Hard Rock Reviews | Interviews, Music News & Random Mischief all About Rock Music

Interview with drummer Robb Rivera of Nonpoint

2012-10-03T19:13:00.000-05:00

Over two years ago I embarked on a journey that has taken me places that I never could have imagined. I’ve had the pleasure to meet, party and interact with some of the greatest talent rock n’ roll has ever known. My very first assignment that was given to me, as a test run at the time, was a review of Nonpoint’s new (at the time) album Miracle. I was so excited to get to start my career in writing off with a band that I’ve loved for nearly a decade, I couldn’t wait to get started.

And here we sit over two years later and I have the pleasure of interviewing one of the most underrated drummers in the current rock scene, Robb Rivera of Nonpoint. The most exciting thing about it is that it comes on the heels of hearing their self-titled album, Nonpoint, for the first time. A decade, more than a few lineup changes and a completely different music scene later, they have their best piece of work to date. Nonpoint’s self-titled album, for a lack of better words, is absolutely incredible. It’s insanely eclectic with jumps from old school metal to kick your ass thrash metal. And how they figured out how to put those two things within the same record and still make the ebbs and flows of it all tie together flawlessly, is a mystery to me. It speaks to the musicianship the Nonpoint guys have and the fact that they are easily the most humble and determined band out there. Without further adieu, here is my interview with Robb, as we talk about their current tour, their new record and the new talent they have in the band.

Aaron Manogue: You guys are in the middle of a pretty extensive touring schedule. How have things been on the road?

Robb Rivera: It is going really good right now. It's funny that you ask how it's going, besides having fun I can safely say that each and every tour we do we learn something new all the time. But it has been a lot of fun being out here again, reconnecting with the fans and playing shows!

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Interview with Jonny Hetherington of Art of Dying

2012-06-04T11:03:00.002-05:00

What would it be like for your band to open for Guns n’ Roses as well as some of today’s top rock bands within literally 3 or 4 years of being a signed band? Impossible right? Wrong! Art of Dying has quickly become one of the hottest rock bands on the scene today and they’ve done it all with simple blood, sweat, tears and kick ass rock n’ roll. Being on the road basically nonstop for almost 3 years isn’t something most bands would ever want, but Art of Dying has thrived while touring the world. Their music can’t be compared to pretty much anyone out there today because they’ve always done things their way, and clearly they have the formula figured out. Hard Rock Review's Aaron Manogue talked with their lead vocalist Jonny Hetherington about their success and their upcoming show on July 6^th at Summerfest!

Aaron Manogue: It seems like you guys have been on the road forever. What’s it been like being away from home and on the road for so long?
Jonny Hetherington: It’s great man! Some of the bands we’ve come across love the road and some of them look at it as work and can’t wait to get home. We’re the opposite of that. We love being on the road and hanging out together and playing shows every night.

AM: You guys seem to be on such a hot streak because it’s like everything you guys put out catches fire. What has the ride of the past two or three years been like?
JH: It’s crazy man. I’ve been literally pinching myself on a daily basis. A lot of the stuff we’re doing we dreamt of doing as a little kid. It’s definitely been a “pinch yourself” experience. Whether it’s watching your song rise on the charts or finding out you’re opening for Guns n’ Roses! We’re literally in shock half the time.

AM: What was it like opening for GNR?
JH: You know what? We try and learn a lot from other bands on tour so it’s constantly like school. We watch the other bands and you pick up the good things and if there are any pitfalls you can kind of see those things coming and try to avoid them. It’s always a great learning experience to be an opening band because you get to learn from some of the veterans.

AM: What’s been your favorite point of being out on the road for so long?
JH: Wow man. So many of the shows have just been the highest point you could imagine. It’s weird because we look back and watch some of our shows from a year or two ago and like a football team we look at it like a game tape and make sure we’re always improving. Some of the shows we’ve done in the past week or so, it’s like we’re in the zone which I think only touring for this long can get you into. It’s like walking on air sometimes when you’re playing. You can just close your eyes and you’re so in the moment and you kind of just lost yourself. I hope it’s something we can do forever and I hope our fans and the people that support us start to lose themselves in the music at our shows because that’s the magic.

AM: Speaking of killer shows, on July 6^th you guys will be playing at Summerfest, the World’s Largest Music Festival. How pumped are you guys for that show?
JH: I can’t even put it into words, man! I’ve heard of Summerfest but I’ve never been. When we found out we were playing it we were just high fiving each other because we were just so excited. What’s better than a summer festival of rock music? Nothing! I think we’re playing pretty much when the sun starts to set so it’s definitely going to be one of those legendary shows. I can see it already! We’re definitely going to lose ourselves on July 6^th.

Mr. Lowery Plays "Angel's Son" with Sevendust

2012-05-03T11:33:00.002-05:00

To honor the life and legacy that Clint & Corey Lowery's dad left behind, we found really cool video of Sevendust playing "Angel's Son" when they invited Mr. Lowery out on stage to help them. It's truly a surreal moment and really shows the love all the Sevendust nation and the Lowery family had for this great man. Today we honor you, Mr. Lowery!

