Independent hard rock act Vermilion Whiskey premiered the video for its single, ‘Confidence‘ this week.
The band debuted the video Tuesday. The video’s premiere came roughly three months after the band debuted the song’s lyric video. The new video features the band performing its single on what is meant to look like a stage setup so as to give audiences an idea of what the band looks like in a live setting.
The musical arrangement featured in the single is, like that of the album’s other singles, ‘Good Lovin’, ‘Atrophy,’ and ‘The Get Down‘, a heavy southern sludge metal composition a la Black Label Society, Corrosion of Conformity, and Crowbar.
No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the news release announcing the song’s debut. The lyrics presented in the song’s lyric video hint at the theme centering on someone who is self-assured. It promotes…well…self confidence. That is just this critic’s interpretation.
All four singles listed are featured in Vermilion Whiskey’s new album, Crimson & Stone, which is slated for release Friday.
More information on the album and the band’s new video is available along with all of Vermilion Whiskey’s latest news at:
Independent hard rock act Bone Dagger is set to drop its new self-titled EP this summer.
The four-song record is scheduled for release Aug. 18. In anticipation of the record’s release, the band premiered the EP’s lead single, ‘Filthy Machine‘ Monday. The song’s musical arrangement is a heavy, crunching composition whose vocal harmonies immediately conjure thoughts of Alice in Chains. That distinct vocal delivery style against the song’s heavy instrumentation gives the overall work a distinct identity that will keep listeners engaged and entertained.
According to information provided about the song, its lyrical theme is a commentary about “
According to information provided about the song, its lyrical theme is a commentary about “the role we all play in the social machine and the futility of fighting it.”
More information on Bone Dagger’s new EP is available along with all of the band’s latest news at
Independent hard rock band Vermilion Whiskey will release its new album, Crimson & Stone next Friday. The nine-song record is a presentation that will appeal toa very targeted audience. That is due in large part to its featured musical arrangements, which will be examined shortly. The lyrical themes featured alongside that musical content adds to the record’s appeal and will be discussed a little later. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the record. All things considered they make Crimson & Stone worth hearing at least once.
Crimson & Stone, the latest album from independent hard rock band Vermilion Whiskey, is a presentation that will appeal primarily to the band’s established audience base and to those of the heavy sludge rock/metal of the band’s more well-known counterparts. That is due in large part to the reco9rd’s featured musical arrangements. From one song to the next, the arrangements that make up the album’s musical body are easily comparable to works from the likes of Black Label Society, Crowbar and Texas Hippie Coalition. In other words the band sticks to a very specific sound and style throughout the course of the album’s 41-minute run time. The arrangements’ sounds vary ever so subtly and listeners who immerse themselves will hear those subtle changes in each arrangement. In turn, said audiences will get their own share of appreciation for the record’s musical content.
The lyrical content that accompanies the record’s musical content extends the record’s appeal at least to a point. That is because there is a little bit more variety in the lyrical content. The record’s single, ‘Confidence’ for instance comes across as delivering a message of self-empowerment. This is inferred right from the song’s outset as the lead verse and chorus, which state, “Confidence/In the way that I live/Don’t mistake/Mu mood for arrogant bliss/Problems/I don’t want yours/I’ve got my own/Your words fall out your mouth and that’s well-known.” This comes across directly as someone who is fine with how his or her life is going and is not going to let that other person get him or her down. Again, it is a form of self-empowerment. The mention in the song’s second verse that the main subject is not going to hide from the truth. This adds even more to the sense that this song is about taking pride in one’s life. This and the energy in the song’s arrangement will make the positive, uplifting lyrical theme resonate all the more with listeners, showing in part what makes the record’s lyrical themes so important.
‘The Get Down,’ the album’s latest single, is another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. Plain and simple, this song is a straight-forward message about playing just as hard as one works. The message is delivered as the song lays out a group of scenarios that find their main subjects working hard before talking about each having a good time when they are not working. The mention of the positive vibes felt when good people gather ‘round makes the message just as clear as anything here. It is its own anthem for the working class. To that end, the theme here is different from those of the album’s other songs but just as certain to resonate with listeners.
