Invisible Oranges Interviews Gojira's Joe Duplantier

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I caught up with Joe Duplantier of Gojira after a set in Pontiac, Michigan. His band filled the room past-capacity. That’s to be expected: Gojira had an eventful summer. Not only did they release their long-delayed fifth album, L’enfant Sauvage, but they trekked across America with little-to-no preparation after the much-publicized arrest of Randy Blythe sidelined what would have been a much more massive affair. Dethklok and Lamb of God are just now getting back on the road, but Duplantier is not one to waste time—we covered more in 15 minutes than I have with other bands in an hour.
Duplantier and I didn’t get to speak with one another till past one in the morning. The set drained him, but even a tired Duplantier is an energetic man. He speaks with hand gestures, and wears his emotions on his sleeve.

— Joseph Schafer

 Check out the interview after the jump:

Stone Sour on Pitcam.tv

Robb Flynn of Machine Head Speaks to ARTISTdirect

"I love when a record tells a story," admits Machine Head singer and guitarist Robb Flynn. "In some ways, it's like a dying art. Most people focus on a song here or there. There are still people out there who do love records. We try to do that."

Each one of Machine Head's songs functions as a tapestry of raw emotion woven together by Flynn's eloquent lyrics, intense vocal delivery, the inimitable interplay between he and guitarist Phil Demmel, and the rhythmic destruction articulated by drummer Dave McClain and bassist Adam Duce. Their stories manage to come to life blisteringly on stage. Their double-disc live epic, Machine F**king Head Live, preserves every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears encapsulated in those tales. It's a true beast of a live record and one of the year's best.

In this exclusive interview with ARTISTdirect.com editor in chief Rick Florino, Machine Head mainman Robb Flynn talks Machine F**king Head Live, "Darkness Within", what he's read lately, and more.

Check out the interview after the jump:

"Machine F**king Head Live" Gets 4 out of 5 Stars from Metal Blast

Live albums are a bit of a conundrum: they’re not regular albums, but the experience that they present offer a chance to really be there live with the band and the multitude of drunken super-fans you’ve heard all about. Now, the concept of what a live album is differs drastically from one band to another; Metallica ripped their entire live set from Mexico and Seattle respectively from their famed Binge and Purge live album/box set. While KISS, on the other hand did the same thing…only not really…more on that later. Machine Head’s new album Machine F***ing Head Live sort of falls into that category, and though it succeeds in providing a great music experience and Machine Head is as tight as ever, the album does flounder because of some spotty recording and questionable mixing.

So, remember me talking about KISS? Well, Alive! was their first foray into live recording and, while it was indeed recorded live, what you may or may not be aware of is that it isn’t really … live… kind of. Bear with me on this one. You see, KISS had set out to not only provide their salivating fans with a live version of their own songs, no sir, they set out to recreate the entire concert “experience” in audio form. What am I getting at? Well, Alive! was recorded over the process of several days and the best of each show were taken together and spliced into one live album. If the audience was louder on the left for the July 23rd show during “Firehouse” they would grab that and mix it in with the rest of the songs. Eventually, dubbing was used to mask up wrong lyrics and sour notes. Is the album really live? Depends on who you ask, it really divides people. Alive! strove to create a different impression if you will – an experience, as opposed to a plain old live album.


Machine F***ing Head Live fits into that type quite a bit.Though there isn’t any musical dubbing, as I’m sure Flynn and the gang are more than capable musicians, it’s just painfully clear that it Machine F***ing Head Live is recorded in multiple cities. Though that is advertised,  it’s not exactly presented like that on the tracks themselves; the chants of “Machine Fucking Head” rise at the end of each song as they transition into their next song, blending one song into another. Though this isn’t bothersome yet,  it becomes strange when in one track you’re thanking Glasgow and in the other you’re in Manchester. Again, it’s not a huge problem, but when you try to blend them seamlessly with fake chants, you’re trying to create the illusion of oneness, which is not the case. Had they just faded from song to song that would’ve been fine. In fact, they do fade out, but only once and then never again. They’re not even consistent.

