Posts Tagged ‘italian’

Destrage – Are You Kidding Me? No.

Destrage Are You Kidding Me? No. 01. Destroy Create Transform Sublimate 02. Purania 03. My Green Neighbour 04. Hosts, Rifles & Coke 05. G.O.D. 06. Where the Things Have No Colour 07. Waterpark Bachelorette 08. Before, After and All Around 09. – (Obedience) 10. Are You Kidding Me? No. [03/04/14] [Metal Blade] It’s hard to describe the Italian insanity that is Destrage . While they have elements of Sikth , The Dillinger Escape Plan and alternative rock in their music, they have a very consistent sound somehow. They gained fame with their sophomore album  The King Is Fat’N’Old  in 2010 and now they’re faced with the critical moment in their career, can they follow it up with something equally good, if not better? Well, they’ve succeeded, Are You Kidding Me? No. is even crazier and catchier than their previous work. Am I kidding you? No. While The King is Fat’N’Old was a great album chock full of memorable songs, it was also a bit inconsistent in its tone. Some songs were very heavy, whereas others were drawn out ballads. While variety is always great in an album, tying the two ends together properly is also paramount. Destrage’s newest album (henceforth to be called AYKMN) has a sound that is spread out in a better way than their previous work. The songs flow much better, and as blast beats turn into acoustic sections the seamlessness of it all never ceases to amaze. AYKMN is easily their most progressive work. The guitar work is crazy, being reminiscent of Sikth, yet having its own flavor. There is so much groove in every song, and the technical riffs contrast very well with the groovy parts and big choruses. There are a bunch of other elements thrown in there as well, the occasional salsa section, 80s influences and even some electronica that is tastefully done. Vocalist Paolo Colavolpe deserves a lot of praise. He has high Sikth-esque screams, versatile clean vocals and even low growls. A lot of the songs have extremely memorable melodic sections that just beg to be sang along to, and his vocal delivery is what really sells them. The fact that he can also accompany breakdowns, Pantera -esque groovy riffs, straight-up Dillinger style insanity and everything else the band throws out there is a testament to how great he really is. While all of the riffing in the album is excellent and unforgettable, the vocals are just as important. Many bands often fall into the trap of emphasizing either the vocals or instruments, but Destrage offer a mix of the two that is just right. While the music is incredible, there is also an issue with the album. Just like its predecessor, AYKMN’s production is a bit… odd. While everything is audible and nothing is over-produced like many of their modern contemporaries, the album is very noisy. The overbearing snare sound from TKIFAO is still present, if not as extreme as it used to be. The guitars are also slightly too fuzzy like the previous album. While these issues aren’t a huge deal in a vacuum, they make listening to the album for extended lengths quite tiresome, and if the abrasiveness of the sound was curbed a bit, it would have sounded perfect. It’s definitely a minor issue and not a deal-breaker though. In the end, this album is great. It’s easily Destrage’s best work yet, full of simultaneously catchy and crazy tunes. Every song is extremely memorable and enjoyable to hum along to. The way Destrage blend the best elements from many genres to create accessible yet interesting songs is definitely something that needs to be heard to be believed. Are You Kidding Me? No. is a masterful mix of insanity and catchiness at their best. Destrage – Are You Kidding Me? No. gets… 4.5/5 – NT

Halestorm vs. Nirvana Members + Paul McCartney – Cage Match

Photos: Halestorm Official Site / NBC Halestorm and their track ‘Freak Like Me’ beat out Italian metallers Lacuna Coil in a very close Cage Match, but can they do it again versus today’s legendary collective? Former  Nirvana members Dave Grohl  and  Krist Novoselic  plus one-time touring member  Pat Smear  have teamed up with Beatles legend  Paul McCartney for the release of the collaborative track ‘Cut Me Some Slack.’ The song is off of the soundtrack to ‘Sound City,’ a documentary directed by Grohl. Will McCartney, Grohl, Novoselic and Smear catch a break with ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ or will Halestorm continue on the path to victory with ‘Freak Like Me’? Listen to both tracks and vote for your favorite below! (This Cage Match will run until Monday, Jan. 14, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Halestorm, ‘Freak Like Me’ ? Nirvana Members with Paul McCartney, ‘Cut Me Some Slack’ ? 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!

