Photo Credit: Jordan Goldstein Before Pig Destroyer took the stage at their recent Brooklyn, N.Y. show, there were three opening acts to warm up the eager crowd. Of the three, San Francisco metal band Early Graves delivered the most memorable performance, taking the stage with an unrelenting, blasphemed assault. Shortly after the release of Early Graves’ second full-length album, ‘Goner,’ vocalist Makh Daniels was killed in a tragic van accident. With the band’s booming and lyrically skillful singer deceased, fans mourned while questioning the future of Early Graves, as did the band. However, on a Thursday night in Brooklyn, Early Graves put those queries to rest, delivering an incredibly sturdy performance with new vocalist Josh Strachan. After the band’s set, we spoke with guitarist Chris Brock to discuss the band’s newest album, ‘Red Horse,’ what the future holds for Early Graves + much more. When you went to write and record your new album ‘Red Horse,’ how did that feel going back into the studio without Makh Daniels? Going in to write music again was difficult. We had to lick our wounds physically and not physically, but you just do it and you play guitar and you play drums and you start to write. I do this band because I have to do it, I don’t do it because I just want to be in a band or something, I like to play riffs and I like to play music loud so that’s why I do it, so there was never any question that I was going to play for myself or that I was going to want to play with Dan or Matt or Tyler. As far as the actual recording studio, it was a little strange because we recorded with the same guy that did our previous record, ‘Goner,’ with Makh. By that point, it had already been almost two years. In fact, we finished recording the record two years to the date that Makh died, but there wasn’t any sort of weirdness about that. We told stories and s–t but it wasn’t weird. The whole situation is just so bizarre because in ‘Goner’ a lot of the lyrics are about death and suicidal thoughts. Do you feel like ‘Goner’ hits the fans harder now since Makh died? I think that’s maybe looking into it too much. The name Early Graves and the album ‘Goner,’ songs like ‘Mayday’ and ‘Trauma’ and ‘Give Up’ … I’m not a superstitious person but I’ve never looked at it like that. Maybe somebody else in the band has but I don’t believe in any sort of ‘supposed to happen’ or ‘meant to happen’ or anything like that. If people do look into that, it’s fascinating that they would think there’s connections between Makh dying and the song titles and the lyrics, but Makh didn’t foresee his death, no one did. More on the lyrical side, I know for me, I heard ‘Goner’ and I loved the record, but then after Makh died, a big change happened; it shifted. I already had that love for the record, but when that happened, I put the record on and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Yeah, I can most certainly see why with all the dark s–t that happened, but such is life, I guess. Well, I’m glad you guys kept going. Was there ever a point where you thought this band was not going to exist anymore? Yeah, certainly. I mean, Makh is very difficult to replace as a contributing member of the band; that goes without saying, but he’s also our friend, so it was hard to imagine, outside of his contributions as a band mate, it was hard to imagine being in a band without him. It’s kind of like I said earlier, it’s one of those things where you kind of wake up one day and you do the things that you did before the accident, you know? You have to do the things that you did before because otherwise you’ll find yourself stuck in this weird paralysis of life and I don’t want to be afraid of that kind of stuff, so being in this band, I don’t wanna be afraid to play music because something really terrible happened. Both you and your new vocalist are members of the Funeral Pyre. Are there any updates with that band at the moment? We’re writing a new album as well; it didn’t get put to the back burner or anything like that. The other dudes are actually still working on songs while I do Early Graves and John does Early Graves. We also do Funeral Pyre at home. We did a tour last year, shortly after our accident because they were in the van as well. We just did a tour with the Secret and that was good. We’re just writing a record and doing that whole thing. You guys mentioned onstage that you drove all the way from Arkansas to New York just to be a part of this Pig Destroyer show. Was two days worth of driving worth the 30 minutes of stage time? Oh yeah. I mean, if you would have told me 10 years ago that I was going to play with Pig Destroyer in New York and it was going to be a sold out show and my band would be playing, I would have told you you’re a liar, so it’s worth it. The show was great and New York’s always been great to us. I love playing here. Does Pig Destroyer influence you guys at all? Certainly, I mean, when you think of pinnacle grind bands, they’re definitely up there. Obviously, you know, Napalm Death and all the other stuff too, but Pig Destroyer are great and they’re one of the heaviest grind bands. They’re not just fast, they’re also really heavy and they have groove, so certainly they’re an influence. ‘Red Horse’ sounds very different than ‘Goner.’ What was the mindset of getting away from a cleaner sound to something more dirty and raw? The songs call for it. If we ever wrote an album that didn’t call for it, we would maybe record a little bit cleaner, but the songs are dirty songs and they need to sound filthy. We never went into the studio and said something to the effect of, ‘Can you make this sound dirtier?’ It’s just that the riffs lended themselves to this, and not just the riffs, all of it did; the bass, the guitar, the drums … all of it did. To purchase Early Graves’ new album, ‘Red Horse,’ click here . Listen to Early Graves, ‘Red Horse’ (Song)