‘Good Lovin’,’ yet another of the album’s singles, is yet more proof of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. In this case, the theme is straight-forward in its own right. As the band pointed out during a recent interview, the song centers on a man who is getting…well…some good lovin’ put bluntly. It is just a fun song about people having a good time and is obviously quite different from the album’s other lyrical themes. Its accessibility and variance from the other themes examined here further shows the importance of the album’s lyrical content. When all of the themes examined here are considered along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content, the whole leaves no doubt as to the role of the record’s lyrical content to the album’s presentation. When that overall diverse lyrical content is considered along with the album’s more focused musical arrangements, the whole gives the noted audiences all the more reason to take in the record. The appeal that the album’s musical and lyrical content generate are not all that the album has to offer. The production rounds out the album’s most important elements.
The production that comes into play in this album is important to note because of its impact on the album’s general effect. As noted already, the album’s musical arrangements are heavy throughout. They exhibit influences of some very heavy bands themselves. Keeping that in mind, it would have been very easy for the band to let the songs get away from themselves. Luckily the attention paid to the balance in each performer’s work in each song resulted in nine songs that are fully immersive in their sound and style. The production brings out the best of each man’s work. The result is a positive overall general effect that will appeal to audiences just as much as the album’s content. Keeping that in mind, the album’s production proves to be just as critical to its presentation as its content. When all three elements are considered together, they make the record in whole a presentation that the noted audiences will find worth hearing at least once.
Crimson & Stone, the latest album from Vermilion Whiskey, is a work that will appeal to a very targeted audience. The audience in question includes the band’s established audience and fans of the sludge rock/metal and stoner rock sounds made so popular by the likes of Black Label Society, Pantera, Clutch, Crowbar, Texas Hippie Coalition and so many others of that ilk. That is evidenced through the heavy, thick wall of sound generated in each composition. The lyrical themes featured throughout the album offer a little more variety and are quite accessible in their own right. They are certain to ensure their own share of engagement and entertainment. The record’s production ensures the musical arrangements offer audiences get the best possible sound from each arrangement. Each item examined does its own share to make Crimson & Stone worth hearing. All things considered they make this record a presentation that its noted audiences will agree is worth hearing at least once.
Crimson & Stone is scheduled for release May 26. More information on the album is available along with all of Vermilion Whiskey’s latest news at:
Vermilion Whiskey debuted yet another single from its forthcoming album, Crimson & Stone last week.
The band premiered the album’s new single, ‘The Get Down‘ and the song’s companion lyric video Wednesday. The song is the fourth single from the nine-song record, which is scheduled for release May 26. The musical arrangement featured in the song is immediately comparable to the best works of Black Label Society. This is evidenced through the combination of its instrumentation and vocals.
No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the news release announcing the premiere of the new single and lyric video, but as the lyrics provided in the video show, the song comes across as simply being a celebration of working hard and playing just as hard. That is just this critic’s interpretation.
The lyric video for the new single places the song’s lyrics over imagery, such as the apparent Louisiana bayou and footage of local bands playing across the region as the song plays over the visualization.
The record is the band’s third full-length studio offering. The band released its debut album, 10 South in September 2013. The band’s sophomore effort, Spirit of Tradition, followed less than four years later in February 2017.
The track listing for Crimson & Stone is noted below:
Crimson & Stone Track Listing:
Intro
Down on You
The Get Down
Confidence
Good Lovin
Interlude
Dissonance
Atrophy
Hollow
More information on Vermilion Whiskey’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
This past Friday, independent industrial/electronic music duo AVGMNT (pronounced Augment) released its debut album, SEQVENCES (pronounced Sequences) to the masses. While it runs only 26 minutes across eight songs, the record is a presentation that the band’s established audiences and industrial metal fans alike will be quite interesting. That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The lyrical content that accompanies the record is of its own interest and will be examined a little later. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be examined later. When it is considered alongside the album’s overall content, the whole becomes a presentation that proves itself one of the most unique independent albums released so far this year.
