WEDNESDAY 13 Releases New Lyric Video For “The Hearse”

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No rest for the wicked! The Duke of Spook and his devilish ghouls, WEDNESDAY 13, has returned with a new lyric video for their latest single, “The Hearse,” from their recently released album, Neccrophaze, that’s out now from Nuclear Blast.
 
“The heaviest track on the record, and maybe the heaviest track of my musical career,” states Wednesday 13. “‘The Hearse’ is a beast with the double kick drum mania provided by drummer Kyle Castronovo. I’m a big fan of the movie ‘Christine.’ I wanted to write a song about a haunted car, so this was inspired by that mixed with the old rhyme from the ‘Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark’ book.”
 
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO FOR “THE HEARSE”.
 
The horror-fueled track is the latest standout creeper from Necrophaze, which features other singles like “Zodiac,” “Bring Your Own Blood” and “Decompose.”
 
With all touring postponed, WEDNESDAY 13 is currently plotting their return to the road later this year.

Heavily influenced by real life night terror occurrences of Wednesday himself, historical serial killers, and a slew of 80’s horror films, the ideas behind Necrophaze are bizarrely familiar, frightening, and a hell of a lot of fun. Being a collector of both media and toys, WEDNESDAY 13 was inspired by a craving for variety to create dual album artwork for this release (seen below). The covers showcase either end of the horror spectrum with a “Creepshow” comic book vibe for the LP artwork, and the eeriness of something akin to John Carpenter’s “The Fog” adorning the CD.
 
Necrophaze was recorded and mastered with Michael Spreitzer, producer, recording engineer, as well as the long time guitarist of DEVILDRIVER, and is the first WEDNESDAY 13 record to feature guest spots, which include performances by Alice Cooper, Roy Mayorga of STONE SOUR (who provides an eerie, authentic, 80s inspired synth soundtrack-score to the album), Alexi Laiho of CHILDREN OF BODOM, and Cristina Scabbia of LACUNA COIL. Also making an appearance on the album is Jeff Clayton: member of legendary punk bands ANTiSEEN & GG Allin’s MURDER JUNKIES.

CATTLE DECAPITATION Launches Video for “Bring Back The Plague”

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After releasing their latest record, Death Atlas, last year to critical acclaim, Cattle Decapitation are now launching a video for one of the album tracks, “Bring Back The Plague”. Watch the clip HERE!

Cattle Decapitation‘s Travis Ryan (vocals) comments: “With the cancellation of our ironically titled ‘Europandemic Tour’ and social distancing recommendations set in place, we found ourselves with not much to do. So we figured why not address the elephant in the room in the form of a music video for ‘Bring Back The Plague’ and just film it on our mobile phones instead of with an actual crew. Dave didn’t even have access to a drum kit and nobody is leaving their houses anyways so we decided to lighten the mood with a video. Everything from the band name to the lyrics to the merchandise to the imagery have always been heavily steeped in metaphors and irony always with tongue firmly in cheek, so this new video by David Hall at Uneasy Sleeper may just be our coup de gras…for better, or for worse. Just don’t take it too seriously, we obviously didn’t. After all it is April Fool’s Day so sit back, have a laugh if you can and stay the fuck home.”

Produced once again by Dave Otero, Death Atlas was named one of the best records of 2019 by Decibel Magazine, Metal Sucks, Metal Injection, and many more, and it demands an emotional response. Cattle Decapitation have never shied away from confronting the awfulness wrought upon the natural world by the human race, and Death Atlas is their bleakest offering to date, featuring elements of death metal, grindcore, black metal, sludge, doom, drone – with Travis Ryan‘s vocals broader and more fully realized than ever before.

Stream and purchase Death Atlas now at metalblade.com/cattledecapitation.

The Aquarian Weekly Relaunches Brand, Determined to Continue its 50 Years of Quality Music Journalism in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic

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The Aquarian—the Tri-state area’s 50-year-old alt-weekly newspaper based in Little Falls, New Jersey—has temporarily suspended its print edition, moving to an exclusively online format as it finds itself in uncharted waters, swimming against the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic.


The Rolling Stones, The Who, U2, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Metallica are just a sampling of the groundbreaking artists that have been featured in the pages of The Aquarian, one of the last truly independent music periodicals in America. In addition to national acts of all levels, The Aquarian also covers local and regional bands from punk and metal to jazz and blues.


“It was with very heavy hearts that my partner Chris Farinas and I decided to temporarily suspend the print edition,” said The Aquarian’s co-publisher, Diane Casazza. “For 50 years The Aquarian has not missed a beat: we survived the Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, the mass media online migration, the Great Recession, 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and all the milestones that have shaped our region and our country.”