Serianna Covers Eminem's "Lose Yourself"

2012-05-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

Our boys from Janesville, WI have just released a cover of the infamous "Lose Yourself" by the one and only Eminem. We think their version is a pretty kick ass revision of the song. They follow much of the songs lyrics and rhythms but definitely make it their own. All part of the ingredients of making a kick ass cover. Let us know what you think!

New Stone Sour Song 'The Pessimist'

2012-03-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Stone Sour boys are back at it in a big way. Check out their new release and download it!

Click here to download the new song!

Interview with Max Cavalera of Soulfly

2012-03-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

Max Cavalera is a name that is synonymous with metal music. Name basically any type of metal and Cavalera has not only done work in that type of metal, but perfected it. His music has transcended decades of an ever changing music industry, where it seems like what is deemed as metal changes each and every day. And here we are, in his third decade of being in the metal business, and Cavalera and Soulfly are about to release their heaviest metal ever. “Enslaved” is about all the crazy shit that has happened in our world in the past century. Maximum Ink’s Aaron Manogue sat down with Max Cavalera to talk about Soulfly’s new record “Enslaved”, having his son tour South America with him, and what it was like having Dez Fafara of Devildriver do some guest vocals on the record.

Aaron Manogue: Tell me about your first single and the song you just released “World Scum.” When I first heard it, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s so dark and just musically raw but it’s weaved together so perfectly it works great.
Max Cavalera: It all started with a death metal riff that I wrote that and it’s really cool. It’s kind of a Possessed and Dark Angel kind of style which really grew into a great song with the lyrics that talk about the last hundred years. All the fucked up shit that’s happened in the world like Auschwitz and the gas chambers, J.F.K. getting shot and that conspiracy, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, assassination of Czar Alexander II, all of that. Then the last scene is the final battle between Jesus and the anti-Christ in Israel. It’s kind of a concept song about the history of the last hundred years, the Bloody Century as I call it in the song.

It has a ton of dynamics with a slow part in the middle that I do some kind of talking voice and then goes into a really cool solo that Marc did. It’s got guest vocals from Cattle Decapitation, which is a band that I really like and one of my favorite new bands that has come out lately. Travis did some really awesome heavy vocals which were really death metal oriented. I really like the energy of the song because it’s really powerful. It should be awesome to play live. I’m really excited about this one.

Manogue: The entire album has the dark, ominous feeling of the all the fucked up shit that’s happened around the world in the past century. It has a slavery feel to it all too. Where did it all come from?
Cavalera: Yeah, the idea of the record is mostly about slavery and it’s about old slavery and new slavery. I’m surprised more bands have not touched on the subject because it’s a real heavy topic and it’s easy to mix with metal. It makes a really combination. I decided to make a record that sings about it with songs like “Legion” and “Gladiators” which is like Roman Empire enslavement. You get stuff like “Chains” which is about black slavery and a bit of the slavery that goes on in the world right now. There’s a song called “Intervention” which was inspired by all the riots going on in Egypt and all the stuff that’s going on in the Middle East. Like the riots and taking out dictators is about interventions and stuff. So there’s a little bit of everything in the record with a lot of heavy subjects that go good with metal music. I decided to make the album more on the death metal side. This album has more metal riffs than any other album than I ever did so it was really exciting to me to make this record.

Manogue: There’s been a rumor that your son might possibly be a guest drummer on your upcoming Brazil tour. Is there any truth to that?
Cavalera: Yeah. I’m bringing him to Brazil to some of my shows. We got three shows in Brazil, one in Chile and one in Argentina and I am bringing Zyon. I’ve been practicing with him for three hours a day and go through the whole Soulfly set. He’s doing killer and he already did a show with us in Belgium where he did really good. People really liked it. And then after that David (Kinkade) comes in because he’s the drummer on the album and then we get back to normal, to the real lineup of the band. That was just something I wanted to do for South America. Something special, kind of a special guest thing for the South American tour and it’s actually been pretty cool.

Manogue: You talked a little bit about your new lineup with Marc Rizzo , Tony Campos(Static-X, Ministry) and David Kinkade (Borknagar) coming together on the new record. You guys seemed to really create kind of a new feel, but still with the Soulfly signature sound on it.

Cavalera: It was great, man! Tony is really professional and is a wicked awesome bass player. It was exciting to play with him because he was really into my riffs and every time I put a new riff out onto the table he really liked it. I played with David before we even entered the studio. David came here and spent two days jamming with me and we went onto the songs and I was blown away by how good his double bass was. Real precise, real solid, and like a machine. It reminded me of old Fear Factory, Morbid Angel and Gojira. It got me inspired to write stuff that he can use. I told him to really use and abuse the double bass on the album and that there’s no limit for it. Just kind of go for it and go crazy and he did. Almost every song has double bass in it.

