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Dark Horse Comics So far, music fans have been indulging in ‘ House of Gold & Bones, Pt. 1 ,’ the first of a two-part musical installment from Stone Sour . But those who’ve been following Corey Taylor ‘s exploits know that the music is only a portion of the ambitious scope the singer has for his latest artistic output. Coinciding with the second album release this April, fans will get to check out a corresponding comic book series . Taylor told Comic Book Resources , “The last 10 years of my life have been the most formative. I realized I was on the threshold of the rest of my life — I had an idea of who I wanted to be as a man and I realized who I was at the time didn’t exactly jibe with what that idea was. So I started the process of changing for the better … ‘House of Gold & Bones’ is loaded with that journey, but it also has a lot of pieces from my friends’ lives — some are a lot more ahead of the curve than others, but we all are trying to do the same thing: trying to figure it all out. That’s why I wanted to tell the story in the first place — to put it all in perspective and find my place in it all.” The singer says the comic series story spills out like a contemporary fable, with the hero waking up in a world he doesn’t understand and learning more about himself than he could have ever imagined. While the two albums tell part of the story, Taylor says it’s been enjoyable to translate the tale and expand on some of the ideas with the comic series. He’s also found that his two artistic loves balance each other out. “Both genres are fathomless when it comes to possibilities,” says Taylor. “But in music, you only really get the emotion of the singer or the music, which makes it hard if you’re trying to convey the emotion of the scene. With comics, you get that snapshot of emotion: the looks on the faces, the color of the sky, the veins in people’s necks, but you don’t get the fluid feel of being in the moment, like film or music. I hope between the two, we’ll be able to put these pieces together perfectly.” The first issue of the “House of Gold & Bones’ comic series arrives April 17. Artist Richard P. Clark’s variant cover for issue No. 1 is shown above. For more on Taylor’s discussion about comic books and more exclusive images, check out Comic Book Resources’ full interview here . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/corey-taylor-stone-sour-elaborate-touring-plans-latest-on-slipknots-next-album/” title=”Next: Corey Taylor on Stone Sour Tour + Film Plans” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com It's pretty much impossible to turn on rock radio without hearing one or more Shinedown songs. In the 10 years since they released their debut album, the Florida rockers have proven themselves to be one of the most reliable hit-makers of the 21st century. They've churned out hit radio tracks even as they expand their range beyond hard rock to include textured mid-tempo tracks and even tender ballads. With their latest album, 'Amaryllis,' Shinedown have continued their hit-making streak with more chart-topping singles. So, we give props to the band with our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs: ? 10 'If You Only Knew' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Sunny, airy acoustic guitars shimmer throughout this surprisingly lighthearted and upbeat track from Shinedown's third album, 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' If it weren't for the pounding drums, you could almost call this an adult contemporary ballad, what with the epic proclamations of love, the strings, and, wait, are those bells? Listen to 'If You Only Knew' ? ? 9 'Bully' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? There was plenty of aggression bubbling over on Shinedown's 'Amaryllis' album, beginning with the lead single, 'Bully.' The issue-oriented track dealt with some of the troubles going on in schools these days, with singer Brent Smith taking the opportunity to encourage those being bullied to stand up for themselves. The anthemic track is quite empowering with a sing-along chorus as well. Listen to 'Bully' ? ? 8 'The Crow & the Butterfly' From: The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Guitarist Zach Myers' epic, melodic lead guitar work further ratchets up the intensity throughout the second half of this already stormy song from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly, the song is about a mother whose young son dies, but the lyrics also mention the pair “getting high as outer space” together, so let's hope this is a friend they're talking about. Listen to 'The Crow & the Butterfly' ? ? 7 'Fly From the Inside' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's especially true for rock bands. So, the opening song on Shinedown's 2003 debut 'Leave a Whisper' needed to kick some butt and tell people what they're about quickly. The band wastes little time doing just that here, mixing hard rock riffs with a heightened sense of dynamics and a huge, anthemic chorus. Listen to 'Fly From the Inside' ? ? 6 'Devour' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Eschewing their more recent tendencies towards more dynamic music, Shinedown let it rip old-school style on the double-barreled opening track and first single from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly an anti-love song to then-president George W. Bush, the track features lead singer Brent Smith railing against a clueless leader who is suffocating his own empire due to his own greed. Listen to 'Devour' ? ? 5 'Enemies' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? What better to work out your aggressions than in song? That's the path Shinedown followed with 'Enemies,' an in-your-face confessional between warring sides. Not only does the track rock, but there's a certain amount of swing brought to the track by drummer Barry Kerch as well. This one's great to get your blood boiling. Listen to 'Enemies' ? ? 