The Morning After Updates Fans On New Album, More

Posted on June 18, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: The Morning After

Raleigh, North Carolina’s The Morning After is one busy band. The indie folk/rock band is hard at work on its sophomore record and touring in support of its debut record, Starless Nights at the same time. The band will perform live at Turntable in Jamestown, NC on Saturday, June 29^th. It will also perform a hometown show live on July 4^th at The Works in downtown Raleigh. The band is scheduled to go on at 5pm.

On a more bittersweet note, the band has announced that bassist Jamie Dawson has left the band. According to a statement released by the band, Dawson’s departure was fully amicable. It notes that he left to spend more time with family. He has been replaced by Lindsey “Hometeam” Tims. The full statement from the band on Dawson’s departure and the upcoming new album can be read online at the band’s official Reverb Nation website at
http://www.reverbnation.com/c/fr5/artist_848646?eid=A848646_17664812_
.

Audiences can keep up with all of the latest news and tour information from The Morning After online at
http://www.facebook.com/morningaftermusic
,
http://twitter.com/rkandthema
and
http://www.reverbnation.com/morningaftermusic
.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Tate’s New QR LP Unlike Anything Fans Have Ever Heard

Posted on June 18, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Deadline Music

Geoff Tate is one of the most talented and iconic singers in the world of rock music today. Tate has made a career of fronting the equally iconic hard rock band, Queensryche. In his most recent album, Tate has shown once again why he is still a vocal powerhouse. Call it a Queensryche album. Call it a Geoff Tate album. Regardless of which side one takes in the ongoing dispute between Tate and his former band mates, one has to admit that even this Queensryche album has its share of positives. The first of those positives is the album’s opener, ‘Crush.’

‘Cold’ is one of those songs that will take listeners back to the days of Hear in the Now Frontier. While it is heavier than anything on the aforementioned album, it definitely bears at least some slight semblance to the material from that record. What makes this song interesting is that for all of its heaviness, lyrically, it doesn’t come across as something that should be quite so heavy. Tate sings in the song’s chorus, “Would you stay here/If I begged you to/What more can I do/You’re so cold.” This is a song rooted in relationship matters. It is that imbalanced juxtaposition of the song’s lyrics to its music that makes it quite the opener for this album. Rather than being just another moping emo-style piece, Tate and his mostly new band mates have opted for something that instead grabs listeners and engages them right off the bat.

Things get even more interesting after ‘Cold’ as Tate and company launch into the even heavier Dare. This song (save for its single f-bomb early on) is this album’s most radio ready single. It is as far from the older days of Queensryche as Tate could get. That’s evident in the much heavier, more mainstream guitar riffs and electronics. It’s even unlike what fans have come to expect from Tate’s own previous solo records. This stark contrast from other songs penned by Tate makes it one more point for listeners to note. One has to wonder as to whom exactly Tate’s target was here, what with the song’s lyrical content. He sings in the song’s first verse, “What have you got/What have you got to show/You can’t look it in the eye/That’s how I know/You wouldn’t dare/You wouldn’t dare/You wouldn’t dare hurt me/Cause you just might get hurt yourself.” On one hand, it could be argued that this is another song based in relationship issues. But on the other hand, it could just as easily be argued that this is a direct response by Tate to his former band mates considering the two sides’ less than pleasant split in 2012.

Frequency Unknown is an interesting effort from Geoff Tate, needless to say as is evidenced by the songs noted here. This is not a record for classic Queensryche fans as it breaks completely from the classic Queensryche sound. That aside, it still bears its own sound that shows Geoff Tate and his band of hired hands has still crafted a record that is worth at least one listen. It’s just too bad that the band wasn’t able to put its differences aside as it would have been interesting to hear the songs from this album mixed in with those of the music from Tate’s former band mates on their new album. Until or unless that happens, audiences do have quite the interesting listen in this record. It is available now in stores and online. Fans can check out the music from Tate’s Queensryche as the band is touring in support of Frequency Unknown now. The band will perform today at Club Fever in South Bend, Indiana. A full listing of tour dates for Tate’s Queensryche can be found online at
http://www.queensryche.com/tour/
.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to
http://www.facebook.com/philspicks
and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at
http://philspicks.wordpress.com
.

