Tag Archives: metal

Dark Art Conspiracy – Download Festival UK Feature


Why Download Festival UK Is Not To Be Missed!

So the time is almost upon us for the UK’s biggest and loudest rock festival, Download Festival. Taking place this year on the 9th-11th June, there are plenty of highlights across the weekend…

 

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System Of A Down Return To Headline First Day

System Of A Down make their return to Donnington, with this marking their third appearance, having played as headliners back in 2005 and their reunion show in 2011. Now is a great time for them to headline again, following rumours of a new album which in turn hopefully means they are coming back for good in a long time scale. There is no other band that sound like System Of A Down and they are known for their high-octane and energetic sets previously, and will surely treat us to some new songs on the main stage, as well as their unique mental metal offerings, such as the ever popular ‘Chop Suey’, ‘Toxicity’ and ‘B.Y.O.B’ to name but a few. They will have the crowd going wild and is the perfect way to kick off the first day and close it!

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Aerosmith To Play their final UK performance At Download

These American rock legends impressively have been going since 1970 and have in that time achieved so much, playing countless tours and festivals, releasing fifteen albums and earning the title of ‘America’s greatest rock and roll band’. Unfortunately, it had to end sometime, and this show marks just that for the UK, as part of their farewell tour in Europe. They have played Download a fair bit, but this will probably be by its very nature their biggest and best yet, as they need to go out in style after all. They are bound include their classic hits such as ‘Dream On’, ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’, ‘Walk This Way’ and ‘Crazy’. You would be mad to miss this momentous goodbye.

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Pirate Metallers Alestorm Make Download Debut

Piratical masters Alestorm who hail from Scotland are bringing the shenanigans and the party to Download, as they are known for their fun party drinking vibes with their brilliantly absurd and random songs about pirates. This will without a doubt be one of the funniest and merriest sets of the whole festival, especially as this is their first venture at Download. They have just released their new and potentially best album yet with their fifth release ‘No Grave But The Sea’. Luckily the new album has some instant crowd favourites to grace us with such as singles ‘Mexico’, ‘Alestorm’ and their most ridiculous song ever ‘Fucked With An Anchor’ with lines such as “Fuck you, with a fucking anchor, you’re all cunts so fuck you all!” which is perfect for the crowds to singalong too, along with their classics such as ‘Drink’ and ‘Keelhauled’.

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Of Mice And Men Play First UK Show Without Austin

Following the sad departure of vocalist Austin Carlie, the band vowed to carry on and prove that they are still going strong with their new track ‘Unbreakable’. Now with bassist Aaron Pauley as the main vocalist, making the transition easier and familiar, Download will mark their first UK show without him, so it’s a special and big moment for both the band and fans.

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Final UK show for The Dillinger Escape Plan

Modern metalcore act The Dillinger Escape Plan are unfortunately calling it quits after a long twenty-year career. They have made quite a unique impact on the scene since their formation. They have been known to cause controversy at live shows and festivals in the past, and combine that with the fact Download Festival will be their final show ever, it is not to be missed and is certainly a way to go out with a bang!

 

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Biffy Clyro Play Their First Headliner Slot At Download

The Scottish rock trio will play their first ever headline slot at Download Festival. They are known more for their mainstream rock and last year co-headlined Reading and Leeds Festival UK with Fall Out Boy and now they are breaking more boundaries. With Download, I’m sure they will be bringing their heavier offerings to the set list and will go out of their way to make sure this is a special headline set that will be remembered.

 

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Super-group Prophets Of Rage Sub-headline At Debut Appearance

American rap rock super-group which consists of members of Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill formed last year and are making their Download festival debut, with a sub-headline set nonetheless. Expect to hear the biggest songs from each member’s band. Many bands are influenced by politics and their hatred of the system, but Prophets Of Rage formed solely for this purpose and with an election taking place the day before on June 8th and events like Brexit and the happenings of Trump, they will have plenty to rage about.

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Lots of New Upcoming Bands To Check Out

There are so many new and upcoming bands on the bill, with acts such as Creeper, Hacktivist, and Northlane making their main stage debuts and giving them the chance to share the stage amongst the heavyweights. Whilst elsewhere over the weekend Greywind, The One Hundred, Blood Youth and much more are playing. There are too many new bands to list in fact! So make sure you go and check them out and discover some awesome new music, festivals are the perfect platform for this!

 

So these are just some reasons why Download Festival is the place to be on 9th-11th June!

 

http://downloadfestival.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/downloadfest

https://twitter.com/DownloadFest

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ALTER BRIDGE – Set To Release “Live at the O2 Arena + Rarities” Worldwide On September 8th!


