Archive for September 19th, 2012

Hatebreed Singer Jamey Jasta Brings Out Sportscaster Dan Patrick’s Metal Side

Ethan Miller / Chris Trotman, Getty Images Dan Patrick – metal head? It appears to be true as the former ESPN anchor and current radio sports talk and NBC football host recently showed his metal tendencies by coming out of a commercial break with Hatebreed  frontman  Jamey Jasta ‘s voice blaring to all his listeners. The host got into the music so much that he decided to shout Jasta’s lyrics as they hit the airwaves and debated whether or not he could pursue metal as a side career. “I could be one of those heavy metal guys I think,” explained Patrick. “I just don’t have the energy and I don’t have the hair where you just you’re whipping it. I don’t know if I have the energy to go [with] one of those, what are they, speed [metal]?” The song, for those who don’t recognize it, was penned specifically by the singer with his solo project Jasta for the Dan Patrick Show. It provides the theme music for Patrick “Seton” O’Connor’s ‘Stat of the Day’ segment on the radio program. The host has had a wide array of acts on his show, and metal has been represented over the years. In fact, GWAR ‘s Oderus Urungus turned in one of the more memorable appearances on the show. With Patrick and the recent John Clayton commercial for ESPN featuring him in a  Slayer t-shirt, we’re wondering if and when we might see a metal sportscasters band forming. However, Clayton would have to clear it with his mom before rocking out with Patrick. Watch Dan Patrick Rock Out to Hatebreed [button href=”http://loudwire.com/hatebreed-finish-tracking-new-album/” title=”Next: Hatebreed Finish Tracking Next Album” align=”center”]

Bobaflex, ‘The Sound of Silence’ – Exclusive Video Premiere

New Ocean Media Bobaflex are sure to turn a few heads with their standout cover of Simon and Garfunkel ‘s ‘The Sound of Silence,’ and Loudwire is proud to present the exclusive premiere of the new video for the song. In the clip, the band members deal with an obsessed fan with murderous intent on her mind. Singer/guitarist Marty McCoy explains, “The idea for the video came from the song itself. ‘The Sound of Silence’ was written about the assassination of JFK, and how the nation felt as a whole during this tragic event. Today, we as nation experience the same feeling every time the news shows another unmeditated psycho, with a gun shooting innocent people, in places we thought were safe.” The video shows the fan’s growing obsession with the group through her shrine built at home featuring numerous pictures of the band. From there, she turns up at show after show before finally getting the nerve to hop in her car and speed off to find the group members to enact her plan. For Bobaflex, Simon and Garfunkel might not seem like an obvious choice. However, the hard rockers show they are more than capable with the vocal and musical skill to pull off the faithful and harmonic sounds that the original duo had for the first portion of the song before they finally rock-up the track, thus putting their own stamp on a classic. McCoy says, “Picking this song to cover was an easy choice. I had become a little disenfranchised with the way that music was being performed live. It seemed that everybody was using tracks with background vocals, guitars, and keyboards that weren’t really on stage. It had become so common that I wondered if we were missing the boat. Should Bobaflex be using tracks? The answer is … NO!!!! I was watching the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction one night and it all became clear. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel took to the stage with an acoustic guitar and one microphone. My mind was forever changed. Those two guys made music that was beautiful and real. The next day we were in the studio recording ‘The Sound of Silence’ and trying our best not to butcher it.” ‘The Sound of Silence’ is the third single from Bobaflex’s ‘Hell in My Heart’ album, which is out now. The group is currently touring , with dates lined up into late October. Watch Bobaflex’s Video for ‘The Sound of Silence’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/bobaflex-want-to-become-the-biggest-band-in-the-universe/” title=”Next: Bobaflex Share Their Ambitions” align=”center”]

