TOP 5 Holiday Music by Cammie Gilbert, Sylvaine, Vermilia, Mizuho Lin, Danielle Evans
Music is a special thing, as it most often relaxes and helps you cope with everyday life. A certain song makes the memories come back and you remember the moment you heard it for the first time. It makes you travel far away, live in the moment, think about the future, It gives energy, this year more with jogging than with gigs.
This year has been particularly exceptional in many ways, but the holidays remain and people spend them differently. Often certain songs belong to certain moments and different styles of music make people relax in different ways.
We contacted five artists to ask about their top 5 recommendations for holiday music. What kind of music is included in their holidays or what they have liked to listen to lately.
It’s also great to always find new music. That moment, that feeling when you find something new where you get shivers.
If you haven’t heard our featured artists yet, I recommend you to check out their versatile taste of music, but also the art they create, because you might find something new for your holidays.
Interview by Carina Lawrence / Dark Art Conspiracy
Polish black metal project Batushka was founded and created by guitarist and songwriter Krzysztof Drabikowski back in 2015. They caught the attention of metalheads and press alike with their successful debut release ‘Litourgiya’ and even went on to sign with popular label Metal Blade Records. The project also featured vocalist Bartłomiej “Bart” Krysiuk and drummer Marcin Bielemuk, to accompany Krzysztof however that is no longer the case as in December 2018 a shocking video was released from Krzysztof Drabikowski informing everyone that former vocalist Krysiuk had gone behind the creators back and essentially stolen his own band from him as Krzysztof had parted ways with the vocalist but Krysiuk turned the story around on Krzysztof instead. Currently, there are two sides claiming to be Batushka but there is only one true Batushka and we were lucky enough to speak to the real founder Krzysztof Drabikowski to get the full details of this unbelievable and shocking deceptive story and get the truth out there…
After recently performing as direct support to Metallica for two spectacular shows in Paris and Hamburg, Symphonic metallers EPICA return with a another new live single from their European headline tour. The bombastic ‘Unleashed’ was recorded at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live in January 2023. Ahead of the band’s performance at Download Festival this weekend, they have released the live video for ‘Unleashed (Live at the AFAS Live)’.
After a triumphant return on the battlegrounds of Boston Calling and Sonic Temple, Queens of the Stone Age have announced the details of their North American tour, which will kick off on August 3rd in Sterling Heights, MI. Queens of The Stone Age and Citi pre-sales begin Tuesday, June 6th at 10am local time, with public on-sale following Friday June 9th, 10am local time. The east coast leg of the tour will feature support from Phantogram and The Armed. Viagra Boys and Jehnny Beth will support on the mid-west and west coast dates.
The Hollywood Vampires — the rock supergroup consisting of Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, and Tommy Henriksen —have released Live in Rio, along with a music video for “Raise The Dead.”
Multi-platinum headliners Avenged Sevenfold (comprised of M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman) released their highly anticipated eighth album, Life Is But a Dream… this week via Warner Records. Listen HERE.
This genre-bending, bold and unnerving collection is their first full-length since 2016, and features the lead single “Nobody,” which has secured its place in the Top 5 at Rock Radio. A7X dig deep into the components that elicit the strongest emotions, toggling between the light and the dark in refreshingly strange ways. Transitions and tempo changes shred the rulebook, but there’s method to the madness.
New Jersey based, Bluesy, 70s influenced Rock Band COLOSSAL STREET JAM has released the Official Music Video for their new single, “Seconds”! With the music video filmed and produced by Soto / Sinestra Studios, “Seconds” is off of COLOSSAL STREET JAM’s critically praised new album, No Way To Live!
“The video shows the band singing live–and the song totally rocks. The lead singer’s voice reminds us of Brad Delp of Boston, displaying a very 70s classic rock feel. However, it travels into prog rock territory toward the end of the song, showing the true diversity and musicianship of this band.” – Rock At Night
Praise for No Way to Live:
“No Way to Live goes down well in a single listening session, as an album should. As such, you’ll have no problem sticking around for the deep-cut party anthem ‘Nothing Like It.’ It’s an old-school hard rock boogie that’s destined to power many Saturday nights. Other highlights include ‘My Fight, Alone’ and the secret bonus track ‘Songbird (Reprise)’ at the end. Colossal Street Jam are mighty, indeed, and fans looking for tunes that are catchy and fresh need to get them into their speakers at once.” – Rock & Blues Muse
“Colossal Street Jam rocks out in a way the 70s have rooted in our collective musical memory. Great intensity and musical marksmanship that rouses and scatters with bombast and appeal. The hooks are gigantic, the choruses memorable and nesting, the riffs and organ swirls warm and full of wonder. Atop Potts has the ability to lay down intrinsic appealing vocal melodies with powerful phrasing and dosing the exact amount of grit and gut. The backbone of the songs is astounding, with Halpern’s hammering power and rich fills underneath Flora’s dominant pulsing bass. This powerful foundation is exactly what is needed to orbit the songs into the stratosphere.
