UK melodic rock/hair metal outfit Midnite City have upped the tempo with latest single “Crawlin’ In The Dirt”.
Packed full of guitar and hooks, “Crawlin’ In The Dirt” is a heavier release for the band and can be viewed below:
“Crawlin’ In The Dirt” is the first single to be taken from the band’s upcoming album Itch You Can’t Scratch which is set for release in May on Roulette Media Records.
Black Sheep Wall imploded following 2015’s prophetically titled I’m Going to Kill Myself and its hilariously cartoon-cute artwork. Now, half-a-decade and a rejuvenated reformation later, they’re keeping their art otherworldly on Songs for the Enamel Queen. This is exemplified in the still cartoony, yet hardly cute cover (once again by Jeff Rogers) and the music. “New Measures of Failure” finds the Californian sludge lords wading deeper into the surreal swamp.
The song is 13.5 minutes and feels like it—a compliment here. Many descriptions of long songs wax poetic about how quickly they pass, but this makes full use of its runtime. Yet it doesn’t get boring, instead going from sludge rumblings through similarly murky tones played in a frantic manner. A third of the way through, they go into a self-described Slint-esque talking part—the kind chaotic metalcore bands adopted. And so it goes, from rambling ranting to rumbling reverb, tiring out the listener throughout.
It’s a feeling appropriate to the message of the song, as told by vocalist Brandon Gillichbauer (Rowsdower, ex-Admiral Angry).
“‘New Measures of Failure’ was one of the last songs that I finished writing lyrics for on this new album. The title is derived from a conversation between myself and original vocalist Jeff Ventimiglia regarding our current life situations. ‘New Measures of Failure’ is a reflection on the process of drying-out, the realities of relapsing, and the subsequent sexual desires that come with chasing any form of serotonin. The song was written in part after a long term on-again off-again relationship had gone belly up for the last time and the cathartic release that comes from the desire and acceptance of being loathed by someone who once loved you.”
Songs for the Enamel Queen is out February 26 on Silent Pendulum Records. Pre-order it on vinyl or digital here.
The post Track Premiere: Black Sheep Wall – “New Measures of Failure” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
Since releasing their eponymous debut EP in 2010, the Brisbane, Australia-based black metal duo Spire have become a force of torrential and punishing black metal. Their debut album, 2016’s Entropy, marked the band’s arrival on the world stage, but now that everyone believes that they understand Spire and what to expect from them . . . Things are about to get really interesting.
According to the band, their sophomore album, titled The Temple of Khronos, is “the ultimate culmination of hysterical delirium, collective choral madness, and grand composition.” The band calls their second album, “A liturgy to Time itself. To further fan the flames of excitement surrounding The Temple of Khronos, out February 19 on tape, CD and 12” vinyl from Sentient Ruin, we have the pleasure of presenting our readers with “Hymn IV – Puissant,” the album’s insane, penultimate track.
The band warns: “The fourth Hymn to Immortal Khronos—Puissant—is a gauntlet to the face of all non-temporal faiths.”
The post Track Premiere: Spire – “Hymn IV – Puissant” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
Primitive Origins is a column where we’ll look back at proto-metal and early metal that deserves a bit of your battered eardrum’s attention. We’re keeping it loose and easy here: there’s no strict guidelines other than it’s gotta be old, it helps if it’s obscure, and it’s gotta rock out surprisingly hard for its context. Pscyh-ed out proto-metal from the late ’60s? Of course. Early attempts at doom metal from the ’70s? Hell yeah. Underground Soviet metal from the early ’80s? Sure. Bring it on. Bring it all on.
Uncrushed is a short and sweet collection of tunes that serves as the main recorded documentation of British punk/proto-metal band Crushed Butler, a definitely forgotten trio that never recorded a proper record. What we’re left with is this, a seven-song collection that features two versions of one (not good) song, the band basically leaving us with an EP’s worth of songs that are decidedly more proto-punk than proto-metal, but still with enough crashing and bashing to investigate here. The band existed from 1969 to 1971, a brief blip during an important time, and haven’t left us with much. Let’s dive in to see if it’s worth digging up.
Things start off promising, with “It’s My Life” being rockin’ and rowdy enough, although the guitar work presents itself as early rock and roll more than anything heavier, despite the spirit and energy being pretty solid early Detroit punk. Brings to mind fellow Primitive Origins inductees Gedo and their rockin’ tune “Scent,” which is a very good reference point to have, and to start a record with. I’m listening.
“Factory Grime” just kinda promises Sabbath with its title, and, sure, the riffs here aren’t too far off from early sludge heaviness, but the song itself leans more punk than metal, even if those are basically early stoner riffs to die for, and the high-strung go-go-go drum performance is fantastic. I can get behind this one pretty hard, the riffs alone being reason to check in at least momentarily.
