melodic metal
Lamb of God Presents: Headbangers Boat 2023
Music cruises are all the rage these days, with Shiprocked being the most talked about. None of the current cruises focuses solely on metal, hence Lamb of God bringing us Headbangers Boat!
Lamb of God will be playing two sets, including Ashes of the Wake in its entirety. Mastodon, Hatebreed, Testament, Gwar, and others will also be in attendance on this cruise, which sets sail on Halloween from Miami, Florida. For all the details, visit headbangersboat.com.
Song of the Day — My Haunted Past: “Summers Kiss”
Song of the Day — Sleep Token: “Do You Wish That You Loved Me?”
New Music Alert! Welcome Eternity: “Alive Inside”
Album Review: Breathing Theory’s Artificial
Breathing Theory is a band that toes the line between heavy and melodic with an unrivaled precision (think Starset meets Gemini Syndrome meets Breaking Benjamin), and they have proven this yet again with the release of their new album. Artificial hit all streaming services on May 26th. The album is made up of ten songs that run the gamut from provoking thought to tugging the heartstrings, and all are unforgiving in their extremes.
Artificial opens with the electro-metal-symphonic “Replicas,” an introduction to the theme set by the album’s title: a dystopian future run by artificial intelligence. The very first song begs the questions “Can we define what it is that makes us human? Are we alive, or are we just replicas?”
“Replicas” is succeeded by “Beautiful Disaster,” which showcases Breathing Theory’s hard-hitting riffs paired with heartfelt lyrics and frontman Cory Britt’s strong singing voice. The band sends listeners into audio whiplash by diving straight into the relentless “Collapse.” Here is a prime example of Cory’s harsh growls and screams, echoing the anger and frustration of the lyrics – “They’re starting fires so the smoke and hate won’t clear/Misdirection keeps you trapped in fear” – and juxtaposed by the pure cleans of the chorus.
The next track – “Your Frequency” – is another switch, not exactly a ballad but certainly on the more melodic end of things. This is one of my favorites on the record. The words are gorgeous, and I have the utmost respect for Breathing Theory’s refusal to shy away from that side of their genre.
“The Cure” is crafted into solid verses and an extremely catchy chorus. It is followed by “Transcend,” the heaviest song on the album, and “My Cancer,” the softest. “Tethers” feels like something you would hear on the radio (in the best possible way). It makes the head bob and is easily imaginable as one of the sing-along moments during a Breathing Theory show.
And then, the band drops in their rendition of Journey’s “Separate Ways.” I’ll admit, I didn’t see that one coming, but I cannot stress enough how much it absolutely works! Breathing Theory manages to maintain the integrity of the original while also making it their own, a truly impressive feat.
Artificial wraps with “Blackout,” and I am going to call this a ballad. Slow and steady, with sad lyrics, Cory’s haunting vocals, and a moody guitar solo (can guitar solos be moody?), I think it fits the bill.
There is not a single track on this record that I don’t like. A mix of alternative rock and metal with a metalcore edge and a trace of the grunge element, Breathing Theory definitely knows how to keep listeners intrigued and on their toes. Give Artificial a listen, or several, and follow Breathing Theory on their socials to see what’s next!
“Collapse” was the first single from Artificial. I knew I was going to love this album solely because of this song.
Song of the Day — Sleep Token: “Are You Really Okay?”
Ghost: Re-Imperatour 2023 (USA)
Ghost is touring the US again this summer! With support from Amon Amarth, the Re-Imperatour kicks off August 2nd in Concord, CA. You can get your tickets (if you haven’t already) at ghost-official.com.
- 8/2 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion
- 8/4 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
- 8/5 – Airway Heights, WA – BECU Live Outdoor Venue
- 8/7 – West Valley City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
- 8/8 – Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
- 8/11 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
- 8/12 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
- 8/14 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
- 8/15 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
- 8/16 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
- 8/18 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
- 8/19 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
- 8/20 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
- 8/22 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
- 8/23 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
- 8/24 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
- 8/25 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
- 8/27 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
- 8/29 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
- 8/30 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place Amphitheater
- 8/31 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
- 9/2 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- 9/3 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
- 9/5 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
- 9/7 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
- 9/8 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
- 9/11 – Inglewood, CA – The Kia Forum*
- 9/12 – Inglewood, CA – The Kia Forum*
* Ghost only
Song of the Day — My Haunted Past: “Give ‘Em Hell”
Underoath Announces Co-Headlining Tour With The Ghost Inside
Underoath and The Ghost Inside will be co-headlining a tour this summer, and they’re bringing along We Came As Romans and Better Lovers. Tickets and VIP can be found at underoath777.com.
- 7/15 – Mansfield, OH – Inkcarceration Festival 2023*
- 7/16 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
- 7/17 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
- 7/19 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena
- 7/21 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
- 7/22 – Syracuse, NY – Sharkey’s Summer Stage
- 7/23 – Toronto, ON – RBC Echo Beach
- 7/24 – Montreal, QC – L’Olympia
- 7/27 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
- 7/28 – Coney Island, NY – Coney Island Amphitheater
- 7/29 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion
- 7/30 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Outdoors
- 8/1 – North Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
- 8/3 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
- 8/4 – Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater
- 8/5 – St. Augustine, FL – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
- 8/6 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
- 8/8 – New Orleans, LA – Orpheum Theater
- 8/10 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
- 8/11 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
- 8/12 – Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum
- 8/14 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center^
- 8/15 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre^
- 8/18 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield^
- 8/19 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory Festival Grounds^
* No We Came As Romans or Better Lovers
^ No Better Lovers
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