ALBUM REVIEW: Blood Ceremony – The Old Ways Remain


 

After a seven-year wait, psychedelic rockers Blood Ceremony are back with their new album The Old Ways Remain (Rise Above Records). This is their fifth record and it sees the Canadian quartet successfully add Folk, Pop, and Jazz elements to their already multifaceted, woozy psychedelic rock.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2022 Part II


My Saturday at Download began over at the main stage where I caught the retro new wave of classic rock act Those Damn Crows, a band who have amassed a significant following in Wales thanks to appearances at the likes of Steelhouse Festival and other rock-oriented affairs. Possibly one of the smallest acts to perform on the main stage this year, the band spared no expense offering a fantastic wake-up call with some unremarkable if solid hard rock tunes. The day’s proceedings then continued firmly in the rocky territory with a southern, slightly heavier twang with Black Label Society, in their first festival appearance on UK soil since 2015, and with less of Zakk Wylde’s expectedly lengthy and tiresome soloing. Don’t get me wrong, Zakk was still doing his usual thing, but with a much-needed addition of percussion, making the moments of instrumental wankery much more palatable than usual.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2022 Part I


After a prolonged absence from the British metal scene courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic (save for a scaled-back pilot event in 2021), Leicestershire’s iconic summer rock, punk, and metal weekender, Download Festival returned to Castle Donnington in a maximalist blaze of glory, packing in a full-scale 5-day experience with some familiar favorites, hotly tipped up-and-comers and some of the best international acts that rock and metal scene has to offer.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Greenbeard – Variant


Work on Greenbeard’s third album started four years ago, but numerous line up changes and the dreaded C word delayed things slightly. The wait is over as the Texan Stoner Rock groups third album, aptly titled Variant (Sailor Records/Kozmik Artifactz), is finally with us – it sees them mix fuzzy stoner rock with psychedelic, blues, soul and heavy metal influences.Continue reading


The Picturebooks Share New Single and Video – “Catch Me If You Can” ft. Black Stone Cherry’s Chris Robertson


 

The Picturebooks have shared another new single from their upcoming album. Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry joins the band for “Catch Me If You Can.” The Major Minor Collective released September 3rd, 2021 via Century Media Records. Watch the official music video, filmed in Guetersloh (GER) and Edmonton/Kentucky (USA)now, and the song is streaming on all DSPs today as well. The entire album is chock full of guest performances from members of Clutch, Refused, Slothrust, Blues Pills, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry and more! Watch the clip right now and pre-order the album.

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The Picturebooks Share New Single And Video For “Holy Ghost” ft. Jon Harvey (Monster Truck)


Long-running rockers The Picturebooks have shared a new single “Holy Ghost,” featuring Jon Harvey (Monster Truck). Watch the music video, which was recorded in Guetersloh (GER), Los Angeles (USA) and Hamilton (CAN) at the link below. The song comes from their forthcoming new album The Major Minor Collective, due out September 3rd, 2021 via Century Media. The entire album is chock full of guest performances from members of Clutch, Refused, Slothrust, Blues Pills, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry and more! Watch the clip right now and pre-order the album.

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Download Festival 2022 Adds Deftones, Korn, Megadeth, Steel Panther, The Ghost Inside, Funeral For A Friend, Descendents, Electric Wizard, Sepultura, and More!


Download Festival 2021 is postponed to summer 2022, but the fest has wasted little time stacking the bill. Already headlined by Iron Maiden, KISS, and Biffy Clyro, seventy new bands have been added including Deftones, Korn, Megadeth, Steel Panther, The Ghost Inside, Funeral For A Friend, Descendents, Electric Wizard, and Sepultura. Watch a video teaser with the updated poster and buy your tickets now!

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KISS, Biffy Clyro, System Of A Down and More Booked for Download Festival 2021


Download Festival will return for 2021, featuring headliners KISS, Biffy Clyro, and System Of A Down and many more bands including A Day To Remember, Mastodon, Control The Storm, Gender Roles, Jamie Lenman, Myles Kennedy & Company, Deftones, Korn, The Distillers, Steel Panther, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, The Darkness, Black Veil Brides, Creeper, Alestorm and The Pretty Reckless. Seventy-three bands in all have been announced! Tickets go on sale on August 7th at 9 AM GMT. More bands have yet to be announced. The three-day festival takes place on 4-6 June 2021 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets will go on sale at this link here. Continue reading


Mastodon, Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes, Alter Bridge, The Darkness, Sepultura and More Added to Download UK


A bunch of new bands have already been added to the bill on this year’s Download UK Festival. The new acts include Alter Bridge, Bowling For Soup, The Darkness, The Distillers, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Mastodon, Funeral For A Friend, The Menzingers, Employed To Serve, 3 Doors Down, Milk Teeth, Motionless In White, Holding Absence, Lacuna Coil, Loathe, Sepultura, Amaranthe, Cemetery Sun, Fire From The Gods, Gender Roles, Haken, Hatari, Heavy Lungs, Higher Power, JJ Wilde, Kill The Lights, Modern Error, Northlane, Press Club, Polyphia| The Raven Age, Renounced, Shvpes, Sleep Token, SULLII, The Glorious Sons, The Hara, The Skints, Tempt, Twin Temple, Thy Art Is Murder, Wage War, and Will Haven! Also announced are the Day And Stage Splits, WWE NXT UK returns, and Kerrang! Radio Hosts the Finding Fresh Blood contest for a chance to perform on The Avalanche Stage. 2020 Download headliners Iron Maiden (Legacy Of The Beast Tour), Kiss and System Of A Down this summer and takes place on 12 – 14 June 2020 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Continue reading


Download Festival UK 2020 Adds Volbeat, Killswitch Engage, Babymetal, The Pretty Reckless, Airbourne, Skillet, Baroness, and More!


A bevy of bands have been added to Download 2020! New on the bill are Volbeat, Killswitch Engage, Babymetal,The Pretty Reckless, Airbourne, Skillet, Baroness, Lit, Bush, Wednesday 13, British Lion, Electric Wizard, Periphery, Obituary, Pup, Dying Fetus, Bleed From Within, Dead Label, Stone Broken, Blues Pills, Puppy, P.O.D., Wayward Sons, Wargasm, Dead Posey Blackout Problems, Bleed From Within, Cellar Door Moon Crow, Chelsea Grin, Dead Label, Dead Posey, Lotus Eater, Marianas Trench, Powerwolf, Puppy, Theory, The Last Internationale, The Wildhearts, and Uncured.and more to be announecd. They join headliners Iron Maiden (Legacy of the Beast Tour), Kiss and System Of A Down next year. The world’s premier rock event takes place 12 – 14 June 2020 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Tickets are on sale now at the link below. Check out Ghost Cult’s 2019 Download coverage here!Continue reading