“New Jersey is home for Colossal Street Jam, a bluesy rock and roll quintet influenced by 70´s rock and acts like Bad Company and Grand Funk Railroad, but soundwise also close to The Black Crowes. In this kind of music it´s important with a Hammond B3 and they´ve got it plus the raspy voice of Gene Potts makes all the pieces come into place. Colossal Street Jam belong just fine in the classic rock revival with bands like Rival Sons, Greta Van Fleet, White Reaper and The Answer.” – Melodic.net
“Yet in spite of and through it all, Colossal made a record of which they and the entire New Jersey music scene can be proud. Their first release in four years will feature 11 tracks produced and engineered by Tony Lewis of HiVoltage Music. The rich songs not only make for the veteran’s band best album but also its most diverse ranging from straight-up rhythm & blues to psychedelic jams to a signature classic-rock sound inspired by Grand Funk Railroad and Deep Purple. ” – The Aquarian
Track List: 1. No Way To Live 2. Seconds 3. Hey! 4. Morning Light 5. Before I Sleep Again 6. Look It Here 7. My Fight Alone 8. Big Trouble 9. Dancing In Place 10. Nothing Like It 11. Songbird (Reprise)
That’s precisely where this long-time band of brothers & creative soulmates found themselves, when their well-traveled musical roads converged.
It was at this poignant juncture that COLOSSAL STREET JAM was born.
One may define their electrifying synergy as the cosmic melding & explosive concoction of abstract minds, unique talent, inherent soul, and tireless passion for their beloved craft.
Having a deep & mutual admiration for one another, as well as having tremendous respect for their many, and diverse collective influences, who helped shape their gritty, melodic, psychedelically tinged hard rock stylings, each member truly brings their own individuality, and nuance to the mix.
An eclectic potpourri for the senses, CSJ ultimately, and seamlessly fuse their independent ideas to deliver a singular vision & signature sound that can easily be coined as “New Classic Rock” for the ages.
This hard-driving, 70’s inspired, 5-piece ensemble is comprised of Gene Potts (vocals)… Sal Marra (guitar/vocals)… Tony Flora (bass)… Dave Halpern (drums)… and Eric Safka (keys).
With their roots firmly planted and their musical heritage tightly in place, CSJ has long been an integral part the legendary Asbury Park, NJ music scene.
Always proud to honor these roots, and the place that gave them their start, the band forever carries with them that feeling of tradition, and heart that has endeared them to growing audiences both nationally and internationally.
In 2016, the band’s release, “Living Free”, was met with critical acclaim and worldwide press.
The albums single, “Songbird” received extensive radio airplay both locally, and globally.
In 2018, that same record won an award for Australian Indie Album Of The Year For Internet Radio.
It subsequently remained on the Indie charts, Down Under, for 6 months.
Later that year, in November of 2018, CSJ released their follow up album, “Just Take Hold”…
Once again, they were greeted with extensive Indie and College radio airplay for that record’s namesake single, “Just Take Hold”, as well as for their cover version of the Sugarloaf classic, “Green Eyed Lady”.
In May and December of 2019, CSJ completed two successful European tours, which journeyed them throughout The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
As the world paused for the next couple years, due to the global pandemic, CSJ was still hard at work on their next creative endeavor.
In 2021, they released a new single, “No Way To Live”…
Just as before, they garnered massive airplay, both locally and overseas.
On March 1st, 2023, the long-awaited full length, 11- song album, which was on hold, due to the state of the world was finally released.
Baring the same name, as that previous single, this record triggered the launch of a full-scale publicity campaign, along with upcoming shows in both the US and Europe.
Soen have announced the release of their new album Memorial, which will be coming out September 1st via Silver Lining Music. The band have also released the hard-hitting first single ‘Unbreakable’. Watch the video here.
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