Garbage One Mile High Live Anything But Garbage

Posted on June 16, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment/Eagle Vision

Seven years passed between the release of Garbage’s 2012 album, Not Your Kind of People and its 2005 release, Bleed Like Me. Seventeen years have passed in the time the post-grunge band released its 1995 self-titled debut record. A lot has changed in the music industry in that time. But one thing that hasn’t changed is fans’ love for the band as is proven in its brand new live Blu-ray and DVD, One Mile High…Live. The performance is a career spanning performance that proves that while the band’s members—Shirley Manson (vocals), Butch Vig (drums), Duke Erikson (guitars), Steve Marker (guitars) and ex-Janes Addition bassist Eric Avery (touring bassist)—are much older now, none of them has lost a step along the way.

Even for what seems like a smaller venue in comparison to others (at least on film), the Ogden Theater in Denver, Colorado is a fitting setting for this performance. The show was recorded on October 6^th, 2012. Considering that this was in the “Mile-High City”, that means that the weather had likely already turned pretty seasonal. But even as cold as it might have gotten outside, things were pretty warm inside the theater thanks to the energy exuded by the band and the audience’s reaction to the band’s performance. Right from the show’s opening number, ‘Automatic Systematic Habit’, the band engages the audience with its mix of vocal tricks, bombastic beats and solid guitars. From there, the band launches into a full set of songs that spans the mass of its catalogue. This includes the massive radio hits, ‘Queer’, ‘Stupid Girl’, ‘Special’ and ‘Only happy When It Rains’, just to name a handful.

The full-on set list is just one part of what will make this performance enjoyable for any fan of Garbage. Audiences will especially appreciate what can only be called an unexpected moment late in the show when Manson has to get security into the crowd. This is such an interesting moment as she gets security into the crowd without missing a single beat through the band’s performance. IN an age when so many singers are accused of lip synching, this single moment proves without a shadow of a doubt, that Manson was not lip synching. One might ask why this is important. This is important in that it proves just how solid her vocals are even almost two decades of performing. What’s more, it’s just one of many moments that prove that the band as a whole is just as solid a unit as ever. This, even as the band had taken a seven-year break between albums. And this in itself goes back to the show’s set list. Through the course of the near two-hour long concert, the band proves exactly why its fans have been so loyal.

The band’s solid performance from start to finish will impress fans especially considering that its last tour in 2005 was canceled due to what was then called burnout. There is more to consider in this recording than just the band’s performance. Also to be taken into account with this show is the recording itself. The audio and video mixes prove once more why Eagle Rock Entertainment remains as one of the leaders in releasing live recordings. This is especially the case with the Blu-ray presentation. So often, it is thrown around that some recordings make viewers feel like they are really there in person. This is especially the case with this new recording from Garbage. The footage is crystal clear to the point that viewers will feel like they are looking less at a TV monitor than a window. And as has been noted with previous releases, those with a surround sound home theater system will especially appreciate the solid audio mix. The audio was expertly balanced throughout the performance. And combined with the audio, the pair adds to the show’s enjoyment with each viewing. One Mile High…Live is available now on DVD and Blu-ray. It can be ordered online direct via the Eagle Rock Entertainment website at
http://www.eagle-rock.com/product/ERBRD5190/One+Mile+High
.

While waiting on the DVD and Blu-ray to come in, fans can keep up with the latest news and more from Garbage online at
http://www.facebook.com/GarbageOfficial
and
http://www.garbage.com
.

Between The Buried And Me Announce Details For Upcoming Fall Tour

Posted on June 16, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Metal Blade Records

Courtesy: Metal Blade Records/Entertainment One

North Carolina’s own and recent Metal Blade signees, Between the Buried and Me, will hit the road this Fall. The band will be touring in support of its most recent release, The Parallax II and will perform the whole of both Part I and II at each stop on its upcoming tour. It won’t be touring alone once it hits the road beginning Friday, September 13^th. Also coming along for the tour will be The Contortionist, which will be touring in support of its most recent album, Intrinsic. Also along for the ride this Fall will be The Faceless and The Safety Fire.

Fans of BTBAM in North Carolina will get two chances to see the band on its upcoming tour. The very first date on the tour will be at Ziggy’s in Winston-Salem. The band’s only other North Carolina tour date will be the penultimate performance of the tour on October 24^th. The band is scheduled to perform at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC.