I really like the new lineup. I think we have really good chemistry between the four of us. Marc did some great guitar stuff on the record. My favorite thing he did is on the song “Treachery.” He created this middle part that sounded like “Diary of a Madman” (by Ozzy Osbourne). Even when he did it in the studio I said, “Man, that’s fucking awesome!” And he added a solo that sounded like Pink Floyd with slide guitars that sounded like David Gilmore. I was like, “Whoa man. You’re going to a whole new level!” On “Plata O Plomo”, which is a song Pablo Escobar from Columbia, Marc did some amazing Flamenco. It just blew me away. We got a really good combo man. We got a really good group of musicians and really awesome guys who are ready to fuck shit up.

Manogue: You guys featured former Coal Chamber vocalist and current Devildriver vocalist Dez Fafara on “Redemption of Man by God”. What was it like working with him?
Cavalera: It was really killer man. Dez is a great guy and we’ve known each other for a long time and I’ve just been waiting to have a chance to work with him on a record and the chance came now. I was in the studio and I found out that Devildriver was going to be close to me playing in Phoenix so I made a date for him to come to the studio. Dez came and I played him the song and it really had this like Egyptian kind of Middle Eastern guitar intro and had this classic thrash, death metal thrash vibe. There was a preacher that came out of Tony’s bass cab and was talking about biblical stuff in Egypt and killing of the first born babies and the death angel and blood on the doors and all this crazy shit. Our producer Zues recorded this guy talking and he put it at the end of the song. Then Dez listened to it and got really excited and wanted to do a song about it. Dez also told me that his dad was a preacher in the south and I guess it had something to do with the snake cults. He added snake type stuff to it like “venom of snake” and kind of rituals with the southern religious groups that deal with snakes. It was great. We had such a good time in the studio and we sing back to back in the chorus. It was fucking awesome. I love working with him and we had a good time and the song came out great.

Enslaved will be available everywhere March 13, but you can pre-order it now and get three digital bonus tracks and the first 400 orders get a CD booklet autographed by all four members!

New Marilyn Manson Single "No Reflection"

2012-03-08T09:22:00.000-06:00

After a very long wait, Marilyn Manson has finally released his new single "No Reflection" online. His new album Born Villain is reportedly due out this spring, but no official date has been announced. Manson also released a list of 2012 tour dates, which you can find below the video:

Marilyn Manson 2012 Tour Dates

04/27 Providence, RI – Lupo’s At The Strand
04/28 Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Casino
04/29 Huntington, NY – Paramount Theatre
05/01 Silver Spring, MD – Fillmore
05/02 Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre
05/04 Atlantic City, NJ – House Of Blues
05/05 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
05/06 Grand Rapids, MI – Orbit Room
05/08 Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom
05/09 Sioux Falls, SD – W.H. Lyons Fair Grounds
05/11 Dallas, TX – House Of Blues
05/12 San Antonio, TX – Sunken Gardens
05/13 Houston, TX – House Of Blues
05/15 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
05/16 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre
05/18 Minneapolis, MN – The Brick
05/19 Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom
05/20 Columbus, OH – Rock On The Range Festival

4 Year-Old Covers "Chop Suey" by System of a Down on Drums

2012-03-07T15:32:00.000-06:00

So my good friend Johnny Z posted this to my Facebook wall and I HAD to share. This kid is only 4 years-old and he rocks the drum cover of "Chop Suey" by System of a Down. This was too cool not to share!

From Within "Take AEM" Review

2012-03-06T15:11:00.000-06:00

It's our featured band of the month, From Within! This young group of guys are based out of Orlando, FL, already sharing the stage with In Flames, Trivium, Eye Empire, Kyng, and many more. Their style wanes between metalcore and almost an old school thrash, but they make it all their own. And for a band that is so young, that's saying a lot. Even if you don't like metalcore or the screaming that comes along with thrash metal, take a listen to these guys and you won't be able to ignore the massive musical talent. Here's our first review of one of their newest songs "Take AEM."

From Within is:

Vocals-Danny Vega
Guitar-Josh Demmer
Guitar-Colby Berger
Drums-Alex Berger
Bass-Jonathan Davis

It really is surprising to me the technical ability of a lot of young musicians out there today. Maybe it's the overload of online tutorials and other learning tools, but these kids are really something. That's the first impression I had when hearing From Within's newest release "Take AEM." Each and every member has their strong points and SO much potential.

"Take AEM" starts out with a killer riff that is the heart and soul of the song. It has one of those rhythms that you catch yourself humming out loud as you carry on throughout the day. The song quickly develops into somewhat of an anthem as it picks up the pace and turns into that metalcore feel. Danny Vega's strong vocals pierce the veil of the normalcy throughout the song with solid screams and no scratches or bumps which is typical for younger metalcore bands.

There's a lamenting breakdown verse in the middle of the song that fits perfectly with the flow of the rest of the song. They use the breakdown to actually pick up the pace of the song soon after and the way i its all composed is pretty impressive. Soon after comes a the prototypical metalcore solo, but I really like how they didn't try to do too much with it. It's clean. It's smooth. It fits.

Overall, the song is absolutely impressive. For such a young band, their writing, technical and pure playing ability is killer and this is definitely a song and band to check out. From Within ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first!

