…AND JUSTICE FOR ART: STORIES ABOUT HEAVY METAL ALBUM COVERS – VOLUME 2: Available Now

New Art Book Featuring Amorphis, Metallica, Slayer, Black Sabbath, Behemoth, Judas Priest, Opeth, Obituary, And More

Veteran metal/rock journalist, Ramón “Oscuro” Martos, has finally published his eagerly awaited metal art book, …AND JUSTICE FOR ART: STORIES ABOUT HEAVY METAL ALBUM COVERS – VOLUME 2. This one-of-a-kind collection of graphics and stories reveals all the particulars behind the making of now-legendary album art including Slayer’s Hell Awaits, Judas Priest’s Screaming For Vengeance, Morbid Angel’s Altars Of Madness, Metallica’s Death Magnetic, Black Sabbath’s Heaven And Hell, Queensrÿche’s Operation: Mindcrime, Emperor’s In The Nightside Eclipse, Death’s The Sound Of Perseverance, Type Of Negative’s Bloody Kisses, Carcass’ Surgical Steel, Amorphis’ Tales From The Thousand Lakes, Soulfly’s Archangel, Behemoth’s The Satanist, Opeth’s Sorceress, and many others. 

The stories behind these iconic works are told through more than one-hundred exclusive interviews with metal icons like Max Cavalera (Soulfly), Jeff Walker (Carcass), Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer), K.K. Downing (ex-Judas Priest), Satyr (Satyricon), David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Luc Lemay (Gorguts), Ihsahn (Emperor), Paul Mazurkiewicz (Cannibal Corpse), Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed), and so many more. Additionally, the collection features insightful interviews with legendary illustrators such as Eliran Kantor, Dan Seagrave, Travis Smith, Valnoir, and Costin Chioreanu, who also designed the book’s stunning front cover. 

“This new book features 252 color pages and more than 400 images. It provides firsthand information about hundreds of graphics, which are presented in extremely high quality,” Ramon Oscuro comments. “Although this is a direct continuation of the first volume published in 2015, it’s also a true standalone book. Readers will be able to discover images and stories that haven’t been published until now. This volume is the product of three years of intense work and insightful research. Working on it was an amazing experience.” 

Several musicians have expressed their enthusiasm for the …AND JUSTICE FOR ART book series. Soulfly’s Max Cavalera — who penned the new book’s foreword — has thanked the author, “for helping to keep alive the ritual of the album cover.” Vltimas/ex-Morbid Angel frontman, David Vincent crowned …AND JUSTICE FOR ART, “a historical document about the importance of metal album covers.” Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan proclaims, “this is exactly what the music world needs to remind us how important album covers have been to all of us that grew up surrounding ourselves with physical media.” 

…AND JUSTICE FOR ART – VOLUME 2 was funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign launched by Oscuro via Indiegogo. The current edition is limited to 300 copies and is exclusively available at THIS LOCATION. Each copy is personally signed by the author.View the book’s teaser video at THIS LOCATION.

BURN THE PRIEST Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Release of New Covers Album, “Legion: XX”

BURN THE PRIEST Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Release of New Covers Album, “Legion: XX”

LAMB OF GOD Return to their Roots on a 10-Track BURN THE PRIEST Album Featuring Covers of Classics by Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, Big Black, Ministry, Melvins, Quicksand and More

Legion: XX – In Stores May 18, 2018 via Epic Records

Watch the Official Music Video for “Inherit The Earth” & Pre-Order Merch Bundles Available via http://Burn-The-Priest.com

Stream “Inherit The Earth” HERE

RIAA-certified, Billboard chart-topping, five-time Grammy nominated Richmond, VA band LAMB OF GOD may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, BURN THE PRIEST, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met vocalist Randy Blythe before adding Chris Adler’s brother, Willie Adler (guitar), prior to transitioning to LAMB OF GOD – and the rest is global metal history.

Guitarist Mark Morton says, “To truly understand the essence of the band BURN THE PRIEST, one must first consider the landscape in which it began: the mid-90s. Grunge and alternative music ruled the airwaves. Social media and the internet had yet to assume their role as our collective sources for entertainment and cultural exchange. It was a time when DIY ‘zines turned us onto new bands and regional scenes, and ‘copy and paste’ still implied a print shop and a glue stick.”

BURN THE PRIEST’s self-titled debut album, released via Philadelphia-based Legion Records, documented what was, in essence, a primal punk band performing metal. Ultimately, as they grew in local popularity, the five-piece chose to stray away from their name to avoid being associated with satanic metal, choosing the name LAMB OF GOD.

As they enter their 20th year since releasing their first self-titled album as BURN THE PRIEST, the band will release a full-length covers album that reflects on the greatness of classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise – rock subgenres that contributed to what LAMB OF GOD – and indeed, the world – now view as modern heavy metal.

As BURN THE PRIEST, the band presents Legion: XX – featuring tracks originally performed by Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front, Quicksand, Ministry, Bad Brains, Melvins, S.O.D., The Accused, Big Black and Richmond punk band Sliang Laos. The tracks are performed with the unmistakable precision that has kept the band vital for two decades, but ultimately harks back to the raw, punk-driven sound first explored by four unsuspecting college students and a line cook-turned-vocalist in their formative years. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, Legion: XX exhibits BURN THE PRIEST in their true element.

Legion: XX will be officially released on May 18, 2018 via Epic Records and will be available for purchase via all physical and digital retailers. Pre-orders and merch bundles are available now via http://Burn-The-Priest.com and fans can stream the first single “Inherit The Earth” here: http://BTP.lnk.to/LegionXX. On street date, a 7″ vinyl version of “Inherit the Earth” featuring a B-side of “In the Meantime” (originally performed by Helmet), will also be available.