SEQVENCES, the debut album from the independent industrial/electronic metal duo AVGMNT, is a presentation that audiences will agree is an interesting first outing for the pair – Zach Wager and Fernando Ruiz. That is because it is a presentation that takes the two genres in a wholly new musical direction over the course of its 26-minute run time, as its musical arrangements show. Throughout the course of the record’s eight total songs, the use of the electronics, keyboards and percussion show the combined influence of more well-known acts, such as Marilyn Manson, Orgy, and even Nitzer Ebb. At the same time, listeners can also make comparison to the duo’s fellow independent industrial/electronic act Blue Eyed Christ throughout the record. The catch here is that while the noted influences are evident throughout the course of the album’s arrangements, they still very much hold their own alongside the works from those fellow acts. One of the most notable songs that proves that is the late entry, ‘Burial.’ While it runs only a minute and 47 seconds, the use of the keyboards here really gives the song an 80s synthwave vibe. The ethereal mood and sound presented through the song is so immersive even in its short run time and is so unlike much of what its counterparts have done in their own catalogs. That is not to say that synthwave is something unheard of by any means, but in the bigger scene of the album here, it is definitely notable.
On another note, a song, such as ‘Copy <Waste>’ incorporates the industrial influence of Orgy while the vocals are just as comparable to the sound and delivery style of Marilyn Manson. At the same time, the incorporation of the metal leaning here makes the song all the more interesting in regard to its overall presentation. It definitely is a prime example of how the album’s arrangements are so able to maintain their own identity separate from the works of the works from the acts that have clearly influenced the pair.
‘SLVMTROPOLIS,’ which comes late in the album’s run, is yet another notable example of how the record’s musical content stands out. The duo’s industrial leanings are just as present here as in the other songs that are included in the record. The cyberpunk elements and the guest vocals from Jax Ayers add another unique touch to the whole what with the rhythmic manner in which she delivers the lyrics. The song is another industrial/electronic work but again, its overall approach and sound here still boasts its own identity, keeping things engaging and entertaining. Between these songs and the others that round out the record, the whole makes the album’s musical content original from beginning to end and in turn, reason enough for audiences to hear the album.
As much as the musical content featured in this album does to make it an interesting presentation, it is just part of what makes the record so engaging and entertaining. The lyrical content that accompanies the record is of its own interest. According to a statement recently released by the band about the album, it is apparently a concept record of sorts.
The statement reads in part, “Our debut album – SEQVENCES – introduces and explores the fictional city of Hexatropolis 2.0 through a loose narrative. It was important for us to really establish a voice without limiting ourselves stylistically but maintain cohesion. We felt by having this strong foundation, it gave us the freedom to still be thematic. The state of our current dysfunctionally dystopian world was the biggest point of inspiration – just injected with a little (but not much) sci-fi flair. A global pandemic and the resulting response can force some really hard re-evaluations about society as a whole.” Now examining the world as dystopian and commenting on said situation of the world is not necessarily anything new. Pharmacose has done this already as has Fear Factory and just so many other musical acts out there. The manner in which AVGMNT’s members approached the topic here is what makes the lyrical content so intriguing. Case in point is the record’s latest single, ‘Somatose.’
According to the duo, the subject in this song is in a drug-induced coma in his final hours. The drugs are causing him to have various hallucinations, even in his comatose state. The pair sks in quite the existential fashion about the theme, “What do we experience in our time of dying? Is it a void? Do we drift through space, do we travel between dimensions?” This is asked, again, as the subject experiences all of the hallucinations even as his body shuts down. It is really a deep topic that is certain to get listeners talking. The man’s story is apparently just one of the many stories shared through the bigger story examining the fictional city. ‘Null’ takes another look at the city and perhaps the role that people have played in its fate.
‘Null’ seems to be a commentary about how humanity has taken the world for granted and in turn ruined the planet. From the mention of humanity’s decay to the very statement early on that “our actions made it clear/We don’t belong here” and so much more, the apparent commentary is relatively clear. It is perhaps a larger macro look at the fictional city and how and where things stand as a result of what its people have done. It is one more example of what makes the album’s lyrical content overall so interesting.