Rock Goddess of the Year – 2012 Loudwire Music Awards

In many ways, 2012 could be called the Year of the Woman in hard rock and metal. In genres of music that have long-been male dominated, a handful of female-fronted acts stole the show this year, making the Rock Goddess of the Year an especially intriguing category in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards. The women below are some of rock music’s most respected artists and front some of rock’s most popular and critically acclaimed bands. Last year’s winner, Sharon Den Adel, has been left off this year’s ballot, as 2012 was a relatively quiet year for her band Within Temptation. That leaves it open for a new artist to claim the coveted crown of Rock Goddess of the Year. Check out the seven nominees below and be sure to vote in the poll below: ? Amy Lee, Evanescence After returning to the scene in 2011 with their self-titled third album, Evanescence traveled the world in 2012 to support the effort. In addition to touring overseas in the first half of the year, the band headlined the Carnival of Madness tour in the United States over the summer. All the while, the band was led by the ethereal and beautiful voice of Amy Lee . ? Angela Gossow, Arch Enemy Arch Enemy toured the world in 2012 in support of their 2011 album, ‘Khaos Legions,’ as frontwoman Angela Gossow led the charge. The band filmed their fall 2012 Latin America tour for an upcoming 2013 DVD. With a combination of beautiful looks and brutal vocals, Gossow has been leading the Swedish death metal band since 2000. ? Cristina Scabbia, Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil unleashed one of the best albums of 2012 with ‘Dark Adrenaline.’ The Italian band joined Megadeth, Motorhead and Volbeat on the 2012 Gigantour. With a stunning voice and gorgeous looks, the band’s co-vocalist Cristina Scabbia is among the finest female singers in rock or metal. Catch Lacuna Coil on tour with Sevendust in 2013. ? Emily Armstrong, Dead Sara Dead Sara were one of the breakout bands of the year, topping our list of the Best Rock Songs of 2012 with their powerful single ‘Weatherman’ off their self-titled debut disc. As the Los Angeles act’s frontwoman, Emily Armstrong’s powerful vocals are only matched by her uninhibited stage presence. Catch Dead Sara on tour in 2013 with Muse. ? Jill Janus, Huntress Los Angeles heavy metallers Huntress delivered their debut album, ‘Spell Eater,’ in 2012, led by the seductive and talented Jill Janus . The singer describes the band’s music as ‘vicious but melodic,’ and plans on ‘conquering the world one metalhead at a time.’ Huntress toured relentlessly in 2012, and have signed on for some major 2013 festivals. ? Lzzy Hale, Halestorm Did anyone on this list have a better year than Lzzy Hale ? Her band Halestorm became the first female-fronted act to top the Active Rock chart with their single ‘Love Bites (So Do I),’ off their 2012 album ‘The Strange Case Of …’ In addition, the lovely Lzzy & co. toured nonstop in 2012, including stints on the Mass Chaos and Carnival of Madness treks. ? Maria Brink, In This Moment In This Moment unleashed their latest album, ‘Blood,’ in August, and have since taken the world by storm. Led by sultry singer Maria Brink , the band scored a Top 10 rock single with the disc’s title track, which was accompanied by a seductively stunning video. Maria & co. were also one of the standout acts on the 2012 Uproar Festival tour. ? ? Voting for the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards closes on Jan. 15 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite band wins! Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/rock-titan-of-the-year-2012-loudwire-music-awards” title=”Next: Vote for Rock Titan of the Year” align=”center”] Get Notified When Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the daily Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of our full list of winners in the 2012 Loudwire Music Awards, as well as the top stories in rock and metal. Email

Lacuna Coil and Sevendust Join Forces for Early 2013 U.S. Tour

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com / Ethan Miller, Getty Images Lacuna Coil have enjoyed a solid year touring behind their ‘ Dark Adrenaline ‘ album and it looks as though 2013 will start off on a high note, as well. The band has just announced a February run with Sevendust that will keep them in the U.S. for the entire month. Lacuna Coil have been spreading the sounds of ‘Dark Adrenaline’ around the world this past year and is eager to continue their support back in America. The trek launches Feb. 2 in Winston-Salem, N.C. and continues through the Feb. 23 finale in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday (Nov. 30). To help fans stay in the loop with the Italian rockers, the band launched their own social network-fan community  with the help of Mobile Backstage back in October right as they were starting their ‘Dark Legacy’ tour of Europe. The app has been available through the band’s website, Facebook page and for iPhone and Android. As for Sevendust, the band just announced a March 26 release for their ninth studio album, ‘ Black Out the Sun .’ The band will issue their lead single ‘Decay’ on Jan. 22, giving it enough time to catch hold at radio before the tour launches. Lacuna Coil/ Sevendust  2013 Winter Tour 2/2 — Winston-Salem, N.C. — Ziggy’s 2/3 — Jacksonville, N.C. — Hooligans 2/5 — Lancaster, Pa. — Chameleon Club 2/6 — Clifton Park, N.Y. — Upstate Concert Hall 2/7 — Portland, Maine — The Asylum 2/8 — Allentown, Pa. — Crocodile Rock 2/9 — Lynchburg, Va. — Phase 2 2/10 — Nashville, Tenn. — Marathon Music Works 2/12 — Fayetteville, Ark. — George’s Majestic Lounge 2/14 — Biloxi, Miss. — Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 2/15 — Broussard, La. — The Station 2/16 — Beaumont, Texas — Dixie Dance Hall 2/17 — Little Rock, Ark. — Revolution! Music Room 2/19 — Springfield, Ill. — Boondocks 2/21 — Bloomington, Ill. — The Castle Theatre 2/22 — South Bend, Ind. — Club Fever 2/23 — Cedar Falls, Iowa — Pepsi Pavilion [button href=”http://loudwire.com/lacuna-coil-co-vocalist-andrea-ferro-weds/” title=”Next: Lacuna Coil Co-Vocalist Andrea Ferro Weds” align=”center”]