Ice Nine Kills Announces “Fear The Premiere Tour” Dates

Posted on May 17, 2023 by philspicks

Ice Nine Kills is gearing up to return to the road this summer.

The band announced the dates for its “Fear The Premiere Tour” Wednesday. The tour is scheduled to launch Aug. 6 in East Rutherford, NJ and to run through Sept. 3 in Phoenix, AZ. August Burns Red, Set It Off, The Plot In You, Mike’s Dead, and Veil of Maya will share time as support for the tour, which is in support of INK’s latest album, The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood.

Tickets for the tour are scheduled to go on sale at 10 a.m. local time Friday here. The tour’s schedule is noted below:

SUN 8/6 East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium*

TUE 8/8 Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live!

WED 8/9 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater

FRI 8/11 Toronto, ON @ Rebel

SUN 8/13 Montreal, QC @ Stade Olympique*

TUE 8/15 Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall

WED 8/16 Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works

FRI 8/18 Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street Amphitheater**

SUN 8/20 Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium*

TUE 8/22 Houston, TX @ Bayou

WED 8/23 Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater

SUN 8/27 Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium*

TUE 8/29 Riverside, CA @ Riverside Municipal Auditorium

WED 8/30 Flagstaff, AZ @ Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill**

FRI 9/1 Albuquerque, NM @ Revel

SUN 9/3 Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium*

*With Metallica (Ice Nine Kills only)

**With Lamb of God (Ice Nine Kills only)

More information on Ice Nine Kills’ new tour and its latest album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://iceninekills.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iceninekills

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://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.

Full Lineup Announced For 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival

Posted on May 11, 2023 by philspicks

The lineup for the 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival is now official.

Festival organizers announced the full lineup for the festival Thursday. This year’s festival, which is scheduled to take place Sept. 7-10 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA, includes a number of established and up-and-coming acts.

Among the most notable of the acts set to perform at this year’s festival are the likes of Slipknot, Machine Head, Exodus, Testament, Overkill, Dope, Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb of God, Of Mice & Men, and Shinedown. Also on the bill for this year’s festival are the likes of Finger Eleven, Danzig, Megdeth, and I Prevail.

Among the most notable of the up-and-coming acts on the festival’s schedule this year are the likes of Psychostick, Heartsick, and Spiritbox.

Nonpoint, 10 Years, Scott Stapp, Tantric and others will perform as part of the festival’s pre-party.

Single-day passes, 3-day general admission, 4-day General Admission and VIP packages are all available now here. Audiences can also purchase weekend or single-day passes now for 25% down as part of the festival’s 3-month payment plan.

More information on the 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Festival is available at:

Website: https://blueridgerockfest.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blueridgerock

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.

Unearth’s Latest LP Is Anything But Wretched Or Ruinous

Posted on May 10, 2023 by philspicks

Veteran metalcore band Unearth returned with its latest album Friday in the form of The Wretched; The Ruinous. Coming more than four years after the release of the band’s then latest album, Extinction(s), the 11-song record is a welcome return from the band. That is due in part to the record’s musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The record’s lyrical content makes for its own appeal to the record’s presentation 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 here is important in its own way to the whole of the 36-minute album’s presentation. All things considered they make the album another welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.

The Wretched; The Ruinous, the latest album from Unearth, is a strong new offering from the veteran metalcore band. The album’s success comes in part through its featured musical arrangements. From beginning to end, the arrangements featured throughout the record do not necessarily break any new ground for Unearth, however, the intensity of the arrangements is certain to get and keep listeners engaged and entertained. Audiences can easily make comparison to works from the likes of fellow metalcore acts As I Lay Dying and Killswitch Engage from song to song and sometimes even in the same song. Interestingly enough, the arrangements do not just stick to that formula. As the album progresses, listeners will also be able to make comparison to works from the likes of groove metal titans Lamb of God in ‘Dawn of the Militant.’ Considering the sound of Project 86’s latest album, Omni, audiences can even hear a stylistic comparison to works on that record here in ‘Into The Abyss.’ ‘Theaters of War’ meanwhile, the album’s finale, offers listeners more of a pure hardcore sound and style, further showing the band’s willingness to branch out from the sound that made it so popular throughout most of its catalog. Overall, the musical arrangements featured throughout this record offer listeners something familiar and something new all in one. Even in the familiar metalcore style songs, those arrangements present their own identity separate from the works already in the band’s existing catalog. That whole gives listeners reason enough to take in this record.

