Heavy Consequence
System of a Down Reunite for First New Songs in 15 Years: Stream
System of a Down have returned with their first new recordings in 15 years. Entitled “Protect the Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz”, the songs are being released as a way to to draw attention to the “serious war being perpetrated upon our cultural homelands of Artsakh and Armenia,” according to a statement from the band. “The time to do this is now, as together, the four of us have something extremely important to say as a unified voice,” the band explains. “These two songs, ‘Protect The Land’ and ‘Genocidal Humanoidz’ both speak of a dire and serious war being perpetrated upon our cultural homelands of Artsakh and Armenia. “We’re proud to share these songs with you and hope you enjoy listening to them. Further, we encourage you to read on to learn more about their origins and once you do, h...
Drummer Scott Phillips: Creed Reunion Is a “Possibility”
It’s been roughly eight years since Creed played their final show after reuniting for a new album and tour. Now, drummer Scott Phillips reveals that the band members have been talking, and that another reunion is a “possibility down the road.” Creed originally broke up in 2004 after a wildly successful ride in which they sold millions upon millions of albums, and scored such No. 1 rock hits as “Higher”, “With Arms Wide Open”, and “My Sacrifice.” The post-grunge outfit built up a massive following, which also led to backlash from critics and rock fans who perhaps didn’t appreciate the band’s righteous music or felt that singer Scott Stapp sounded a little too similar to Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. Upon their breakup, three-quarters of the band joined forces with singer Myles Kennedy to form A...
An Entire Pallet of Tool Guitarist Adam Jones’ New Custom Les Pauls Was Stolen
Just last week, Tool guitarist Adam Jones unveiled his first-ever signature guitar, a beautiful limited-edition 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst. Now, Gibson and gear retailer Sweetwater Music report that an entire pallet containing 13 of the prized guitars has been stolen. The guitar comes in two editions: a super-limited aged and signed version that retails for $9,999 and is limited to a run of 79, and a VOS (Vintage Original Spec) version that retails for $5,999 and is limited to 179 guitars. Thirteen of those guitars (including four of the more expensive edition) are now missing after an entire pallet was stolen out of a Sweetwater Music truck at the Flying J Travel Center in Whiteland, Indiana, on October 30th. The signature Les Pauls were on their way to be dispensed to custom...
Dallas Transitional Home for LGBTQ Youth Named After Power Trip’s Riley Gale
Dallas Hope Charities has announced that a new transitional home for LGBTQ youth will be named after late Power Trip frontman Riley Gale. Donations made in Gale’s honor following his tragic passing in August fast-tracked the purchase of the new youth home, which Dallas Hope Charities are naming after the singer: “Dallas Hope Center – Riley Gale Location”. “We are so grateful for all the donors and supporters that have made it possible for us to own our residence and expand our ability to give peace and dignity to our city’s youth that need support and encouragement to live their authentic and independent life,” Dallas Hope Charities CEO Evie Scrivner said in a press release. Regarding contributions from the metal community, Scrivner told the Dallas Observer: “We had no idea what that would...
Heavy Culture: Living Colour on Their Upbringings, Pandemic Life, and Getting Out the Vote
Heavy Culture is a monthly column from journalist Liz Ramanand, focusing on artists of different cultural backgrounds in heavy music as they offer their perspectives on race, society, and more as it intersects with and affects their music. The latest installment of this column features an interview with the Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun, guitarist Vernon Reid and bassist Doug Wimbish. Since 1985, Living Colour have blended rock, metal, and blues to form a sound all their own, inspiring many artists along the way. This year, the rock pioneers are celebrating 30 years of their sophomore album, Time’s Up, which yielded such hits as “Type”, “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”, and “Elvis Is Dead”. This edition of “Heavy Culture” spans several months, as we first caught up with the members of Livin...
Axl Rose Poetically Urges Americans to Vote for a “Better World” in the “Face of Fear and Intimidation”
With Election Day upon us, Axl Rose is urging his fellow Americans to vote. The Guns N’ Roses singer posted a series of poetic tweets, listing the reasons why it’s so important to cast a ballot in the presidential election this year. While Rose doesn’t mention Donald Trump or Joe Biden by name, his social media posts over the past four years have been decidedly anti-Trump. In fact, the rock legend has repeatedly ripped apart Trump and his administration throughout the president’s entire term in the White House. Among his many takedowns of Trump, the GN’R frontman once called the president a “repulsive excuse for a person with a sick agenda.” The singer also lambasted members of Trump’s administration for seemingly discouraging social distancing during the pandemic. In a three-part twe...
