Ozomatli Debuts New LP’s Third Single

Posted on March 27, 2022 by philspicks

Ozomatli is scheduled to release its latest album this summer, and in anticipation, released the album’s latest single this week.

The band is scheduled to release its new album, Marching On July 15 through Blue Elan Records. In anticipation of the record’s release, the band premiered its latest single, ‘Sacude’ Thursday through radio station KCRW in Los Angeles, California.

The song’s musical arrangement is everything that audiences have come to expect from the veteran collective, complete with all of the Afro-Latin percussion and familiar Cuban style piano licks and vocal styles. There is even a touch of a hip-hop vibe about the arrangement, too, that is so subtle, but still evident in a close listen. That, too, is familiar for longtime fans. The whole is a composition that will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

Front man Asdru Sierra said the song’s lyrical theme is meant to deliver a positive message to listeners.

“’Sacude’ is a song about shaking off toxicity,” he said. “Poetically it describes how the guy in the band that plays maracas has something strange in his instrument that rattles funny and throws off his groove. The maracas are like an extension of our souls in this case. At first a guy in the band that’s his friend tells him there’s something off with him. He points out that he is sick with toxicity and he’s worried. But he needs to deal with it. Then during the chorus, the pregones are the maraca player expelling his toxicity.”

Sierra continued, “We all have toxicity in our lives, whether it’s from other people or our own addictions or insecurities, everyone has experienced toxicity. So, we all aim to clean out our maracas to get rid of whatever makes it sound bad to continue grooving.”

Ozomatli debuted two other singles from the album in 2021. One of those singles was ‘Mi Destino, which features guest appearances by Cypress Hill/Prophets of Rage’s B-Real and vocalist Gaby Moreno. The other single produced from the album is ‘Fellas,’ which features a guest appearance by Lisa Lisa (Cult Jam) and the ladies of J.J. Fad.

More information on Ozomatli’s new album is available along with all of the group’s latest news at:

Website: https://ozomatli.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ozomatli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ozomatli

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

Slipknot Announces Knotfest Road Show Schedule

Posted on January 22, 2022 by philspicks

Slipknot will take its Knotfest music festival on the road this spring.

The band is scheduled to launch its “Knotfest Roadshow 2022 Tour” March 16. The tour’s first leg is scheduled to run through April 17 and will feature performances from In This Moment and Jinjer. The tour’s second leg is scheduled to launch May 18 and to run through June 18, and will feature performances from Cypress Hill and Ho99o9.

Front man Corey Taylor said the band is looking forward to getting the tour off the ground.

“Even with everything going on in the world right now, we’re still extremely excited to come back out in the states, with 2 different, exciting packages,” he said. “Whether it’s In This Moment and Jinjer, or Cypress and Ho99o9, we pride ourselves in bringing our fans the epicenter of our music and art. Come celebrate with us, and try to stay as safe as we will be.”

Shawn “Clown” Crahan echoed Taylor’s sentiments.

“It feels so good to get back out on the road with our Culture,” said Crahan. “Get ready for a brand new experience. See you soon.”

The schedule for the “Knotfest Roadshow 2022 Tour” is noted below. Tickets re available now.

Knotfest Roadshow 2022

LEG 1

Slipknot w/ In This Moment & Jinjer

Wed Mar 16 Fargo, ND FARGODOME

Fri Mar 18 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center

Sat Mar 19 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena

Tue Mar 22 Memphis, TN FedExForum

Wed Mar 23 Tulsa, OK BOK Center

Fri Mar 25 North Little Rock, AR Simmons Bank Arena

Sat Mar 26 Durant, OK Choctaw Grand Theater

Tue Mar 29 Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena at the BJCC

Wed Mar 30 N. Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum

Fri Apr 01 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex

Sat Apr 02 Reading, PA Santander Arena

Mon Apr 04 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

Wed Apr 06 Green Bay, WI Resch Center

Thu Apr 07 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center

Sat Apr 09 Minneapolis, MN Target Center

Mon Apr 11 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre

Tue Apr 12 Regina, SK Brandt Centre

Thu Apr 14 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre

Fri Apr 15 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place

Sun Apr 17 Vancouver, BC Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena

LEG 2

Slipknot w/ Cypress Hill and Ho99o9

Wed May 18 University Park, PA Bryce Jordan Center

Fri May 20 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center

Sat May 21 Providence, RI Dunkin’ Donuts Center

Sun May 22 Manchester, NH SNHU Arena

Tue May 24 Albany, NY MVP Arena

Thu May 26 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

Sat May 28 Québec, QC Videotron Centre

Sun May 29 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre

Mon May 30 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage

Wed Jun 01 Cincinnati, OH Heritage Bank Center

Thu Jun 02 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena

Sat Jun 04 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Sun Jun 05 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center

