Kings Bounty preview album and open for Korn and P.O.D.

I like to have a sneak into new material from time to time.It's exciting to know things are in the makings out there and to have a thought what 2017 may have in store for us.

Kings Bounty from New York City give us a taste of the debut album "Broad Daylight" they are currently working on with Chris Collier who is known for his work with bands like Prong and Korn. The last mentioned band comes to my mind at the first run-through of the video but as quick as you realize they have something in common with them you also know they put in their very own personality. It's the special potion of heavyness I like so much in this one all along with the vocals changing all along the whole track. The drums are kicking in with much groove. A good positive push comes along with this one.

If you're quick enough you may be able to check out the band live as they've been picked to open up for P.O.D. and Korn this very weekend and the upcoming week:

Saturday March 4th 2017 – with P.O.D. Morongo Casino Resort Cabazon, CA
Monday March 6th 2017 – with Korn House of Blues Anaheim, CA SOLD OUT

The full album "Broad Daylight" is set for release during the latter part of 2017.

A live shot of Kings Bounty, (c) by Like no Other Photography, used with kind permission

Anyway, make sure to have a look at their brand new website which holds more album teaser material. Their social sites are available on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

CD Review: Mike Milan Dedic - Mike Milan Dedic (Instrumental Guitar Rock)

This is one man and his guitar plus few other instrumentation. Is this enough to create a good record? It is! Come inside and find out how Mike Milan Dedic made something great out of few elements.

Short Introduction

Mike Milan Dedic comes from Toronto, Canada. He has released a album that consists of 5 instrumental guitar shred type of songs. (1. Energy, 2. Zoom, 3. Run!, 4. Launch, 5. Shall We Dance!). 

The front cover of Mike Milan Dedic's debut record, (c) by Mike Milan Dedic, used with kind permission

 

Summary

This album is quite a surprise to me. I've been a bit sceptic in the beginning. Is the performance of one guitar player suitable to completly fill the air with music enough to rock? The answer came quickly and blew me away. I expected the music to have a lot of solo content. Surely there are a lot of those elements in there. But the album is far more. It also has identifiable song structures with it. I mean those classic riff elements that everybody knows that is used to Rock and Metal music these days and that's a big plus as for me. It makes the songs much more understandable and gives them a structure that you can always follow.

Another good idea was to keep the tracks short. You will not be stressed out with endless songs that you will think should have been shorted to be better. The sound for sure is rough and loud so make sure to turn the volume level at a comfortable one - it helps to enjoy the music much more.

The song structures include besides the mentioned riffs a lot of classic shred guitar. Those are rounded out with particular modern soundwriting elements. This goes most notably for number three "Run!" which is my favorite of the record. The songs are easy to listen to. They are build up like a step by step path. For sure they need a re-listen to fully let sink in all the enjoyment that has been put inside but that's for sure much more a reason to buy this record to quickly have it at hand whenever you feel the need to listen to pure guitar music.

Purchase-Link and Song snippets

The album is available as a hardcopy via CD Baby or online retailers such as Amazon, itunes or GooglePlay. If you're into music of this style please consider to purchase a copy so artists like Mike Milan Dedic can create more music for people like you and me.

Here are some snippets of the album that Mike has uploaded to Youtube:

Contact Data
Make sure to hold the line to Mike via his personal Facebook account.

Live Review: Great Escapes - Rock am Pferdemarkt Lingen 16.09.2016

Having missed the band in January this year when they played at the Alternative Rotation at Alter Schlachthof, Lingen I was more than pleased to hear that they would appear at this years "Rock am Pferdemarkt" Open Air in Lingen.

Great Escapes just did what the people like most: performing straight forward punk rock without fiddeling too much around. The band had the task to kick off the festival at a early stage time of 19h in the early evening. Anyway that along with the given rather short stage time of 30 minutes the band made something special of the show.

Great Escapes Live At Pferdemarkt Lingen Open Air 16.09.2016, Picture taken by Joern

Instead of talking much they decided to play a good amount of songs of their first CD that is properly titled "To My Ruin I'll Go Gladly". I like this look at the world - it's a so typical punk attitude to point at problems with the finger of irony. But as I wrote the show was something more special as Great Escapes decided to live-premiere four new tracks that the band has been putting together since the album release. I was also surprised to hear that the band has songs with english but also tracks that have german lyrics with them. You don't hear this mixture often.

The special thing about this band is that they're around in this constellation since 2014 but have gone straight to the start with a first full length recording at the end of 2015. In addition to that they were able to play many shows already - it's amazing to see what bands are able to make with so few support.

