One of my favorite bands of all time is Machine Head. They’re about the only band that has stayed true to their roots and not wandered from metal into mainstream rock in recent years (can’t say the same for Linkin Park or Slipknot). The lead singer, Rob Flynn, is fucking amazing… He has so much energy and knows how to work giant crowds. At one time during Sonisphere 2009, he got the crowd to do twenty-one circle pits at one time. Yeah, he’s good.

Machine Head was founded back in 1992 by Flynn (who also plays guitar) and Adam Duce (bassist, backup vocals). Their first album, Burn My Eyes, will thrash you from start to finish. My personal favorite from it is “Davidian” which is nothing but pure thrash metal. It also is a bit controversial due to its lyrics, but hey, what’s thrash metal without controversy? Anyway, they went on to release The More Things Change… in 1997 (with new drummer Dave McClain), which debuted at #138 on the Billboard 200 and toured with Ozzfest in support of it. Check out “Struck a Nerve” from it. If you want to see what I mean by 21 circle pits, check out this song performed at Sonisphere 2009. Complete insanity…

From there, they went on to release The Burning Red in 1999 and received an uproar from their fans claiming that they were trying to “sell out.” Honestly, I don’t see how they were. I mean, what Backstreet Boy fan wants to listen to “The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears”? I admit, though, the rapping in “From This Day” is very unlike thrash metal, but it’s still metal! But in 2001, they redeemed themselves with Supercharger. However, their debut single off the album “Crashing Around You” was banned from MTV due to depictions of the 9/11 attacks. Because of this, their label, Roadrunner, stopped the funding the band, thus making Machine Head leave the record label. Not long after, their lead guitarist, Ahrue Luster, left and was replaced by Phil Demmel.

Machine Head’s next album was Through the Ashes of Empires (released in 2003), and in my opinion, is one of their strongest albums to date. Songs like “Imperium” and “Bite the Bullet” really define what modern thrash metal is, and it was also the first album to feature the current lineup altogether. They toured for a while in support of the album and headlined the Wacken Open Air Festival in 2005 (played to largest crowd-40,000 people). After that, they went into the studio to work on their sixth album, The Blackening, their strongest album. It has been the most successful Machine Head album to date and has gotten them the status of one of the leading bands in American thrash metal.

They’ve been touring for almost three years now and have said that they will go into the studio around January 2010 to start writing and recording the new album. Can’t wait until then!

Here are some my favorite songs from them. If you like thrash, you’ll love them all.

1. “The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears” -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwXwB9cY9Zo

2. “Halo” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-SohL691kc

3. “Struck a Nerve” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjqX429DbcY

4. “Imperium” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xEtC7sBvUc

5. “Crashing Around You” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVUItOTpvfo

I’m going to start a segment on here where I give my top ten songs I’m listening to right now. Not all are current songs, but they all rock.  My top ten this week are:

10. Whatever – Godsmack

9.  Stoned – Puddle of Mudd

8. Struck a Nerve – Machine Head

7. Full Nelson – Limp Bizkit

6. Brave New World – Iron Maiden

5. Hammer Smashed Face – Cannibal Corpse

4. Killed By Death – Motorhead

3. Bloodline – Slayer

2. World Painted Blood – Slayer

1.  Sign of an Open Eye – Gorgoroth

For a bit of background information, Sonisphere is one the newest metal festivals that tours around Europe. With the lineup Sonisphere has this year, it could easily compete with Download (known as Donnington in the 90s) or Ozzfest. Even last year, Sonisphere had acts such as Metallica, Linkin Park, Bullet for My Valentine, Down, Lamb of God, etc. Also, Machine Head (one of my favorite bands) played there last year and gave one of the most adrenaline charged performances I’ve ever seen (This is Halo…the crowd surfing is insane [around 4:00]  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-SohL691kc)  So you get the point, this festival is becoming HUGE.

This year Sonisphere is going to be FUCKING INSANE! The headliners this year are Iron Maiden AND Rammstein…which would be enough for me right there. Instead, they’ve added Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, SLAYER, METALLICA, MEGADETH,  ANTHRAX, Mastodon, Behemoth, The Cult, and Iggy & the Stooges. You probably noticed I put the Big Four in caps. Why? BECAUSE THEY’RE PLAYING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY ALL TOGETHER! But the thing is, they’re all playing in Poland with their special guests being Mastodon and Behemoth while Iron Maiden, Rammstein, The Cult, Iggy & the Stooges, Alice Cooper, and Motley Crue are playing the U.K. dates. The two concerts are about a month apart from each other, so you could go to both if you wanted.

I’m probably going to one of these, but I have no idea of which to go to. On one side you’ve got Iron-fucking-Maiden with Motley Crue and Alice Cooper, but then on the other side, you’ve got the Big Four performing together for the first time in history… Any suggestions? Any input would be appreciated!

(For more information on Sonisphere, here’s a link to their website. That one goes to the U.K. festival, but there are about five festivals across Europe in all.)

http://uk.sonispherefestivals.com/

Bleeding Through are back in the studio tracking their newest material with legendary producer Zuess. Head over to MySpace Metal to check out exclusive videos of the band as they work on the new album. Episode 1 can be viewed now here.

Episode 2 will premiere next week. Hear samples of the riffage that will be unveiled on their debut Rise Records release. The yet-to-be-titled album is expected to hit stores Spring 2010. In the meantime check out tour dates for their upcoming European tour with Machine Head and Hatebreed at www.myspace.com/bleedingthrough.

26.03.2007

There are occasionally moments in a band’s career where something truly special is produced, something that elevates them to a status far greater than that which they previously occupied. March 2007 was such a moment for Machine Head, a band who had lost a great deal of credibility in many people’s eyes with their hugely disappointing forays into nu metal in the late ‘90s after they had announced themselves to the metal world in spectacular style with 1994’s stunning debut Burn My Eyes. Respect was re-born with the impressive Through the Ashes of Empires in 2003, but it still carried a certain feeling of unfulfilled potential – a potential which is realised to its fullest extent on The Blackening.

Quite simply, the hour long opus is as close as most out-and-out metal bands had previously come to penning a masterpiece in the 21^st century. Stacked full of pounding riffs interlaced with pinch harmonics which appear to drill into the skull and brilliant dual lead work from Rob Flynn and Phil Demmel, this should make any true metal fan experience some sort of orgasmic enlightenment – every song is a glorious example of everything which is brilliant about metal. Opener Clenching the Fists of Dissent, Halo and A Farewell to Arms, with their dark, ominous intros, showcase all of Machine Head’s abilities, with riffs that twist and turn in a fantastic combination of unpredictability and repetition, while Beautiful Mourning and Slanderous are pure out-and-out thrash metal at its very best. Aesthetics of Hate (a furious torrent of abuse directed towards William Grim), Now I Lay Thee Down and Wolves carry the grinding, slow-burn impetus of a unrestrained tank, pumping wave after wave of crushing riffs into the listener’s consciousness.