The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical side makes for its own interest. The lyrical content featured throughout the album is somewhat nihilistic to say the least. That is of note because so often, such lyrical content would be more commonly paired with doom type arrangements, not the intense, fiery works featured here. The album’s title track, for instance, is an ecologically-minded work that according to front man Trevor Phipps, addresses the ecological disasters happening globally and points the finger of blame squarely at mankind for what has happened.

On a similar note, the later entry, ‘Invictus’ presents more of that displeasure at what mankind has done to the planet and to itself. This is inferred relatively clearly as Phipps writes, “Give the Garden of Eden/We failed to know/Given the Garden of Eden/We failed our own/Possess the fuels to right our wrongs/Obsessed with wealth/We race to disorder/Timeworn – contest/Advancement stalls/Unrest – mass death/Our world suffers once more/Breakdown of the nations around you/Collapse of all order/Our loss to Invictus/Devotions waste us away.” This content hints at it being a commentary about how humans have been given so many good things and even considering that humans have found a way to ruin things for themselves. The statement is deepened somewhat as the song continues to state, “Witness the apocalypse/Lost/Sine Qua non/Contest to feed/Our venom soars/One thirst/One fill/Filled over and over/We failed.” This is a stark indictment of what humans have done to themselves. Again, such a lyrical presentation is typically associated with more doom metal style arrangements, so for the band to approach the song with such musical fire alongside that damning commentary makes the lyrical topic all the more engaging.

‘Theaters of War,’ the album’s finale, is yet another example of what makes this album’s lyrical content just as important as the record’s musical arrangements. While the song’s title hints at something having to do with military combat, the song’s lyrics point in a different direction, with the combat happening not in major theaters of combat, but within our own nation. This is inferred right from the song’s lead verse and chorus, which state, “Theaters of war/Living out our nightmares/Every day outpaces the last/Can we change the outcome/You do what you’re told/You do what you’re asked/Hate sets in/Distrust in all that surrounds us/Fuel to win/Separate/For Your cause/escalate/Beholden to your own/Tear down those that don’t see eye to eye/Tribal instincts waken/You do what you’re told/You do what you’re asked/I won’t turn my back on my own/Never give in/.Never retreat/Never kneel.” This commentary is clear. Our nation, our own country, has become its own theater of war as its own citizens have become the combatants thanks to the powers that be. It is a familiar theme in the rock and metal community, but just as hard-hitting here as in any other band’s songs. That defiant cry that one will not give in, retreat or kneel goes right along with that familiar theme. The whole serves as yet another damning statement of what has become of our world and it goes hand in hand with the rest of the sharp sociopolitical commentaries that fill this album. When this and the rest of the lyrical content examined here is considered along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content, the whole leaves no doubt as to the importance of the album’s overall lyrical content. When that collective lyrical content is considered along with its musical counterparts, that overall content makes for more than enough reason for audiences to take in this record.

While the musical and lyrical content featured in this record do plenty to keep audiences engaged and entertained, they are just part of what makes the album appealing to most listeners. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements. As already noted, the musical arrangements featured in this record are heavy and intense. Thankfully though, thanks to the work of those behind the boards, no one member of the band overpowers his fellow musicians in his performance. This is always a concern with heavier records because of how easy it would be for any songs to be washed out. Thankfully that does not happen here. The result is that each song is powerful in its own right and the album in whole has a positive general effect. When this is taken into account along with the impact of the songs themselves and their lyrical counterparts, the whole of the album becomes one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.

The Wretched; The Ruinous, the new album from Unearth, is a strong new effort from the veteran metalcore outfit. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements offer much of the familiar metalcore styling for which the band has come to be known while also adding in some newer material. This all while the more familiar styling offers its own unique identity from one song to the next. The intensity of the songs’ musical arrangements becomes even more interesting considering the indictments of the human race in each song’s lyrical content. That juxtaposition makes the record all the more engaging. The record’s production puts the final touch to the whole, making for a positive general effect through the balance of the instrumentation and vocals in each song. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make The Wretched; The Ruinous a strong new offering from Unearth that is also another welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.

