GHOST GET SINISTER ON NEW TRACK 'CIRICE'

Ghost (or Ghost B.C. if you're American) are one of those bands I didn't really get until I saw them live, but there's something about a field full of people singing the chorus to Monstrance Clock that is incredibly captivating...come together, together as one...

Ever since then I've been completely hooked by the B-Movie loving Swedes and their creeping hard rock antics.

Having recently announced the band's third full-length release Meliora, due to be released on August 21st, it seemed apt that the band dropped the first single from it last Wednesday, Cirice, complete with Silence of the Lambs influenced cover art.

This is perhaps the heaviest we've seen Ghost, they're channelling some pretty old school doom metal influences here, with fans citing Black Sabbath and Candlemass among the most obvious influences. Don't get me wrong, this is far from extreme levels of heaviness, but compared to the majority their previous release, Infestissumam and debut Opus Eponymous this is a definite sonic shift for Ghost, but without losing any of the intrinsic, creepy charm.

If the rest of Meliora is like this, I'd say we're in for a treat.

Cirice will feature on Ghost's third full-legnth LP Meliora. Due to be released in August of 2015.

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SLICE THE CAKE DESTROY CITIES WITH NEW TRACK

International Deathcore trio Slice the Cake are still sitting on their hotly anticipated new album Odyssey to the West and while there's still no release in sight, we have been favoured by the pastry chef gods of brutality in other ways.

 

And what a mighty fine way it is. This is an absolutely crushing track that only makes the wait for this record harder to bare.

If you're chomping on the bit for more Slice The Cake goodness and haven't yet read our interview with Slice The Cake voice man Gareth Mason or heard the other single from their upcoming album... well... what are you waiting for?

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VEIL OF MAYA BECOME ENDLESSLY PREDICTABLE WITH MATRIARCH

I spent quite a long time trying to come up with a deep opinion on the new album, Matriarch, by American Progressive Deathcore outfit Veil of Maya, but after repeated listens and chances I come back to one word to describe just over 30 minutes of music that I can barely remember.

Apathy.

A previous Veil of Maya album, The Modern Man’s Collapse, still makes it into my listening rotation semi-regularly. The lukewarm reaction that Matriarch elicits is not based on a previous, under-running, bias against the Sumerian Records veterans, but that, in 2015, Veil of Maya seem to have nothing more to offer. It is not to say that Veil of Maya were necessarily the architects of Progressive Deathcore, but at one point at least, their sound was new and exciting; the riffs were not just the same riffs heard from other bands… even if their songs had tablature akin to a spilt tin of spaghetti hoops at times. Matriarch, conversely, relies heavily on the trappings of its genre and successfully takes the Progress out of Progressive Deathcore.

Veil of Maya have not lost their technical ability or their penchant for writing decent riffs, at least not completely, but they have fallen into a pit of predictability. It’s conflicting to hear an enjoyable riff, only to have it followed by 3 minutes of everything you’ve come to expect; zoning out completely until the next vaguely interesting bit. This album ticks every box so that it can satisfy the modern definition of its genre and little more. The result is a record listened to with clipboard in hand; the listener just waiting to be able to check the boxes marked “overly syncopated Start-Stop riff written in an obtuse time signature” and “random breakdown that completely ruins the flow.” It is likely you have heard this album before, just with a different names and titles attached and (only slightly) different album art. It’s been released many times before (even by Veil of Maya themselves.)

The only thing that has changed this time around are the vocals. New vocalist Lukas Magyar took over from Brandon Butler in 2014, introducing, controversially, clean vocals to Veil of Maya for the first time. These clean vocals are another nail in the coffin for Matriarch, but not because clean vocals are inherently bad or *insert homophobic slur here* or that Magyar’s performance is anything to complain about. The issue is that sections where Lukas Magyar’s clean vocals come to the forefront underline the complete lack of creativity to be found on this album. This is mainly because these sections all sound lifted from Periphery’s Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal release from 2012. On a first listen I had to double check to make sure that Spencer “Sponce” Sotelo wasn’t a featured artist on this album. It’s a definite bad move for your album to remind me of another, better, album that I could be listening to. Because if I can. I will. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

If the idea of another album that throws electronics, unsatisfying time signature changes and Morse code (probably delivering messages to undercover sleeper cells) disguised as chugging guitar riffs at you is somehow appealing, then Matriarch is for you. For everyone else, there is a vaguely enjoyable album here, but it’s one you’ve probably already heard. One that follows a very specific formula that, to be fair to Veil of Maya, the band follows very well. It’s just a shame that the formula is no longer just written on the blackboard at the front of the Progcore classroom, but etched there like some kind of commandment of the genre; giving those who look on it with the knowledge of tedious predictability.

2.5/5

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LAMB OF GOD 'STILL ECHOES' IN YOUR EARS

Lamb of God are a staple of Modern Metal, they're the closest thing we're gonna get to new Metal Superstars. If a Metal fan claims to have never even kind of liked the Virginian Groove Metallers, they're probably lying.

Lamb of God's new album VII: Sturm Und Drang is set for release in July. Despite that not being a huge amount of time to wait, we have the fantastic new song, Still Echoes to tide us over.



While the last two album, Wrath and Resolution, varied in quality from fair to pretty good, it's been a while since we've had something truly stellar from Lamb of God. I believe that this is that something stellar we've been waiting for, it sounds exactly like Lamb of God without sounding just like every other Lamb of God song. Never one to follow trends, the Virginians have brought forth a track that punches you right in your groove maker whilst the unforgettable vocal styling of Metal's own Guru, Randy Blythe, ring in your ears.

Don't stress it. Lamb of God are back, and they're bringing a storm with them.