‘Human Skin,’ yet another of the album’s singles, is another example of what makes the album’s lyrical content so interesting. In the case of this song, the theme seems to come across as being a commentary about how we as a society are conditioned to think we are not good enough, both from those close to us and by society itself. That is just this critic’s interpretation. If in fact that is the message being delivered, it is another theme that is not uncommon, but is still welcome. Keeping that in mind, when the lyrical content featured here is considered along with the lyrical content in the album’s other singles and with the rest of the album’s songs, the whole undoubtedly gives audiences all the more reason to take in this album.
When the record’s musical and lyrical content is considered together it forms a solid foundation for the album on which rests the last (but hardly least) important element of all, the record’s production. The overall production that went into SEQVENCES is so important because of its role in the album’s general effect. There is a lot going on in each song, musically. Between the keyboards, the guitars, electronics and vocals, what audiences get overall is eight songs whose impact is something of a wall of sound. It hits audiences’ ears full on. It would have been so easy for one aspect of each arrangement to overpower the others. Thankfully though, that did not happen thanks to the attention paid to each part of each arrangement. The result is that each song is expertly balanced with the others within each song. In the bigger scheme of things, the result is that each song is unique from its counterparts within the album and equally engaging and entertaining. Keeping that in mind, the overall result is that the production produces a positive general effect for the album. That positive general effect from the aesthetic element pairs with the impact of the album’s content to make the whole a record that will appeal to the duo’s established audience base just as much as to industrial and electronic rock fans in general.
SEQVENCES, the debut album from AVGMNT, is an intriguing first outing from the industrial/electronic metal act. That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements take influence from the likes of Orgy, Marilyn Manson, Blue Eyed Christ and Nitzer Ebb and uses them to create eight immersive compositions that while similar in sound and style to works from those influences, are also unique to the duo. In other words the arrangements give audiences the proverbial best of both worlds in each work. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical content are also of note here. That is because they are apparently all part of a bigger, overarching concept record of sorts that examines a futuristic society and what has caused it to be in its current state. The themes are all relevant to society today, even being about a future society. All of this is reason enough also, to make the album worth hearing. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements. That is because of the attention paid to the finest details of each song. The attention paid to each detail results in each song’s overall arrangement being so immersive in its rich wall of sound. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of SEQVENCES. All things considered they make the album a mostly positive start for AVGMNT that gives hope for its future.
SEQVENCES is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of AVGMNT’s latest news at:
Vermilion Whiskey premiered a new video for its latest single this week.
The band debuted a live video for its latest single, ‘Atrophy’ Wednesday. The video’s premiere came less than a month after the band premiered the single’s lyric video.
No information was presented about when and where the new video was captured in the news release announcing the video’s premiere. According to information provided with the video, the footage was captured at various locations and times over the course of the past year during live Vermilion Whiskey shows.
Courtesy: C Squared PR
In other news, Vermilion Whiskey has scheduled a live album release concert for Friday at Feed N Seed Lafayette in Lafayette, LA. Tickets and information for the concert are available here.
Vermilion Whiskey’s new album, Crimson & Stone, is scheduled for release May 26. Along with its latest single, the album has also produced the singles, ‘Confidence‘ and lead single, ‘Good Lovin’.’
The record is the band’s third full-length studio offering. The band released its debut album, 10 South in September 2013. The band’s sophomore effort, Spirit of Tradition, followed less than four years later in February 2017.
The track listing for Crimson & Stone is noted below:
Crimson & Stone Track Listing:
Intro
Down on You
The Get Down
Confidence
Good Lovin
Interlude
Dissonance
Atrophy
Hollow
More information on Vermilion Whiskey’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Independent metal outfit Raider premiered the video for its latest single this week.
The band premiered the video for its new single, ‘Trial By Chaos’ Friday. The song is the title track from the band’s brand new album, which also released Friday. The video is a familiar style presentation, featuring the band performing its new single in a darkened, warehouse style setting.
Various angles and lighting effects are used throughout the presentation to heighten the viewing experience.
The musical arrangement featured in Raider’s new single is a full throttle thrash metal composition that is comparable to works from so many of the band’s more well-known counterparts. It holds its own quite well against those bands’ works, too.
