The Xroadie Files

Don Dokken – Solitary

Don Dokken – Vocals/Guitar, Wyn Davis – Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Michael Thompson – Guitar/Bass. Steve Ornest – Guitar, Tony Franklin – Bass, Frank Lentz – Drums, Gary Ferguson – Drums, Vinnie Colaiuta – Drums.

In The Meadow soft melodies and a emotional vocals just envelop your senses. I’ll Never Forget just close your eyes and let you dreams flow. Where The Grass Is Green sitting around strumming guitar and singing with friends. Jealous soft melodies just float all around and pulls you in. Ship Of Fools some excellent acoustic guitar and soulful vocals with melodic percussion. You Are Everything just kicking back strumming guitar with some catchy rhythms and great sing along vocals. Venice has a country feel with some excellent slide guitar catchy rhythms and emotional vocals. Sarah slow groove that just envelops you. My Heart Will Go On just let your imagination drift away. The Tragedy soulful lead guitar that just pierces your very soul. Someday soft melodies a steady beat and soulful vocals. All That Love Can Be just let your dreams take you away.

Mangala Vallis – Voices

Roberto Tiranti -  Vocals, Gigi Cavalli Cocchi  - Drums/Percussions, Mirco Consolini -  Guitars/Bass/Vocals, Niky Milazzo –Guitar, Gianfranco Fornaciari – Keyboards/Vocals

The Center of Life prog keyboard sounds catchy rhythms soaring vocals just take an excellent musical trip. No Reason close your eyes and just let your dreams flow forever. Get It While You Can has a catchy riff that will envelop you as you sing along with some emotional vocals and excellent musicianship. The Voice Inside take a trip back to the 70s when prog rock ruled the musical airwaves sand just drift away. An End to An End catchy beats melodic keyboards soulful vocals that just pull you in and ends with some searing Pink Floyd style leads. Demon catchy rhythms steady beats soaring vocals with a tune that just sticks in your head for days. Sour just drift away in your dreams.

Emerald Shine – Misty Tales

Leena –Vocals/Recorders/Whistles/Guitar, Radomír –Harp/Harsh Vocals, Radek –Bass, Kamil –Drums, Dušan –Vocals/Guitar, Klára –Violin/Backing Vocals

Intro classical Celtic music just envelops your senses. Autumn Mists just drift away in your dreams of another time and place far away. Silver Riders walking thru the woods dancing and singing as the music envelops you. The Elven King takes you back to your childhood dreams just enjoy the trip.  Where Life’s Been Ruined strumming guitars ethereal vocals and a melody that just pulls you in with a great riff.  A Lake Far Away just close your eyes and let your imagination take hold. Voice of the Muse heavy riffs soaring vocals with a crunchy rhythm. The Song Of Fallen Leaves the melodies will just take you away to the far places in your mind. The Only One catchy guitar riffs great melodies that will have you on your feet grooving and singing. The Time Has Come soft melodies just envelop you. We’ll Be Back stand sing shout and just dance away. Rainey Night sounds of a storm and a heavy riff with clean and gruff vocals.

Annie Barbazza- Vive

Annie Barbazza - Vocals, (Guest Musicians) -  Camillo Mozzoni, Daniel Lanois, Franz Soprani, Fred Frith, Greg Lake, John Greaves, Lino Capra Vaccina, Max Marchini, Michael Tanner, Olivier Mellano, Paolo Tofani, Paul Roland, William Xerra

Ys soaring ethereal vocals that just pierce your soul with great melodic music. June just close your eyes and drift in your dreams. From Too Much Love Of Living soft melodies just envelop your soul. Time just soft melodies with an emotional voice from the heavens. Nebulæ drifting thru the dark recess of your mind. Wrote Myself A Letter floating melodies that just pull out your many emotions.  How Beautiful You Are drifting and floating in your dreams. Lost At Sea sounds of the ocean and melancholic vocals.    Phantoms just take a trip thru the open spaces in your imagination. Tide lost in space time and the places in your mind. Les Ruines Du Sommeil soft melodies just float and surround you. Lotus Flower take a melodic musical trip thru your imagination. Boîte à Tisanes strumming guitars and emotional vocals.

