Heavy Consequence
Beyond the Boys’ Club: Anette Olzon
Beyond the Boys’ Club is a monthly column from journalist and radio host Anne Erickson, focusing on women in the heavy music genres, as they offer their perspectives on the music industry and discuss their personal experiences. Erickson is also a music artist herself, recently releasing the song “Eternal Way” with Upon Wings. This month’s piece features an interview with Anette Olzon, formerly of Nightwish. Anette Olzon previously fronted one of the biggest symphonic metal bands in the world, Nightwish, but has since embarked on a solo career. This year, she returned with her sophomore solo album, Strong. The new set is nothing like her debut solo release, Shine. While the latter was a much more stripped-down, intimate collection of songs, Strong takes the listener in a much heavier and da...
Jerry Cantrell’s Brighten Shines a Light Back on His Stellar Solo Work: Review
The Lowdown: As one of the main creative forces of Alice in Chains for decades, singer-guitarist Jerry Cantrell is responsible for penning some of rock’s all-time great guitar riffs. He has remained busy with Alice in Chains (regularly issuing albums and touring after the arrival of singer William DuVall in 2006), and as a result, his solo career took a backseat — his last solo offering, Degradation Trip, dropped all the way back in 2002. So, nearly 20 years later, Cantrell is ready to go at it solo once more with Brighten. For the new album, he enlisted the aid of such renowned names as Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan singer Greg Puciato (who supplies background vocals), and producer/composer Tyler Bates, among several additional respected musicians. The Good:...
Mastodon Explore Every Facet of Their Musical Language on Hushed and Grim: Review
The Lowdown: The four-year wait for Mastodon’s eighth studio album, Hushed and Grim, felt like an eternity. As one of the definitive modern metal bands, the group has displayed a level of craftsmanship that’s elevated its discography to the top of the heap. There’s a reason Mastodon garnered so many Metallica comparisons early in their career; not that they sounded alike, but rather, people could sense that the Atlanta quartet were going places. After releasing four now-considered-classic LPs, the band took a similarly mainstream turn, and for good reason. Mastodon had amassed a global audience that yearned for their cracking brand of prog-tinged sludge metal. If the wait for Hushed and Grim felt long, it’s because Mastodon were prepping a double-album opus spanning 15 tracks — a huge unde...
Mastodon Release Hushed and Grim, First New Album in Four Years: Stream
Atlanta metal band Mastodon have released their much-anticipated eighth studio album, Hushed and Grim, via Reprise Records. As Troy Sanders explained to Heavy Consequence, the new double album is deeply personal for Mastodon. Late band manager Nick John served as the inspiration for the set, as the band chronicled his battle with pancreatic cancer. “He was monumental in our existence,” Sanders says. “Almost as important, or more important, than being our band’s manager, he was our dear friend. I always called him my friend before I called him, ‘Oh, He’s also our manager.’ That’s kind of how our relationship worked, not just with me and him but all four of us in the band. He scooped us up in 2004 and, without compromising anything at all, brought us to many bigger and better stages all over...
Don’t Worry, Metallica Are Here to Teach You How to Be a Band
Who better to teach a class on how to be a band than one that’s seen it all? Enter Metallica! The metal legends will be the first band to use the virtual MasterClass teaching platform and will “unpack 40 years of success and share principles of communication, collaboration, creativity, perseverance, and longevity.” The course is now available via MasterClass’ subscription service. According to the description, Metallica walk viewers through the interpersonal dynamics of being in a longstanding band, as well as analyze some of their greatest songs such as “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets.” Advertisement Related Video In addition to learning techniques related to songwriting and arrangement, the masterclass features social topics, such as the audience-performer relationship and ad...
Mining Metal: Abstracter, Conjureth, Fire-Toolz, Kowloon Walled City, Light of the Morning Star, The Silver, Sunless, Worm
Mining Metal is a monthly column from Heavy Consequence writers Joseph Schafer and Langdon Hickman. The focus is on noteworthy new music emerging from the non-mainstream metal scene, highlighting releases from small and independent labels — or even releases from unsigned acts. “Listen to them, children of the night, what music they make.” Even casual film buffs probably recognize that line, and not just because Tribulation titled an album after it. It was spoken by Bela Lugosi in the titular role of Dracula in the 1931 film. If you’ve never seen the movie, now’s the time, since it’s Halloween, and thanks to streaming it’s more readily available than probably any other film of its generation. But if you get a chance, watch the Spanish-language version, too. Moodier and more luxurious in its...