Top 10 Albums of 1992

Karl Walter / Ethan Miller / Frank Micelotta, Getty Images Looking back on the best albums of 1992, we find an eclectic mix of acts who helped lead a creative infusion of new ideas on the standard hard rock and metal formulas. It was a time when we learned that hard rock and metal could be grungy ( Stone Temple Pilots , Alice in Chains ), groovy ( White Zombie ), proggy ( Dream Theater ) and politically infused ( Rage Against the Machine ). And it also proved to be a year when some established bands like Pantera and Megadeth delivered their most essential works. So let's take a look back in time with our list of the Top 10 Albums of 1992. ? 10 'Angel Dust' Faith No More ? ? It's hard to dismiss Faith No More 's 'Angel Dust' from the Top 10 Albums of 1992 when it yielded so many quality songs. The album, the band's second disc featuring Mike Patton as frontman, proved to be a worthy successor to 1989's 'The Real Thing.' Songs like 'Land of Sunshine,' 'A Small Victory,' 'Everything's Ruined,' and their odd cover of the Commodores' 'Easy' all connected with audiences, but it was the lead single, 'Midlife Crisis,' that ended up being the big hit on this record. Listen to 'Midlife Crisis' ? ? 9 'Meantime' Helmet ? ? Was there a bigger buzz band in 1992 than Helmet ? It seemed as though everyone caught up to the rockers with their sophomore set 'Meantime.' The unique riffs of singer/guitarist Page Hamilton combined with the powerful low-end coming from drummer John Stanier and bassist Henry Bogdan made Helmet a critics list favorite. 'Unsung' became an anthem for the alt-metal scene and 'In The Meantime' earned the band their first Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance. Listen to 'Unsung' ? ? 8 'Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs' Ministry ? ? Industrial metal favorites Ministry continued to evolve with 'Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs.' This was arguably the band's biggest release, with the propulsive 'N.W.O.' leading the way. Al Jourgensen 's 'ding-danging' on 'Jesus Built My Hotroad' was pure genius. Plus, the sample-infused 'Just One Fix' kept things interesting. Listen to 'N.W.O.' ? ? 7 'La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1' White Zombie ? ? The music world caught up to White Zombie in 1992. Though grunge had taken over, there was room for some variations on the metal genre, and White Zombie's groove-and-funk metal filled a niche. The hard-hitting yet equally danceable 'Thunder Kiss '65' became the first radio hit for the band, while 'Black Sunshine' went on to become one of Zombie's most popular live songs. Listen to 'Thunder Kiss '65' ? ? 6 'Images and Words' Dream Theater ? ? Dream Theater's 'Images and Words' has to be included among the best albums of 1992 as it was the disc that put the band in the collective conscious of metal and prog-loving fans. James LaBrie 's vocals on 'Pull Me Under' made it worthy of becoming the band's first commercial hit. Plus, the overall playing of guitarist John Petrucci , bassist John Myung, and drummer Mike Portnoy on this record set the tone for plenty of masterful records to follow. Listen to 'Pull Me Under' ? ? 5 'Rage Against the Machine' Rage Against the Machine ? ? Rage Against the Machine's first three singles didn't connect, but 'Freedom' finally brought Rage to the masses almost a full year after their debut album release. Once they finally hit, new fans discovered such concert gems as 'Killing in the Name' and 'Bullet in the Head.' Zack de la Rocha 's politically-charged vocals and Tom Morello 's dextrous guitar playing was unlike anything going on in rock at the time and provided a blueprint for many acts of that ilk to come. Listen to 'Freedom' ? ? 4 'Core' Stone Temple Pilots ? ? The second wave of grunge began in '92, and Stone Temple Pilots led the way. With the blistering opening of 'Sex Type Thing,' Scott Weiland introduced a brand new voice to the game. But while STP showed they could rock out with tracks like 'Wicked Garden,' it was the bluesier, moodier songs like 'Plush' and 'Creep' that set them apart from their peers. 'Plush' became one of the biggest hits of the '90s. Listen to 'Plush' ? ? 3 'Countdown to Extinction' Megadeth ? ? Megadeth's 'Countdown to Extinction' is a must for the 10 Best Albums of 1992, and is one of their best works. There was plenty of rich material for Dave Mustaine to address on this classic effort. 'Symphony of Destruction' spoke to themes of political power, and the memorable video ended up being censored due to MTV's concern over an “assassination” scene. 'Sweating Bullets,' meanwhile, offered a schizophrenic look at society and how our conscious handles events. Listen to 'Symphony of Destruction' ? ? 2 'Dirt' Alice in Chains ? ? Alice in Chains released possibly their best album, 'Dirt,' in '92. Buoyed by support from their 'Singles' soundtrack song 'Would?,' the disc got off to a fast start. A string of hard rocking hits including 'Them Bones,' 'Angry Chair,' and 'Down in a Hole' followed, but their fourth single 'Rooster' proved to be their most ambitious song. Finding the perfect blend of moody and aggressive vocals, Layne Staley took Jerry Cantrell 's words about his soldier father and helped craft an instant classic. Listen to 'Rooster' ? ? 1 'Vulgar Display of Power' Pantera ? ? Coming in at No. 1 on our list is Pantera's 'Vulgar Display of Power,' which was a must for any self-respecting metalhead in 1992. 'Mouth of War' became the band's first-ever charting single with sibling rockers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell leading the way. The album's fourth single, 'Walk,' with its stop-and-go time signature and Phil Anselmo's legendary vocals, would eventually become an iconic track. Twenty years later, it's one of the most covered songs in metal. Listen to 'Walk' ? ? What Are The Best Albums Of 1992? There you have it, the best albums of 1992, in our humble opinion. There was plenty of great music that arrived that year and here's your turn to let us know what we missed. Should iconic metal acts like Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath be there for 'Fear of the Dark' and 'Dehumanizer'? What about the very solid Social Distortion record 'Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell' or a pre-'Dookie' Green Day with 'Kerplunk.' What album is missing and what disc shouldn't have made the list at all? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. ?

