GUEST POST: Andrew Mikhail of Serpents (US) – Top 25 Albums of 2019


 

It’s time for another Ghost Cult “End Of Year” Guest post! We’ll be sharing lists, memories, and other shenanigans from our favorite bands, partners, music industry peers, and other folks we respect across the globe all month long! Andrew Mikhail and his Orchestral Blackened Death Metal band Serpents (US) released their immaculate Temet Nosce release, played some tour dates formulated many plans for 2020. Andrew took some time out to share his personal Top 25 albums of 2019, and he also curated a Top 50 Spotify playlist available on the Serpents U.S. Page that deserves your attention too! Continue reading


MY FAVOURITE CONCERT MEMORY: Creature discusses Slipknot, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Deftones and More


Creature just released their brand new EP Hound, their second release in 2019 following their brutal Hex EP. The band will kick off a mini-tour of the UK in a few weeks. The band checked in with some of their favorite concert memories for our readers!Continue reading


Radiohead Thwarts Blackmailer by Streaming 18 Hours of Unreleased Songs from “OK Computer”


Radiohead has announced the immediate release of eighteen hours of unreleased OK Computer (Parlophone) era outtakes and demos for the next 18 days for 18 pounds. This stems from frontman Thom Yorke suffering a computer hack and his stolen music archives and the thief demanding $150,0000 payment to get the archive back. You can see the details and the Bandcamp link below. Continue reading


We Never Learned To Live – The Sleepwalk Transmissions


Much like Roadrunner Records in the 1990s, a mark of contemporary quality is any band on the Holy Roar Records roster. You are guaranteed an absolute slobber knocker with pretty much everything they have put out over the last decade, whether it’s the all-out Hardcore of Employed to Serve or Secret Cutter, the Screamo of Portrayal of Guilt or the psychedelic Stoner Prog of Boss Keloid. Now turning to Post Hardcore, we as listeners should welcome the arrival of We Never Learned To Live‘s latest offering; The Sleepwalk Transmissions (Holy Roar Records).Continue reading


Watch Brian May of Queen Induct Def Leppard In The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame


After many years of eligibility, Def Leppard was inducted into The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame last night. Inducted by their friend and peer, Dr. Brian May of Queen, the band was gracious and overcome with happiness. Band members entering the Rock Hall include the current lineup — Joe Elliott, guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen along with founding guitarist Pete Willis and late guitarist Steve Clark. For the performance part of the evening, the band played four of its biggest hits: ‘Hysteria’, ‘Rock Of Ages’, ‘Photograph’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’. The 2019 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame concluded with an all-star performance of David Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes”, featuring Def Leppard, Ian Hunter, May, Steve Van Zandt, The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs, and The Zombies’ Rod Argent. HBO will broadcast a truncated version of the ceremony on Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m. EST.Continue reading


Watch Def Leppard Perform on The Howard Stern Show


Def Leppard dropped by The Howard Stern show for an interview and an acoustic performance of originals and covers. The band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this week. They will be inducted by Dr. Brian May of Queen in the 34th HoF class, along with the other honorees Stevie Nicks, The Zombies, Janet Jackson, The Cure, Radiohead, and Roxy Music. Watch video of the band and their interview with Stern, and performances below.

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O.R.k. – Ramagehead


No, I have no idea what a Ramagehead is either, but this quixotic and enigmatic title seems entirely apposite for a third album of psychedelic Progressive Rock from this most discerning and intriguing of collectives. Combining the talents of Porcupine Tree’s bass general Colin Edwin and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto, this already sounds like a Fantasy Prog Band competition winner. Add in some vocals of an Obake vintage and you’re there. This could end up being the most intimidating and contrived ego-trip were it not handled carefully.

Ye of little faith. Continue reading


A.A. Williams – A.A. Williams EP


It’s a name that will be unfamiliar to many but London-based Alex ‘A.A.’ Williams is destined to rise above the radar before too long. With YouTube comparisons with Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle already boosting her reputation, the fact that Holy Roar Records are releasing eponymous EP A.A. Williams is a testament to the growing sense of expectation.Continue reading


Def Leppard, The Cure, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Janet Jackson And More Elected To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame


The ever-edgy and controversial Rock And Roll Hall of Fame announced it’s 2019 induction class. Making it in Def Leppard, The Cure, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Janet Jackson, The Zombies, and Roxy Music. Not making the cut from the finalists were Todd Rundgren (who like Def Leppard and Nicks factored in the fan voting) Rage Against the Machine, MC5, Kraftwerk, Devo, LL Cool J, John Prine, and Rufus & Chaka Khan. The fan voting actually carries very little weight (one 1,000th of a real vote), but plays out in public on social media. In total, an international voting body of more than 1,000 artists, including current living inductees, historians and members of the music industry, were able to cast their votes alongside the fan ballot. Factors such as the artist’s musical influence, length, and depth of their career, their body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique were taken into consideration. What kind of Hall of Fame is it really when Rage Against the Machine or Devo can’t get in? Anyway The 34th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Klipsch Audio, will take place on Friday, March 29 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Ticket on-sale dates for the event will be announced in January, though a limited number of pre-sale tickets are available to Rock Hall members. As in past years, HBO will have a Rock Hall special airing not long after the ceremony, while SiriusXM will also have a radio broadcast.Continue reading


The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame Nominates Def Leppard, Rage Against The Machine And The MC5 Among Others


The annual Rock N Roll Hall of Fame nominations are here and there are few surprises in the list. Def Leppard, Rage Against The Machine, The MC5, Radiohead, Stevie Nicks, The Cure, Devo, Janet Jackson, Kraftwerk, Ll Cool J, Roxy Music, Todd Rundgren, John Prine, Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, and The Zombies are all nominated. The top vote-getters will be announced in December and inducted March 29, 2019 at a ceremony at Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center. HBO will broadcast the event later next year. To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to released in 1993 or earlier. A voting pool of more than 1,000 artists, historians, journalists and members of the music industry will select the new class, and fans all vote. The HoF notoriously makes questionable omissions from the voting process with a seemingly inherent bias against hard rock and heavy metal with bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kiss never getting in. Motorhead, Slayer, Pantera, Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, the New York Dolls, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Ice-T, Hole, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Primus, Smashing Pumpkins and Alice In Chains. are among the artists who are eligible, but not included. Metallica will likely be the only band that started out in thrash metal to ever get in at the present.Continue reading