Leading by example throughout this wonderful exercise in carefully managed and (just) restrained aggression is an absolute masterclass from band leader Rob Flynn, who unleashes his most dominant vocal performance (both clean and growled) to date. The levels of anger portrayed in his vocals merge seamlessly with his blinding guitar-work, however – there is never a moment of ambiguity with his gripping yells of “fuck you all!” etc. Meanwhile, Adam Duce and Dave McClain put in top-quality performances in their own fields (bass and drums respectively) and Phil Demmel’s soloing is exemplary.

Although Through the Ashes of Empires had previously hinted at the path the band was going to take with regards to long, unpredictable songs, few would have predicted just how far those ideas were going to go – whilst calling Machine Head ‘progressive’ may be stepping just a little to far, there is certainly a brilliant freedom about some of these 9 or 10 minute epics that goes beyond simple groove or thrash metal (and despite the lengths, there never a dull moment where the music appears to drag). As an exercise in dynamic diversity and power, this album reminds me of Metallica’s …And Justice for All, which is among the highest praise I can afford it.

There are few albums released which I can truly say rank alongside many of the classics of the 1970s and ‘80s, but this is undoubtedly one of them. When talking about classic albums, we have the advantage of hindsight to demonstrate the influence and example that album has provided – we don’t have that luxury here, but if I had to put money on any modern metal album going on to be held up as a classic of its genre in years to come, I’d find hard to find another with as strong a case as The Blackening.

An absolute must for any album looking to receive top marks though must be soul and spirit. No good being ‘technically’ brilliant, you have to sound like you mean it, provide real depth to your music. No doubt about the character of this, however – the material on display here could make Gordon Brown leap off his leather-bound armchair and solo-mosh is way through no. 10.

The Blackening should be held up as a giant ‘fuck you’ to all the unbelievers, as it provides us with another example of why our music is unquestionably the best. Machine Head have truly pushed the boat out, raised the bar beyond the reach of the pretenders, and elevated themselves to within reach of glory. There are some albums that should be put in crystal cases (after being plugged into massive amplification, obviously), while the faithful masses queue to kneel and pay their respects to stirling examples of the greatest genre out there. This is one of them – pay your dues.

10/10

I’ve been fooled by Machine Head’s ability to create a good leadoff single before, only to be let down by their lack of staying power. One day in, I loved Burn My Eyes. One week in, I found I was listening to “Davidian” a lot more than the rest of the record. One month in, I’d basically moved on. A year later it was making its way to the top of the Sell for Beer Money pile.

Since then I’ve looked in from time to time, to be underwhelmed again and again. So it was with admitted indifference that I opened up my new copy of The Blackening, some two years late. The critics had been kind this time, and I had always found Robb Flynn’s contribution to Roadrunner United amongst the strongest, so I figured what the hell.

No normal “single” this time, as the lenghty lead-up to And Justice for All ”Clenching the Fists of Dissent” sets the stage for a ten-minute sustained salvo of time changes, screams, whispers, chants, choruses, anti-choruses, solos, bridges and just about everything else you can think of. Does it always work? No, but it’s a ballsy statement, and if I was concerned before about MH’s commitment to making a full 45-minute record, they’ve already knocked off a quarter of that post haste. There’s more multiple-riff proggy death in the offing as most of the songs clock in at six-seven-eight-nine and yes, another ten-minuter at the bookend. Have no fear, each new flight of fancy is rendered in cleanly executed tones supervised by Colin Richardson.

There you have it; Machine Head has delivered a long, messy, heavy and most importantly, complete record. Sure, The Blackening wears its influences way out front, but this is the kind of sincere flattery that can revive a moribund franchise, something that might just have made an impression in the studio where Death Magnetic was being recorded and inviting a return of favours. 7 out of 10

The St. Louis Chapter of the American Awakening has been in the national mix since the beginning of this story.  The St. Louis School of common sense conservatism has emerged as at least as formidable as the Chicago Political Machine.  

During the summer town hall meetings, Kenneth Gladney, a black vendor was viciously attacked by SEIU union thugs who called him the N word.  The two men who assaulted him were black, and explicitly citied his being a black person opposed to Obama as being the reason why they attacked him.  

Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingham, Glenn Beck, and Bill O’Reilly all featured the incident on their programs.  This helped bring to light the questionable relationship between SEIU, ACCORN, and Barrack Obama.

When Obama leapt at the chance to defend his buddy Professor Gates, a black man who had wrongly accused the police of racism, he exposed a clear bias against the Gladney case.  He had often cited SEIU as his allies, even stating that they would be part of shaping the nations transformation.

Ernst Rohm and the Brownshirts were also promised a part of shaping Germany’s future in the 1930’s

The unwillingness of local district attorneys to prosecute the case, as well as the case of Kelly Owens, demonstrates this administration’s selective attention.  Attorney General Eric Holder is eager to prosecute our intelligence operatives, but has put no pressure on this situation.

Shameful.

Also, the Whole Foods Buycott, a commercial support of the company’s CEO for opposing the Health Care Reform, resulted in a $50,000 profit for the company. Dana Loesch and Gina Louden did more to save the nation’s economy in one day than this congress and this president has done in an entire year.

Dana has also spearheaded the “Dump Dede”  campaign, which helped save us from another Republican advocate of this Statist agenda.  And the resounding support for Doug Hoffman, a relative unknown, suggested possibilities that color the vision for a groundbreaking 2010 election.

On MSNBC, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine unsuccessfully tried to diminish the gains of the national grassroots movement.  He claimed that the Tea Party Awakening was “savaging” the Republican Party, and that it was actually going to benefit the Democrats in 2010.  He insisted that the movement had “sacked the Republican nominee” in New York-23.

This shows his ignorance and fear.  Politicians like Kaine act as though we don’t know what these candidates stand for.  What’s the point in voting for a Republican that is going to vote for things we don’t want.  As if we will feel good about giving our freedom away as long as it’s being supervised by a few Republicans.

Hey Tim, sometimes when you pretend that some else is dumb, it makes you look stupid.

