I always enjoy hearing artists’ takes on songs they love, and the most fun reimaginings to me are the ones that come from a completely different genre than the original. Over the past week, two such renditions have been released into the world. The third cover… Well, it was always a dark song, so an infamously dark artist sharing his version makes sense.
1.Priest: “Black Hole Sun”
Yes, that “Black Hole Sun.” It’s so Priest, but I think it’s a very respectful nod to Soundgarden and the original. And, let’s be honest, it takes balls to release a song and know everyone is going to be comparing your vocals to Chris Cornell’s.
2. Aesthetic Perfection: “Fade to Black”
Aesthetic Perfection is a self-proclaimed industrial pop act. Hearing them do a Metallica track was unexpected, but I dig it.
3. Marilyn Manson: “In the Air Tonight”
Manson prides himself on shocking people. His entire career is based on it, in fact. He has done odd covers before. However, I just never would have predicted a Phil Collins song. Lol. As stated above, it kinda makes sense. The subject matter of “In the Air Tonight” is rather dark. Who better to reimagine it than Marilyn Manson and Tyler Bates?
Industrial metal band Genitorturers have shared a handful of spring dates at short notice. The “Scars and Stripes” tour features special guest Red Devil Vortex and kicks off April 18th in Tampa, FL. Grab your tickets at genitorturers.com and come see the self-proclaimed “world’s sexiest rock band!”
Gothic rock/metal band Dead Posey has shared dates for The Damned & The Dead Tour. Featuring special guests Ovtlier and Another Day Dawns, this early summer run kicks off June 11th in Denver, Colorado. Tickets and VIP are available at deadposey.com!
(City/venue for June 26th and 27th arestill TBA. I will update this post whenever the information becomes available.)
Powerman 5000 is kicking off a West Coast run in six days. Featuring special guests Julien-K and Makes My Blood Dance, this 12-date mini-tour includes stops in Anaheim, San Francisco, Tucson, and Las Vegas. Tickets can be purchased via the venues’ sites or Powerman 5000’s Bandsintown!
4/11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
4/12 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
4/13 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
4/15 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
4/16 – Portland, OR – Star Theater
4/18 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post
4/19 – Fresno, CA – Full Circle Brewing Co.
4/20 – Modesto, CA – Persuasion Brewing
4/22 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock
4/23 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
4/25 – Bakersfield, CA – The Nile Theater (There was a change. This is the correct city and venue.)
4/26 – Temecula, CA – Temecula Sports Lounge/Restaurant
Evil disco pioneers Static-X have shared dates for the Machines Vs. Monsters Tour. Featuring support from Gwar, Dope, and A Killer’s Confession, this late spring/early summer run kicks off May 23rd in Tucson, Arizona. Tickets and VIP are available at static-x.org! (Dope and A Killer’s Confession are also offering VIP experiences.)
5/23 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre (No Gwar)
5/24 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center
Nu metal veterans Coal Chamber have shared the rescheduled dates for their Fiend for the Fans tour. This 33 show spring run features support from Fear Factory, Twiztid, Black Satellite, and Frayle. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster and/or at the venues’ official sites.
Alt-metal band Carbonstone is back with new music. The Maryland-based outfit is set to release their latest single, “Echoes,” on October 26th, and after my first few listens, I have to say this one hits hard.
Carbonstone has never been a band to shy away from the darker side of self-reflection, especially the negative views we as humans often have of ourselves. “Echoes” puts words to that moment we peer into the mirror with complete honesty. It dives unflinchingly into the feeling of being trapped in your own head, succumbing to the belief that you are not enough and have failed in some immeasurable way because things didn’t work out as planned.
According to front man Corey James, the song is about heavy reflection and looking back at “fucked-up tragic events, or ‘echoes,’ that ultimately shape us into who we are.” For better or worse, life happens, and we are molded by external factors beyond our control. “Failed dreams, failed goals and aspirations, failed relationships,” James lists. “Substance abuse, and so on.”
The track is penned as a note to oneself. “You take the time to watch me bleed/Over and over/It’s like you love my suffering/This pain is contagious…” It is only too easy to spiral into the abyss once the narrator begins listening to those internal voices. “I see my ghost, it’s echoing/Repeating my failures/When I’m alone, it’s so haunting/The shadows consume me…”
“Bury me underground, I’ll lie with you/’Cause alone I’m nothing/Searching for anything to get me through/I’m so self-destructive.”
“The hook/chorus is basically about just giving in and submitting to everything, as it’s the only alternative to facing yourself alone,” James explains.
“Echoes” is a juxtaposition of hauntingly melodic singing and heavy, gritty music: an audio presentation of the emotions poured into the song. The choice of clean vocals for the majority of the track works on multiple levels. James was able to masterfully color his lyrics with the pain and resignation expressed in the words. Raging screams threaded throughout are the cries of hopelessness. Meanwhile, the other band members – guitarists Josh Provencio and Steve Junkins, bassist Eric Dee, and drummer Ted Hile – intricately weave together a sonic manifestation of anger and frustration. One final scream and the closing chorus are the last ounce of fight poured forth before our narrator ultimately accepts his/her fate and throws in the towel.
“Echoes” hooked me in from the first note and is a song that is well-crafted, relatable, and holds its listeners in thrall from start to finish. Carbonstone nailed it on all fronts. The song will hit streaming platforms at midnight. Meanwhile, the official music video drops tonight, October 25th, at 8 p.m. EST! Make sure to tune in to the band’s Facebook live at 7 p.m. EST for some drinks and other shenanigans.
If you haven’t already, visit Carbonstone’s socials and follow them on your favorite streaming service so you never miss a release – starting with “Echoes.”
Electronic/nu metal outfit Powerman 5000 hits the road this summer with support from Sponge, Tantric, and Clozure. The tour kicks off July 2nd in Tempe, Arizona, and winds its way through cities such as Houston, Flint, and Manchester before concluding on July 29th in Parker, Colorado. Tickets are available at powerman5000.com!
7/2 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
7/3 – Roswell, NM – The Liberty
7/5 – Lubbock, TX – Jake’s Backroom
7/6 – Fort Worth, TX – The Rail Club
7/7 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live Midtown
7/8 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
7/9 – The Colony, TX – Lava Cantina, The Colony
7/11 – McHenry, IL – The Vixen
7/12 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop
7/13 – Harrison, OH – The Blue Note
7/14 – Lansing, MI – Grewal Hall at 224
7/16 – Liverpool, NY – Sharkey’s Banquets & Events
7/17 – Plattsburgh, NY – Strand Center for the Arts
7/18 – Sanford, ME – Pilots Cove Cafe
7/19 – Hermon, ME – Morgan Hill Event Center
7/20 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
7/21 – Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz
7/23 – Ashland, KY – The Paramount
7/24 – New Berlin, IL – Danenberger Family Vineyards
Five Finger Death Punch is hitting the road this summer and fall in support of their latest album, Afterlife, and they’re bringing along some pretty legendary friends: the infamous Marilyn Manson and Russian deathcore outfit Slaughter to Prevail. Tickets available at fivefingerdeathpunch.com (or at either of the other bands’ official sites).
8/2 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
8/5 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
8/7 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/8 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
8/10 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/13 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
8/14 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
8/16 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
8/19 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
8/21 – Omaha, NE – Chi Health Center
8/22 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
8/27 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
8/29 – Airway Heights, WA – BECU Live at Northern Quest
8/31 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
9/3 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
9/4 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
9/6 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
9/8 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
9/10 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resorts Amphitheatre
9/11 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheatre
9/13 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater
9/15 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
9/16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
9/18 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheatre
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