The song’s lyrical theme is, like much of the lyrical content, meant to deliver a positive message. It centers on overcoming adversity. This is inferred as Bonaccorso sings/screams in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Everlasting awakened abomination/The maelstrom that devours all of creation/Opens wide its spiral maw/Guiding fire/Steel me against all destruction/From wisdom, let chaos crawl/No force of evil can break my resolve/I will outlast them all/Trial by chaos/Bound for glory/My purpose is one/Trial by chaos/Endure the fury/Or fall to oblivion.” This opener makes one think of perhaps the awakening of Cthulu or something similar, but the overall message is, again, quite clearly just that of facing negative in life; of being single-minded in overcoming that adversity, whatever it may be. The message is furthered in the song’s second verse, which states, “Unafraid/I’ll never fall/When chaos reigns/You’ll find me still standing tall/I vow to stand triumphant/Let courage bind my bones/In this should I fail/my soul will turn to stone/And so I descend deep into the unknown/Twisting through the darkness/With this ancient formless foe.” The song returns to its chorus again from here, reiterating that strength against that evil, that negative force. It is yet another example of the positive messages presented throughout the album.
Courtesy: C Squared PR
In other news, Raider is scheduled to launch a tour in support of Trial By Chaos April 14 in Toronto, ON. The tour is scheduled to run through May 14 in St. Catherine’s, ON. It also includes performances in cities, such as Boise, ID; Two Rivers, WI and Los Angeles, CA.
The schedule for Raider’s upcoming tour in support of its new album is noted below:
RAIDER Trial By Chaos North American Tour:
Friday, April 14 – Toronto, ON – Bovine Sex Club Saturday, April 15 – Windsor, ON – Chelsea Underground Sunday, April 16 – London, ON – Rum Runner’s Monday, April 17 – Jeffersonville, IN – Losers 812 Wednesday, April 19 – San Antonio, TX – HiTones Thursday, April 20 – Houston, TX – Acadia Friday, April 21 – Euless/Dallas, TX – Big Rob’s Saturday, April 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Ren’s Den Sunday, April 23 – Tempe, AZ – The Beast Monday, April 24 – Tucson, AZ – The Edge Wednesday, April 26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Redwood Thursday, April 27 – Fresno, CA – The Great Room Saturday, April 29 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside Sunday, April 30 – Portland, OR – High Watermark Monday, May 1 – Vancouver, BC – Bully’s Tuesday, May 2 – Seattle, WA – Funhouse Wednesday, May 3 – Boise, ID – The Shredder Thursday, May 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon Friday, May 5 – Colorado Springs, CO – Vultures Sunday, May 7 – Des Moines, IA – Lefty’s Tuesday, May 9 – Menomonie, WI – Zymurgy Brewing Wednesday, May 10 – Two Rivers, WI – Whisky D’s Thursday, May 11 – Hamilton, ON – Doors Pub Saturday, May 13 – Kitchener, ON – Maxwell’s Sunday, May 14 – St. Catherine’s, ON – The Warehouse
More information on Raider’s new album and is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Late last week, up-and-coming independent metal outfit Raider announced a new tour schedule set to launch this month. The North American tour, which is scheduled to launch April 14 in Toronto, ON and to run through May 14 in St. Catherine’s ON, also features performances scheduled in cities, such as Boise, ID; Los Angeles, CA and Two Rivers, WI. The upcoming month-long tour is in support of the band’s forthcoming sophomore album, Trial By Chaos. Scheduled for independent release Friday by the band, this eight-song record shows promise for the band as potentially one of the next big names in the hard rock and metal community. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes that accompany the intense musical content adds even more to the album’s appeal and will be discussed a little later. The sequencing of the overall content across the album’s 39-minute run time rounds out the album’s most important elements and puts the finishing touch to its presentation. To that end it will also be addressed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of Trial By Chaos. All things considered they make Trial By Chaos a sleeper hit among this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums and independent albums.
