DREAM THEATER: JOHN PETRUCCI LANÇA CLIPE ANIMADO DE “TEMPLE OF CIRCADIA” COM MIKE PORTNOY

 

O guitarrista do Dream Theater, John Petrucci, lançou o videoclipe animado oficial de sua música “Temple Of Circadia”. A faixa é retirada de seu segundo álbum solo, Terminal Velocity, que foi lançado em agosto de 2020. A bateria do álbum foi tocada pelo ex- baterista do Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy, enquanto Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs) tocou baixo. Petrucci discutiu sua reunião musical com Portnoy durante uma longa conversa com o fã-clube oficial do Dream Theater. Ele disse:


"Mike está tocando bateria neste [disco], o que é realmente incrível. Obviamente, Dave LaRue tocou no meu primeiro álbum solo, 'Suspended Animation', e também fiz várias turnês com [ele] com 'G3' , como no passado Mike Portnoy, também fizemos turnês com o 'G3' - na verdade, desde o primeiro 'G3' em 2001. Mas, sim, ter Mike tocando bateria foi legal. Foi uma ótima experiência."

"[Mike e eu] conversamos muito e ele meio que plantou a semente em meu ouvido. Eu estava contando a ele sobre [meus planos de gravar um novo álbum solo], e ele disse, 'Bem, se você precisar de alguém, estou disponível.' E foi, tipo, na minha cabeça, eu estou, tipo, 'Eu vou levar você nisso... Eu tinha escrito todas as músicas e programamos a bateria. E eu tocava baixo, e nosso engenheiro tocava baixo, então tínhamos essas músicas completas. E Mike entrou, aprendeu tudo, é claro, acrescentou seus toques e gosto. [Ele] fez um trabalho tremendo e espetacular. Foi muito divertido se reunir musicalmente e fazer isso juntos. Demorou cerca de seis dias para fazer. Mais uma vez, ele fez um ótimo trabalho. A bateria soa incrível. Dave gravou suas coisas remotamente, refez todo o baixo. E é mixado por Andy Sneap — é minha primeira vez trabalhando com Andy, e ele fez um trabalho tremendo na mixagem. Ele está atualmente no Judas Priest tocando guitarra depois que Glenn [Tipton] não podia mais fazer isso. E ele é um mixer inacreditável com um currículo incrível. Ele mixou 'Firepower', o último Judas Priest, e um monte de outras coisas... Ele é incrível. Então, o álbum parece ótimo."

LAMB OF GOD: CONFIRA O NOVO SINGLE “GRAYSCALE”

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Na última quinta-feira (8), o Lamb of God lançou o terceiro single, que estará no próximo disco de estúdio da banda, “Omens”, previsto para ser lançado no dia 7 de outubro, via Epic Records.


A faixa, “Grayscale”, já está em todas as plataformas digitais e também rendeu um videoclipe no formato Lyric video. O guitarrista, Willie Adler, comentou sobre a nova faixa: “‘Grayscale’ é apenas um tapa na cara, tem um pouco de hardcore nela. Nós basicamente terminamos de escrever o álbum e eu escrevi essa música pensando que não seria necessariamente uma música do Lamb. Enviei para Josh Wilbur, nosso produtor, para conferir e ele respondeu com ‘Perfeito, esta é a última música que precisamos para o disco!'”

O nono disco do Lamb of God, está previsto para o inicio do próximo mês e já rendeu três singles: “Nevermore”, “Omens”, além do novo single, “Grayscale”

TAYLOR HAWKINS' SON SHANE HAWKINS PERFORMS "MY HERO" WITH FOO FIGHTERS AT LONDON TRIBUTE SHOW; PRO-SHOT VIDEO STREAMING

On Saturday, September 3, the Foo Fighters celebrated the memory of drummer Taylor Hawkins at a special tribute show at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The massive show included appearances by Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson (Rush), Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth WVH), Brian May and Roger Taylor (Queen), and many more.

Shane Hawkins, the son of Taylor Hawkins, joined Foo Fighters to perform the second last song of the night, "My Hero". Pro-shot video can be viewed below.

ORIGIN - CHAOSMOS September 2, 2022, 2 days ago (NUCLEAR BLAST) Greg Pratt Rating: 8.0

US tech DM shredders Origin never disappoint, really, and here on their eighth full-length the band surprise right out of the gates by dropping the most memorable riff they've ever laid down, “Ecophagy”'s opening being something you'll actually... remember... after the album's done. And as much as I love Origin, I've never actually remembered anything they've written once the music ends.

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So, solid start to what is, obviously, a solid album, the first seven songs racing past in a brisk 33 minutes or so, and then closer “Heat Death” taking a solid 11 more minutes to do its thing (well, kinda ends after eight minutes, but who's counting?). It's a smart way to sequence the record; also smart is how the title track shreds and flails until its ending riff, when things slow down to a sludge, and then “Cogito, Tamen Non Sum” brings the drum workshop we knew was coming, and “Panoptical” follows it up with the guitar workshop we also knew was coming. So, sure, it's Origin, but it's just so perfect, the production so crisp and clean, the playing so energized and economic, the band showing a new, sharper sense of songwriting, again displayed on the breakneck “Decolonizer”, which takes Wolverine Blues-era Entombed near-d-beat swagger and death-and-roll stomp and filters it through new-school American tech DM for quite a song indeed.

And here we are, talking about songs on an Origin record, “Cullscape” continuing the streamlined focus on hooks but never losing the chops we all flock to Origin for, and then the aforementioned “Heat Death” a massive, groove-and-tech-infused whiplash of a closer, with what could almost even be called a vocal hook in there, Origin really nailing the point home that they've never been more focused and sharp, and also never smarter with their songwriting..

