Jim Dyson, Getty Images – Soundgarden ‘s Chris Cornell discusses the likelihood of more music and touring from the band. [ Loudwire ] – Anthrax ‘s Scott Ian offers a few more details about the exit of the band’s guitarist Rob Caggiano . [ Loudwire ] – Ozzy Osbourne ‘s recent house fire may put a damper on the potential sale of the estate to Jessica Simpson . [ Loudwire ] – There are now dates for the fifth annual ‘HardDrive Live’ tour, featuring Bullet for My Valentine and Halestorm . [ Loudwire ] – Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death head up to the 2013 Decibel Magazine tour. [ Loudwire ] – Rush will continue support of their ‘Clockwork Angels’ album with a 2013 trek. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Happy 64th birthday to former Journey singer Steve Perry . Ultimate Classic Rock looks back at his finest work with the 10 Best Journey Songs. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will follow their upcoming ‘Sound City’ performance with a string of spring 2013 tour dates. [ Diffuser.fm ] – Kings of Leon will headline the 2013 Governors Ball. [ Diffuser.fm ]
Archive for January 22nd, 2013
Bad Religion, ‘True North’ – Album Review
Epitaph Bad Religion are to punk rock what Iron Maiden are to heavy metal. Along with both groups brandishing unparalleled quality within their genres in over three-decade-long discographies, both Bad Religion and Iron Maiden are storytellers at heart who paint vivid visual pictures through their music. Fans are able to immerse themselves into the worlds birthed by Bad Religion with even greater intensity than their own personal realities, which is a testament to how many pairs of eyes Bad Religion are able to lend their fans for short bursts of multidimensional insight. ‘True North’ refers to the most perfect precision of one’s own moral compass, a theme that repeats itself in different forms throughout the band’s new album of that name. As Bad Religion’s socio-political foundation remains steady and without a crack, the band bursts into the album’s title track with a distinct old-school sound. ‘True North’ is an example of a perfect Bad Religion song: short and concise with profound lyrics topped off by a power chorus harnessing their trademark multipart vocal harmonies. The infinite perfection theme of one’s moral compass starts with the declaration of “ Keep searching ’til the end ” within the album’s opening track. The thesis continues into the standout anthem ‘Robin Hood in Reverse,’ which addresses the controversial laws that gift corporations the same rights as singular human begins. The line, “ Here’s the church, there’s the steeple / Open up the doors, corporations and people / Wait, what did he say? / What the f— did he say? ” forcefully tackles the subject of greed, which resonates further in ‘Land of Endless Greed’ and ‘Dept. of False Hope.’ ‘True North’ gets increasingly personal while orating topics such as the individual’s own conscience in ‘Popular Consensus’ and ‘In Their Hearts is Right,’ the latter of which seems to challenge the religious argument that the moral compass is directed by God rather than natural instinct. Bad Religion’s scientific and secular views are carried further by vocalist Greg Graffin in ‘Crisis Time’ with the lyric, “ Keep yourself in line / There’s no design .” Musically, ‘True North’ bears Bad Religion’s classic stamp, so expect no shock or surprise in the construction of the record. They’ve still got those rich vocal harmonies, guitar leads with plenty of distorted bends and choruses that will get stuck in your head for days. The album will fulfill both casual listeners and those searching for lyrical wisdom while clutching a notebook and magnifying glass, which has been Bad Religion’s M.O. for well over 30 years. ‘True North’ isn’t just another notch on Bad Religion’s bedpost. Much like their 2010 LP, ‘The Dissent of Man,’ their latest album is masterfully directed and offers a wealth of depth along with a spotlit entrance for both longtime fans and curious newcomers.