Great Electric Quest – Live At Freak Valley

Tyler "T-Sweat" Dingvell – Vocals, Buddy Donner – Guitar, Daniel "MuchoDrums" Velasco – Drums, Jared Bliss – Bass

In The Flesh has a very bluesy heavy groove that just envelops your very senses with some searing leads and a pink Floyd influence. Seeker Of The Flame catchy tribal drums thundering bass crunchy guitars on your feet and just fist pump. Of Earth Part I is a three-part musical journey into your imagination starting with a great drum work solo before the crunchy guitars kick in with some scorching leads. Of Earth Part II stand sway and just groove along to one stoner rock/metal masterpiece with some amazing musicianship. Of Earth Part III interesting vocals and guitar that just envelops your sense with a bluesy influence. Victim Of Changes a great version of the Judas Priest classic just get ready to rock out. The Madness is a very catchy bluesy riff that just pulls you in as you groove along. Heart Of The Son just close your eyes and drift away into the dark recesses of your mind. Wicked Hands screaming leads pounding rhythms fist pump and head bang. Highway Star (Deep Purple cover) fast heavy ripping cover version.

-Xroadie

Ptolemea - Maze

Finest Noise

https://ptolemea.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Ptolemea-373927193069737/

https://www.instagram.com/ptolemea_band/?hl=en

https://ptolemea.bandcamp.com/releases

https://soundcloud.com/priscila_dc

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0HGVyujqYGVcfpCgi0I849

https://www.facebook.com/finestnoisemusic

http://www.finestnoise.de/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0lCZJhSs0AJ9XqsVzDJnSg

Luxembourg-based female-fronted alternative rock band Ptolemea have established themselves as a live act with a melancholic, dreamy twist. With a powerful voice, tight grooves and grungy riffs, the outfit delivers their newest EP, Maze.

It’s like the early to mid ‘90s never went away when you hit play on this EP. While not really being what I would call grunge, more like the glut of alternative bands that came in its wake. I really found myself likening this to Linda Perry’s singing style in 4 Non Blondes. There is a lot of energy in the playing and raw emotion in the vocals that carries this EP.  Priscila Da Costa has a great voice that hits you in the gut and sticks with you. The band is very accomplished and the total package works.

This is an album to throw on and sit in your backyard and have some drinks while cranking it up loud, or hitting the road with the windows down and feeling the breeze hit you in the face…just like this album does.

-Rick Ecker

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD ANNOUNCE CHUNKY SHRAPNEL CONCERT FILM AND ACCOMPANYING DOUBLE LP LIVE ALBUM

ALBUM AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ON APRIL 24 AND PHYSICALLY ON MAY 29

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FOR APRIL 17 STREAMING FILM PREMIERE

FILMED AND RECORDED DURING 2019 EUROPEAN TOUR

RESCHEDULED 2020 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES, INCLUDING MARATHON SHOWS AT RED ROCKS AND THE GREEK BERKELEY

WATCH THE CHUNKY SHRAPNEL TRAILER AND PURCHASE PREMIERE STREAM TICKETS

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are excited to announce Chunky Shrapnel, a feature-length motion picture that follows King Gizzard’s adrenaline-inducing onstage performances from the perspective of the band. The film is accompanied by a double LP featuring the music from the film, which was recorded throughout the band's 2019 European tour. The film will premiere on Friday, April 17 via an online live-stream -- watch the trailer and purchase tickets to the premiere HERE. The film's accompanying double LP will be available for pre-order next Friday, April 10, before its digital release on April 24.

“John Stewart (director of Chunky Shrapnel) followed us around for a few weeks through Europe," says the band's Stu Mackenzie. "It was fun and funny and wild and weird. Sometimes an inconspicuous fly on the wall, sometimes an intrusive camera man one inch from my face. Always exciting though. Chunky Shrapnel was made for the cinema but as both concerts and films are currently outlawed, it feels poetic to release a concert-film digitally right now."

The band has also rescheduled its 2020 North American tour, including their three-hour, career-spanning marathon sets at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA and Red Rocks in Morrison, CO. The new dates begin on October 3 in Berkeley, CA, before taking them across the continent and concluding on October 30 in St. Paul, MN. All headline dates feature support from Leah Senior. See below for the full North American tour itinerary. Tickets are on sale now.

King Gizzard will also engage with fans during a Reddit AMA before the film's premiere on April 17, beginning at 12pm PST. Stay tuned for more details.

A musical road movie dipped in turpentine, Chunky Shrapnel is a point of view / on stage experience from the perspective of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Once a song begins, just like the band, you’re stuck in the adrenaline-fueled quicksand that there is no escape from. The film’s contention is clear from the outset, it’s going to be a “journey” not a “lecture”, an incurved experience rather than a linear one.