AC/DC Team Up with DC Shoes for New Footwear and Apparel Line
AC/DC have teamed up with DC Shoes for a new line of footwear and apparel. The merch launches this Saturday (November 7th), just in time for the legendary band’s upcoming album, Power Up, which arrives on November 13th. DC Shoes is known for its skate footwear, so it’s not surprising that the shoes are the highlight of the AC/DC collaboration. A handful of classic DC styles and silhouettes have been adorned with the band’s iconography. One style features the cover of Highway to Hell printed on the canvas area, while others boldly display the band’s logo. The shoes will retail for a suggested price of $55 to $75. In addition to the footwear, the AC/DC x DC Shoes partnership also features beanies, longsleeves, and more as part of the line, ranging from $25 to $75. As AC/DC were a staple musi...
The Offspring Cover “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”: Stream
The Offspring have released their first-ever holiday song, a cover of the Darlene Love classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. Along with the single, the band has promised new music in early 2021. As frontman Dexter Holland pointed out in a press release, the band felt it was a good time to bring some holiday cheer to their fans. “It just seemed like the world could use a nice holiday song right now,” remarked Holland. “We’ve always been huge fans of Darlene Love, so when the idea came up to do a Christmas song, we jumped at the chance to record that one … and tried not to wreck it!” The punk-rock veterans actually deliver a pretty faithful rendition of tune, with their version produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe). The original 1963 version was famously produced by Phil Spect...
Louisiana Man Who Burned Down Churches to Raise His “Black Metal Profile” Gets 25-Year Prison Sentence
Holden Matthews, who set fire to three churches last year to “raise his profile as a black-metal musician”, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison. The 23-year-old Louisiana man was also ordered to pay $2.6 million in damages to the affected churches. As previously reported, Matthews, who played bass in the band Vodka Vultures, faced between 10 and 70 years in prison for burning three predominantly Black churches in the spring of 2019. According to a statement on the sentencing from U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook, “Matthews admitted to setting the fires because of the religious character of these buildings, in an effort to raise his profile as a ‘Black Metal’ musician by copying similar crimes committed in Norway in the 1990s.” Matthews’ actions came just a few months after the relea...
Percussionist Chris Fehn Drops Lawsuit Against Slipknot
Chris Fehn has dropped his lawsuit against Slipknot more than a year the longtime percussionist was ousted from the band. According to Rock Feed, Fehn’s attorneys filed a Notice of Voluntary Discontinuance with the New York Supreme Court last week, effectively ending Fehn’s case against his former band and other parties. He had claimed they withheld money and funneled it through Slipknot affiliated businesses setup by band members in different states. Fehn sued his bandmates over money matters when he was technically still in Slipknot, although he was dismissed from the group shortly thereafter. He wore the long-nosed mask in the band since 1998 and was one of its earliest members, vital to the band’s signature multi-percussionist format. “Chris knows why he is no longer a part of Slipknot...
Moog Brings Back Budget-Friendly Werkstatt-01 Modular Synthesizer
Moog is bringing back its “most affordable” modular synthesizer, the Werkstatt-01, just in time for the holidays with a new low price. If you plan on spending less money and more time making music, it’s the perfect way to begin dabbling in Moog’s ever-growing world of modular synths. The Werkstatt-01 now goes for $199 (versus its original price of $379), and its simplicity and customization make it entry-level accessible for those who’ve never owned such an instrument. As Moog states in the press release, the Werkstatt can be used for “musical exploration and experimental education” as a standalone instrument or a workshop for patching and interconnectivity with other gear. It was designed specifically for the curious owner to open it up and tweak away, all while literally learning the ins...
Alter Bridge Unleash Hard-Hitting New Song “Last Rites”: Stream
Alter Bridge have unleashed a new song called “Last Rites”, which serves as the latest preview of their upcoming Walk the Sky 2.0 EP. The lyric video features a smoky, dimly lit aesthetic with a crystal ball making a prediction based on the song’s foreboding lyrics: “I’ve seen the future/ Yeah the writing’s on the wall/ And it don’t look that good to me,” Myles Kennedy sings in the opening verse The idea for “Last Rites” began during the recording sessions for Alter Bridge’s 2019 album Walk the Sky, but the band finished writing and recording the song during the pandemic. “We just felt like it wasn’t going to be something that fit the overall vibe of Walk the Sky, as far as what we were trying to attempt to do with that record,” Kennedy told Heavy Consequence of the song. “So, when al...