Tickets for the tour are available for purchase now online at
http://www.SHOWstubs.com
. General admission tickets will go on sale at local outlets beginning Friday, July 12^th. VIP packages are being offered to the shows via
http://www.SHOWstubs.com
. The VIP packages include the choice of a general admission ticket or deluxe bundle featuring an exclusive t-shirt, necklace, button pack, poster, loaded flash drive, or a flexi-disc with the live version of ‘Astral Body.’ The video for ‘Astral Body’ is available for viewing online now at
http://www.betweentheburiedandme.com
.

A full list of the bands’ upcoming tour is available below.

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME
Tour w/ The Faceless, The Contortionist, The Safety Fire
09/13 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy’s
09/14 Knoxville, TN NV
09/15 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
09/16 Jacksonville, FL Brewster’s Roc Bar
09/17 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live
09/19 Houston, TX House of Blues
09/20 Austin, TX The Mohawk
09/21 Dallas, TX House of Blues
09/23 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
09/24 Salt Lake City, UT Murray Theater
09/26 Mesa, AZ The Nile
09/27 W. Hollywood, CA House of Blues
09/28 San Diego, CA House of Blues
09/29 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory
09/30 San Francisco, CA Regency Ballroom
10/01 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
10/03 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
10/04 Seattle, WA El Corazon
10/05 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
10/07 Calgary, AB The Republik
10/08 Edmonton, AB Starlite Room
10/09 Winnipeg, MB Garrick Centre
10/11 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
10/12 Chicago, IL Metro
10/13 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
10/14 Louisville, KY Headliner’s Music Hall
10/16 New York City, NY Best Buy Theatre
10/17 Worcester, MA The Palladium
10/18 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
10/19 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
10/20 Cleveland, OH Peabody’s Downunder
10/21 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small’s Theatre
10/23 Baltimore, MD Sound Stage
10/24 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
10/25 Nashville, TN Cannery Ballroom

All the latest tour news and more on BTBAM is available online at
http://www.betweentheburiedandme.com
,
http://www.metalblade.com/btbam
,
http://www.facebook.com/BTBAMofficial
,
http://www.youtube.com/btbamofficial
, and
http://twitter.com/btbamofficial
.

Chimaira Release Summer Tour Details

Posted on June 14, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Entertainment One

Chimaira will tour this Summer. The six-man metal act has announced that the tour will be in support of its long-awaited new album, Crown of Phantoms. The tour will see the Cleveland based band tour alongside Threat Signal, The Browning and EOne label mates, Dark Sermon.

The bands’ tour kicks off in Springfield, VA and will take them in a near circle through the course of the tour’s roughly twenty-seven dates. From Virginia, the tour will move down the East Coast to South Carolina before moving into Florida and swinging across the Southwest and back up the West Coast into the Pacific Northwest. From there the bands will head back to perform a handful of dates in the Midwest before the tour progresses back to the Northeast. The whole thing wraps up with a hometown show for Chimaira on Sunday, August 25^th at Peabody’s in Cleveland, Ohio.

Crown of Phantoms will be available July 30^th. The lead single the album, ‘All That’s Left is Blood’ can be downloaded via iTunes at
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-thats-left-is-blood-single/id647296850
. A full listing of the bands’ upcoming tour is available below.

CROWN OF PHANTOMS TOUR SCHEDULE

7/26/13 Springfield, VA
Empire

7/27/13 Spartanburg, SC
Ground Zero

7/28/13 Orlando, FL
The Social

7/29/13 Jacksonville, FL
Freebird Live

7/31/13 Houston, TX
Fitzgerald’s

8/1/13 Dallas, TX
Trees

8/2/13 Lubbock, TX
Jake’s

8/3/13 Albuquerque, NM
Sunshine Theater

8/4/13 Tempe, AZ
Rocky Point

8/6/13 San Diego, CA
House Of Blues

8/7/13 Santa Ana, CA
The Observatory

8/8/13 Hollywood, CA
The Whisky

8/9/13 Santa Cruz, CA
The Catalyst

8/10/13 Portland, OR
Hawthorne Theater

8/11/13 Seattle, WA
Studio Seven

8/13/13 CO Springs, CO
Black Sheep

8/14/13 Denver, CO
Marquis Theater

8/15/13 Des Moines, IA
Wooly’s

8/16/13 Chicago, IL
Reggie’s

8/17/13 Columbus, OH
Frontier Ranch

8/18/13 Grand Rapids, MI
The Intersection

8/20/13 Philadelphia, PA
Theater Of The Living Arts

8/21/13 New York, NY
Gramercy Theater

8/22/13 Boston, MA
Middle East

8/23/13 Toronto, ON
Wreck Room

8/24/13
Rochester, NY
Montage Music Hall

8/25/13 Cleveland, OH
Peabody’s

Chimaira’s fans can keep up with all of the latest tour news and more from the band online at
http://www.facebook.com/chimairaofficial
,
http://twitter.com/chimairaband
,
http://instagram.com/chimairaband
, and
http://www.youtube.com/chimairatube
.