Since 1969, The Aquarian has provided readers in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia with insightful commentary on music, art, and culture every week. Now, the publication aims to provide that same extraordinary content online via its website, theaquarian.com, and its social media platforms.


“In a lot of ways, we’re doing what other publications opted to do 10 years ago,” said Managing Editor Daniel Alleva. At the height of the digital revolution, The Aquarian could have easily followed the trend and switched to an online-only format. But as Alleva noted, “We have been blessed with an incredibly loyal following of readers who like to have a physical newspaper. It’s not because they aren’t tech savvy—make no mistake: our readers definitely follow us on social media and read our features online. But our readers also understand the inherent value of something tangible, and that’s what we’ve strived to give them.”


Positioned between the East Coast’s most renown musical meccas—New York City, Asbury Park, New Jersey, and Philadelphia—The Aquarian has observed the evolution of the musical landscape from a unique perspective. The paper was an early champion of a then-unknown boardwalk drifter by the name of Bruce Springsteen. Meanwhile in Manhattan, writers raved about what was happening at a club called CBGB and the artists playing there: Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Blondie, and of course, The Ramones. Today, these artists are nothing short of household names, but during their salad days, they were simply rock ‘n’ roll hopefuls, honing their craft in tiny shore town bars and gritty, downtown clubs until success came calling—and The Aquarian was there every step of the way, chronicling their journey from unknowns to icons.


“We’ve never lost sight of the fact that music brings people together,” said Alleva. “It creates memories, inspires creativity, and forges bonds. We’ve prided ourselves on being an independent magazine, but we’ve always approached every story we publish with a universal mind, and I think that shows in everything we do.” To that end, The Aquarian has never once entertained the idea of becoming a goldmine for nostalgia. Recent cover stories have featured emerging artists of all genres, including LA glam rockers Starcrawler, international pop sensation Charli XCX, rising folk rock heroes Mapache, and Manhattan’s very own punk rock trio Jigsaw Youth.


The Aquarian has also had a major impact on the music industry by each week publishing its 14 Day Concert Calendar, an extensive who’s who of performers and special events. Add in the generous advertising space reserved for concert venues and independent artists, and it can safely be said that The Aquarian has been the heartbeat of the Tri-state area’s entertainment industry since its inception.


“The Aquarian has worked tirelessly through the years to create a platform where national, regional, and local acts all have equal footing in terms of exposure and opportunity,” said co-publisher Chris Farinas. “The relationships that we have built—be it with promoters, venues, or the artists themselves—has had a tremendous impact on the industry’s ability to remain vibrant, especially during a time where various lines of communication are all vying for the consumer’s attention.”


With a third of The Aquarian’s readers falling within the highly-influential 20 to 40 year old age bracket, and its print circulation of 25,000 issues available at over 1,000 distribution points, The Aquarian is eager to resume its print edition as soon as it possibly can. In 2012, the newspaper was accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Library and Archives, the world’s preeminent research collection of written and audiovisual materials relating to the history of rock and roll. Every issue from 1976 through present day has been preserved there, and The Aquarian team has every intention of continuing to build upon that historical record.


“We have kept the dream alive for so many big and small musicians,” said Casazza, “and we pray that we can continue to do so.”


But for now, safety will take precedence, as readers are invited to continue to share in The Aquarian’s all-inclusive musical experience online.


ITSOKTOCRY Drops Nightmarish New Video For “Mockingbirds Bleed Black”

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Denver’s eclectic multi-talented musician ITSOKTOCRY has just dropped a feverish, nightmare fuel video for his latest single, “MOCKINGBIRDS BLEED BLACK,” from the newly released record, Destroy All Monsters!, that’s out now on Cleopatra Records.

ITSOKTOCRY plays by his own rules. On the new song, the unconventional artist bypasses all preconceived notions and standard boundaries that govern typical music. He bends and blends genres of hip-hop, metal and electronica with angst and ease as he creates a unique style of music that’s fresh and both inviting and terrifying at the same time.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “MOCKINGBIRDS BLEED BLACK”.

Commenting on the single, ITSOKTOCRY states: “‘Mockingbirds Bleed Black’ is a very emotional song. It paints a picture of my life, being aware that the old fans still wish I was miserable and on drugs. They liked the way my old music sounded and they don’t care what I’m going through nor do they care about my happiness. They want what makes good music … intense emotion based on my experience. And in some sort of f****d up, self-fulfilling prophecy I try to just do my own thing and be happy but the mindset of misery the listeners want always ends up coming to fruition in one way or another. But I’m hyper aware of this now so I just don’t care at all and that’s why half the song I just say F*** them all . Cause I no longer care about the opinions of people that want me to be miserable. Being able to transfer my feelings into a song gave me the ability to let go of those feelings and truly evolve as a person. Basically in less words it was therapy for me to make.”

