Posts Tagged ‘children’

Children of Bodom – I Worship Chaos

Finnish melodeath superstars Children of Bodom have gone through several identity crises. Starting off as neoclassical melodic death metal, they had a lot of success. Their album Hatebreeder is indisputably a classic of the genre. But over time, they turned their sound into a more groove-oriented version of themselves with shred sections. This sound still had a lot of acclaim, as their fourth album Hate Crew Deathroll was also received very positively, even though some lamented the loss of their older influences. With their next few albums, they kept slightly changing their sound to be more accessible while simultaneously trying to capture their spark from their earlier days, but it never clicked, even though slog the way they had some great songs. After several disappointing albums, and the loss of famed guitarist Roope Latvala, Bodom are faced with their deciding moment. They could either pick themselves back up and make a comeback, or risk forever being written off. Thankfully, their ninth album, I Worship Chaos , is more the former than the latter. What really makes a Bodom album tick? If we’re talking post- Hate Crew, it’s basically solid grooves, chantable choruses, angry one-liners from Laiho and cheesy lead sections. Well, I Worship Chaos has got all of those covered. Each song is full of memorable little licks, be it some aggressively-nod-inducing riffs, earworm melodies or just proclamations screamed by Alexi (who sounds angrier than he has in a while). But what’s really important isn’t just that these elements are thrown in to tick boxes, it’s that they all come together in a way that makes for an enjoyable listening experience. And  that’s definitely the case here. Roope Latvala’s departure was definitely concerning as his lead playing was thought to be a big part of the band’s sound, but Alexi seems to be managing just fine without him. Perhaps the solos are a bit less intense, but there isn’t a noticeable drop in songwriting quality overall. In fact, the album feels better written than several of its predecessors. Everything is in lockstep, riffs carry tension and resolution very well between each other, and they don’t feel tired. This is an especially impressive feat if one considers the fact that melodic death metal has been around for quite a while and the template has been “figured out” long ago. Even Bodom have contributed to that process in the past, and nine albums deep into their career, it would be easy for them to feel like there’s not much left to say (in fact many though that was the case even seven albums deep into their career, so in some ways I Worship Chaos is a resurgence of quality). Sure, Alexi doesn’t sound like he feels as rife with angry creativity as he did fifteen years ago, but he sounds a lot more invigorated than he did five years ago. The benchmark for success in melodeath isn’t necessarily innovation anyway, it’s polish. And polish is in abundance on this album. It’s hard to underline in words the specific tightness that makes this album tick. This isn’t something that one can identify on paper. It’s the feeling of genuineness and effort conveyed by the tone of the writing. To the careful listener, that the songs were put together not by haphazard cobbling of ideas that were left on the drawing board after a writing session but were carefully put together to ensure every cog clicks properly with everything else, is obvious, and that is when the heart put into the album is apparent. Overall, I Worship Chaos is a polished, heartfelt album that makes it sound like Children of Bodom are enjoying their own music again; and fans should join in on that as well. The band are better than they have been for several albums, and new life has been breathed into their music. In a way, they’re back from the dead, telling us that we were wrong to write them off. ? Children of Bodom-  I Worship Chaos  gets… 4/5 -NT