The band, nor the film-makers, were interested in making a self congratulatory “behind the scenes expose” film. It was a direct decision to keep the inner workings of the band's personality at arms length, it is the music they were interested in exploring. The approach was taken that the film's protagonist should be the “on stage” performances, that was the focus. With this, they abandoned multiple cameras and cross cutting during performances, turning the camera into a vehicle for the audience to experience the show through, rather than placing them in a crowd or side of stage. At 96 minutes, Chunky Shrapnel more than earns its length. At times gently holding your hand and at other times smashing a bottle over your head and dumping your body in a heaving crowd. There is an inevitability to the film, a driving, ever accelerating spiral that climaxes in a 15 minute medley that spans four countries.

Chunky Shrapnel is directed by John Angus Stewart and scored by Stu Mackenzie.

Chunky Shrapnel album track list:

1. Evil Star

2. The River (Live in Luxembourg ’19)

3. Wah Wah (Live in Madrid ’19)

4. Road Train (Live in Manchester ’19)

5. Murder Of The Universe (Live in Utrecht ’19)

6. Quarantine

7. Planet B (Live in London ’19)

8. Parking (Live in Brussels ’19)

9. Venusian 2 (Live in Milan ’19)

10. Hell (Live in Milan ’19)

11. Let Me Mend The Past (Live in Madrid ’19)

12. Anamnesis

13. Inner Cell (Live in Utrecht ’19)

14. Loyalty (Live in Utrecht ’19)

15. Horology (Live in Utrecht '19)

16. A Brief History Of Planet Earth (Live in London, Berlin, Utrecht and Barcelona ’19)

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD

LIVE 2020

10/3 - Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA &

10/5 - Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA

10/7 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR

10/9 - Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival - Indio, CA

10/12 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO &

10/13 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO &

10/16 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival - Indio, CA

10/18 - Shaky Knees Festival - Atlanta, GA

10/19 - The Anthem - Washington, DC

10/22 - Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia, PA

10/23 - Kings Theatre - Brooklyn, NY

10/25 - L'Olympia - Montreal, QC

10/27 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Toronto, ON

10/28 - Masonic Temple - Detroit, MI

10/29 - Radius - Chicago, IL

10/30 - The Palace Theatre - St. Paul, MN

& - Marathon Set shows

All headline dates w/ Leah Senior

CONNECT WITH KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are: Stu Mackenzie (vocals/guitar/flute), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (harmonica/vocals), Cook Craig (guitar/vocals), Eric Moore (drums), Joey Walker (guitar), Lucas Skinner (bass) & Michael Cavanagh (drums)

Album discography: 12 Bar Bruise (2012), Eyes Like the Sky (2013), Float Along – Fill Your Lungs (2013), Oddments (2014), I'm In Your Mind Fuzz (2014), Quarters! (2015), Paper Mache Dream Balloon (2015), Nonagon Infinity (2016), Flying Microtonal Banana (2017), Murder of the Universe (2017), Sketches of Brunswick East (2017), Polygondwanaland (2017), Gumboot Soup (2017), Fishing For Fishies (2019), Infest The Rats' Nest (2019)

A Ripple Conversation With Wasteland Coven

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What have been your musical epiphany moments?

Bill: My father was a guitarist in a band and he had music playing every day. He would play Duane Eddy, The Ventures, a lot of 50’s and 60’s music. One of the songs that stick out to me was China Grove by the Doobie Brothers. I loved that guitar riff. Then it was Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath etc. Then someone loaned me Metallica’s Master of Puppets. That was a turning point for me. Then it was Megadeth and Slayer. But I was also listening to a lot of punk rock. D.R.I., Agent Orange, Murphy’s Law, Bad Brains were some of my favorites. I can listen to music from the 50’s to Napalm Death and Dimmu Borgir.

Susan: When I was a kid, my brother joined the Army and left his record collection. I missed him so I started listening. When I first listened to "Dazed and Confused" by Led Zeppelin I was floored. It was darkest, heaviest thing I'd ever heard. Quite a departure from 80's pop radio! I discovered so much in that record collection, Jimi Hendrix, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Queen... many more.

Brandon: I think I was 10 years old or so when I heard the song “Headstrong” by Trapt on the radio. Which, in retrospect, is not great and kind of an embarrassing song to give me that kind of an epiphany - but it’s the first time I remember really being excited about music and having exposure to something “heavy”.

