Video: "Agenda (I) Cryptograms (II) A Digital Self" by The Vicious Head Society

Let's talk about a new band, The Vicious Head Society. They're a symphonic progressive metal band all the way from Ireland.

They've just released the video for their latest single from Abject Tomorrow.

If you haven't liked them on Facebook...what are you even doing there?

Video: "Freak Flag" by Quiet Riot

There are certain bands that mark times in our lives. When I was a boy, we watched NBC's Friday Night Videos.

To this day, Quiet Riot still holds a place in my heart. With that said, check out their new track!

Let them know what you think on Facebook.

LP Review: "Tales of the Wicked West" by Maidavale

Tales of the Wicked West

There are times when our conversations yield some interesting omens.

Not two hours before this record began playing, my friend and I were knee deep in a conversation about rich rock stars and how as they age, the can become giant douches.

One in particular, whom I won't name, is very popular. He's been around for over 30 years in the sphere of popular, and mostly, quality music.

For the past 15 or so (HERE COMES LARGE SWATHS OF OPINION),  he's tried so desperately to be the second coming of Jimi Hendrix with his tales of love and such.

The problem is, as he grew up in an almost idyllic childhood in a virtual paradise, it's hard to see his claims as valid, unlike Jimi's as he grew up seeing the actual horror of life. It's kind of like the Spanish Inquisition, your confessions aren't genuine without torture.

Vinyl Review: "Ti Bon Ange" by Suspirians

Ti Bon Ange

What you may or may not know about me, dear readers, is that this guy right here is the biggest nerd you'll ever meet.

Sure, most days, pimping brutal death metal, drinking craft beers, shaving with a vintage safety razor, and having a beautiful family, and living in a beautiful home that needs work...

You might not ever guess that I'm reading a fantasy novel, a Red Dwarf novel, and thinking about the space time continuum.

The eddies of the time stream fascinate me to no end. Recently, I had a very long dream about such things. In the dream, my biggest childhood dream could have been realized should I have been willing to go back in time and make a singular different choice.

Now, we could speak about the Mirror of Erised here and discuss my life and the ramifications, but what struck me about that dream was my understanding of what would have happened should the deal have been accepted.

Video: "Faradic" by The Summoned

It's one of those days where we just need to be punched in the face by a pure wall of death metal.

Check out Faradic below and ask The Summoned what makes them human on Facebook.

EP Review: "The Hills Have Eyes" by Märvel

The Hills Have Eyes

Nobody, well besides myself, wants to be that guy.

That guy infests everything we do in society. It's a constant refrain when two or more humans are engaged in conversation about anything under the sun.

Well, I don't want to be that guy, but music sounds better on vinyl. I don't want to be that guy, but where is today's Led Zeppelin?

The list goes on and on. It's not just about music, or food, or beer, or child rearing..etc..etc...etc...

Seriously, we could probably spend the next thirty five to forty years discussing how awful that guy, and I are and can really be. Personally, I'm working on the "don't yuck on my yum" philosophy. If others like it, don't piss on it. OK?

Interview: Volker's Ulrich Wegrich and Jen Nyx

Volker

It's certainly been awhile, but you may recall when we reviewed Volker's debut EP.

They were definitely a cool and unique band and that EP just got me more and more excited to hear more of their music.

Their latest album, Dead Doll, was released on Overpowered Records on May 26th and is a real cracker.

Recently guitarist/composer Ulrich Wegrich and vocalist/lyricist Jen Nyx took some time to visit the Glacially Musical Secret Underground Headquarters of the Global Email Center of Greater Zimbabwe, just past the water cooler, in the room that isn't being spied upon by Moscow to answer a few of our questions.

Now you can get to know them.

Video: "St. Valentine's Boys" by Quiet Hollers

It was fully my intention to get this video out to you last week, but sickness sapped out all of my productivity.

Their new record is out on July 7th and the full review is coming later this month. Until then, check out their latest track!

Don't forget to check out their pix on Facebook.

