SIGNUM REGIS - UNDIVIDED

Signum Regis conjures all the right elements on their seventh full-length Undivided and marks a return to Ulterium Records. This is power metal done right – riff heavy with just the right amount of keyboard use, technical, melodic solos, thoughtful lyrics, and vocal hooks to keep the listener wanting more.

All of this is exemplified is opening track “Daniel’s Prophecy” – muscled guitars and vocalist Jota Fortinho showing off his aggression and angelic features in the verses and chorus. The regal affair continues with tracks capitalizing on their strengths with inspired songwriting, insanely catchy tunes (“Salt Of The Earth”, “Prepare For War”), mixed in with aggressive numbers (“Ministry Of Truth”, “Servants Of The Fallen One”).

This goes further on the closing track “Shield My Soul” (with the intro melody reminding of Iron Maiden’s “Afraid To Shoot Strangers”), an emotional journey with a direct prayer to God in the chorus as a fighter meets his foes in battle, a powerful song that really does hit the soul, regardless of your faith.

OBSCURA - A CELEBRATION I: LIVE IN NORTH AMERICA

Not sure who really honestly needs a live Obscura album, but I guess, based on how much I enjoy it, I do. I've always loved Obscura—anyone who loves death metal loves Obscura, I think—and their sideways take on outer-space tech-death.

Who's in the band at any given point, man, it's not even worth it, but here bassist Alex Weber (Malignancy, Defeated Sanity) throws his fretless, six-string wizardry all over these songs, injecting oldies like “Septuagint” with his personality, which is fun to hear (looks like Gabe Seeber of Divine Heresy, Abigail Williams and a zillion other bands plays on one song, “Emergent Evolution”, here too).

It's all fun to hear, the band dipping into all their albums except 2006 debut Retribution, the material working together cohesively, although those moments of song shine through clearer in the newer material (there's three songs from last album, 2021's A Valediction, here; “Orbital Elements II” is practically feel-good trad metal with hooks).

COBRA SPELL - 666

Two EP's under their belts, female five-piece international Cobra Spell combine the best aspects from the '80s with a mindset in the present. After a short title track instrumental intro, which is not terribly number of the beast sounding, more retro '80s from those synths/keyboards, they kick right into rocking with retro video track (see all that leather, chains and studs, hair) "S.E.X.".

Between the music and singer Kristina Vega tone with the vocal harmonies, I'm getting vibes from the short-lived Canadian band Headpins. "Satan Is A Woman" riff is all LA sunset strip Dokken swag with strong vocal harmonies in the chorus. More ‘80s sounds for the intro to "Hotline 666" asking "are you a bad girl" which is wasted forty-four seconds and should have just been worked into "Bad Girl Crew" with more salacious riffs that could be heard from the likes of XYZ, or Danger Danger, Babylon A.D.

Another video single, "The Devil Inside Of Me" heavier power metal like in the steadfast music, and hook, accenting guitar harmonies.

IRON MAIDEN'S BRUCE DICKINSON REVEALS THE MANDRAKE PROJECT ALBUM DETAILS; "AFTERGLOW OF RAGNAROK" MUSIC VIDEO STREAMING; NEW TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

IRON MAIDEN'S BRUCE DICKINSON REVEALS THE MANDRAKE PROJECT ALBUM DETAILS; "AFTERGLOW OF RAGNAROK" MUSIC VIDEO STREAMING; NEW TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED






Bruce Dickinson has unveiled the dramatic, action-packed video for "Afterglow Of Ragnarok", the first single to be taken from his upcoming solo album, The Mandrake Project. In front of a packed audience on the opening day of CCXP23, Brazil’s huge Comic-Con event in Sao Paulo, he premiered the spectacular film and revealed further details about the album and forthcoming comic series in partnership with Z2, including releasing 2,000 CCXP-exclusive versions of the comic to the delight of the international comic community.

The Mandrake Project will be released on March 1 via BMG. Across ten inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Bruce Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z, have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, it sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.

