Shoegaze black metal on an extreme ayahuasca trip is probably the best way to describe Alcest. Meandering tales of a strange lands no one has ever been to, at least not in this life. Haunting melodies that linger in the mind long after the song ends. The juxtaposition of soft, often unsure-sounding vocals, with the decisive and harder tones of the music itself. It’s an experience, to say the least.

With 2012’s Les Voyages De L’Âme, Alcest founder and main man Neige delves further into this world he’s created. The record, the title of which translates to “The Journeys of the Soul,” pushes the listener deep into the atmospheric, dreamland of the mind. Though it seems like a kind of grandiose concept; a living, breathing world that exists beyond our comprehension as introduced to us via Alcest, the bottom line is simple; euphoria. Like I said, extreme ayahuasca trip, right? Though the yearning and bittersweet aches of the music are at the foremost, euphoria and the feelings of contentment, of bliss, are the key factors that Neige aims to communicate. He was kind enough to take a quick moment and talk to me about just how he thought up this world and why the melancholia in his music should really be construed as joy and celebration rather than sadness or mourning.

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Imperial State Electric
TBA
Label – TBA
Release Date – February/March

Nicke Anderssonn has been in more bands, side projects, and collaborations than, uh, Dave Grohl. I’m sure there’s a better comparison, but I can’t think of one right now, so Dave it is.

Anderssonn has done everything from producing bands to founding labels to drumming for Entombed and basically one-man banding the hilariously named Death Breath. Not to mention Supershit 666, his power-trio collaboration with Backyard Babies’ Dregen and Ginger Wildheart that resulted in an EP under the name. (What can I say? I have the maturity level of a teenage boy. Silly names get my attention.)

Amongst all his endeavors, though, The Hellacopters is probably my favorite. Gritty, basement punk with a melodic metal edge. I’ve literally spent months hunting down everything I could possibly find from them, and I’m pretty psyched that his newest project, Imperial State Electric, has shades of that band. Especially since I was quite self-righteously pissed off when they broke up in 2008. Yes, I’m still grouchy about it.

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I’ve been meaning to write about Skull Fist for a while. Vince mentioned them awhile back, and they made Bob Cock’s 2011 year-end list, but I think they deserve a whole article all to themselves. So here we go!

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Personally, I love Spotify, because it has allowed me to find a bunch of bands I’d never heard of. I mean yeah, like most other sources, you have to sift through a bunch of crap to actually discover something worthwhile. But when you do, why, you can spend the rest of your day listening to a delightful mix of thrash and death metal.

That’s where Deathchain come in.

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The first thing I think of when trying to sum up the year, musically speaking, is that I really just wanted people to shut up. I’m sure I’m not the only one, because I can think of at least three albums that had an alternate, instrumental version released. (Sorry, Darkest Hour.) I also apparently really liked music that generally falls into the “guitar wankery” category. That’s new. Tastes change, bands change, and another year comes to a close. Here are my top fifteen choices for 2011.

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I don’t think I’ll ever be upset if a band I love starts getting more popular. Finally, they’re getting some recognition, and all the people I usually bug about the music I like can get some peace from me. Of course, there is a certain amount of smugness to “being there first,”  but what can you do? I try not to be too smarmy about it.

Insomnium is one such band. It’s no secret I enjoy my melodeath, but it seems so dismissive to label this band as such and leave it at that. I hesitate to describe their sound as anything but “haunting”  – the word could not be more apt. Seamlessly combining melancholic harmonies with harder solos, their music is just dark enough to offset the bittersweet lightness that pops up at unexpected intervals. Their newest album, One For Sorrow, marks their fifth release, and vocalist, bassist, and co-founder Niilo Sevänen was happy to talk about why they sound so sad.

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We all go to shows. Shows are fun! But like all matters of civilized participation, there are certain unspoken rules. Well, I’m going to speak about them. Let’s make shows fun for everyone!

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pic via

I love Michael Monroe. I think I’ve made that pretty clear. If you want to see Psychotic Frenzy: The Band, you really need to catch his show. I did… twice.

First up was the Bowery Ballroom in NYC. I’d never been there before, and my first thoughts upon entering were, “Oh God, he’s gonna die.” It’s not a huge venue, but Mr. Monroe is a fucking monkey. I’d seen him with Hanoi Rocks, and he jumps, climbs, leaps, kicks, flies, swings, hangs upside down, and basically bounces off everything, and in this space, I really was kind of nervous.

Bu nothing too terrible happened. I mean, he fell off the stage and head-butted a guy… It was kind of priceless seeing his face go from total panic to acceptance to thud. It was even more priceless seeing his wife look like she was about to have a heart attack from off-stage. But Michael Monroe is nothing if not the consummate showman, and he kept on going, head bleeding and all.

