Music

Apollo, one of the most complex characters of Greek mythology, is recognized as the Olympian god of light, truth, prophecy, poetry, healing, and music. His motives are anchored by three emotions: pride, lust, and loss. So is Fireboy DML. But on his second album, APOLLO, the Nigerian singer-songwriter vows to aim high, without going full Icarus. “How human am I to think myself a god?” Fireboy says on the project’s preamble. The music itself begins with his bold declaration: “I be king.” In this moment of popular Nigerian music awash with divergent styles—from more traditional music like highlife, to reggae, hip-hop, to the more modern Afro-fusion, alté, and the mainstream Afrobeats—Fireboy doesn’t put himself into one category; he rests at the intersection of R&B, pop, Afrobeats, and al...

RATING: 9/10 NECROT followed a series of now revered demos with their debut album, “Blood Offerings”, one of 2017’s breakout death metal albums. Now, in 2020, Oakland’s beastly purveyors of punk-fueled death metal have returned. NECROT‘s sophomore, full-length album, “Mortal”, finds the Californians realizing a potential that their debut suggested was possible. And if the proverbial ball bounces right for them career-wise in terms of continued, growing recognition, the release will possibly establish the act as one of the leading figures of modern death metal. In any event, on a purely creative and artistic level, “Mortal” is absolutely riveting from front to back, a tour de force of timeless, gritty death metal. “Blood Offerings&...

RATING: 8.5/10 Fans of PAIN OF SALVATION have been trained to expect the unexpected. With a catalogue that stretches back to the mid ’90s, Sweden’s most fervently adventurous prog metal band have little to prove at this point, but there’s still absolutely no chance that leader and chief composer Daniel Gildenlöw will ever repeat himself. From early classics like “Remedy Lane” (2002) and “The Perfect Element Part 1” (2000), as well as the mind-blowing, esoteric complexity of “Be” (2004), through to the purist-baiting nu-metallisms of “Scarsick” (2007) and the analogue fuzz detours of “Road Salt One” and “Road Salt Two” (2010 and 2011 respectively), PAIN OF SALVATION are a genuinely progressive band in ...

In a recent interview with Noise11.com, DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover spoke about singer Ian Gillan‘s apparent unwillingness to perform the band’s classic song “Child In Time” live. Glover explained: “This happened quite a few years ago. He drew a line in the sand. He said, ‘I’m not gonna sing that song anymore.’ And that was a personal decision. And we have to abide by that, because he’s our singer, and we respect that. “We wrote that song when we were 24, and when you’re 24, you can do things a lot differently than you can when you’re 74,” he continued. “I think it was also spoiled a little bit by politics in the band back in the days. Ian Gillan, one night, couldn’t go on and he said, ‘I&#...

POWER TRIP vocalist Riley Gale has passed away. His death was announced in a statement issued by his family earlier today. He was only 35 years old. “Dear POWER TRIP fans worldwide,” the statement reads. “It is with the greatest of sadness we must announce that our lead singer and brother Riley Gale passed away last night. “Riley was a friend, a brother, a son. Riley was both a larger than life rock star and a humble and giving friend. He touched so many lives through his lyrics and through his huge heart. He treated everyone he met as a friend and he always took care of his friends. “We will celebrate Riley‘s life and never forget the great works of music, charity, and love that he left behind. You, the fans, meant so much to him, please know how specia...