Trial By Chaos, the forthcoming sophomore album from Raider is a presentation that metal fans and the band’s established audiences alike will appreciate. That is due in part to the record’s featured musical arrangements. From the record’s outset to its final bars, the arrangements featured across the album blend elements of thrash and death metal within each work, creating plenty of engagement and entertainment. While the style is relatively the same from one song to the next, leading to comparisons to works from the likes of Arch Enemy, Exodus, and Testament. The changes in the arrangements are just enough that the sounds actually change from song to song even as the general overarching thrash and death metal approach remains throughout the album. The result here is a collection of songs that both in terms of sound and style offer audiences plenty to appreciate right from the beginning. This forms a solid foundation for the album’s presentation.
Building on the foundation formed by the album’s musical content is the lyrical content that accompanies said material. From one song to the next, the themes presented in the record are mostly positive. Though there is also at least a little bit of sociopolitical commentary in the single, ‘Rite of Conquest.’ When the band premiered the single in early February, it noted in a collective, prepared statement, the theme is that of humanity being so driven toward conquest that it has turned that drive to other planets. In the bigger picture, this is a commentary about human greed and desire to control everything, especially through military force.
In regards to its positive, motivating content, audiences need look no further than ‘Fearless,’ which serves as the album’s midpoint, and the album’s title track, which opens the record. ‘Fearless’ finds front man Angelo Bonaccorso delivering a message of internal strength in the song’s lead verse and chorus as he sings/screams, “Binding round the mind/Fear does form a cage/Marvelous was the dream/But the terror was great/Binding nigh deep inside/Pulsing through the veins/Claws clutching my very fate/Under the gun I’ll never bend/I’m a thorn in the flesh of doom’s evil hand/Fearless to the end.” This message of facing off against all of that negativity in life, including in one’s own mind is not unfamiliar in the metal community, but even here it is just as hard hitting as in any other song. The impact of the message continues in the song’s second verse, in which Bonaccorso sings/screams, “Futile to resistance/The battle’s in the brain/Trapped between chaos within and the entropy of space/Unknown adversity lying in wait/Time slowly grinding away.” Even here, this comes across as a reference to battling mental health issues before the determination to overcome that negativity returns again in the chorus’ refrain. The sense of determination to fight on continues even more in-depth in the song’s third verse. There is a lot more in the third verse, but suffice it to say, the message here is entirely positive. Together with everything else in the song, the overall lyrical content presents a welcome theme of overcoming the battle and winning the fight. When that positive message is paired with the song’s equally fiery musical arrangement, the whole makes the power in the song’s lyrical message all the more impacting.
Moving backward to the album’s title track/opener, this song’s theme also centers on overcoming adversity, but in this case it is more of a generalized adversity, more so than mental health. This is inferred as Bonaccorso sings/screams in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Everlasting awakened abomination/The maelstrom that devours all of creation/Opens wide its spiral maw/Guiding fire/Steel me against all destruction/From wisdom, let chaos crawl/No force of evil can break my resolve/I will outlast them all/Trial by chaos/Bound for glory/My purpose is one/Trial by chaos/Endure the fury/Or fall to oblivion.” This opener makes one think of perhaps the awakening of Cthulu or something similar, but the overall message is, again, quite clearly just that of facing negative in life; of being single-minded in overcoming that adversity, whatever it may be. The message is furthered in the song’s second verse, which states, “Unafraid/I’ll never fall/When chaos reigns/You’ll find me still standing tall/I vow to stand triumphant/Let courage bind my bones/In this should I fail/my soul will turn to stone/And so I descend deep into the unknown/Twisting through the darkness/With this ancient formless foe.” The song returns to its chorus again from here, reiterating that strength against that evil, that negative force. It is yet another example of the positive messages presented throughout the album. The album’s penultimate entry, ‘Juggernaut Cerebrivore’ is yet another positive message that is also a commentary.
