Gloomball Impressive On Its Debut Record

Courtesy: SPV/Steamhammer

Most people in the metal community have either heard of heard of Godsmack or heard them.  Mudvayne, Hellyeah, and Five Finger Death Punch are just as well known in the metal world.  So what if one were to take these bands, toss them into a pot and stir them all together?  One would get Gloomball.  This German five-piece is primed to be one of the next big acts in the United States, given the right support from rock radio programmers.  The band’s debut album, The Distance, is a solid mix of all of the aforementioned bands that at the same time it shows their influences, still manages to solidly maintain its own identity.  It goes without saying that this record is one of the year’s best of the hard rock and metal category.

The album’s opener, ‘Burning Gasoline’ is fittingly titled.  It’s a full throttle hard rock song that wastes no time getting listeners’ blood boiling.  The song’s chorus is just as high powered as the music itself from band members Bjorn Daigger (guitars), Danny Joe (drums), Basti Moser (Bass) and Jossi Lenk (Guitars).  Front man Alen Ljubic sings in the song’s chorus, “The more that you throw/I’ll be back for some more/I have told you before/I’ve told you/What I/Feel a-bout you/Just because/I Don’t see/The point/To help you/Anymore/You’re just gonna stay here/Progress/No less/Just like you were before/Overcome/I’m overcome.”  The somewhat syncopated style of the chorus is reminiscent of Godsmack front man Sully Erna’s vocal style from much of that band’s songs.

The ability of Ljubic to change his vocal style from one song to another on this album is interesting to say the least.  The same can be said of the band’s sound overall.  On the album’s title track, the band has gone from a heavy, up-tempo adrenaline racer to a more controlled piece that still has a certain heavy element.  It’s something more akin to something one might hear from Five Finger Death Punch.  The song’s lyrical side shows a very deeply emotional topic.  Ljubic sings in an almost mournful style, “This will be difficult/We all want things we cannot have/Don’t drown in disbelief/Control yourself/You learn it’s a lie/Don’t betray yourself/It’s just not there/Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” He goes on to sing “This distance makes the heart grow colder.”  This song’s subject is pretty obvious.  And the talent of Ljubic’s band mates to interpret the lyrics makes this one more piece of the whole that will make any rocker proud.

Save for the album’s closer—a cover of ‘Living Within My Tender Pain (from the Rocky IV soundtrack)—the album’s energy picks right back up after the title track from Gloomball’s debut record.  It carries listeners straight through to that much more subdued closer, leaving audiences completely breathless, even after this much more gentle moment.  As gentle as it is, its proof of Black Label Society front man Zakk Wylde’s statement long ago that a song can be heavy lyrically and musically without heavy guitars.  The strains of the piano set against Ljubic singing, “I, I’m the only thing that’s real/Deep inside is where I bleed/Living with my tender pain/Ever since you’ve gone away/Why/Does it still feel like a dream/All my pain feels so unreal/And your shadow it will stay/Right beside me every day.”  Yet again, Ljubic has shown his talent with this piece.  Unlike so many other songs of love lost, the combination of his vocal tone expertly comes together with the sad sounds echoing from the piano to truly catch the pain one must feel in having lost someone close to one’s self.  Of course as already noted, its only one of two moments when the album slows down.  Those wanting something with more energy have plenty to choose from throughout the heart of The Distance.  And by the time that audiences have finished their musical journey with the band, they just might find themselves wanting to travel “The Distance” with this band again.  The Distance is available now in Europe and will be available in the United States on Tuesday, May 7^th.  The band’s only current planned performance in support of the record is a release show in Mannheim, Germany on Friday May 17^th.  Fans can check in on the band’s Facebook page and official website for all of the latest updates on its tour and more at http://www.facebook.com/GLOOMBALL and http://www.gloomball.com.

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Black Sabbath Reveals Dates For Full North American Tour Schedule

Courtesy: Universal Republic Records

The hatchet has largely been buried between the members of veteran hard rock band Black Sabbath.  After over three decades of waiting, fans of this groundbreaking band will finally get to hear new music from the band this Summer.  And in support of the new album, titled 13, Black Sabbath—Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler—will hit the road in support of the album with a full North American tour.  Drummer Bill Ward will be replaced on the band’s upcoming tour with a replacement drummer.  Tickets for the band’s upcoming tour will be available Friday, May 3^rd.  Fans can get early access to the pre-sale tickets on May 2^nd when they RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/147056262140133/?context=create or at http://bit.ly/Sabbath_RSVP.