Hailing from Denver, the artist known as ITSOKTOCRY is simply one of the most unique talents working in music today. His style has been described as dark electronic, a rock/rap hybrid that sounds like a future Nine Inch Nails. Framed by his iconic green hair, the ITSOKTOCRY musical persona is a collision of cutesy, emoticon-laden innocence and deeply felt torment that absolutely commands your attention.

Originally a part of JOULE$’ underground hip hop association Dio Collective, by late 2015 ITSOKTOCRY was running with HEARTBREAKK CLUBB, a loose collection of rappers, artists and producers, including Yunggoth and the soon to be posthumous megastar LIL PEEP. Peep and ITSOKTOCRY collaborated on several tracks, released primarily through Soundcloud, prior to Peep’s passing in in 2017 at the age of 21. But Peep wasn’t just a collaborator, he was also ITSOKTOCRY’s close personal friend whose loss still reverberates through both his music and lyrics.

With the recent releases of Poshboy and Destroy All Monsters!, and powerhouse indie label Cleopatra Records behind him, ITSOKTOCRY is ready to step into the spotlight.

PSYCHOSTICK Set to Distract and Lift Spirits with FREE, Live-Stream “Cabin Fever Concerts”

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Legendary Comedy Metal Band PSYCHOSTICK are looking to relieve the anxiety and boredom of social distancing with a series of FREE, live stream “Cabin Fever Concerts” every Thursday at 5:00 pm EST. In true form, the foursome will be performing and interacting with fans in real time, providing a unique interactive experience!

The Chicago based rockers are also reminding music fans to continue to support bands by listening to streaming services, watching videos on YouTube, and buying merch online to support their favorite bands to ensure we all make it through by fighting back with humor, music, and cautious optimism!!

RELAX!

…and wash your hands…

“Psychostick‘s ‘Cabin Fever Concerts’ are fun because THE WHOLE WORLD is invited! No matter how far apart we are, we can all get together safely to have a kick-ass time online! You don’t have to worry about parking or how you’re gonna get there/home (all drinking, NO driving!) You can watch a Psychostick concert from ANYWHERE in your underwear, your birthday suit, BDSM gear, etc… It doesn’t cost you anything and there’s no hidden fees (lookin at YOU Ticketmaster / Live Nation). If you like what we’re doing and feel like supporting us, anything helps, even just watching us for free and having a good time. Who knew brutal riffs and crunchy metal could be so positive?” says Matty J.

FLYING CUPID Reveals Lyric Video for First Single from “Reflections” EP

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Boston-based act FLYING CUPID, the solo project by guitarist and composer Abhiruk Patowary, has revealed a lyric video for the song “Changes,” the first single from the upcoming EP, Reflections.


Watch “Changes” today, exclusively via Revolver.


“The song is about being in the present, being awake, and rising above all unnecessary emotion – be it positive or negative,” Patowary explains. “It talks about finding neutrality at the core of every idea, and guiding it to become what you want it to become.”


FLYING CUPID blends the sounds such as Killswitch Engage with modern “djent” bands like Periphery to create a modern sound.


“I constantly write demos and there was a point last year where I ended up with around 40 demos,” says Patowary. “I decided to pick out seven of the best ones that I had, then develop those songs and collaborate with other musicians, which is one of my favorite things to do.”


Originally from India, Patowary is a multi-instrumentalist who is currently studying at the esteemed Berklee School of Music. His musical journey began 11 years ago with piano, followed by drums five years later and guitar the year after. “The thing about guitar is I’m completely self-taught and have never taken a lesson in my life,” he says. “So my journey with guitar is basically trial and error and figuring out how the guitar works.”


A prolific writer, Patowary also spends his time playing bass and guitar in the bands Acid Pit and Gaia, and working on other diverse musical endeavors outside of the metal realm, including pop, hip hop, a long orchestral piece and a jazz quintet.


While his studies at Berklee take top priority, Patowary is now focused on the release of the Reflections EP, tentatively scheduled for a summer release. Several more videos are planned, and Patowary is hoping to eventually take FLYING CUPID on the road.


Napalm Records Introduces BPMD

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They’ve been teasing their formation and the arrival of new music for months, and now the wait is nearly over! BPMD – the new heavy metal juggernaut featuring icons Bobby Blitz (Overkill) on vocals, drummer Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs, Sons of Apollo), bassist Mark Menghi (Metal Allegiance) and guitarist Phil Demmel (Vio-lence, ex-Machine Head) – is pleased to announce that they have signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records, joining the label’s growing roster of premier talent.