Fozzy, Saxon Announce Fall Tour

Posted on June 14, 2013 by philspicks

Fozzy and Saxon are set to hit the road this Fall. The bands will hit the road beginning Thursday, September 12^thon the “Sacrifice and Sin Tour.” The first performance of the tour will be at The Emporium in Patchogue, New York. The twenty-one date tour will take the bands almost into mid-October and will wind down in Vancouver, Canada. VIP Meet & Greet packages are available online at
http://www.fozzyrock.com
.

Fozzy front man and WWE Superstar Chris Jericho noted in a recent interview, his excitement of not only touring again, but also of touring with the legendary British metal outfit. “After our highly successful US tour last summer on UPROAR, we’ve been chomping at the bit for the right opportunity to return to North America…and now it has arrived!” he said. “To tour with the legendary Saxon is a metal dream come true and the perfect way to satisfy all of our amazing fans in the US and Canada and to make tons of new ones in the process. Get ready for Sacrifice and Sin…we’re gonna tear your heads off and leave u screaming FOZZY, FOZZY, FOZZY!!”

Both bands will be touring in support of new releases. Fozzy will be touring in support of its most recent release, 2012’s Sin and Bones. Saxon will be touring in support of its latest release, Sacrifice, which was released March 26^th of this year. Saxon’s Biff Byford shared Jericho’s sentiments of the bands touring together this Fall in a recent interview. “So far, the Sacrifice World Tour has taken us from the Bahamas to South America and back to Europe for the festival season,” Byford said. “Now it is time for us to return to North America for a series of dates with the one and only FOZZY. We have been friends with Chris Jericho for years so there has never been a better time to hook up with FOZZY for a tour that will take us from the east coast to the west coast and finally winding up in the Great White North.”

A full listing of the bands’ tour dates is available below.

SAXON / FOZZY tour dates

Sept 12- Patchogue, NY @ The Emporium

Sept 13- New York, NY @ BB King

Sept 14- Montreal, QUE @ Corona Theater

Sept 15- Toronto, ONT @ The Phoenix

Sept 17- Reading, PA @ Reverb

Sept 18- Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s

Sept 19- Dayton, OH @ McGuffy’s

Sept 20- Flint, MI @ Machine Shop

Sept 21- Joliet, IL @ Mojoes

Sept 22- Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

Sept 26- Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues

Sept 27- San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live

Sept 28- Houston, TX @ House Of Blues

Oct 01- Tempe, AZ @ Club Red

Oct 02- Long Beach, CA @ Gaslamp

Oct 03- Ramona, CA @ Ramona Mainstage

Oct 04- Los Angeles, CA @ House Of Blues

Oct 05- Corona, CA @ M15

Oct 06- San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge

Oct 08- Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven

Oct 09- Portland, OR @ Mt Tabor

Oct 10- Vancouver, BC @ The Venue

More information on Fozzy, its tour schedule and more is available online at
http://www.facebook.com/FozzyRock
and
http://www.fozzyrock.com
. Fans of Saxon can follow the band online at
http://www.facebook.com/saxon
and
http://www.saxon747.com
.