Great Escapes Live At Pferdemarkt Lingen Open Air 16.09.2016, Picture taken by Joern

The trio is a good pick if you just want to have a good time and many people out there liked what they did. Many families showed up and it was cool to see they enjoyed it, too. Make sure to check out their Facebook page to keep track of what they do next. Here is a video clip of Great Escapes to give you the possibility to have a idea of how they go along with their classic punk music. If you would like to hear more click on to Spotify that's where you can listen to the full album.

Meshiaak melt old and newschool thrash on debut album

It's sometimes really surprising to see that supergroups can come along the way without any sign that has surfaced beforehand. It has been like this for me when I first heard about Meshiaak and their first album "Alliance of thieves" which saw the light of last last friday 19th August 2016 via Mascot Records. This band features Jon Dette (Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Iced Earth) on drums and on the guitars we hear Dean Wells (Teramaze) & Danny Camilleri (4ARM) while Nick Walker plays the bass guitars. Danny Camilleri has also taken over the duties when it comes to the vocals.

So far some full songs of the record have already premiered and they can all be heard on the Facebook page of the band. As for me the song "Drowning, Fading, Falling" has been my favorite. It comes along as a cool classic thrash track with a calm core inside. I love to hear some variations inside the vocals, it's those notes that bring some relaxing moments to take a breath before the rollercoaster moves on.

It's also a good example on how old and new stuff can me melt into one piece. The band has also pointed out about that in a statement saying through the words of Dean Wells: "We went with keeping the sound as band-orientated and organic as possible, but with using a lot of modern technology,” explains Dean. “It’s a blend of old and new because we recorded to two-inch tape for the drums through an old Neve desk, but the rest of the album was produced in my home studio. We also went with a mixer named Jacob Hansen who is known for a lot more progressive music. But I think the combination really gives Meshiaak a new and fresher sound than most traditional thrash albums. And so we’ve tried to create something fresh amongst the guidelines of traditional metal and thrash with some progressive elements, although at the same time we wanted to make music feel like when we first discovered bands like Megadeth, Metallica, Machine Head etc., even Alice in Chains and Slipknot.”

The band Meshiaak, (c) by Karina Wells, used with kind permission

CD Review: Slitherum - Godbox Suicide (2016)

A great gothic metal album with slightly industrial elements showing that compact riffing and straight rhythm can offer a fine mixture without sounding monotone. The harsh vocals add a good potion to the music that you don't want to miss anymore once heard.

Short Introduction

Slitherum formed in 2015 in the city of Athens, the trio comprised of Nick Marinos on vocals, Giannis Kalamatas on guitars, bass and synths, and Antonis Kanaras on drums. They instantly began to work on the first material that has been released under the title "Godbox Suicide" in the beginning of 2016.

The cover of Slitherums first album "Godbox suicide", (c) by Slitherum, used with kind permission

Summary

What's so great about this band is that they've taken this sort of direct and sharp guitar riffing back to the surface of today. I miss this a lot in the music scene of today. Combined with the straight rhythms the music comes together in a form of constant expression that's so intense through's it's constanty. Yet it always evolves a little bit with every step it takes on further. Just keep a ear on the little elements and how they add and change. It's intensive enjoyment for all the metal enthusiats out there that love to go in deep and fully concentrate on the message of the music.

The vocals are sharp and harsh but never sound to rough or not suiting to the material. Moreover I found out that they are a good way to widen the band's unique music. My favorite is "Vulnus" which plays around with the riffing and it's up and downs. It's a good first pick if you want to quickly check in to the band's sound.

While the first five tracks are more straight forward numbers the last two offerings show that the band is also able to create softer songs as well. "Child" surprises with a much more slowed rhythm mixed up with soft toned guitars and touching vocals. The music unfolds slowly as the track builds up with each moment passing until the end releases some pressure and closes finally back with the more silent way the track began.

"Cure" closes out the record in a more industrial way with it's constant, cold beat. Anyway this little piece of music adds to the atmosphere with it's unusual riff towards the song middle and the repeating song theme.

Purchase-Link

You can pick up a hardcopy of "Godbox Suicide" by getting in touch with the band through their Facebook page. The record has been released in a limited number of copies. You can choose between a vinyl version in a special package that is limited to only 8 copies or get your hand on one of the 100 CD's that have been manufactured of this great first release of Slitherum.