Meat Loaf Calls Slipknot a "Metal Beethoven"

2012-03-01T14:14:00.000-06:00

In an recent interview, iconic musician Meat Load compare Slipknot to "a metal Beethoven." Yup, that sound you just heard was our respect for Meat Loaf sky rocketing. Check it out!

Nonpoint's Robb Rivera Names His Favorite Albums of All Time

2012-03-01T12:20:00.000-06:00

In anticipation for Nonpoint's upcoming album, drummer Robb Rivera of Nonpoint has given us his favorite albums of all time. Take a look and comment and let Robb know what you think and leave some of your favorite albums too!

"My favorite albums...well, some of them!!!"

-Robb

*Be sure to stay up to date on what's going on in the studio with Nonpoint by checking Robb's blog daily!

Rush... All The Worlds A Stage
Deftones...Around The Fur
Black Sabbath... Debut
Judas Priest... Stained Class
Metallica... Master Of Puppets
Anthrax...Among The Living
Forbidden...Twisted Into Form
Pantera... Vulfar Display Of Power
Ozzy Osbourne... Blizzard Of Ozz
The Cro mags... Age Of Quarell
Machine Head... Burn My Eyes
Starkweather...Crossbearer
Journey... Escape
Testament...The Legacy
Snot... Get Some
Hed Pe... Broke
Vio-Lence Eternal Nightmare
RATM... Debut
Exodus...Fabulous Disaster
Dio...Holy Diver
Iron Maiden... Piece Of Mind
Tool...Aenima
Down... Nola
Death Angel... Act 3
Mercyful Fate... Melissa
Van Halen... Van Halen 2
Pressure 4-5 Burning The Process
Sick Of it All... Scratch The Surface
Biohazard... Debut
Only Living Witness... Prone Mortal Form

How Slash Recorded His New Solo Album

2012-02-27T14:57:00.000-06:00

Here's a really cool video that Slash just posted on his Facebook page that explains how they went about recording his new solo album with Kyles Kennedy (Alterbridge) and The Conspirators.

Interview with Lacuna Coil Vocalist Andrea Ferraro

2012-02-24T14:00:00.000-06:00

Italy is known around the world as the origin for some of the finest art ever created. It was the center of art during the Roman Republic and Empire as well as during the Renaissance. With such an incredibly rich history in fine art and some of the most recognizable works of art including the Mona Lisa, one wouldn’t immediately assume that one of today’s best rock bands is also from Italy; Milan to be exact. The band is Lacuna Coil and their music is their masterpiece and Dark Adrenaline is their latest work of art. Hard Rock Review's Aaron Manogue had a chance to chat with vocalist Andrea Ferraro about the new record, their first single “Trip the Darkness” and the passing of their close friend and singer of Type O Negative, Peter Steele.

Aaron Manogue: Your latest album Dark Adrenaline has been postponed a few times. How has the album changed over the time that it’s had to mature before its release?
Andrea Ferraro: It’s been terrible. The album has been ready and it was meant to come out in October. Then the record label asked us if we could postpone until January because they weren’t ready or set up for the release. So we agreed with them because we didn’t want the album to come out without full support from the label so it was just a very simple logistic problem that we had to agree with. It made no sense to put out an album without the full support so we just had to wait and now finally the days coming close.

Read the whole story>>

The "Empire" Strikes Back | Eye Empire in Janesville Tonight

2012-02-24T13:19:00.000-06:00

Our boys from Eye Empire at it again. They're bringing their kick ass music back to southern Wisconsin and playing the Back Bar in Janesville tonight. Their playing with a killer lineup including all the original members of SOIL (except for the drummer) so it's going to fill up quick so make sure to get down and check them out.

We have covered Eye Empire since their start and tonight is our chance to prove to all of you how good they truly are. A local, close-up show so you can see for yourself how badass these guys truly are. Each and every one of the members are extremely talented and carry their own unique type of stage presence that makes their show incredible. And to boot their music is all killer, no filler. The coolest part about the guys? At almost every show, they try and take time to come and meet fans face to face and give you all the time that you deserve for supporting them. Come down to the Back Bar tonight in Janesville, WI and see for yourself why Eye Empire is quickly becoming a force to reckon with in the hard rock industry. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Check out our interviews with the guys from a few months to get pumped up for the show and we'll see you all tonight

	Interview with Vocalist Donald "DC" Carpenter: Donald talks about where he's come from, how far he's come in doing so, and where the Empire is going, now that he's part of the family!
	Interview with Guitarist BC Kochmit: Brad shares his side of the Empire with us, talks about filling in for Clint, in Sevendust, and what we can expect in the near future!
	Interview with Bassist Corey Lowery: Corey & Brad started jamming together a few years ago, and what began with two good friends writing and hanging out, is now the foundation of an empire: one full of fans, friends and lots of fun!