4 'Second Chance' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Supposedly, Shinedown themselves weren't very big fans of this tune, the appropriately titled second single from 'Sound of Madness,' when they first wrote it. Luckily, they gave the track a — wait for it — second chance, as it ended up being their biggest hit to date, a platinum selling smash that reached the charts on a wide variety of radio station formats. Listen to 'Second Chance' ? ? 3 'Save Me' From: 'Us and Them' (2005) ? ? Shinedown sing of a drug addict looking for salvation on this, the first single from their 2005 sophomore album 'Us and Them.' The repetitive, somber opening bass line helps to capture the mindset of a junkie living in day after day world of pills, needles and spoons, unable to muster the strength to break free on their own. Listen to 'Save Me' ? ? 2 'The Sound of Madness' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Shinedown breaks out their best Metallica impression on this riff-heavy slice of metal, which served as the title track to their third album. Lead singer Brent Smith, in particular, drops his voice down a notch and adds some menace, sounding eerily like James Hetfield as he calls out self-pitying so called “rebels” who really are just avoiding responsibility. Listen to 'The Sound of Madness' ? ? 1 '45' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? Even if you ignore the fact that this song was the band's first major single, and therefore an important introduction to their brand of drama-filled melodic hard rock, this tune's powerful message about living each day to the fullest makes it one of the top Shinedown tracks. There was some controversy about the song's gun-related lyrics, but if you listen they hardly glorify violence — instead using the weapon as a metaphor for a person staring down big changes in their life. Listen to '45' ? ? What's Your Favorite Shinedown Song? What tune on our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs do you like the most? Or, if there's a Shinedown track we missed, let us know in comments section below: ?
Octane Hollywood Undead have returned to the music scene with their just-released third album, ‘ Notes From the Underground .’ Helping to grow the buzz this week is the band’s new lyric video for the song ‘Lion,’ which is exclusively premiering Loudwire (watch below). The video itself features time-lapsed footage of the sun setting into nightfall over a gated closure, presumably for a lion. In the background, you see a very well maintained grassy area shaded by the neighboring trees. Lyrically, the song takes you on a journey, opening in more restrained tones with, “ I am a lion and I want to be free / Do you see a lion when you look inside of me / Outside the window / Just to watch you as you sleep / Cause I am a lion born from things you cannot be .” But as the track builds, so does the title character’s inner turmoil and the aggression of the song. Creatively, the track is a little deeper than normal. Johnny 3 Tears recently told us that the band may not always receive artistic credit, but there are moments on the new album where it’s clear that songwriting is something they can do rather well. Though he was not speaking specifically about ‘Lion,’ it’s clear that the group offered something a little more personal on the song. ‘Lion’ can be heard on Hollywood Undead’s ‘Notes From the Underground,’ which is currently available for purchase here . The song follows their previously released video for ‘ We Are ,’ which was directed by Slipknot ‘s Shawn Crahan . The band just launched their North American tour in support of the album. Watch Hollywood Undead’s ‘Lion’ Lyric Video [button href=”http://loudwire.com/hollywood-undead-johnny-3-tears-we-are-inspired-by-americas-youth/” title=”Next: Hollywood Undead’s Johnny 3 Tears Discusses ‘We Are’ Inspiration” align=”center”]
Ethan Miller, Getty Images – In surprising news, Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier has left the band, with My Darkest Days ‘ Matt Walst set to front the group for their upcoming tour. [ Loudwire ] – Dave Grohl has revealed the full lineup of Sound City Players guests for his upcoming Sundance Film Festival concert. [ Loudwire ] – Anthrax , Opeth and Hatebreed will headline the 2013 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. [ Loudwire ] – The family of late guitarist Randy Rhoads has filed suit over a coffee table book. [ Loudwire ] – The Black Keys have confirmed their performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. [ Loudwire ] – Rush will make a cameo appearance on an upcoming episode of CBS’ ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Jimi Hendrix ‘s first two albums will be reissued on mono vinyl. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Thom Yorke may bring his Atoms for Peace group to Glastonbury this year. [ Diffuser.fm ] – Reunions are always the talk at Coachella and Diffuser.fm offers suggestions of five acts they’d like to see perform at this year’s event. [ Diffuser.fm ]
YouTube Mastodon singer-bassist Troy Sanders is sitting backstage riffing on a guitar when he learns that all six of his amps have bitten the dust just shortly before he’s going onstage. Though the scenario is not that likely, it’s played to the full humorous hilt for the new short film / promo starring Sanders for Orange Amplifiers. In the short, Sanders gets to play a cockier version of himself, fully consumed with his own greatness and upset that he’s due to go onstage without the use of amplification. But a quick call and not-so-immediate response from the Orange Amps warehouse may solve the situation. The clerk puts his best man in charge, and by “man,” we mean the wonder dog Bear who traipses all across town to get to the show on time, but does actually get distracted by the city skyline, some vinyl record shopping and a quick bite to eat along the way. With the clock ticking, Sanders starts to worry about whether he’ll have to play without his amp, but just as he’s about to take the stage, Bear shows up with Orange’s Micro Terror hanging around his neck. A relieved Sanders takes the stage to the roaring applause of the crowd, plugs in to his newly-arrived amp and rocks the audience to their satisfaction. Watch Troy Sanders Starring in Orange Amplifiers Short Film [button href=”http://loudwire.com/mastodon-troy-sanders-max-cavalera-new-supergroup/” title=”Next: Troy Sanders Forms Supergroup With Max Cavalera” align=”center”]