Bullet for My Valentine, Halestorm + More Reveal Dates for 2013 HardDrive Live Tour
Jo Hale, Getty Images / Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com As announced last week, Bullet for My Valentine will be headlining the fifth annual ‘HardDrive Live’ tour this year, and now there are dates and a confirmation on all the support acts for the 2013 run. The trek launches April 12 in Denver at the Fillmore and continues through a May 22 finale at Milwaukee’s Eagles Ballroom. Bullet for My Valentine will be joined on the run by the previously revealed Halestorm and Young Guns , as well as newly announced upstarts Stars in Stereo. Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday (Jan. 25). Bullet for My Valentine’s Matt Tuck says, “We’re super stoked to be touring America again. We’re going to be bringing the big hits and big guns. With the new album (‘ Temper Temper ‘), our fourth, we’ve got loads of songs to choose from. Thanks to HardDrive, sky’s the limit in the States!” Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale adds, “HardDrive has been such a huge part of us breaking in the last couple of years. The show has always supported us and what we do. We can’t wait to get back on the road in front of real rock fans with our friends in Bullet, Young Guns and Stars in Stereo. It’s going to be a great time.” Bullet for My Valentine are currently ramping up to the release of the ‘Temper Temper’ album on Feb. 12. Halestorm, meanwhile, are continuing promotion of the 2012 effort, ‘ The Strange Case Of… , ‘ while Young Guns are seeing their audience grow thanks to their 2012 disc, ‘Bones.’ Stars in Stereo are touring in support of their self-titled effort, which features their current single ‘The Broken.’ Bullet for My Valentine / Halestorm ‘HardDrive Live’ 2013 Tour Dates: 4/12 — Denver, Colo. — Fillmore 4/13 — Salt Lake City, Utah — Great Salt Air 4/14 — Boise, Idaho — Revolution Center 4/16 — Reno, Nev. — Grand Sierra Theater 4/17 — San Francisco, Calif. — Warfield 4/19 — Pomona, Calif. — The Fox 4/21 — Tempe, Ariz. — Marquee 4/23 — Dallas, Texas — House of Blues 4/24 — Houston, Texas — Warehouse Live 4/30 — New York, N.Y. – Roseland 5/1 — Worcester, Mass. — The Palladium 5/3 — Silver Spring, Md. — Fillmore 5/5 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Electric Factory Outdoors 5/7 — Toronto, Ontario — Sound Academy 5/8 — Fort Wayne, Ind. — Expo Center 5/10 — Buffalo, N.Y. — Town Ballroom 5/11 — Grand Rapids, Mich. — Orbit Room 5/15 — Minneapolis, Minn. – Myth 5/17 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Stage AE 5/19 — Stroudsburg, Pa. — Sherman Theater 5/21 — Chicago, Ill. — Riviera 5/22 — Milwaukee, Wis. — Eagles Ballroom [button href=”http://loudwire.com/alice-in-chains-2013-must-see-rock-concerts/” title=”Check Out the Must-See Rock Concerts of 2013″ align=”center”]
Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Immolation + More to Embark on 2013 Decibel Magazine Tour
Decibel Magazine Crushing! Absolutely crushing! Decibel Magazine brought an incredibly evil tour headlined by Behemoth last year and a massive celebration for their 100th issue with Converge and Pig Destroyer this past weekend, but the publication has outdone itself once again with a 2013 tour featuring Cannibal Corpse , Napalm Death and many more. If your skull just happens to be in one piece and you’d like to change that in the near future, we highly recommend these upcoming North American dates. Beginning on May 10 in Houston, Texas, Cannibal Corpse will headline the 2013 Decibel Magazine Tour along with support from legendary grinders Napalm Death and death metal maniacs Immolation along with Beyond Creation, Cretin and Magrudergrind. These acts are all truly awesome, and are certain to keep North American crowds energized and entertained at each stop. Cannibal Corpse remains as one of death metal’s most legendary acts, having released their 2012 full-length, ‘Torture,’ to acclaim from both audiences and critics. “We’re psyched to be headlining this year’s Decibel Magazine Tour along with Immolation and Napalm Death,” remarks Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster in a press release. “This is a lineup of bands that have been a consistent part of the death/grind scene for decades, and we’re proud to be a part of it. It will be a legendary night for extreme music.” Napalm Death also experienced a career-defining year in 2012, releasing the masterful ‘Utilitarian,’ which landed at No. 2 on our Top 10 Metal Albums of 2012 list. Check out the full list of tour dates below! 2013 Decibel Magazine Tour Dates: 5/10 – Houston, Texas @ Fitzgerald’s 5/11 – Dallas, Texas @ Trees 5/12 – San Antonio, Texas @ Backstage Live 5/14 – Tucson, Ariz. @ The Rock 5/15 – Ramona, Calif. @ Ramona Mainstage 5/16 – Santa Ana, Calif. @ The Observatory 5/17 – Oakland, Calif. @ Oakland Metro 5/18 – Portland, Ore. @ Wonder Ballroom 5/19 – Seattle, Wash. @ El Corazon 5/21 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Commodore Ballroom 5/22 – Calgary, Alberta @ MacEwan Ballroom 5/23 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Starlight Room 5/24 – Regina, Saskatchewan @ Riddell Centre 5/25 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ The Garrick 5/26 – St. Paul, Minn. @ Mill City Nights 5/28 – Chicago, Ill. @ Bottom Lounge 5/29 – Detroit, Mich. @ Harpos 5/30 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Town Ballroom 5/31 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Phoenix 6/01 – Montreal, Quebec @ Club Soda 6/02 – Boston, Mass. @ Royale 6/04 – New Haven, Conn. @ Toad’s Place 6/05 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 6/06 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Union Transfer 6/07 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Peabodys 6/09 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Pops 6/11 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade 6/12 – Orlando, Fla. @ Beacham [button href=”http://loudwire.com/new-england-metal-hardcore-festival-2013-must-see-metal-concerts/” title=”Check Out the Must-See Metal Concerts of 2013″ align=”center”]