Alternative Metal
Fred Durst Teases Artwork and Halloween Release Date for New Limp Bizkit Album
Fred Durst has teased part of the artwork for Limp Bizkit’s long-awaited new album. He also hinted that it could drop on Halloween. The rap-rock veteran started polling fans about the new album last week, implying that songs from the long-awaited LP were finally finished. “Should I drop a new song?” he asked. “Maybe ‘Turn It Up, Bitch’ or ‘Goodbye’? Hmm, or should I just drop the whole new album, all 12 songs? What do you think?” Advertisement Related Video Then over the weekend, Durst shared an Instagram story of “Album Cover Piece 1” with the text: “Instead, all [jack-o-lantern emoji]’s will drop on Halloween.” While we were writing this post, Durst/Limp Bizkit shared a second piece of the artwork featuring a colorful UFO. If not the full album, it appears the band are set to release som...
COVID-Stricken Serj Tankian “Happy” He Was Vaccinated, But Not “Taking Sides on the Issue”
System of a Down singer Serj Tankian, who’s been battling COVID-19, has said he is “happy” he was vaccinated but is not “taking sides on the issue.” We recently reported on Tankian testing positive for COVID and System of a Down postponing their two Los Angeles concerts, which had already been postponed twice due to the pandemic. The singer now says he is hoping to be symptom-free soon and credits the vaccine with minimizing his illness. However, Tankian explained that he wasn’t taking a specific stance regarding vaccines, saying it’s not a “one size fits all” decision. His summarized Facebook post read: “I am overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and concern from friends and strangers alike. I am doing well and hoping to be clear of all symptoms soon. I believe tha...
Vended (Sons of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Clown) Announce Debut EP, Unleash “Burn My Misery”: Stream
Vended, the band featuring the sons of Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan, have announced their debut EP, titled What Is It/Kill It. The band also shared the new song “Burn My Misery” ahead of the EP’s November 12th release. It’s the second single we’ve heard from the Iowa metal act. Touting a serious pedigree with Corey Taylor’s son Griffin on vocals and Clown’s son Simon on drums, it’s no surprise that Vended bring a crushing extreme-metal sound, as heard on “Burn My Misery.” Like previous single “Asylum,” the band incorporate elements of prog and melodic metal into the five-minute track. There’s certainly some Slipknot influence, but Vended’s punk tendencies are more pronounced, with spitfire vocals from Griffin and lightning fast tempos. Advertisement Related V...
Mike Portnoy’s Son Is Now Drumming for Code Orange
Legendary metal drummer Mike Portnoy’s son Max is now drumming for Code Orange, who are currently on tour as part of Slipknot’s “Knotfest Roadshow.” Going by the name “Mud Max” and donning a Mankind-style mask, Max Portnoy has appeared on drums during the band’s recent shows, though it is undetermined if it’s a permanent role. Singer Jami Morgan is the band’s studio drummer, but he has given up the role on tour to concentrate on being a frontman onstage. Ethan Young previously held the role of touring drummer, but now Max has taken over the drum kit during live gigs. Max, who also plays in the band Tallah, certainly brings an impressive pedigree to the Code Orange lineup. His father Mike is considered one of the greatest metal drummers of all time, having been the longtime stickman for pro...
P.O.D. on 20 years of Satellite, “Alive”‘s Success, and HR from Bad Brains’ Pet Parakeets
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS P.O.D.’s Sonny Sandoval grabs some talk time with Kyle Meredith to talk about the 20th anniversary of their 2001 album Satellite. Advertisement Related Video The lead singer dives into the breakthrough success of the LP, why the song “Alive” connected with fans so much, the young people he was thinking of with “Youth of a Nation,” and the song’s parallels to the school shootings that continue to happen today. Sandoval also remembers what it was like to navigate success during the era of 9/11 and also shares a fun story about recording a punk track with HR from Bad Brains, who brought along two parakeets. Listen to this new epi...
Vended (Sons of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Clown) Unleash Debut Single “Asylum”: Stream
Vended, the band that features the sons of Slipknot members Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan, have unleashed their debut single “Asylum.” With such an impressive metal pedigree, it’s no surprise that “Asylum” is a brutal track, featuring scalding vocals from 19-year-old singer Griffin Taylor (a dead ringer for his dad) and hard-hitting rhythmic patterns from drummer Simon Crahan. There’s a definite groove-metal and nu-metal influence, along with a streak of hardcore punk that should get the pits circling. While they’re not clad in masks, the band’s press photo does feature some theatrical makeup, giving the group a sinister appearance as Griffin appears obscured by blue paint. Vended’s lineup is rounded out by Cole Espeland (lead guitar), Connor Grodzicki (rhythm guitar), and Jer...