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Photo Credit: Richard Booth

 

Currently On Tour Throughout Europe

 

(June 01st, 2017 – New York, NY) – Coming off their most-successful world tour to date, ALTER BRIDGE announces the release of a new live album and rarities collection. Live at the O2 Arena + Rarities is scheduled for worldwide release on September 8th via Napalm Records. One of the biggest moments of the band’s career was the monumental show at London’s famous O2 Arena on November 24th, 2016. That landmark performance is now captured in its entirety on two CDs. The 19-track recording documents what an enormous presence ALTER BRIDGE have become on concert stages around the world.
The album can be preordered here:
Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall, and Scott Phillips tear through hits like “Farther Than The Sun”, “Show Me A Leader”, “Rise Today”, and their masterpiece “Isolation”, showcasing a band on the top of their game. Other highlights include the Tremonti sung “Waters Rising”, the acoustic-driven “Watch Over You” and their mighty signature anthem “Blackbird”.

In addition, this latest release contains an exclusive full-length “Rarities”-CD that will give every collector cause for rejoice. The CD features the never-before released tracks “Cruel Sun” and “Solace” that were recorded during the One Day Remains sessions. The song “Breathe” from those same sessions was released as a bonus track exclusively for Best Buy on The Last Hero. These tracks join seven other songs that have only been released in Japan until this collection.

This incredible collection of ALTER BRIDGE gems will be released in different formats! In addition to the regular 3 CD audio version, you can go for the ultimate fan experience and get one of the limited deluxe versions which also include an exclusive ALTER BRIDGE documentary with plenty of interviews with the band, their crew and family, giving you an amazing glimpse behind the scenes of this legendary show at London’s O2 arena!

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ORIGIN premiere lyric video for new track “Cascading Failures”


On June 30th, iconic death metallers ORIGIN will release their seventh studio album “Unparalleled Universe”. In anticipation, the band has revealed the second new single in a form of a lyric video. Listen to “Cascading Failures” here:

The new album “Unparalleled Universe” will be available on Agonia Records in Europe / ROW and Nuclear Blast Records in North America. Pre-orders are available at this link, while the first single, “Accident And Error”, can be listened to here.

For 20 years, ORIGIN has engaged a full-blown sensory assault of tight, taut, and technical death metal amplified by flashes of grindcore and groove. However, 2017’s “Unparalleled Universe” sees the quartet – Paul Ryan (guitar, vocals), John Longstreth (drums), Mike Flores (bass, vocals), and Jason Keyser (vocals) – strengthen that blueprint with a handful of surprises.

“It feels like an Origin album, but it’s unparalleled to what you might expect if you haven’t heard us for 10 or 15 years” says Ryan. “To me, it’s a true reflection of ourselves. I compare it to an action movie. Our earlier material is filled with action from beginning to end. Now, the idea is to add a little more depth and dynamics. You could say there are some twists in the plot musically”.

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REVIEW: Sorrow Plagues – Homecoming


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Sorrow Plagues is the brainchild of British musician David Lovejoy, who typically delivers atmospheric black metal. This new album ‘Homecoming’ marks Lovejoy’s second album and this time he dares to explore and venture into unexpected territory, expanding his elaborate black metal, this time throwing in elements of post-rock and more mainstream sounds.

The first song to kick things off is new single ‘Departure’ which opens on a resonant upbeat and impressive guitar intro. It immediately possesses a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere, aided through the textured instrumentation. The buoyant sounding instruments give it a more mainstream vibe, but Lovejoy’s dark distant shouts lurk in the backdrop to balance the light and the dark. The instruments remain at the forefront and make for a very compelling and impactful start. The song is about self-actualization and leaving behind the things that are holding you back in life, so it takes you on a great reflective path and the tones match this. Coming in at over seven minutes long, it is a rather epic introduction and scene setter for the album.

‘Disillusioned’ flows on nicely from the opener and again has that all consuming far-reaching sound, in what is the longest song featured on the album. It has a grand feel to it, with an air of optimism as before, which is very refreshing to see in this black metal rooted album. It is questionable if this can even be categorised as this at times, at is so serene and beautiful throughout, but maintains a dark essence through the bleak vocals.

‘Isolated’ has some of the most memorable and catchy riffs going, keeping up the light very positive sound, whilst ‘Irreversible’ packs a harder punch with a large almost symphonic sound.  It is extremely tuneful, with great rhythms which further highlight Lovejoy’s technical skills. First single ‘Relinquish’ soars from the off and dances around in epic glorious tones with menacing anguished screams to accompany, something there is no shortage off throughout, but it works wonderfully.

To close this insightful and cathartic journey is the title track ‘Homecoming’ which opens on an atmospheric quiet intro before later throwing in a curveball in the form of unexpected saxophones – definitely not something you expect to find on a metal album. This certainly stands out, and is both very pleasing and confusing. It ends on some of the most depthful and layered instrumentation seen on the album, making for the perfect closer.

