Alternative Music
Some Sema – STENGAH
RATING: 8/10 If you have the cojones to name yourselves after a MESHUGGAH song, the least we can do is give you a shot. Fortunately, while exhibiting a clear debt to the aforementioned legends, STENGAH‘s debut album does much more than simply emulate someone else’s formula. This French band have a sound that has clearly been meticulously crafted: those all-important bendy, polyrhythmic riffs are a fundamental part of the majority of these songs, of course, but they are far from being the main event. “Soma Sema” combines those mutant djent tropes with plenty of post-metal squall, elegant progressive detours and moments of outright metal fury. The end result is frequently exhilarating. “At The Behest of Origins” erupts with pure percussive venom, before th...
Amazon Closes $8.5 Billion Deal to Acquire MGM
Amazon has officially brought yet another company under its wing. Jeff Bezos’ empire announced today that it has closed its $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM. The deal, which was first announced back in May 2021, adds more than 4,000 movies and 17,000 TV shows to Amazon’s Prime Video catalog. This merger means that giant franchises like the James Bond series, as well as Silence of the Lambs, Rocky, and The Hobbit, now belong to Amazon. The company now owns the rights to some storied TV classics, such as The Apprentice and the fabled racist Donald Trump tapes. With their ownership of MGM’s studios now in effect, Amazon plans to use the acquisition to boost Prime Video and Amazon Studios’ growing catalog of new originals. Advertisement Related Video “The storied, nearly century-old studio — wi...
Arcade Fire Announce New Album WE, Share “The Lightning I, II”: Stream
Arcade Fire have announced their new album. Entitled WE, the band’s sixth full-length is due out on May 6th via Columbia Records. As a preview, they’ve shared the first single, “The Lightning I, II.” Arcade Fire set out to record an album in February 2020, but when the pandemic began, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne decided to hunker down and write more songs instead of sticking with what they already had. “It was the longest we’ve ever spent writing, uninterrupted, probably ever,” Butler said in a statement. The finished product, WE, is at once a double album and a practice in restraint. Seven songs unravel in 40 minutes, split between two sides: Side “I” deals in isolation, while Side “WE” revels in human connection. The project was produced by Radiohead’s go-to boardman, Nigel Godr...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Won’t Take Dolly Parton’s Name Off Ballot
Dolly Parton remains under consideration for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — whether she likes it or not. Three days after the Queen of Nashville tried to pull her name from the list of nominees, writing, “I must respectfully bow out,” the foundation that runs the Hall has released its own statement indicating that since voting is already under way, they won’t be making any changes to the ballot. “All of us in the music community have seen Dolly Parton’s thoughtful note expressing her feeling that she has not earned the right to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” the foundation wrote in the statement (via Variety). “In addition to her incredible talent as an artist, her humility is another reason Dolly is a beloved icon by millions of fans around the world. “From its ince...
Lucius Tap Brandi Carlile and Sheryl Crow for “Dance Around It”: Stream
Lucius have teamed up with Brandi Carlile and Sheryl Crow on their new single “Dance Around It.” Stream the collab below. On the sparkling track, the indie pop band and pair of singer-songwriters share an optimistic message over electro-tinged production. “And we’ll keep dancing/ Above, underground/ We’ll keep dancing around it,” they sing together on the jubilant chorus. “Dancing/ Our love’s burning out/ We’ll keep dancing around it,” “Dance Around It” serves as the fourth single ahead of Lucius’ upcoming album Second Nature, which will be released April 8th via Mom + Pop Music. It features Carlile as a producer alongside Dave Cobb. Other singles already released include “Heartbursts,” “White Lies,” and “Next to Normal.” Advertisement Related Video “In many ways ‘Dance Around It’ cracked ...
DEF LEPPARD Announces ‘Diamond Star Halos’ Album; ‘Kick’ Single Now Available
DEF LEPPARD will release its new album, “Diamond Star Halos”, on May 27 via UMe. The follow-up to 2015’s self-titled LP is available for pre-order now in multiple configurations, including a deluxe edition, 2-LP vinyl, digital formats and more. Exclusive bundles including newly designed album merch have also launched. To herald the arrival of “Diamond Star Halos”, the U.K. quintet — Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Savage (bass), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar) and Vivian Campbell (guitar) — has just shared a powerful and rip-roaring new rock single titled “Kick”. The song thrusts into an anthemic stadium-ready frenzy kickstarted with driving guitars and bombastic drums woven into its musical fabric. Meanwhile, the chorus has all the makings of ...
