugs and rock and roll then the 90s came along and kicked the shit out of that. They were like, fuck you, I'm going to talk about true emotion and not sleeping around.

What do you love so much about music?
It's an escape. What I've always said to people is that if I were to say the things that I say on stage or within our albums I would be pushed tons of medications for it, but with music I get tons of understanding for it.

Any last words of wisdom?
I just want to say thank you to everybody following us, spreading the world and downloading our EP. It's honestly incredible. We just passed 1,000 fans on Facebook, and it's really humbling to see that happen. It might be very cliche but thank you.

Mallory-Honey Moon

Loud groovy rock and roll, that's a great way to kick off the day, I would know because that's what Mallory bring to the table, the sort of pumping, virile madness that captures the heart and holds heshers like you and me in thrall. Another great rock record to grace our eardrums in 2014, Mallory seem to have figured out what they want to do, how to do it, and how to best bring it to the people. Their is a distinct magic about Mallory, a sort of heaviness that permeates Honey Moon, it sounds very 2014, but the topics dealt with are simply timeless.

Even from the first track the heavy grooves Honey Moon catch your ears with a powerful bass thump. These guys are also superior songwriters, there sense of how to construct pieces that seem to just reflect the pure truth and beauty of rock and roll is impressive. See, that's what Mallory have that not a lot of other groups really get at these days, a sort of... comprehension of what rock music is all about. This sets them up as veritable masters of their craft, golden gods who will not be put down, not by the man, not by the people, no one, they will just turn up and continue to belt out the truth. How many other bands have that sort of beautiful honesty behind them?

So maybe I got a little bit out there with this review, what can I say, I'm a little hung over. But that's not the point, Mallory are capable of touching the heart with a distinct and timeless passion. This is not a band who you are going to forget in a few weeks, no, they've a very clear dedication to their music that you feel when you listen to their work. You get a sense for the immense travail that went into the crafting of Honey Moon. This is the sort of rock music the world needs more of and if you like stuff with haunting vocals, crushing riffs and top notch bass playing, then this is the album for you!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/mallory.rockband

Interview with Sasquatch!

So I recently had the privilege to sit down to a really fun interview with Keith Gibbs and Jason Casanova from the almighty Sasquatch. In the interview we talk about the tour, their music, lives, and the future of the band. Suffice to say, if you like good rock and roll, Sasquatch will certainly be up your alley!

If you haven't checked them out yet, be sure to find the band on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sasquatchrocks

How has the tour been going so far?
Keith (K): It's been going great except for a few hiccups along the road, of my own doing. Just general mischief. I don't think we should probably discuss, since it's probably band for the promoters to hear us talking about it. Let's just say me and the drummer pulled a couple rockstar things along the way, in the tradition of bands like The Who and things like that. Hotel rooms and that kind of stuff.

Does that reflect your desire to go back to the older stuff?
K: No, it was complete annihilation of alcohol. That's not my personality. I don't destroy things for the hell of it, we were just fucking wasted. We showed up at our hotel room at 5 AM and couldn't find the room. Wound up in a room we weren't supposed to be in, so that kind of thing. Just harmless mischief.

Jason (J): I'm the tour manager, so that's why I'm kind of skewed about the whole thing because I've got to deal with it. But the crowds have been great!

K: Good turn outs in places we didn't expect.

J: Even tonight there's a hundred presales and the club is full.

K: It's been a great tour man!

J: The Desertfest was obviously the highlight just because we never played in front of 1200 people like that before. We're used to playing small rooms with maybe 100 people. Like in Texas, our biggest crowd is 150 people, that was our biggest crowd.

K: They were all singing along which was crazy, it was like "Wow, they all know the lyrics!" It was just nuts! That was awesome.

J: We were completely jetlagged and I can't say I remember the details but it was just fantastic.

K: I'm surprised we did so well because we had been up for days and didn't know what we were doing. Somehow it magically worked which was great. They were going nuts for us!