From Dust To Dreams A Concert Dream Come True

Posted on June 13, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: PBS

Las Vegas is typically known by its nickname, “Sin City.” The other “city that never sleeps” is dominated by gambling, girls, and much more. Because of that reputation, few people would ever associate the famed city with a center for the performing arts. But there is in fact a center for the performing and cultural arts in Las Vegas now in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Thanks to PBS, audiences that weren’t able to be in attendance at the celebration of the center’s opening can now re-live the concert event any time that they want.

from Dust to Dreams: Opening Night at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts chronicles the celebration held in honor of the center’s opening. What can be said of this performance but it was an impressive show from a who’s who of the music and entertainment community. Performers the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Mavis Staples, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and more than can be named here took part in the two-hour long celebration of the arts coming to Las Vegas at long last. Host of the Tonys and star of CBS’ How I Met Your Mother served as emcee of this presentation. What’s interesting to note about his presence in this performance is how much different it was in comparison to what audiences have become accustomed to from the actor. This isn’t a bad thing, either. If anything, it only serves to heighten the enjoyment of the overall presentation. Add in expertly mixed audio and video, and audiences get what is in retrospect one of the best live recordings of 2012.

The very first thing that can be noted of from Dust to Dreams is that it opens and closes in fine fashion. The opening number performed by trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. Sandoval’s performance was an outstanding opener for the two-hour event. His control over his instrument shows the result of his years of training. This is especially the case when he hits the final high note of his opening number. Far too often, some overzealous performers hit high notes in songs, thinking they sound good. But in reality the performers in question are blasting out the notes, resulting in a very harsh sound. That wasn’t the case with Sandoval’s performance. His performance got the energy flowing and set the bar for what was to come through the rest of the show’s performances.

The performances that follow that of Sandoval hold the bar quite well. Whether the medley of songs from Man of La Mancha and West Side Story, the classic country of veteran artist Willie Nelson, or even the more rocking sounds of John Fogerty, this show spans the musical spectrum and will entertain audiences of all ages and musical tastes. Adding to the enjoyment of the concert is the presence of emcee Neil Patrick Harris. Yes, Harris was more subdued in his hosting duties here than as host of the Tonys. But this was an entirely different event. Even the performers had their time on stage limited as there were so many performers. What’s more, Harris did offer his share of pretty funny jokes when he was on stage. Audiences need to keep this in mind in considering his performance as emcee of this event. In doing so, those same individuals will enjoy the laughs that Harris shares when he is on stage.

The performance of host Neil Patrick Harris and that of the show’s performers make from Dust to Dreams quite the enjoyable live recording. One would be remiss though, to ignore the importance of the show’s audio and video mix. Going back to the show’s opening number by Arturo Sandoval straight through to the show’s closing number, the audio and video have been expertly mixed. There are some songs that absolutely soar throughout the course of this program. And then there are other, more subtle pieces that were captured so well. Whether one has a home surround sound theater or not, one can still experience so much. Those that do have home theater systems will appreciate the performances even more. That’s because the picture will look crystal clear on an HDTV and the sound will sound just as clear. This is especially true for those with surround sound. It is these aspects that make the overall presentation on this DVD so enjoyable. In retrospect, it makes this collection of performances one of the best live recordings of 2012. From Dust to Dreams is available now. It can be ordered online direct from the PBS online store at
http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=13233132&cp=&sr=1&kw=from+dust+to+dreams&origkw=from+Dust+to+Dreams&parentPage=search&searchId=1374600
.

Fans of PBS and its programming can keep up with all of the latest news, releases and more from the network online at
http://ww.facebook.com/pbs
and at
http://www.pbs.org
.

OMD Live Another Feather In Eagle Rock’s Cap

Posted on June 12, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment/Eagle Vision

OMD’s new live release, OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More is a solid trip back in time for fans of the British 80s New-Wave stars. The concert, which was filmed at London’s famed Hammersmith Apollo in 2007 and released on DVD in 2008, sees the group performing its landmark album Architecture & Morality in its entirety for fans, as well as a number of its other hits including the song, ‘If You Leave.’ The song in question was used in the classic John Hughes teen-centric story, Pretty in Pink.

Six years have passed since this concert was originally performed and recorded. Five years have passed since it was originally released on DVD. And nearly twenty-six years had passed between the album’s original release and this performance. Suffice it to say that in that time, the classic lineup of Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphries, Malcolm Holmes, and Martin Cooper sounded just as solid in this performance as it did on the original recording. Making the performance even better is the expertly mixed audio and video of the concert. What’s more, the concert sounds and looks just as good as it did in its original DVD release. Audiences will get in this new Blu-ray release, a performance that proves with its set list and its audio and video the value once again of picking up recorded performances versus dealing with the costs and stresses of the annual Summer concert season. Simply put, it once again proves why Eagle Rock Entertainment is among the leaders when it comes to live recordings.