Tue Jun 07 Bonner Springs, KS Azura Amphitheater

Thu Jun 09 Colorado Springs, CO The Broadmoor World Arena

Sat Jun 11 Nampa, ID Ford Idaho Center

Mon Jun 13 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena

Tue Jun 14 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

Fri Jun 17 Las Vegas, NV MGM Garden Arena

Sat Jun 18 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

More information on the “Knotfest Roadshow Tour 2022” is available along with all of the tour’s latest news at:

Website: https://knotfest.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KNOTFEST

Twitter: https://twitter.com/knotfest

Aftershock Festival 2021 Performance Times Announced

Posted on October 1, 2021 by philspicks

Organizers of the annual Aftershock Festival have announced the schedule for this year’s installment of the annual event.

Now in its ninth year, the festival is actually a rescheduled event from 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused the event to be re-scheduled last year. As with its 2019 edition, this year’s installment of the Aftershock Festival is officially sold out. It is scheduled to take place this weekend from Thursday to Sunday at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA.

The festival grounds are located at 1600 Garden Highway. Sacramento, CA.

Attendees at this year’s festival will be required to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines. Those guidelines are noted here.

The 2021 edition of the Aftershock Festival is scheduled to open at 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday with a performance by Oxymorrons, on the Coors Light Stage. Fit For A King follows at 4:50 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage. Death Angel and Exodus will follow Oxymorrons at 5:25 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively on the Coors Light Stage. Meanwhile back on the Jack Daniel’s Stage, Knocked Loose is scheduled to follow Fit For A King at 5:55 p.m.

From there, Anthrax, Testamentand Cypress Hill will keep the music going between the two stages. Cypress Hill’s performance on the Jack Daniel’s Stage at 8:50 p.m. will close out the evening’s activities.

Friday will see the festival expand to three stages, with music starting at 12:45 p.m. from Contracult Collective on the Coors Light Stage. Ayron Jones will take the stage first at 1:20 p.m. Friday on the Kolas Stage. Performances from acts, such as Crobot, Pop Evil, and Rancid and many others will keep things moving through the day. Metallica will headline Friday’s events beginning at 8:55 p.m.

Moving on to Saturday, American Teeth and The Black Moods will open the day’s schedule at 12:30 p.m. and 12:35 p.m. on the Coors Light Stage and Kolas Stage respectively. Also notable acts featured on the day are those, such as South of Eden, Another Day Dawns, and Atreyu, as well as Anti-Flag, Mudvayne, and Alien Weaponry. The original lineup of The Misfits rounds out the day at 9:10 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage.

Even as the weekend winds down Sunday, the music will not let up. Sunday’s schedule opens at 12:20 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage with a performance by Law. As the day continues, performances from the likes of From Ashes To New, Pennywise, Mastodon, and Rise Against are also scheduled. Metallica closes out the weekend’s festivities at 7:55 p.m. ET on the Kolas Stage.

Along with lots of music, this weekend’s festival will also feature just as much food, drink and entertainment. The full details on all of that are noted below.

Additional food & beverage, and other experiences onsite include:

· Caduceus Wine Garden, highlighting Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, owned by Arizona resident Maynard James Keenan, co-founder of international recording acts TOOL, A Perfect Circle, and PUSCIFER.

· Coors Light Coldstream serving with frosty draft technology, complete with actual ice crystals

· Deep Eddy Vodka -Deep Eddy’s Dive In Trailer is a place where people come together to enjoy good times that never seem to end. Where strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet. While at Aftershock stopby and see us at the Deep Eddy Dive In Tour and raise a glass to being back together!

· Dr. Greenthumb’s – Founded by the Godfather of insane brains, B-Real of Cypress Hill

· Fxck Cancer / Dyin 2 Live Dreams Program

· It’s Ronz World – custom guitars, rock shop and art

· Jack Daniel’s Mobile Distillery Tour Experience – Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Cheers your friends make your own history at Aftershock when you rock out at the Jack Daniel’s Main Stage with Metallica!

· KOLAS – Stop by the Loud Lounge to level up Aftershock vibes with t-shirt ripping, body art and more. KOLAS will also provide dynamic delivery outside the festival grounds. Stop by the KOLAS footprint all weekend long to learn more!

