As you might have seen from a certain big time British publication about all things metal and rock, The lead singer and guitarist of the band Gojira, Joe Duplantier, admits to purposely avoiding writing great songs to be recorded. Due to being “selfish”, in his own admission. I take severe umbrage at this, for many reasons. And what are those reasons? well, reader who i just made up to question everything I type (I might name George…), I shall expound posthaste!
EARTH‘s career, like its music, has always been a slow, deliberate progression. Each record slightly removed from the last, a constant refinement of a singular vision. Dylan Carlson has remained focused throughout on coaxing moments of strange beauty and reflection from “the riff“. This elemental foundation of rock is refracted, in their earliest recordings, through the prism of sheer volume and feedbacking drone or, in the twin Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light set from 2011 and 2012, via a sparse unraveling take on folk.
Critically-acclaimed, Billboard-charting metal unit, AMON AMARTH, will be reconquering North America this Fall. This time around, the band will bring fellow Swedes, Sabaton, along for the ride. Additionally, Skeletonwitch will once again be opening the show, with the exception of New York City where fans will be treated to the first-ever North American performance from extreme metal supergroup, Vallenfyre as part of the Decibel Magazine 10th anniversary celebrations (which will include additional news and events to be announced soon).
This June, the Sorcerer Supreme faces his greatest challenge yet in NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 – from rising-star writer Frank J. Barbiere (Five Ghosts, The White Suits) and acclaimed artist Marco Rudy (Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, Swamp Thing)! Spinning directly out of the pages of New Avengers comes an all-new tale of the Sorcerer Supreme full of suspense, intrigue and horror.
Kaotoxin Records has announced the recording of what could be dubbed as being “The French Peel Sessions” as, for the first time in France, the state-owned national radio network, Radio France, have started an ongoing series of “live in the studio” recordings for nation-wide broadcasting on their “Le Mouv” channel.
The promoters of Tucson, Arizona’s SOUTHWEST TERROR FEST have finalized the massive lineup for the 2014 installment of the event, unveiling an incredible listing of bands that takes this now annual extreme metal gathering up to an entirely new level. Behold, SOUTHWEST TERROR FEST III: THE WESTERN FRONT!
This June, go deeper into the secrets of the Marvel Universe in ORIGINAL SINS #2 – the next epic chapter in the 5-issue companion series exploring the mysteries and sins of your favorite Marvel Universe characters! Featuring some of our most requested characters of all-time, each issue of Original Sins shines a revealing light on the most wanted characters courtesy of the industry’s top creators!
Ok, so who do you feel is the MOST METAL of them all? Ozzy the Prince of Darkness and Grandfather of MEtal, Lemmy of Motorhead, Dio (May he rest in the halls of which he sang), maybe even Billy from Testament or Randy Blythe from LoG? All of these frontmen are brutal and vicious singers in their own ways, and I am not saying none are contenders, but I submit this name to you, oh questioning readers: Christopher Lee
This week, having survived some Memorial Day havoc, let us celebrate with some new releases from Relapse Records, Housecore Records, Armory, and The Compound! and let me sayeth unto you, o lucky reader, that having listened to the advanced copies, you shalt carry the Riff and Grind deep within your hearts!