This is not your typical black metal act, this is something new and exciting and should certainly be praised for this interesting exploration of sounds. It is very meaningful and layered through the instrumentation and lyrics, which looks at many aspects of the human experience, including death, loneliness and regret. The focus of the album is about finding strength and resolution through these difficult situations. This takes you on an unforeseen path and is a pleasure to listen to, whilst contemplating life and letting the resonant tones wash over you and take you away into a dream state. Lovejoy should be proud of what he has accomplished here.

SCORE: 4/5

https://www.facebook.com/sorrowplaguesmetal/
https://sorrowplagues.bandcamp.com/

#darkartconspiracy #metal #music #news

REVIEW: Danzig – Last Ride (Single)


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DANZIG release their second single ‘Last Ride’ from the new album ‘Black Laden Crown’ which came out on May 26th 2017. DANZIG is the outlet for Glenn Danzig, a singer-songwriter and musician from New Jersey who impressively is the founder of the well-known and popular punk rock act Misfits, as well as Samhain.

The new single ‘Last Ride’ slowly creeps along in a dark and sorrowful manner, with penetrating powerful vocals from Glenn Danzig, and fuzzy ambient guitars, executed by Tommy Victor, which escalate in intensity and skill as it draws to a close, ending on a high. This is one corpulent bluesy doom offering that you have to hear.

SCORE: 4/5

You can watch the audio video for the new single here: 

 

http://danzig-verotik.com/danzig/news.html
https://www.facebook.com/Danzig

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TRIBULATION – working on new album, line up change, live updates!


With the release of “The Children Of The Night” in April 2015, Sweden’s TRIBULATION have made a massive impact on the worldwide metal scene. After excessive touring in North America and Europe TRIBULATION took a well-deserved break not only to recover from the intense album campaign, but also to focus on what lies ahead: A change of drummer and a new album!

TRIBULATION recently published the following statement about the departure of drummer Jakob Ljungberg, who had been with the group since the album “The Formulas Of Death”: “As the summer in the year of their lord 2017 draws near and the world in the north is again fully starting to wake from its slumber we, on the other hand, are forced to face an inevitable end in the departure of our drummer Jakob Ljungberg who has decided to leave the band. We have spent the last five years together through pain to heaven, in chaos to bliss! It’s been such a strange, wonderful, tiring and inspiring time and we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this time the most important in the history of the band. We surely couldn’t have done it without you. We were like brothers even before the time of Tribulation and we certainly will be in the time after! Make sure to check out Jakob’s unique and most excellent band Second Sun (https://www.facebook.com/Secondsunswe/) where he sings and plays guitar!”

Jakob Ljungberg also commented as follows: “It is with a heavy heart that I leave Tribulation. These last years have been among the best in my life, but they wore me out and now I have to continue life on different paths. Thanks to everyone involved – you made this journey spectacular, thanks to everyone that came up and said hi – it meant the world to me, thanks to everyone who believed in me – you made me believe in myself. Jonathan, Adam and Johannes: I love you. “The end of nights we tried to die – this is the end.””

But as every end is also a new beginning, TRIBULATION have already secured a new drummer in Oscar Leander and have further good news to spread: “After this period of silence, renewal and contemplation the time has now come to give you the new Tribulation! We have now fully immersed ourselves in the making of a new album that will be recorded at summer’s end. We are very pleased to announce that Oscar Leander (previously in Deathstars) is our new drummer. He will make his first appearance with us on Muskelrock now on Thursday, June 1st! Are you ready? We are!”

So stay alert for TRIBULATION’s new studio album which is planned to be released early 2018.

TRIBULATION – Live 2017
TH 01.06.2017 Alvesta (Sweden) – Muskelrock Festival
FR 16.06.2017 Dessel (Belgium) – Graspop Metal Meeting
FR 07.07.2017 Idrætsvej (Denmark) – Metal Magic Festival
FR 25.08.2017 Siegen (Germany) – Jomsviking Open Air
TH 28.09.2017 Hultsfred (Sweden) – Mörkaste Småland Festzival
SA 07.10.2017 Hoogeveen (The Netherlands) – Graveland Festival

* Please note that TRIBULATION’s previously announced appearance at Germany’s Bang Your Head festival has unfortunately been cancelled for 2017!

TRIBULATION line-up (from left to right in the above picture)
Adam Zaars – guitars
Johannes Andersson – vocals, bass
Oscar Leander – drums
Jonathan Hultén – guitars

TRIBULATION discography
The Ascending Dead (demo) (2005)
Putrid Rebirth (EP) (2006)
The Horror (album) (2009)
The Formulas Of Death (album) (2013)
The Death & Rebirth Of… (EP) (2015)
The Children Of The Night (album) (2015)
Waiting For The Death Blow (EP) (2015)
Melancholia (EP) (2016)

TRIBULATION online 
www.tribulation.se
www.facebook.com/Tribulationofficial

#darkartconspiracy #metal #music #news