Today, fans can watch the brand new BURN THE PRIEST music video for “Inherit The Earth”, originally performed by The Accused, and cut from Legion: XX (video directed by Travis Shinn). Watch here: http://Burn-The-Priest.com

Legion: XX track listing:
1. Inherit The Earth (originally performed by The Accused)
2. Honey Bucket (originally performed by Melvins)
3. Kerosene (originally performed by Big Black)
4. Kill Yourself (originally performed by S.O.D.)
5. I Against I (originally performed by Bad Brains)
6. Axis Rot (originally performed by Sliang Laos)
7. Jesus Built My Hotrod (originally performed by Ministry)
8. One Voice (originally performed by Agnostic Front)
9. Dine Alone (originally performed by Quicksand)
10. We Gotta Know (originally performed by Cro-Mags)

Read more about BURN THE PRIEST and Legion: XX in the brand new cover issue of Decibel Magazine, on newsstands now. You can also pick up a copy by ordering via the Decibel store here. For the first time ever, Decibel has documented the origins of BURN THE PRIEST through interviews with original members and scene staples of the 1990s who unwittingly helped change the face of extreme metal forever.

Photo By: Travis Shinn

CD Review: Teenage BottleRocket “Stealing The Covers”

“Stealing The Covers”
Teenage BottleRocket
Fat Wreck Chords
Tracks: 14

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Teenage BottleRocket’s brand new album and their return to Fat Wreck Chords is complete! “Stealing The Covers” is the latest offering from the 4 piece punk band hailing from Laramie, Wyoming. Pulled from catalogs of bands TBR has toured with over the last 17 years the groups most recent offering is a unique collection of upbeat, tongue and cheek cover tracks that follow suit with the bands previous releases.

Having first heard about the possibility of this album during last years Warped Tour I was more than ready to check it out when the opportunity arose. Right off the bat I noticed that this wasn’t going to be just another punk cover album as while looking at the albums track listing a lot of the song titles where foreign to me as were the bands who originally performed them. No matter, I forged ahead and what I ended up finding was a fun, fresh and energetic album worth listening to multiple times over. Tracks like “Back and Forth”, “Robocop Is a Halfbreed Sellout” and, “Gay Parade” had just about I look for in a solid pop-punk tune.

From humorous lyrics and subject matter to catchy sing along choruses played with a Ramones like fury Teenage Bottlerockets “Stealing The Covers” is a great listen. Don’t let the bands decision to choose more obscure tracks cloud your judgment as I found not knowing some of the music only added to the appeal of the record and gave it a freshness other cover albums lack.

Track Listing:
1. The Way I Know (Varsity Weirdos)
2. Back and Forth (Hollywood Blondes)
3. College Town (Juke)
4. Don’t Go (The Scutches)
5. Robocop Is a Halfbreed Sellout (Sprocket Nova)
6. No Hugging No Learning (HEAD)
7. Shit Fuck God Damn (Artimus Maximus)
8. Gay Parade (The Gullibles)
9. It Came from the Radio (The Blendours)
10. Alien Motion Technology (The Mugwumps)
11. Hat Nerd (The Four Eyes)
12. My Very Best (The 20Belows)
13. I Kill Butterflies (Onion Flavored Rings)
14. Why the Big Pause (The Punchlines)

 

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CD Review: Mathew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs “Under the Covers Vol. 3”

Mathew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs
“Under the Covers Vol. 3”
Shout Factory
Produced by: Mathew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs
Tracks: 14

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Singer song writers Mathew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs are back with their 3rd installment of cover albums titled “Under The Covers Vol.3”. Like their previous two compilations which covered songs from the 60’s and 70’s the latest in the trilogy tackles the widely popular 1980’s. Produced by both Sweet and Hoffs the album is being released via Shout Factory and feature 14 tracks ranging from the obscure to the more popular of 80’s tracks.

When you hear the name Mathew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs it’s hard not to envision the sounds of Sweet’s classic album “Girlfriend” and the countless hits Hoff has sang/played on with her former group The Bangles. Though the two are quite different it’s easy to assume they wouldn’t mix very well however the result is the exact opposite. Since the duo’s first covers album “Under the Covers Vol. 1” in 2006 the two have been steadily releasing more work together. The latest “Under the Covers Vol.3” brings the listener back to the age of stone washed denim, hyper color t-shirts and teased hair. Though Sweet and Hoff chose to cover a few more obscure tracks like R.E.M.’s “Sitting Still” and “The Bulrush” by The Bongos each track is given a fresh spin featuring bubbling pop type arrangements making the album one of those that you can throw on and kick back to while looking through your old year book.

My favorite of the 14 tracks were the renditions of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin” and the always enjoyable Go-Go’s tune “Our Lips Our Sealed”. Even though both of those tracks have had their fair share of reworking by other artists these two renditions were packed with plenty of appeal. My biggest complaint about this album was again that some of the songs were a bit obscure for my liking however I certainly cannot fault the performers for wanting to do something different from an era over flowing with tons of great music.

Track Listing:
1.) Sitting Still
2.) Girls Talk
3.) Big Brown Eyes
4.) Kid
5.) Free Fallin’
6.) Save It For Later
7.) They Don’t Know
8.) The Bulrushes
9.) Our Lips Are Sealed
10.) How Soon Is Now
11.) More Than This
12.) Towers of London
13.) Killing Moon
14.) Trouble