Jason: Cannibal Corpse in Ace Ventura was my first exposure to underground and extreme music.

Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Jason: Thus far, Brandon writes the skeleton of the song and the rest of us add our parts. Susan and Brandon have collaborated on the lyric writing.

Brandon: I prefer to start with a guitar riff or two, fill in the rest of the instruments, come up with a vocal melody, then finish with lyrics. The song’s general theme usually comes up somewhere in the process.

Susan: For me, the idea. I think of it as the "Bob Dylan method of songwriting". I write an essay, then a poem about the essay, then a song about the poem. I'm not very productive, I make everything difficult. I think this is why Brandon gets so much more done than me! :)

Bill: Mainly I find the riff to be the starting point. There’s a book of lyrics I keep for when I get that boost of creative energy to write. Sometimes they come in a flood one after the other. Sometimes I get just a subject with a few lines.

Who has influenced you the most?

Bill: My father. I remember watching him from the side of the stage when I was really little and thought he was so cool up there. All the people were having a good time and dancing.

Jason: This project seems to have a lot of Candlemass and Saint Vitus influence.

Susan: Ann Wilson, vocally.

Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

Bill: It’s all around you. You don’t have to look far. Relationships, world events or even a place where you see something that causes a stir in your head. Those are the good ones.

Susan: I'm constantly discovering new bands on Bandcamp and on my friends' Facebook pages. I'm listening to more new music in the past few years than in the entire decade prior. I'm excited that our debut EP is done and I can hear who we are as a band and where we can go from there.

Jason: I myself have been getting into more of dark, noir jazz type of stuff and noise rock.

We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?

Brandon: Toledo, Ohio is a city that gets shit on a lot. Some of it is justified. Most of the buildings and infrastructure are falling apart - it ain’t a pretty place. And there’s a lot of depression. I’m sure that got to us subconsciously.

Jason: There's not much in the way of metal. There is a small scene bubbling but it's more towards death metal. There's a handful of doom-ish like projects around the area.

Bill: I’ve lived in Toledo area for my whole life. It’s hard to move away from your family and friends. I wouldn’t say Toledo is the worst place to live but it’s not the best. A lot of the frustrations with living here can fuel the creativity to express how you feel. I can’t imagine someone living in say, Hawaii starting a doom metal band. Haha.

Where'd the band name come from?

Bill: We all came up with ideas and we took a vote. Democracy at its finest.

You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?

Jason: Anything from David Lynch.

Susan: Mad Max 6

Bill: Herbie the Love Bug Goes on a Rampage.

You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?).  You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?

Susan: Paul Simon's "Obvious Child", because behind the fantastic drums is a very poignant commentary on the passages of life. It's one of my favorite songs ever.

Bill: This is going to be a curveball. Brother Where You Bound by Supertramp. It’s a long song with a cold war subject matter. Like a George Orwell novel. It’s a reflection on the tensions between Russia and the U.S. back in the 1980’s.

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Bill: So far not a lot of misfortune has fallen upon us. But I do look forward to playing in Cleveland.

Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?

Bill: Seeing everyone enjoying the show is a great feeling. We had a mosh pit at our first show and it was fun seeing them all running around. Feeling the power of the music through your body is just a fantastic high.

What makes a great song?

Susan: Heavy riffs and meaning.

Brandon: If I knew exactly what made a great song, I’d be churning them out all the time. I know there are all those calculated pop music formulas on exactly how to hook people, but that shit doesn’t do it for me. Great songs have their own kind of magic and you just know it when you hear it.

Bill: A great song is one that causes an emotional reaction. Like a riff with a good groove or lyrics that connect with people. Something that causes you to remember a point in your life, or a feeling you had.

Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

Brandon: Like EVER? I used to come up with all kind of dumb rhymes and melodies and annoy people with them as a kid. It was slightly less annoying when I got a guitar as a teenager. As a band, Endless Night was our first song and like the others on the EP, it started with a couple of riffs that we built on top of. In terms of lyrical theme, we stuck with an old doom metal classic – death. The guitar solo section was the last bit that was added to the song and that ended up being pretty fun. Bill and I each take half the time and do our own thing – it’s a satisfying hand-off.

Bill: The songs we have are a collaborative effort. Brandon is the one that had them started and we added to it. He baked the cake and we all frosted it so to speak. I am working on a couple that I hope to add to our collection in the near future.

