On paper, The Banishment is one weird ass concept. Take a legendary guitar god like George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob, etc) and transplant his art into a world inhabited by Ministry and Filter on the regular. That’s right, we’re talking Industrial Metal as the main course of what The Banishment’s serving up to yer earholes. But y’know what? It works. Extremely well.
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Here we go again! Part wishful thinking, part playing detective while piecing together social media updates, and part actual facts! We could only be talking about our latest crystal ball viewing as we look to the year 2023 and hope for the best that those “confirmed” releases actually come out and that maybe our thoughts and prayers are answered when it comes to those with less concrete plans as of this posting. Join us, won’t you?
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There’s no doubt about it: The shoes that strike the pedals behind the kit of Chris Adler’s former post are some pretty big ones to fill. Lucky for Lamb Of God (And for us, the fans), the man chosen to fill those shoes is none other than Art Cruz. In recent years, Cruz has lent his considerable talents and unique style bringing the heft and the groove to legends like Prong and Ministry and after a baptism by fire with his new brothers in Lamb Of God following a live run opening for Slayer on their Final Campaign tour, Cruz makes his recorded presence known on Lamb Of God, the quintet’s eighth full-length.
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It’s that time of the year again! A time of reflection! A time of typing! A time of regretting the decision to pick the amount of best albums based on what year it is.
Review links are attached to the band name where applicable. Thanks in advance for reading! [Read more…]
I rarely read a review from another site/magazine when I plan on reviewing something myself. But when a band like Prong, who I’ve been a fan of for over 20 years, gets a shitty review in a metal mag I really like then I HAVE to check it out…and debunk every fault my fellow reviewer seemed to find with the record. [Read more…]
If you’re like me, you’ve waited for this for a long time. You followed the teases, the slow reveals, heard the snippets, ordered the shirts…everything! Well now my friends, the wait is finally over. But after all the hype, all the teases, all the build up…is Primitive Race, the album, ultimately worth the wait? If you’re into fan-fucking-tatsic electronic/industrial music then the answer is a definitive and resounding “Yes!!!!” [Read more…]
“I think this group of songs and these bands we picked needed to be highlighted as early influences, a big part of the band, and songs that we liked, too.” [Read more…]
Creating the perfect covers album, much like remix albums to an extent, can be a tricky business at times. It takes the right kind of artist and the right collection of songs for one to really stand out. That said, it fills me with an immense amount of pride to report that Prong is definitely the right kind of band and Songs From The Black Hole is definitely the right collection of songs. [Read more…]
Prong can do no wrong in my book and, to be honest, I’m just happy they still exist because there seemed to be a time where that might not be the case anymore (Happily, that reality is in the distant past). Not only is Prong reinvigorated after 2012’s jaw dropping Carved Into Stone but the band has bounced back with one of the quickest turnarounds for a new studio album ever (For Prong, anyway).
The result is Ruining Lives which is undoubtedly more straightforward and more vicious than its predecessor. Probably the greatest surprise to be found on Ruining Lives is the amount of melody found within. Sure, it’s Prong through and through but RL succeeds the most when it takes the elements that made Carved Into Stone so great and experiments further. Where as CIS experimented with song structure, RL focuses instead on mastermind Tommy Victor using his voice in another way: to actually sing! Sure, the snarls and sneers are still there but the overall vocal presence on this one suggests a more mature Victor as lead vocalist.
For every thrasher like “The Barriers” and “The Book Of Change” (And boy, are those two thrashy!) there’s a pummeling song like “Windows Shut” with a chorus that’s just out of this world for Prong. Or take “Remove, Separate Self” which combines all the shredding Prong is synonymous for with another chorus that makes the song destined to be the next great crowd pleaser . Producer Steve Evetts returns once again to craft this next Prong classic along with new members Art Cruz and Jason Christopher on drums and bass, respectively.
Ruining Lives triumphs and strengths (Which is the whole of the album) also further proves why Victor is a staple when it comes to new albums by legendary personalities like Glenn Danzig and Al Jourgensen and why he has constantly served as a mentor for so many young musicians because at this point, and with the bass/drum revolving door within, Prong IS Tommy Victor. Prong band camp perhaps?
Ruining Lives is available now everywhere. Get your copy here now!
If I follow this thought process, 2025 is going to be a very long post. Anywho, there’s some new music coming out in 2014 that I really think you should pay attention to. Here goes nothing (No particular order, by the way):
1. He Is Legend (Untitled/TBC)
What kind of a band releases the most amazing album of their career and then disbands? He Is Legend, that’s who! But never fear, HIL is back and has been diligently working away on the follow up to 2009’s It Hates You between bouts of touring which should see the light of day this year. Will it live up to its predecessor? With a new song teased to be dropping imminently, we’ll soon have our answer.