Black Stone Cherry's New Video for "In My Blood" Recognizes Active Duty Soldier

2012-02-23T10:31:00.000-06:00

Rock band Black Stone Cherry premieres their moving video today for “In My Blood” exclusively throughYahoo! for 24 hours. The documentary-style video follows PFC Randy Hirneisen, a 20-year-old soldier with U.S. Army Europe, and his journey from his deployment in Afghanistan as a ‘tanker’ to the his redeployment back to his assignment in Germany and finally to his arrival home in Augusta, Georgia where his wife, Cindy Torres, introduces him to his two month old son Randy Hirneisen Jr. for the first time.

To celebrate Hirneisen’s homecoming, Black Stone Cherry also participated in a surprise homecoming party for the soldier, his family and friends in Augusta on January 16, 2012. Black Stone Cherry surprised him with a special six song acoustic set to show their appreciation for telling his story and being part of the video for such a special song as well as for the service to our country. Black Stone Cherry grew up in a small town in rural Kentucky where many of their family and friends have served or are currently serving in a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The band wanted to do something to acknowledge this appreciation and reached out to the U.S. Army to find someone who would help bring awareness to the struggles and sacrifices that a soldier, such as PFC Hirneisen, has to endure to protect our country.

Black Stone Cherry is also kicking off their What’s In Your Blood? web campaign on February 23, 2012 inviting fans in the United States to share their stories of what’s in their blood. Fans can submit stories through the band’s YouTube channel beginning today; a winner will be chosen by Black Stone Cherry on March 31, 2012 and the band will play a private acoustic set in the winner’s hometown for their friends.

“In My Blood” is now approaching top 10 at mainstream rock and top 15 at active rock radio. They just finished up a U.S. tour and will play several dates overseas through the end of March.

Wes Borland's Black Light Burns to Release Sophomore Album

2012-02-22T11:03:00.000-06:00

Now THIS, has been a long time coming. The musical and artistic mastermind that is Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit guitarist) has announced that his band Black Light Burns has signed a deal with Rocket Science/THC Records to release the band's sophomore album, "The Moment You Realize You're Going to Fail." The band's debut album "Cruel Melody," released in 2007, received a ton of praise from music lovers, especially anti-Fred Durst-ers. Personally, I've been hoping this would happen for 5 years now and am extremely excited to hear the new stuff. If you haven't heard their first album, definitely do so!

Soulfly's Max Cavalera Recovering from Bell's Palsy

2012-02-22T09:51:00.001-06:00

This comes as a definite shock, as I interviewed Max just last Friday and he sounded great. Here's the full story:

Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera is recovering from a bout with Bell’s Palsy, a temporary condition that is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in the inability to control facial muscles on the affected side.

Cavalera was diagnosed with a case of Bell’s Palsy last week upon his return from Australia. He consulted a doctor and was put on a course of antibiotics and is improving greatly and is expected to make a full recovery imminently. He thanks fans for their concern and well wishes and wanted his supporters to know that he is okay, since the condition manifests in the face and he ultimately didn’t want fans to worry.

Of his recent illness, Max said, “I woke up one morning after coming home from Australia and the whole room was spinning. I looked at Gloria and said, ‘There’s something wrong here.’ She said, ‘Your face looks weird.’ I went to the mirror and couldn’t move half of my face. We thought I was having a stroke, so we rushed to the hospital. I learned my condition was called Bell’s Palsy but I’d never heard of that. It’s a f—ng weird disease. My right eye won’t blink, and half of my face feels like I’ve been punched by Mike Tyson! It hurts like hell. Anyway, I am leaving for Brazil. The show must go on and this Bell’s Palsy ain’t gonna stop a metalhead from his duties. I hope I’ll be ok and thanks to all the fans concerned with me. Stay Metal.”

Interview with guitarist Clint Lowery About Dark New Day, Sevendust and Call Me No One

2012-02-21T14:26:00.000-06:00

Since 1994, his music has pierced the impervious veil of hard rock and created a sound all its own that’s as recognizable as zebra at a horse farm. If you are a fan of rock n’ roll or even simply a fan of musicianship, you can’t help but admire the body of work he’s put together over his long career. His musical portfolio is so diverse that you would think there’s no way the same person created it. From the soul searching lyrics and soft guitar riffs of Hello Demons Meet Skeletons, to the undeniable ass kicking each Sevendust record brings, Clint Lowery has been part of it all.

Clint’s incredible talent coupled with other amazing musicians such as Will Hunt (Evanescence), his brother Corey Lowery (Eye Empire), Brett Hestla (Virgos Merlot) and Troy McLawhorn (Evanescence) has created yet another monster, with Dark New Day’s release of New Tradition. Aaron Manogue talked with Clint about the new record, his upcoming project with Morgan Rose titled Call Me No One and what it’s like to work with his brother Corey again.

Aaron Manogue: Talk to me about the new record.
Clint Lowery: Oh man, it was great. This is a lot of B-Side stuff and stuff that we worked on at the end of the first Dark New Day cycle, for Twelve Year Silence. These are songs that we were actually writing years ago so we haven’t been back in the studio recording in years. This is kind of just something we wanted to release to the fans that we thought were pretty legitimate songs. We just remastered them and tweaked them up a bit in the studio.