The video mix in this recording is on par with every other live recording released by Eagle Rock Entertainment in recent memory. It maintains the high level reputation that the company has established through its previous releases. This is especially the case with the concert’s Blu-ray release. The wide shots of the band on stage are some of the most impressive throughout the show. There’s something special about catching the full visual effect of the screens behind the band and the lighting used in each song. Both the video screens and the lighting play a special role in heightening the emotion of each of the songs performed in the set list. It serves to make the performance fully immersive, even in being watched on television. The photo collage included in the recording’s booklet adds even more

The audio mix of this concert is just as impressive as the video mix. There are those who seemingly have noted issues with the audio. One can’t help but wonder if the parties in question had the audio settings on their televisions improperly set. That does tend to be one factor that viewers should check with any live recording whether on Blu-ray or DVD. It sounds especially impressive for those with a surround sound home theater. Alongside the expertly shot footage, the audio mix captures even the minutest of each song’s musical details, the vocal and musical balance aside.

Whether for the expert audio and video mix or for the set list or even for the ability of this veteran act to take its audiences back to another age, OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More is a nice addition to the library of any of the band’s legion of fans. It is just as good of a fit for anyone that is or has ever been a fan of the 80s New-Wave movement. And now that it has been re-issued on Blu-ray it is even more of a welcome addition to the libraries of said audiences. It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct online via the Eagle Rock website at
http://www.eagle-rock.com
.

Queensryche’s Upcoming LP A Welcome Return To Form

Posted on June 12, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Century Media Records

Queensryche is one of the most well known bands in the history of rock. This Seattle based band survived the hair metal movement and the nu-wave movement of the 80s. It also survived the grunge movement of the 90s and even the musical gold rush of 2000. Throughout all of these different phases that the music industry has seen come and go, Queensryche has had its share of highs with iconic albums such as Empire, Operation: Mindcrime, Rage for Order, and to a slightly lesser degree, Hear in the Now Frontier and Promised Land. While it did survive the musical gold rush of 2000, the release of its 2003 album, Tribe and its predecessor, Q2K (1999) were met with lukewarm reviews at best. And 2011’s Dedicated to Chaos was perhaps its least warmly received album in its thirty year plus long career. Things didn’t get much better after the less than pleasant split between the band and its now former front man Geoff Tate. But it looks like the band is well back on track with a new front man and a self-titled album that takes long-time fans back to the days of Empire, Rage For Order, and even HITNF and Promised Land.

The very first thing that audiences should note with this new release is not much its musical side but its cover art and title. Most people don’t pay much attention to any album’s title or even the cover art for its liner notes/booklet. But in the case of Queensryche, both are of equal significance with this new release. They are so significant because of the recent history between the band and its former front man. The artwork for the standard edition of the album is simplistic, unlike that of many of the band’s previous releases. It is simply the band’s logo set against a solid metallic background. In its own way, one could argue that this is its own statement of the band redeveloping its identity through this fashion. Just as the artwork is simple, so is the album’s title. The band’s very first release way back in 1983 was a self-titled release. Now three decades later, the band has offered fans another self-titled release. Again, it seems insignificant on a small scale. But considering everything that has happened with the band since 2012, making the album self-titled is another statement of rebirth for the band. Just as Tate was delivering a statement with the title and artwork of his Queensryche album, Frequency Unknown, so is this Queensryche’s album title. And it’s a statement that is as solid as the album’s musical content.

Musically speaking, this album is a rebirth for this Queensryche band in every way. The ten songs that comprise the record are classic Queensryche, hands down. Even with new front man Todd LaTorre manning vocal duties, listeners will be taken back. If one were to listen to this record without knowing about the band’s rather acrimonious split with Geoff Tate, one would swear they were indeed hearing Tate. That perhaps is the most intriguing fact of all about this record. Forget the fact that the classic bombastic guitar work of Michael Wilton and the equally impressive drumming of Scott Rockenfield are back. LaTorre’s vocal style and sound are near mirror images so to speak of that of the band’s previous singer. It’s incredible how similar the two sound. And it is because of this and the album’s overall old school sound (not to mention the statement of the album’s artwork and title), that fans that grew up with Queensryche will cheer happily once more. It is everything that those fans have awaited for so many years.