Larry Busacca, Getty Images Foo Fighters recently announced they were going on hiatus , which made us think it was perfect time to reflect on the band's career so far and count down the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs. Who knew that the demos that Dave Grohl recorded in 1994 on his own would serve as the spark for what became one of the biggest rock bands in music? With the help of his Foo Fighters bandmates, Grohl has created a string of infectious, yet still hard-rocking hits. So, in their honor, let's rock through the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs: ? 10 'Learn to Fly' From: 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' (1999) ? ? If there is a choice for the most melodic, radio-friendly track in the Foo Fighters catalog, 'Learn to Fly' would have to be right up there. The lead single from the band's 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' album was a critical one for the group, as they were once again in the process of trying to replace a guitarist and working in drummer Taylor Hawkins on an album for the first time. Not so coincidentally, the song itself deals with the struggle for inspiration and “looking for a sign of life.” Listen to 'Learn to Fly' ? ? 9 'This Is a Call' From: 'Foo Fighters' (1995) ? ? 'This Is a Call' is a must for the 10 Best Foo Fighters Songs. The track introduced Dave Grohl as someone other than the guy who played drums in Nirvana , and guess what? He rocked! With the song, Grohl offers, “This is a call to all my past resignation,” which is his way of saying thank you to everyone from who was there for him along the way and announcing his arrival as an artist. Listen to 'This Is a Call' ? ? 8 'Stacked Actors' From: 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' (1999) ? ? The album 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose' found Dave Grohl escaping the glitter of Los Angeles for his more peaceful Virginia home, and the change of environment worked its way into song on the fan favorite track, 'Stacked Actors.' Dave Grohl told SwayMag.com , “'Stacked Actors' is a response to living in Hollywood for about a year and a half, and my disdain and disgust of everything plastic and phony, which is the foundation of that city.” Listen to 'Stacked Actors' ? ? 7 'Walk' From: 'Wasting Light' (2011) ? ? That never-give-up-spirit is at the heart of the Foo Fighters single 'Walk.' The final track on the 'Wasting Light' album leaves the listener on a high note, as Grohl sings about taking the next steps in life after believing he's “waited long enough” for everything to begin. The video for the song also left a memorable mark, as the band offered up their take on the Michael Douglas film 'Falling Down.' Listen to 'Walk' ? ? 6 'The Pretender' From: 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace' (2007) ? ? 'The Pretender' makes the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs because it represents what the band does best. The opening of the track is a moody, haunting, melodic piece that pulls you in, while the remainder of the song is an amped-up infusion of hard rock goodness. Grohl told England's XFM that the song is about being f—ed over and not getting what they were promised. Listen to 'The Pretender' ? ? 5 'Monkey Wrench' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? To intoduce 1997's 'The Colour and the Shape' album, Dave Grohl laid his soul bare on the lead single 'Monkey Wrench.' The track, which was an anthem for those frustrated by their place in a relationship, was penned as the singer's first marriage was falling apart. Grohl lets fly a feverish rant during the bridge that was captured in one shot during the album session, and there's emotion in track not heard on prior tracks. Listen to 'Monkey Wrench' ? ? 4 'All My Life' From: 'One by One' (2002) ? ? There may not be a harder driving song than 'All My Life,' which finds bassist Nate Mendel keeping the band on course while Grohl, guitarist Chris Shiflett and drummer Taylor Hawkins unleash the fury at several points during the song. Grohl revealed that the song started as an instrumental before it evolved into what we hear now. As for the lyrical content, Grohl would reveal to Q magazine , “That song is a little dirty. Use your imagination.” Listen to 'All My Life' ? ? 3 'My Hero' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? While some may be quick to attach the song 'My Hero' to any big time star or celebrity, that's not what the track is about. Grohl explained , “That's my way of saying that when I was young, I didn't have big rock heroes … My heroes were ordinary people and the people that I have a lot of respect for are just solid everyday people – people you can rely on.” With the Foo Fighters dealing with the exit of drummer William Goldsmith during sessions, Grohl played hero by returning to the kit on the song. Listen to 'My Hero' ? ? 2 'Best of You' From: 'In Your Honor' (2005) ? ? 'Best of You' makes the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs list as perhaps the most inspirational song the band has recorded. Filmmaker Mark Pellington, whose wife had died months earlier, reached out to the band to direct the video after the lyrical content helped him through a difficult time. Grohl revealed that the song actually almost never was, as the band had demoed so many tracks that it got lost in the shuffle until the group's manager asked him what happened to it. The song cracked the Top 10 on Loudwire's Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs list . Listen to 'Best of You' ? ? 1 'Everlong' From: 'The Colour and the Shape' (1997) ? ? 'Everlong' headlines our list of the Top 10 Foo Fighters Songs. The track has become a fan favorite over the years, in both fully rocked-out band style and with Grohl playing it acoustically by himself on occasion. The track came about during a low point in Grohl's life, and speaks to the immense feelings brought about by love. The singer told Mojo magazine that Bob Dylan once praised the song, saying that he should learn it, which was one of the biggest accolades he could have ever received. Listen to 'Everlong' ? ? What Is Your Favorite Foo Fighters Song? There you go, one by one we counted down the Top 10 Foo Fighters songs. Did we get the best for you, or is our list a pretender? It was hard narrowing it down to 10, so we know there are tracks you probably thought should have been there. Let us know what you would add and what you would drop in the comments section below: ?