The Wretched; The Ruinous is available now through Century Media. More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://unearthofficial.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Unearthofficial

Lamb Of God Announces New Headlining Tour

Posted on May 2, 2023 by philspicks

Lamb of God has announced a new brief live run for this summer.

The tour, which spans eight dates, is scheduled to launch Aug. 10 in Montclair, NJ and to run through Sept. 11 in Pikeville, KY. The tour, which is being produced by Live Nation, also includes stops in cities, such as Riverside, CA; Oklahoma City, OK and Corpus Christi, TX.

Ticket pre-sales are open. General ticket and VIP package sales open at 10 a.m. local time Friday through Live Nation.

The tour’s schedule is noted below. Ice Nine Kills, Suicide Silence, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Acacia Strain, and Frozen Soul will serve as special guests on select dates.

LAMB OF GOD 2023 TOUR DATES:

Thu Aug 10 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont %

Mon Aug 14 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory %

Fri Aug 18 – Corpus Christi, TX – Concrete Street Amphitheater @%

Mon Aug 21 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion %$

Fri Aug 25 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort %#

Sun Aug 27 – Riverside, CA – Riverside Municipal Auditorium %#

Wed Aug 30 – Flagstaff, AZ – Pepsi Ampitheater @% *

Mon Sep 11 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena ^ *

% With support from The Acacia Strain

@ With support from Ice Nine Kills

$ With support from Frozen Soul

# With support from Suicide Silence

^ With support from The Black Dahlia Murder, After The Burial and Alpha Wolf

* Not A Live Nation Date

Lamb of God’s new tour will come almost a year after the band released its then latest album, Omens (2022) through Epic Records.

More information on Lamb of God’s new tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.lamb-of-god.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lambofgod

Pantera Announces New North American Live Dates

Posted on January 22, 2023 by philspicks

Pantera will make its way across America this summer, and the band is bringing an equally well-known band along for the ride.

The tour will start with a trio of festival shows May 20 at the Welcome to Rockville Festival in Daytona Beach, FL, July 13 at the Rockfest Festival in Cadott, WI and July 15 at the Inkcarceration Festival in Mansfield, OH. From there, the band will head to Burgettstown, PA after wrapping its festival shows.

The remainder of the tour will see the band headlining select dates and serving as support for Metallica. For the band’s headlining dates, Lamb of God will serve as a special guest.

Pantera’s tour schedule is noted below. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. local time Friday here. Pre-sales open at 10 a.m. Tuesday for Citi card members here. Pre-sales end at 10 p.m. Thursday.

TOUR DATES:

*Festival Date | #Support Act TBD | ^Pantera Support for Metallica Dates|

2023 Dates

Fri May 20 – Daytona, FL – Welcome to Rockville*

Thu Jul 13 – Cadott, WI – Rockfest*

Sat Jul 15 – Mansfield, OH – Inkcarceration*

Fri Jul 28 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

Sat Jul 29 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Mon Jul 31 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater#

Wed Aug 02 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Fri Aug 04 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium^

Sat Aug 05 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium

Sun Aug 06 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

Tue Aug 08 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview

Wed Aug 09 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater

Fri Aug 11 – Montreal, QC – Olympique Stadium^

Sat Aug 12 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Tue Aug 15 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP

Thu Aug 17 – Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Fri Aug 18 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium^

Sun Aug 20 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Wed Aug 23 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena

Fri Aug 25 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium^

Sat Aug 26 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Tue Aug 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre

Thu Aug 31 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater

Fri Sep 01 – Glendale, AZ – State Farm Stadium^

Sun Sep 03 – Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma*

Thu Sep 07 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater

Fri Sep 08 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion

Sat Sep 10 – Alton, VA – Blue Ridge Rock Festival*

Tue Sep 12 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Thu Sep 14 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach

Fri Sep 15 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

Sat Sep 23 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life*

Sat Oct 07 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock*

Fri Nov 03 – St. Louis, MO – The Dome at America’s Center^

Fri Nov 10 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field^

2024 Dates

Fri Aug 02 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium^

Fri Aug 09 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field^

Fri Aug 16 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium^

Fri Aug 23 – Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium^

Fri Aug 30 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field^

More information on Pantera’s upcoming tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://pantera.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pantera

Kreator, Sepultura Team Up For “Klash Of The Titans” North American Tour

Posted on January 21, 2023 by philspicks

Kreator and Sepultura are bringing their “Klash of the Titans Tour” to the United States this spring.