12 Stones vs. Shinedown – Cage Match

Executive Music Group / Atlantic 12 Stones have beaten four worthy opponents and now they are going for entrance into the Cage Match Hall of Fame in their fifth and final matchup. Shinedown enter the Cage Match with their brand new single ‘Enemies’ off of their latest disc ‘Amaryllis.’ The band is headlining this year’s Uproar Festival, which ends later this month, before setting off for a European trek in mid October. For a full list of tour dates, go here . Will 12 Stones earn their fifth straight victory and entrance into the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame? Or will Shinedown prove they are worthy ‘Enemies’ and take down 12 Stones? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite song below: (This Cage Match will run until Friday, Sept. 21, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) 12 Stones, ‘Psycho’ Shinedown, ‘Enemies’ ? Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. ? Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!

Paradise Lost, ‘Fear of Impending Hell’ – Exclusive Video Premiere

Paul Harries, Century Media UK metal veterans Paradise Lost released their 13th album, ‘Tragic Idol,’ earlier this year, and now the band is premiering the music video for the song ‘Fear of Impending Hell’ exclusively on Loudwire. As the morose and down-tempo track begins, slow motion footage of the band playing live provides an interesting contrast, reminding the listener of the times when they may have felt alone within a mass group of people. Compiled with footage of nature and day-in-the-life cinema, the somber track offers a great deal of positivity within its lyrics. The lyrics for ‘Fear of Impending Hell’ offer truth and optimism to the listener, but were partly inspired by vocalist Nick Holmes’ experiences as a father. Holmes says,“[‘Fear of Impending Hell’ is about] the things in life that may or may not be coming to us. Most people tend not to think about any bad things that may be coming their way, and the subject of death is something that is scary to everyone. When my kids ask me about it, I try to give them answers that make them feel happy and confident, but in reality I’m as bewildered as they are!” This year is sure to be a memorable one for Paradise Lost, not only due to the release of ‘Tragic Idol,’ but because the band is currently touring North America with progressive metal masters Katatonia and the Devin Townshend Project on the Epic Kings & Idols tour. Check out the tour dates here , and enjoy Paradise Lost’s new video for ‘Fear of Impending Hell.’ Paradise Lost, ‘Fear of Impending Hell’ [Exclusive Premiere] [button href=”http://loudwire.com/katatonia-devin-townsend-project-paradise-lost-epic-kings-idols-prize-pack/” title=”Enter Loudwire’s ‘Epic Kings & Idols’ Prize Pack Giveaway” align=”center”]

Arch Enemy Fight for Animal Rights in Graphic ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ Video

Facebook: Arch Enemy Arch Enemy ‘s 2011 album, ‘Khaos Legions,’ continues it’s triumphant reign, as the band has just released a video for the album’s fourth single, ‘Cruelty Without Beauty.’ Targeted towards combatting animal cruelty, ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ offers a disturbing look into the all-too-real truth behind vivisection, or the act of performing operations on live animals for the purpose of experimentation and scientific research. The lyrics for ‘Cruelty Without Beauty,’ which are transcribed throughout the video, address the horrors of vivisection. Vocalist Angela Gossow is an outspoken enemy of such scientific experiments, along with other forms of animal cruelty. “I’m very pleased we got this video done for one of my favourite songs off the ‘Khaos Legions’ album,” says Gossow. “The video is quite raw and extreme as it reflects the lyrics very well I believe, dealing with a subject matter close to my heart – animal cruelty and vivisection.” Gossow continues, “We want to thank the good folks at Peta2, Hardforce, Metalitalia and The Metal Circus for supporting a serious subject. All of us have been well aware that a video like this doesn’t find everybody’s acceptance. But rock music was always more than guitar riffs – it’s also the voice of the voiceless.” Although the video is disturbing, much of the animal cruelty footage is in black and white, along with being showcased in short bursts, which succeeds in spreading the song’s message without overwhelming the viewer. Check out Arch Enemy’s provocative video for ‘Cruelty Without Beauty.’ Arch Enemy, ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ [Warning: Contains Graphic Images]