Recorded largely at LA’s Doom Room with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist, the lineup for The Mandrake Project was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce’s last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls, in 2005.






Fans of both Bruce Dickinson and Iron Maiden will notice that the album features the curiously-named "Eternity Has Failed", which first appeared in a different form entitled "If Eternity Should Fail" on Iron Maiden’s 2015’s album The Book of Souls, illustrating how long the creative process for The Mandrake Project has been in the works.

Bruce has previously described lead single, "Afterglow Of Ragnarok" as, “a heavy song and there’s a great big riff driving it…but there’s also a real melody in the chorus that displays the light and shade that the rest of the album brings.” And the track is brought vividly to life in the cinematic video.

Directed by award-winning director Ryan Mackfall, written by Bruce Dickinson and acclaimed British writer Tony Lee (whose lengthy credits include 2000AD, DC and Marvel ranging from Dr Who & Star Trek to Spider Man & X-Men), the film unveils Dr Necropolis, the main protagonist at the heart of The Mandrake Project. It also sets the scene for the story to come, reflecting the dark narrative contained in the 8-page comic book prequel which features in the 7” gatefold vinyl release of the single.

Watch the video below.

Ryan Mackfall comments, “Many years before I was a director, I have fond memories of various music videos that spoke to me and one of those was ‘Can I Play With Madness’ by Iron Maiden. For me it defined what a music video is. Little did I know, many years later I’d be on a call with one of the stars of that video, Mr Bruce Dickinson, discussing ideas for a music video. Bruce has felt like a kindred spirit from that moment and it was therefore only right that we attempted to bring the story of ‘Afterglow Of Ragnarok’ to life in a live action form. Naturally the music is a big part of the engine of the music video and this track was a heavy hitter from the first play. But beyond that I firmly believe it’s also the passion of the artist that defines the results - Bruce’s passion is unmatched. I really hope the fans find themselves taking Necropolis’ journey with the mandrake juice time and time again. This is just the start of something very special!”



The Mandrake Project is Dickinson’s seventh solo album. It will be released via BMG worldwide on multiple formats.



Pre-order The Mandrake Project here.



The Mandrake Project tracklisting

"Afterglow Of Ragnarok"
"Many Doors To Hell"
"Rain On The Graves"
"Resurrection Men"
"Fingers In The Wounds"
"Eternity Has Failed"
"Mistress Of Mercy"
"Face In The Mirror"
"Shadow Of The Gods"
"Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"

Brujeria

BAND FEATURESDEATH METALFEATURESGRINDCORE
Brujeria: Viva Brujeria!
Gavin BrownNovember 23, 20230 CommentsBrujeria,Esto Es Brujeria,Juan Brujo,Nuclear Blast Records


The new album from BRUJERIA, the marauding band of Mexican death/grind maniacs is titled Esto es Brujeria and it sees the band blast back after a seven year long hiatus to terrorise listeners all over again on a record that salutes their roots but with an eye and an ear to the future. We caught up with lead vocalist Juan Brujo to hear all about Esto Es Brujeria, the band’s recent live shows celebrating their debut album, Matando Güeros, and tales from their debauched history.



We kick things off with Juan telling us exactly what we can expect from the new BRUJERIA album. “Well, it took a while to get out with the COVID thing in the middle, it ended up being a lot of work, but a new way of doing it, passing around through the internet. It came out good. It’s been a long way, and I’m relieved to see it come out now. It’s gonna be different, it’s gonna have one song with Mexican horns in there. It’s a modern BRUJERIA album, let’s say, with the subjects we deal with.”

Juan then enthused about the feelings around the band at the moment, and the passion they have for this new record. “We’re excited, when we play those songs, they’re really good. We’ve been doing a 30 year Matando Güeros tour, and after that, when this record comes out, then it’s going to be a lot of new songs in the set we can’t wait to play. It’s gonna be good.”