W.A.S.P.’s BLACKIE LAWLESS Blasts ‘Bully’ PUTIN: ‘Today, I Am Ukrainian’
W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless has blasted Russian president Vladimir Putin as a “bully” whose motivation for invading Ukraine was “simple, godless selfishness.” Earlier today, Lawless released the following statement via W.A.S.P.‘s official web site: “With regards to any invading force, I am an American. I am an American first. I put my country first. I put my Nation’s People first. Whether we are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Progressive, Liberal or Conservative, in moments of true crisis, any and ALL individual, selfish wants must be laid down for any nation to survive. A nation’s people must come first. “Of the Americans that are alive now, regardless of modern sentiments and arrogance, we are not the first to...
Watch: SLIPKNOT Kicks Off 2022 ‘Knotfest Roadshow’ Tour In Fargo
SLIPKNOT kicked off the 2022 iteration of its infamous “Knotfest Roadshow” tour Wednesday night (March 16) at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. The band’s setlist was as follows: 01. Disasterpiece 02. Wait And Bleed 03. Sulfur 04. Before I Forget 05. The Chapeltown Rag 06. Dead Memories (performed for first time since 2016) 07. Unsainted 08. The Heretic Anthem 09. Psychosocial 10. The Devil In I 11. Solway Firth 12. All Out Life 13. Snuff (performed for first time since 2012) 14. Vermilion 15. Duality 16. Custer 17. Spit It Out Encore: 18. People = Shit 19. (sic) 20. Surfacing Fan-filmed video is available below. The “Knotfest Roadshow” tour is taking place over two legs, both headlined by SLIPKNOT. The first leg features special guests IN THIS MOMENT and ...
SAMMY HAGAR To Release ‘Cocktail Hits: 85 Personal Favorites From The Red Rocker’ Book
Sammy Hagar will release a new book, “Sammy’s Cocktail Hits: 85 Personal Favorites From The Red Rocker”, on March 29 via Skyhorse Publishing. Hagar may be best known as the former frontman of the iconic band VAN HALEN. His fans know him as the Red Rocker and as the songwriter behind hits like “I Can’t Drive 55”, “Right Now” and “Why Can’t This Be Love”. However, music is just one of his passions. Sammy is a businessman, a connoisseur of great cocktails, and the creator of Cabo Wabo Tequila, Sammy’s Beach Bar Rums, and — along with his good friend and celebrity restaurateur Guy Fieri — a line of Santo Tequilas and Mezquila. He created Cabo Wabo Cantinas and Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grills so people could hang out w...
Limp Bizkit Announce Spring 2022 US Tour
Limp Bizkit have announced a Spring 2022 US tour in support of their recent comeback album, Still Sucks. The outing will find the rap-metal group playing arenas and theaters, with various support from $not, Wargasm UK, Scowl, Yung Gravy, and Dying Wish. The “Still Sucks Tour” kicks off April 28th in Tampa, Florida, and runs through a May 31st show in Ontario, California. Among the stops is an April 13th gig at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Tickets go on sale Friday (March 18th) to the general public via Ticketmaster, with a pre-sale beginning Thursday (March 17th) using pre-sale code SHOWTIME. Still Sucks dropped on Halloween of 2021, preceded by the single “Dad Vibes.” Along with the new music came a new look for frontman Fred Durst, who sported a gray wig and horseshoe must...
Florence + The Machine Announce Spring 2022 Tour Dates
Florence + The Machine have announced a handful of Spring 2022 tour dates in support of their upcoming album Dance Fever. The brief UK outing kicks off on April 15th in Newcastle, UK, and will also feature intimate shows in Blackburn and London. Florence Welch and company will then make their way across the pond for concerts at Los Angeles Theatre in Los Angeles and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City. £1 from each ticket sold in the UK will go to the Choose Love fund, which supports refugees and displaced people globally. In the US, $1 from each ticket for the LA show will go to The Los Angeles Community Action Network, with those sold in New York benefiting the organization Women in Need. Advertisement Related Video See the full schedule below. General on-sale begins in th...
Judas Priest and Twisted Sister Members Commend Dolly Parton for Bowing Out of Rock Hall Nod: “A Classy Move”
Dolly Parton’s decision to withdraw herself from nomination into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has garnered praise from rock and metal artists. Earlier this week, the country music legend bowed out of the Hall nod and said she didn’t feel she had “earned” it, explaining she needed to add to her rock ‘n’ roll cred. She added, “This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock ‘n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider both commended Parton for respectfully withdrawing. Advertisement Related Video “I think it was a classy move, really,” Faulkner told podcast Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen. “I think she recognizes her brand, and it didn’t necessarily fit into t...