Ronnie James Dio’s ‘Dream Evil’ Album to Receive Deluxe Edition Reissue

Universal The Ronnie James Dio album ‘Dream Evil’ is a must-own for any fan of the late legend. For those of you who don’t own a copy of the record, or if you’re just an avid Dio fanatic, ‘Dream Evil’ is set for a deluxe edition re-release, which will come out on March 4. Originally released on July 21, 1987, Dio’s fourth album, ‘Dream Evil,’ contains the classic tracks ‘All the Fools Sailed Away,’ ‘I Could Have Been a Dreamer’ and ‘Night People,’ the last of which Dio had been fooling around with since his days with Rainbow. ‘Dream Evil’ is also significant for being the last album Dio made with Kill Devil Hill / ex- Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice . The deluxe edition of ‘Dream Evil’ will contain not only the album in full, but an extra disc featuring 14 extra tracks, both in-studio and live. The majority of the second disc, however, showcases live performances of tracks such as ‘Holy Diver,’ ‘The Last in Line’ and ‘Rainbow in the Dark’ from Dio’s gig at the 1987 ‘Monsters of Rock’ festival at Castle Donington, England. The album will also include a special expanded booker with notes by British metal journalist Malcolm Dome, which has been endorsed by Dio’s widow, Wendy. Check out the full track listing of Dio’s ‘Dream Evil’ deluxe edition below. Dio, ‘Dream Evil’ (Deluxe Edition) Track Listing: Disc One: 01. ‘Night People’ 02. ‘Dream Evil’ 03. ‘Sunset Superman’ 04. ‘All the Fools Sailed Away’ 05. ‘Naked in the Rain’ 06. ‘Overlove’ 07. ‘I Could Have Been a Dreamer’ 08. ‘Faces in a Window’ 09. ‘When a Woman Cries’ Disc Two: 01. ‘Hide in the Rainbow’ (Dio EP) 02. ‘I Could Have Been a Dreamer’ (Single Edit) 03. ‘Dream Evil’ (Castle Donington – 22/08/87) 04. ‘Neon Nights’ 05. ‘Naked in the Rain’ 06. ‘Rock N Roll Children’ 07. ‘Long Live Rock N Roll’ 08. ‘The Last in Line’ 09. ‘Holy Diver’ 10. ‘Heaven and Hell’ 11. ‘Man on the Silver Mountain’ 12. ‘All the Fools Sailed Away’ 13. ‘The Last in Line’ (Reprise) 14. ‘Rainbow in the Dark’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/ronnie-james-dio-the-pick-of-destiny-cameo/” title=”Next: Ronnie James Dio – Musician Movie Cameos” align=”center”]

Children of Bodom Begin Writing and Recording Eighth Studio Album

Facebook: Children of Bodom The mighty Children of Bodom have secluded themselves within the icy woods of their native Finland to work on their eighth studio album. From an undisclosed location in Helskini, the band is constructing and recording 10 new tracks for their follow-up record to 2011′s ‘Relentless Reckless Forever.’ “It’s a nice change to the regular method where we lock ourselves up at a studio in the middle of the woods, usually also during the darkest time of the year,” Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho tells Soundi magazine. “However, we did track drums at the tried-and-tested Petrax studio in Hollola this time as well, so we got our fix of that modus operandi too. But for the guitar and bass, we don’t require a big facility in the countryside, so we decided to stay closer to home for this part of the session.” Interesting enough, Bodom guitarist Roope Latvala has made it clear that he is dedicated to elevating the guitar to greater prominence for the band’s next album, a goal which fans with surely appreciate. Although Children of Bodom’s music has remained strong throughout their career, the band has focused less on massively addictive guitar leads since their 2005 album, ‘Are You Dead Yet?’ “Roope did voice his opinions more than usual this time around,” Alexi says. “And maybe the others, too. As far as the actual question goes, the usual rule applies: all good ideas are taken into consideration.” Although there is no ballpark estimate of a release date, Bodom will be continuing their tradition of recording hysterical covers of pop songs, with the band planning to create metal versions of Bananarama and Roxette tracks. Check out footage of Children of Bodom jamming on some new material in the video below. Children of Bodom Practice New Tracks From the Studio [button href=”http://loudwire.com/children-of-bodom-everytime-i-die-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Children of Bodom – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]