Job for a Cowboy’s Jonny Davy Talks ‘Demonocracy,’ Lineup Changes + More

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com We recently had a chance to speak with Job for a Cowboy vocalist Jonny Davy. As metal fans crammed into the tiny outdoor smoking area at New York City’s Irving Plaza, they got a first-hand look at our interview with Davy as we chatted with the deathcore vocal pioneer shortly after Job for a Cowboy’s set. In our interview with Davy, he spoke about Job for a Cowboy’s latest album, ‘Demonocracy,’ the evolution of the band since the pig-squealing ‘Doom’ EP, how Job for a Cowboy will disband if their current lineup changes + much more. ‘Demonocracy’ is your latest record. On this one especially, is there anything that you tried to accomplish that’s new from your previous albums? You know, a lot of bands find their comfort zone and they write the same record over and over and over again, which is fine; it works for other bands. But I think with us, I think it’s safe to say that when you listen to our older records to now, we’ve had a big upward spiral of progression; an experimentation almost and I feel like to make ourselves happy and to not get bored with it, we just try new things. I mean, we wrote the ‘Doom’ EP when we were about 16 years old. We’re all in our mid-to-late 20s now, so our music influences and favorites were much different from 16 to now. I think with our band, we got popular and we got a lot of recognition before we even put out a full length, which is weird; from a little ‘Doom’ EP. I think a lot of people already have their opinion on that and don’t give us a chance because of that, but things have changed so much over the years. We’ve been touring for seven our eight years now, which is terrifying and horrifying to think about. I’ve been doing it for this long already, but we like to spice things up. I think it’s very interesting because you guys were sort of the top tier of the MySpace deathcore wave. It must have been weird seeing a genre of music that you guys helped pioneer become hugely saturated online. It’s weird. In all reality, if we kept writing music like the ‘Doom’ EP, we would be making a lot more money than we are now. We just want to keep ourselves happy with the music, as cheesy as that sounds. But we’re just having fun and enjoying the music that we’ve been playing and trying new things, so I feel like it’s been working. I know it was a long time ago, but you guys dropped the pig squeal vocals. What was the mindset behind that? I mean, again, we were 16 years old when we wrote the ‘Doom’ EP and started touring. We started touring and we really made a realization. We’ve got so many influences. We were really influenced by Cattle Decapitation and Misery Index. It’s just growing up you know? I feel like a lot of people have been watching us grow up over the years and it’s kind of strange. It’s weird because most high school bands are just beginning to figure out music with their friends. That’s what it was. Everyone used to be in a high school band playing in their parents garages, not knowing what the f— we were doing, and magically we tour the U.S. and Europe and the rest of the world. It was kind of mind-blowing to all of us; so humbling when you really sit down and think about it. What was that like in high school? You know probably going from the outcast of your high school… Stereotypical metal outcasts. In reality, I feel like the majority that listen to metal kind of were outcasts, I suppose. I don’t know. I’m going to back to the word cool; it’s cool. You’re the only original member left in Job for a Cowboy. There’s been a lot of member changes over the years. What is it about this lineup? Does it feel a little more solid? I mean, to go back to the point; we started so early. When you’re that young, so many things can happen with school, college … when you go on tour, when you’re that young, so many things can happen. I feel like if we started this band in our mid-20s, we would have a solid lineup all the way through. If this lineup ever changes at this point, Job for a Cowboy is done. Really? Yeah, so if this lineup ever changes, that’s it. You’re so happy with this line up then that it would feel strange to be without it? Absolutely; again, as cheesy and stereotypical it is to say, I feel that this is our strongest lineup and I feel that if anyone were to leave it’s done. JFAC RIP. Watch Behind-The-Scenes Footage of Job for a Cowboy Recording ‘Demonocracy’