ALBUM REVIEW: Lionheart – Welcome To The West Coast III


 

LHHC, baby.

 

Singer Rob Watson is one of the most adept frontmen in hardcore when it comes to being able to both hype up a crowd and tell grim, streetwise lyrical tales over bouncy grooves. Nothing has changed with their latest release, Welcome To The West Coast III (Arising Empire). While the series of ‘Welcome…’ releases started with an EP, it is now halfway to keeping pace with Lil Wayne‘s Tha Carter albums. “Welcome” implies an introduction, but ironically the band no longer need one. Think of the title as more akin to an ongoing episodic documentary at this point.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Silverstein – Misery Made Me


After twenty-two years of being one of the most renowned and influential bands in post-hardcore and emo, it would be respectable to take a hiatus and bask in the legacy for a good while. However, Silverstein continues to knock out new material consistently, never wringing dry of inspiration and reinforcing their veteran status. With new album Misery Made Me (UNFD), the hardcore maestros let their creativity flow freely without forcing anything to appease anyone’s expectations – including their own.

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FEATURE: Off-Center With Ojayy: “Verotika” – Written and Directed by Glenn Danzig


In a new series by Ghost Cult’s photo and video editor, Omar Cordy will pop in from time to time and gives his take on the creative output of musicians and personalities from the industry, be it films, graphic novels, cool side-hustles, interesting hobbies, and other endeavors; Ojayy will have his say. In his debut column, he takes on the much-buzzed-about directorial debut of Danzig, Verotika. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Deftones Released “Diamond Eyes” Ten Years Ago


Deftones, even at their best, have been a band of dichotomies. That is what makes them a special band in the history of heavy music: opposing forces pulling and pushing them apart and back again. They may have been coming apart at the seams in the run-up to making Diamond Eyes (Reprise), and you couldn’t blame them. If you follow the band closely, you know the history. The band was nearly done tracking their highly anticipated album Eros in the fall of 2008, when founding bassist Chi Cheng was in a car wreck, on his way home from a funeral. Chi was left in a vegetative state, and the band was in shock. As Chi fought for his life (he passed in 2013, RIP), the band was left wondering what to do. They wanted to make music, but the experience with their best friend caused them to shelve Eros, never to be heard (almost never). When they came back together, the results were unexpected and wild. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Black Label Society – “Stronger Than Death” Turns 20


Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society came out of the gate strong on Sonic Brew (Spitfire Records), even though it was a little under the radar for the high-profile Ozzy Osbourne band leader. While Sonic Brew, officially released in 1999 in the US, set the template for the BLS style, coming in about a year later refined what Zakk was aiming for. With better production, a bit heavier right hand, and a little more focus, the songs on Stronger Than Death (Spitfire) shine through. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: White Zombie – “Astro Creep: 2000” Turns 25


For many, the nineties would prove to be the end of heavy metal as we knew it. Bands who rose to greatness in the preceding decade suddenly found themselves either retreading old ground, out of their depth trying to explore new territories, or simply grinding to an unceremonious halt. Within just a couple of years, denim, leather and even the term “heavy metal” itself, were out.Continue reading


Pallbearer Discusses Their Signature Sound, Heartless, And More!


Pallbearer released Heartless to the masses last month, and as Hans Lopez said in his 8/10 review, this band was “faced with the Herculean task of following up 2014’s Foundations of Burden, and they’ve passed with flying colors.

The guys recently celebrated the album’s release with a special show here in Brooklyn, and I got to sit down with the band to discuss the new material, their signature sound, and much more. Enjoy the fun chat below, and pick up Heartless today! Continue reading