Player

Check out the band's sound through the Youtube player below. I've picked the track "Vulnus" which is one of my favorites of Godbox suicide. More tracks can be heard on the bands Youtube channel.


Contact-Data

The band can be reached through their Facebook page and also has a account on Youtube.

Helion Prime release uplifting video for "Life Finds a Way"

"Music is healing." (Author unknown)

I found this quote some time ago on Facebook. I totally belive in this. Why?

If you look and hear videos like this brand new one of the powermetal band Helion Prime I'm sure you can't resist the positive vibes that flow through the music. It's like the melodies can make you fly, as if the vocals of Heather Michele can break through the all and every wall of negativity there is in life.

As for me it's crushing down a lot of bad feelings with it's superb melodies, riffing and rhythm and it has this sort of uplifting effect for me. It takes me away from feeling bad and brings me into a state of power. It pushes me to carry on with all the things in my life. Do you feel the same?

The song is taken of Helion Prime's self titled debut cd which has been independently released on February 15, 2016 and can be ordered as either a physical or digital copy at the band's Bandcamp website. The cover alone has teased me enough to take a closer look upon this release. Make sure to listen to the whole record on the Bandcamp page. A diamond no one should oversee in my eyes.

The cover of the first Helion Prime album. (c) by Helion Prime, used with kind permission

If you decide to pick up a physical copy you'll receive a booklet with lyrics, additional artwork, and credits.

Make sure to follow the band further on through their own website or mark their Facebook page with a like.

CD Review: Addiction - Addiction (2015)

Short Introduction

Addiction are a Classic Hardrock / Glam formation that is based in Athens, Greece. If you like 80's / 90's bands from that era you'll love them. They're one of the biggest surprises for me this year. They came out of nowhere and immediately struck me like heavy metal thunder with a lot of  positive power. :-)

(c) Addiction, used with kind permission

Summary

Let's have a party - let's have a good time! That's what the tunes on the Addiction album seemed to call at me when I turned on the music. While most of the metal music out there seems to talk about the darker aspects of life and seems to express all the hardships we face this album pushes you up. It's a good dose of positive power and wants to engage the listener to take his life up in a positive attempt.

It comes around with a lot of positive vibes and good feelings, sometimes more sometimes less heavy when it comes to the musical view but always with "Keep pushing forward" attitude. Most of the tracks are set in midtempo format so they can easily used to sing along to them. There also a ballad that made it's way on the album. That one is for the times when you think a lot or just need to relax a bit. It's a fitting difference on the record, a moment to stop from the pumping heavyness for a while. For a quick start and overview on the bands sound I'd suggest you to go with the video for "Bad Addiction". If you liked that make sure to check the samples in the Soundcloud player, "Saturday Night" and Paradise" are good picks.

If you dig Classic Hardrock and Glam Rock from the 80's or 90's you should definitely check this release out. This goes especially if you've been one of those individuals that used to see the german TV show "Hard 'n' Heavy" on Tele5 back in the 90's. I was one of them and I remember that a lot of these bands were shown off back in those days. There was a lot of good feelings hanging in the air which was often was caused by videos of bands like this. Hit the play button and enjoy being in those moments again - also if it's only for one videoclip. Enjoy it anyway - you can never know what comes next in life. 

Player 




 
Purchase Link and Contact Data

You can purchase the CD or a download in high quality wave format directly from the homepage of the band so you're going to support the artist directly if you decide to pick up a copy.

You can follow the band through Facebook or check in to their homepage from time to time to stay up to date about the band's activities.

New Tenants to crush crossover sytle with more heavyness

Do you remember how the 90s turned out for the Heavy Metal Scene? Crossover was the big sign of time at this period bringing a new look upon our genre with mixing in unusual elements to the sound like Rap and a lot of electronic stuff.

These days things have become a bit silent around the bands of those times like Rage Against The Machine or Limp Bizkit. Nevertheless there is a new band coming up from the underground that I could imagine to take over. They are called New Tenants and are located at Buchloe, Germany (Ostallgäu). The band was founded in 2013 and describes their style as "Rapcore" mixing together elements from old-school-hiphop with the heavyness and explosive elements of Metal.

(c) by New Tenants, used with kind permission

In contrast to other bands they put in a more explosive element to the sound which gives it more power. It's like when you know something has been set on pressure for a long time in the sound and then finally there's the little spark bringing it all out to to set everything on fire and burst all around. That's what makes this band so enjoyable in my eyes. Plus the vocalist really works the lyrics out in a powerfull way giving it a faithfull note so you know that he knows what's he's talking all about. But best of all check it out as usual for yourselves on the Bandcamp player below.



