Video: Killswitch Engage – Strength Of Mind


Killswitch Engage 2016

Killswitch Engage has teamed up with The Nerdist to debut their new single ‘Strength of Mind’. You can watch the video at this link or below:

 

‘Strength of Mind’ is available for purchase beginning Friday, December 11th from all all digital retailers and streaming services. The track is the first song from the forthcoming new Killswitch Engage album due out this spring from Roadrunner Records.

Singer Jesse Leach commented on the track:

“We are very pleased to have ‘Strength of the Mind’ finally released. “It is a big moment to have this be the first listen to the album. The video visually captures a bit of the anxiety and chaos that the song touches on lyrically. It is almost a bit surreal and dream-like with the camera effects, called ‘whacking’ It is always a pleasure to work with McFarland and Pecci, as they are both artists who give it their all with no shortcuts. Watching Mike work the camera live, while Ian paces around and directs, is a very involving and creatively satisfying experience.”

“We are all also very excited to have the pleasure of being on the cover of Revolver dressed as a characters from Star Wars! We had a total blast dressing up and trying not to laugh the entire time. It is such a fun cover and represents who we are as people. I am just very grateful to see the beginnings of an album cycle that I feel will define a whole new chapter for us.”

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Fans can read more about KsE’s new album in Revolver, which comes out on December 22.

Killswitch Engage Holiday Tour Dates:
Dec 27: Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, N.Y.
Dec 28: Lupo’s, Providence, R.I.
Dec 29: Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, N.J.

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InAeona – Force Rise the Sun


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Boston-based InAeona are new to Prosthetic Records, but are not new to the heavy music scene. It is their well-honed sound that makes them sound confident on their latest album, Force Rise the Sun. Their first major label release puts them between post-modern metal and modern Pink Floyd style psychedelic sounds.

Album opener ‘Bright Black’ makes one feel as if they are watching the opening scene of a movie similar somewhere between Tron and Star Wars. The music director or composer for The Force Awakens should take note. Like its title, ‘A Ways Away’ is an instrumental that is simultaneously hollow and brimming with forlorn emotion. It too might go well with a pivotal movie scene.

Vocalist Bridge shines on the sublime ‘Ghosts’ while she wails with her guitar. Bassist Dave and drummer James provide the explosive support to her voice. Bridge also does wonders on ‘Soldier’. This is where she shows the most of her range and pours her emotion into the song. The end result is as fierce as Bridge appears. ‘Soldier’ is also the song most likely to get stuck in a person’s head; fitting for the end of the album. With this the band proves they can write tunes that are catchy and do not sacrifice their core sound.

InAeona are serious about making music true to their signature sound. However, they are not so serious that the album suffers in any way. With Force Rise the Sun they have created an album that may someday be looked upon as an early classic when the beginnings of post-modern metal are a part of history. One is left with an interest as to what they may put together next, but there is plenty to be sonically explored with this album until then.

 

8.5/10

MELISSA CAMPBELL

 


Close Encounters Of The Death Metal Kind – Kevin Quilligan of Apophys


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While Technical Death Metal is a mutating scene, increasing in profile, it is still far from the maddening crowd of commercial success. Add in a band with a penchant for a science fiction theme or 2001, and Dutch metallers Apophys could well be described as somewhat niche. Featuring members (past and present) of God Dethroned, Erebus, Toxocara and Prostitute Disfigurement, this Kampen quintet, have caught not just their own imaginations but the eye of Metal Blade. Their first promo, quickly led to their acclaimed full length Prime Incursion.

“This time, something was different.” Vocalist Kevin Quilligan is talking about the moment he and long-time band mate Sanne van Dijk had, as they were wont to do, gotten together to chuck around some ideas. At the time, there was no real serious intent behind it, they weren’t going boldly anywhere until the spark of creativity caught fire, engulfing the pair with an interest in their new work. We’ve been writing and recording songs for years like that, but this time the material felt like it took a life of its own. Michiel (van der Plicht – drums) soon joined to record a promo and everything went incredibly fast from there.”