Orange County hardcore band Bleeding Through, preparing to enter the studio to record its sixth studio effort, will be hitting the road in the New Year for an overseas tour with Machine Head. The Black Procession Tour will also include Hatebreed and All Shall Perish.

Five brand new U.K. and Irish dates have just been announced on the trek. Fan presale links for tickets will be made available on Wednesday, November 25 and general public ticket sales begin on Friday, November 27.

The Black Procession Tour Dates
01/23 Germany, Stuttgart – Schleyerhalle
01/25 Germany, Offenbach – Stadhalle
01/26 Germany, Hamburg – Grosse Freiheit Freiheit
01/29 Norway, Oslo – Rockefeller
01/30 Sweden, Stockholm – Arena
02/03 Denmark, Copenhagen – Tap 1
02/04 Holland, Amsterdam – Heineken Music Hall
02/05 Belgium, Brussels – Forest National
02/06 France, Paris – Zenith
02/08 Switzerland, Zurich – Volkshaus/Sportznetrum
02/09 Italy, Milan – Alcatraz
02/10 Austria, Vienna – Gasometer
02/12 Germany, Munich – Zenith
02/13 Germany, Leipzig – Haus Avensee
02/14 Germany, Koln – Palladium
02/16 UK, Plymouth – Pavilion
02/17 UK, Newport – Newport Centre
02/18 UK, London – Academy Brixton
02/21 UK, Birmingham – Academy Birmingham
02/22 UK, Leeds – Leeds Academy
02/23 UK, Glasgow – Academy Glasgow
02/25 UK, Newcastle – Newcastle Academy
02/26 UK, Manchester – Manchester Apollo
02/28 Ireland, Dublin – Olympia
03/01 Ireland, Belfast – Georges Market

By Zach Shaw

While it isn’t exactly the mega historic tour featuring the big four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) everyone was gossiping about, getting half of that lineup is still pretty unbelievable. Tickets officially went on sale last week for the American Carnage Tour featuring Slayer, Megadeth and Testament. The landmark tour will be taking place this coming January and February. Slayer and Megadeth already did the unthinkable by performing together (despite their slew of heated words for one another) on mini tours in Canada and Australia/New Zealand. So we can thank god that they are giving U.S. fans the chance to see both thrash titans share the stage once again. I myself have already purchased my ticket for their stop in Lowell, MA on February 14 (best part: I only spent a little above $10 for good seats!!! Haha).

Seeing Megadeth and Slayer on their own (let alone together) is enough to make fans storm to a venue. Combine the two with Testament … well HELLZ YEAH! As amazing as this lineup is though, I personally would have liked to have seen one more act added. Not that this line up needs another act to make it any better (umm, did I tell you that Megadeth, Slayer and Testament are playing together?!). However, it would be cool to see the elder gods of metal pass the torch to an up and coming metal band, as a way to put the spotlight on the future of metal.

So who should be the fourth addition who represents the new generation amongst a line up of legends? Well here are a few suggestions of likely candidates and bands I simply would love to see added:

-Machine Head: These guys would probably be everyone’s first choice for multiple reasons. 1. Machine Head already took part in Slayer and Megadeth’s previous tours. 2. Both Slayer and Megadeth have praised them not stop for their greatness. 3. fans simply cannot get enough of them (rightfully so) And 4. to simply put it: THEY ARE AWSOME!!! The only reason why they probably wouldn’t take part in this tour is because they have been touring non-stop for the past 3 years (you name the band, they probably were on tour with them recently). As much as I love The Blackening, I’d recommend that the band takes a tiny rest and record another great album. The more music from Machine Head the better!

-Shadows Fall: These guys would probably be one of my first choices. Hot off of their latest release Retribution, the boys from Mass have proven that they are ready to be the next big metal icons. Being part of such a major tour would be great exposure to a band who put on a top-notch show and have grown as musicians and song writers. Hopefully the band will get on Mayhem Fest next year (maybe we could also start a campaign to get them on this tour? I’d be down to push!).

-Suicide Silence: These guys would be a likely choice because they also served as openers (along with Machine Head) on Slayer and Megadeth’s previous tours this past year. They are an up and coming band who has received both critical and fan praise for their music and live show.
UPDATE: It appears that Suicide Silence has been removed from the last show of Megadeth’s most recent U.S. tour (where they were the second to last openers) under not so great circumstances. Read more here. So this makes their chances of appearing on the American Carnage Tour very unlikely.

-God Forbid: Call me biased, but I would love to see my fellow NJ thrashers on such a line up. Not only do they put on an energy packed show, but they have continue to grow musically (I dare you to listen to their latest release Earthsblood and tell me it isn’t spectacular). God Forbid is a band that should be amongst the top of their generation (always just shy of getting the rightful exposure), and being a part of this tour would help get them there faster.

-Devildriver: Mixing melody with hardcore death metal, Devildriver has always stood out amongst the crowd. Always releasing incredible albums (listen to their recent release Pray For Villains asap!), they have always been just shy of getting the exposure they deserve. With their intense live shows, Devildriver would have made a great addition to an already amazing tour. Sadly, these guys will definitely not be apart of this tour for they just announced a tour with Suffocation that will occur during the same time. A shame, but hell: a Devildriver and Suffocation tour is pretty awesome as well!!!

-High On Fire: These guys are also likely candidates for being a late addition since they were rumored to be on the lineup before the American Carnage Tour was confirmed (only to not be included in the official press release). While they wouldn’t be my first choice, High On Fire are a great band and know how to put on a hell of a show. Plus, with their sludge metal sound, the band would stand out in a lineup filled with thrash metal.

-Trivium: Admit it, once you saw the name in front of this you screamed out loud “Oh Hell Yeah!”. Trivium’s mix of screaming and melodic thrash would be a perfect addition to this tour (maybe too perfect if that’s possible). Add in their powerful performance (see my review of their show in Worcester, MA) and you’d get even the pickiest old metal fans believing they saw the second coming. As perfect as this may seem, this addition may be unlikely for Trivium announced the most recent leg of Into The Mouth Of Hell We Tour as their last tour in support of the album Shogun. Then again, I would probably change around my schedule if I got offered to open for Slayer AND Megadeth.

-The Black Dahlia Murder: After seeing them on Mayhem Fest this past summer, I have been hooked. Black Dahlia Murder’s music and performance would simply make them a great addition to such a lineup. ENOUGH SAID!

-Chimaira: The boys from Cleveland, Ohio would tear the stage apart night after night (see my review of their opening slot at Trivium’s show for more on their awsome live performance). With its mix of sludge and hardcore, Chimaira would stand out amongst the lineup of legends. Additionally, Slayer guitarist Kerry King has praised them many times over the past few years (thus making their chances a lot stronger).