· Mortus Viventi – Live Tarot Card Readings

· The Blackened Bar – Aftershock is proud to continue the collaboration with Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey. The pop-up will feature Blackened, a super-premium American whiskey blend, crafted by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and finished in the earth-shattering music of Metallica. This exciting collaboration marks the latest in a long line of amplified guest experiences only available through Danny Wimmer Presents music festivals.

· The Loud Lounge – Get heady and hang in the Loud Lounge with Kolas, Clown Cannabis, California’s Finest CBD, Heavy Grass, Dr. Greenthumb’s, Helpful Hemp and more.

· Take Me Home – not for profit, volunteer based foundation that has been saving the lives of homeless animals since 2001.

· weedmaps – Located inside the Loud Lounge. Fans can learn about cannabis delivery by downloading the weedmaps app all weekend long. Stop by the booth for fun giveaways and prizes and if you forgot your clear bag, weedmaps has your back.

Aftershock Festival is presented and produced by Danny Wimmer Presents. More information on the festival is available along with all of the festival’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.AftershockFestival.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AftershockFestival

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AftershockSac

Louder Than Life Lineup Finalized

Posted on September 7, 2021 by philspicks

Courtesy: Danny Wimmer Presents/Ashton-Magnuson Media

The 2021 Louder Than Life festival will go on.

The event’s organizers announced the lineup and performance times for the festival Tuesday through a news release. The event, now in its sixth year, has expanded to four days from three — Sept. 23-26 — and will feature performances from approximately 70 acts. Single-day and weekend tickets/passes are available here.

Metallica is one of the most notable acts for this year’s festival. The band is scheduled to perform two separate acts on two of the festival’s nights. Also scheduled to take one of the festival’s four stages at this year’s event are acts, such as Another Day Dawns, Disturbed, Korn, Mudvayne, Cypress Hill, and Pennywise.

Along with lots of music, this year’s festival will also feature lots of food and drunk. The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar is the most notable of the features of this year’s food and drink options. It will have more than a dozen hand-selected bourbons from top distilleries nationwide.

Food and drink from a variety and local and regional restaurants (all of which are noted below) will also be available for festival attendees.

502 Café, Angry Bird Grill, Bangarang Bahn Mi, Barrett’s BBQ, Barrett’s Burgers, Bistro Italiano, Blackbeard Espresso, Bru Bros Coffee, Burger Factory, Cheese Louise, Dank Nugs, Ehrler’s Ice Cream, Eli’s BBQ, Gary’s Philly Cheesesteaks, Gelato Gilberto, Hole Mole Tacos, Island Noodles, Jammin Concessions, Longshot Lobsta, Mac Attack, Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen, Mike’s Kentucky Kitchen, My Olympus Greek Food, Overloaded, Phat Daddy’s Creole, Pie Baby Wood Fired Pizza, Pizza Lupo, Potato Tornado, Ramiro’s Cantina, Shady Grove Wraps, Spicy Pie, Strawberry Field, The Cookie Lady, Tica’s Tacos, Tickle Pickle, and Tumbleweed.

Additional bourbon, food & beverage, and other experiences available onsite include:

· Caduceus Wine Garden

· The Blackened Bar

· Jack Daniel’s No. 7 Sports Bar, where guests can enjoy NFL and college football games

· Heavy Tiki Bar presented by Jim Beam

· Budweiser Beer Garden

· Jim Beam Garden

· The Well– IV hydration, juice bar and overall wellness lounge to recharge all weekend long

· Silver Dollar Hunter’s Club- featuring vintage bourbons dating as far back as the 1930s, as well as contemporary selections

· Mortus Viventi – Live Tarot Card Readings

· Jack’s Char Housepresented by Jack Daniel’s

· Milagro Cantina Bar

· Larceny Trailer Lounge

· Tito’s Handmade Vodka VIP Airstream

· The Speakeasy

· Fxck Cancer / Dyin 2 Live Dreams Program

· Pegasus Experiences – Louisville’s Finest Distillery Experiences

· Take Me Home

· The Music Experience

Louder Than Life is put on by Danny Wimmer Presents. The festival’s partners are noted below:

Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer, Kroger, Marriott, Crowne Plaza, Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Elijah Craig, Bulleit Bourbon, Angel’s Envy, Larceny, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Evan Williams, Milagro Tequila, Sailor Jerry, Pegasus, ESP, Mortus Viventi, The Music Experience, Louisville Tourism, Kentucky Venues, Ehrler’s Ice Cream, The Well, TickPick, Fxck Cancer, Revolver, Inked, Blackcraft, Fanatics, Headcount, TWOLA and Take Me Home.