The bands are set to launch the co-headlining tour May May 12 in Harrisburg, PA. The tour is scheduled to run through June 10 in New York, NY. It will feature performances in cities nationwide, such as Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA.

The tour’s schedule is noted below. Tickets are available through Sepultura’s official website and that of Kreator.

KLASH OF THE TITANS North America 2023
KREATOR + SEPULTURA Co-Headline Tour
Special Guests: DEATH ANGEL + SPIRITWORLD
May 12 – Harrisburg, PA
May 13 – Worcester, MA *
May 14 – Niagara Falls, NY
May 15 – Silver Springs, MD *
May 17 – McKees Rocks, PA
May 18 – Charlotte, NC *
May 19 – Atlanta, GA
May 22 – Dallas, TX *
May 23 – San Antonio, TX
May 25 – Phoenix, AZ
May 26 – San Diego, CA *
May 27 – Los Angeles, CA
May 28 – San Francisco, CA *
May 30 – Seattle, WA *
May 31 – Vancouver, BC
Jun 02 – Salt Lake City, UT *
Jun 03 – Denver, CO
Jun 05 – Minneapolis, MN *
Jun 06 – Chicago, IL
Jun 08 – Toronto, ON *
Jun 09 – Montreal, QC
Jun 10 – New York, NY *

* SEPULTURA Closing

Sepultura Andreas Kisser said he is looking forward to joining Kreator on the road, especially because Kreator was “a very strong influence in our early days.” He said “it’s great to see they (Kreator) are stronger than ever.”

Mille Petroza, Krator front man shared Kisser’s enthusiasm about the tour, saying “I’m really happy to be back in the U.S. this May with the mightiest of all…Sepultura.”

Both men said they were also equally looking forward to sharing the stage with Death Angel, which, along with Spiritworld, will be a special guest on the tour.

Kreator’s tour with Sepultura is just one live run the band has scheduled. The band is scheduled to join Lamb of God and Municipal Waste for the “State of Unrest 2023 Tour” starting Feb. 15 in Munich, Germany. Tickets are available for that tour here.

The band is also scheduled to join Testament for a handful of dates in South America from April 19 to May 2. Tickets are available for that tour here.

More information on the tour is available along with all of Sepultura’s latest news at:

Website: https://sepultura.com.br

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sepulturacombr

More information on the tour is available along with all of Kreator’s latest news at:

Website: https://kreator-terrorzone.de

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kreator

Hard Rock, Metal Fans Had A Lot To Like In 2022

Posted on December 30, 2022 by philspicks

The hard rock and metal community had another strong year in 2022, with dozens of acts releasing new studio recordings. From established acts to some up-and-comers to even some fledgling acts, bands across the hard rock and metal community offered audiences something to appreciate. That included new power metal, death metal, nu-metal and general hard rock records. In other words, 2022 was a very good year for the hard rock and metal community, and Phil’s Picks’ 2022 Top 10 New Hard Rock and Metal Albums list illustrates that clearly.

This year’s list of top new hard rock and metal albums runs across the community with new albums from the likes of Slipknot, Megadeth, Ozzy Osbourne, Sabaton, and even Amon Amarth. Topping this year’s list is the debut album from fledgling nu-metal band Bloodywood. The band has, in the past few years, made a heck of a name for itself through its music and uplifting lyrical themes. The band’s star has continued to rise ever since it released its debut album, Rakshak early this year, too. Joining Bloodywood and the other noted bands on this year’s list are also the likes of Machine Head, Master Boot Record, and Lamb of God, too.

As with each list from Phil’s Picks, this list features Phil’s Picks’ top 10 new albums in the given category and five honorable mention titles. Those honorable mention titles are no less impactful than the top 10 albums. It is just that hard to really find just 10 records worth noting. There are that many that are so good. So, without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks’ 2022 Top 10 New Hard Rock and Metal Albums.