So these are who I would suggest to be the new addition to an already amazing bill. To repeat, I am not saying that the American Carnage Tour needs to acquire an additional band (the three thrash gods are wwaayy more than enough). I am just saying it would be cool to see a newer band get the chance to be exposed to a wider audience.

Is there a band I left off that you feel deserves to be considered? Which up and coming band would you want to see go on tour with Megadeth, Slayer and Testament? Leave a comment and let your choice be heard!

Next Month marks 5 years since legendary Pantera and Damageplan guitarist Dimebag was tragically shot dead onstage. To commemorate this sad occasion, UK metal magazine Metal Hammer will be giving away a free CD of Pantera covers, including:

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – “A New Level”
UNEARTH – “Sandblasted Skin”
MACHINE HEAD – “Fucking Hostile”
CHIMAIRA – “Slaughtered”
EVILE – “Cemetery Gates”
ZAKK WYLDE – “Suicide Note Pt. 1″
The CD will also include tracks from MALEFICE, SYLOSIS, THIS IS HELL, THROWDOWN, BIOHAZARD & KIUAS.

No Trouble: Anton, Michail, Andrej und Alexej

Es ist schon ein kleines Wunder, das da geschehen ist, nachdem unerwartet die schwedischen Partner aus Eskilstuna, wo der Rock-Nachwuchs besondere staatliche Förderung erfährt, in dem Jahr nach vier Jahren in Folge heuer keine Band zum Newcomer-Festival nach Erlangen schicken konnten. Es sprang nämlich ausgerechnet Wladimir in die Bresche, Wladimir, das im Bereich Kultur hier in Franken über ein Vierteljahrhundert hinweg für vieles bekannt und geschätzt ist, sicher aber nicht den Ruf genießt, der aktuellen Rockmusik eine Heimat zu bieten. Chöre, Folklore-Ensembles, Solisten, Orchester, Schauspieler, Schriftsteller, Puppentheater, Ausstellungen, Künstlerbegegnungen, sogar Jazzer… Das ganze Programm eben. Bis auf die Rockmusik. Diesen weißen Fleck auf der Landkarte der Partnerschaft hatte vor Jahren auch schon Karl Heinz Lindner, 1. Vorsitzender des Stadtverbands Kultur, erkannt und begleitete persönlich eine Erlanger Band nach Wladimir; später spielte sogar Fiddler’s Green während des 20jährigen Partnerschaftsjubiläums in der Stadt an der Kljasma. Aber es wollte bisher nicht gelingen, eine Band von dort nach hier zu bringen.

Dabei ist die Einladung das eine, die Teilnahme etwas ganz anderes. Da muß nämlich einiges in Gang und vor allem Geld ins Spiel kommen. In einem Land, wo es bisher für junge Rockmusiker – ganz im Unterschied zum klassischen Fach – keinerlei staatliche Förderung gibt, und erst recht in einer Stadt, deren zusammengestrichener Kulturetat längst anderweitig verplant war, ganz unerwartet die Gelegenheit zu erhalten, erstmals ins Ausland zu reisen, ist schon ein kleines Wunder für “No Touble”. Die Band, gegründet vor fünf Jahren von Andrej, sieht sich dem Metall-Stil des “Alternative Rock” der 90er Jahre und den Helden ihrer Jugend wie “Machine Head”, “Sepultura” oder “Soulfly” verpflichtet. Ihrer Jugend? Ja,  die Musiker aus Wladimir geben zwar heute und morgen beim Newcomer Festival ihr Debüt im Erlanger E-Werk, aber zu den Jüngsten werden sie dort nicht mehr zählen, sind sie doch schon im gesetzten Alter von 21 bis 28 Jahren und haben bereits vor der Gründung ihrer Band Musik gemacht. Musik übrigens durchaus auch klassischer Prägung. Einer von ihnen, Michail, war sogar schon als Junge mit dem Knabenchor von Eduard Markin in Erlangen, woran er noch lebhafte Erinnerungen hat. “No Trouble” rechnet sich selbst trotzdem immer noch zum Underground. Man muß zwar nicht mehr überall und nur für Gottes Lohn spielen, hat sich einen Namen gemacht und sogar beim Stadtfest Anfang September den Publikums- und Jurypreis gewonnen, kann sogar in einem Kulturhaus mietfrei proben, aber es fehlt an Bühnen und Clubs für Auftritte. Vor allem in der Provinz rund um Wladimir, wo man bisher die meisten Gigs gegeben hat. Die Musik spielt halt doch in Moskau, wo es neben anständigen, wenn auch unanständig teuren Instrumenten auch das Publikum gibt. Da ist die Spannung natürlich groß, wie ihre Stücke – abgesehen von Cover-Versionen in russischer Sprache - bei den Erlanger Rockfans ankommen. Zwei Mal wird man das zu sehen und zu hören bekommen: Heute abend um 21.30 Uhr auf der Kellerbühne, und morgen um 23.15 Uhr auf der Club-Bühne.

Ganz ohne “Trouble” geht es bei der Truppe natürlich nicht, zumal sie 2004 ohne das “No” im Namen anfing und erst durch den verneindenden Zusatz aus dem Gröbsten herausfand. So ist das eben, wenn der Name zum Programm wird. Was aber, wenn, wie kurz vor der Abreise, der Rhythmus-Gitarrist sich das Bein bricht? Aus dem Tritt läßt man sich dadurch nicht bringen. “Als Band muß man immer auf alles eingestellt sein”, lacht Andrej, Gründer und Kopf der Band. “Schlimmer wäre es, wenn unser Schlagzeuger ausgefallen wäre. Ohne Iwan, unseren fünften Mann, werden wir halt noch härter, noch aggresiver spielen.” Karin Lippert vom Kulturamt, dem die Förderung der Projekts zu verdanken ist, schreckt das nicht. Sie weiß, wie sie die Jungs zu nehmen hat: “Bühne und Leben sind zwei ganz verschiedene Dinge. Richtig zuvorkommend, ausgesprochen freundlich, interessiert und angenehm sind die Vier.” Und ihre Kollegin, Dina Kruglowa, im nächsten Jahr für das Programm der Erlanger Band zuständig, die den Publikumspreis erhält, strahlt, wenn sie von ihren ersten Eindrücken berichtet: “Nürnberg, Erlangen, die Gastfreundschaft, alles wunderbar.” Womit wir wieder bei den kleinen Wundern wären.

