Editorials

Editorials

A City On Flame With Rock 'N Roll

Sound Station Bob

Friends are people with whom you can share a laugh, talk about important topics, share some great ideas over excellent music. This is one of major examples of what you can get at a family run, independent record store; a close knit community where like minded individuals come together to experience one of the things they all love, the music. I being a local to Central NJ, had Sound Station of South Avenue in Westfield NJ; the very place was music and because I shopped there I became immersed in everything the store had to offer. From friendly fellow customers to the ever fantastic store owner Bob Larsen; I became a part of something larger than the physical music housed within it's humble walls. This however currently remains a memory… (more…)

70,000 Tons of Metal A Female Perspective

Noa's Poolside Fantasies For Next Week's 70,0000 Tons Of Metal Cruise

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In less than a week's time, I'll be aboard the most metal vessel to ever navigate the seas. I am so excited for the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise that I already have my bathing suit on. If you followed our coverage from last year you already have an idea of how much fun we had and how smashed we got. This year, the line up promises equal or better debauchery. So as I sit here and wait for January 23rd to come I will share the poolside fantasies that bubble in my brain. (more…)

Editorials Pure Fucking Mayhem

Pure Fucking Armageddon: The Mayhem Tour Diary

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When our photographer Aline Miladinovich had the opportunity to spend a few weeks bunking on Mayhem's tour bus, this past Fall, she could not turn down the opportunity. The following is her recounting of spending two weeks on the road with the band, with highlights including altercations with cops, Thanksgiving with black metal bands and a shitty case of the flu. Aline also submitted a massive photo gallery in addition to this report, which you should definitely check out. Here is Aline's report:

If anyone had told me twenty-three years ago, when I was a wee young thing with an uncommonly precocious thirst for musical  knowledge, and a ravenous hunger for brutal, obscure metal that I would someday be along for the ride on tour with Mayhem, I’d have most assuredly thought them crazier than a shit house rat.

Having first learned of this “new phenomenon of the heaviest metal ever” coming out of Norway (a land as mythical and arcane as Santa’s North Pole to this American kid raised in farm country) through a Swedish pen pal whom I connected with via the now defunct Metal Edge magazine, I was burning with excitement and curiosity about this, as no other kid that I knew, at my age, was remotely cognizant of this sort of thing. (more…)

Editorials

ALL THAT REMAINS Phil Labonte Wants You To Know He's Not Homophobic

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Yesterday, we called out All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte for calling the singer of Black Veil Bridesa "faggot". We weren't the only ones to do so, and since Phil clearly has nothing better to do, he's taken to his social media accounts to defend himself. The gist of my argument was that the dude is a role model and shouldn't be using such degrading language in pointless situations. In the interest of reporting the whole story, here are his responses with a few of my opinions in between.  (more…)

Editorials

ALL THAT REMAINS' Phillip Labonte Is A Homophobic Asshole

Phil Labonte is a homophobe

All That Remains frontman Phillip Labonte is a very opinionated person, not having any qualms with discussing his political views on social networks, and that's all well and good, but a recent status update (seen above) went too far, in this writer's personal opinion. Labonte posted a photo of himself and the vocalist of Black Veil Brides with the caption "So a radio station has a a "vote for your fave song" kinda thing. Now I'm not commenting on our music at all. LOOK AT THIS FUCKING FAGGOT! Lulz." Now, this pissed me off for three reasons: (more…)

Editorials Show Recap

Following 1349 Through The UK

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It’s always been my motto that “I’ll go wherever the music takes me,” and since no place on earth is any further than a plane ride away, my last global metal adventure took me and my trusty camera to Wrexham, Leeds, and Manchester, UK for three EAR-gasmic nights with Norway’s own 1349.

Having last seen 1349 live at Bloodstock exactly two months prior, I’d gotten a chance to observe how well they hold their own on a massive festival stage, and could scarcely wait until they ripped the roof off of the small, intimate venue in Wrexham, which would be my first tour stop. (more…)

Editorials Fuck Yes!

Gruhamed on the West Memphis Three

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On February 5th, 1994, Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley and Jason Baldwin were convicted of the murders of three young children in the "Robin Hood Hills" area of West Memphis, Arkansas. The media frenzy took off immediately as the police and locals of the area started to attribute the murders to a "Satanic" ritual sacrifice. West Memphis police were scrutinized by the local Christian public and rushed to plaster a face onto the evil lurking within their town. The police found their pariahs in three teenagers who questioned authority, listened to Metallica and dressed in black. They were dubbed the West Memphis Three. The crimes spawned the critically acclaimed documentary, Paradise Lost. Originally meant to simply cover the trial, the filmmakers began to construct a feature-length investigative report as inconsistencies and strange events began to reveal themselves. After numerous appeals, public outcry, benefit shows, a second documentary and new DNA evidence, the West Memphis Three are finally free on this day, August 19, 2011. (more…)

A View From Behind The Drumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit: Pre-Show Apocalypse

ViewFromBehindTheDrumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit is a weekly column written by Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish. Follow along as he scribes down some anecdotes and advice from his many years of touring.

