March of 2018 saw the release of the latest Monster Magnet masterpiece “Mindfucker” (Order and Stream The Album) on Napalm Records. Following three exclusive Northeastern US shows, the band headed across the pond for a European headline tour. Now they are ready to return to North America for a full headline tour this Fall. Continue reading
Sacramento doom alchemists CHRCH will rumble West Coast stages next week on tour with Yob and Acid King. The short journey will commence September 6th and wind its way through eight cities upon its conclusion September 15th. See all confirmed dates below.
CHRCH continues to tour in support of their towering Light Will Consume Us All full-length released earlier this year via Neurot Recordings. Across the record’s forty-four-minute run time, CHRCH layers intricate melodies, thunderous rhythms, gargantuan riffs, and a powerful, supernatural vocal presence, performing with arresting purity and honesty. Their long-form songs build and deconstruct as the band reach sonic highs, and at times, beautiful plateaus. Traversing life’s journey of loss, reclamation and, ultimately, finding hope within the darkness, the music of CHRCH calls the listener to inhabit it, allowing enough room for its transmutation into anything one desires of it. Light Will Consume Us All was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Patrick Hills (King Woman, Bog Oak, VRTRA) at Earthtone Studios in Sacramento, California.
9/06/2018 Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA
9/07/2018 Catalyst Atrium – Santa Cruz, CA
9/08/2018 Pappy & Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
9/09/2018 Teregram – Los Angeles, CA
9/12/2018 Sister Bar – Albuquerque, NM
9/13/2018 Club Red – Phoenix, AZ
9/14/2018 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
9/15/2018 Oakland Metro – Oakland, CA
Born Of Osiris @ Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California on Summer Slaughter 2018
All photos courtesy of Jennifer Black @ Black J Photo
Born Of Osiris, performed at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Thursday, August 9 as part of the Summer Slaughter Tour. Nikon shooter Jennifer Black was there to capture the action.
*Set list*
Machine
Divergency
Bow Down
The Other Half of Me
Throw Me in the Jungle
Brace Legs
Empires Erased
Silence The Echo
The Sleeping and the Dead
Abstract Art
Energized by the yearlong celebration of his 50th Showbiz Anniversary, iconic pop singer, Engelbert Humperdinck feels the urge to start his next decade on a celebratory note as well. Coming hot on the heels of his first album of original material in over a decade, the acclaimed The Man I Want to Be, Engelbert decided to launch the next chapter of his illustrious career on October 12, 2018 by surprising the fans with Warmest Christmas Wishes, a brand-new Christmas album – his first in almost forty years.
Much like its predecessor, Warmest Christmas Wishes is a combination of classic, new and unexpected songs. Traditional holiday songs like “Silent Night” and “O Tannenbaum” sit next to American Yule Standards like “Please Come Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas,” the latter being reinvented in a Django Reinhardt inspired swing arrangement.
Premiering “Please Come Home For Christmas” with Billboard, Engelbert told the magazine, “It’s been such a long time since I recorded a Christmas album, and fans have been asking me, ‘When are you going to do another one?’ Finally, we decided to do it. I love (Christmas). From me growing up with a large family and everybody singing around the Christmas tree, it was a wonderful, wonderful upbringing. So (Christmas) is very special with me to share.”
Among the other tracks on the album, Engelbert delivers Christmas cheer with Chris Rea’s “Driving Home for Christmas” and Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Christmas Song”. Two new original songs – “Christmas for the Family” and “Around the Christmas Tree” are bound to become instant holiday favorites. In all there are 14 chestnuts to celebrate the Christmas joy delivered in Engelbert Humperdinck’s inimitable style.
Exiled From Grace are a hot, young new metal band from Sacramento, California! Their debut EP “Tragedy” is out now on iTunes, Spotify, and other digital music platforms! The band members include John Timmons (Vocals), Gerard Aguilar III (Bass), Molly Wallace (Drums), Dru Wallace (Guitar) Alex Lovato (Guitar).
How did you first get into music? Who or what turned you onto metal?
John Timmons: My dad listened to a lot of classic rock like Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles, so he would pretty much be playing one of their cassettes every time I was in his truck with them so that was sort of when the seeds were planted I guess. But it wasn’t til around middle school that I started getting into heavier music, and from that it just snowballed into metal, then Deathcore, then wanting to play and perform.
Gerard Aguilar III: I joined the school marching band in 7th grade and soon discovered bands like Black Veil Brides and Asking Alexandria.
Molly Wallace: Playing Rock Band was what originally got me into music when I was younger and going to Warped Tour is what really got me into metal.
What got you started playing music and how old were you?
John: I was 11 or 12 when I bought my first bass because the only kids I knew in a band in my town needed a bassist.