Manogue: Things have changed a bit for the bands over the past few years with the successes of the individual members in their other bands. Where things any different with the guys?
Lowery: Well, we haven’t really been together since this. We just kind of talked on the phone and sent emails and maybe ran into each other a few times since we’ve talked about re-releasing this stuff. We’re all bro’s and we’ve all learned a lot but as far as collaborated on anything new, we haven’t done it. We’re just going to see how this does and then maybe we’ll go in and do another record together at some point.

Read the whole story>>

HELLYEAH Announces New Album, Band of Brothers

2012-02-21T08:51:00.000-06:00

Hard rock supergroup HELLYEAH is back with a their third album, entitled Band of Brothers. The album, the band’s first effort for their new label home, Eleven Seven Music, was recorded in Dallas at drummer Vinnie Paul’s home studio, VP’s Upstairs Studio, and was produced by the band andJeremy Parker (Godsmack, Evanessence), who also served as engineer.

Having produced track after track of heavy-hitting, in-your-face, feel good rock and roll on their previous two albums (2010’s STAMPEDE and 2007’s self-titled debut), Band of Brothers sees HELLYEAH taking a slightly different musical direction. Drawing on their former bands’ collective metal roots for inspiration, the influences and style of Mudvayne, Pantera, Damageplan andNothingface are immediately recognizable in tracks such as “Band of Brothers,” “War In Me”and “Rage Burn,” while the party anthem “Drink, Drank, Drunk” retains the essence of earlier HELLYEAH.

Frontman Chad Gray comments, “I’m really excited about what we’ve done on this new album. I’ve always separated Mudvayne and HELLYEAH as much as I could, even though it was my voice. Melodies, lyrics and just the overall style of writing were different. With Band of Brothers, I just quit being afraid of who I am in relation to this band. I think we’ve all really gotten back to the original roots of what we’ve done individually and brought it together on this album. As an artist, as long as you’re painting with your own brush, no one can compare or challenge you. I just painted with a bigger, heavier brush than I had with HELLYEAH in the past. I think this is what fans have always expected to hear from us, and now were giving it to them.”

Vinnie Paul echoed the sentiment in a recent interview for Loudwire.com : “On our first two records, we were a new band. We really wanted to branch out and expand and experiment with all different styles. We all come from traditional metal bands and backgrounds, so it was a great breath of fresh air to play in a band that was rock ‘n’ roll, blues and Southern rock. We got that out of our system and got really focused on going back to our metal roots. It’s heavy, focused, groove-oriented and I’m excited about it.”

Jeremy Parker said, “It’s impossible not to have a good time jamming this record. It has the anger and violence of Pantera and Mudvayne, but a party vibe that can only be HELLYEAH!”

Band of Brothers is set for worldwide release in early June.

HELLYEAH will be announcing North American tour plans soon. They are confirmed to tour Australia and Japan in the coming months. Dates are as follows:

Feb 25 Brisbane, AUS RNA Showgrounds
Feb 26 Sydney, AUS Showground
Feb 28 Melbourne, AUS The Forum
Mar 01 Sydney, AUS The Metro Theater
Mar 02 Melbourne, AUS Showgrounds
Mar 03 Adelaide, AUS Bonython Park
Mar 05 Perth, AUS Claremont Showgrounds
Mar 31 Jakarta, IND Carnaval Beach Ancol
Apr 02 Nayoga, JAP Diamond Hall
Apr 03 Osaka, JAP Big Cat
Apr 05 Tokyo, JAP O-East
Apr 06 Tokyo, JAP O-East

Official Site: HELLYEAHBAND.COM

Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/HELLYEAHBAND

Twitter: TWITTER.COM/HELLYEAHBAND

YouTube: YOUTUBE.COM/HELLYEAHBAND

Nonpoint Drummer Robb Rivera Offers Bands One-on-One Consulting

2012-02-20T09:36:00.001-06:00

This is probably one of the coolest things I've heard of a proven, professional musician doing to help other bands. I talked with drummer Robb Rivera of the mighty Nonpoint the other day about a service that he is doing in order to simply help as many young bands as he can. He is willing to consult with any rock or metal band and help them with any questions they may have about the industry, what comes next or any other questions they may have. We all have questions and how cool would it be to be able to ask a successful musician who's been in the business for over a decade now about anything? AWESOME! We've always day dreamed about being best friends with a successful musician in a successful band that you could bug for advice whenever you'd like; and here is your chance. I talked with Robb about the details, and trust me, it's something you're going to want to at least try.

Aaron Manogue: Why are you doing the consulting?
Robb Rivera: I look at it as pay it forward. I have learned a lot over the years. The god and the bad so I always have young bands come up to me asking me what do they need to do and i look at the position they are in then i take it from there.

Manogue: What type of bands should contact you
Rivera: Well i am more interested in the rock bands to be honest, it's mainly the expertise in this field that why i prefer it more than other types of bands.

Manogue: What can bands learn from you?
Rivera: Being able to cut some corners, be smarter with their money, traveling cost effective, learning what they need to do to be able to stay a band

Manogue: Why are you so willing to help other bands?
Rivera: I just love to help others and promote, so many people have always said use your knowledge to your advantage.