Ozzy Osbourne Announces Diary of a Madman 40th Anniversary Expanded Digital Edition
Ozzy Osbourne is celebrating yet another album anniversary in 2021. The Prince of Darkness has announced a 40th anniversary expanded digital edition of his 1981 album, Diary of a Madman, out November 5th. The release includes the original eight-song tracklist and two live recordings previously unavailable digitally: “Believer” and “Flying High Again.” Diary of a Madman is considered a classic album in Ozzy’s canon. It was the last studio effort to feature the virtuosic guitarwork of Randy Rhoads, who tragically died in a plane crash in 1982. Advertisement Related Video Notable tracks from the album include the chugging opener “Over the Mountain,” the weed ballad and radio hit “Flying High Again,” and the epic closing title track. To coincide with the expanded digital edition, Ozzy has team...
Wolfgang Van Halen Wraps First Mammoth WVH Tour: 45 Shows, a Sprained Ankle, and Rocking with GN’R
Wolfgang Van Halen had a whirlwind first tour with his solo band Mammoth WVH. Over the course of three months, he played 45 shows, sprained his ankle, dealt with a positive COVID-19 case within his touring party, and rocked the stage with Guns N’ Roses. That’s one helluva ride! Moreover, Wolfgang did all of that with a heavy heart, as he is still mourning the loss of his legendary father, Eddie Van Halen, who passed away in October of last year. The singer and multi-instrumentalist took time out to thank his band, crew, GN’R, and his fans for a memorable experience. On Instagram, he wrote the following: “3 months and 45 shows later, the first @mammothwvh tour is officially complete. Thanks so much to our incredible crew that helped make everything happen, thanks to my boys @franksidoris @j...
Nothing and Restorations Respectively Cover Big Star and R.E.M. for What’s the Furthest Place From Here? Comic Book Series
The bands Nothing and Restorations cover songs by Big Star and R.E.M., respectively, for a split 7-inch vinyl single that will accompany the third issue of a new Image Comics series What’s the Furthest Place From Here? Nothing take on Big Star’s “Holocaust” and Restorations offer a rendition of R.E.M’s “Radio Free Europe.” What’s the Furthest Place From Here? is the new title from Matthew Rosenberg and Tyler Boss, co-creators of the popular series 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank. Each issue is paired with a vinyl release, with the first two issues featuring music from Jawbreaker’s Blake Schwarzenbach, Joyce Manor, Screaming Females, and Worriers. A press release describes the new comic series as follows: “The world has ended. Now all that remains are gangs of children living among the ruins. But S...
Rammstein Premiere New Song … to an Astronaut in Space: Watch
Rammstein have premiered a new song from their forthcoming album … to one astronaut aboard the International Space Station. Drummer Christoph Schneider streamed the song from the comfort of his own studio, beaming it up to French astronaut Thomas Pesquet stationed on the ISS. The exchange was filmed and posted on Instagram. “Space is calling!” wrote Schneider. “I had the honor to speak with ISS astronaut @thom_astro on behalf of @rammsteinofficial. He is the current commander of the @iss and living in space since half a year. It felt like a child’s dream coming true for me — talking to a person living in the sky, sharing a glimpse of his view, realizing again how small we all are compared to the depth of the universe…” Advertisement Related Video Schneider continued: “He was the fir...
High School Marching Band Drummer in Gyroscope Even Impresses Tommy Lee
A viral TikTok video of a high school marching band drummer performing inside a gyroscope has impressed the master of stunt drumming, Tommy Lee. The Mötley Crüe drummer has praised the young musician for “refusing to play drums the way they were intended to be played!” A TikTok user by the name of Meredith Sanders posted the clip on Monday. The video, which has racked up 7.5 million views as of this posting, shows a young woman named Kenzie Conner playing drums in the Westfield High School marching band in Virginia while spinning around in a giant gyroscope, with AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” providing the soundtrack. We here at Consequence shared the video on our Instagram, where Tommy Lee commented, “Hahahahah!!! Yes….Another man refusing to play drums the way they were intended to be pla...
Circle Jerks Postpone Halloween Shows Due to COVID-19 within Band’s Touring Party
Circle Jerks have postponed a run of Halloween concerts due to a case of COVID-19 within the band’s crew. Dates in Albuquerque, New Mexico (October 27th), Tucson, Arizona (October 29th), and Phoenix, Arizona (October 30th) have been postponed. Adolescents and Negative Approach were also on the bill. Circle Jerks took to Facebook to inform fans of the unfortunate news, which has become all too common as bands have commenced touring during the pandemic. The statement read: “Due to a positive COVID-19 test within our touring entourage, for the safety of all concerned, we must sadly postpone our shows in Albuquerque on Oct. 27, Tucson on Oct. 29, and Phoenix on Oct. 30. We will do our best to announce rescheduling of these dates as early as possible this week. All tickets will be honored at th...