Your last album came out in September, how do you feel about it now a few months on?
K: I love that record, it's my favorite record we've ever done. We finally did the record that I've always wanted to write and I'm sure Jason will say the same thing. This is Jason's second record too so he feels a lot more a part of the band which he should. We just wrote a record that sounds like what we're trying to do now. It's cool because its new but doesn't change too much. It's evolved. We're going to stay heavy, but me and Jason love songs. We're going to write songs even though the genre doesn't revolve around songs much. So we just try to heavy it up and just write melodies.

So does that mean you have stuff written for the next record?
K: Oh yeah, we have some really good stuff recorded that's fucking awesome. The first two things we wrote we were like "That's fucking bitching man!" I'm excited about what it's going to turn into. I think we have room for at least two more really good albums. There's plenty of room for riffs. We're just trying to keep writing good songs. We want to write records, we don't want to just have a couple of tunes, we want to have a good record to give to the people. We want to give you 9-10 songs that you're going to want to listen too.

Do you think that separates you from other bands?
K: I just know that we are very concerned with writing songs, actual songs, instead of just droning on. It's fine and all but I couldn't do that live. I like the energy of having songs.

J: On the flip side we're note super proggy, we don't do anything too fancy. It's very AC/DC and basic.

I feel like kind of this stoner rock scene is really exploding right now, do you ever get people criticizing you for trying to ride that wave?
K: I don't really consider us a stoner rock band. I think we're just a stoner rock band. We're much more rock and roll, constant high energy. We're not really as retro. I don't really hear retro. We don't dress the part. We want to stick to our roots but we don't have big giant beards or anything. There's an image that goes along with this genre, and we don't care about that.

J: We look like factory workers. (Laughter)

You're all from different cities, yet you met up in LA, do you this combination of having different cultural roots impacts the band?
J: I know a lot of my playing comes from a lot of the midwestern bands that I saw when I was in cool because I went to college south of Chicago. Seeing lots of bands back in the early 90s when there was all those city scenes. That's when the whole Seattle thing happened too. There were a lot of smaller bands who I drew influence from and who I drew influence from. I would say the same thing for Rick whose a straight up rock drummer.

K: I'm with him, we like touch and go stuff like Jesus Lizard. I'm all over the place, I like really old stuff, I like a lot of 70s bands, that's pretty much all I listen too, Traffic and Blind Faith. Soundgarden of course. I don't listen to any newer bands, not for any reason, I'm just stuck in my little rotation. Me and Jason are very similar in our influences, we like 80s thrash metal like Sepultura and Testament, whereas Rick our drummer hates it. I'm a huge Slayer fan, Rick, not so much.

Having that diversity sets you apart from a lot of other bands like you.
K: I just don't listen to doom ever. It's not that I don't like it, I need something more to pick me up. But I like bands like Sleep and Electric Wizard who we are sort of friends with. I've hung out with them a few times. This is like 2003, the last time I hung out with them.

Finish this sentence for me, "I've never told this story before and probably shouldn't but.."
K: Oh boy (Laughter) I don't know if I can do that! I might get myself in serious trouble. There's so many things (Laughter) Mostly has to do with some sort of girl situation, girl things have happened, even on this tour. I banged a girl in the lobby of a hostile three nights ago while the cleaning lady was walking by. I am just going for it, stuff like that happens. I had sex on the hood of a car with a girl. There was somebody sleeping in her room, so we just went out, jumped on the top part of a car, wound up in a park somewhere. I got more, but I can't think of them right now. Mostly sex (Laughter)

J: I was in bed, I was sleeping. I had a nice glass of warm milk. I'm married.

What do you love so much about music?
K: I just love playing live with my friends. As you'll see tonight, we just love playing live. There's nothing like playing live when you're having a great time. Like last night we were just playing off each other and having fun. It's a high you can't achieve off a drug. I wish there was a way to bottle it so I didn't have to drugs because it would be great. That's the best feeling, a couple of beers and just rocking.

J: It's kind of like golf, there's still lots of foul balls and we don't have a good show every night, but there's those shows that you have and you get that high and it's like you want to keep it going forever. Dealing with all the bullshit like the logistics of the tour and all that crap sucks and being like "I should be at home in bed" then we have a great night and it makes it all worth it.

