February 20, 2013

Drowning Pool‘s music video for their new single “One Finger And A Fist” has premiered online and can be seen below. The group will release their fifth studio album “Resilience” on April 02nd via Eleven Seven Music.

February 19, 2013

The Deftones have made some new additions to their setlist during their ongoing UK tour. The group most recently gave their songs “Romantic Dreams” and “Entombed” what is thought to be their first official live airings in Glasgow, Scotland. Some live footage from that show and a subsequent stop in Nottingham, England can be found below. As an added bonus you can also watch frontman Chino Moreno offer to buy a fan a beer from the stage:

"Romantic Dreams"

"Entombed"

February 19, 2013

KORN will reunite with founding guitarist Brian "Head" Welch for several festival shows this summer, including two dates in Germany, one concert in the United Kingdom and at the upcoming Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking on the red carpet of the Warner Music Group Grammy Celebration Presented By Mini on February 10 in Los Angeles, Welchsaid: "I just joined [KORN] back. It's been eight years. So I guess absence makes the hearts grow fonder."

Welch joined KORN onstage for the song "Blind" last May at theCarolina Rebellion festival in Rockingham, North Carolina, marking the first time in eight years that KORN played with Welch.

Welch, who has just released an album with his new band LOVE & DEATH, tells RollingStone.com that a setlist for the KORN shows hasn't been discussed yet but that he wouldn't be opposed to playing one of the early KORN albums in its entirety.

"I think that would be kind of cool to do somewhere, sometime," he said. "Like the very first [1994's KORN debut]. We're all in different places, so we're all just going to get together and talk about set lists. Obviously, all the hard-hitting, energetic classics, where people lose their mind — those will definitely be there. Because those are the funnest ones to play."

According to Welch, the feedback he has received from KORN fans thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. "Everyone is broken in this world. There's so much divorce, hate and unforgiveness. For people to see this, I think it's just really uplifting," he said. "I never thought it would happen, and I'm not sure they did either. The fans just love it, because a lot of the fans back in the day were like, suicidal, and from broken homes and abuse. They looked up to us like their family. And to see their family split up was hard on them. To get it put back together, there is a joy around the people who care about it."

The guitarist also doesn't rule out the possibility of a full U.S. tour withKORN or a collaboration on the band's next studio album. "We're going slow," Welch said. "We're hanging out when I've got time, but I've got my album out, and they're busy doing their stuff. But I'd say anything is possible right now."

Welch left KORN in 2005 to become a born-again Christian. The band never officially replaced him and stayed a four-piece, although they've used several touring guitarists for live work.

Welch and bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu have said in interviews that a full reunion could be possible one day. 

KORN has been touring for much of the past year behind its 10th studio album, "The Path Of Totality", but has also begun work on a new set of material.

February 18, 2013

Coming up in Mid June (14-16th to be precise), the U.K. Download Festival has expanded it's lineup and the European Nu Metal fans should take notice if they want to go to a big festival show this summer. Genre-related band's worthy of note are as follows:

Friday June 14th: Slipknot, KoRn, Papa Roach, Volbeat, Dir En Grey.

Saturday June 15th: Lit, Karnivool, Hellyeah.

Sunday June 16th: Rammstein, Stone Sour, Five Finger Death Punch, Coal Chamber, Limp Bizkit, P.O.D., Hacktivist.

February 18, 2013

Check it out here.

February 17, 2013

Experimentation remains the best catalyst for progression. Rather than sticking to any pre-existing blueprints or conventions, modern hard rock icon David Draiman of DISTURBED and studio collaborator Geno Lenardo (ex-FILTER) constructed DEVICE from strands of hard rock, industrial, and electronica. As a result, DEVICE's self-titled debut album for Warner Bros. Records is a focused, fierce, and fiery new machine. With the switch turned on, the next chapter commences now.

While the Grammy Award-nominated multiplatinum powerhouseDISTURBED was on hiatus, Lenardo reached out to Draiman to collaborate on a song for the "Underworld: Awakening" soundtrack in late 2011. As soon as the singer heard the music, he was both intrigued and inspired. The duo then cut "Hunted" in Chicago. Even though the track didn't ultimately make the final soundtrack album due to circumstances beyond their control, Draiman urged that they hold on to it and continue writing music. Soon, they had an entire album's worth of material.

"It started to develop very naturally and organically," recalls the frontman. "Geno is a brilliant songwriter in his own right and a tremendously talented sound designer as far as the electronic palette is concerned. Together, we made this monster. It's not metal. It's got a dark electronic vibe. At the same time, these are big, anthemic, and intensely melodic songs. It's futuristic rock."

Paving the way for that future, the first single "Vilify" stands emblematic of DEVICE's sonic alchemy. A guttural guitar grinds alongside synths and keys as the vocalist's unmistakable delivery resounds commandingly. 