Theo Wargo / Ethan Miller / Frazer Harrison , Getty Images VH1 Classic is bringing back “National Metal Day” for its second year, as the network will deliver a daylong celebration of all things metal on Nov. 11 (aka 11-11, as in ‘Turn It Up to 11″). The lead-in to ‘National Metal Day’ actually begins on Nov. 1 at 8PM ET/PT on the network with a series of concerts and documentaries from some of metal’s finest, as well as ‘America’s Hard 100,’ hosted by Fozzy ‘s Chris Jericho . The viewer-voted countdown kicks off Nov. 1 and airs each night at 9PM, with the final 10 being revealed on Nov. 10, the night before “National Metal Day.” The entire 10-hour countdown will re-air on Nov. 11 beginning at 10AM. ‘National Metal Day’ wouldn’t be complete without ‘That Metal Show,’ and hosts Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine will look back at the past 11 seasons of the show with ‘That Metal Special,’ which features special guests Sebastian Bach and Ace Frehley . Look for ‘That Metal Special’ at 8PM on Nov. 11. Rounding out the metal programming will be the premiere of the concert film, ‘ Judas Priest at the US Festival 1983,’ which revisits one of the band’s most memorable shows. The film starts at 9PM, followed by an encore of Iron Maiden ‘s documentary, ‘Iron Maiden: Flight 666,’ that concludes ‘National Metal Day.’ So get ready to turn it up to “11″ for VH1 Classic’s ‘National Metal Day’ programming on Nov. 11. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-judas-priest-songs/” title=”Next: Top 10 Judas Priest Songs” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com In this week’s edition of Loudwire’s Top 20 Countdown, Three Days Grace once again remain steady at the top spot with their single ‘Chalk Outline’ off of their new album ‘Transit of Venus.’ Halestorm also maintain their No. 2 spot for the sixth week in a row with their single ‘I Miss the Misery’ off of their latest album ‘The Strange Case Of…’ Stone Sour hold on at No. 3 this week with their new track ‘Absolute Zero,’ while Linkin Park climb a few spots to come in fourth with their single ‘Lost in the Echo.’ Soundgarden and their latest single ‘Been Away Too Long’ move up a spot to round out the top five. Other songs on the list include Slash ’s new single ‘Standing in the Sun’ featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators, Papa Roach ’s new tune ‘ Still Swingin’’ and Shinedown ‘s ‘Enemies.’ Deftones and their brand new single ‘Tempest’ are new to this week’s list, as well as Kid Rock ’s ‘Let’s Ride.’ Five Finger Death Punch reappear on this week’s Top 20 with their single ‘The Pride’ to round out the list. Check out the Top 20 songs below and be sure to tune in to Loudwire Radio this weekend to blast these tracks at full volume. Loudwire Radio Top 20 Songs of the Week: 20. Five Finger Death Punch, Pride’ 19. Kid Rock, ‘Let’s Ride’ 18. Chevelle, ‘Same Old Trip’ 17. Deftones, ‘Tempest’ 16. Seether, ‘Here and Now’ 15. Gaslight Anthem, ‘45’ 14. The Black Keys, ‘Little Black Submarines’ 13. All That Remains, ‘Stand Up (Stand Up)’ 12. Volbeat, ‘Heaven Nor Hell’ 11. Green Day ‘Let Yourself Go’ 10. In This Moment, ‘Blood’ 09. Avenged Sevenfold, ‘Carry On’ 08. Shinedown, ‘Enemies’ 07. Papa Roach, ‘Still Swingin’ 06. Slash, ‘Standing In The Sun’ 05. Soundgarden, ‘Been Away Too Long’ 04. Linkin Park, ‘Lost In The Echo’ 03. Stone Sour, ‘Absolute Zero’ 02. Halestorm, ‘I Miss the Misery’ 01. Three Days Grace, ‘Chalk Outline’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/loudwire-radio-station-list/” title=”See Which Stations Air Loudwire Radio” align=”center”]
