January Band of The Month: ABR

For January, (Err, what's left of it) the Band of The Month is August Burns Red. Not only are these guys incredible musicians, lyricists, and performers, they raise the bar for all other metal bands out there. Let's state the obvious and note their appearance on the album X Christmas, in which they debut their cover of Carol of The Bells. Let's just say that turn Xmas into hXc-mass. They create a symphony from the classic christmas ballad and transform so much that the Jewish kids are singing it. Then there is the performance factor. I've seen them live twice and both times they outstaged the bands they toured with. I have never seen a crowd get into live music as much as they do at an ABR show. Sure there is moshing and arm waving at all shows, but at the ABR shows I've seen, a level of emotional intensity is radiated throughout the crowd. I see concert -goers with their eyes shut, tossing themselves into a pit, raising their arms and bowing their heads, seems a bit religious in my opinion. However, the band controls there set. In one of the shows a girl who wasn't quite willing to get into a moshpit was dragged in. The lead singer saw this and stopped his song, and told the pit to retreat so that her boyfriend could come and save her, and free her from the wall of over 300 sweaty men. Once she was out everyone clapped and the show carried on without falter. It takes more than just talent to be a great band, but being composed of caring human beings is what sets them apart from other bands out there. Anyone write a song, but it's true talent when you can escape fame getting to your head. ABR, I salute you!

Metalling Hearts-Interview with Dez Fafara(Devildriver)

Metalling Hearts

The Fiercer the man, the Fiercer the love

This last Friday I got a chance to sit down and talk with Dez Fafara from Devildriver.  His vocals were first heard in Coal Chamber. But since then He has become the voice of Devildriver, literally. Devildriver is a groove-metal band with rock tendencies that is know worldwide. If I haven't put it in enough words already, this tattooed, growling, pierced man is in the hierarchy of the metal world. It was to my surprise that this brutal man is just as fierce in regards to music as he is to one other thing in life. From a source where you'd least expect, I got the best insight and advice for relationships from one of the most well known tough guys in metal.  

"She cast a spell on me"

Dez's amore is the lovely Anahstasia, can be seen on the cover of Coal Chamber's 2nd Album, Chamber Music. As you can see Dez is proud to show off his beau and when speaking in regards to her, his voice would become softer and a comforting smile would begin to form in replace of the words he would speak. "She cast a spell on me" Says Fafara, " I knew right after seeing her for the first time that she was the one, this was it." The first time he had met her, he went to her and proclaimed his feelings, and she smiled, giving him her number and then retreating. " I called her 17 times" Laughs Fafara, this of course being only after receiving her number. His music painted them a soundtrack, and true love bound their hearts together. They've only fought 2 times throughout their whole relationship, marriage, and building of their family. This leaves me to ask, how can someone, regardless of musical incline, manage to maintain or even grasp a romance as fairytale-esk as that of Anahstasia and Dez? " You have to be yourself and embrace that. Embrace who you are, what energy you hold, because when you are true to yourself, you'll never be false to others." So many times people lie in relationships, even about the smallest things such as, hiding calls from others, and even masking how they feel. This couple lays everything out on the table, and has that trust to know they their hearts will be guarded despite what elements may come. I feel that it really is trust and truth that can make or break a relationship. If you are to be something else just to 'get' your lover's approval, they are only in love with the character you made for them. It's through Dez and Anahstasia's ability to be open and always truthful to each other that they beat the odds of love's expectations, especially with divorce rates increasing. Regardless, what these two have is something that we should aspire to create and maintain in our own lives. All of the ladies can "ugh" and growl in jealousy of the spark between these too, but perhaps following these ideals can help us create our happy endings. Where the lion lays down with the lamb, so does the heart of the beautiful red head rest with the heart of the metalhead. The fiercer the man, the fiercer the love. 

DevilDriver Winter Tour

Hey There Metal heads! Lucky you, it's time to shed off those winter jackets and break a sweat in the mosh again thanks to DevilDriver's Winter tour staring Goatwhore and Suffocation.

Here are the Dates:

Jan 9 - Majestic Ventura Theatre - Ventura, California

Jan 11 - Peter’s Room at Roseland Theatre - Portland, Oregon

Jan 12 - Studio Seven - Seattle, Washington

Jan 15 - Mesa Theatre - Grand Junction, Colorado

Jan 16 - Gothic Theatre - Englewood, Colorado

Jan 18 - The Rock - Maplewood, Minnesota

Jan 19 - The Rave - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Jan 20 - House of Blues - Chicago, Illinois

Jan 21 - Mr. Small’s Theatre - Millvale, Pennsylvania

Jan 22 - The Machine Shop - Flint, Michigan

Jan 23 - Al Rosa Villa - Columbus, Ohio

Jan 24 - Mad Hatter - Covington, Kentucky

Jan 25 - Jaxx West - Springfield, Virginia

Jan 26 - Norva - Norfolk, Virginia

Jan 27 - Polaris - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jan 28 - Toad’s Place - New Haven, Connecticut

Jan 29 - The Palladium - Worcester, Maine

Jan 30 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, New Jersey

Jan 31 - Crazy Donkey - Farmingdale, New York

Feb 1 - Masquerade - Atlanta, Georgia

Feb 5 - Club Firestone - Orlando, Florida

Feb 6 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Feb 8 - Emo’s - Austin, Texas

Feb 10 - Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Feb 11 - The Rock - Tucson, Arizona

Feb 12 - House of Blues - West Hollywood, California

I'll be at the January 20th Show getting an interview from Devildriver, so for those of you who can't make it don't worry, I'll bring the concert to you.

<3

Metalonhermind

Soulfly-Omen

Roadrunner Records artist SOULFLY, lead by metal deity Max Cavalera, have just completed a stint at Edge of the Earth Studios in Los Angeles, where they recorded their seventh album. Roadrunner will release album, titled Omen, on May 4. Logan Mader served as co-producer. Omen follows up 2008’s Conquer, which enjoyed incredible critical reception. Alternative Press awarded the album 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars, deeming it “a furious, sonically adventurous metal disc…awesome” while Kerrang! hailed Conquer as “packed with enough invention, aggression and sheer quality tunes to make most other metal bands blush.”

In the true Soulfly style and tradition, the album will feature notable guest appearances. Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato and Prong’s Tommy Victor will lend their voices to separate songs, while Max’s songs, Zyon and Igor, will also appear on special B-sides, making Omen an album that is truly all in the family!

Of the collaborations, Cavalera said “The first one is a song with Tommy Victor from Prong sharing vocals on a song called ‘Lethal Injection.’ The other is ‘Rise of the Fallen,’ with shared vocals from Greg Puciato, Dillinger Escape Plan's singer. I also recorded two B-sides with both of my sons playing drums. Igor Cavalera plays on Exel's ‘Your Life, My Life,’ and Zyon Cavalera plays on Sepultura's ‘Refuse/Resist’ cover.”

Here's The Track List to Omen

“Bloodbath & Beyond”

“Rise of the Fallen”

“Counter Sabotage”

“Jeffrey Dahmer”

“Lethal Injection”

“Great Depression”

“Mega-Doom”

“Kingdom”

“Off With Their Heads”

“Vulture Culture”

“Soulfly 7”

THE ALBUM COMES OUT MAY 4th 2010

(Yeah You got some time, so check out their older albums first!)