The commentary and message presented in ‘Juggernaut Cerebrivore’ comes across as being that of promoting individuality and not letting businesses control us. This is inferred in the song’s lead verse and chorus, which state, “Spellbound human mind/New currency of greed/Boiled brains will oil the iron jaws of industry/High up on its throne/Spreading mighty wings/Juggernaut Cerebrivore deceives/All the world enslaved by this illusion/Bowing down, still, at the master’s feet/Another trophy for the empire of lies/Submission of your soul to their machine/From awakening to the end of our days/We are the offering. Buying their way/Bled on the altar of ill-gotten gain/The one million serve while the one gilds his grave.” This is a powerful, unique way to address the matter of the power that industry and capitalism has on the world. From the amount of focus we put on working and making money for others, to spending so those in higher positions can live comfortable lives (and deaths) this seeming theme is delivered in quite the engaging fashion here. The message continues as the band promotes the noted individuality in the song’s second verse, which states, “Autonomy of thought/Circling the drain/Infiltrator binding to your brain/Surrendered to the screen/Reprogrammed through the eyes/Juggernaut Cerebrivore divides.” In this case, the song is noting television and the internet is that juggernaut, and the role it has in dividing us, preventing us from thinking for ourselves. So between those forces and the impact of industry, the song is addressing the forces that control us and eliminate our individuality, turning us into a singularity of sorts. It is yet another powerful theme that while familiar in its own right, is certain to resonate with audiences because of the unique way in which it is presented. When it is considered along with the themes noted in the other songs examined here and with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes clear the power of the album’s lyrical themes.
When the overall lyrical content featured throughout Trial By Chaos is considered alongside the album’s overall musical content, that whole does more than enough to keep audiences engaged and entertained. The sequencing of said content puts the finishing touch to the presentation. As noted, the energy in this record is constant from the album’s outset to its end. Even in a moment such as the opening bars of ‘Juggernaut Cerebrivore’ the subtlety used in the song’s opening bars is only temporary and does so well to lead into the powerhouse presentation that follows. The constant energy in the songs that pairs with the constantly changing sounds in the arrangements joins with the constantly engaging lyrical themes to make the whole fully engaging and entertaining for the band’s audiences and metal fans alike. The overall presentation makes Trial By Chaos an easy candidate for one of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums and even new independent albums.
Trial By Chaos, the forthcoming sophomore album from Raider, is a powerful new offering from the independent metal outfit. It is a record that is certain to appeal to a wide range of audiences. That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements are each full throttle compositions that expertly blend elements of thrash and death metal for a whole that impresses from beginning to end. That is because even as the style remains the same from song to song, the styles change just enough to keep things interesting in each song. The lyrical themes that accompany the record’s musical arrangements are all familiar topics but are presented in such fashion that they are original, and in turn just as engaging and entertaining as the album’s musical arrangements. The sequencing of said content brings everything together, completing the album’s presentation. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered they make the album a sleeper hit among this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums, and independent albums.
Trial By Chaos is scheduled for release independently by the band Friday. Pre-orders are open now here. The album’s track listing is noted below.
Trial By Chaos Track Listing:
Trial by Chaos
Rite of Conquest
New Dominion
Fearless
Labyrinth
Ark of Empyrea
Juggernaut Cerebrivore
Devour the Darkness
The schedule for Raider’s upcoming tour in support of its new album is noted below:
RAIDER Trial By Chaos North American Tour:
Friday, April 14 – Toronto, ON – Bovine Sex Club Saturday, April 15 – Windsor, ON – Chelsea Underground Sunday, April 16 – London, ON – Rum Runner’s Monday, April 17 – Jeffersonville, IN – Losers 812 Wednesday, April 19 – San Antonio, TX – HiTones Thursday, April 20 – Houston, TX – Acadia Friday, April 21 – Euless/Dallas, TX – Big Rob’s Saturday, April 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Ren’s Den Sunday, April 23 – Tempe, AZ – The Beast Monday, April 24 – Tucson, AZ – The Edge Wednesday, April 26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Redwood Thursday, April 27 – Fresno, CA – The Great Room Saturday, April 29 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside Sunday, April 30 – Portland, OR – High Watermark Monday, May 1 – Vancouver, BC – Bully’s Tuesday, May 2 – Seattle, WA – Funhouse Wednesday, May 3 – Boise, ID – The Shredder Thursday, May 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon Friday, May 5 – Colorado Springs, CO – Vultures Sunday, May 7 – Des Moines, IA – Lefty’s Tuesday, May 9 – Menomonie, WI – Zymurgy Brewing Wednesday, May 10 – Two Rivers, WI – Whisky D’s Thursday, May 11 – Hamilton, ON – Doors Pub Saturday, May 13 – Kitchener, ON – Maxwell’s Sunday, May 14 – St. Catherine’s, ON – The Warehouse
More information on Raider’s new album and is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Independent hard rock band Vermilion Whiskey offered audiences yet another preview of its forthcoming album, Crimson & Stone this week with the premiere of the video for the album’s third single, ‘Atrophy.’