Queensryche is currently wrapping up the U.S. leg of its tour in support of its new album. It will kick off the European leg of its tour beginning October 2^nd at the O2 Academy Islington. Fans can get a complete tour listing and all of the latest tour updates and general news from the band on its Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/QueensrycheOfficial
and its official website,
http://www.queensrycheofficial.com
.

Sabbath’s “13″ Well Worth The Wait

Posted on June 10, 2013 by philspicks

Courtesy: Universal Republic Records

It goes without saying after having listened to it that Black Sabbath’s 13 is one of the best hard rock/metal albums of 2013. This record has been decades in the making. And the wait was well worth it, even with someone other than Bill Ward on drums. Ozzy’s vocals and Tony Iommi’s guitar work are at their peak throughout this record. So many rock bands have tried hard to emulate Sabbath’s sound since its breakup so long ago. But few if any have managed to come close since then. So it is nice to have one of rock’s elite back (even if one member isn’t present) to reclaim its proper place in rock’s upper echelons.

Right from the opening moments of the album’s opener, ‘End of the Beginning’, listeners know they are in for something special on this record. Geezer’s bass and Tony’s guitar work are pummeling along with Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine) on drums in the song’s opening moments before laying back to let Ozzy’s haunting vocals take the spotlight. Rick Rubin actually made the right choice bringing in Wilk to cover the drums in place of Bill Ward for this record. When the rest of the band comes back in, the combined wound will take audiences back to Black Sabbath’s glory days. Ozzy, Tony, and Geezer show that they are still the originators and have not lost a single step along the way. It’s like old times. As Ozzy sings here, “Don’t look back/Live for today/Tomorrow is too late.” It couldn’t have been better said considering this band’s history.

13 offers listeners plenty of heaviness. For all the heavy moments, worthy of raising the horns high, it also has a more subdued moment in the song, ‘Zeitgeist.’ This is such an interesting song in that it is a full-on acoustic opus. In lieu of drums, Wilk has opted instead for perhaps a pair of bongos. And Tony and Geezer have both gone acoustic, too. There is something about this combination (along with Ozzy’s vocals) that makes for a work that could easily be compared to the likes Pink Floyd, believe it or not. It is also the album’s shortest track. It clocks in at just over four and a half minutes long. In that short time, it makes for one of the album’s most interesting moments.

If any one song on this new album stands out more than the others, it is ‘Live Forever.’ This is the second shortest song on the record. It comes in at just under five minutes long. It’s also one of the album’s heaviest numbers. Yet again, it’s more proof that Ozzy and company haven’t lost any steam in the three decades plus since the band’s last album. Of course, having mega-producer Rick Rubin manning the boards doesn’t hurt, either. Rubin really brought out the best of the band on this track. Tony’s guitar solos are incredible to say the least. They are the sort of solos that will have young guitarists around the world trying to emulate him, putting their own takes on his work on YouTube. And yet again, Brad Wilk is just as impressive behind the kit. He shows here, and throughout the record just how versatile he is as a drummer, pounding out some impressive polyrhythmic patters without missing a second. And Ozzy sounds more in control of his vocals here than anywhere else on the album. That isn’t to say that he sounds bad anywhere else. The way that Ozzy laments in this song, “I don’t mind dying/Cause I’m already dead/Pray not for the living/I live in your head/Dying is easy/It’s living that’s hard/I’m losing the battle/Between Satan and God” could so easily be interpreted in direct relation to everything that Ozzy has gone through in recent years. Considering recent reports concerning his admission to having been addicted to certain substances over recent years, instead of staying clean, it sounds like a personal statement that he perhaps felt during that time. If so, it’s a powerful statement, especially with the song’s musical backing. Though interestingly enough, the rest of the song sounds like a tongue in cheek stab at the religious establishment, considering Ozzy is actually anything but the “Prince of Darkness” that he has been made out to be.

‘Live Forever’ is one of the best of the best on Black Sabbath’s new album, 13. It musical side and lyrical side together make it quite the interesting track. Though, it’s just one of eight total tracks on the band’s new album that any long-time Black Sabbath fan will enjoy. There are seven other tracks on this disc that any true metal and hard rock purist from which they can choose as their favorite. The album will be available in stores and online June 11^th via Republic Records. The band will tour in support of the album beginning July 25^th in The Woodlands, Texas. Fans can keep up with the band’s tour dates and more on its official Facebook page,
http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath
and on its official website,
http://www.blacksabbath.com
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