Manogue: Was there another band or musician who kind of took you under their wing when you first started and gave you advice?
Rivera: Oh yea! We learned from ,any bands. BC the original drummer from Hed Pe, the Mudvayne guys, Disturbed, Machine Head, Sevendust, etc.

Manogue: How much is the consulting and for how long?
Rivera: 30 dollars for a half an hour and 50 for the hour.

So if you are serious about your music and have questions that could really only be answered by a true professional, it is ABSOLUTELY worth the time. Not only is Robb an amazing drummer, but he is a true professional, a great business man and one hell of a guy. Learn things that you could only learn from someone who has been there and done that. And to top it off, Robb understands most up and coming bands don't have a huge budget, so he's made it affordable for everyone. If you're SERIOUSLY interested in this service, contact us at contact@hard-rock-reviews.com and we'll get you in touch with Robb personally. And please, if you try this out, come back and give us feedback. We'd love to know how this is helping you!

When People Bitch About Concert/Festival Lineups

2012-02-17T10:33:00.000-06:00

This is a topic that is a very sore subject to me. And just as a disclaimer, I have NO affiliation with, nor do I profit off of any type of concert or festival. When people bitch about concert or festival lineups, it makes me want to do smash their face into a care windshield and never call them again. (Sorry for the bad 'Anchorman' reference, but it's true.) Now I'm not a violent or angry person, but the lack of understanding and knowledge on how much work that goes into planning something like a concert or festival is ridiculous. The way I see it is, the only way you have a right to bitch about something, is if you've educated yourself enough to have an opinion supported by cold, hard facts.

1) Budget: Concerts are just like any other thing in life; it has a BUDGET. Sure, event coordinators could go out there and spend $4 million bucks on the best lineup you've ever heard. All of your favorite bands out there and even the dead ones. (They're going to spend another billion to bring them back to life) This doesn't guarantee they'll get their money back and let's face it, this IS a business just like every other one. And not only that, let's say they do draw enough of an crowd to make their billions back. Where are they going to put them? Is there venue large enough? Additional cost for security, staff, etc. All these things go into budget and yes we'd all love the best concert lineup ever, but these people are doing the best they can with what they're given in the budget department.

2) Who's on Tour?: A lot of the scheduling and lineup depends on who's on tour and where they'll be around the date of your show. Now granted, if it's a big enough festivals, bands will make arrangements to be there. But if you want 'Super Band' to play your event and they are in China the day before, they probably aren't going to make it. Then there comes my biggest pet peeve. "Dude, why didn't they get "Band Who Isn't Even Touring" on the lineup?" Um...I'm no Columbo, but maybe it's because they're not touring, in the studio writing, or just plain taking a break from the constant travel and being away from family. THINK people before you make an ass our of yourself and bitch because your local radio station didn't get your favorite band who's been broken up for 10 years.

3) Months Ahead of Time: These events aren't thrown together a week before the date. They are planned months ahead of time and they try to make it happen by scheduling things around major festivals (if the bands are lucky enough to be invited to play them). It's not easy to plan everything out perfectly around all the touring, recording, etc. that goes on daily in the music world for every national band out there. How would you feel if you had to plan what you were doing at your job on a specific day 6-8 months ahead of time? Do you realize how many things could change before then and how many factors there are to get things matched up on both ends to get them there?

This is the best way I can explain it:

Event Coordinator's Job: To create an event that will generate buzz and bring a profit to their organization or raise awareness for whatever cause it is.

What's the best way for the Event Coordinator to bring in a profit or raise the most awareness? Provide entertainment/bands that people like; right?

What ^that^ means: They are going to do everything possible in their power to get every band that they know YOU like. BUT, you must remember the factors discussed above. If the band costs to much to get there, or their schedule doesn't fit the event date, there's NOTHING they can do about it except try and get your 2nd favorite band, then 3rd, and so on down the line. They are doing their best to make you happy, because in the end, that's their job. You happy=more profit for them! It's a MUTUAL happiness we all want in the end.

All in all, all I'm asking is to appreciate the hard work people do inside of the music industry, and especially the even coordination end of it all. They're doing the best they can with what they're given, and let's face it; if it weren't for them, we'd have NO bands showing up around where you live at all. So the next time you go to a show or festival and the lineup isn't to your liking, you shouldn't have bought the ticket anyways. It's in your hands to support a show and it does neither of you any good to bad mouth a lineup. Appreciate what these people do and the next time you're at a kickass concert and having the time of your life, remember, the only person you have to thank for it all is the even coordinator, the staff and the bands. Buy a ticket, buy some merch, buy a few beers...SUPPORT MUSIC and it'll be the best lineup or show you've ever been to!

Nonpoint Officially Enters Studio to Record New Album

2012-02-16T10:39:00.001-06:00

There's been a TON of anticipation surrounding Nonpoint's next album, when it would be recorded and when it will be released. Well, one of those very important questions has been officially answered as the rockers have announced they are officially in studio recording their next album, to be released through their new label Razor & Tie. They have gone into the studio with their guns drawn, bringing Grammy-nominated Producer Johnny-K to produce their seventh album. Johnny-K has worked with some of the best in the rock biz including Staind, Distrubed and Megadeath.