LP Review: "Spectral Ascent" by Kabbalah

Spectral Ascent

Reading Jimmy Page's interviews over the years has been a darkly illuminating experience.

There was one particular discussion where he was talking about being in opium dens on the other side of the world with Robert Plant, on a songwriting expedition.

In my mind, there was a stunning picture of Page and Plant sitting on a stage, each wearing a fez, and smoking these large hookah pipes as they sang or at least tried to find the song.

We've all got at least one friend who'd read that little passage and think, "man, it would be awesome to hang out with them and smoke opium and hashish."

In some of the music they created, there's an element of this scene. Influences here and there could speak to this time, but Led Zeppelin never created this soundtrack. Page and Plant, touched on it a bit....

Video: "I Can't Feel A Thing" by Holy Wars

Let's slow things down for a minute and watch something a bit different.

Holy Wars is a darkened pop band from the very metal city of Los Angeles.

Watch the video and say hi on Facebook.

Vinyl Review: "Locust Lunatic Asylum" by Sober Truth

There was an interview with Kim Thayil about 20 years ago when Soundgarden was riding the wave of their critically acclaimed albums in the late 90's.

He talked about how much he hated heavy metal because he thought it was silly. Those acts weren't writing songs about real life, but Dungeons & Dragons.

Well, no disrespect to the fine work of Gary Gygax, TSR, and Ronnie James Dio, that was such a ridiculous statement that had me screaming in my head about how wrong he was.

The stereotype that metal is dumb and, again no disrespect to Gygax and Co, cannot cope with the real world or see anything more than childish fantasies is something that has long since grated on most of us in the metal community.

LP Review: "Wicked Covenant" by Bury The Machines

Wicked Covenant

As a small boy, my mother would have me wash the dishes after dinner.

It was one of my first regularly occurring chores. Because she was a control freak, she would then go in an check everything that was in order to make sure it was done correctly.

She complained that it was harder for her to have me do it rather than doing it herself.

This concept never really made much sense in my preteen mind as she wasn't expending nearly the amount of energy as I was in order to get the kitchen sparkling clean.

Questionable parenting practices aside, she was right. The mental energy that it takes to get one's child to learn the proper cleaning practices is immense. Think about writing an album...even a short one....

LP Review: "Deny Everything" by Contra

Deny Everything

Over the past year or so, my daughter and I have become avid comic book readers.

It's pretty safe to say that we have pretty different tastes in what we read. She's strongly into the My Little Pony Universe.

Part of what got me going back into the world of comics are the superhero movies going back to Tobey Maguire's Spiderman.

Recently, all superhero books have been removed from my pull list because of whole universe idea and capitalization on the movies and tie ins to this and that.

It was overwhelming and I was reading Guardians of the Galaxy because I wanted to read that and not Fantastic Four. The reason for all this is because comic books are always in the Second Act. So they're continually starting over, re-inventing the stories, etc. It's kind of what George Lucas has been doing to Star Wars since home releases became a thing.

LP Review: "The Blinking Light/Peace On Earth" by Rudy Stone

The Blinking Light

I have a spectacular idea for an album, a concept album naturally.

Between jam sessions, which there's usually about 2-3 months between them, ideas come to me. What about a musical record that's based around the comings of the seasons?

Could you possibly imagine how big that would be?

Unfortunately, as I only "play" guitar, it would be really hard for me to get it down, as it seems to me that a project of this size needs a larger sound than the six strings on my Les Paul can give voice to.

So, this idea's been kicking around in my head for about four years now. You know what I found out like three months ago?

Some Italian gentleman named Antonio Vivaldi had already done it. It's truly a great thing I hadn't voiced this idea because there are people in my life that might have suggested I go through with it!

Stream: "Blur" by Alexa Dark

Rock singer and guitarist, Alexa Dark has released her new single as a way of saying hello!!

Her debut EP, Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts will be released late summer. In the mean time follow the breadcrumbs.

As with anybody who's anybody and folks like me who're nobody, catch up with Alexa Dark on Facebook.