When Capra burst onto the Hardcore scene back in 2021 with their debut album, In Transmission, they displayed whole-heartedly, what the best things are about the subgenre today. Riffs that make you want to start chaos wherever you go, and the emotive vocals from Crow Lotus, made Capra one of the stand-out newcomers in 2021.
Modern Thrash Metal band War Curse has shared a new single and video for a cover of Anthrax’s 1990s metal classic “Only.” the trach comes from “The Big 4 of Thrash Metal” founders’ platinum-selling album The Sound of White Noise. The trach is a stand-alone single for War Curse, unrelated to their upcoming new full-length album, due out for Blacklight Media, a sub-label of Metal Blade Records later in 2021. Check out the clip here:
War Curse has signed a new record deal with Blacklight Media Records/Metal Blade Records and will release a new album in 202. The modern Trad Heavy Metal formed in 2013 and has released two full-lengths, including Eradication (Svart Records) in 2019.
Ghost Cult caught up recently with record label chief and world-famous chef Chris Santos. In addition to being an award-winning restaurateur, Santos co-owns Blacklight Media Records, a sub-label from Metal Blade Records. Black Light Media is home to bands such as Gozu, Eyes Of The Sun, Mother Feather, Winter Wolf, Made For Lying, and new signing Opulence. We chatted with Chris about his life growing up in the New York City Metal and Hardcore scene, what originally ignited his passion for cooking, and later restaurants, his relationship with Metal Blade’s Brian Slagel, how he goes about choosing bands to work with, as well as some hot takes on the current landscape of metal, such as Slayer’s retirement.Continue reading
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Explosive New York City rockers Mother Feather have shared their new single ‘Snakebite’. Their new album Constellation drops on November 2nd via Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records. Check out ‘Snakebite’ now. Continue reading
Candiria recently headlined Black Light Media’s label showcase in New York City and celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Beyond Reasonable Doubt, their seminal 1990s New York Hardcore classic. The band has now announced a tour honoring that record, which their label Metal Blade will release a collectors edition of the album on vinyl and cd. Direct support n the tour will come from Cleric, and the band will make an appearance at New England Hardcore and Metal Festival. All tour dates on sale now. Candiria’s latest album was released in 2016, While They Were Sleeping. Continue reading
Despite being a brand new band about to release their full debut, Good Tiger actually have quite the pedigree in their ranks. With a lineup which contains former TesseracT singer Elliot Coleman, ex-Safety Fire guitarists Joaquin Ardiles and Derya Nagle and ex- The Faceless drummer Alex Rüdinger, as well as previous touring Architects bassist Morgan Sinclair, you have a collection with exemplary experience in technical and progressive metal. So it comes as no surprise that A Head Full Of Moonlight (Blacklight Media/Metal Blade) should fit into this bracket once more, but with some signs of its own character coming through.
As album opener begins with an almost bluesy guitar passage, its clear that this won’t just fit into the same stock as much of their alumni suggests and instead offers a subtle but wide palette of styles throughout. That’s not to say this isn’t still fundamentally a tech metal album, as such tones and structures are still its very fabric and its familiarity should ease fans of their former bands, but there is just a bit more elsewhere going on.
The most notable aspect of diversity comes with Coleman’s vocals which range from harsh growls and softer singing, but also manages to adapt to the band’s more pop passages. In fact its these pop sensibilities that actually prove the album’s most exciting and interesting moments, otherwise when it picks up pace and technicality is where it doesn’t stand out much from its peers; competent and even strong and catchy but far from innovating.
Even if they comprise of established tech-metal alumni, Good Tiger have still given a confident and worthwhile debut with plenty of potential at play, and some signs of carving a niche for their own. Sadly, this does also veer into much of the same territory in a scene that is already very crowded. With plenty to build on however, these could still prove an exciting force in progressive metal circles, but they need to really let their own voice be heard.
7.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL
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