Apart from that, Machine F***ing Head Live is actually a very good album. It’s without a doubt that Machine Head is in top form from end to end; the solos are spot on, Flynn’s vocals sound stronger than ever and the band works insanely well with each other on the tracks. In fact, most tracks sound better live than on their respective albums. Though the 2^nd part is a little light on tracks (a scant 6 tracks compared to the previous 9) the album does feel more or less complete. Personal preferences make me wish that a few more tracks from The Burning Red (“From This Day” “Defy”)  The Blackening (“Now I Lay Thee Down” ) and at least one more track from Supercharger. And while the tracks that did make it on are performed insanely well, bad production rears its ugly head, and we’re face-to-face with the biggest problem the album has: simple engineering mistakes. At times, the crowd chanting “Machine Fucking Head” sound as if they were being recorded from a tin can, other times they sound fine. Why can’t it be consistent? Why can’t the guitars maintain a constant level so that the vocals are always clear? Isn’t that the reason that you’re recording it? So it can be tweaked later?

In the end, it’s clear, Machine F***ing Head Live is full of great performances of (most of) your favourite songs, spanning more than 17 years, without a doubt it’s the strongest Machine Head has ever been, it’s just a pity about the production “hiccups”. Machine Head F***ing Live is full of elementary problems that should have been addressed in the mixing stage of production, and without a doubt is what holds this album back from being the quintessential fan experience. If you can get past that (and believe me, you will) you’ll enjoy the hell out of the album.

Originally posted at: http://www.metalblast.net/music-review/machine-head-machine-fing-head-live/

Killswitch Engage Featured in Guitar World!

 Be sure to pick up your copy of Guitar World!

Stone Sour's Corey Taylor Featured in Revolver!

Pick up your issue today!

The Amity Affliction on Alternative Press!

Check out the video HERE.

We've brought back our Two-Minute Warning series for The AP Tour! In our first couple episodes, we gave you a glimpse at what Miss May I and The Ghost Inside are doing while you try to stay as metal as possible out in the crowd. In our third installment, we are giving you a backstage glimpse at The Amity Affliction. Check out the video above and let us know what you think!
If you ever wondered what The Amity Affliction, The Ghost Inside, Like Moths To Flames and Glass Cloud are doing backstage in those last couple minutes before you see them appear before you, stay tuned to APTV and catch a new video every Friday!


Originally posted at: http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/two_minute_warning_the_amity_affliction

"Machine F**king Head Live" Gets Five out of Five Stars From ARTISTdirect!

 

"There aren't a lot of bands that last 10 fucking years let alone 17 years," declares Machine Head mainman Robb Flynn before launching into "Darkness Within" from the band's double-disc live masterpiece, Machine F**cking Head Live.

Morphing from shuddering clean vocals and guitar on the intro into a heavenly guttural chorus, "Darkness Within" stands emblematic of the band's grip on dynamics. The live recording retains the original's vulnerable ferocity bolstered by the crowd's haunting outro chant and singing. The audience enhances the experience just as it would at any Machine Head show. It's the "Head Cases" who get the spotlight here, and Flynn and Co. allow them to shine.

Let's not forget the players though. Flynn, guitarist Phil Demmel, bassist Adam Duce, and drummer Dave McClain comprise one of the tightest bands heavy metal has ever seen, and Machine F**cking Head Live solidifies on all 15 tracks with the force of a "Ten Ton Hammer".

"I Am Hell (Sonata in C#)" remains an epic massacre of the highest order for nearly ten minutes, while "Imperium" redefines the dual guitar attack for the 21st century with Flynn and Demmel ripping in tandem. "Beautiful Mourning" and "Be Still and Know" temper crushing and catchy as "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" practically induces an earthquake live. The Unto the Locust fare, "This is the End" and "Locust", was tailormade to slay live and does it ever. The recording bristles with raw thrash violence. Yet, the intimacy of "Halo" cruises into psychedelic territory with Flynn guiding the crystal ship.

"Davidian" rounds out the battering in proper form with Flynn screaming, "Headbang motherfucker" over his flawless riffing. Machine F**cking Head Live is on the level with Pantera's Official Live: 101 Proof and Slayer's Decade of Aggression: Live as an essential live record.

Cheers to another 17 years for the kings of 21st century thrash.