The members of BPMD first came together in the summer of 2019 with one goal in mind: to pay homage to some of their favorite classic rock tunes, give them their own heavy twist, and to have a blast doing it. We all could use a bit of fun, and that’s what BPMD is here to provide – a party on wax performed by some of the greatest musical talents in the world!


BPMD will officially announce the release of this music – arriving in the form of their first full-length album – very soon. Stay tuned for more details and music, coming soon!


BPMD bassist Mark Menghi says: “We’re super excited about our first BPMD record. Last summer, I was inspired and came up with this crazy idea and here we are, not even a year later, and it’ll see the light of day in these very trying times. The planet needs something to feel good about, and I 100% whole-heartedly believe these tunes will do the trick. Buckle up and make way for BPMD…”


BPMD frontman Bobby Blitz drops a few more hints: “The BPMD sessions were very fun. They took us all back to our roots and even pre-roots. As it developed, we all realized it was something special, as did Napalm Records, with one listen!”


BPMD will make their performance debut at Bulldozer Bash 5 in Old Bridge, NJ on Saturday, May 30! The event, which will take place at Old Bridge Elks Lodge, is a benefit show to raise funds for the Old Bridge Militia Foundation, a 100% non-profit 501 C3 charity foundation. Show details will be announced soon, but for now, visit https://oldbridgemilitia.org.


Keep your eyes (and ears) at the ready – new music from BPMD is just around the corner.


SHAPE OF WATER Announce New Album “Great Illusions”

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British alternative art-rock band Shape Of Water will release their new full-length album entitled Great Illusions on June 12, 2020, via Eclipse Records. The ten-song album was produced by Paul Reeve (Muse, Beta Band, Supergrass) with Sky Van Hoff (Rammstein, Kreator, Caliban) mixing the singles, “Not All the Things” and “Scar”.

Great Illusions was written by the band during 2018 and it deals mainly with the misconception of human feelings, politics, and society. This is clearly evident with the first single “The World Is Calling Me” which talks about war and the global supremacy of world superpowers that spread democracy with bombs. These songs are also deeply provocative. This may be best explained with the song “Not All the Things” which tells a story of Humpty Dumpty killing himself, but it is an analogy of unwanted fatherhood which ends with emotional detachment and guilt. The third single is a bit more personal, with “Scars” being written about the invisible scars left between lovers after ending a long-term relationship. See below for a full track list of the album

Shape Of Water have also revealed their first music video from the album, for the first single “The World Is Calling Me”. The video was directed by Kai Ohio and is about a lonely boy living in a world where zombies and humans live together. He’s not happy about this and the only thing he can still enjoy, is attending his favorite band’s gig that evening. He walks to the venue while ignoring the apocalypse unfolding around him, but when he gets to the show something happens. Watch it right now at this location.

“Filming this video was hard work, but very rewarding and fun” says vocalist Rox Capriotti. “We shot in two different locations over a span of two days. Day one was easy because we had a small crew and only a few scenes to film. The second day however was very difficult for the crew and the extras. Everyone had to wake up early in the morning and prepare for a full day of filming.” Guitarist Luca De Falco continues, “We had to dress everyone and get all the zombie make up done on time to shoot the scenes. The schedule was fast-paced and somewhat hectic. The main scene where we are playing in the club, was actually filmed outdoors in freezing cold weather! It even started to snow that afternoon. It was all worth it though and we thank all the people involved because in the end, we’ve got a masterpiece!”

Great Illusions Track List
01. Mars-X
02. Scar
03. Perfect Love
04. Still Karma
05. In Your Arms
06. A Silvia
07. Not All the Things
08. Five Days to Shine
09. The World is Calling Me
10. Great Illusion

HIGH TONE SON OF A BITCH “Lifecycles: EPs of HTSOB” Out Now

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High Tone Son of a Bitch (HTSOB) was originally formed by brothers Paul and Andrew Kott from the ashes of Oakland prog/doom sludge masters Cruevo. The band preceded Paul’s work in the Matt Pike-fronted Bay Area metal band Kalas, which the press dubbed an underground “supergroup”.


This past Friday saw the release of Lifecycles: EPs of HTSOB via Tee Pee Records. Purchase and stream Lifecycles: EPs of HTSOB at this location.  This retrospective of 4 EPs split into 2 albums features members and contributors from some of underground music’s most important and influential figures.  The work as a whole simultaneously speaks to the fragility and resilience of the human experience – as it spans the years covering the formation of HTSOB, it’s musical growth, the death of Andrew Kott (one of 2 co-founding brothers), and the path to a rebirth and new life in music and beyond.