The band’s upcoming North American tour begins Thursday, July 25^th at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston, TX.  It spans nineteen dates that will take the band from the East Coast to the West and even into Canada.  The full list of tour dates is available below.

DATE                    CITY                     VENUE

+Thu- Jul 25          Houston, TX          Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

+Sat-Jul 27           Austin, TX             Frank Erwin Center

<Mon-Jul 29          Tampa, FL             Live Nation Amphitheatre

+Wed-Jul 31          W. Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre

~Fri-Aug 02          Bristow, VA           Jiffy Lube Live

*Sun-Aug 04        Holmdel, NJ           PNC Bank Arts Center

+Tue-Aug 06        Detroit, MI            DTE Energy Music Theatre

+Thu-Aug 08        Uncasville, CT        Mohegan Sun Arena

+Sat-Aug 10         Philadelphia, PA     Wells Fargo Center

^Mon-Aug 12        Boston, MA           Comcast Center

*Wed-Aug 14        Toronto, ON          Air Canada Centre

+Fri Aug 16           Tinley Park, IL       First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

+Sun-Aug 18        Indianapolis, IN       Klipsch Music Center

+Thu-Aug 22        Vancouver, BC       Rogers Arena

*Sat-Aug 24        Seattle, WA           Gorge Amphitheatre

+Mon-Aug 26        San Francisco, CA  Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View

+Wed-Aug 28       Irvine, CA              Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

+Fri-Aug 30          Phoenix, AZ           US Airways Center

+Sun-Sep 01        Las Vegas, NV       MGM Grand Garden Arena

*Tue-Sep 03        Los Angeles, CA     Los Angeles Sports Arena

 

*Previously announced date.

^On sale Friday, May 3

+On sale Saturday, May 4

~On sale, Friday May 10

<On sale, Saturday, May 11

>On sale TBD

Before the band hits the road and the album hits stores, fans can get a glimpse of what is to come now.  The band has released 13’s lead single, ‘God is Dead?’, and fans can check it out now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVfUimq2KeI.

To get more tour information and all of the latest news from Black Sabbath, fans can go online to the band’s official website, http://www.blacksabbath.com, its official Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath, and via Twitter and Instagram at http://twitter.com/OfficialSabbath and http://instagram.com/officialsabbath.

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Re-Machined More Than Just A Tribute Record

Courtesy: Eagle Records/Eagle Rock Entertainment

Famed British hard rock band Deep Purple is set to drop its new album next month.  The album, titled Now What?! will be released in the United State Tuesday, April 30^th.  While fans wait for the release of this highly anticipated album, they have another recent release to tide them over in the form of the tribute album, Re-Machined: A Tribute to Deep Purple’s Machine Head.  It may be a tribute album, but it is still a great album for both new and long-time fans of Deep Purple.

The new honorary compilation hit stores in late 2012 as part of the 40^th anniversary of the landmark album’s original release.  It features all seven tracks from Deep Purple’s original iconic album plus a pair of bonuses.  One of those bonuses comes in the form of Metallica’s cover of ‘When A Blind Man Cries.’  As Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich notes in the compilation’s liner notes, “I have a list of songs in my head that Metallica should play before we either break up or die, and Deep Purple’s ‘When A Blind man Cries’ is one of those songs.”  The song in question is a bonus in that it actually never made the record.  Again, the liner notes shed light on this.  The notes, written by Classic Rock Magazine’s Mark Blake note that the song in question was originally a B-side to the song, ‘Never Before’ but has become a fan favorite throughout the years.  So it only made sense to have it included on this tribute record.  And it’s just one of the pieces that make this album a must not just for any Deep Purple fan but for any hard rocker, period.

‘When A Blind Man Cries’ is just one part of what makes Re-Machined such an impressive album of covers.  Going back to Ulrich, he and Metallica constitute just one of the acts brought together to record this album who openly tout Deep Purple as an influence in their own career as musicians.  Blake writes of Iron Maiden’s front man Bruce Dickinson (whose band also covers a track on the disc) that he [Dickinson] was also a “serious Purple aficionado.”  He quotes Dickinson as saying, “I cut my teeth as a kid on Deep Purple.  It’s what I grew up with.  It’s what got me out of bed in the mornings.”  Now if that isn’t a tribute in itself to the importance of Deep Purple in the music world, it’s anyone’s guess what is.  Dickinson and company ended up recording ‘Space Truckin’’ for the record, which is an absolutely outstanding piece both originally and as a cover here.  The way that it drives (no pun intended), it will have fans pumping their fists and singing along loud and proud. 