10 Best Marilyn Manson Songs

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Marilyn Manson 's best songs document a career that is unlike any other that came before him. Mixing a rock 'n' roll mentality with electronic elements and profound lyrics narrating the progression of society in real time, Manson has developed a polarizing identity as both a beloved hero and a reviled villain. Although Manson has experienced major highs and lows throughout his many years in the public eye, he now finds himself rejuvenated and nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. To celebrate the career of the Antichrist Superstar, we've put together our list of the 10 Best Marilyn Manson Songs: ? 10 'Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes' From: 'Celebrity Deathmatch Soundtrack' (1999) ? ? The full-speed-ahead rock track 'Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes' was never actually included within any Marilyn Manson album. In fact, this track was exclusively released for the official soundtrack of the legendary claymation MTV series 'Celebrity Deathmatch.' Opening up the soundtrack, the song contains some sweet muddy shredding along with the captivating line, “Kill your god and kill your TV.” Listen to 'Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes' ? ? 9 'The Nobodies' From: 'Holy Wood' (2000) ? ? After the Columbine school shooting of 1999, Marilyn Manson was one of many scapegoats targeted by a national media scrambling to make sense of the tragedy. After refusing to publicly speak of the incident as a protest against media sensationalism, Manson released 'The Nobodies' as the third single from his 2000 album, 'Holy Wood.' The song characterizes the Columbine shooters' rise from nobodies to household names, while taking a shot at the media with the line, “You should have seen the ratings that day.” Listen to 'The Nobodies' ? ? 8 'The Dope Show' From: 'Mechanical Animals' (1998) ? ? During the height of Manson's shocking persona, the sonic artist released 'The Dope Show' as the lead single for his 1998 album, 'Mechanical Animals.' The lurching track trudges through the subjects of American materialism, consumerism and the vast emptiness found within corporate control over creativity. In the legendary video for 'The Dope Show,' Manson appears as a sexless, soulless, manufactured product rather than a human being. Listen to 'The Dope Show' ? ? 7 'No Reflection' From: 'Born Villain' (2012) ? ? After going through a self-confessed low point in his career, Marilyn Manson chose to reevaluate his identity as an artist by surrounding himself with nothingness so he'd be forced to create. The result was Manson's best album in over a decade, 'Born Villain.' The album's lead single, 'No Reflection,' is brilliantly claustrophobic and one of Manson's strongest tracks to date. The song has even been nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. Listen to 'No Reflection' ? ? 6 'The Fight Song' From: 'Holy Wood' (2000) ? ? Although many of Marilyn Manson's greatest works pull the listener into an eerie and uncomfortable, yet beautiful realm ('Speed of Pain' / 'The Last Day on Earth'), the musician has created some true anthems throughout his career. 'The Fight Song' is easily one of Manson's most powerful anthems, showcasing a contagious power along with compelling lyrics such as, “I'm not a slave to a god that doesn't exist / And I'm not a slave to a world that doesn't give a s–t.” Listen to 'The Fight Song' ? ? 5 'Tourniquet' From: 'Antichrist Superstar' (1996) ? ? From the 'Antichrist Superstar' album, 'Tourniquet' begins with the reversed message, “This is my most vulnerable moment.” Manson takes on the metaphorical role of a tourniquet, built on it's physically constricting yet life-saving qualities. Is Manson's message masochistic in nature? Do his lyrics address a relationship with substance abuse? Perhaps both … Perhaps neither. Either way, music is all about personal interpretation, and Manson gives his followers a lot to sink their teeth into with 'Tourniquet.' Listen to 'Tourniquet' ? ? 4 'Disposable Teens' From: 'Holy Wood' (2000) ? ? With a simple but powerful guitar lead introducing the essential track, 'Disposable Teens' was the first single released by Manson in the new millennium. Having penned a multitude of songs inspired by the teenage years, 'Disposable Teens' is one of Manson's greatest lyrical accomplishments, evidenced by lines such as, “And I'm a black rainbow / And I'm an ape of god / I've got a face that's made for violence upon / And I'm a teen distortion / Survived abortion / A rebel from the waist down.” Listen to 'Disposable Teens' ? ? 3 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' From: 'Smells Like Children' (1995) ? ? Few artists can take another band's signature track and create a brilliant cover with its own distinct identity. Eurythmics released 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' in 1983, selling more than one million copies of the single in the United States alone. Although the original song is widely known as a masterpiece, Marilyn Manson abducted the synth standard in 1995, stripping apart its pop dermis and filling the void with twisted darkness. Listen to 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' ? ? 2 'Coma White' From: 'Mechanical Animals' (1998) ? ? There are few songs that dedicated Mansonites hold closer to their warm bodies than 'Coma White.' In the mind of Marilyn Manson, the color white represents a sense of “numbness” felt by the musician from both drug use and public scrutiny. The forefront version of 'Coma White' is found at the end of 'Mechanical Animals,' but there also exists a breathtaking acoustic version of the song, which is essential listening for both hardcore fans and those unfamiliar with Manson's music. Listen to 'Coma White' ? ? 1 'The Beautiful People' From: 'Antichrist Superstar' (1996) ? ? The anthem of all Manson anthems, 'The Beautiful People,' comes in at No. 1 on our list. With a heavy drum presence, sinister chants and an unforgettable guitar line mixed in with Manson's hushed whisper of the song's reprise, 'The Beautiful People' challenges societal materialism, which Manson labels as “the culture of beauty.” Instead of painstakingly weeding out all those he sings against, Manson takes a much simpler route heard in the lyrics, “There's no time to discriminate / Hate every motherf—er that's in your way.” Listen to 'The Beautiful People' ? ? What's Your Favorite Marilyn Manson Song? Which of our 10 Marilyn Manson song picks is your favorite? If your personal favorite didn't make our list, post it in the comments section below! ?