Nonpoint is coming off a split with long time bassist Ken MacMillan and guitarist Zach Broderick and there has been a lot of questions surrounding their replacements. According to Blabbermouth.com, Lead vocalist Elias Soriano commented on the new members:

"We're proud to officially announce the new members of NONPOINT. Dave Lizzio, Rasheed Thomas and Adam Woloszyn have been chased by bands in the Chicago area for years and somehow by a stroke of luck and timing, we now have three of the freshest, most talented players on our team. These guys are great players and even better people."

"From day one, the new writing process has been full of great ideas and open minds, and now adding Johnny K into the formula has Robb and I very excited. After listening to the demos, Johnny K said, 'It's easy to find someone to play guitar for a band. It's hard to accomplish what you have by finding Dave, Rasheed and Adam, and that's finding people who can write amazing riffs.' From that point on I knew: This new lineup and record will be epic in the chronicle of NONPOINT."

It is a testament to drummer Robb Rivera and Soriano's perseverance and character to be in the studio for the seventh album after all of the lineup changes and ups and downs the band has experienced in their time together. Soriano and Rivera are the only remaining original members and are the absolute heart and soul of the Nonpoint nation.

With the addition of Dave, Rasheed and Adam, it's an extremely exciting time for Nonpoint and their fans as the possibilities are endless. The amount of musicianship now in Nonpoint on top of the high level that Robb and Elias already have is astronomical and any hard rock or metal lover should be salivating at the possibilities for their new album. The album is due out in late Spring so be sure to keep your ears and eyes peeled. Be prepared to be blown away, Nonpoint style. Oh yes indeed, ladies and gentlement, Nonpoint is STILL ALIVE AND KICKING!

Be sure to follow Nonpoint's progress in the studio by following Robb's blog at www.RobbRivera.com!

Interview with Bassist Frank Salvaggio of Anew Revolution

2012-02-13T14:01:00.001-06:00

A few weeks I was lucky enough to get a chance to sit down with Frank Salvaggio, bassist of Anew Revolution. We talked about what the band has been up to, their guitarist situation and why Madison, WI is one of the best metal and hard rock cities in the world. Check out what Frank had to say! (Sorry about the background noise...we didn't have much room!)

Dave Grohl Proves Again Why He's One of the Best

2012-02-13T13:00:00.003-06:00

The Foo Fighters once again held it down at the Grammy Awards last night for rock music by taking home a total of five awards. The Foo walked away with Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for "White Limo," Best Rock Song for "Walk," Best Rock Album for Wasting Light and Best Long Form Music Video for "Foo Fighters: Back and Forth" and Best Rock Performance for "Walk."

During one of their acceptance speeches, the always cunning Grohl said this:

"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what's most important. Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do. It's not about being perfect, it's not about sounding absolutely correct, it's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on here (points to heart) and it's about what goes on in here (points to head."

Kittie Parts Ways with Ivy Vujic, Welcomes Back Bassist Trish Doan

2012-02-13T10:20:00.000-06:00

Kittie is pleased to announce the return of bassist Trish Doan to the band following the departure of Ivy Vujic. Doan was previously with the band from 2005-2007, appearing on the band's 2007 release "Funeral for Yesterday."

Ivy adds her own words, "After four amazing years of jamming with my crazy metal sisters, I am officially resigning. After a lot of touring and two albums, I feel it is time for me to move on. There are still other things for me to do in my life. Although I will always appreciate Kittie and the amazing fans we have, it does not fit my plans right now." A full statement can be read HERE.

Trish will join the band live after their upcoming SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL appearance in Australia and upcoming hometown shows later this month are completed. Doan comments,

"I am very happy to be reunited with the Kittie family. The girls and I have remained close friends over the last 7 years and I am excited to have this amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to seeing everyone when we go back on the road this spring. I wish Ivy all the best!"

The band is excited to do one more batch of live dates with Ivy as it gives fans a prime opportunity to come out and say their goodbyes. "Ivy has been friend and partner in crime for over 4 years, we love and respect her wishes to depart from the band and move onto another phase in her life." says front woman Morgan Lander.

KITTIE will hit the road this spring in continued support of their latest release. Morgan concludes, "Trish has been a member of our extended family since she joined the band in 2005 and we are welcoming her back into the band with open arms. We are ecstatic that she will be returning to bass duties and are looking forward to the tour this spring! We love both girls and are glad that we all remain friends, first and foremost."

KITTIE released "I've Failed You" earlier this year to much critical accolades. "I've Failed You is completely written and unequivocally hard as nails,"says Outburn Magazine.Thenewreview.net more directly states, "I’ve Failed You is their best album to date."

The band also released two much talked about music videos. An in your face perfomance version of "Empires (Part 2)", seen HERE. And a Zombie filled horror homage video for the song "We Are The Lamb", seen HERE.