2. Tom Vek (Untitled/TBC)
Um, have you heard Leisure Seizure? If you have then you’ll know why I’m so excited for the third full-length from Tom Vek. The progenitor of Brit-hop makes music in fits and spurts but when it’s finally released it is so worth the wait.
3. Breton: (War Room Stories/February 3)
First single “Envy” has been on a steady rotation in RNRF offices since it was released late last year so the full-length that includes this masterpiece is easily high up there on our most wanted of 2014 list. I can safely tell you, though, that the whole of War Room Stories is brilliant as well. Watch this space for a review soon.
4. Prong (Untitled/TBC)
There is a lot of metal that we’re looking forward to in the new year and Prong is always a proven force of brutality. Their last, Carved Into Stone, managed to capture the entirety of Prong’s illustrious catalog on a single album. Will the follow up be more of the same or a step beyond? Here’s hoping it’s the latter.
5. Maximo Park (Too Much Information/February 3)
“Brain Cells” is the only song you need to hear in 2014 to prove that Maximo Park is not fucking around. Barely a year and a half after the phenomenal A National Health, Too Much Information sounds like an instant classic from the two or three songs released so far.
6. Reverend & The Makers (Thirty Two/February 24)
No song hit me like “Bassline” and the Youth-produced (He, of the mighty Killing Joke who might releasing a new rekkid in 2014) @reverend_makers album in 2012. Friends of Alex Turner who sound like an electrified Happy Mondays, Rev & co. is back with another one that’s sure to rule and first single “Your Girl” is the proof.
7. Nate Newton/Max Cavalera goodness (TBC/Throughout 2014)
Let’s see, there’s the just announced new Cavalera Conspiracy album which will have local boy Nate Newton on bass duties, the Max Cavalera, Greg Puciato, Troy Sanders Killer Be Killed supergroup, oh, and a little band called OLD MAN GLOOM featuring Newton, Aaron Turner, Caleb Scofield, and Santos Montano all with albums out this year. Three for one. You’re welcome.
8. Dog Fashion Disco (Untitled/Spring)
Another band that soon disbanded after releasing what was probably the best of their career up to that point, Maryland’s Dog Fashion Disco is back and at it again with their first new record since 2006’s Adultery. Recording begins later this month. Adultery was, hands down, the band’s best which means the follow up can only be better.
9, Primitive Race (Untitled/TBC)
The only industrial album you need to seek out in 2014! The brainchild of Chris Kniker, this veritable supergroup features Raymond Watts (New PIG in 2014 please?), Burton Bell, Chris Vrenna (In some capacity although he’s since left the group/recording project), Graham Crabb of Pop Will Eat Itself, Luc Van Acker, Kourtney Klein…the list goes on. There’s an EP on the way along with, hopefully, a full-length. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for the latest additions and news.
10. Nachtmystium (The World We Left Behind/ Spring 2014)
The final Nachtmystium album! Blake Judd is sure to go out with a scream and not a whimper when he puts the final nail in the coffin of his black metal/prog band. “Voyager” was released towards the end of 2013 and gives a little taste of the upcoming long player which sounds more like the experimental Assassins: Black Meddle , Part 1 than 2012’s Silencing Machine.
11. Marriages (Untitled/TBC)
Emma Ruth Rundle and the boys are back with another slab of female-fronted Isis-like shoegaze post rock. It’ll be epic and you should buy it.
12. Crowbar (Untitled/TBC)
Kirk Windsrein left Down to focus on Crowbar so you know he means business especially when it comes to their 25th anniversary. 2011’s Sever The Wicked Hand was a refreshing return to form melding the New Orleans sludge of ’93’s Crowbar with the sonic brilliance of Odd Fellows Rest so frankly, the sky’s the limit for this one.
13. Combichrist: (We Love You/March 25)
Aggro-industrial at its best, Combichrist is destined to deliver a wallop on their latest if first single “From My Cold Dead Hands” is even an inkling of an indicator of where the rest of We Love You is headed.
14. Eagulls (Eagulls/March 4)
This is kind of cheating because I have this one but if you’ve heard “Nerve Endings” or “Tough Luck” already then you know that this post-punk outfit means business. The rest of Eagulls is no joke. You’ve been warned.
Also worth your time in 2014 are new albums from: Guster, White Noise Owl, Mastodon, Hank & Cupcakes, Slipknot, Fear Factory, Godflesh, and Bells Into Machines featuring Paul Barker and Chris Connelly