Metal playlists from the underground
The latest side project from Velvet Revolver and ex-Guns N’ Roses bassist, Duff McKagan, delivers a heavy punk rock vibe (“Sick”) and a classic GN’R sound (“I See Through You). Duff McKagan’s Loaded features McKagan on lead vocals, which results in moments of Axl Rose vocal impressions on “Sleaze Factory” and “Wasted Heart.” In fact, […]
AC/DC released a handful of US tour dates for summer 2009. This is the second time that AC/DC is coming around in support of Black Ice since its release in October. July 28 Foxborough, MA Gillette Stadium July 31 E. Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium August 16 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills August 18 Grand […]
After sitting through three and a half boring hours of lame inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Metallica was finally introduced by a blue-haired Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea talked about hearing “Fight Fire With Fire” for the first time in 1984, the forces that make metal magic possible, […]
London-based rockers In The Black offer the raw, intense, and refreshing four track Iota EP. The organic attitude reflected on the first two tunes “Blindman” and “If I told You” is reminiscent of The Ramones and the early days of Pearl Jam. “Don’t Call Me,” the band’s alt-punk rock anthem is the catchiest of the […]
Austrian trio Bulbul are an acquired taste that traditional rock fans may take their sweet-ass time getting to know, even though there’s no lack of NIN meets robot rock crunch (“Lack of the Key”) or booty-shaking dance rock numbers (“When Sun Comes Out,” “Dust in My Zimmer”) to be had on this unit’s unique 15-track […]
Produced by metal guru James Murphy (former guitarist for Death and Testament), the latest 10-track presentation by American symphonic black metal troupe Abigail Williams may resonate with the corpsepainted cadence and sophisticated conviction of the bands it strives to emulate, but overall its unavoidable gloss outshines the soulless despair it tries to convey. While some […]
German drum and bass duo Beehoover unfurl a wild concoction of stoner rock, psychedelic metal, and weird rock ‘n roll on their sophomore effort HEAVY ZOOO. Fearlessly hopping from genre to genre bending minds along the way, this tandem decisively dissects your subconscious with spacey textures and galactic overtones encompassing massive hellfire riffs found on […]
The confounding metallic attack of Bay Area squad Intronaut continues with PREHISTORICISMS, a brazen eight-track affair whose dense subject matter and dizzying musical output pushes the envelope past the point of no return. Despite losing guitarist Leon Del Muerte (the man mainly responsible for the unit’s grind and death side), this troupe enlisted another guitarist […]
New Hampshire quintet Gravehaven are a prog rock meets post punk troupe along the likes of Cave In or Dredg whose latest seven-track affair is an overwhelming effort chock full of bells and whistles. But don’t let the band’s adventurous overtones a la Rush or Muse deter you, as CALICO contains just as many memorable […]
Queensrÿche is back with the conceptual release American Soldier,which fuses some awkward modern rock elements (“Middle of Hell”) with their progressive hard rock edge (“If I Were King”). Many of the tracks begin with or contain interludes of army veterans telling their war stories. The highlights of the record consist of the dramatic ballad “Home […]