“Love Is All Around Me” is a bit more restrained and neutered than the first two tracks, this one definitely a pitch for success with that cloying chorus. It’s fun to listen to the maniac drummer try to hold back, but that’s about it. Apparently, this is the song the label was excited about, compared to what the band was pumped on: the much heavier, and better, “Factory Grime.”
“My Son’s Alive” brings back the fire with a memorable stomping guitar line and some unrestrained vocals. It’s all well and good, kinda forgettable but also not without some great guitar licks in there. Not the best of the bunch, but certainly not the worst, this one bops along pleasantly enough when it’s spinning, the crashing, raw production actually working just fine, thank you very much, and some of those near-growling vocals are pretty proto-metal.
“Love Fighter” is awesome, a dirge that goes deep into the sounds of decades past while also foreshadowing some extreme doom and sludge sounds. Not for the faint of heart as the ’70s rolled around, no doubt. Love that opening dirge of a riff, and the band just hammers things hard throughout this one, creating the sort of sound that would have Rise Above Records staffers drooling at the doomy water cooler. This song and the first two on this release are the trio of tunes that Decibel readers would be most interested in.
“High School Dropout” is atrocious, a sloppy drunk-uncle take on old-time rock and roll, like when The Replacements get loaded and we have to sit through it. Even more unfortunately, we get two versions of it here, ending off this release with a pretty ugly whimper.
There’s a reason this band is forgotten to time, and it’s not bad luck. It’s that only about half of these seven songs are noteworthy. Heck, you’re in lockdown and have nothing else to do with your time, might as well check it out for yourself and see if this one crushes you or not. It’s probably not going to change your life, but it’s a cool little document of a band that rocked pretty hard for their time, laid down a few minutes of heavier-than-most proto-doom in one song, and rocked pretty hard in two, maybe two and a half, others.
Crushed Butler’s Uncrushed – The Decibel breakdown:
Do I need to be stoned to listen to this?: No.
Heaviness factor: Not incredibly heavy but enough frantic proto-punk energy to appease the longhairs.
Obscura Triviuma: Changed their name to Tiger after 1971, but you haven’t heard of them either. Drummer Darryl Read recorded with Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, the results of which are documented on the 1999 Freshly Dug release.
Other albums: This is all she wrote. There’s an “It’s My Life” 7” but both songs are here, and Uncrushed has seen various issues.
Related bands: The Hammersmith Gorillas, Aardvark, Freddy Robinson.
Alright, fine, if you must: A couple beers is all you need.
The post Primitive Origins: Crushed Butler’s ‘Uncrushed’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
Words by Andy Parkinson
Look up the word debacle in the dictionary and odds are you’ll see a picture of the year 2020 smack bang, front and centre.
While some businesses were able to prosper on the back of Covid-19, others were left decimated, with few being hit harder than the music and arts scene.
Unsurprisingly, beer-soaked punters coming together pumping their fists in a mosh pit didn’t really gel too well with venue closures and social distancing regulations.
Brisbane hard rock/heavy outfit Torizon have started the year in style with the release of their latest single “Burning Away”
After teasing fans of their potential with their EP Singles Collection, Torizon have ramped up everything with their new song, a powerhouse of unbridled heavy metal ferocity that is easily the bands heaviest offering yet.
Vocalist and bundle of joy Mish Sharma caught up with HEAVY on the eve of the single release to talk about Torizon’s heavier direction on “Burning Away” and more.
Pre-eminent Los Angeles band Bad Religion have just released “Emancipation Of The Mind,” an outtake from the band’s critically acclaimed 2019 album Age Of Unreason.
The tracks upbeat messaging calls for reason and open-mindedness as a new administration is welcomed into the White House today.
Bad Religion have always advocated for humanism, reason, and individualism, which has never been more essential.
VIEW HEAVY DIGIMAG #135 HERE
Some big news as far as releases go this week, and HEAVY has interviews with some of the major players!
Doug Aldrich from The Dead Daisies chats about their upcoming album Holy Ground, while Inglorious stop in to chat about their new belter of an album We Will Ride.
Continue reading HEAVY Digi-Mag Issue #135 at HEAVY Magazine – Rock, Punk, Metal Music & Beyond.
Architects have released the video for “Dead Butterflies”, the third single taken for the bands’ upcoming album For Those That Wish To Exist.
The video was filmed at the legendary Royal Albert Hall in London last year.
Watch “Dead Butterflies” below:
Accept are preparing to unleash their 16th studio album Too Mean To Die on January 29 after complications caused by COVID forced the release to be pushed back.
To placate their fans while they are forced to wait once more the band has released another single from the album, “Zombie Apocalypse”.
This hard-hitting tune contains everything you love about Accept and is further proof that the band just gets better with age.