"It has all of the elements that identify this body of work and band," he affirms. "It's an excellent introduction to what DEVICE is. From a lyrical standpoint, it talks about how some people love to make me out to be a horrible guy. They (the haters) brand me as an evil egomaniac with a chip on his shoulder, but that's not who I am. I'm a pretty easy-going, mild mannered guy, and I'm also a very strong-willed and outspoken individual. I'm very passionate about what I believe, and I don't apologize for standing behind those beliefs."

Quite a few friends stand beside him on the record too. On "Out Of Line", BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler conjures a staggering bass groove, while SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist Serj Tankian trades vibrant and visceral vocal melodies with the singer. "Tom Morello's guitar wizardry," as Draiman puts it, casts a spell over "Opinion", andAVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows dives into the shadowy"Haze" as his inimitable wail resounds. Iconic DEEP PURPLE voice Glenn Hughes also makes a cameo on the record's haunting and hypnotic finale"Through It All" — a love letter to Draiman's wife. Meanwhile,HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale teams up with DEVICE for an epic cover of theOzzy Osbourne and Lita Ford classic "Close My Eyes Forever", which allows both of their voices to reach heavenly heights.

"I took a page from the hip hop guys out there who always have everybody and his mother on their records," Draiman laughs. "It's something we'd never done in DISTURBED, and I wanted to call on my list of colleagues and friends who are so ridiculously talented and accomplished. I was honored and humbled beyond words that everybody was into it. This hasn't been done in our genre of music, and it's time. It's time for a resurgence of this darker, heavier sound."

DEVICE undoubtedly stands at the forefront of that resurgence. Upon finishing the record, Lenardo opted to remain a studio collaborator in the project so he could remain free to pursue his other passions/projects, which include film scoring, and spend time at home with his son rather than tour. So in order to bring the album to life and solidify a band in the truest sense of the word, Draiman enlisted EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt and DOPE guitarist Virus. Both Hunt and Virus jumped at the chance to be a part of this powerhouse trio. 

"As soon as I heard the music, I thought it was super cutting edge," Huntexplains. "I knew this was something I wanted to be involved in. It's going to give people goose bumps whether they hear it on their stereo or live."Virus echoes that sentiment. "This is an album from start to finish, and it's meant to be experienced like that. These songs are all strong, and they'll stay stuck in your head."

In many ways, the group's moniker sums up its ultimate goal. "DEVICEdoes several things," reveals Draiman. "It implies intelligent design, the utilization of technology, and explosive nature." Those three statements will most certainly ring true for listeners as well. "This album is about touching different ends of the spectrum," he smiles. "Some moments are introspective and energizing, while others are mellow and pensive. I want everyone to be taken on an emotional roller coaster. Enjoy the ride."

"Device" track listing:

01. You Think You Know
02. Penance
03. Vilify
04. Close My Eyes Forever (Ozzy Osbourne & Lita Ford cover) (feat. Lzzy Hale)
05. Out Of Line (feat. Serj Tankian, Geezer Butler)
06. Hunted
07. Opnion (feat. Tom Morello)
08. War Of Lies
09. Haze (feat. M. Shadows)
10. Through It All (feat. Glenn Hughes)

February 17, 2013

On February 14, Neuweltmusic conducted an interview with LIMP BIZKITguitarist and BLACK LIGHT BURNS frontman Wes Borland in London, England. You can now watch the chat below.

BLACK LIGHT BURNS released a new album, "Lotus Island", on January 21 through digital retailers such as Amazon or iTunes, as well as via the band's official web site. The 40-minute effort includes seven instrumental tracks, three brand new songs, and a complete remix and remaster of the"It Rapes All In Its Path" tune. 

Wes recently hinted that "Lotus Island" can be listened to on its own or experienced along with the 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky film "The Holy Mountain" as an alternative soundtrack during the first 40 minutes, "before and up to the point where the movie launches into the individual stories of the most powerful people in the world."

"Lotus Island" track listing:

01. The Alchemist
02. The Thief
03. The City
04. It's Good To Be Gold
05. The Opportunists
06. The Hate Of My Life
07. The Dancers
08. It Rapes All In Its Path
09. The Parasite
10. My Love Is Coming For You
11. The Master

Check out audio samples of the entire album at Amazon.com.

"Lotus Island" was mixed by Borland and follows last year's "The Moment You Realize You're Going To Fall", which sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 20 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200. 

"The Moment You Realize You're Going To Fall" was issued on August 14, 2012 via Rocket Science Ventures/THC: Music.

February 17, 2013

On February 8, Sight Of Sound magazine conducted an interview withSEVENDUST vocalist Lajon Witherspoon prior to what was supposed to be the band's concert in Allentown, Pennsylvania (the show ended up getting canceled due to inclement weather). You can now watch the chat below.

SEVENDUST's ninth album, "Black Out The Sun", will be released on March 26 via the band's 7Bros. Records label (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group). The CD was recorded at Architekt Music studios in Butler, New Jersey with engineer Mike Ferretti.