Summer of 2001 brought upon some of the most integral elements of Darkest Hour's touring ethical foundations. As a matter of fact, they remain strong and true to this very day. From the ever so classic "Get to the show on time", to the, "Let's leave a little earlier in case we get lost". The proper touring mentality slowly sank within our subconscious and quickly turned us from slacking musicians to somewhat of a professional, touring band. The most standout fundamental lesson that came to light that fateful year for me personally, was the ever so curious act of, "Getting wasted before we play" experiment. An experiment that still lives in prolific infamy in my career. (more…)

Back in the Day

Covenant With A K!

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Once upon a time there was a magical symphonic black metal super group (try saying that 5 times fast) that spent the better half of 1998 inside my disc-man. Yeah, remember those!? Covenant originated as a two man group in 1993 with Nagash, and Blackheart , but it wasn't until they signed a deal with Nuclear Blast and released their sophomore album Nexus Polaris that they caught the attention of the entire metal world. The Album, consisting of members Nagash (Dimmu Borgir, Troll), Blackheart (Troll), Astennu (Dimmu Borgir), Sverd (Arcturus), Sarah Jezebel Deva (Cradle of Filth) and Hellhammer (Mayhem), led to the band's Norwegian Grammy nomination and eventual win, making them the first metal band in history to win a Norwegian Grammy. This had a lot to do with one simple fact, this album fucking rules! (more…)

A View From Behind The Drumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit: Toilet Taboo

ViewFromBehindTheDrumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit is a weekly column written by Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish. Follow along as he scribes down some anecdotes and advice from his many years of touring.

It's never easy to admit defeat. One of the most undeniable hang ups of human beings is simply stomaching the fact that he or she has been warranted incorrect or taken down swiftly. Does it make us better people overall? Sure. Is it humbling and educating? Without a doubt. Yet, much to the touring musician's dismay, these defeatist qualities loom in the shadows on the day to day when surviving on the road. This may seem disheartening for some to ideate that at any given juncture while shedding your blood, sweat, and tears to audiences worldwide, that a manageable occurrence can petition defeat into your life. It's palpable and, unfortunately, an unequivocal possibility. You still with me? Anyone picking up what I'm putting down? If not, don't fear. Let me give you an example of what I'm harboring. (more…)

Editorials It's Just Business

Is Apple Trying To Stop You From Shooting Shows With Their Devices?

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We've all been there before. Perhaps you missed out or want to re-live a concert experience, so you head over to Youtube, make yourself comfortable, and inevitably brace yourself for an hour long cringe-a-thon as you try to stomach the endless supply of crappy phone footage in order to find that one decently shot video you can enjoy, only to realize the best video available from that concert ends before the song does. (more…)

A View From Behind The Drumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit: Do The Walrus

ViewFromBehindTheDrumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit is a weekly column written by Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish. Follow along as he scribes down some anecdotes and advice from his many years of touring. This article shows the brilliant games bands can come up with when on the road together. We present to you… The Walrus!

A person, a beer, a bottle of liquor. Those are the three key ingredients needed when delving into the electrifying world of the Walrus. Its not the animal I'm speaking about mind you, but rather the heroic act involving such significant barbarism and inexplicable liver-damaging devastation that only the chosen few can accomplish it with success. It's the circumnavigating of one's own health and disposition. It's dangerous. It's glamorous. It's absolutely ridiculous. My friends, it's called "Doing the Walrus". (more…)

A View From Behind The Drumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit: One Beer Left!

ViewFromBehindTheDrumkit

Click here for the Polish death metal ad video

A View From Behind The Drumkit is a weekly column written by Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish. Follow along as he scribes down some anecdotes and advice from his many years of touring. You can read the first edition of the column here. This piece focuses on getting your buzz on while on tour…

The concert is over in (insert city here). Your mind casually transitions back to civilized reality as you've once again had the prodigious opportunity to escape through music. You're covered in an ocean of sweat and have managed to meander off of the stage in search of that frothy elixir of goodness that awaits you. It's calling, ever so gently, making its presence known as you migrate towards the rager happening backstage. You can already taste it. My God, it's going to be delicious. Upon entering the chaos, you bulldoze through the vultures and scavengers lingering and partying in the only safe haven available. Beads of condensation stream down the sides of the adult beverage's housing facility, giving the indication its cold, fresh, and ready to consume. One beer left. As you lunge to capture that last bottle of thirst quenching wholesomeness, the unthinkable happens. Some scourge of the Earth you've never seen before wearing Jenko's, a No Fear hoodie with matching wristbands, and splattered with mascara, seizes your liquid tranquility, pops the top, and chugs it in its entirety right before your eyes. The only thought racing through your brain is…

Fuck. (more…)

A View From Behind The Drumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit: EAT IT

ViewFromBehindTheDrumkit

A View From Behind The Drumkit is a new column here at Metal Injection written by Darkest Hour drummer Ryan Parrish. Follow along as he scribes down some anecdotes from his many years of touring. The first column in this series looks at eating on the road.

Imagine with me, if you will… (more…)

Editorials

Meet The Djentlemen in CIRCLES From The Land Down Under

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I have this game I play with myself (not that one you pervert) where I'll take a band like Faith No More, and wonder what they'd sound like if they ever decided to go Djent. Well it's not often I get sent a press release of a new band that strangely describes how I'd imagine this new band to sound like, but I think it just happened. Meet Circles, the 5 piece progressive metal act hailing from Australia. (more…)

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