Mental Metal: Tool’s Ænima Turns 25
Dusting ‘Em Off is a rotating, free-form feature that revisits a classic album, film, or moment in pop-culture history. This piece celebrates Tool’s acclaimed sophomore album Ænima. Editor’s Note: This article originally ran in 2016, but has been updated in 2021 to reflect the 25th anniversary of Ænima. Many musicians have been influenced by books, but there seems to be something especially literary about the genres of hard rock and metal. This goes double for horror and fantasy fiction: Led Zeppelin meditated on The Lord of the Rings, Black Sabbath wailed about “The Wizard,” and Metallica thrashed to the monster Cthulu. Others have drawn imagery out of the Bible, Norse mythology, or the bloodier epochs of European history. For their second album, Tool drew on the writings of Carl Jun...
Corey Taylor Debuts Creepy New Mask at Slipknot’s First Show in 18 Months
Slipknot played a concert for the first time in 18 months on Saturday night (September 4th), performing a headlining set at the Rocklahoma festival. For the band’s long-awaited return to the stage, singer Corey Taylor sported a creepy new mask. Taylor is coming off a recent bout with COVID-19, having contracted the virus at the end of his summer solo tour. After a rough battle in which he said “it’s the worst I’ve ever been sick in my life,” he thankfully reported that he tested negative about 10 days ago, giving him the all-clear to tour with Slipknot. The singer believed he likely caught COVID from a “selfish” concertgoer. For Slipknot’s show at Rocklahoma, Taylor rocked a skeletal mask with beady eyes and Chelsea-smile stitching around the mouth. The change comes in the middle of the ba...
Korn’s Jonathan Davis “Struggling with COVID After-Effects,” Sits on Throne While Performing
Korn singer Jonathan Davis is still “struggling with COVID after-effects,” according to guitarist Brian “Head” Welch. Davis recently performed with the aid of a throne to sit in during a concert this past Friday (August 27th) in Tinley Park, Illinois. It marked Korn’s return to the road after Davis revealed his positive COVID test on August 16th, resulting in the postponement of six shows and the cancellation of two concerts on the band’s current US tour. The metal vocalist is clearly still feeling the effects of the virus, which can cause longterm, lingering physical and mental issues long after an individual tests negative. Fan footage from Friday’s Illinois show and Saturday’s Noblesville, Indiana, concert sees Davis sitting on a shiny throne, which is just as decadent as his H.R. ...
Limp Bizkit Cancel All 2021 Festival Performances, Promise New Songs in “Rapid Succession”
Limp Bizkit have canceled all of their remaining 2021 festival appearances after previously scrapping their summer headlining tour. The band has also revealed that more new music is on the way. When BIzkit nixed their summer outing after just a few dates, frontman Fred Durst didn’t get into specifics, but implied to Billboard that the tour cancellation was based on safety measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. As cases surge, live music is once again grappling with solutions to curb the virus, as venues and festivals institute vaccine requirements and/or proof of a negative COVID test. Limp Bizkit aren’t taking any chances, foregoing all upcoming performances, including scheduled appearances at the festivals Aftershock, Blue Ridge, Rebel Rock, and Rocklahoma. The band posted the followin...
Deafheaven Release New Album Infinite Granite: Stream
Deafheaven have released their new album, Infinite Granite, which is now available to stream. With their fifth studio album, Deafheaven have shifted away from the atmospheric black metal that influenced past material, embracing the shoegaze side of their sound. Most notably, vocalist George Clarke has adopted a clean-singing style. Despite some initial shock from longtime fans, the band dispelled skepticism with a string of strong singles. There’s no denying Clarke’s new singing style still fits well within Deafheaven’s heavy soundscapes, even if it took some time for listeners to adjust. Advertisement Related Video To achieve the new sound, the band enlisted producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, best known as Beck’s longtime bassist and for his work with electronic-based pop artists such as M83...
Primus Kick Off Rush Tribute Tour in Nampa, Idaho: Video + Setlist
Primus have officially kicked off their Rush tribute tour, playing the opening date of the outing on Tuesday night (August 10th) in Nampa, Idaho. Over the weekend, Primus’ Les Claypool revealed he was “learning from the master” and practicing Rush songs with singer-bassist Geddy Lee himself in preparation for the outing. Based on fan footage from the Idaho concert, it sounds like the hands-on training paid off. Claypool and company covered Rush’s 1977 masterpiece A Farewell to Kings in its entirety, nailing versions of “Closer to the Heart” and prog epics such as “Cygnus X-1” — the latter being the lone song from the album that had been previously covered by Primus. Advertisement Related Video The Rush set was preceded by a set of Primus songs, and then followed by an an encore of “Wynona’...
