Obscura: Omnivium – new album

OBSCURA's third album ‘Omnivium’ came out yesterday, March 29th, 2011. Get your own copy of this “gracefully blended brutality and beauty with complex, commanding songs played at stunningly virtuosic levels” here at Relapse Records. The album, envisioned around F. W. J. Schelling's work “Clara: Or, On Nature's Connection To The Spirit World”, was recorded at Woodshed Studio in Germany with engineer V. Santura.

OBSCURA was formed in 2002 in Munich, Germany, by guitarist and vocalist Steffen Kummerer and drummer Jonas Baumgartl.  The band self-released its debut album ‘Retribution’ in 2006 and toured alongside SUFFOCATION on their European following the release. In 2007, Kummerer enlisted drummer Hannes Grossmann (ex-NECROPHAGIST) and bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-PESTILENCE) as new permanent bandmembers, with guitarist Christian Muenzner (ex-NECROPHAGIST) joining the ranks in 2008. OBSCURA released their second full-length, ‘Cosmogenesis’, in 2009 on Relapse Records: “Take your pick of any of the album's ten tracks, and be prepared to be met head on with metal so complex that you may need a compass to navigate your way through it,” commented the album Greg Prato, AllMusic (read more here).

OBSCURA – courtesy of Relapse Records

Tarot: Wings Of Darkness – new video

 

25 years after its original release, Finland's heavy metallers TAROT have re-recorded their classic debut album, 1986's ‘Spell Of Iron’ and are releasing it under the name ‘Spell Of Iron MMXI’ on April 6th, 2011 via King Foo Entertainment (May 6th, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records). The band has also released a video clip for the song they are most known for, ‘Wings Of Darkness’.

TAROT was formed by Hietala brothers in the early 1980's in Kuopio, Finland. The band released its debut album ‘Spell Of Iron’ in 1986, followed by ‘Follow Me Into Madness’ in 1988. TAROT took some five years off and after shifting the lineup some, the band released its third album, ‘To Live Forever’, in 1993. Not to confuse their fans maybe, they kept up with the tradition of waiting another five years before releasing their next offering, ‘For The Glory Of Nothing’ in 1998 (and squeezing in a couple of exclusives for their Japanese fans). While the band rested again, Marco Hietala kept busy by playing in CONQUEST and SINERGY. After releasing ‘Shining Black’ compilation, TAROT signed with Spinefarm Records and recorded their sixth album entitled ‘Suffer Our Pleasures’ (2003) which did well in Finland but got barely noticed elsewhere. Three years and a re-mastered collection that included all six albums (“with a huge collection of bonus material, unreleased demos, live and special versions of the songs and some covers”) later, TAROT finally acknowledged their until-then backing vocalist Tommi “Tuple” Salmela as a proper band member and fully fledged vocalist (ten years after his joining the group). In 2006 the band signed with King Foo Entertainment (Finland) and Nuclear Blast Records (Europe) and released ‘Crows Fly Black’ that same year. Eight album, ‘Gravity Of Light’, followed in 2010.

TAROT features: Marco Hietala -  vocals, bass & acoustic guitar, Tommi Salmela - vocals & samples, Zachary Hietala – guitar, Janne Tolsa – keyboards and Pecu Cinnari – drums.

Full Album Stream: Cavalera Conspiracy: Blunt Force Trauma – new album

‘Blunt Force Trauma’, second album by death & thrash metal act CAVALERA CONSPIRACY is set for March 29th, 2011 release via Roadrunner Records. Stream the new album before its release here (Roadrunner Records Germany) – available for a limited time. The record was co-produced by Logan Mader and Max Cavalera.

Formed in 2006 around the talents of SEPULTURA siblings Max Cavalera (vocals and guitar) and drummer Iggor Cavalera, guitarist Mark Rizzo (SOULFLY) and bassist Joe Duplantier (GOJIRA), CAVALERA CONSPIRACY is a project that reunited blood and musical soul mates Max and Iggor Cavalera, the Brazilian brothers that formed the groundbreaking metal band SEPULTURA in 1983. Reunited after having spent some 12 years apart, the pair has set out to make some astounding music together again as CAVALERA CONSPIRACY: “It was heavy and emotional. Obviously, all those feelings, along with years of musical history, came flooding back, and once the personal relationship was restored, the musical one began to take shape,” explained older brother Max. ‘Inflikted’ (after the band's original moniker) was their debut album, released in 2008 via Roadrunner Records to generally positive reception; peaking at number 72 on Billboard 200, with first week sales reaching over 9,000 copies. CAVALERA CONSPIRACY recruited their touring bassist Johny Chow to play bass on ‘Blunt Force Trauma’, since GOJIRA remains Joe Duplantier's main priority.

