They're also hitting the road for a bi-national tour of the US and Canada. Check out tour dates afterwards...
But now let's talk about awesome music.
1. My favorite kind of album is the concept album. The Wall is my absolute favorite. Beyond the amazing songs, it has spectacular nostalgia for me. What's your favorite one and why?
[Sebastian]
I am a huge sucker for concept albums.
I am a huge sucker for concept albums.
The Wall being among one of my favorites, and it really set the tone and concept for generations to come in terms of overall approach to the rock opera/concept album theme.
I love how concept records tie in together one larger theme and some of the better approaches historically have interconnected songwriting, and my favorite, reprise in them.
I love how concept records tie in together one larger theme and some of the better approaches historically have interconnected songwriting, and my favorite, reprise in them.
I'd say my big four among concept albums are King Diamond's Abigail, Between the Buried and Me's Colors, Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime, and W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol, even though Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt. 2 and Baroness' Purple get silent nods from me.
Hands down, at this very moment in time, I gotta say that W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol tops my list of favorites for me.
Hands down, at this very moment in time, I gotta say that W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol tops my list of favorites for me.
The songwriting is absolutely brilliant, the emotion you can feel coming from Blackie's voice is superb, and there are bonafide hits on that record like Chainsaw Charlie.
I can spin the record all day and not feel sonic fatigue, and funnily enough, it is a recent album that I just discovered thanks to a good ol' friend of ours in Calgary named Dan. Mindcrime is really high up there and has banger tunes, but I think what I hold closer to my heart is The Crimson Idol.
The concept of a runaway youth being a shadow of his brother and never really gaining the acceptance and love from his parents, even while becoming a big shot rockstar, hits me home.
I am sure a lot of artists live this type of life, and a lot of the songs are definitely relatable. Lawless shone a light on the record industry even when it was rapidly changing in the early 90s, and to see the tragic demise of Jonathan as "The Idol" is heart-wrenching to the very end.
[Eddie]
My favorite concept album is definitely Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche! It’s one of my favorite albums of all time.
[Eddie]
My favorite concept album is definitely Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche! It’s one of my favorite albums of all time.
The story is deep and well-constructed, and yet you can take any one of the songs off the record as a single and play it out of context and have it be a greatest hit.
2. My very first album was Live Evil by Black Sabbath. Since then I've had a strong affinity for the live record, even if they're a bit fake. KISS set the bar with Alive!.
Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of anyone. Tell me about your favorite live record?
Surely, it was fake, but it's got the best concert feel of anyone. Tell me about your favorite live record?
[Eddie]
I basically spent my teenage years watching three different live DVDs: Iron Maiden Rock in Rio, AC/DC Live (at Donington) and Van Halen Live Without a Net.
I basically spent my teenage years watching three different live DVDs: Iron Maiden Rock in Rio, AC/DC Live (at Donington) and Van Halen Live Without a Net.
They all taught me so much about being a great live band and really putting on a show!
3. There are a great number of records I've turned to for my moods. What do you listen to when you're angry? Sad?
[Sebastian]
Oh god haha. Angry? I have to admit I really enjoy listening to a lot of newer music that comes out, and Skeletonwitch's Devouring Radiant Light first comes to mind.
[Sebastian]
Oh god haha. Angry? I have to admit I really enjoy listening to a lot of newer music that comes out, and Skeletonwitch's Devouring Radiant Light first comes to mind.
The way the album begins and flows together is an encapsulation of a lot of great songwriting, given the genre of music they play.
I was just turned onto The Rods by the dudes in Roadrash. They showed me that band while I was filling in for them on their West Coast run last year, and on times when I am feel steamed or angry, I put on their record "In The Raw" and let the songs rock out and mellow me out.
It is good ol rock and roll and the music is catchy as hell.
When I am feeling sad, I either listen to some mainstream stuff like Pink Floyd's Pulse Live or go deep underground and listen to The Night Flight Orchestra.
Pulse Live is probably the greatest live album of all time in my opinion, and The Night Flight Orchestra has some killer records. I really appreciate their revival and approach of 70s style rock with funk/disco elements and even more so, the music is insanely catchy and upbeat.
4. One of my friends laughs at me, routinely, for loving the Misfit Toys of albums by major bands. Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed, Carnival of Souls by Kiss, Diabolous En Musica by Slayer, etc.
What's the strange one that you love?
[Eddie]
Iron Maiden’s Virtual XI and X-Factor.
Iron Maiden’s Virtual XI and X-Factor.