Facebook: Three Days Grace Three Days Grace definitely shocked fans Wednesday (Jan. 9) with the news that they were replacing frontman Adam Gontier with My Darkest Days ‘ Matt Walst after Gontier resigned from the band due to a “non life threatening health issue.” In his own letter to fans, Gontier stated, “After twenty years of being part of an ever evolving band, I have been inspired by life, to move on and to continue to evolve on my own terms,” suggesting that his decision was more about starting a new chapter than a health concern. Gontier has been not only the voice of the band, but arguably the group’s most recognizable face, as well. Given that the group had already committed to a co-headlining run with Shinedown this spring, it’s understandable that they would want to honor that commitment, but the question remains of whether or not it was the right decision. Our Readers Poll today asks whether or not you think Three Days Grace should continue without Gontier still part of the band. There are several schools of thought on this. One is that the band members have every right to want to continue to play their music and given Gontier’s sudden departure, to stop now would not offer themselves or the fans any sense of closure. Plus, at present, the group has only listed Walst’s participation as “temporary,” meaning a decision on whether or not to continue beyond their current tour is not a definite and these dates could either be their farewell or a springboard to a fresh start. However, It could also be argued that Gontier’s voice is indelibly tied to the band and by playing (or even potentially recording) without him, they risk altering how fans view their legacy. Then there’s the idea that maybe it’s too early to render a judgment as to whether this was the right decision to continue playing or not until Walst is given a chance to play for audiences and fans can have some time to sit with it. So what is your take on the Three Days Grace singer situation? Let us know your position by voting in the Readers Poll below: Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/new-anthrax-guitarist-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: New Anthrax Guitarist” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com As Three Days Grace fans continue to absorb the surprising news from earlier today (Jan. 9) that frontman Adam Gontier has left the band, the singer himself has released a heartfelt letter explaining his departure. We reported that Three Days Grace have announced that Gontier left the band due to health issues and has been replaced by My Darkest Days singer Matt Walst for the band’s upcoming tour with Shinedown. With the unspecified ‘health issues’ being cited as the reason, speculation stirred that it might be connected to Gontier’s previously publicized struggles with drugs and addiction. But Gontier explains that he is perfectly sober and is just ready for a new chapter in his life. See Adam Gontier’s full ‘Address of Resignation’ from Three Days Grace below: To all of my fans, my friends, my family, these are my words coming from my heart, separate from my role as “lead singer of Three Days Grace”. I want you all to know how very thankful I am for your consistent love, your respect, and you’re undying support. It is important for me to address any concerns regarding my health being connected to drugs or addiction. The truth is, when I was struggling during that dark time in my life, I hit rock bottom, and I had the kindest of people reach out from all over the world, and reach their hands out to help pick me up. I am so blessed to be walking in the light now. I am reminded of your loyalty, always. The truth is, and I’m very proud to say this…, I am sober. That chapter in my life is over. There have been many defining moments in my life. My time as part of Three Days Grace is most definitely one of the miraculous ones. I have had so many tender hearted people share with me their stories. How I’ve touched, or changed their lives. My truth is that all of the love I have received has forever changed my life. Each letter I’ve read, every picture I’ve been sent, all of the voices I’ve heard sing along with me, I will forever remember, and never forget… After twenty years of being part of an ever evolving band, I have been inspired by life, to move on and to continue to evolve on my own terms. I could not be more grateful for all the souls who have travelled along with me. A journey I look back on with integrity, and a future I look forward to with such hope. I have always admired brave hearts. Life is always changing. I will continue to follow my heart, and what I love to do. I’m not sure what the next horizon will look like, but I do have all the faith in the world that whatever it is, It’s meant to be, and I have faith that blessings will continue to shine over all of us. I once heard a “brave heart” say: “When nothing is sure, everything is possible.” It’s because of my life’s journey, because of all of you, that I believe. Sincerely, with love, Adam Three Days Grace, with Matt Walst on vocals, are set to embark on a co-headlining tour with Shinedown at the beginning of February. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/matt-walst-new-role-three-days-grace-singer-status-my-darkest-days/” title=”Next: Matt Walst Discusses Role as New Singer of Three Days Grace” align=”center”]