The band debuted the single’s lyric video Wednesday. The premiere came roughly a month after the band debuted the album’s second single, ‘Confidence‘ and lead single, ‘Good Lovin’.’
As with the album’s first two singles, this latest single once again bears a strong comparison to works from the likes of Pantera, Black Label Society and Crowbar. That is fully evidenced through the southern sludge/doom sound and stylistic approach taken throughout the song.
The band talked about the song’s arrangement ins a prepared statement.
“This track completely imbibes the entire spirit and premise of the album’s namesake, and sets the tone for what we have in store for the future,” the statement reads.
No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the news release announcing the lyric video’s premiere. The lyrics presented in the video hint at the theme centering on the familiar topic of a person’s inner emotional and mental struggles That is just this critic’s interpretation.
The lyric video for the new single is certain to engage audiences. It presents the song’s lyrics over various random psychedelic images as the song plays over the unique visualization.
Vermilion Whiskey’s new album, Crimson & Stone is scheduled for release May 26. The record is the band’s third full-length studio offering. The band released its debut album, 10 South in September 2013. The band’s sophomore effort, Spirit of Tradition, followed less than four years later in February 2017.
The track listing for Crimson & Stone is noted below:
Crimson & Stone Track Listing:
Intro
Down on You
The Get Down
Confidence
Good Lovin
Interlude
Dissonance
Atrophy
Hollow
More information on Vermilion Whiskey’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Independent industrial metal act AVGMNT (pronounced Augment) debuted the latest single from its forthcoming debut album, Sequences this week.
The band premiered its new single, ‘Somatose‘ Wednesday. The song is the album’s third single behind ‘Human Skin‘ and ‘Null.’ The song’s musical arrangement boasts a full-on industrial approach just as its predecessors but is much darker and more brooding than those songs.
As with other songs, this composition lends itself to comparison to works from the likes of Orgy thanks to the use of the electronics and guitars. However, that darker approach, which includes more defined keyboards and production effects also lends the arrangement even more to comparison to works from the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Blue Eyed Christ all in one setting. That blending of influences makes for quite the intriguing presentation.
The duo — Zach Wagner and Fernando Ruiz — discussed the song’s somewhat existential lyrical theme and musical arrangement in a prepared statement.
“What do we experience in our time of dying?,” the statement reads. I”s it a void, do we drift through space, do we travel between dimensions? In this our protagonist exists in a drug induced coma as his body slowly shuts down. His brain dumping chemicals inducing strong hallucinations of floating aimlessly through the vastness of space. We really wanted to bounce between dense low tonal trap beats during the verses and open wide guitar/synths during choruses/breaks to give that feeling of confusion and disorientation.”
Sequences is scheduled for release April 21. Pre-orders are open.
The duo discussed the album’s overarching concept in a separate comment.
“Our debut album, Seqvences, introduces and explores the fictional city of Hexatroplis 2.0 through a loose narrative,” the statement reads. “It was important for us to really establish a voice without limiting ourselves stylistically but maintain cohesion. We felt by having this strong foundation, it gave us the freedom to still be thematic. The state of our current dysfunctionally dystopian world was the biggest point of inspiration – just injected with a little (but not much) sci-fi flair. A global pandemic and the resulting response can really force some hard re-evaluations about society as a whole. We wanted to balance the idea of dense audio claustrophobia to bouts of aggression mixed with rich spatial layering. We hope people enjoy the ride through the layers of neon haze into sordid city streets. Welcome to the world of AVGMNT.”
Sequences‘ track listing is noted below:
Seqvences Tracklist:
HORIZON SEQVENCE
COPY <WASTE>
HVMAN SKIN
SOMATOSE
NVLL
SLVMTROPOLIS (feat. Jax Ayers, Buzz)
BVRIAL
PVRE BLACK
More information on AVGMNT’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
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