PHILS PICKS 2022 TOP 10 NEW HARD ROCK/METAL ALBUMS

Bloodywood – Rakshak
Sabaton – The War to End All Wars
Sabaton – The Symphony to End All Wars
Machine Head – Of Kingdom and Crown
Slipknot – The End, So Far
Lamb of God – Omens
Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army
Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying & The Dead
Arch Enemy – Deceivers
Ozzy Osbourne – Patient #9
Grave Digger – Symbol of Eternity
Master Boot Record – Personal Computer
Stratovarius – Survive
Artifas – Reflections
Stone Broken – Revelation

That’s it for this year’s list, but there is still plenty more to come between today and tomorrow with lists for top new Family Music, World Music, Top New Independent Albums and Top New Overall Albums. Somehow Phil’s Picks also has to get in lists for new TV and movie releases, too by midnight Saturday. Stay tuned!

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

Lamb Of God Has Reached Its Peak With ‘Omens’

Posted on October 9, 2022 by philspicks

Veteran metal outfit Lamb of God released its latest album, Omens Friday through Epic Records. The 10-song record is the band’s ninth studio recording and the band’s sixth album through Epic Records. It is among the most musically powerful of the band’s catalog, musically speaking, from beginning to end. This part of the record’s body will be discussed shortly. The record’s lyrical content is mostly accessible, and in turn makes for its own interest, too. It will be examined a little later. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be examined later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make the album yet another welcome addition to what is already a crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums this year.

Omens, Lamb of God’s brand-new album, is a powerful new offering from the veteran metal outfit. The record, which clocks in at just 40 minutes, proves itself so powerful in part through its musical arrangements. The record’s musical arrangements stand out because overall, they are a culmination of everything that the band has composed over the course of its nearly 30-year life. The groove metal which has made the band such a well-known and respected act is just as present as ever throughout the album. Audiences get a healthy dose of that sound and style right from the record’s outset in ‘Nevermore.’ Front man Randy Blythe’s low, half-groaning spoken word approach in the verses once again compliments the heavy guitars to make the song so engaging while the screams and equally screaming guitars add even more to the choruses. The band switches things up somewhat later in the album’s run in its title track. In place of the high-energy groove metal that makes up so much of the album, this song actually offers audiences a little more thrash approach. The band blends that with its groove metal leanings to make the song really stand on its own merits. ‘Gomorrah,’ which immediately follows, adds even more to the interest as it changes things even more. This song bears a sound and style that actually is slightly similar to that of works from Hatebreed while also having a pure metal approach. It really stands as one of the record’s most interesting musical presentations. As the album progresses, it goes even further in a thrash direction in its penultimate entry, ‘Denial Mechanism.’ The screams and wails from the guitar line in the bridge lend themselves to comparison to works from the likes of Testament while the overall approach throughout is just as comparable to works from that band, as well as to works from the likes of Hatebreed and so many others. ‘September Song,’ which closes the album, changes things up even more with its brooding, bass-driven opening bars. From there, the band launches into its more familiar heavy, lurching groove metal sound while still ensuring the song maintains its own identity separate from the works that make up so much of the band’s catalog. Even with that in mind, it sounds, overall, like it would fit perfectly in the band’s 2003 album, As The Palaces Burn. Between this song and all of the others here, what audiences get, musically, is a little something familiar and something less familiar. The whole is a musical presentation that will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

The musical content featured in Omens is just part of what makes it an appealing presentation. The lyrical content that accompanies that musical content makes for its own appeal. From beginning to end, the album’s lyrical offers audiences more familiar, accessible sociopolitical commentaries and ruminations on personal struggles. These are themes that the band has approached in different ways over the course of its life, but they hit just as hard here as ever. ‘Denial Mechanism’ is one of those songs that delivers some of that commentary. Blythe addresses the ongoing decline of civilization (so to speak) as he screams, “A pathetic birth of the end of times/Slowly creeping to the final deadline/No fairytale on a movie screen/Just slow collapse beneath our gluttony/Take warning/as the bloated masses gather/Take warning/As their childish screams of anger/Suck this broken system dry/Until there’s nothing left/Take warning.” He is warning people to take notice of all of the negative things happening and to see what is coming if things do not change. He continues in the song’s second verse, “An idiotic Doomsday/Mass annihilation/At the hand of our possessions/Plastic in your bloodstream/Plastic in your brain/The human race is f*****/Behind our thirst for everything.” Here in that last line is what seems like a commentary about mankind’s materialism and its role in everything that is happening negatively in the world. He concludes by telling the generation that will inherit the Earth, “I’ll be dead and gone/Long before the blade drops/It’s up to you my children/To decide if this all stops.” In other words, Blythe is reminding audiences that the fate of the planet is up to the current generation, because he will be long gone before the possible negative end happens. This is, again, a familiar-type message from the band and is certain to resonate with plenty of audiences.