What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

Susan: So far, I love "Midsummer Days"

Bill: My favorite song is Midsummer Days. It has an ebb and flow throughout the song. Plus Susan’s vocals are so haunting.

Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?

Susan: Who writes great songs? Brandon. Who just kicks your ass? Jason. Why? Because he's the Daddy.

Brandon: I could spend hours just listing off bands that put out great original music, but to keep things brief – Leif Edling has been kicking ass with Candlemass and Avatarium and Krux and all his other projects for decades and just keeps on killing it.

Bill: There are so many talented songwriters out there. Matthew Bellamy of Muse is one I enjoy a lot. Trent Reznor is probably the one that kicks my ass. He is a fantastic musician that has an unlimited tool box of ideas and songwriting methods.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

Bill: Digital for convenience, vinyl for quality.

Susan: Vinyl is wonderful, but I like CDs for my car.

Jason: Vinyl, because I'm a snob.

Brandon: I collect all of them, plus cassette tapes. Everything has its time and place and feeling.

Whiskey or beer?  And defend your choice

Jason: Scotch. No.

Bill: Beer more than whisky but I’m not a big drinker. I do like flavored moonshine though.

Susan: Beer because shots get me trashed.

We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

Susan: Toledo, Ohio - No Noise Records

Bill: In Toledo, Ohio I would say that Culture Clash is a good spot.

Brandon: No Noise, Culture Clash, Allied Record Exchange, All Together Now, Friendly Beaver

What's next for the band?

Bill: Writing more material and booking shows once this pandemic shit is over with.

Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?

Bill: Don’t be afraid to try new music or pickup an instrument or write a story. Express yourself. Ignore the negativity and find your calling. Sooner or later you will. Cheers!

Bandcamp Bonanza – 110

There has been a lot of talk about the “essential” work force and many jobs being shut down with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this brings more time stuck inside and less excuses for checking out the albums on this here Bonanza. While many folks are either working from home or out of work and at home, there’s one thing that remains; ESSENTIAL LISTENING. Dive into this week’s picks of essential listening out on Bandcamp for you to enjoy during these times of grief.

PARANOID CATS – FALSE LOVE

Paranoid Cats are a French noise rock duo bringing a tasty slab of heavy grunge meets progressive stoner sludge. Not your average bass and drum duo sound in the Doom community. Rather accessible and ultra-groovy.

MIEA – CHAOS AND PERFECTIONS

These are some of the most interesting heavy rock tunes I’ve heard all year. Progressive without being obnoxious and intoxicating without losing focus.

TURNSTYLES – CUT YOU OFF

This Memphis duo bring the garage rock hard and heavy. Like a more punk rock version of the White Stripes. Is that even possible? Cut You Off makes a case across these 12 tracks of country tinged rock with lo-fi swagger and cunning hook.

MORGAN RIDER – FOLKLORE

Vocally soulful, musically atmospheric, and conceptually solid. Reminds me a lot of another fantastic talent, Shawn James. Particularly his Shapeshifter Trilogy, The Bear, The Wolf, The Hawk.

STRANGE MAJIK – 20/20

20/20 emits an aural hologram of funky jam beaming with progressive soul and flashing visions of jazzy blues and groovy rhythm. David Pattillo is a god damned genius!

HEAVY TRIP – HEAVY TRIP

This one is as heavy of a trip as you can imagine. All instrumental but all bad ass. I don’t always dive in headfirst to instrumental jams, but when I do am expect it to be a heavy trip. In today’s case its both the band name and the band m.o.

FREEWAYS – TRUE BEARINGS

On their full-length debut, Ontario’s Freeways provide a structural layer of 80’s heavy metal reinforced with explosive melody and nasty hook. True Bearings leads with obvious influences such as early Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy, and UFO, while burning an endless tank of NWOBHM riffs like a wingless Eagle-5.

WESTERN CENTURIES – CALL THE CAPTAIN

These guys have become one of my favorite modern traditional country artists on the circuit. They’re relatively popular compared to some other favorites of mine and the chemistry seems genuine and music remains tight. Maybe it’s the Pacific Northwest charm that ropes me in and it’s definitely present and something to consider when on the hunt for good country. Seattle brings quality in all shapes and forms.