The album is available for 6,99 Euro on Bandcamp. Also don't miss out to take a look upon their accounts on Facebook, YouTube or Backstage Pro to make sure you won't miss out the band's further activities. For example some live shows are said to be announced soon.

Strangelet hitting the road 2015

In the very first days of 2015 I discovered a young band called "Strangelet". I remember it was a very cold day I heard and saw the video for "Privilege of Power" on the screen and was immediately blown away. This brandnew band provided this feeling of a typical hungry underground band that is going straight to the heart with it's direct and raw power.

What me amazed even more was the fact that the band produced the whole album "First Bite" on their own (except for the mastering) and that the sound comes in crashing as a full blown, professionell production. I think that's besides all the other stuff that bands have to fight with something not too many acts come around with. But you can easily check out the quality of the band for yourselves in the video below.


In the time since those days the band was able to do a couple of shows and will do some more in 2015. You can see them on the following dates here in southern germany.

(c) by Strangelet, used with kind permission

If you would like to buy a copy of their album "First Bite" for 10 Euro you can contact them at their website or Facebook page. After all I know: I'm tainted forever. ;-)

Update 2015/09/18: The band currently is taking part in a online voting for a slot on this years  METAL HAMMER PARADISE Festival (13.11.2015) featuring acts like "Helloween", "J.B.O.", "Black Label Society", "Destruction", "At The Gates", "Rage" and "Sepultura". Please take a minute and support them by voting for Strangelet. Your vote could really help to push the band further on their way. Thanks!

MONSTER releases fun-packed videoclip

One of the best things a band can do in my eyes is to show their fans how much fun they have on stage. Sure, there are a lot of people out there often being musicians themselves who also take a look on the technical side or how certain parts are played. But the fun-factor is something that can go over to the fans and take them into the show. Hopefully it will animate them to have fun and make them listen to the music so they will take a closer look upon the peformance of a band. That's what happened at least to me several times.

This is exactly what the first ever full featured videoclip captures that the thrash metal band MONSTER has been released! The footage was filmed and cut-together by Jörg Harms at this years edition of the Let the bad times roll festival. (taking place in Lower Saxony, Northern germany every year).

Much heartblood has been put into this one, it's sort of video you only get to see seldom - a lot of emotions from musicians and fans in here. You can even re-feel what happened out there while the band was on stage.


Please support this band by buying their full album "The arrival"  for 5 Euro (plus shipping and handling) as a original pressed CD in a jewelcase. Just contact the band via E-Mail if you'd like to have a copy. You can also have a look upon their Facebook page and follow them there so you won't miss out on what the band will do next.

Desperate Journalist introduce album with emotional and message-filled video

I like videos that have a message. Some even show it with including keywords in their promo videos. This particular one hits the feelings very deep with words and faces expressing closely the songs message. Emptiness and loneliness is what I would describe it with. The refrain sticks in your mind with the vocals going up so intensive that it's hard to ignore. But try it out for yourselves, because everybody has a different view on things.



Desperate Journalist consist of two girls and two boys who have bonded in the abandoned wilds of North London. Jo Bevan (vocals), Simon Drowner (bass), Rob Hardy (guitar) and Caz Hellbent (drums) - for 'tis they – have been hauled together by a fearsome instinct for what makes alternative music actually really properly authentically alternative.

They started their journey at the local Negative Creep grunge club night in Finsbury Park on February 23rd 2013. Since those heady, dark days Desperate Journalist have released one EP and two independent singles and played every other shadowy basement in London Town, displaying a bold musical vigour and an admirably chaotic sense of coherence along the way.

The video is a first taste of the self-titled debut album ‘Desperate Journalist’, which was recorded almost entirely live in Soho’s Dean Street Studios, jointly produced alongside Keith TOTP and mixed by the band itself. If that wasn’t organic enough, Desperate Journalist designed their own artwork, get heavily involved in their videos. You can download the digital version of the record already on the well known places like Amazon or itunes. The physical album is going to be released on 26th January 2015 on CD and LP via Fierce Panda Records.

(c) by Desperate Journalist, used with kind permission

The band has some shows coming up, here are the dates:

NOVEMBER 21ST LINCOLN The Scene
NOVEMBER 22ND BIRMINGHAM Actress & Bishop

NOVEMBER 27TH - LONDON Buffalo Bar
DECEMBER 13TH NOTTINGHAM - The Chameleon

Don't miss out the further band's progress. Head over to Facebook to add them your watchlist or check out the band's own website. You may also have a look at the record company's website from time to time.