‘Ditch,’ which comes much earlier in the album’s run, takes on people’s roles in their own lives in a very powerful fashion. The song opens with Blythe screaming, “I don’t’ give a God **** about your demands/Jus spit your trash and take a bow/I’ve heard it all before/The deviants and miscreants/break their vows/You can all keep crawling/I’m digging out/You’re face down/Down in a ditch that you dug yourself.” This is Blythe telling the world that people are responsible for themselves and their own actions and their results. Especially now in this world, it is a message that needs to be presented time and again. Blythe continues, “You can live and die by the hand you’re dealt/Unwound consequence/And you can never tell/Live or die by the hand you’re dealt.” This further illustrates that message. As if that is not enough, he further adds in the song’s next verse, “You demand a life you haven’t earned/Entitled, soft, and soon to learn/There’s no shoulders here for crying/You command an ego gone unchecked/Unbridled needs for cheap respect/But your dreams were built for dying.” He is talking about (or seeming to be talking about) the current generation and in general, people who have the mentality that they deserve the most for the least. The current generation certainly seems to have that mindset of thinking it deserves a life unearned. There are others out there who have that same mindset, so it makes the song all the harder hitting. To that end, this song is more proof of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. It is just one more of the songs that serves that end, too. ‘To The Grave,’ which immediately precedes ‘Ditch’ is yet another key example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.

‘To The Grave’ comes across as a song that seems to focus on the all too familiar topic of mental health. This is inferred as Blythe screams right from the song’s outset, “I’ve walked the halls of madness/I’ve heard the jailer’s laugh/I’ve yet to sing the funeral dirge/The only option left/Risen from an inferno of hopelessness and shame/Walked the tightrope out of it/Then shouldered all the blame.” The mention of “the jailer” is a metaphor. It is a representation of a controlling force. It is that force that keeps a person locked within one’s self. It is a good personification of this power. He continues, “Make no mistake/I know it’s always there/The scent of doom riding neglect/It’s hanging in the air.” Again, this further describes that feeling that so many people deal with in fighting depression. The theme becomes even clearer as Blythe adds, “The only thing to fear remains unseen/Never disappears/Stand guard eternally/The only thing I fear lives on inside of me/Whispers in my ear/To the grave eternally.” That is about as clear as one can get in delivering such a message. It is something that will resonate just as much with audiences as the other themes addressed so far. So simply put, his song comes across as being from the vantage point of someone battling that mental health battle. It is an increasingly common theme in rock and metal, and is certain to connect with audiences just as much as the other themes addressed here and throughout the album. When all of the record’s lyrical themes are considered together, the whole makes the album’s overall lyrical presentation just as engaging as the album’s musical presentation.

As much as Omens content does to make the album worth hearing, it is just one part of what makes the album worth hearing. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements. That is because it ensures that the record’s instrumentations and vocals are expertly balanced throughout its run. From one song to the next, the immense wall of sound generated through the instrumentation ensures each musician gets his own moment to shine while also not overpowering the vocals at the same time. The result is that the combination of the instrumentation and vocals creates a wholly positive general effect. That positive general effect brings everything full circle and completes the album’s presentation. Keeping that in mind, the whole of Omens becomes one more positive addition to this year’s already crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums.

Omens, the latest album from Lamb of God, is a strong new offering from the veteran metal outfit. The record’s appeal comes in part through its musical content. The record’s arrangements give audiences a welcome blend of something familiar and something different. It brings elements of the band’s existing catalog with influences from other established metal acts for a whole whose musical presentation is fully engaging and entertaining. The record’s lyrical themes are just as engaging, as they touch on topics that will connect with just as many audiences as the album’s musical arrangements. The album’s production puts the final touch to its presentation, ensuring an overall positive general effect. Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of Omens. All things considered they make Omens a work that will appeal equally to Lamb of God’s fans and to metal fans in general.