         

The Accused: Hemline – new video

Featuring only one original member now, a co-founder and guitarist Tommy Niemeyer, Seattle's THE ACCUSED have just recently released new video (“first official video in how many years?...we even lost track!”) for ‘Hemline’, track taken off their 2009's album ‘The Curse Of Martha Splatterhead’ (Southern Lord Records). The video was inspired by the classic 80's horror films and it is band's first attempt to bring Martha Splatterhead to real life.

For those unfamiliar with Martha, she is a wild haired, big-fanged, undead female zombie vigilante, comic-book inspired heroine who's image was created and drawn by Niemeyer - and who appears on almost all of THE ACCUSED album covers and merchandise. She’s a powerful female figure on a mission to eliminate sexual predators from the world, most often by utilizing a slightly grizzly and vicious method; a kind of wholesale scumbag removal service. It’s a street cleaning routine some of the more squeamish folks would probably not enjoy witnessing. Throughout their career a host of fictional characters have been created by THE ACCUSED; their trademark and crowd favorite is, of course, Martha Splatterhead.

THE ACCUSED features: Tommy Niemeyer – guitar, B.R.A.D. Mowen – vocals, Pete (Lesbian) – bass and Mike Petersen – drums.

Blackguard: Firefight – new video

 

Canada's BLACKGUARD have released their new video for ‘Firefight’, the title track off their upcoming album. ‘Firefight’ is set for March 29th, 2011 release via Victory Records. According to Jordan Bell (of LA Music Blog-fame): “If you’re looking for a collection of well-produced, blazing and thrashing metal songs with virtuosic instrumentals and epic themes, plus a lot of in-your-face screaming and growling, then light the fires and get ready to rock!” (Read the rest of the review here) Well, BLACKGUARD do claim to play “epic metal”.

BLACKGUARD was formed in 2001 by guitarist Terry Roadcase and drummer Justine Éthier in Montreal, Quebec and used to be known as “Profugus Mortis”. After adding vocalist Paul “Ablaze” Zinay and bassist Étienne Mailloux to the lineup, the band has set out to conquer the world with a “brutal new interpretation of Scandinavian folk metal”. After releasing four song self-produced demo, the band scored opening slots for likes of SODOM, FINNTROL, VOIVOD, ENSIFERUM and notable others. As PROFUGUS MORTIS they released their debut album ‘So It Begins’ via Canadian heavy metal label, Prodisk Records. After replacing violinist Emilie Livernois with guitarist Kim Gosselin, the band signed with Nuclear Blast Records as the winners of that label's “MySpace Band Contest”. As BLACKGUARD now, they released an album entitled ‘Profugus Mortis’ in 2009. In 2010 keyboardist Jonathan Lefrancois Leduc left the band which has chosen to remain a quintet for the foreseeable future.

BLACKGUARD features: Paul Ablaze – vocals, Terry Roadcase - rhythm guitar, Kim Gosselin - lead guitar/orchestrations, Etienne Mailloux – bass/accoustic guitar and Justine Ethier – drums.

Danko Jones: I Think Bad Thoughts – new video

Canadian rock trio DANKO JONES and Bad Taste Records have released the final episode of the “Below The Belt” video trilogy. All three songs come off DANKO JONES' album ‘Below The Belt’ which was released through Aquarius Records and Bad Taste Records in May/June 2010. The video trilogy was directed by Diamond Brothers of MBS Productions and stars Ralph Macchio, comedian Don Jamieson, Frank Drank and Lemmy Kilmister, Elijah Wood, Selma Blair, Jena Malone, Mike Watt, Art Hsu and Jason Trost and, of course, the band itself. Video-trilogy starts with ‘Had Enough’ in which a mad scientist finds a way to clone himself and the band is ordered off to deal with it. Their failure at the end of the video is what ultimately leads henchmen Frank Drank and Lemmy Kilmister to send Elijah Wood and Selma Blair after them. 

AllMusic's Mark Deming reviewed DANKO JONES' fifth album ‘Below The Belt’: “DANKO JONES are a hard rock power trio who run on an explosive mixture of amped-up guitars and the fervent belief that they’re cooler than you and can kick your butt. Their cool factor is a matter of opinion, but play the album loud enough and this music will certainly leave a mark.” Read the rest of it here.