Juan then gave us a lowdown of who played on Esto Es Brujeria. “On the recording, we’ve got Nick Barker (Hongo Jr) on drums, Anton Reisenegger (El Criminal) on guitar and Shane Embury (Hongo) on bass, alongside Jeff Walker (El Cynico). Then the singer are me, Fantasma, who’s our singer from all the way through, he doesn’t tour any more but he’s on the record with Pinche Peach and Sangron. We’ve got a new girl singer too, Jessica Pimentel (La Encabronada), she’s a great actress and she’s a great singer.”

We finish discussing Esto Es Brujeria, with Juan telling us about the artwork for the album, which was designed with the brilliant Bite Radius Designs. “We took an old sculpture of Aztec god of the dead, and modernised the sculpture with our own Coco Loco head on there, he’s the new god of the dead!”

We continue with Juan telling us about their recent European tour in support of their iconic debut album Matando Güeros and gave us a rundown of how the tour went. “We just got back from Europe, and we blew them away! They loved it and there was a lot of sold out shows, we’ve never done that good in Europe. I was surprised completely and the response was incredible. People singing along that didn’t even speak English or Spanish. I was very impressed with it. I didn’t expect that at all. We’re going to South America now with Matando Güeros. If it was like Europe was, it’s gonna be crazy down there.”


Juan then rolls back the years as he tells of his main memories of making Matando Güeros all those years ago. “Oh god, when we got together, everybody was together for four days, and we went to the studio and we wrote and recorded and mixed everything in like three or four days. I remember Roadrunner gave us $800 to record it, and we spent $400 on dope and beer, and then we only had $400 to record it. So it was like, ‘okay, we gotta get this done right and quick!’. When you hear it, it’s really raw, just taking a first run. That’s it. That’s the songs done, but it really worked out to our favour, saying that we were drug lords from Mexico! People heard it, and it was so raw, and they believed because there was no way to check if it was right or wrong.”

He goes on to explain just how BRUJERIA we’re still a maverick band and did just what they wanted to and didn’t play the media game and expected career routes like most bands. “We never toured it. We never played it live it but it just took care of us. It sold itself. All the first three albums did. We didn’t tour them at all. We didn’t have any interviews. We couldn’t get a band together till 2002 to do tours, so it just really took care of itself.”

Juan then told of how the mystique of the band helped them in those early days, before the internet kept everyone aware of everybody else’s business! “There was a total mystery at the beginning until the internet started showing up here and there. Even then, they couldn’t find anything on us. It was hard to find stuff on us. It took until like 2002 or something like that.”

That mystery was definitely important to the power of BRUJERIA though as Juan explains. “The mystery part of it’s great, and I love that guys that are into knowing everything, looking and they can’t find anything and it driving them nuts. I heard that Tom Araya was in the band, crazy stories like that! It made me laugh. I had people tell me I wasn’t in the band! They don’t know me. No one knows who I am, that’s the best part of it, when they don’t believe you!”

With a band like BRUJERIA and all their notoriety, there is bound to be a whole host of crazy live shows which Juan tells us with a laugh. “There’s so many crazy ones in Brazil, and Mexico. Just the amount of people that sometimes like diving off the speakers. In Brazil, someone stole Jeff Walker‘s hat, and some guy with a gun went on stage looking to kill the guy who took the hat. He’s waving a gun around and it turns out the guy with the gun was a cop! What’s funny is that they took his hat and a year later, they mailed it back to him! But yeah, we’ve had crazy shows, there’s been quite a few good ones. We’ve had naked girls, dead chickens on stage, crazy stuff like that!”

We finish our chat with Juan as he reveals that BRUJERIA will be back pillaging musically on these shores next year and hopefully with Hongo Jr behind the kit. “We’ll be in the UK next June, I think. We’re gonna hopefully bring back Nick Barker if he’s healthy enough to bring it back for a couple shows and do the Barker thing back there. hopefully that works out.”

Esto Es Brujeria is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

Like BRUJERIA on Facebook.

WINGER - CHAPTER ONE: ATLANTIC YEARS 1988-1993

Winger seems to get a mighty bad rap. While some tended to merely write them off as pretty boys (hey, is it Kip Winger or Reb Beach's fault that they were good-looking blokes?) and compared them to the likes of Bon Jovi, Poison, and Ratt due to similar lyrical subject matter in their tunes, the lads in the band were much more accomplished and skilled musicians than your average hair metal band.