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Turning in an album of relentless battery is of itself something of an art form, let alone one that maintains the atmosphere of the chilling film Event Horizon. “When I think of Technical Death Metal, I think of Origin, Archspire and Soreption” continues the Throat of Apophys. “I always viewed ourselves as being somewhat more traditional. Sure we have technical elements, but this is not our priority at all. I just want to write killer tracks that are well arranged and filled with little details.

“I personally feel you should always go for broke if you have any kind of ambitions of becoming a successful artist. And so we did, and it worked. There’s basically nothing more than that, we took a shot and it worked out better than we could imagine.”

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As the popularity of Technical Death Metal grows, so does interest in the genre as a whole. With their debut out and garnering “a ton of great response from press and fans”, where does Quilligan see his newest outfit fitting in? “I don’t really think (Technical Death Metal) is a fair representation of our sound but I’ve never been one to lose sleep over genres. It baffles me to see people take so much time online to discuss what genre a band fits into, it’s almost fascinating.” While Technical Death Metal is a tag that fits due to the blistering performance of the aforementioned van der Plicht and the non-too-shabby six-stringing, the roots of Apophys are of a more traditional bent. “I mostly describe Apophys as a Death Metal band that is heavily influence by the mid 90’s US Death with plenty of modern elements to keep a fresh sound.”

From a promo to an album at the speed of the Millenium Falcon with a working hyperdrive, thoughts have already turned to a sequel. If Prime Incursion is their Star Trek: The Motion Picture, could the follow up be their Wrath Of Khan and really establish the band…? “Things went incredibly quick for us as soon as the promo was released. So we didn’t really take the time to sit down and talk about what we were planning to do, we just went with the natural flow of things. I feel we did achieve what we set out to do with this release, to appear on the scene with a bang.

“We are already working on some new material with more of a general concept in mind, musically and lyrically we want to expand more; more layering in the songs, more sci-fi, more sound design, more art.”

As excited as Quilligan is about beginning work on a follow up to Prime Incursion he is also fired up about the looming spectre of Episode VII having seen the Comic-con vid, and other trailers.

“I’m pretty excited to see the new Star Wars, I really want to see what they would do with the concept years after the originals came out. I love Star Wars, watched all the episodes vigorously as a kid and I still consider Empire Strikes Back one of the best sci-fi films out there. I read something about die-hard fans being upset about the cross guards on the new light saber, and I would like to use this opportunity to state my personal opinion on this matter: If I would have a laser sword that could cut of my limbs in the blink of an eye, I would be extremely happy on having a solid cross guard on there. Historically it would make sense also seeing as both Luke and Vader have their sword arm cut off at one point.

“I’m just waiting patiently for light saber nunchakus, wouldn’t that be sweet?”

STEVE TOVEY


Prolific Horror Actor And Metal Musician Sir Christopher Lee Dies At 93


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Legendary British actor Sir Christopher Lee has passed away at age 93 due to complications from respiratory failure. Lee, renowned as a character actor made over 250 films such as the classic Hammer Horror films as Dracula of the 1950s and 60s, 1973 classic The Wicker Man, and massive pop culture and SciFi epics such as a James Bond villain in 1974 (The Main With The Golden Gun), The Lord of The Rings Film Trilogy films and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. His film legacy leaves a mark on a generation of fan, especially musicians who have referenced his work for decades such as Iron Maiden. Lee also released four albums and 3 EPs worth of music, mainly rock, folk, and symphonic metal music. His last release was 2014’s Metal Knight. He was said to favor Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and other classic doom bands, classic rock and classical music.

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Solefald – World Metal; Kosmopolis Sud


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If you have had any interest in the metal underground over the last 20 years or so then there’s a fair chance that you will have encountered the dark, bewildering and occasionally baffling art of Solefald.

World Metal; Kosmopolis Sud (Indie), the latest album from the Scandanavian provocateurs, is as wilfully perverse as it is artistically diverse and challenging. World Metal is an all too simplistic title for a record that covers and extraordinary palette of aural colours from thrash metal that would not go amiss on a Sepultura album through Al Jourgensen inspired electronica and nursery rhyme folk.

It really is all here. And more.

