BRAND NEW ELECTRIC SOFT PARADE

It's been some time since the last new music from Electric Soft Parade, six years in fact, therefore an absolute joy to see the lead track / video appear "Brother, You Must Walk Your Path Alone" from forthcoming album 'IDIOTS' due for release on June 17th.

"Brother......" a beautifully whimsical, yet jaunty melody, hides darker lyrical aspects, a brilliant precursor to the full album.  Welcome back guys, always a pleasure to have you around.

 http://electricsoftparade.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/electricsoftparade

@electricsoftparade

FIVE NEW BANDS ADDED TO DAMNATION FESTIVAL

Damnation Festival will proudly host two rare live outings this year, as extreme metal 'supergroup' VALLENFYRE and experimental rock ensemble CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX perform at the event.

They will be joined in Leeds University Union on Saturday, November 2, by Romanian progressive black metallers NEGURA BUNGET, English doom trio MOSS and the sonic assault of Paul Catten's THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT.

Vallenfyre - featuring members of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and At The Gates - will play their only UK show of 2013 at Damnation Festival, which will also be their first appearance outside London.

Founding member and vocalist Greg Mackintosh said: "Since our first UK show last year at Boltfest, we have been looking to follow it up with a northern show.

"Being asked to play Damnation Festival provides us with the perfect opportunity. We are looking forward to spreading some filth and meeting up with some old compadres."

Negura Bunget will also play the festival as an exclusive date.

Drummer Negru said: "Damnation is going to be our one and only UK concert in 2013 so we will definitely make it count!

"Be prepared for a very special Negura Bunget performance, with one of a kind exclusive previews."

And doom laden Moss also promised to make a lasting impression, as the band said: "It's been over 10 years since we last played in the north, in a squat in Manchester in front of eight people.

"So we look forward to finally bringing our doom and gloom back to the northern wastes at Damnation.

"You are in for a fucking horrible night."

Tickets for Damnation Festival 2013 are on sale now and will be held at last year’s price of £32 until this Sunday, March 31 .

To buy tickets, visit http://www.leedstickets.co.uk , the official Damnation Festival website at http://www.damnationfestival.co.uk or facebook.com/damnationfestival

A Nordic Invasion of Manchester

Over the last couple of weeks, Manchester has witnessed a Nordic invasion of monstrous proportions. Our extreme brothers from the frozen wastelands of the North, transforming the city into a Metal Valhalla.

First up, the mighty Kvelertak, producing a rip roaring hardcore performance, culminating in a full on, bass player induced stage invasion.

Check out the Mudkiss review by Dan Woolfie http://www.mudkiss.com/kvelertaklive.htm

And last Thursday, one of the great most legendary metal bands of the last twenty years, Enslaved, ripped NQ Live to shreds with a masterful Progressive show of epic proportions.

http://www.mudkiss.com/enslavednqlive.htm

Enslaved image courtesy of Mike Gattis

The Avett Brothers - Manchester Ritz - 16.03.13

While I can't profess to being The Avett Brothers biggest fan in relation to their recorded work, as a live act, they are up with the best of any genre.  An absolute whirlwind of energy and sheer vitality, which carries you away with the velocity of a twister through tornado alley. In and amongst, however, they strip everything back to a bare minimum, just acoustic guitar and beautifully heart wrenching vocal, capable of reducing all present to quivering, tearful wrecks.

Below, two examples highlighting the sheer range of talent the North Carolina brothers brought to the Ritz in Manchester last night. An epic version of "Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise" finds the whole band in epic mode........

While "The Ballad of Love and Hate" exemplifies their complete opposite, within it's sparse tenderness.

 
Fan of live music, needs to put these siblings and their incredible band very close the top of any "Bands to see before you die" wish list.

MUDKISS UPDATES JANUARY / FEBRUARY

Check out the Mudkiss updates for January / February including amongst many others, interviews with Tommy Kessler of Blondie and The Virginmarys, live reviews of The Bronx and Jake Bugg, a single of the month from Talanas, Johnny Marr solo recording making an album of the month feature, plus the regular monthly singles / EP and album updates.    

http://www.mudkiss.com/apps/blog/show/21758621-january-february-2013

And here's a great live review of Andy Burrows at my favourite venue, The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds including video of a thoroughly gorgeous track.  I need to investigate Mr Burrows solo material further.

 http://www.mudkiss.com/andyburrowslive.htm

BULL-RIFF STAMPEDE INTERVIEW

Only very recently has debut Bull-Riff Stampede album ‘Scatter the Ground’ appeared on my metal radar, although over the last few days, become an ever present on any available audio device. Initial listens suggest heads down, no nonsense thrash fest of absolutely incredible intensity and dexterity, but take time to breathe and digest fully, additional depth and layers arise. Whiplash sharp vocals are supplemented by warp speed riffage and shredding as the “Central Embodiment of Evil” and “Thrashing Machine” onslaught commences, before “Bled to Arena’s” elongated grinding intro takes precedent, pending speed flexing once more. “My Worst Nightmare” proves my album stand out track, initial velocity absolutely breathtaking prior more changes in tack than a pedalo adrift in the Bay of Biscay. Throughout, the rhythm section blitzkrieg manifests feelings of castrated bullock herds using craniums for kicking practice.  Just a brief section of acoustic guitar providing temporary and surely, necessary respite.  “Mask of Five Skulls” presents a chugging monolithic beast, “No Regrets” lays influence firmly At the Gates and “Ten” suggests Nu-Metal tendency, the only “Solace” from sheer brutality found in the final two minutes of recorded time.   

Check out the Mudkiss interview with Jay from the band.

 

MUDKISS MONSTROUS MARCH ALBUM REVIEWS

The Mudkiss album review team has been incredibly hard at work over the last few weeks putting together an absolute cornucopia of new music thoughts, check em out below starting with the album of the month

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away - Review by mary O'Meara

Followed by the musing of yours truly, taking on a piece of modern classical Agnes Szelag and Jason Hoopes, plus more excellent work by  Den Browne, Mike Ainscoe, Nigel Cartner, Murray Fenton, Paul Hastings, Brett Dunford and Kate Sheard. 

     Bitter Springs - Everyone’s Cup Of Tea
    Band of Holy Joy - City of Tales, 1985-2012
    Klaus Dinger & Japandorf -  Japandorf
    Billy Bragg - Tooth And Nail
    Heidi Talbot - Angels Without Wings
    Bullet For My Valentine – Temper Temper
    Steve Hackett - Dark Town
    Faustus - Broken Down Gentleman
    The Courteeners - Anna
    My Bloody Valentine – MBV
    Stiv Cantarelli - Black Music/White Music
    Mad Season - Above
    How to Destroy Angels - Welcome Oblivion
    Pure Love -Anthems
    The Virginmarys -King of Conflict
    Pissed Jeans - Honeys
    Transvision Vamp - Pop Art / Velveteen
    Buckcherry - Confessions
    Voodoo Swing - Fast Cars, Guitars, Tattoos and Scars
    The Delta Bombers - Wolf
    Agnes Szelag and Jason Hoopes - October Pieces  

http://www.mudkiss.com/mammothmarchreviews.htm