If Iron Maiden’s ‘Space Truckin’’ isn’t enough to convince fans of this compilation’s importance, then maybe the album’s opener will.  Carlos Santana (yes, that Carlos Santana) joins Papa Roach front man Jacoby Shaddix for a cover of what is arguably the band’s most famous song of all time, ‘Smoke on the Water.’  What’s really interesting about this cover is that while it is a cover, it doesn’t feel or sound like one.  Far too often, bands and artists try to take classic songs and update them.  That’s not the case here.  Shaddix and Santana have taken the classic and made it their own while still paying homage to the original.  It makes perfect sense as to why the album would open with this cover in hearing Santana’s guitar chops and the solid vocals of Shaddix.  It also serves one more purpose that at a passing glance is missed.  But in really thinking about the generational mix presented here, one sees the purer purpose of using it as the compilation’s opener.

On the surface, having a bunch of bands and artists resurrect one of rock’s most important and iconic albums is a great thing.  Having the album resurrected by a collection of rock’s greatest names past and present is even greater.  What this does is it makes it more than just a tribute album.  It makes the album a music history lesson in and of itself.  As evidenced in the opening number, young audiences will be pulled in by the inclusion of Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix.  Older audiences will be pulled in from both the fact that it’s Deep Purple and that fellow veteran musician Carlos Santana is on the track.  Also because of the inclusion of Santana, those same younger audiences will potentially be introduced to the music of not just one great classic act, but two in both Deep Purple and Carlos Santana, thus preserving both acts’ legacies for a whole new generation.  The same could be said of the inclusion of Chickenfoot’s live cover of ‘Highway Star’ and Black Label Society’s cover of ‘Pictures of Home.’ 

It should be clear by everything noted here that Re-Machined is more than just a tribute to a band.  It’s a tribute, yes.  But it’s also a tribute to everything that was and still is right with rock and roll.  It’s a musical love letter to real rock and an excellent way to get a whole new generation of hard rockers and metal heads into what is without a doubt, one of mainstream rock’s greatest bands.  The album is available now in stores and online.  Audiences can get more information on this album, the band’s upcoming new full length studio release and its tour dates online at http://www.deeppurple2013 and http://www.facebook.com/officialdeeppurple. 

To keep up with more from Deep Purple and all 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.

Pop Evil Release Video For New Single

Courtesy: EOne Music

The men of Pop Evil have officially released the video for the new single, ‘Purple.’  The single comes from the band’s sophomore full length effort, War of Angels.  The video culls footage of the band on tour against the song.  the combination really brings home the lyrical content, with front man Leigh Kakaty singing, “I’ve never been down this road before/As the days go by/I only miss you more/I thought one day/We would touch the sky/Never grow old/Never gonna die/I never realized/What you meant to me/Till I tried drowning out your memory/Like it’s not over/It only hurts when I’m sober.”  It’s a standard song of a lost love.  But the way that Kakaty sings these bittersweet lyrics set to the song’s video makes the song that much harder hitting.  Fans can check out the video now online at http://www.vevo.com/watch/pop-evil/purple/USKO11090220#/watch/pop-evil/purple/USKO11090220.  

The band recently finished up a successful stint on the Trespass America tour alongside Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage.  It is currently touring across Canada in support of label mate and legendary metallers in Black Label Society.  Pop Evil’s next tour of duty will be aboard the annual Shiprocked tour.  Five Finger Death Punch will be joining Pop evil again, as will P.O.D., Sevendust, and In This Moment.  The shiprocked tour runs from Tuesday, November 27^th to Saturday, December 1^st.  Full details on the Shiprocked tour are available online at http://www.getshiprocked.com/2012/. 

Pop Evil’s North Carolina fans will get their chance to see Pop Evil live as the band will be performing at Camp Lejeune—Onslow Beach on Wednesday, December 19^th and at Ziggy’s in Winston Salem, North Carolina the following day.

Until the Shiprocked tour, fans can get all the latest news and more from the band online at http://www.facebook.com/popevil, http://twitter.com/popevilmusic, http://www.myspace.com/PopEvil, and http://www.youtube.com/popevilmusic. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Bringing Metal to The Children is one Wylde read

Zakk Wylde is known throughout the music world as one of the most prolific guitarists in modern music history.  His chops are unequalled.  That he’s been part of fellow legend Ozzy Osbourne’s camps only adds to his reputation.  Now, the man who heads up the Black Label Society worldwide can add one more title to his resume.  That title is author.  And his new book, Bringing Metal to The Children:  The Complete Berzerker’s Guide to World Tour Domination is an amazing look behind the scenes at life on the road for Wylde and his BLS bandmates.