—Rick Florino
11.12.12


Originally posted at: http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/machine-head-machine-f-cking-head-live-album-review-5-out-of-5-stars/10297492 

 

Pop Culture Madness Reviews Stone Sour's "House of Gold and Bones Pt. 1"

(PCM) What I love so much about Stone Sour is the amount of raw emotion put forth within their music. It is their goal to evoke emotion out of the listener be that positive or negative and when listening to this album or any of their previous release for that matter, you are going to feel something. That ability to cause a reaction in the listener is what is missing from so many of today’s cookie cutter albums and I applaud Stone Sour for never being afraid to take a risk.
Stone Sour’s latest release “House of Gold & Bones – Part 1″ is the first chapter in a two-part concept story that follows a man at the precipice in his life both spiritually and psychologically. Lyrically his journey is absolutely fascinating, as we feel for a man that is choosing whether to be haunted by his past or move forward with the rest of his life. “House Of Gold & Bones” overall is a complete multimedia project which includes a Dark Horse Comics series, online interactivity, artistic packaging, and live shows where each creative element will further expand upon the overall story.  “House Of Gold & Bones –Part 2″ is scheduled for release in early 2013 via Roadrunner Records.
Lyrically with this album Corey Taylor is at his best. The album ebbs and flows with emotional ups and down and Taylor has the incredible ability to simultaneously envoke every emotion from anger and aggression to hope and tears all within the same album. It is brilliant. Sonically the album features some incredible guitar work from both Jim Root and Josh Rand along with superior bass skills  from Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan. Tracks such as “Absolute Zero”, “My Name is Allen”, “Taciturn” and “The Travelers Pt. 1″ showcase Stone Sours’ prowess as a band and are without a doubt my top picks from the album.
Even if you are not following the “House Of Gold & Bones” story line, the songs on the album can still entirely stand on their own which is great for those that just wanted to listen to some killer tracks, but for those that wish to dig a bit deeper the album offers up that chance as well.
For the latest information on Stone Sour please visit: http://www.stonesour.com/ and http://houseofgoldandbones.com/

Originally posted at: http://pcm-music.com/2012/11/album-review-stone-sour-house-of-gold-bones-part-1/

Roadrunner Artists Talk Soundgarden with ARTISTdirect

You don't have to look far to feel Soundgarden's influence.

The Seattle legends altered the course of rock music forever with the thunderous wail of Louder than Love, the psychedelic grit of Badmotorfinger, the tuneful melancholy of Superunknown, and the irresistible darkness of Down on the Upside. They're pushing the genre forward once more with the release of King Animal [available November 13, 2012 via Seven Four Entertainment/Republic Records]. Waking the Soundgarden beast, it's everything listeners love about the band and so much more.

Given the band's importance, ARTISTdirect.com editor in chief Rick Florino spoke to everyone from Korn and Staind to Megadeth and Machine Head to Dead Sara and HIM about Soundargden. Of course, everybody had something to say about Soundgarden's impact.

This continues our "Artists Talk Soundgarden" feature!

See what Roadrunner artists had to say after the jump:

Soundcheck 411 Reviews The Amity Affliction and the AP Tour

Its election night in Hollywood, and the young crowd came out to let their anger out because they aren’t able to vote. Okay, that’s not the case, but this concert did have a lot of underage unregistered voters in attendance for some odd reason. The night rolled on with no announcement of President Obama winning the election, and that’s because each band was too busy melting faces with some hardcore metal music.

First up was the Australian Hardcore band, The Amity Affliction. The “TAA” chants fade as the band hit the stage and open up with the titled track off their latest album, “Chasing Ghost.” Collectively, as a band, they played well. There’s no riff or double kick that didn’t leave a head un-banged, or a body not moving. As soon as the band played “I Hate Hartley,” the crowd went nuts, and soon opened up a hardcore mosh pit that would set the mood for the rest of the night. Joel Birch and Ahren Stringer both compliment each others vocal abilities that would appeal to both men and woman. The hard growl-like screams from Joel gave that brutality the guys crave, and the more subtle singing from Ahren is what the girls like to let them sing along to the songs. The short set came to an end a few songs later as the band played their final song, “Open Letter.”

The AP tour didn’t have much of a variety when it came to different sub generas of metal, but that’s not a problem. Yes, it may all sound the same at some point, but if you listen carefully, you can spot then little things that make them different. Either way, metalcore and hardcore bands are some of the hardest working bands in the touring world, and that’s something we can all respect and this night was a fine example of that.

Review by Alex Lucero
Originally posted at: http://soundcheck411.com/ap-tour/

Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess Featured in Keyboard Mag!