BLAZON RITES – DULCE BELLUM INEXPERTIS EP

The primal assault of metallic punk rages with barbaric tone and battle ready riffs.Blazon Rite bring a welcome Pennsylvania ring to the classic NWOBHM styling. As Paris Hilton would say, "That's Hot"

CAROLINE BLIND – THE SPELL BETWEEN

I’ll just put down what they had to say on bandcamp. A quite captivating album if I must say so:

“The Spell Between is the first solo album by Caroline Blind, front woman of Sunshine Blind.

The album is an eclectic collection of cover songs, new renditions of Sunshine Blind songs, originals, and collaborations, with Rich W. (The Wake), David Wolfenden (Red Lorry Yellow Lorry), Dave (The Dramedy), Ashe Ruppe (Delphine Coma), George Earth (Switchblade Symphony), Gordon Young (Pretentious Moi, Dream Disciples, Children on Stun), CWHK (Sunshine Blind), William Faith (Bellwether Syndicate, Faith and the Muse) and Geoff Bruce (Sunshine Blind, Faith and the Muse)”

OUTSIDEINSIDE – II

Right away we’re smacked across the face with a funky punch of The Black Crowes vibes,sucking whiffs of the 70’s across 8 tracks of stoner-fueled classic rock groove.

-The Huntsman

Rainer Landfermann - Mein Wort in Deiner Dunkelheit

Self-released

https://rainerlandfermann.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RainerLandfermann/

https://www.instagram.com/rainerlandfermann/

https://twitter.com/RLandfermann

https://rainerlandfermann.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/rainerlandfermann

https://www.youtube.com/c/RainerLandfermann

German vocalist and bass player Rainer Landfermann is known for his work with PAVOR, Bethlehem, and his own solo work. Featured on the album are ten dark and highly diverse songs that are pushing the boundaries of the extreme metal genre. You have dramatic low-frequency waves of bowed double basses, tenebrous choirs and somber jazz ballad parts harmoniously join blasting drums and grim avant-garde guitar riffs. The German album title translates to "My word in your darkness". "The album is about introspection, self-awareness, and - ultimately - about beauty:" says Rainer Landfermann, "its experience, appreciation, and sometimes, the painful loss of it."

Talk about something different! The vocals go from straight singing, growls to screaming that sounds like someone is being killed, and all in the space of every song. It kind of gets a bit much with it going on over and over again. Some parts remind me of Rammstein, some parts are pure noise, and some of it is just beautiful and sounds like something that you would find on a jazz album, and some like on a horror movie. The album jumps all over the place and even has some of the jazz-punk of Black Flag in places…so much to take in and very unclassifiable. Yes, it is metal, but it is so much more too. The album is available both as download and as an elaborately designed limited art book edition, for which Rainer Landfermann teamed up with Russian ballet photographer Daria Chenikova and model Anna Grigoryan, ballerina at the Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow, who is also featured on the album cover. For each of the ten songs on the album, they created a gorgeous visualization of the theme and mood of the respective music and lyrics.

While not my cup of tea, this is an album that really takes chances and challenges the listener. I may not be a fan of most of this, but I can respect what he is doing and some of the music on here.

-Rick Ecker

Premiere Of The New Album From Her Name Was Fire!

Lisbon rock duo Her Name Was Fire is preparing to release their sophomore LP Decadent Movement this April.  The new album portrays the realization of human impermanence and criticizes the artificiality and frailty of human beings in the modern era.

Decadent Movement will be available on CD through Raging Planet Records and distributed digitally by  LEVEL:UP distribution.    Listen to the preview single "Specter" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/52e6AxqpwTnUDhIRAZJhCT?si=t3dUdecEQ92GvQ40UQNGcQ

About the Band

With the massive, screaming low-end frequencies of a guitar, the thunderous and fiery rhythms of drums blended with sleazy melodic vocals, HER NAME WAS FIRE arrived in 2016 to shake the foundations of rock and lure the ears of those who dare to cross the path of their demolishing sound waves.  Guitarist/vocalist João Campos and drummer Tiago Lopes form a tight groove-rock duo that incorporates stoner, grunge, blues, and progressive rock.

Now on the eve of releasing their second album, Her Name Was Fire is regarded as one of the most prominent emerging bands in Portugal.  Their 2017 debut Road Antics was called "powerful," "appealing," and "gravity-defying" by reviewers.  With Decadent Movement coming out in April  2020, there's nowhere for this band to go but up.

Connect with Her Name Was Fire

• Facebook
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• Spotify