Wylde opens the book fittingly with an introduction to the Black Label Society creed:  SDMF. Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever.  SDMF isn’t just some random marketing scheme.  For both fans and members of BLS, it’s a way of life.  It’s a creed.  It’s a motto of self empowerment.  Wylde writes of Strength that it relates to mental, physical and spiritual strength.  For those who don’t know, he is a very devout Catholic, despite what  some may believe of him (or his friend and mentor Ozzy Osbourne.  He discusses this later in the book).  And his faith plays a very big role in his personal strength.  By looking at him, it’s obvious that Wylde walks the walk and talks the talk.  He writes about his physical conditioning.  He explains about his exercise and eating habits, especially now that he’s sober.  That combination of spiritual and physical strength leads to his explanation of Determination.  Determination is self explanatory.  He writes of this part of the BLS creed to not give up, no matter how tough or bad the situation may be. Merciless is directly tied in to Determination.  To be merciless means to give every bit of what one has.  Forget giving 100% of what one has.  Regardless of the situation, to be merciless means giving 1,000% of oneself.  Simply put, it means to never give up.  Never Give Up.  Those are three little words.  But they’re the key to this part of the BLS creed.  Again, they tie right in to Determintaion.  It all also ties directly back to Strength.  If one embraces these three parts of the BLS creed means that one will find they’ll want to live by that creed Forever.  Understanding the Black Label Society creed is to be part of the Black Label Society worldwide Forever.  It means being the best one can be Forever. 

The thorough explanation of the Black Label Society creed is a perfectly fitting opening to this new book.  That’s because it serves to disspel the label that has been placed on Black Label Society and its fans.  If the in depth explanation of the band’s creed isn’t enough to prove just how vital BLS is to the music community, then the explanation of the “Three Black Label R’s” and the signifigance of the band’s patches will serve to show outsiders that Black Label Society isn’t just a band.  It collectively shows that Black Label Society is a community and a way of life.  It creates a whole new appreciation for Black Label Society, and for that which Black Label Society stands.

After explaining the Black Label creed, Zakk starts discussing his beginnings as a musician up to his trials and tribulations as a solo artist, dealing with record labels, and his time with Ozzy and the creation of his own home studio, known as the Black Vatican.  Along the way, readers are treated to stories of good times with other rockers, such as:  Fozzy, Crowbar, Damageplan, etc.  He also writes some stories about fellow guitar god, Dimebag Darrel (R.I.P.).  OF course, stories of life on the road aren’t all that Zakk imparts to his readers in his new book.  He also tackles Ozzy’s religious reputation.  He explains to readers that all the rumors of Ozzy being this and that are entirely wrong.  Rather, he writes, Ozzy’s quite religious.  As a matter of fact, he writes that the crucifixes that he and all the Black Label Society members wear were made by Ozzy’s dad.  He ties in to that story of how he [Zakk] bought some books to try to understand certain topics, and his wife’s reaction to it.  One can’t help but agree with Zakk’s argument that reading it doesn’t mean practicing it.  Learning that after his wife threw the books out of a hotel window, and someone took them will bring plenty of laughs.

Speaking of laughs, real Black Label fans will have more than their share of laughs throughout this books.  Zakk writes of his early days in a little band called Stonehenge, and its attempts to get its name out there.  The story of his experience playing at a person’s house is the stuff of legend.  It’s the type of story one might only expect to hear or see from a movie or sitcom.  There’s also the story of one infamous in-store appearance with Ozzy in which the store only carried a grand total of twelve (yes twelve) Ozzy albums.  Reactions from both Zakk himself and Ozzy’s wife, Sharon, are absolutely hilarious.  And then there are, of course, stories of BLS’ radio ventures at stations that didn’t know the first thing about him or his band.  Perhaps one of the book’s funniest moments doesn’t come from in store appearances or Zakk’s early days.  It comes as Zakk explains the dangers of using the bathroom on a tour bus.  If this story doesn’t get audiences laughing, then nothing in this book will. 

Bringing Metal to The Children offers readers so much great material.  Whether one is a new member of the Black Label Society Worldwide, or a lifelong Berzerker, this book is an absolutely wonderful read for any Society Dweller worldwide.  It’s one of those rare music memoirs that really shines in a sea of books that clog bookstore shelves and digital downloading pages.  For fans of the rock world, if there’s one book to check out in 2012, it’s Zakk Wylde’s new book, Bringing Metal to The Children.