Case in point, Reb Beach being an in-demand session player, Rod Morgenstein serving as a Berklee professor and drumming for fusion daredevils the Dixie Dregs, and Kip Winger eventually composing bloody symphonies.

Slash que você talvez não saiba Curiosidades sobre a cartola do músico.

Slash. Crédito: Reprodução/Facebook
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21 de novembro de 2023 Erica Y Roumieh
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Slash é um dos maiores ícones do rock atualmente. Com sua carreira solo, as idas e vindas com o Guns N’ Roses e outros projetos no meio tempo, o guitarrista é cheio de curiosidades interessantes.

Nessa lista, separamos algumas dessas curiosidades para você conhecer um pouco mais sobre ele. Confira abaixo.

Clique aqui para adquirir seu ingresso para o show do Slash & Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators no Brasil em 2024.
1. Cartola

Talvez a pergunta mais feita é sobre a cartola do guitarrista. Muitos se perguntam como foi que ele conseguiu sua primeira cartola, que acabou se tornando sua marca registrada.

Em entrevista para o programa The Howard Stern Show, Slash confessou que já teve diversas cartolas, mas sua primeira de todas foi roubada de uma loja quando era jovem e sem dinheiro para pagar.

“Passei a usar a cartola por volta dos 20 anos de idade. Não foi nada intencional, não previ que viria a ser uma marca registrada minha. Não uso mais nas ruas porque é meio ridícula! Mas uso nos shows e em fotos promocionais. Eu tive uma fase meio cleptomaníaco na minha vida. Eu ‘pegava’ coisas que pudessem dar algum lucro. Então eu simplesmente peguei o chapéu numa loja e saí, ocasionalmente. As pessoas não perceberam!”, explicou.

Ele ainda resolveu personalizá-lo com um cinto de conchas que roubou da loja ao lado.
2. Apelido

O nome completo de batismo do guitarrista é Saul Hudson e seu apelido Slash é algo que o acompanha desde jovem.

“O melhor amigo do meu pai era um ator chamado Seymour Cassel. Ele costumava frequentar lá em casa e me chamava de Slash porque eu estava sempre com pressa e fazendo um monte de coisas”, disse o músico em entrevista para a Loudwire.

“Slash” significa algo como “barra”, que é utilizada quando uma pessoa está fazendo muitas coisas ao mesmo tempo.
3. Família

Slash nasceu em Londres, Inglaterra, em 23 de julho de 1965, mas cresceu em Los Angeles, onde sua carreira musical começou. Seu pai, Anthony Hudson, era um artista e diretor de arte, enquanto sua mãe, Ola Hudson, era costureira de celebridades.
4. Fã de cinema

O guitarrista também é um grande fã de cinema. Ele fundou a sua própria produtora de filmes, chamada Slasher Films, que trabalha apenas com temáticas de terror.
5. Problema no coração

Slash já batalhou contra alcoolismo e heroína, principalmente e esses anos de abuso levaram a uma condição chamada cardiomiopatia, que afeta os músculos do coração. Na verdade, o médico disse que ele tinha algumas semanas de vida. Mas aos 35 anos, ele recebeu um desfibrilador e também começou a ficar sóbrio.

Ele relembrou: “Anos de bebida fizeram meu coração inchar a ponto de explodir. Chegou ao ponto em que os médicos me deram entre seis dias e seis semanas de vida. Eles instalaram um desfibrilador para evitar que meu coração parasse e mantê-lo batendo em ritmo constante. Após a operação comecei a terapia e milagrosamente meu coração começou a sarar.”

Seu primeiro show desde a cirurgia foi no concerto do 40º aniversário de Michael Jackson no Madison Square Garden. Embora não parecesse óbvio para o público, Slash teve alguns episódios de susto no coração. Agora, ele tem este conselho para todos: “Não use drogas e álcool – sou a prova viva!”