Razor & Tie The Sword are back with the new album ‘Apocryphon,’ and Loudwire is giving you a chance to win a prize pack featuring a baseball tee, a 24″x36″ ‘Apocryphon’ poster, an autographed ‘Apocryphon’ CD and a limited-edition ‘Apocryphon’ cassette tape. The Texas rockers have stepped up their game on their latest release, and the guitars are as prominent as ever. Guitarist Kyle Shutt stated earlier this year , “I’m going to try to push myself with my guitar playing. A lot of the songs are more mid-tempo, but still impossibly heavy. People are going to like it. I think it’ll appeal to fans who aren’t fans right now. You can either get our first three record, you can just get this one.” The album just earned a four-star review from Loudwire. Highlights on the disc include the title track, the standout opening song ‘Veil of Isis,’ the incredibly catchy ‘Execrator’ and the trippy cut ‘Dying Earth.’ This is the band’s first release for their new label, Razor & Tie, and they’ll be launching a tour shortly to promote the effort. Fans can catch the band beginning Oct. 29 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Enter below for a chance to win The Sword’s ‘Apocryphon’ prize pack, which includes The Sword baseball tee, a 24″ x 36″ ‘Apocryphon’ poster, an autographed ‘Apocryphon’ CD and a limited-edition ‘Apocryphon’ cassette tape. You can also order the album at Best Buy or the Razor & Tie merch site . The Sword ‘Apocryphon’ Prize Pack Giveaway Enter your e-mail address and T-shirt size for a chance to win The Sword’s ‘Apocryphon’ prize pack, which includes The Sword baseball tee, a 24″ x 36″ ‘Apocryphon’ poster, an autographed ‘Apocryphon’ CD and a limited-edition ‘Apocryphon’ cassette tape. Contest ends Nov. 25, 2012. Click here for official rules . By entering this contest, you will receive email newsletters from Loudwire and be added to The Sword’s mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time. Email T-Shirt Size
Republic Records After recently announcing they will be releasing a greatest hits album on Nov. 19, 3 Doors Down have made the single ‘One Light’ available for free download. It’s one of three new songs in the collection. In addition to the new material, ‘The Greatest Hits’ includes remixed and remastered versions of 3 Doors Down’s smash hits like ‘Kryptonite,’ ‘Here Without You,’ ‘Be Like That’ and many more. 3 Doors Down will stage the 9th annual The Better Life Foundation concert on Nov. 17 at Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. The foundation’s motto is ‘Changing the World, One Life at a Time,’ and their mission is to make a positive change in the lives of children in need of food, shelter and medical assistance, and to enhance the lives of children and young adults with special needs. Earlier that day the band will participate in the annual Ride For A Cause . The Better Life Foundation concert is also the kickoff of 3 Doors Down’s co-headlining tour with Daughtry . P.O.D . will be opening on all the tour dates except for Nov. 27 – Dec. 3, when they’ll set sail on the 2012 ShipRocked Cruise . [button href=”http://splash.3doorsdown.com/” title=”Download 3 Doors Down’s ‘One Light’ Here” align=”center”] Watch 3 Doors Down’s ‘One Light’ Lyric Video
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Linkin Park are among a new list of performers announced for next month’s American Music Awards. The 40th anniversary edition of the awards will be held at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 18, and will be broadcast live on ABC. In addition to Linkin Park, other artists slated to perform are Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Christina Aguilera. Additional live performers and presenters will be announced later. Linkin Park is also nominated for an American Music Award in the Alternative Rock Music: Favorite Artist category. They are competing with Gotye and the Black Keys. For the sixth year, winners will be decided by online voting. There are several different sites where fans can cast their votes, including this one . There are awards in genres such as pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/R&B, adult contemporary, inspirational and electronic dance music. Shortly before the AMAs, Linkin Park will be in South Africa for the 7th International Linkin Park Underground Summit . The all-day event includes meet and greets, backstage tours, soundcheck entry, Q&A sessions and acoustic performances. The band plays a show that night (Nov. 7) in Cape Town, and will be in Johannesburg on Nov. 10. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/linkin-park-in-the-end-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Next: Linkin Park – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]