TOXIK - DIS MORTA

 

One of the most anticipated releases of 2022, Toxik is finally back with a new full-length 33 years after Think This. Dis Morta is chaotic, technical thrash metal that artfully blends the band’s first two albums. Josh Christian, the sole remaining original member, is the star of the show displaying guitar gymnastics to the greatest degree and singer Rob Iglesias fits in with a vast range of vocal theatrics to complement the sharp music.

There’s much to digest in this 44 minute flurry of action as there is a whirlwind of speedy numbers, abrupt transitions, and turbulent rhythms. Title track and opener “Dis Morta” displays menacing guitars with Iglesias belting out the highest of shrieks, but proceedings pick up on the swirling, shark attack of “Feeding Frenzy”. The go-for-the-throat, all-out thrashers are the star of the as the 3-minute “Straight Razor” is unrelenting while the highlight “Devil In The Mirror” starts with a piano (!) before erupting to a lightning quick speedster. “Hyper Reality” features a robotic, strange rhythms similar to Voivod while “Creating The Abyss” comes in with mathematical precision which could fit right on Think This.



The best part is all the guitar histrionics from Christian; the guy is showing off his abilities, but it stays within the confines of the song. On multiple listens, different guitar parts stick out and the ending of “The Radical” leaves an exasperated expression of “How the hell is this guy playing this?” Some modern sensibilities eek their way in on occasion with the riffing and in the production effort, but Dis Morta is well worth the wait. Fans of Heathen, Coroner, and Watchtower will want to get their hands on this beast.

MEGADETH – THE SICK, THE DYING…AND THE DEAD!

 

While “deth” is in the name, Dave Mustaine and his band of mercenaries are anything but dead. Battling medical problems, lineup changes, and other assorted issues, Megadeth are back in full force with The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! With inspired songwriting, machine gun thrashing, creative compositions, sharp transitions, and rapid soloing, Megadeth keeps taking no prisoners almost 40 years into their career.

The stand out musician is Dirk Verbeuren – Mustaine knew what he was doing bringing the former Soilwork sticksman into the fold. His drumming pops with precision technicality, brief, but effective extremity, and breathtaking speed. Backed by a professional, sturdy performance by Testament’s Stevie Di Giorgio on bass (love that bass riff on “Night Stalkers”), Mustaine and Kiko Loureiro display ferocious leads and riffs that Megadeth has been known for since their inception. Mustaine also sounds surprisingly strong vocally – a bit fatigued in some areas (the performance on the promising “Sacrifice” misses the mark) – but overall couldn’t ask for better considering his age and conquering throat cancer.



Highlights include the eerie, ominous title track with memorable soloing towards the latter part of the cut which immediately segues into the comforting assault of “Life In Hell”. This is Megadeth in their pocket here, doing what they do best with fast tempos, meaty riffs and angry vocals. Single “Night Stalkers” shows impeccable transitions and even though the Ice-T cameo is misplaced, the “game over bitches” line is unintentionally hilarious. “Dogs Of Chernobyl” features well-written lyrics about the horrors of nuclear radiation which holds a smoldering, mid-tempo viciousness that erupts to a thrashing end complete with flawless soloing...

The above tracks are the first four and the middle cuts (not including the two bonus tracks) lag a bit with the standard riffing of “Junkie” and the awkward segue of short instrumental “Psychopathy” into “Killing Time” – which sounds like an outtake from the United Abominations era. Single “Solider On!” came off a bit ordinary with rudimentary rhythms and Mustaine dominating with his vocals, but is better in the context of the album.

“Célebutante” is bound to go down as the sleeper gem as it bleeds Mustaine’s NWOBHM influences. Love the gnarly, menacing riff in the mid-section of this song. “Mission To Mars” is also a fun, goofy romp lyrically; it’s hard not to chuckle at the lyrics, especially the chorus line “I hang with the man on the moon, I’ll be there soon.”

“We’ll Be Back” is the closer and triumphantly states the mission of MegaDave and crew. The bonus cover tracks of Dead Kennedys’ “Police Truck” and Sammy Hager’s (with the man himself on as a guest) “This Planet’s On Fire” are energetic and make for enjoyable listens.

The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! doesn’t match the explosiveness of 2016’s Dystopia, but is miles better than the slog of Th1rt3en and the careless, insipid Super Collider. Now rattle your God damn head!

STEVE VAI - NEW DOCUMENTARY TO BE RELEASED VIA YOUTUBE ON SEPTEMBER 7TH; TRAILER AVAILABLE

 

Guitar legend Steve Vai has checekd in with the following update:

"Alan Berry (The Tapes Archive) is a filmmaker and has created an informative, quasi-animated, and at times hilarious short film on the first 30 years of my career. It drops Sept 7th on his YouTube channel. Enjoy!"

The 77-minute Steve Vai-approved documentary has been in the works for over a year and a half.

The documentary covers the life of Steve Vai from his birth in 1960 until after the release of his landmark album Passion And Warfare in 1990.

The documentary covers:

• His first guitar
• Learning from Joe Satriani
• Berklee College of Music
• Frank Zappa
• Flex-Able
• Alcatrazz
• Crossroads
• The David Lee Roth band
• Ibanez JEM guitar
• Whitesnake
• Passion And Warfare

The documentary has hundreds of Vai-centric facts and stories that even the most ardent fan will not have known. Complete with a Vai’esque quirky sense of humor and never before seen photos and rare videos.