Dru Wallace: When I was 7, I used to play Guitar Hero 3 and I loved the songs on there so I started learning them on real guitar.
Alex Lovato: I saw the movie School of Rock and got a guitar the Christmas I turned 8. After that I started playing live with my dad and grandfather.
How did you become a vocalist? Are you proficient in any other instruments? Have you always been creative?
John: One of the early projects I was in had a vocalist who wanted to play bass so he asked me to hop on vocals instead. I would also say Marilyn Manson had a big influence on my desire to be a frontman. I am differing levels of proficient in just about every instrument present in this band, mainly so that I can contribute in some way to the writing process rather than just lyrics. No, I would say that I’ve grown exponentially as a musician just in the last two and a half years that I’ve been playing with G. He’s helped me grow into a much better and more capable player all around.
How did Exiled From Grace come about? Where did you develop the name? Where is it derived from?
John: I joined a project G was already apart of and we found that we clicked personally and musically, so after not long we had split with the other members and formed EFG out of that. As for the name, we were sitting in my garage spit-balling names and it was between that or an homage to an As I Lay Dying record. It really is meant to represent people who feel outcasted from society’s typical outlets of happiness and finding the courage to create their own happiness outside of society’s norms. And then subsequently, wearing that “mark” as a show of strength in belief in oneself and one’s own individuality.
What is the plan for recording new music, where, when and with who will be recording you? Will there be bonus tracks, cover songs, vinyl and cassette?
John: We’re currently finishing up the writing/demoing of our full-length with Randy Saelee, the guy who did our EP. We will be recording the official tracks with him and another engineer based out of the Bay Area. As for the rest, you’ll have to find out when we unveil the record!
Who are your original influences and who are your current inspirations and admiration’s local and or national?
Dru: Sworn In.
What makes a good Exiled From Grace song?
John: Heaviness, grooves, and aggression. Everything else is sort of whatever we’re feeling in the moment of writing it or the feel of the song based on the lyrics I have written.
Molly: Anything you can break a limb in the mosh pit to.
What kind of references or influences do you take from other mediums? Is there any particular book, or other artists that you are inspired by?
G: I watch Lords of Dogtown often and it always makes me right tuff riffs.
John: I read a lot of classic/modern literature and I often get ideas based off some of the themes or phrases prevalent in the novels.
How much time do you spend on social media a day? Which do you hate the most but can’t live without? Which do you like and why?
Alex: Don’t ask me that question.
John: More then I care to admit because I’m constantly on there promoting us. And I hate all of them.
Top 5 albums or songs released in the last 12 months?
John:
The Agony Cycle EP – Betrayer
Eternal Nightmare – Chelsea Grin
Deathwish – Within Destruction
Come Hell – Dead Crown
World Demise – Falsifier
You’re on a desert island and only have three albums to listen to for the rest of your life, what are they and why?
John: Antichrist Superstar by Manson (best album of all time in my opinion)
Spite’s Self-Titled
Women and Children Last by Muderdolls
What does metal mean to you?
John: To me, it basically just means a community of people who all enjoy really heavy and aggressive music because they’ve all been at a point in their lives in which the music has helped them pull themselves out of whatever problem they were dealing with, and because of that there is this culture of respect around each other, like we all know we’ve all gone through similar shit and there’s a sort of familial connection that comes with that.
What does the rest of 2018 have in store for Exiled From Grace?
John: We have a show on September 15th with Alestorm and then one on the 10th of November with Goatwhore and The Casualties. And besides that, we’ll be continuing to finish up our record which should be released sometime next year.
Veil Of Maya @ Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California on Summer Slaughter 2018
All photos courtesy of Jennifer Black @ Black J Photo
Veil Of Maya, performed at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Thursday, August 9 as part of the Summer Slaughter Tour. Nikon shooter Jennifer Black was there to capture the action.
Set list
Pillars
We Bow in Its Aura
Whistleblower
Doublespeak
Punisher
Overthrow
Nyu
Leeloo
Lisbeth
Pool Spray
Mikasa
PIG DESTROYER have premiered the third single from their highly anticipated sixth full-length album Head Cage entitled “Mt. Skull”; officially due out September 7th. Watch the hilarious new Joe Stakun directed video below.
Active since 2015, Sacramento, California-based progressive melodic death metal outfit The Odious Construct are a young band relatively speaking. Yet in their brief existence, they’ve moved at blinding speeds to continually refine their craft live and in the studio in order to reach the next level. After hashing out two single song demos in 2015, the band quickly released their well-received self-titled EP in July of 2016.
Now in 2018, The Odious Construct have evolved as musicians and songwriters and are primed to release their strongest music to date on Shrine of the Obscene. Recently signed to The Artisan Era, Shrine of the Obscene will be The Odious Construct‘s first effort on the label and is set for release on Friday, October 12th.