I truly believe they are fantastic records that hold their own weight in Maiden’s discography. People don’t give ‘em a chance because of their loyalty to Bruce or because of Blaze Bayley’s vocals, but I think Blaze Bayley is great and the songwriting during that era was awesome, despite being a departure from Maiden’s usual sound.
Futureal, Lightning Strikes Twice and Man on the Edge are all hits as far as I’m concerned!
5. It's almost fashionable to release live versions of albums or re-record the old ones. King Diamond is releasing a concert with Abigail front to back. Roger Waters has done The Wall twice. Which ones do you have in your collection?
[Eddie]
So far, I’ve only got one - Journey’s Revelations. It’s actually an original album, but they re-recorded some of their greatest hits on Disc 2 with Arnel Piñeda.
His vocal quality is distinct from Steve Perry’s, but he’s amazing and I’ve enjoyed seeing them live on multiple occasions and I’ve had a great time every time!
[Sebastian]
I actually own Songs from the Dead on record and I own the Blu-Ray of that performance too! It's premium content and the recordings are beautifully mixed and capture the raw energy and live performances of Abigail and some of the better King Diamond hits.
I actually own Songs from the Dead on record and I own the Blu-Ray of that performance too! It's premium content and the recordings are beautifully mixed and capture the raw energy and live performances of Abigail and some of the better King Diamond hits.
I own Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica Revisited, which is essentially a downtuned, rerecorded version of their debut album with proper production, and it was an album that I listen to a lot of years ago when I was deep in the power metal wormhole.
Who can wrong with owning Maiden's Rock in Rio and AC/DC's Live? Masterpiece performances in their own right and people of my generation grew up watching these live DVDs/CDs/Tapes and probably experienced these bands live for the first time through these recordings.
It is funny, people from my generation pay tribute to Rock in Rio, but the generation that came before me long for Live After Death.
Tour Dates:
March 26 – San Diego, CA – The Merrow
March 27 – Albuquerque, NM – Velvet Underground
March 28 – San Angelo, TX – The Deadhorse
March 29 – San Antonio, TX – The Limelight
March 31 – Wilmington, NC – Reggie’s 42nd St. Tavern
April 1 – Lynchburg, VA – Clubhouse Sports Bar
April 2 – Baltimore, MD – The Depot
April 3 – Worcester, MA – Hotel Vernon
April 4 -Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
April 5 – Providence, RI – Dusk
April 6 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Desperate Annie’s
April 8 – Portland, ME – Geno’s
April 10 – Toronto, ON – The Bovine
April 11 – Columbus, OH – Tree Bar
April 12 – Milwaukee, WI – Blade of Steel Festival
April 14 – Winnipeg, MB – Bull Dog Pizza
April 15 – Regina, SK – Cloud 9 Live
April 16 – Edmonton, AB – Shaker’s Roadhouse
April 17 – Kelowna, BC – Muninn’s Post
April 18 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre – Hyperspace Metal Festival
April 21 – Tacoma, WA – The Plaid Pig
April 22 – Portland, OR – Twilight Cafe
April 23 – Grant’s Pass, OR – The Haul
April 24 – Reno, NV – Shea’s Tavern
April 25 – Sacramento, CA – On The Y
April 26 – Oakland, CA – Elbo Room
April 27 – Pasadena, CA – Old Towne Pub
March 26 – San Diego, CA – The Merrow
March 27 – Albuquerque, NM – Velvet Underground
March 28 – San Angelo, TX – The Deadhorse
March 29 – San Antonio, TX – The Limelight
March 31 – Wilmington, NC – Reggie’s 42nd St. Tavern
April 1 – Lynchburg, VA – Clubhouse Sports Bar
April 2 – Baltimore, MD – The Depot
April 3 – Worcester, MA – Hotel Vernon
April 4 -Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
April 5 – Providence, RI – Dusk
April 6 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Desperate Annie’s
April 8 – Portland, ME – Geno’s
April 10 – Toronto, ON – The Bovine
April 11 – Columbus, OH – Tree Bar
April 12 – Milwaukee, WI – Blade of Steel Festival
April 14 – Winnipeg, MB – Bull Dog Pizza
April 15 – Regina, SK – Cloud 9 Live
April 16 – Edmonton, AB – Shaker’s Roadhouse
April 17 – Kelowna, BC – Muninn’s Post
April 18 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre – Hyperspace Metal Festival
April 21 – Tacoma, WA – The Plaid Pig
April 22 – Portland, OR – Twilight Cafe
April 23 – Grant’s Pass, OR – The Haul
April 24 – Reno, NV – Shea’s Tavern
April 25 – Sacramento, CA – On The Y
April 26 – Oakland, CA – Elbo Room
April 27 – Pasadena, CA – Old Towne Pub
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