Guitarist Paul Kott comments on the release and about working with Matt Pike: “‘Lifecycles’ was intended from the outset as a symbolic gesture. The album is a testament to the human ability to find new life, even inspiration, in the wake of change, loss, and trauma. We all experience pain, and the truth is that life can continue, even thrive, in the aftermath of horrible things. The current moment is a good time to remember that. Our hope has to lie with each other, in our ability to have empathy and to seek change that will make our future better than our past and the present it has given us. The future belongs to us, if we can care enough for each other, if we can shift away from self-interest and greed as guiding principles and instead hold up community benefit and altruism as our shared values.


It has been awesome collaborating with such great musicians through the different eras the album represents. On the new recordings, it has been amazing to have the chance to continue this project with Russ, and to be joined once again by some of the greatest musicians I could hope to play with. My old friend of 30 years and the drummer in my 1st punk band from back then, Eric Rancourt, moved to Oakland from Maine to join the band. Pamela Ausejo, who I haven’t gotten to play with since Cruevo, is on guitar. Billy Anderson, my longtime friend and HTSOB’s producer has joined on bass, and Bryce Shelton has come onboard on synth and keys.


The newest EP, Wicked Threads, which we just recorded and was released as part of this collection, saw multiple guest musicians join us. John Brookhouse, who I grew up with, Rob Wrong, who I’ve toured with, and of course Matt Pike, who I have been in a band with, toured with, and been roommates with at various points in time. Matt’s contribution, a sick lead on the doom epic Tribute, is the first collaboration we’ve had since Kalas. I think it’s the first time he has recorded with Billy Anderson since High On Fire did Surrounded by Thieves. Matt’s a great friend, like a brother, and he and my late brother Andrew were also bros. In some ways, I think of this as a sendoff, like a musical viking burial.”


Matt Pike adds, “I was happy to throw some tasty licks over the sludging doom soup know as High Tone Son of a Bitch. It was fun, and I got to use a couple pedals I hadn’t fucked with much, plus hang out with Willie Anderson.”



Lifecycles: EPs of HTSOB Track List:
CD 1: Life
1. Ten Mountain High
2. Better You Than Me
3. Fortune’s Crown
4. Last Dance
5. Velocipede
6. Masters of War
7. Black Ships
8. John the Baptist


CD 2: Afterlife
1. Death of A New Day
2. Eye in The Sky
3. Tribute (Previously Unreleased)
4. Silhouette (Previously Unreleased)
5. Wicked Threads (Previously Unreleased)


MY DYING BRIDE Enter The Worldwidee Charts With New Album “The Ghost Of Orion”

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MY DYING BRIDE released their new studio album The Ghost Of Orion on March 6th through Nuclear Blast. Received enormously well by press and fans alike, the band is happy to announce that the record has entered the charts in several countries, incl. some of their highest positions in Germany (#12) and Switzerland (#19). The full result listings can be found below.

Singer Aaron Stainthorpe states, “We are thrilled at the chart positions our new album ‘The Ghost of Orion’ has achieved and hope that those people who have made the purchase, enjoy it not just now but for years to come.”

The Ghost Of Orion – Worldwide Chart Entries:

Germany #12
Switzerland #19
Austria Top 75 #22
Finland #34
(Physical #2)
Belgium Flanders#148
Belgium Wallonia #160
United Kingdom #193
(UK Indie #9, UK Rock #3)

Order The Ghost Of Orion on CD, black 2LP Gatefold, white 2LP Gatefold, red 2LP Gatefold and picture disc 2LP Gatefold here.

My Dying Bride’s three decades of misery almost came to an end several years ago. Following 2015’s universally lauded Feel the Misery album, vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe’s daughter, just five years old at the time, was diagnosed with cancer. Shocked and heartbroken, Stainthorpe put all band activities on hold while he, his immediate family, and My Dying Bride put their collective energies into eradicating what Stainthorpe called, “the cruellest of God’s bitter and loveless creations.” The high hurdles, however, didn’t stop with cancer. In 2018, returning original member and guitarist Calvin Robertshaw texted his departure, effective immediately. No reason was given or explanation provided to anyone. Then, just as My Dying Bride had regrouped after positive news that his daughter was effectively cancer free, returning drummer Shaun Taylor-Steels departed right before the band were slated to enter Mark Mynett’s studio, Mynetaur Productions. Down two members but feeling right as rain, My Dying Bride moved on, mastered the doldrums, recording magnificent new album, The Ghost of Orion, to the joyful tears of fans across the globe, in the process.