Any last words of wisdom?
K: Stick to your guns and don't let anybody fucking change your mind. If you want to do it don't ever give up. Just when you think it's over it's just beginning. I was ready to leave it, say I'm going to be Dad, get married and grow old and fat, and I'm so glad I didn't because I'm so much better at this than anything I ever do in my life. You can't give up no matter what is stacked against you.

J: I would say, when you're on the road you always learn that you don't know shit. Especially when you're first starting out always look up to the bigger band and how they do things, take advice from them. I learned so much from certain guys on the road about how to handle the business side of things that I had no idea how to deal with before. Any touring band  that wants to make big needs to know the business side. Watch your peers and how they handle things. Be humble, respect everybody and respect the crew, the sound people and all of them.

K: There's always a band better than you, always a musician better than you, you are never the greatest, and if you think you are you are headed in the wrong direction. Especially respect the crew, guys like our driver, he doesn't have to as much as he does, and we love him. So we treat him well and he's a part of the family.

J: You make relationships, and any person you interact with may be a huge promoter in 5-10 years. Always be respectful of people.

K: And talk to the fans too, don't fucking hide. People just want to meet you and they're thrilled. They take pictures and it's like, I'm amazed you want me to sign something! Its great to see they care that much! I love to see people enjoying it, that makes it worthwhile, because there was a time when nobody was enjoying it. To have the turnaround we have had has been great.

Stealth-Shores of Hope

I get a lot of good rock CD's in the mail, and let me just say, I really dig it! So as I sit here, preparing my body to go to a show and trying to recover from the horrors of exams, there is really nothing better for my fatigued soul than Stealth's new masterwork Shores of Hope. Featuring a solid rock sound flecked with hard rock and metal Stealth have put out something pretty fresh and exciting with fun choruses and a lot of tight songwriting. These guys are professional, passionate and powerful, and that definitely manifests itself in the music.

As I dig deeper into Shores of Hope I start to get a real sense for the immense work that went into this record. The riffs are all precisely delivered, with an almost machine-like accuracy, creating a solid backbone for the tracks. One of the things that really makes Shores of Hope special for me is the incredible vocal lines, this bands singer can really belt it! He gives a wonderful touch of melody to the tracks and it just makes the entire record all the more precious in my ears. Toss in some well crafted guitar lines and you realize that Stealth really have got themselves together, they have a good idea of what they are doing and how to do it, now they just need to start bringing it to the people. Regardless, Shores of Hope is a very promising debut release.

Now, frankly I'm exhausted, I've had a tough week, lots of exams and the like. But now I'm starting to find my way, a path forward, one that takes me to the shores of hope. Stealth have snuck their way into my heart and illuminated my soul, giving me the desire to carry on. With a little luck, you too will get a chance to experience the transcendent and beautiful joy of a band who really understand the purpose of rock and roll as a sort of unholy medication. Shores of Hope is a lot of fun to listen too, so close your eyes, turn it up and let go!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/stealthband?fref=nf

Lovesick Saints

Lovesick Saints are the sort of punk rock band that you simply have to enjoy. If you like any sort of rock and roll music with loud guitars, punchy choruses and fun vocal lines, well then, looks like Lovesick Saints is something you should listen too. Filled with songs that will have you singing along from the first listen, Lovesick Saints have crafted something truly special with their new record Dia De Los Muertos. Punk rock for kids who love to bop and sing along to their favorite songs in the car, there isn't much more I can say about these guys. See, Lovesick Saints perfectly get at the spirit of bands like Bad Religion and Pennywise, wholly enjoyable, yet also with something deeper, more intelligent that allows you to really dig in and find enlightenment. Sure, Dia De Los Muertos is just an EP, but it speaks to the potential triumph of this band, if these 22 minutes of music are so excellent, then who knows what the future will hold for one of the most promising bands to come out of Arizona in years!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lovesick-Saints/190686364288108