Here’s what I know for sure. Given a couple more years and some seasoning, Tortured Demon is going to put out some brilliant Thrash Metal. And that’s not to dismiss what the British outfit have done on Rise of the Lifeless (Self-Released) as there are very interesting aspects to discuss, but this is still a band that’s figuring out what its sound is.
I was familiar with Drain thanks to them being name-dropped by fellow Santa Cruz Hardcore outfit Scowl, whose Psychic Dance Routine EP I had the good fortune of reviewing recently. Therefore when the promo list came round and I spotted Living Proof (Epitaph Records) on there, it was simply too good an opportunity to pass up.
Dez Fafara is a man who needs little introduction, having arrived on the scene at the height of the nu-metal explosion with Coal Chamber, whose debut album landed in 1997 to provide Roadrunner Records with a band to rival the impact that the likes of Korn and Deftones were having on the genre. But when relationships started to turn sour in Coal Chamber signaling the end of their initial run, rather than fading into obscurity, the larger-than-life vocalist reinvented himself for round two of his unique career in metal, with DevilDriver.
Seems like we’re going to have to score another one for the bad guys. And by bad guys, I am referring to some of Thrash Metal’s pioneers who refuse to acknowledge the passage of time and are still melting amp heads like it was 1986.
After cementing its title as America’s Biggest Rock Festival with a record-breaking attendance of over 170,000 in 2022, Louder Than Life returns bigger and better than ever on September 21, 22, 23 & 24, 2023 to Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. One of the top music events of the year, Louder Than Life will feature performances from a spectacular list of rock artists including Foo Fighters, Green Day (making their DWP festival debut), Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Pantera, Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, Limp Bizkit, Megadeth, Turnstile, Rancid, Falling In Reverse, 311, Pierce The Veil, Run The Jewels, Corey Taylor, Coheed and Cambria, Royal Blood, Parkway Drive, Bad Omens, BABYMETAL and many more. General Admission And VIP Passes are on sale now starting at $10 down at the link below. Watch the teaser video here:
The West Coast’s Biggest Rock Festival, Aftershock, grows even more in 2023 with its most packed lineup yet offering 95-plus bands over four full days, led by headliners Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, and Korn. The destination event, held at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA on October 5-8, builds on last year’s record-setting success including an audience of 160,000 music fans and bringing in nearly $30 million to the region. The festival is headlined by Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Godsmack, Pantera, Incubus, Queens Of The Stone Age, Limp Bizkit, with Megadeth, Rancid, Turnstile, 311, The Cult, and many more! Watch the announcement video here and get your tickets and full details at the link below. Continue reading
Rocklahoma welcomes Godsmack, Pantera, Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, Bush, Chevelle, Corey Taylor, and many more top rock acts to America’s Biggest Labor Day Weekend Party, Friday, September 1 – Sunday, September 3 at Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma, just outside Tulsa. The festivities kick off with the Rocklahoma campgrounds opening on Sunday, August 27 and music performances get underway at the official Rocklahoma pre-party on Thursday, August 31. Full weekend passes are on sale now, with single-day tickets available this spring.
Funko, the global sensation of popular vinyl collectible toys company has finally released the POP Rocks! Vinyl Collecable figure of iconic Heavy Metal singer for Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and his solo career- Ronnie James Dio. Other artists who have gotten the Pop! Rocks treatment includes Slipknot, N.W.A., Kiss, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Prince, Rob Zombie, FFDP, Alice In Chains, PanterA, Dee Snider, Twisted Sister, a set of the guys in Twizted, Glow in The Dark Iron Maiden, and more. The Funko brand, which sells other figures and licensed merchandise, went public with an IPO in 2018.
Danny Wimmer Presents Inkcarceration Festival 2023 has announced its full lineup of bands and tattoo artists. Headliners include Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Pantera, Volbeat, Lamb of God, Bush, Megadeth, and Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm, along with 10 Years, In This Moment, Underoath, Hatebreed, P.O.D, The Ghost Inside, Wage War, Coal Chamber, and many more. The festival will be on July 14, 15, and 16 at the infamous Ohio State Reformatory (the site of the film The Shawshank Redemption) in Mansfield, Ohio. INK festival is a truly unique Rock & Tattoo Festival featuring 40+ bands on 3 stages, tattoo artists from around country, tours of the prison, gourmet food, camping, and more. Tickets are on sale now at the link below
Following the cancellation of Pantera’s appearance at Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park, the reformed band’s spring headline concert in Vienna, Austria has now been canceled. This is following a public outcry over singer Philip Anselmo’s past racist remarks. The promoters of the Vienna show posted to their socials and website that the show would not go forward as planned. Part of the reason for the recent public outcry that led to these cancelations such as Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park is the history both cities have with the former Nazi regime during World War II, and current rules against racism and Nazi activities in Germany. Austria has a similar stance. Even though Anselmo has apologized for his actions in 2017, and been without public incident since the Dimebash incident of 2016, seven years ago, he and his band are being held accountable still. These are the first shows canceled involving Anselmo since Down’s summer 2017 tour was canceled along the same lines. The reformed lineup of Pantera, including Anselmo, Rex Brown, with Zakk Wylde, and Charlie Benante has shows booked through 2024 at the present time, including multi-year tour dates with Metallica. Continue reading