Bevor es am Sonntag nach Hause geht, steht für die Band noch ein besonderer Programmpunkt an: ein Besuch in Treppendorf beim Musikhaus Thomann. Da leuchten jetzt schon die Augen, denn selbst in Moskau ist bisher bei Instrumenten die Auswahl begrenzt. Seit gestern nachmittag fühlen sich die Gäste aus Wladimir im übrigen in Erlangen schon wie zu Hause. Valentin Wetsch ist selber aus der Musikszene, und er spricht Russisch. Nun aber genug mit den kleinen Wundern. Bald heißt es, wie zu Ilja Richters Zeiten: “Licht aus, Spot an!” im E-Werk zu Erlangen. Nix wie hin!  

Die Besetzung von “No Trouble”:

• Andrej Trubin (Gitarre, Gesang), Gründer und Bandleader, Organisator von Konzerten;
• Michail Buschin (Gesang), Ideengeber der Band mit klassischer Musikausbildung, lebte zwei Jahre in China, ist künstlerisch aktiv, ehemaliges Mitglied des Wladimirer Knabenchors;
• Anton Goldow (Baß, Gesang), klassische Musikausbildung, sang früher in einem Kirchenchor;
• Iwan Waschkowez (Gitarre), klassische Musikausbildung;
• Alexej Schtschibrow (Schlagzeug).

Se avete familiarità con il disco “Life Is Peachy” dei Korn (1996) saprete che, dopo quella breve e schizofrenica intro di nome Twist, parte un pezzo alquanto devastante intitolato Chi. Il brano prende il nome da Chi Cheng, grande amico della band di Bakersfield, oltre che poeta e soprattutto bassista storico dei Deftones, altrettanto nota formazione californiana che insieme ai Korn è stata tra i pionieri del fortunatissimo genere nu metal. Tredici anni dopo, Fieldy dei Korn si è reso promotore e produttore, insieme a Q-Unique degli StillWell, di un secondo brano legato all’amico bassista: A Song for Chi. Si tratta di un brano strumentale composto e inciso progressivamente con il contributo di membri di Korn, Slipknot, Metallica, Machine Head, Disturbed, P.O.D., Sevendust, Hatebreed e Killswitch Engage, scaricabile gratuitamente sull’apposito sito internet, dove è anche possibile guardare il videoclip girato per l’occasione ed effettuare donazioni a favore della famiglia di Chi.

Chi Cheng, 39 anni, è entrato in coma il 4 novembre 2008 a seguito di un grave incidente automobilistico. Ancora oggi, a oltre un anno di distanza, si trova in stato minimamente cosciente e, dopo essere stato ricoverato a lungo in una clinica specializzata nel nord della California, da un paio di mesi è ritornato a casa, dove pare stia facendo qualche piccolo ma significativo progresso. Il sistema sanitario americano, come sappiamo, non è particolarmente efficiente, e dalla metà di gennaio l’assicurazione di Chi ha smesso di pagare per le sue spese mediche. Una persona vicina alla famiglia del musicista ha deciso di aprire un apposito sito internet, chiamato “One Love for Chi”, allo scopo di raccogliere fondi per contribuire alle ingenti spese: finora si sono raggiunti risultati sorprendenti, con delle offerte che hanno superato i 77mila dollari.

Questa sera e domani i Deftones suoneranno due concerti di beneficenza a favore di Chi all’Avalon di Hollywood, accompagnati dal bassista Sergio Vega (già nelle file dei Quicksand). Quale migliore occasione per rivolgere al bassista californiano un augurio di pronta guarigione, e proporvi il suggestivo videoclip di uno dei brani più splendidi della band di Sacramento. A presto, Chi.

IL VIDEO: Deftones, Minerva (da “Deftones”, 2003)

A consommer de préférence avant l’apocalypse.

J’ai eu un gros retour en force de musique burnée dans ma vie auditive. Voici une petite sélection de trucs qui m’ont traversés les oreilles avec plus ou moins de plaisir ces derniers mois. Ces reviews sont déjà vieilles, mais bon…

Skeletonwitch – Beyond The Permafrost

Bon disque de trash à l’ancienne, avec des guitares à 10.000, des mélodies qui envoient et plus de double pédales que dans les bars de Golden Dai où Robin m’a amené jadis, le tout joué par un groupe de squelettes ashkenaze. Enfin, peut-être.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Dqjr2X_Ho

I Am Error – Trout Yogurt

Du bon nintendocore (Hardcore + musique de super NES).

Qui peut résister à des titres comme «  Forrest of Fellatio » ou « The Reason We Vomit Is To Show How Dedicated We Are To Lose Weight » ?
En meme temps, ca peut sembler beaucoup pompé sur the locust.

Machine Head – Burn My Eyes

Je me demande comment c’est possible de ne pas retrouver sur le net de traces de ce magazine auquel j’étais abonné étant adolescent, RAGE.

Outre le cliché du nom et parfois des articles (mais la presse rock est morte en 1982, radote -peut-être à raison, mais bon, j’en ai marre de lire ses jérémiades- Yves Adrien) et des parti-pris, ca m’aura permis de connaître pas mal de groupes, dont celui-la.
Du gros métal à l’ancienne, mais avec une sacré agresivité malgré le coté très mid-tempo, trop chevelu-torticoli pour moi en règle generale (je préfère écouter les trucs « droit dans le mur » et « je danse en scaphandre » séparément…Ne mélangeons pas Vader et Neurosis. Quoique…).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mWPPBW4DU8

Et puis le chanteur avec ses 3 petites dreadlocks dans la barbe, c’te classe...(en 1995)…げろかっこい…

From Ashes Rise / Victims – Split

A force, on aura compris que je bloque sur From Ashes Rise.
La surprise, c’est Victims, qui défonce dans un accabi proche, la bande-son d’une émasculation de chamois à la serpette rouillé, les groupes d’illuminés hurlant des chansons d’Alizée en dansant dans les arbres en slip Adidas acrylique bleu roi et barbe de 3 semaines, une branche de houx dans chaque oreille.

Comme l’image n’est peut-être pas très claire, c’est du hardcore avec de la vrai burne dedans, joué vite et fort, comme un parpaing dans ta gueule au réveil. Énorme.

Antitainement – Nach der Kippe, Pogo ?

Pas facile d’essayer de mélanger la musique et l’humour. Surtout quand on est allemand.
Déjà le titre : « Un pogo après le travail ? »…je sais pas si c’était une bonne idée.
De plus, toute personne prononçant le mot « pogo » est potentiellement suspecte de blaireauïtude.