Evidence “Beats” Out Everyone In Phil’s Picks’ 2018 Top 10 New Rap & Hip-Hop Albums List

Posted on December 23, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Rhymesayers Entertainment

The old year is almost over, and the new year is nearly here, but before the clock turns midnight, turning 219 to 2019, there’s still some work for Phil’s Picks to do. That work is some more year-ender list. The year’s top EPs have been noted already. Now, today it is on to the year’s top new Rap and Hip-Hop albums.

This has been an interesting year for the worlds of rap and hip-hop, with strong new offerings from the likes of Ice Cube, Evidence, Atmosphere and others. There have also been some positive surprises from the likes of Mourning (A) BLKstar, Black Eyed Peas (yes, Black Eyed Peas — the group, now a trio again thank goodness, returned to its old school roots on its new album) and Dr. Octagon.

From one to the next, the albums that have been offered rap and hip-hop fans this year has largely been strong. Keeping that in mind, forming this list was just as difficult as any before or after.

Topping this year’s list is Dilated Peoples emcee Evidence and his new album Weather or Not. The album, from start to finish is everything that hip-hop and rap purists will appreciate, but musically and lyrically. It is an old school presentation that is confident in both elements’ presentation.

Next up is fellow veteran emcee Eminem and his new album Kamikaze. This record is, in this critic’s view, some of his best work to date, hands down. The fire from his past albums is there, along with a certain maturity, too. that balance makes for a solid work from start to finish.

Third place belongs, on this list, to Black Eyed Peas’ new album Masters of the Sun: Vol. 1. As noted previously, this record takes the group, now a trio again, back to the sound that made it a hit during its underground days. At the same time, the pop sensibility that made the group a hit in the mainstream is there, too. Lyrically, the songs are their own stylistic rebirth for the group, too.

With 1st – 3rd noted, the rest of the list is fleshed out below. As always, 15 titles are listed, with the Top 10 being the best while the next five are honorable mentions. That is not to say that there is anything wrong with those albums. They are just worth noting. Now enough rambling. without any further ado, here is Phil’s PIcks 2018 Top 10 New Rap & Hip-Hop albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2018 TOP 10 NEW RAP & HIP-HOP ALBUMS

Evidence — Weather or Not
Eminem — Kamikaze
Black Eyed Peas: Masters of the Sun: Vol. 1
Ice Cube — Everythang’s Corrupt
Atmosphere — Mi Vida Local
Mourning [A] BLKstar — The Garner Poems
Dr. Octagon — Moosebumps
Denzel Curry– TA1300
Del & Amp Live — Gate 13
Camp Hope — Micheal
Everlast — Whitey Ford’s House of Pain
dem Atlas — Bad Actress
Four Fists — 6666
Brownout — Fear of a Brown Planet
Cypress Hill — Elephants on Acid

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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘Prophets Of Rage’ Is A Solid Effort For RATM 2.0

Posted on September 16, 2017 by philspicks

Courtesy: Fantasy Records

Rage Against The Machine is back again…sort of. Tom Morello, Tim Cummerford and Brad Wilk joined forces with longtime friends B-Real (Cypress Hill) and Chuck D (Public Enemy) some time ago following the dissolution of Audioslave to form the super group Prophets of Rage, which is for all intents and purposes Rage Against The Machine 2.0. The only real difference between this “new” group and RATM—as is clear in listening to the group’s brand new self-titled debut album, is the fact that Morello, Wilk and Cummerford are joined this time out by the aforementioned superstar hip-hop front men. Musically and lyrically speaking, the fruits of the group’s efforts make this 12-song album everything that Rage Against The Machine fans have come to expect from that band. Even with that in mind, that return to musical and lyrical form makes this record a welcome effort from the second coming of Rage Against The Machine.

Prophets of Rage’s brand new self-titled debut album is a welcome effort from what is for all intents and purposes the second coming of Rage Against The Machine. That is due in part to the musical arrangements presented throughout the course of the album’s 12-song, 39-minute run time. From start to finish, listeners get here 12 arrangements that are a full return to form for Morello and his RATM band mates—Brad Wilk (drums) and Brad Cummerford (bass). Morello’s heavy riffs and guitar-based special sound effects lift from all three of RATM’s full-length studio efforts and even from the trio’s work under the Audioslave moniker. That balance of sounds throughout this record makes it enjoyable enough even despite the arrangements not exactly being anything groundbreaking. Keeping this in mind, the album’s collective arrangements are collectively just one of the album’s elements to examine. Its lyrical content is just as important to note here as those arrangements.