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Iron Maiden are starting to rival KISS in the merch department, aren’t they? Oh. well. I still prefer Eddie’s grinning face smacked on everything rather than Gene Simmons’ obnoxious one.

A new book entitled On Board Flight 666, which  chronicles life behind the scenes on Ed Force One, will be released before the year is up. Photographer John McMurtrie accompanied the band on their Somewhere Back in Time tour in 2008, as well as the Round the World in 66 Days leg of the Final Frontier tour from earlier this year. The book features a foreword by Captain Bruce Dickinson himself, and contains hundreds of pictures and insights into what went into these tours. Pretty cool gift for those die-hard fans since it is currently the only official book about the band.

On Board Flight 666 is available comes out on October 22 in the UK; now word yet on a U.S. release date.

-LF

Let’s rant about the Revolver’s Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock list some more. God knows they deserve the attention.

The biggest issue at hand seems to be whether or not it’s sexist. It is. As a female and as a metal fan, I do, in fact, find it sexist. Look at the name. Referring to women as “chicks” on a nationally recognized and widely read magazine is sexist. It demeans women. I might be overreacting, I might be overly politically correct, but if you’re going to insist that it’s a celebration of talent, then why is it portraying women as objects right off the bat? I do give you points on being honest, though, Revolver. You could’ve gone with full denial and named it “The Most Talented Chicks in Hard Rock.”

My biggest problem with this issue is that it really has nothing to do with the music. Yes, the women who pose do it by choice, and hope that after all the gawking some reader might actually listen to their music, but ultimately, those readers probably won’t. Why? Because the magazine features bands and musicians who already have a fan base and a clear, set audience. People who know them will still buy their records, but I highly doubt some guy will be like, “Hey, that Amy Lee is quite the looker. I should probably check out her stuff.”

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Speaking about glam metal, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott claimed that Hanoi Rocks were the only band that “pulled it off.” And while Def Leppard is now lumped with glam bands like Poison, and are currently touring with Motley Crue, that doesn’t make his assertion any less true. Hanoi Rocks were originals. That angry, shithead punk mixed with the New York Dolls/Bowie glam sound that Guns N’ Roses did so well would not exist without Hanoi Rocks. “Paradise City” is actually a mix of different Hanoi Rocks riffs, and Andy McCoy, guitarist and co-founder of Hanoi, has claimed it’s just a slowed down version of “Lost in the City.” Their influence ranges far and wide, from Manic Street Preachers to Alice in Chains, and Michael Monroe was one of the original two founding members of the band. He and McCoy were the guitarist/lead singer duo that would’ve outshone even Jagger/Richards… had they got the chance.

In 2007 Hanoi Rocks released Street Poetry, but only two years later, McCoy and Monroe announced that they’d taken the band as far as they could. After playing farewell shows in Finland and Japan, Hanoi Rocks disbanded for good in 2009. It’s a shame that they’re known more for the fact that their drummer, Razzle, infamously died in the car accident where Vince Neil drove headfirst into another vehicle while inebriated, than they are for their music.

But while the band may be no more, Michael Monroe is certainly not done yet. Backed by a stellar group of musicians including Sami Yaffa (ex-Hanoi Rocks), Steve Conte (ex-New York Dolls), Dregen (Backyard Babies), and Karl Rockfist (ex-Steel Prophet and touring drummer for Danzig) ,he’s released Sensory Overdrive under his own name just this year. Michael was nice enough to take a few minutes to talk about what he’s been up to these days. In fact, he was so nice he called me before I was supposed to call him.

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I am a totally cool, mature person with cool, mature tastes. Which is why this video of a cute metal dude named Eric Calderone playing the Harry Potter theme did absolutely nothing for me. Nothing. Nope.

Amongst his repertoire of theme songs are the Pirates of the Caribbean, Stars Wars, and Castlevania. He also does a mean Rick-Roll. I know there are about a million and ten metal versions of various things online (and a certain band called Powerglove), but this guy managed to charm me so he gets a post.

Hah! He also does Guile’s theme from Street Fighter. Sir, if you do Dhalsim’s, too, we can be best friends forever.

-LF

Two weeks I wrote about how Ratt’s “Dance” is an excellent stripping song, and jested about trying it out myself. Jokes aside, I’ve always been fascinated by strip clubs and strippers and the whole shebang. It’s just so weird to me. The way it all functions and how lucrative it really is. When I was in college, we affectionately called the street right next to us “Stripper Alley” because of the cluster of clubs situated two steps from the dorms. You’d be hard-pressed to find worse houses of “burlesque” in the country.