Bon…musicalement, c’est pas atroce : du Screamo à la mode, moderne, avec l’inévitable touche nintendocore fashionable (voir plus haut ). Du clavier qui fait n’importe quoi, en somme, et des breaks imbéciles au milieu, funk, electro, tout ca.
C’est sauvé par le fait que les gars savent vaguement jouer et ont un certain sens de la mélodie. Par contre, par moment, j’aurais aime ne pas comprendre les textes.

Quelque part entre les très copies The Locust, I AmError et NOFX (pour le cote cheap et potache). Bof, très bof (Pour ne pas dire vraiment en bois.).

I Object – Teaching Revenge

Encore un groupe dans la veine des « I + un verbe » (I spoke, I reject, etc), mais avec une voix féminine (oui, un minimum, quoi…) et des chansons assez crust-punk, jouées vite et salement, agressives mais mélodiques. Moins pénible que Submission Hold, assez agréable, en gros.

Stillrise – A Dance After Apocalypse

Fallait pas manger du steak !
Gros Metalcore, avec des solos (métal) et tout. Agressivement métal et putassierement métal, c’est pas métalement mauvais.

Voix assez death-grindisante, ou alors hardcore tough-guy moderne (moderne : porte une barbe et des pantalons volcom pour cacher qu’il a désormais une bouée kronenbourg. Contraste avec le tough-guy passé, qui sentait de l’aisselle, dansait le KDS et portait des baggy pour masquer son essai d’être tellement vegan que même le guacamole sur lequel est une mouche avait volé était sujette au refus. Souvent belge. « True Till Death! », ahaha).
Ah ouin, c’est métal. Je l’ai déjà dit ?

Coalesce – There Is Nothing New Under The Sun

Pas bien nouveau non plus, ce disque dont le groupe s’est séparé il y a déjà 5 ans.
Par contre, le meilleur album de reprise de Led Zepelin existant à ma connaissance. Première partie bien lourde, avec une dimension oppressante données à Immigrant Song (un rouleau compresseur de guitares), Black Dog (dansant comme une séance de body building à theme « hormones+LSD a la gym») et bien d’autres, suivis d’une courte deuxième partie acoustique, avec la perle « Thank You », déprimante mais jouissive.
La réédition du disque adjoint d’autres reprises de BoySetsFire (venant du split) et Black Sabbath, entre autres plus ou moins dispensables à mon avis

Youth Of Togay – Want More Guys 7′

Amis de la finesse, bonsoir. Une claire parodie de Youth Of Today, ou un hommage, si vous voulez. Du straight edge youth crew style très classique, sauf les textes qui parlent de bite dans le cul. Ouééééé !
Mention speciale à l’introduction (mmmmh…) de Make The Change (singalong : « No Cunts ! No Cunts ! » Wow…)

“It’s a big deal you fuck guys, I’m cool, I’ve got friends who fuck guys….in jail.”

Doughnuts – The Age Of Circle

Pas un disque majeur des nenettes d’Umea (combien de groupes pour ce bled ?), pas tout jeune (1995).

Mais du gros HxC TRES métal, avec une voix pas franchement féminine, mais apres Walls Of Jericho, on a vite fait de relativiser.
Agréable à petite dose, un peu vieillit, franchement, mais pour ceux qui se souviennent de l’epoque du H8000, KDS et GoodLife, c’est pas loin, avec plus d’émotions et moins de mains tenant ses couilles en hurlant (par contre, les maillots de basket en mesh XXX(L) vous y aurez droit.)

Hollow Jan – EP

Bon EP de ces coreens qui sonnent vraiment un peu trop comme Envy pour qu’on s’extasie. Ça reste honnête et très screamo-post-machin-rock, donc.

Damad – Burningcold

De prime abord, c’est imbitable : lourd et lent sans être sludge, ca semble mou et usant. En effet, si on s’attends à du speed (la faute à la pochette façon Crude ?) , c’est raté.

Mais c’est surtout un album avec une cohésion assez forte pour pouvoir l’écouter de bout en bout au casque sans se faire trop chier, comme ca, en lisant le journal dans le train. Des samples, 2 voix, de gros riffs qui roulent et rongent lentement le cerveau. Pas le plus facile d’accès, mais un disque très potable.

Non-retenus dans la selection :

Sigh – Tribute To Venom EP
Comme son nom l’indique, un mini album de reprises de Venom par un groupe de black metal japonais. Pas atroce, sans plus...Faut aimer Venom avec ferveur, j’imagine.

Doughnuts – Feel Me Bleed.
Sous ce titre menstruel se cache une galette passablement ratée, mid-tempo, trop métal mou, sans punch. Fallait manger du fer, les filles, pas de l’alu.

Toxic Holocaust – An Overdose Of Death
Soit c’est de l’humour, soit ils sont cons. Vu le cote « Manowar » de la musique (sans les jupes en peau de bêtes, ni le cote lyrique, ni grand chose d’autre d’ailleurs, hormis la linéarité), je penche pour la connerie. Trash à l’ancienne, pas affreux, mais un tantinet monotone. Un EP suffisait.

Life Of Agony – Rivers Run Red
Juste re-écouté parce que le nom du groupe est tellement cool qu’il me déclanche chez un léger déplacement de la testicule gauche à chaque fois que je le lis dans le iPod, mais ca s’arrête la.

J’aime pas plus qu’il y a 9 ans…le métal lent avec Pavarotti essayant de souffler sur une patate douce trop chaude en shuitant du Metallica en 33tours, c’est naze.

Banda: Machine Head
Genero: Thrash Metal / Groove Metal
Pais: EUA

Burn My Eyes (1994)
Download

The More Things Change (1997)
Download

The Burning Red (1999)
Download

Supercharger (2001)
Download

Through The Ashes Of Empire (2005)
Download

The Blackening (2007)
Download

Myspace

x F.

Today is a set of songs that meander around.

Mastodon, Pelican, Machine Head, The Sword, Pantera…

http://www.imeem.com/people/kiPwgaw/playlist/ui1qdOBp/madness-music-playlist/

Enjoy!

The MARAZENE Machine

www.Youtube.com/user/marazenemachine
Facebook search: MARAZENE Machine
www.Twitter.com/MarazeneMachine
www.Myspace.com/Marazene
www.VampireFreaks.com/MarazeneMachine
www.Last.FM/music/Marazene

——-
——-

Abhijeet Ahluwalia

Put simply, this is a collection of lesser known songs by famous bands or cool songs by bands that don’t get much mainstream attention. Check them out.

Opeth – Coil: The acoustic opener to the Watershed album. Just beautiful.

