CONCERT REVIEW: Silent Planet – Thornhill – Aviana – Johnny Booth Live at Worcester Palladium


Riffs and breakdowns were on the menu this past Tuesday night at the Worcester Palladium, courtesy of your international team of chefs on the Superbloom Tour. Welcome to the stage this evening, Long Island NY’s own Johnny Booth, from the west coast of Sweden we have the masked collective of Aviana, all the way from Melbourne Australia we have Thornhill, and capping off the night… the star cooks of the evening, from Azusa, CA… Silent Planet. Let’s jump right into course one, shall we?!Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Periphery – Plini – Archspire – Astronoid – Mike Dawes Live at The Worcester Palladium


Flying waffles, Backstreet Boys covers, local post-metal idols, games of Twister during a wall of death, rants about cereal and coffee, transcendent guitar wizardry that took me to space, and some of the most passionate and crowd involved djent/metalcore ever written. Are you still with me? Good. Because god damn, was the final night of the Wildfire Tour with Periphery, Plini, Archspire, Astronoid, and Mike Dawes a wild night at the Worcester Palladium. There’s a lot going on here so let’s get down to brass tacks…Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: Hollywood Undead – Tech N9ne – King Iso Live at The Worcester Palladium


 

The Hollywood & N9ne Tour rolled into the Worcester Palladium to bring the party and the good times, and King Iso was along for the ride as well. Now this is a tour that’s been in the works for quite some time so let’s not waste any more time, and jump right in!

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CONCERT REVIEW: Electric Callboy – Solence – Conquer Divide Live at Big Night Live


 

Tekkno… it’s not just a genre of music but it’s also the name of the world tour that is taking over the entire planet right now. Electric Callboy, Solence, and Conquer Divide rolled into Boston, MA this past week for the Tekkno World Tour. and let me just say this, this is the most fun I’ve ever had covering a show in my entire life so I’m not going to waste my time or your time so let’s jump right in!


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CONCERT REVIEW: Killswitch Engage – Fit For An Autopsy – Death Ray Vision Live at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom


 

I waited 18 years to see Killswitch Engage live. Tonight was definitely a show for the books.

Massachusetts metalcore leaders Killswitch Engage decided that Hampton Beach needed some love and did a one-off show last week at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom alongside deathcore titans Fit For An Autopsy, Death Ray Vision, and Paradise Slaves.

 

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CONCERT REVIEW: The Halo Effect – Unearth – High Command Live at The Worcester Palladium


 

Upstairs at the Worcester Palladium, a venue that most closely resembles a bougie studio apartment, was the host of one of the most anticipated tours of the early summer. Let’s take a journey through the March to Milwaukee Tour, featuring supergroup The Halo Effect, Unearth, and High Command. First up for the night on this world premiere tour was Worcester Massachusetts’ own High Command. Bringing old-school heavy metal, a chain-link microphone stand, a guitarist wearing an executioner’s mask, and an 8-foot-long, broadsword on the stage… these folks sure as hell know how to open up a show. Pummeling riffs, teeth-grinding vocals, and grooves are so infectious. you may want to call a doctor afterward. If you close your eyes you would think that UFO and Goatwhore made a band together. Brandishing a long sword out on stage, I straight up thought they were going to break a pipe in the ceiling… remember, we’re upstairs at the Palladium. You got 8.5-foot ceilings, MAX. Awesome band, I had no idea that they were a local band until after the show. But that only makes the next band of the show even more hype moment for the crowd.

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INTERVIEW: Billy Sheehan of The Winery Dogs on Their New Album, and Longevity in The Music Business


 

Ghost Cult caught up with bass guitar legend Billy Sheehan of The Winery Dogs! Billy discussed the new album “III” – out now on Three Dog Records, launching their own label, the evolving role of labels in the music business, how Billy – Mike Portnoy, and Richie Kotzen all write together, the return of touring, how many guest sessions Billy really did during the height of the pandemic, and much more! Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: The Winery Dogs Live at Tupelo Music Hall


 

Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan, and Mike Portnoy. Three dynamo musicians that need no introduction on their own, much less as a three-piece supergroup. The Winery Dogs rolled into Derry New Hampshire’s Tupelo Music Hall this past Sunday on their 2023 World Tour. Intimate venue, the cold weather outside, and hot music. Let’s dive in…

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STAFF PICKS: Ghost Cult Photographer Chris Small’s Top 20 Albums of 2022


Ghost Cult’s Chris Small (aka Smallz, Papa Smallz) has been an essential member of our live coverage team this year and chipped in a few other types of reviews over the years as well. When he is not voraciously consuming heavy music, he is also a dad, documents underground rap shows, and streams on Twitch. Here are his top 20 albums of 2022 list! Peace and Chicken grease, as Chris would say…

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: RPM FEST 2022 – Live at Millers Falls Rod and Gun Club


RPM Fest… three days in the woods at Millers Falls Rod and Gun Club in Montague, Massachusetts of Western MA with all of the homies, great food, great drinks, yard games, drag bingo, metal yoga, karaoke, and more metal, punk, and ska music than you can shake a battle vest at. It’s been two years since RPM Fest happened due to the ongoing pandemic. But this year it was able to make its mighty return as the official end-of-summer send-off party that it is known to be, this past Labor Day Weekend.

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