Omens is available through Epic Records. More information on Omens is available online now at:

Website: https://www.lamb-of-god.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lambofgod

Ovtlier Takes On Narcissists In New Single, ‘Nemesis’

Posted on June 27, 2022 by philspicks

Ovtlier debuted its latest single over the weekend.

The band premiered its new single, ‘Nemesis‘ Friday. The song’s premiere came a month after the premiere of the band’s then latest single, ‘Blame The Dead.’

The musical arrangement featured in the band’s new single is a heavy, intense composition. There are groove metal leanings throughout the song, and some more pure metal elements throughout the work. That combination of elements makes the song comparable, stylistically, to works from the likes of Lamb of God, Unearth, and Slipknot.

The song’s lyrical theme takes on the issue of facing narcissists, said front man Joey Arena.

“We’ve all encountered narcissistic individuals who hide behind a mask,” he said. “There are many snakes out there, ones who try to get close, only to gather intel and use it against you. I pride myself on keeping it truthful and transparent with everyone I meet and that will get you both loved and hated. The best part is I believe in healthy boundaries and it usually weeds out those who are not good company. I live my life by ‘do no harm, take no shit’; If I don’t like you, you’ll know it. ‘Nemesis’, it’s in the name”.

More information on Ovtlier’s new single is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://ovtlier.co

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OvtlierBand

Louder Than Life Festival Lineup Announced

Posted on March 12, 2022 by philspicks

The Louder Than Life Festival will return to Louisville, KY this year with an expansive lineup of acts.

The festival, scheduled to take place Sept. 22-25 at the Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center in Louisville, KY, will be headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Slipknot, and KISS. The four-day festival will also feature performances from bands, such as Bloodywood, Anti-Flag, and Superbloom. The KY Expo Center is located at 937 Phillips Ln. in Louisville, KY.

The festival’s full lineup is noted below. Tickets are available here. Weekend general admission passes start at $249.50 plus fees. Weekend VIP passes start at $629.50 plus fees. A limited number of Weekend Top Shelf VIP passes is still available for $1,329.50 plus fees.

General admission single day passes start at $99.50 plus fees. Single day VIP passes start at $295.50 plus fees. Layaway options are available through March 31 for $10, with payments made through July.

A trailer for the forthcoming annual festival is streaming.

The current Louder Than Life lineup is as follows (subject to change):

Thursday, September 22: Nine Inch Nails, Bring Me The Horizon, Evanescence, Halestorm, Tenacious D, Yungblud, Highly Suspect, Ministry, Nothing More, Baroness, Spiritbox, Apocalyptica, Dorothy, Don Broco, New Years Day, Plush, Lilith Czar, Maggie Lindemann, Taipei Houston, The Dead Deads, Mothica, Superbloom, Eva Under Fire, Oxymorrons

Friday, September 23: Slipknot, Shinedown, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, In This Moment, Meshuggah, Clutch, Jinjer, GWAR, In Flames, Helmet, POORSTACY, Crown The Empire, DED, All Good Things, Amigo The Devil, Vended, Mike’s Dead, If I Die First, Orbit Culture, The Luka State, Ego Kill Talent, The Native Howl, Archetypes Collide

Saturday, September 24: KISS, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Chevelle, Ghostemane, Jerry Cantrell, Dance Gavin Dance, Theory of a Deadman, Body Count, Sevendust, Mammoth WVH, We Came As Romans, Airbourne, Cherry Bombs, Ill Niño, Tetrarch, Nita Strauss, Against The Current, Wargasm, Trash Boat, Shaman’s Harvest, Solence, Dropout Kings, Bloodywood

Sunday, September 25: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice In Chains, Incubus, Papa Roach, The Pretty Reckless, Architects, Bad Religion, Action Bronson, The Struts, Jelly Roll, Dirty Honey, Anti-Flag, The Joy Formidable, Bayside, The Warning, Royal & The Serpent, caroles daughter, Radkey, The Mysterines, Crown Lands, AEIR, The Alive, As You Were

The Louder Than Life Festival is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents. The festival debuted in 2014 and expanded to four days in 2021.

More information on the 2022 Louder Than Life Festival is available along with all of the festival’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.LouderThanLifeFestival.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ltlfest

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