Martyr AD – Broken Mouth: Metalcore before it became big. Sadly, this band split up but not before making two albums, On Earth As It Is In Hell, and the debut The Human Condition In Twelve Fractions, from which this song is taken.

A Life Once Lost – Detest: To be honest, I’m not a big fan of this band, but this song has a groove you can’t help love. There’s not much to this song, and it basically boils down to the first riff repeating over and over. But I keep coming back to it.

Judas Priest – One on One: The first of two Ripper era Priest songs. The two albums Ripper did get a lot of flak from fans, and while they weren’t brilliant they did have their moments. This was one such song. Listen to it in its own right, without the burden of Priest’s discography weighing it down.

Judas Priest – Burn In Hell: The other Ripper era song. Pay attention to how they build up the layers at the start. One by one, sounds are added until the riff kicks in. And what a riff too.

Judas Priest – A Touch Of Evil: This was originally featured on my favourite Priest album Painkiller, but I’ve gone for the live version here. This song has always fascinated me because of it’s obviously dark and menacing tone. Study the lyrics, keeping in mind that Rob Halford hadn’t come out as gay when this song was released. You’ll see the song in a whole new light suddenly.

Bombay Bicycle Club – Evening/Morning: Up-and-coming indie rockers from London. I’d seen their debut album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose flagged up repeatedly on Spotify and thought I’d check it out. This was the first song I heard, and 2 days later I was buying the album at HMV.

Anthrax – King Size: Another song from an album that gets a lot of shit from fans, but actually sounds quite good if you hear it in isolation, rather than in the context of the bands’ past efforts. Stomp 442 had a lot of groovy stuff, like this song, Fueled and Grunt & Click

Vader – Xeper: Vader have a ton of hits, but this one gets very few outings these days. One of the coolest riffs these guys have written, Xeper is a song that rocks because of its simplicity. And this coming from a band renowned for its technicality. Whiplash guaranteed.

Megadeth – Five Magics: Ok, so every track on Rust In Peace is legendary. But this one gets mentioned a whole lot less than Hangar 18, Holy Wars or Tornado Of Souls. A slow starter, it picks up the pace along the way and once the ridiculous guitar part kicks in at 4:46, you’ll be convinced. Awesome.

Megadeth – Psychotron: Lyrically, it’s not the cleverest thing Mustaine has ever written. But with a catchy riff like that, who cares?

Chimaira – Six: A true hidden gem. This 9 minute epic incorporates everything from jackhammer double-bass to eastern influences, in a song about surviving adversity to come out stronger. Inspirational and grandiose in equal measure.

Black Label Society – Bridge To Cross: For a bunch of guys known for their rambunctious brand of metal, this makes for a stark departure. Acoustic, moody and as close to a musical equivalent of melancholy as you’re likely to get.

Youngblood Brass Band – Elegy: I love this song. This is the live version, and the instruments sound so much more vibrant here. Look up the lyrics, the subject matter may be your average heartbreak, but DH Skogen is a clever lyricist.

Rage Against The Machine – Snakecharmer: Buried deep in the Evil Empire album, this song has one of the coolest grooves Tom Morello ever came up with, if you ask me.

Rage Against The Machine – Fistful Of Steel: Track 8 from the self-titled debut. Zack is outraged in most of his songs, but you’ll feel it a lot more on this one.

Tool – The Pot: Simple, yet so effective. The riff is probably the simplest one Tool has ever written. But how can you not scream along with Maynard every time he says, “You must’ve been HIGH!” With great bass lines to boot.

Tool – Swamp Song: I can’t believe this wasn’t released as a single from the Undertow album. Tool at their lyrical, belligerent best.

Slayer – Threshold: Taken from the God Hates Us All album. Pure aggro; I dare you not to scream along with Araya at the end when he’s shouting “I CAN’T STOP THE RAGE, I CAN’T STOP THE HATE YEAH!” Violent music at its punchiest.

Slayer – Catatonic: One of ‘those’ Slayer songs, where they don’t play at 2 billion BPM for a change. And that just makes the riff and the vocals that much more menacing and intense.

Metallica – Carpe Diem Baby: Buried very deep on the much-maligned Reload album, this one is actually a very good mid-tempo rocker. No, it isn’t thrash metal, but it’s still a cool song that is moody, dark and heartfelt.

Metallica – Ronnie: The most un-Metallica song ever written, this song from Load has more in common with blues than metal. Again, just forget for a second that you’re listening to a band that is famous for thrash metal, and you’ll see how this a brilliant song.

Apocalyptica – Farewell: I love songs that have an emotion to them. And if you don’t know what I mean, listen to this song and you’ll understand. It’s as if someone wrote the soundtrack to sorrow.

Audioslave – Shadow On The Sun: I chanced upon this song because it was featured on the movie Collateral. Again, a great example of a moving song that has an emotional side to it. Chris Cornell has a great voice, and he puts it to good use, especially on the last verse.

At The Gates – World Of Lies: Taken from the genre-defining Slaughter Of The Soul album, I’m baffled why this song doesn’t get lauded more. Pure genius.

Florence + The Machine – Between Two Lungs: Everyone’s going gaga over Dog Days Are Over, but for me this song is the highlight of the album. Lyrically, it’s by far the cleverest song on the album – love is the thing between two lungs, and the song is about how the emotion is passed from one person to the other. Musically, the song is typical Florence – a slow start and gradual build-up right till the climax when it explodes into harmony. And the song is as every bit as sexual as that sounds.

The Crown – Death Is The Hunter: With a name like that you know it’s not going to be a love ballad. The Crown is one of the most underrated heavy bands in recent times. They’ve broken up sadly, but not before leaving us with a solid 6 album catalogue.

Dimmu Borgir – Eradication Instincts Defined: I always thought Dimmu’s orchestral arrangements hit a new high on this album, Death Cult Armageddon. No song symbolises that more than this one; it gives epic a whole new meaning.

Dimmu Borgir – Burn In Hell: A cover of the Twisted Sister song, and it’s one of those rare ones that manages to sound better than the original.

Pantera – It Makes Them Disappear: A slow, moody and brooding song, but in the Pantera style so there’s lots of distortion and squealing guitars. The lyrics are some of the darkest Pantera ever wrote, made all the more eerie by the calm riffing.