The lyrical content presented throughout Prophets of Rage is important to note here because it is just as familiar to RATM fans as the album’s musical arrangements. What is important to note here is that while being as socially conscious as the lyrics in RATM’s previous albums, the topics tackled here are timely. They do not just rehash the topics taken on in those records. Case in point is the album’s opener ‘Radical Eyes.’ This song clearly takes on the misconception that just because someone might read one religious book or another that said person has become radicalized. It is a response, basically, to the close mindedness that so many people have primarily against the Muslim community in this nation. Its follow-up, ‘Unf*** the World’ stays on a similar mindset as it takes on the issue of racism that is still so alive in America. The group also takes on the issue of poverty in America and the struggle to fight the issue due to politicians who seemingly don’t care to fight that battle in ‘Living on the 110.’ The group even takes on the issue of personal privacy invasion of sorts in ‘Take Me Higher,’ which addresses law enforcement’s use (and possible misuse) of drones in their daily duties. The group even goes so far as to address the tensions between police and the people that have risen in recent years over allegations of police brutality in ‘Hands Up.’ This is all just a glance at the way in which Prophets of Rage manages lyrically to impress listeners with its timely lyrical content. The other songs not noted here all present lyrical content that is just as timely as the material noted here. Keeping all of this in mind, the lyrical content presented throughout this record proves to be POR’s cornerstone. It is just one more of the album’s most important elements, too. The album’s sequencing puts the final touch to its overall presentation.

Plenty of time and thought was obviously put into Prophets of Rage’s sequencing. From start to finish, the album never lets its fire burn out. Even as the group gets a bit funky in ‘Take Me Higher,’ it still doesn’t let up in its energy. The up-tempo arrangement is instantly infectious thanks to all involved, ensuring listeners’ engagement just as much as the album’s much heavier arrangements. Much the same can be said of ‘Counteroffensive,’ the 38-second interlude which lifts more from Public Enemy and Cypress Hill than RATM. Even as short as it is and stylistically separate from its counterparts, its arrangement still is entertaining. Its placement almost halfway through the record is just as smart, as it gives listeners a short break and some variance to the record in whole. Considering this, the energies exhibited in each song and the fact that no one song directly repeats the other (in regards to their arrangements), it becomes even clearer why the album’s sequencing is so important to the album’s whole. The energies never vary even as the familiar arrangements do vary. When this is considered along with the arrangements themselves and the album’s timely lyrical content, the end result is an album that proves to be a solid first effort from Prophets of Rage and an equally solid new effort from what is for all intents and purposes Rage Against The Machine 2.0. More information on Prophets of Rage is available now along with Prophets of Rage’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://prophetsofrage.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/prophetsofrageofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/prophetsofrage

Nonpoint Signs New Deal With Metal Blade Records

Posted on March 25, 2014 by philspicks

Courtesy: Metal Blade Records

Officials with Metal Blade Records announced today the addition of Florida-based hard rock band Nonpoint to its artist roster. The deal between Nonpoint and Metal Blade will see Metal Blade release Nonpoint’s upcoming eighth full-length album internationally. Front man Elias Soriano spoke with reporters on the announcement, expressing his happiness over the new deal. “This is a dream situation for us,” he said. “We’ve always needed a team behind us outside of the U.S. It’s a great feeling knowing you now have the best team possible.”

Drummer Robb Rivera echoed Soriano’s sentiments in his comments. “We are excited to get not only THE worldwide label of labels to release our album outside of the US, but to be part of a family now that has pretty much set the bar for metal releases for 30 plus years,” he said. “Needless to say , extremely excited to be able to get our music to the fans outside of the US through the team that helped launch Metallica.”

Nonpoint’s next album is currently slated to drop this Fall. Metal Blade Records rep Brian Slagel hinted at what fans can expect from the new album, stating, “The bit of new material I heard sounds great!” He was just as pleased with the announcement of the new deal between Nonpoint and Metal Blade Records. He said of the announcement, “All of us at Metal Blade are happy to welcome Nonpoint to the Metal Blade family. We are excited to work with them.”

Nonpoint will perform live at the Central Florida Fairgrounds at the WJRR Earthday Birthday festival. Also slated for the festival are: Alter Bridge, Everclear, All That Remains, Cypress Hill, Alien Ant Farm, Pepper, Fuel, Filter, Saving Abel, Saigon Kick, Lacuna Coil, Tantric, and many other bands. Nonpoint is also scheduled to perform at Rock The Yard in Kernersville, North Carolina on June 22nd alongside Another Lost Year. More information on the band’s current tour schedule, its upcoming eighth full-length studio release and more is available online now at http://www.nonpoint.com, http://www.facebook.com/nonpointworld, and http://twitter.com/nonpoint. 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 https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

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