In some camps, this is supposedly representative of some kind of avant-garde genius. Not in this camp, I’m afraid. I bow to no man in my admiration for bands and artists who push the artistic and creative envelope but there is a significant difference between good and bad art and I’m afraid that World Metal is bad art. Lots of people are going to tell you that its density is somehow representative of a deeper intellectual exercise and that the impenetrability of the music is somehow evidence of artistic freedom- artists doing what they please etc etc. This is poppycock of the highest order.

The entire essence of art is that it connects: on an emotional, spiritual and human level. Wilful self-indulgence is not evidence of a higher artistic intelligence; it is evidence of hubris. And there is much hubris on World Metal. I think we need to call this out now: being diverse and idiosyncratic isn’t, in and of itself, good enough. There isn’t anything particularly big or clever at throwing everything including the musical kitchen sink at things. By contrast, it is self-regarding and, ultimately, very boring.

I’m reminded of the now infamous conversation between Harrison Ford who complained about the quality of the script for Star Wars, and George Lucas: “George, you can type this shit but you can’t say it” said the laconic actor to his director. This was, of course, the same Star Wars that went on to change movie history and get an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

My point? I might have got this one wrong. I don’t think I have though. Clearly for some, World Metal will be seen as quite the masterpiece, full of ideas and inspiration. Not for me though. I’ll defend to my dying breath Solefald’s right to make whatever record they want, just don’t expect me to listen to it.

4.0/10

Solefald on Facebook

MAT DAVIES


Monster Magnet – Milking The Stars: (A Reimagining of Last Patrol)


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I’ve never been a fan of an artist tweaking with a release, especially after it has been available for fans to pay money for a couple of years. It rarely improves the product and in most cases damages the initial spark that brought it to life in the first place. Perfect example, how many people watched Star Wars and thought “Oh I wish Han didn’t shoot first!! Can we have a shit laser blast to appear from nowhere and make the character a little less bad ass please?” No one? Thought so.

Milking The Stars (or fans’ bank balance) is the new album by veteran space rockers Monster Magnet. The record features re-recordings of five tracks from the bands previous album The Last Patrol (both Napalm) which itself was released the previous year in 2013. Despite this Milking The Stars: A Reimaging Of The Last Patrol ,to give it its full title, reckons it would be a good idea to rerecord them. Oh and by ‘reimagining’ Dave Wyndorf and co basically mean, make it sound like The Doors then add more acid and tie dyed sheets.

The album opens on one of the new songs recorded for the release (five reimaginings, two live tracks and five brand new tracks for the album in total) called ‘Let The Circus Burn’ which can be best described as seven minutes of the band instrumentally pissing around. It might sound good if you were let’s say, smacked out on enough acid to wake Jim Morrison up in the morning, or think it was a good idea to let Ringo sing on a few songs, but to me this is unbearable self-indulgent hokum of the highest order.

The album does have some pretty dirty moments peppered throughout the record when it is not off tripping its face off. The third track ‘No Paradise For Me’ is pretty filthy stuff, not necessarily a return to their stoner roots or their Power Trip (A&M) days, but there is at least something in there.

Overall, Milking The Stars: A Re-imaging Of The Last Patrol is a reinterpretation of more recent material released by the band less than a year ago with more of a psychedelic vibe. I am going to be honest and say I am baffled as to why this “reimagining” exists as the tracks already feature a heavy psychedelic presence , with the re-recording seemingly pushing that into overdrive, damaging the album in the process.

4.0/10

Monster Magnet on Facebook

DAN O’BRIEN


TJ Fowler Interviews Grave Digger for Skullbanger Media


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Ghost Cult’s correspondent for Finland and Scandinavia, TJ Fowler also does interviews and covers metal for his own website, Skullbanger Media. TJ spent last week At the Metalfest Loreley, Germany covering the festival and interviewing bands. Interviewing Grave Digger’s Chris Boltendahl, TJ and Chris talked about the bands upcoming album due next month, Return of the Reaper (Napalm Records). Being that the festival was their first show of what stands to be a long touring cycle, they discussed creating the set list, the new album, the history of the band, creativity with album artwork, Star Wars, and their past fascination with concept albums. Special thanks to TJ for letting us share this interview.

 

 

 

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