DANKO JONES features: Danko Jones - vocals/guitar, John Calabrese - bass guitar and Dan Cornelius - drums.

 

 

 

Scars On Broadway: Fucking – new video

 

Daron Malakian-led SCARS ON BROADWAY and Greg Watermann (he photographs rock stars) posted new music video for the single ‘Fucking’ online. The clip was filmed in August 2010 when SCARS ON BROADWAY played a sold out show at The Avalon, Hollywood. If you are one of those Facebook/Twitter types you can download the song free of charge here to listen to the bad word being mentioned 44 times over and over again.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist Daron Malakian formed SCARS ON BROADWAY in early 2006. With SYSTEM drummer John Dolmayan as a collaborator, the band began recording tracks in 2007 and released its debut self-titled album in 2008 via Intercope Records: “Fans of SYSTEM's earlier work will be used to their unique brand of lyricism by now and will be more impressed with the band's ability to make a solid assortment of songs in a toned-down genre. Even with half the members,” commented AllMusic's Jason Lymangrover. The album made it to number 17 on American albums chart Billboard 200 and has sold over 83,000 copies in the U.S. to date.

SCARS ON BROADWAY features: Daron Malakian – vocals and lead guitar, John Dolmayan – drums, Franky Perez – guitar and vocals, Danny Shamoun – keyboards and percussions, Dominic Cifarelli – bass.

Zerozonic: Fake – new video / God Damn, Better, Best – new album

 

Norway's ZEROZONIC have released video for ‘Fake’, taken from their upcoming album, ‘God Damn, Better, Best’. The CD will be distributed through Mayhem Music and Indie Distribution from March 11th, 2011 on.

ZEROZONIC was formed by guitarist Daniel “Peisy” Olaisen (BLOODREDTHRONE) and bassplayer Ole Vistnes (TRISTANIA) with the sole purpose of playing some kick-ass heavy groovin' metal. Singer Leo Moracchiolli (LOWDOWN) joined the band in 2004.  ZEROZONIC released their debut album, ‘Dead On Arrival’ in 2007 via their own label Ozo Records (this album was re-released by Rockline Records for worldwide distribution in 2010). Ole Vistnes and GREEN CARNATION's drummer Tommy Jacksonville left the band after recording ‘God Damn, Better, Best’ in 2009, to be replaced by DEAD TROOPER's drummer Jon Eirik “Elt” Bokn and bassist Martin Berger.

ZEROZONIC - courtesy of Mayhem Music

(hed) p.e. : Truth Rising – new video

         

California's (HED) P.E. have released new video for ‘Truth Rising’, title-track from group's latest record released in 2010 via Suburban Noize Records. When asked by Noisecreep's Carlos Ramirez if he getting a bit tired of making videos, vocalist Jared Gomes replied: “Well, since this video is animation, I didn’t have to show up, so this one was quite enjoyable.” The video was directed by Joey Nugent. “I always think of how lucky I am to even be involved in making a video, so I stay positive for sure," Jared Gomes continued. “Doing a video is exciting, because it means someone is actually interested in what I have to say. Being in the business for over 10 years, it feels good to know I am still relevant.”

(HED) P.E. (the “p.e.” stands for “Planet Earth”) was founded in 1994 by frontman Jahred Gomes (also known as M.C.U.D. or MC Underdog, aka Jerred Shaine) with the intention to fuse the region’s long-standing punk rock heritage with G-funk-inflected hip-hop - a sound he labeled “G-punk”. To date, they have released eight studio albums, one live album and two compilations.

‘Truth Rising’ debuted at number 98 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and also peaked at number 13 on the USA's Top Independent Albums Charts. Lyrically, the album continues band's political message (9/11 conspiracy theories and governmental mind control theories) and discusses religion and sex ( “ ‘Murder’ is a highly offensive Dirty South sex song that is impossible to take seriously,” - Jason Lymangrover, AllMusic): “The lyrics are another attempt to inspire the listener to self-empowerment. I am getting tired of so-called ‘truthers’ acting like the big, bad government is coming to get us. I want to remind people that we are the government. The most powerful thing in the world is the human spirit,” explained the singer.

(HED) P.E. features: Jared Gomes on vocals, Jaxon Benge on guitar, Mawk on bass, DJ Product © 1969 – on turntables and Trauma on drums.