Toshes raise money for first album and show acoustic version of Smoker Man

Do you remember the band Toshes? Some time ago I wrote a little review about their brand new song and video for "Smoker Man". In the meantime the band has played several shows and kicked off a crowdfunding campaign to get the money needed to record the first full album.

The cool thing is the band has done a little acoustic version of the song "Smoker Man" to support the ongoing funding and to remind the people that they still can support the band.

I never saw someone drumming on a guitar, a very unusual but cool way to do a acoustic version of a song. Check it out below and don't forget to give some bucks if you want the band to do the record as well as to play more free shows in the future. If you want stay up to date on the progress of the campaign make sure to join the Event page the band has set up on Facebook.

Beitrag von Louis-Pierre Baudry.

The campaign itself can be found on Kiss Kiss Bank Bank but it's only running for 18 days left (time this article was written). The band has given a detailed description on the campaign page how much money they need exactly to perform the steps needed to do the record.

A digital copy can be reserved for 10 Euro, a physical copy can be chosen for 20 Euro. It comes as a digipack plus 6 page booklet.

If the funding reaches the 50 Percent mark up to the next Monday the band has promised to put out maybe something new since they already entered the studio. (Source: Campaign page on Facebook).

Acrassicauda offering free and early download of first single to Facebook supporters

As I wrote some time ago legendary ex-Iraq Thrash band Acrassicauda is currently raising funds for the recordings of the first album. So far the campaign has already helped the band to get nearly half of the amount they need to reach their goal.

However there is still a good part of the money to be fund in the remaining time of 9 days. In support of the campaign the band has decided to offer the first single of the album entitled "Gigamesh" to everyone who shares the post with the link from their Facebook page for free download once the song if done of course. If that's still not enough you may be happy to read that this gift will be given to the supporters at a very early point, 10 days prior to the official release of the single to be exactly.

If you want to support the band diretly with a pledge you can do so at the Kickstarter campaign page.
The band's new to you? No probelm just check out some songs below from their first EP "Only the dead see the end of the war".
 

Free EPK from ReverbNation.com

Acrassicauda starts Kickstarter campaign for the first full album

Remember the article I posted some time ago about Acrassicauda, the one and only Metal band from Iraq by that time? They struggled for their life but refused to give in or up and always pushed on forward. I think making music helped them along the way.

By now the band found a way to escape the cruel everyday living in Iraq and made a odyssey from Iraq over to Syria. where they even had to struggle with more problems. Finally the band could set over to America where they live now. In the meantime they recorded a first EP with producer Alex Skolnick (guitarist from Testament) entitled "Only the dead see the end of the war" and made a video for "Gardens of stone".

Currently the band has written their first full length record. They are now ready to go for the recordings but are in a similar position like many other artists without a record company. So they decided to use Kickstarter to raise funds for all the production steps needed.

As for the concept of the record the band writes on Kickstarter:

"(...) The new album pays homage to the ancient Mesopotamian civilization using the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient poem written in the Acadian language in the 3rd millennium BC, originally inscribed on 12 tablets in cuneiform script. Delving into themes of exotic journeys, life and death, love, the divine, success and failure, the Epic of Gilgamesh has much in common with the experiences of the band —it is a humble yet honest comparison. The LP is an ode to the modern Iraq, a home from which they are exiled today.(...)"

You can use from a wide variety of pledge levels, raging from 1 Dollar for a download of the actual single over to download options of songs or the full album up to some nice Merch packs that include nice stuff such as posters, shirts, DVDs, personalized rewards, band equipment and more with the album.

Check out the video to find out more about what the band has in mind with the album and head over to Kickstarter if you like to support this outstanding Thrash 'n doom metal band. The band also has a own website so click over to see more detailed info on the band. You can also connect through Facebook to stay in touch with them.

MONSTER posts new trailer of the album "The Arrival"

MONSTER recently completed the line-up with the addition of the new guitarist Klaas Olthoff (ex-BURIAL VAULT / THE DAMNATION).

At the moment the thrash metal five-piece is working on completing their very first full album release. The record is tentively schedulded for release this year but MONSTER are still looking for a record label.

For all those who would like to listen early to some snippets of the recording the band has released a brandnew ten minute long teaser giving insight into the songs of the album.

Looking forward to this release, sounds like a piece of reallly, really heavy stuff coming our way.

If you want to know more about the band, go and click through to their website or contact them directly via E-Mail.