"Black Out The Sun" track listing:

01. Memory
02. Faithless
03. 'Till Death
04. Mountain
05. Cold As War
06. Black Out The Sun
07. Nobody Wants It
08. Dead Roses
09. Decay
10. Dark AM
11. Picture Perfect
12. Got A Feeling
13. Murder Bar

SEVENDUST filmed a video for the CD's first single, "Decay", last month, just before its current tour with LACUNA COIL kicked off on February 2 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

SEVENDUST drummer Morgan Rose tells Billboard.com that the song actually came from a riff left over from the "Cold Ray Memory" sessions.

"We were starting to get burnt and we didn't want to push it," Roserecalls. "So we had this riff, and we said, 'Let's jam it and see if anything comes of it.' And before you know it, it became a song that ends up on the record, and everybody listens to it and they end up picking that as the single, which was pretty cool."

The song "Murder Bar" was reportedly inspired by a Butler, New Jersey bar across from the hotel where SEVENDUST was staying while recording the new CD. Rumor had it the place was popular with many of New Jersey's murderers. 

"It's a basic SEVENDUST record," guitarist Clint Lowery recently told"Source Of The Sound With Wendy Campbell". "There's nothing, like, too completely different than anything we've done before. It's got a darker vibe to it. We've got a good amount of the programming element in there. It's a lot of what we do — it's heavy and it's got its melodic element in it. So if you're a SEVENDUST fan, it's more along the lines of the second and third records we did — it's kind of like that. It's got a couple of throwback vibes to it. 'Animosity' and 'Home' [1999], if I can put those two records together, it would [sound similar to the new CD]."

February 17, 2013

On February 2, Jason Saulnier of the MusicLegends.ca web site conducted an interview with former KORN guitarist and current LOVE AND DEATH frontman Brian "Head" Welch. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

LOVE AND DEATH's debut album, "Between Here & Lost", sold around 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 95 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on January 22 via Tooth & Nail Records.

Recorded in Nashville with producer Jasen Rauch (RED, BREAKING BENJAMIN) and mixed by Paul Pavao, Ben Grosse (MARILYN MANSON,DISTURBED) and Jim Monti (KORN), "Between Here & Lost" consists of 11 tracks, ranging from songs about personal struggle and triumph ("Chemicals", "My Disaster", "Paralyzed") to emotionally charged anthems ("Fading Away", "Watching The Bottom Fall") to a riff-heavy rendition of DEVO's 1980 hit "Whip It".

LOVE AND DEATH is comprised of Welch, lead guitarist JR Bareis, bassistMichael Valentine, and drummer Dan Johnson.

Like the album title suggests, "Between Here & Lost" captures the honesty of light and darkness, beauty and tragedy, good and evil, delivered by a band with intense passion and commitment to the message of its music.

"This record was birthed from trials, tribulations, pain, suffering, anxiety, depression, and drama," stated Welch. "However, we came out on top and the end result is a very real, raw and honest record. We are so stoked for people to hear it! From our opening song, 'The Abandoning', to our cover of DEVO's 'Whip it', to our collaboration with Mattie Montgomeryfrom FOR TODAY on 'I W8 4 U', It's an exciting piece of art and the listener will feel the different range of emotions with the lyrics and melodies of each song."

"Between Here & Lost" track listing:

01. The Abandoning
02. Whip It
03. Watching The Bottom Fall
04. By The Way... 
05. Meltdown
06. My Disaster
07. I W8 4 U (featuring Mattie Montgomery)
08. Fading Away
09. Paralyzed
10. Chemicals
11. Bruises

LOVE AND DEATH formed when Welch decided to have open auditions onYouTube in 2009. "I picked the guys and then had a jam session in Phoenix," says Welch. "Over the last couple of years, there have been a few lineup changes as we went through normal growing pains. The current band has been together and touring for a while now and they are a big part of the new music and the future of LOVE AND DEATH."

LOVE AND DEATH will be touring extensively in 2013 to support the effort.

Interview:

February 17, 2013

Vocalist Sonny Sandoval of Christian hard rockers P.O.D. (PAYABLE ON DEATH) was recently interviewed on the syndicated radio talk show"Rover's Morning Glory". You can now watch the chat below.

P.O.D. is continuing to tour in support of its 2012 album, "Murdered Love", which sold more than 16,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 17 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band will join THREE DAYS GRACE and SHINEDOWN on a U.S. tour kicking off February 1 in Moline, Illinois.

"Murdered Love" was released on July 10, 2012 via Razor & Tie. The band's long-awaited follow-up to "When Angels & Serpents Dance" sees them reunited with longtime producer Howard Benson, who also produced the group's massive "Satellite" album as well as hit CDs forKelly Clarkson, THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DAUGHTRY, THE ALL AMERICAN REJECTS and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. The CD cover and packaging was illustrated and designed by Invisible Creature, whose previous credits include the FOO FIGHTERS, NORMA JEAN, Chris Cornelland many more.