Unfortunately, any fantasies or visions of naked grandeur were put to rest when I attended one innocent evening and an enthusiastic and obviously pregnant girl started raving about how much she loved my name. ‘Cause my real name was her stage name. Thanks, mom and dad.

It’s hard to deny that there’s some connection between metal, especially hair metal, and stripping. They go hand in hand like… syphilis and crazy. But I really don’t like the “stripping songs” that everyone always seems to go with. “Pour Some Sugar On Me”… like, really? There are so many underrated bands from that era and even more underrated songs. Some just had bad timing and some were plain ignored. But it got me thinking.

So here are the top underrated bands (note: “underrated” does not necessarily mean “unpopular”) of the 80s and early 90s, along with their corresponding strip songs. Now, these aren’t my choices, mind you — I just think they’d get the job done. I really hope no family members are reading this but if they are: HEY YOU GAVE ME A STRIPPER NAME, THIS WAS INEVITABLE.

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I frequent Tumblr every once in a while for the usual dose of cute cat antics and half-naked men. Occasionally, a hot metal (female) babe pops up on my feed. This in and of itself is not so surprising, since I actually follow Metal Babes. I have a delightful friend who is often posted there. Pictures on the Internet never stay contained though, and one particular image of her got passed around and garnered many, many notes. Mostly because she’s a pretty girl wearing a Lamb of God shirt, which automatically means she doesn’t really like the band, she’s just doing it for fashion.

Well, that’s just silly. Why would a pretty girl work to impress the most socially awkward of music fans? Yeah, stereotypes work both ways. However, it is kind of apparent that metal has become a fashion statement, and according to a recent piece on Metal Army, a really popular one.

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Technically, summer isn’t over until September 23. But to hell with that! Days are gonna get shorter, the weather’s gonna get cooler, and everyone will soon celebrate the birth of the one true me. So there’s really no point in hanging on to the last vestiges of summer. Good-bye and good riddance. What better way to hail the moodiest season of them all than with some Blut Aus Nord?

The French “avante-garde” black metal band are, admittedly, a little full of themselves. Refusing to be lumped with other, more popular black metal acts, who they refer to as — and this is the best line ever — “childish Satanic clowns.” Wait, does this make them the original black metal hipsters, then? Oh well. Despite that, I still like them. I didn’t get to listen to 777 – Sect(s) until quite recently, and if I’d heard it sooner, I would’ve considered putting it on my year’s best so far list.  It has everything I’d expect in a Blut Aus Nord record; lots of reverb and that glorious industrial influence that I always appreciate in music, whatever the genre.

And yet, 777 – Sect(s) is a little lackluster, especially compared to some of their earlier stuff.

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Swedish sleaze/thrash quartet Hardcore Superstar is celebrating ten years of awesome music by releasing a best of compilation. The Party Ain’t Over ‘Til We Say So will feature songs from records released between the years of 2000-2010. Taking its name from the lyrics to “Last Call for Alcohol,” from last year’s record Split Your Lip, the compilation also includes a brand-new single, “We Don’t Need A Cure.”

And I’m still undecided on “Cure.”

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I was trying to think of a good excuse I could use as to write about Ratt ,since I’ve been having kind of a Ratt week. Warren DeMartini’s birthday? No. Apparently, that was in April. Anniversary of Robbin Crosby’s death? Nope, that was back in June. Then it hit me! The always useful ALBUM OF THE DAY.

My favorite Ratt album is Reach for the Sky. Come on — “Way Cool Jr.,” “What’s It Gonna Be,” “I Want A Woman?” All great classics. But recently I’ve been sticking to songs strictly from 1986’s Dancing Undercover. Especially “7^th Avenue.” It’s got a slow-but-hard intro that I absolutely adore. It might possibly be because it’s the exact same one as on  “Between the Eyes,” from the band’s previous album, Invasion of Your Privacy. If you’re going to rip someone off, it might as well be yourself.

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I was bored and clicking around on the Internet like you do, when I discovered two things on the Crashdiet site. First of all, I realized what their merch mascot reminds me of. I love you, Crashdiet and your extremely marketable new singer, but, um, you’re sort of ripping off The Casualties.

To be fair, every other punk band has done it too (The Exploited, Bad Religion, etc.,) but to be even fairer, you’re not punk.

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I give into peer pressure easily. In no particular order other than alphabetical:

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One of my favorite musicians, Ginger, set off on a quest to record a three album masterpiece. Now, this is exciting news, especially to me, but you need money for that sort of thing. He wanted to bypass all that industry red tape and do it on his, and his fans’, terms, but how do you do that with no money of your own and no record company funding? Ginger Wildheart: The Triple Album Project has set up to work through pledges, and offers four options to choose from:

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