Vince Neil Offers Apology After ‘Gun Control’ Twitter Battle

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com As we recently reported, Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil found himself in a Twitter battle after advocating gun control while reacting to the horrific shooting in Newtown, Conn. After withstanding a barrage of criticism and firing off additional tweets attacking those who challenged him, Neil has now posted that he was “misunderstood” and offered apologies to those he offended. The Twitter feud began when Neil tweeted the following message: “Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun Control!!!” After some ill will was directed at Neil about his stance on guns, the singer responded with the following series of tweets: Why is everyone so concerned with guns? What about the CHILDREN that were MURDERED today! Get your priorities straight!! Come on people!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 I did say gun control but I didn’t think 90% of you would care more about your gun than dead children!!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 FUCK YOU to EVERYONE who puts guns in front of kids!! Do not come to ANY shows! You are sick!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 15, 2012 Today (Dec. 18), however, Neil apologized for the previous tweets by explaining that he was misunderstood while reminding his Twitter followers that he tragically lost his 4-year-old daughter Skylar to cancer: I’ve been misunderstood on this subject. It was upsetting to me that the focus was not on the children and their families. I lost a child — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 18, 2012 that age. I never said ban guns. I said gun control. Sorry if I offended anyone. — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 18, 2012

Motley Crue’s Vince Neil Lashes Out at Gun Defenders via Twitter

Michael Buckner, Getty Images Motley Crue ‘s Vince Neil was among many rock acts speaking out via their social networks late last week after the tragic school shooting in Connecticut , but the rocker got a little hot under the collar after a number of his followers debated his call for gun control. His initial tweet was a simply put, “Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun control!!!” While Neil definitely meant to put the focus on the tragic events of the day, there were enough of his followers that latched onto the final comment about gun control that he felt the need to respond. In a series of tweets that followed, Neil admonished those who chose to address that part of his comment. His Tweets on the matter can be read below: Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun Control!!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 Why is everyone so concerned with guns? What about the CHILDREN that were MURDERED today! Get your priorities straight!! Come on people!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 I did say gun control but I didn’t think 90% of you would care more about your gun than dead children!!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 FUCK YOU to EVERYONE who puts guns in front of kids!! Do not come to ANY shows! You are sick!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 15, 2012 Neil knows firsthand about the loss of a child at a young age as his daughter Skylar Neil died of cancer at the age of 4 back in 1995. The Friday elementary school shooting resulted in the loss of life of 20 young children and six staff members, as well as the shooter’s mother at a nearby home. The 20-year-old shooter killed himself at the school. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/connecticut-school-shooting-rock-musicians-condolences/” title=”Next: Read Rocker Reactions to the Connecticut Shootings” align=”center”]

Three Days Grace Announce ‘Three Days of Giving’ Hometown Shows

Facebook: Three Days Grace Tis the season to give back, and Three Days Grace will be doing so on three consecutive nights in their hometown of Peterborough, Ontario next month. The group has revealed a series of shows, promoted as “ Three Days of Giving ,” with all the proceeds going to a different charity each night. The shows are scheduled for Dec. 11, 12, and 13 at The Venue in Peterborough and will mark the band’s first hometown performances in five years. The opening night show, Dec. 11, will help out The James Fund, the largest umbrella organization for neuroblastoma families in Canada, with outreach programs into the U.S. and other countries. Just last month, bassist Brad Walst took part in The James Fund’s walk-run fundraiser for neuroblastoma research. His son was diagnosed with having a cancerous neuroblastome tumor several years ago, but the rocker revealed that his son has been one of the lucky ones with the tumor stabilizing. So Walst, in particular, has a very close attachment to the organization they’re supporting. Fans can learn more about The James Fund here . Tickets for the Dec. 11 show may be purchased here . The second night, Dec. 12, will aid Road Recovery, an organization that helps young people battle addiction issues and other adversities by harnessing the influence of entertainment industry professionals that have confronted similar issues. To learn more about Road Recovery, check here and to get tickets for the Dec. 12 performance click here . The third and final night, Dec. 13, will benefit The Herbie Fund, an organization that brings children from around the world to The Hospital for Sick Children for life-saving or life-altering surgeries that may not be available in their home countries due to high costs or the lack of medical expertise. To investigate more about the Herbie Fund, check here . Tickets for the Dec. 13 show are available here . My Darkest Days , who feature Brad Walst’s brother Matt as their vocalist, will open all three shows. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-chalk-outline-video/” title=”Next: Watch Three Days Grace’s ‘Chalk Outline’ Video” align=”center”]