VII: Sturm Und Drang will be released on Nuclear Blast Records in July 2015.

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GUITAR HERO COMES OUT FOR ITS ENCORE

Guitar Hero and Rock Band are perhaps the best Party Games/Dust Collecting Utensils of all time. Screwing about with a Plastic Controller whilst pretending you were a flawless God of Guitar/Drums/Bass/Whatever is hellafun... yes even if you play and instrument in real life, in response to all those buzzkills who ask why you don't just play a real instrument.

Sadly, the Band 'em Up genre seemed to die at the turn of the decade along with the more mainstream popularity of Rock, with Rock Band 3 being released in 2010 and the last Guitar Hero game, Warriors of Rock, released only a year later.

That is, however, until now.

Both Guitar Hero and Rock Band have new games in the works and we have our first taste right now, with the first set of bands from the "set list" for Guitar Hero 7 Live:

It's not hugely exciting, I'll be honest, but deep and obscure track listings were never the games strong point, Tool and Dream Theater on the World Tour soundtrack was a treat. A smattering of Guitar driven Pop songs like the guilty pleasure of many, Ed Sheeran, some popular Metal songs... I mean who didn't see Rage Against The Machine coming? Also a bunch of songs that have ALREADY been in Guitar Hero, like The Rolling Stones' Paint It Black and surprisingly enough, songs with barely any Guitar in at all, like a track from the latest Fall Out Boy album and Skrillex of all damn things. Maybe the goal of those songs is to stand there doing nothing while looking as awkward as possible, or maybe the new controller can transform into a Keytar... now Keytar Hero is something I'd invest in.

This could be you.

Speaking of the new controller, there have been some changes, instead of something that resembles how Nu-Metal bands used to see real guitars (the classic jokes never get old) we have two lines of 3 buttons:

Now, this only translates into 3 lanes on screen with two colours of notes, and not 6 as you might assume. Only time will tell if this will actually improve the gameplay in any way or if it's just change for the sake of it; it's one of those things that you can't tell just by looking at it. One thing that DOES look like a great new addition just from sight is that Guitar Hero Live is basically a first person FMV game (for those who remember the 90's PC gaming scene.) Gone are the customizable 3D characters and the overt Music Fan stereotypes and in are the first person simulations of playing to thousands of people:

As cliche and cheesy as it sounds, there is something really appealing about playing in front of these huge crowds, even if it's just on the screen. Maybe they'll even have a few songs where you play with the original bands? Playing with Judas Priest? Yes, please.

Maybe in future they'll support VR technology, so you can wield your plastic guitar whilst strapping a lump of plastic to you face and pretending you're a really cool Rock Star. Those who like to laugh at other people looking foolish can only hope.

Guitar Hero Live is due to be released on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS, your pet Terrier, Images projected onto the Moon and a half empty can of Pepsi Max Cherry (but not the PC) in late 2015.

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WHO ARE THE ONE AND ONLY PPL MVR?

The infectious and unstoppable combination of groove and viral marketing has caused me a recent obsession with the artists known only as the One and Only PPL MVR, a 3 piece of musical Yeti (no, that isn't a metaphor) with a single EP to their name, the self-titled The One and Only PPL MVR.

The track itself instantly calls to mind modern blues-rock outfits like The White Stripes and The Black Keys, as well as more zany and experimental bands like Death From Above 1979 and the divisive modern success story that is Worthing duo Royal Blood (don't pretend you're from Brighton lads, it's not gonna work.) It really is a people mover, a certifiable groove producer. With groove-laden guitar riffs, driving rock beats, a slick pocketed bass line, thick analog synth pedals... and what sounds like a vocoder... it's hard not to nod your head to PPL MVR it's an off-key modern rock jam that I've been listening to on loop since I heard it. It's truly great stuff.

But it goes further than great music. There's a conspiracy, a plot if you will. On the old 2014 website for the Long Island Pop Punk/Emo cult favourites Brand New, this hidden link could be found by highlighting the top of the page. (Archive pictures courtesy of Fade Industry.)

This link takes you to the web page for The One and Only PPL MVR and the video posted near the top of this page.

No one knows who the members of PPL MVR are or if it's even important. PPL MVR hail from the other side of the United States from Brand New and so early assumptions that members of the latter made up the former have been dismissed? Is it simply an advert? Did Brand New even put it there in the first place or were they victims of an advertising hack?

WHY DAMMIT!? I MUST KNOW.

If the hooks weren't enough to intrigue you, then the mystery certainly will. Only time will tell what the connection between these two bands are, if there really is one at all.

The One and Only PPL MVR EP was released on April 20th on Elektra Records and can be bought on iTunes.

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H.R. GIGER DOCUMENTARY COMING MAY 15TH

The work of H.R. Giger is metal. So metal that he will be featuring in the second part of my "Art for Art's Sake" series of articles when I finally get around to finishing it. So Metal that it remains Metal despite his original output for Metal albums being well, very small. The darkness and the horror of his work; the mutilation of the human form into a nihilistic, mechanical coldness is Metal enough on its own without it needing to be bespoke created for the genre.

The Swiss artist sadly passed away in 2014 with the mysterious shroud surrounding his personal life intact. The summation of what most people know about H.R.Giger is genitalia, Alien and weird fetishes, but with Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World, all that will change.

Belinda Sallin’s documentary will take its audience into Giger's decaying Zurich home to look at the man behind the Robopenises... and will also look at why referring to him as "the man behind the Robopenises" is perhaps a little belittling to the impact Giger had on art and art philosophy.

Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World will open beginning May 15th, and available through VOD August 18th with a DVD release to come later.

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