Pantera – Electric Funeral: An amazing cover of the Sabbath classic.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – War: 8 brothers come together and play instrumental music in this brass band. The songs are good, but the live performance is absolutely electric. I was lucky enough to see them live twice, and if you ever get the chance to do the same, you should definitely go. You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

Disturbed – Droppin’ Plates: Delve deep into the debut album The Sickness, and you get this gem. There’s angry songs, and then there’s angry songs that scare you because the tone is so calm it’s absolutely psychotic. Nice.

Your Demise – Black Veins: The next big thing in hardcore, from St. Albans in the UK. Just hear the song, it speaks for itself.

Mudvayne – Prod: I think Mudvayne were brilliant on their debut album L.D. 50, because songs like this took them out of nu-metal and put them closer to progressive territory. An eerie heavy song if there ever was one, punctuated by Ryan Martinie’s brilliant bass playing.

Trivium – The Crusade: I absolutely detest this album, but this 8 minute instrumental almost redeems all the garbage that precedes it. It’s not that the fretwork is brilliant – I hate artists who spend their time showing off their skill and forget to write a song – it’s the melodies and the hooks that make this song so catchy and memorable. That it is a technically difficult song is the icing on the cake.

Korn – Justin: As kooky and bizarre as anything else that had made Korn a big hit at the time. Freak On A Leash may have won the grammy, but the whole Follow The Leader album had nu-metal gems like this one.

Cancer Bats – Smiling Politely: Are they a punk band? Are they a metal band? I don’t think the Cancer Bats know themselves. This song certainly has a metal feel to it, and it’s got Billy Talent’s Ben Kowalewicz guesting on vocals. Gotta love that riff.

Captain Beefheart – Abba Zaba (Live): I couldn’t find the full song anywhere online, so check out the preview that Amazon lets you hear. Beefheart was an absolute genius, and as is normally the case with geniuses, absolutely insane. This song always captured that fine line between genius and insanity that was Beefheart. Look up his bio on wikipedia, you won’t be disappointed.

Euphoria – Maeri: These guys were one of the first ‘bands’ in India to find some mainstream success. I’m not a big fan of their pop-rock style, but kudos to them for taking a band (in the western sense) and making it mainstream in India. In particular, this is a tune I keep coming back to. 3 notes open the song, and vocalist Palash sings about a love lost. Probably the most bitter-sweet song I’ve ever heard. Even if you don’t understand Hindi, you’ll get the drift if you watch the video.

Lamb Of God – Condemn The Hive: This one is a Japan-only bonus track and I don’t see why, because it’s as good as anything on the Wrath album. Just enjoy.

Machine Head – Negative Creep: A metalised version of the Nirvana song. Grunge fans will hate it, which is why I love it.

The Doors – The End (Live): This song isn’t really a hidden gem, but the live version isn’t worshipped as much as it should be. Live at the Hollywood Bowl in ‘68, you get Jim Morrison at his best, joking with the crowd and singing alternate lyrics. It was a beautiful song to begin with, but this version take it a notch higher.

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Come forse saprete, tra giugno e agosto si è svolta la prima edizione del Sonisphere, festival rock/metal itinerante con i Metallica nel ruolo di headliner. Il tour constava di cinque tappe in giro per l’Europa e una doppia serata conclusiva – sabato 1 e domenica 2 agosto – in Inghilterra, più precisamente a Knebworth, una trentina di miglia a nord di Londra.

Questa lunga duegiorni londinese è stata sicuramente notevole, nel bene e nel male. Rientra nella prima categoria la devastante esibizione dei Machine Head, che in un primo momento si erano polemicamente autoesclusi dallo show per l’onta di veder suonare i Limp Bizkit dopo di loro, salvo poi ritrattare pochi giorni prima “per i fan e soltanto per i fan” («ma è lecito chiedersi se si sia parlato anche di denaro», insinua giustamente Kerrang!). Nella seconda rientrano invece le scialbe e per di più ravvicinate performance di Austin Dickinson, con i suoi Rise To Remain, e di Laureen Harris, ovvero l’indegna prole di Bruce Dickinson e Steve Harris degli Iron Maiden. Ma uno dei momenti più emozionanti del festival è stato senz’altro l’ultimo saluto ai Thunder, storica formazione hard rock inglese, che proprio dal palco del Sonisphere ha dato l’addio definitivo alla musica.

Conosciuti e apprezzati quasi esclusivamente in patria, i Thunder si sono sciolti dopo 20 anni di onorata carriera (già interrotti da un primo split temporaneo tra il 2000 e il 2002) e 9 album in studio. Dopo la conclusione del loro tour di addio l’11 luglio all’Hammersmith Apollo di Londra, i Thunder hanno avuto l’occasione di suonare un’ultima gig nella prima serata del festival, selezionando sette tra i brani più celebri della loro carriera, dalla storica Dirty Love alla più recente I Love You More Than Rock ‘n’ Roll. Conclusa la setlist, Danny Bowes e soci sono usciti di scena, con la folla che li reclamava a gran voce. Nicko McBrain degli Iron Maiden, che si trovava nel backstage, ha chiesto loro perché non tornassero sul palco a concedere qualche altro brano, ma Danny ha risposto con le seguenti parole: «Sono vent’anni che concediamo bis. Ora è davvero finita».

E che c***o di news è questa – mi chiederete – se è successo quasi due mesi fa? Suvvia, non siate fiscali: che saranno mai due mesi in confronto al mezzo secolo di storia del rock? E poi, per i Thunder si può anche fare uno strappo alla regola, no?

Per ricordarli insieme a voi vi propongo un paio di videoclip d’epoca dal loro disco d’esordio “Backstreet Symphony” (1990): il primo brano è She’s So Fine, scritto dal chitarrista Luke Morley (quello mancino) insieme al produttore Andy Taylor, chitarrista dei Duran Duran; il secondo è una cover decisamente riuscita di Gimme Some Lovin’ dello Spencer Davis Group.

En este episodio sobrepasamos grupos que han salido en los últimos años, que como siempre son algo menos conocidos. Por ejemplo:

Evergreen Terrace
A Song For Chi
Black Tide
Enter Shikari
Lazarus A.D.
White Wizzard
Airborne
Municipal Waste
Maylene & The Sons of Disaster
Senses Fail
Sparta

También hablamos de lo siguiente:

Helmet, Los Simpson, The Simpsons, The Deftones, Korn, Slipknot, Machine Head, Metallica, Sevendust, Hatebreed, P.O.D., Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Post Hardcore, Screamo, Metalcore, Retro-Thrash, Thrash, Sonisphere, Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I., Christian Rock, Southern Rock, Metal Hammer, Still Searching, Mars Volta, At The Drive In

El podcast se puede descargar en formato que prefiere desde aquí:

O escucha online aquí: