By: Philip Sayblack

When a legend, such as Joe Satriani recognizes a guitarist for his or her talent, that is a telling statement that.  That is exactly what happened for Sammy Boller in 2012 in Guitar Center’s “Master Satriani” class.  Following that high praise, Boller’s fame and success has only increased.  His debut album Kingdom of the Sun (released in 2020) was welcomed by audiences and critics alike.  He has also become an online star and even been invited to be a guest columnist for Guitar Player magazine, which is one of the most respected publications for the guitar community.  Now his star is set to shine even more with the recent release of his EP, Midnight Garden.  Released Nov. 7 through Mantra Records, the 7-song instrumental presentation is an enjoyable jumping on point for new audiences and an equally positive offering for his already millions of established audiences.  That is proven from the beginning to the end of this 22-minute record.  Each of the seven songs featured herein make for so much for audiences to appreciate.  That is because of their diverse sounds and styles.  ‘The Mapmaker’ is just one of the songs that stands out in that regard.  The same can be said of the EP’s title track and ‘the vinyl exclusive bonus track, ‘Mother Light.’  Each song noted is important in its own way to the whole of this EP.  When the songs noted here are considered alongside the rest of the EP’s entries, the whole therein makes Midnight Garden easily one more of the best of this year’s new EPs.
Midnight Garden, the recently released new EP from Sammy Boller, is a strong new musical statement from the up-and-coming guitarist.  Not that Boller needed the extra push, considering the fame he has already achieved in just a decade.  Even with that in mind, the record is sure to help continue cementing him as one of the next big names in the guitar community.  This is proven in every one of the diverse arrangements featured in this presentation, not the least of which being ‘The Mapmaker.’  ‘The Mapmaker’ stands out because it is so starkly unlike the rest of the guitar-driven songs featured throughout the EP.  The electronics and the urban beats incorporated into this contemplative composition make it such a rich, immersive presentation.  Liner notes were not presented with the album’s downloadable copy so it is not known what the song is about, so one is left to contemplate here maybe the mapmaker being a euphemism of sorts for a person who travels, thus seeing and discovering so many places, how it must feel, perhaps uncertain at times.  It certainly would have been interesting to know the story behind this song.  Either way, it is such a deep performance that audiences are certain to appreciate.
‘Midnight Garden,’ which is included in the EP’s second half, is another standout addition to the record.  Boller’s fret work here alongside the rich bass line and percussion immediately elicits comparison to works from the likes of Animals as Leaders early on.  As the song progresses however, the comparison turns more toward modern ballads.  The introduction once again of the electronics here give the arrangement even more of its own unique identity, thus immersing listeners just as much into this song.  The whole establishes a warm, welcome mindset that almost establishes a certain sense of nostalgia.  Keeping that in mind, this shows even more what makes this song stand out as part of the EP’s body. 
‘Mother Light,’ which is included exclusively in the EP’s vinyl pressing as a bonus track, is yet one more notable addition to the record, showing the diversity in the arrangements’ style and the power in the compositions.  In the case of this song, which is largely driven by the chords played gently on the piano and the strong but controlled guitar line immediately makes for comparison to some of the softer, more emotional songs recorded by Black Label Society.  How’s that for a comparison, especially considering what has already been examined?  Boller’s work here is right up there alongside that of Zakk Wylde.  Zakk, are you reading this?  That is the case even as the song comes in at just under two-and-a-half minutes.  Boller and the pianist here (again no liner notes were provided so credit where due whomever said musician is) make the song feel so much longer in the best way possible as the pair’s work fully immerses audiences in the work.  It is one of those songs that is sure to pull at any listener’s heartstrings.  To that end it shows clearly its identity separate from the rest of the EP’s works.  When the diversity in the songs examined here is considered alongside that of the rest of the record’s songs, the whole therein leaves no doubt that this record is a special presentation that deserves to be heard.
Midnight Garden, the recently released new EP from Sammy Boller, is a welcome addition to this year’s field of new EPs.  That is proven through the diversity of the songs that make up its body, as has been shown here.  From a work that conjures comparison to works from Black Label Society to works that are comparable to those of Animals as Leaders, Dream Theater and even Scale the Summit, the whole makes this presentation such an impressive, immersive work.  All things considered they make Midnight Garden one of the best of this year’s new EPs.
Midnight Garden is available now.  More information on the EP is available along with all of Sammy Boller’s latest news at:
Website: https://sammyboller.com
Facebook: https://profile.php?id=100050198542241#

By: Philip Sayblack
​So close but so far away.  The end of this old year is so close but still just that far away.  It is just far away enough that there is still time to go through some more new music released this year.  To that end, in this case, this critic is taking a look at the debut album from up-and-coming rock act Speed Queen, With a Bang.  Released early this past September through High Roller Records, this 10-song album is an interesting first full-length outing from the band.  That is proven in no small part through its musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany the noted musical material makes for its own interest and will be examined a little later.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole and will also be examined later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of With a Bang.  All things considered they make this 42-minute record a presentation worth hearing at least once.
With a Bang, the recently released debut album from Speed Queen, is a presentation that metal purists will find well worth hearing at least once.  That is due in large part to the musical arrangements featured throughout the album.  Much like their counterparts in the so-called New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal,” which include the likes of Kryptos, Dagger, and Leather Heart, the band presents arrangements that throw back to the golden age of metal and hard rock.  Influences of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and even early Metallica are obvious throughout the course of the record what with the intense up-tempo guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and driving rhythms.  Audiences could even make comparison to early works from Megadeth and Anthrax throughout the album’s arrangements.  Even with that in mind, the arrangements still manage to maintain their own identity, to their credit.  To that end, the arrangements give metal purists at least some reason to take in this record.
While the musical arrangements featured throughout this album form a powerful base for the record, they are just part of what makes the presentation of note.  The lyrical themes that accompany the musical arrangements make for their own interest.  From celebrating rock and the rock lifestyle to dealing with personal relationships, to mental health, the themes featured throughout the record are fully familiar and accessible.  The album’s opener, ‘Showdown’ is a key example of that theme of celebrating the rock lifestyle.  This is proven as front man Thomas Kenis sings, “Light the lights/It’s showtime tonight/Brace yourself/Prepare for a fight/Bang your head/Scream as loud as you can/Raising hell/Let the madness begin/Legions in leather/Hellions to gather/United and unstoppable/No one will own us/And nothing will rule us/Adrenaline comes to the boil/Showdown tonight/The boys are back/With fire in their eyes/Shootout/That’s right/You can’t run/You can’t hide.”  This is a clear celebration of rock and metal that has been done so many times before by other bands, but is still as fist-pump encouraging as ever even in this case.  The rest of the song continues in similar fashion, with Kenis mentioning turning up the volume and the “heavy metal storm about to unfold.”  Again, here is that celebration of rock that is sure to put a smile on any metal purist’s face.  Simply put, this is just one example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.
Another noteworthy lyrical theme presented in this album comes in ‘The World Ends Tonight.’  One of the entries in the album’s second half, this song comes across as that familiar examination of a personal relationship struggle.  This as Kenis sings, “I tear off the mask/Spit out the trash/I made it through the day/Had to live through night/On to the dawn/Did you have something to say/You bark/I BITE/I’m down for a fight/Only one will survive/The world ends tonight/You weren’t used to being alone/Yet you didn’t want me at home/Now you’re stuck with nowhere to run/You are on your own/You hide/AND FIGHT/It eats you alive/From the inside out/Your world ends tonight/That house is no home/You’re trapped in a hole.”  What is so interesting here is that this does not necessarily have to relate to romantic relationship gone sour.  It could just as easily be a story of a person getting out of a toxic household situation.  Children grow up, realize their relationships with their parents was always toxic and finally decide to leave.  It could just as easily help people who have gone through this situation.  Keeping that in mind, that accessibility, that reach, makes this another strong entry to the album in regard to the lyrical themes.
Yet one more example of the strength of the album’s lyrical content comes in the form of ‘I Want It.’  This song, which comes early in the album’s run, comes across as that familiar statement of defiance, of finding one’s personal identity.  This is inferred as Kenis sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “All I know/Is that I want it all/I can feel it inside/From head to toe/’Cause the time is right/And I want it now/I’ll warp my hands around it anyhow/I feel it calling out for me/Hold on to something you believe/You know it’s calling out for you/Screaming for more/You want it, too/I want it/I need it/I’ll make it mine/This feeling/Can’t stop it/Sends shivers down my spine.”  He expands on this theme in the second verse, singing, “I woke up one day/Unsatisfied/There is so much more/That my heart desires/I keep taking more/Until I have it all/No compromise/I’ll take what is mine/No one will ever push me ‘round/No grave can hold my body down/Nothing will make me back away/The entire world belongs to me.”  That determination, that sense of refusing to give up is that drive to be one’s own person; to have that identity and success in life.  It is delivered in a straightforward, accessible fashion, leading to plenty of appreciation for the message here, too.  When this message is considered along the other lyrical themes discussed here and that group along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content, the whole therein gives audiences reason in itself to take in this record.
Putting the final touch to the album’s presentation is its production.  This is where things get a little bit interesting.  Throughout the course of the album’s first half, the band wastes very little time between songs, going immediately from one to the next.  On the surface, this is a good thing because it keeps the album’s energy moving.  At the same time, it can also lead audiences feeling overwhelmed because in general listeners need a moment to come down from such energy.  The band takes the exact opposite approach to the album’s second half.  From the end of ‘Chasing Ghosts’ – the album’s midpoint – on, each transition in the second half actually gives listeners a moment to relax before the next song starts.  Had the song transitions, as they pertain to the production, been more widespread, it would have definitely helped the overall presentation herein, not only as it pertains to production but the overall general presentation.  Keeping all of this in mind, the production herein is both positive and negative, so it helps the album at least somewhat.  To that end, the production works with the album’s overall content to make the listening experience worth it and the album worth hearing at least once.
With a Bang, the debut full-length studio recording from Speed Queen, is an interesting first outing for the up-and-coming New Wave of Traditional Metal outfit.  That is proven in part through the record’s musical arrangements.  The arrangements will easily appeal to fans of the bands that clearly influenced Speed Queen and their contemporaries.  That includes veteran acts, such as Metallica, Megadeth, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements add to the interest because of their familiarity and accessibility.  They include the familiar themes of personal relationship struggles, personal struggles, and of course celebrating rock and the rock lifestyle, and are presented in a fashion that makes it easy for audiences to identify said themes.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole.  It is actually both a positive and negative aspect of the record, as maybe the songs should have been sequenced differently.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of this album.  All things considered they make With a Bang a mostly successful debut for Speed Queen.
With a Bang is available now through High Roller Records.  More information on the album is available along with all of Speed Queen’s latest news at  https://facebook.com/speedqueenofficial. 

By: Philip Sayblack

​For those who might have not heard or read already, Testament announced recently, it will launch a new tour this coming spring in the form of the “Thrash of the Titans Tour.”  Set to kickoff March 14 in Portland, OR and run through Apr. 10 in Berkeley, CA, the 20-date tour is in support of the band’s latest album, Para Bellum.  Released Oct. 10 through Nuclear Blast Records (which also released the band’s previous four albums), the 10-song record is easily one of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums.  This has already been proven through the trio of singles that the album has produced so far – ‘Infanticide A.I.,’ ‘Shadow People,’ and ‘High Noon.’  Those songs are just a snapshot of what makes Para Bellum such an impressive new record.  The album offers plenty of other songs that do just as well to display the album’s power.  Just one of those other notable entries comes late in the 50-minute record in the form of ‘Room 117.’  The album’s title track,’ which closes out the record, is another welcome to the presentation, as is ‘Witch Hunt.’  All three songs noted here collectively do just as much to exhibit what makes Para Bellum a success.  When that trio of songs is considered alongside the already released singles, and that whole with the remainder of the album’s entries, the whole therein makes Para Bellum in whole one more of this year’s best new hard rock and metal albums.
Para Bellum, the latest full-length studio recording from Testament, is a welcome new offering from the band that holds its own against this year’s massively overcrowded field of notable new hard rock and metal albums.  The trio of singles that the record has already produced easily support said statement.  They are just a snapshot of what makes this album a success.  There are plenty of other songs that show that success just as much.  ‘Room 117,’ which is included in the album’s second half, is just one of those other songs that shows the album’s strength.  The song stands out in part through its musical arrangement, which is a full throttle trash metal composition that holds its own against anything that the band’s contemporaries have churned out this year and even in recent memory.  Something really interesting here is front man Chuck Billy’s vocal delivery here.  He sounds like Megadeth front man/founder Dave Mustaine interestingly enough.  All that considered, the musical arrangement featured in this song makes for its own share of engagement and entertainment.
The lyrical content featured alongside that musical content adds to the interest as it seems to hint at a person laying on their deathbed in a hospital, seeing all of the spirits around them as their final minutes pass.  This is inferred as Billy sings, “Surrounded by insanity/screams/They go unheard/There’s no humanity/Thoughts of life/Seem so absurd/You’re praying for a painless death/the madness does not cease/Medication majesty/To bring me some relief/Machines help you breathe/You’re trapped inside a dream/You will never leave Room 116.  Odds are the room number is random, but the picture painted is all too familiar.  It is that of someone left to lay there in that hospital bed, tied to those machines, wanting the pain medication.  He continues the rich visual as he sings in the song’s second verse, “Traumatized by memories/Where am I today/Eyes alight/I never sleep/Just keep on twisting in this grave/Searching for the sanctity/My dignity’s destroyed/There’s no easing of the pain/When you’re entering the void.”  From there the person laying in that bed talks about feeling “lonely” and “helpless” before mentioning hearing “a voice call/Hallucinations.”  This goes right in line with what so many stories have said of people having near death and final moments.  The picture painted here is so vivid.  The musical arrangement fits with the range of emotions felt by the person laying in that hospital bed.  It would have been just as easy to have had the arrangement been more brooding, but what is presented here works just as well.  To that end, this song is another prime example of how much Para Bellum has to offer audiences.
One more song that serves to show the album’s strength comes in the form of the record’s title track.  Also serving as the album’s closer, the arrangement here clocks in at just over six-and-a-half minutes.  As is the case with ‘Room 117’ listeners get in ‘Para Bellum’ another solid thrash composition.  Its heavy, chugging opening bars quickly give way to the full on presentation that interestingly becomes increasingly intense as the song progresses, or at least seems to do so.  Billy stated in multiple interviews that the title of this album is Latin, for “Prepare for War.”  It makes sense in the case of this song, too.  This as the song here points at a discussion on the internal conflict within this country.  This as Billy sings, “Eyes of a serpent/Stare at a venomous past/Spitting their lies/While they keep on the course of the path/Anguish and pain/Broadcasting hatred unclear/Cloak of deception/Hides voices of fear/Minions/They gather/Nothing is holding them back/Climbing the walls/For which they were sent to attack/Breaking the lines/Smashing the door/Lock the gates/A radical mob/Imposing their will and their hate/Unknowing/Forgoing/What does our future hold/Controlling/Disowning/Our rights cannot be sold/People shout/You will never keep us out.”  If ever there was a clear depiction of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection by Donald Trump’s minions, this is it.  Billy closes the whole by asking “What are you fighting for?”  People have asked that question ever since his minions stormed the United States Capitol all those years ago.  They were clearly brainwashed.  Ever since that day, it seems like America has been preparing for war, even more so now than then.  It is scary.  Americans not brainwashed by Donald Trump know what we are fighting for.  The other side however, does not seem to know or care.  To that end, this song is, musically and lyrically, a powerful final statement from this album and yet another example of how much the record has to offer audiences.
Yet one more example of the album’s strength comes in the form of ‘Witch Hunt.’  This song has nothing to do with Trump (despite how much he loves to use the phrase).  Rather, it comes across as a commentary on how humans have conducted so many real/figurative witch hunts ever since those that blemished the history of Salem and the Puritans.  This is inferred as Billy sings, “So redundant/And viciously obscene/How the rhetoric has come into the light/All involved/To hold accountability/For all of those/Who have been a disgrace/The vile content/That roams across the universe/But never seems to play by the rules/Interrogation/falsely accused/This committee is all made up of fools.”  That last line seems to point to the people behind Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s witch hunt against people accused of being communists during the Cold War.  Billy adds to that seeming discussion in the chorus, singing, “Execution/Their authority/Investigating all those dirty deeds/Insinuating/Stealing liberties/Again and again.”  Those in power think it is their right, their duty to “execute” those they deem guilty.  It is something we have seen those in power – those evil people in power – do time and again throughout America’s history.  It plays further into the album’s title, as it reminds us we must prepare for war even as it pertains to fighting such people in power.    We see Republicans in Congress doing all of this to this day. 
Billy further adds in the song’s second verse “Subjugation/And no end in sight/As it turns into a one-sided fight/The moral compass/The ethics involved/Seems to be directed/Like a firing squad.”  Again, we are seeing this so much today.  One need just pick up a newspaper or watch the news and it becomes fully visible.  We need to prepare for the war that is here in this vein, too.  To that end, this song just in its lyrical content, proves in itself what makes this album so strong. The intense, almost Slayer-esque approach that the band took to the song’s arrangement furthers the anger meant to be displayed in the lyrics.  The whole makes ‘Witch Hunt’ such a strong addition to the album in its own right.  When this song in whole is considered alongside the other songs examined here and that group along with the album’s singles and the rest of its entries, the whole makes Para Bellum one of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums.
Para Bellum, the latest album from Testament, is a powerful new offering from the veteran thrash metal act.  From its beginning to its end, its collective content is sure to engage and audiences.  The singles that the record has already produced have made that clear.  The songs examined here do much the same as do the rest of the album’s entries.  The whole makes Para Bellum a presentation that is easily one more of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums.
Para Bellum is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of Testament’s latest news (including new of its forthcoming tour) at:
Website: http://www.testamentlegions.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/testamentlegions
Twitter: http://twitter.com/testament

By: Philip Sayblack

​Christmas is less than a week away, and no doubt with only days left until the big day, we are all beyond sick and tired of hearing the same holiday standards being played on radios in stores and in vehicles for yet another year.  Keeping that in mind, Wicked Cool Records is offering audiences still looking for an alternative for that annoyingly tired music with a collection of new holiday covers in the star-studded compilation, It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas.  Released Dec. 5, this 11-song compilation is such a breath of fresh air for every person looking to escape the clutches of those noted tired old songs that we hear year in and year out.  One of the most notable of the entries in this set comes from veteran independent singer-songwriter Ryan Hamilton in the form of his take of ‘To Heck With Ole Santa Claus.’  Fellow independent artist Kurt Baker offers audiences his own enjoyable performance of ‘Christmas in the Sand (Mistletoe Mix).’  The Dollyrots’ cover of the timeless New Year’s Eve song, ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is yet another enjoyable addition to the collection.  When it and the other songs noted here are considered alongside the rest of the record’s entries, the whole makes It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas a wicked cool collection of lesser-known holiday tunes that deserves so much attention.
Wicked Cool Records’ new holiday music compilation, It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas is the most welcome addition to this year’s field of new seasonal sounds.  That is because the music that makes up the record’s body is anything but that annual bunch of tired, all to familiar fare.  It goes in a completely different direction from those other holiday compilations, giving attention to a whole new batch of classic holiday tunes.  One of the most notable of the songs featured here is Ryan Hamilton’s cover of ‘To Heck With Ole Santa Claus.’  Made famous by country music legend Loretta Lynn (the true queen of country music, may she rest in peace), this song is welcome because it is so cynical.  It is not that happy, happy, joy, joy junk that audiences hear this time of year everywhere.  That likely is why it never receives the attention it deserves.  What is so interesting here is that while Lynn’s rendition is pure classic (true) country, there is a weird similarity in the sound of Lynn’s vocal delivery to that of Hamilton’s own vocal presentation.  There is a certain sharpness within his nasal sound that makes his performance so akin to Lynn’s that makes his performance so endearing in its own way.  The rockabilly approach that Hamilton takes here works just as well considering the link that rockabilly has to country music.
The energy in the overall musical performance here works well on its own.  Add in the song’s noted cynical lyrical content and the song in whole becomes even more impacting as Hamilton sings, “To heck with ole Santa Claus/When he goes dashing through the snow/I hope he falls/Well I’d love to hit him in his Ho Ho Ho/With a bunch of snowballs/To heck with ole’ Santa Claus.”  Hamilton does not have to be forceful here.  He is just straight forward and that edge that he brings to the statement makes that anger and frustration hit home here.  Too bad most radio stations and public businesses will not play this song or even Loretta Lynn’s take on the song because it surely is a welcome change of pace for the holiday season that we all need considering its reality.
Ryan Hamilton’s take of ‘To Heck With Ole Santa Claus’ is just one of the notable entries in this record.  Fellow independent singer-songwriter Kurt Baker’s updated take of Colbie Callait’s ‘Christmas in the Sand’ (dubbed the Mistletoe Mix) is another welcome addition to the compilation.  Baker changes not only the musical arrangement from Callait’s original, but also much of the lyrical body.  Where Callait’s rendition of this song is far too much like so many seasonal pop songs from female artists (they try too hard to emulate Mariah Carey, who herself is annoying what with that god awful song she is known for performing) Baker turns this song on its ear (thank goodness) and actually improves on the Callait’s presentation.  He actually gives the song a fun, light touch alongside his fellow musicians. 
As noted, the musical arrangement is not the only improvement that Baker makes on Callait’s song.  He also improves on the song’s lyrical content.  Baker tells audiences as the song progresses, “It’s that time of year again/The autumn has come to an end/Holiday songs and parties too/The lights are bright/But I’m feeling blue/It’s Christmas/I’ve waited so long/the good list/All year I’ve been on/Family and friends are near/but I can’t find that Christmas cheer/It’s hard to let that feeling grow/When all I see is ice and snow/I need the sun/I need the sand/I need a blonde beach babe beside me getting tanned/Oh I long to be in the summer sun/With my special one/One of these days/I’ll run away/Maybe in Kokomo/Or somewhere down that way/Wouldn’t it be grand/If we could spend this Christmas in the sand.”  Again, that mention of being somewhere sunnier and warmer gives the song its own beachy sense but also gives the song a whole new identity along with the musical arrangement.  The sound of people mingling and talking in the background is subtle but adds so much to the presentation in that subtle simplicity.  Baker continues in the song’s second verse, “I don’t wanna deck the halls/I’m having summertime withdrawal/My friends all seem to question me/It’s Christmas/Why aren’t you happy/So bring the wine and mistletoe/I know a place where we can go.”  Simply put, Baker’s take on Callait’s song is the anti-‘White Christmas’ and the polar opposite of her song.  Callait’s song is just a holiday beachy fantasy of sorts with way too much pop lean and no real content.  Baker’s song is more that statement that a person does not have to give in to the brainwashed belief that “it’s not Christmas without snow.”  On another note, he also serves the start a discussion on that societal belief that we should all be so happy during this time of year.  That is garbage.  It is ok if a person is not all happy and joyful and bright and that a person does not want to celebrate cold weather.  It is just a wholly different song herein and so welcome.  To that end, it is another example of what makes this compilation so enjoyable.
Yet one more notable addition to It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas is the record’s closer, the Dollyrots’ cover of the New Year’s Eve standard ‘Auld Lang Syne.’  Originally composed by Robert Burns as a poem in 1788, this song has been performed year in and year out on New Year’s Eve and at other functions around the world, including graduations and even funerals.  In the case of the performance here, the band stays true to the song we all know.  At the same time, the punk lean that the band brings to the song for some reason conjures thoughts of Dropkick Murphys in the best way possible.  Maybe that is just because of the band’s cover of ‘Amazing Grace’ for which it has come to be known, what with the punk approach the band brought to that song.  Either way, The Dollyrots’ take of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ here is so fun and another welcome change from that same old same old that audiences have come to know for decades and a fitting finale for the record, considering that New Year’s Eve follows all of the festivities surrounding Christmas.  Keeping that in mind, the song is one more solid example of how much It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas has to offer audiences.  When it and the other songs examined are considered alongside the rest of the record’s entries (including Steve Conte’s cover of The Kinks’ holiday protest song, ‘Father Christmas’) the whole makes this compilation a rare shining gem among this year’s field of otherwise boring seasonal music offerings.
It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas, the recently released holiday music compilation from Wicked Cool Records, is such a welcome entry in this year’s field of new seasonal music offerings.  That is because on one level, it takes on songs that are otherwise not typically played widely during this time of year.  To that end, it is a great way to introduce audiences to such music (and even to artists whom audiences might otherwise not have typically taken in).  The covers themselves are unique, as is evidenced through each of the songs examined here.  When those songs are examined alongside the rest of the record’s entries, the whole therein makes It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas an aptly titled record that audiences who have tired of the same old same old this and every holiday season.  They make it a diamond in the rough that stands as the best of this year’s seasonal music offerings.
It’s a Wicked Cool Christmas is available now through Wicked Cool Records.  More information on this and other titles from Wicked Cool Records is available at:
Website: https://wickedcoolrecords.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/WickedCoolRecords
X: https://x.com/wickedcool_nyc

By: Philip Sayblack

Megadeth has kicked off the weekend with another preview of its forthcoming album.
The band unveiled its new single, ‘Let There Be Shred‘ Friday. the song is the record’s third single behind ‘Tipping Point‘ and the recently premiered single, ‘I Don’t Care.‘ Front man and founder Dave Mustaine addressed the song’s musical arrangement briefly in a prepared statement.
“This song is fast and furious,” said Mustaine. “Know it! It has a very hooky chorus that draws you in and you can’t help but play air guitar and headbang to this one.”
Mustaine is correct. Building on his statement, the arrangement throws back to some of the more up-tempo compositions that Megadeth has produced in its earliest days, which is sure to appeal to plenty of audiences. Additionally, audiences can make comparison to works from Motorhead at the same time, what with the sound and style presented here.
No information was presented in the news release announcing the premiere of the new single and its video, but the lyrics presented with the video make clear that the song is simply a tribute to being on stage, in front of audiences and playing loud and fast.
The song’s video finds Mustaine and others in a Fight Club style combat tournament, with Mustaine himself being one of the combatants. He addressed the treatment in a separate statement.
“It’s the second video from the new record that we made with Keith [Leman], who also directed ‘I Don’t Care,’ said Mustaine. “It was a blast to make and it’s a tribute to my first Sensei, Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez and my Professor, Reggie Almieda. Everyone on the set was really stoked to see each of us do our stunts. In the end, we got the balance of shredding and ass kicking just right!”
In other news, Megadeth also recently announced the details for its first tour schedule of 2026. The tour is scheduled to kick off Feb. 15 in Victoria, BC. The first string of dates will take the band across Canada through March 6 in Quebec City, QC. The forthcoming tour includes stops scheduled in Calgary AB; Saskatoon, SK and Moncton, NB.
Megadeth will be joined by some well-known friends for its up coming Canadian run. Exodus and Anthrax will join the tour as special guests.
The tour’s schedule is noted below:
MEGADETH’s Canadian tour dates are as follows:
Sunday, February 15, 2026 Victoria, BC Save On Foods Memorial Centre
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Abbotsford, BC Rogers Forum
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Kelowna, BC Prospera Place
Friday, February 20, 2026 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
Saturday, February 21, 2026 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Winnipeg, MB Canada Life Centre
Saturday, February 28, 2026 London, ON Canada Life Place
Sunday, March 1, 2026 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Halifax, NS Scotiabank Centre
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Moncton, NB Avenir Centre
Friday, March 6, 2026 Québec City, QC Videotron CentreMore information on Megadeth’s new tour schedule is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://megadeth.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/megadeth
Twitter: https://twitter.com/megadeth

By: Philip Sayblack

​Fresh on the heels of releasing its latest album, Testament has announced details for a supporting tour.
The band announced Tuesday via a news release, it will kick off the “Thrash of the Titans Tour” March 14 in Portland, OR. The tour, which will also include Overkill and Destruction as support, is scheduled to run through Apr. 10 in Berkeley, CA. It includes stops in cities, such as Detroit, MI; Dallas, TX and Reading, PA.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. local time Friday. The tour’s schedule is noted below:
TESTAMENT’s“Thrash of the Titans” US Tour Dates: 
Mar 14 – Portland, OR – Roseland theater
Mar 15 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
Mar 16 – Salt Lake City, UT – Rockwell at the Complex
Mar 18 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
Mar 20 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
Mar 21 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
Mar 22 – Chicago, IL – Ramova Theatre
Mar 24 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
Mar 25 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom
Mar 27 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Mar 28 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Mar 29 – Reading, PA – Club Reverb
Mar 31 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater
Apr 1 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
Apr 3 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
Apr 4 – Dallas, TX – The Bomb Factory
Apr 5 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre
Apr 8 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
Apr 9 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco
Apr 10 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre (No Overkill)
Testament’s latest album, Para Bellum was released this fall. The album has produced three singles to date: ‘High Noon,’ ‘Shadow People,’ and ‘Infanticde A.I.‘
More information onTestament’s new tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: http://www.testamentlegions.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/testamentlegions
Twitter: http://twitter.com/testament

Rising rock juggernaut SATURNS DOWNFALL launches into an entirely new stratosphere with the release of their electrifying new single, “Chasing Gravity,” a high-voltage collision of intensity, atmosphere, and raw alt-metal power. The track marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for the band as they sharpen their sonic identity and push their artistic boundaries further than ever before.

​With “Chasing Gravity,” SATURNS DOWNFALL fuses soaring vocals, relentless grooves, and cosmic-scale production into a song that feels both weightless and crushing at the same time. The result: an undeniable anthem built for massive stages, late-night drives, and fans who crave music that hits on every emotional frequency.

About “Chasing Gravity” 
Brady Hearn - “Chasing Gravity’ came from one of the most honest places we’ve ever written from. Every beat and every lyric carries the weight of what we’ve lived through. It’s raw, it’s emotional, and it represents exactly who we are at our core.”

Colby Bennett - “The song is a look inside addiction’s grip — the highs, the lows, and the fight to rise above the force that keeps pulling you back down.”

By: Philip Sayblack

Soulfly will join Gwar for a North American tour in early 2026.
The announcement was made Monday in a news release. According to information provided in the document, the “Gor-Gor Strikes Back Tour” is scheduled to kick off March 19 in Richmond, VA and to run through Apr. 29 in Charlotte, NC. It includes stops in cities, such as Columbus, OH; Green Bay, WI and San Diego, CA. King Parrot will also join the tour as special guest alongside Soulfly.
Soulfly founder and front man Max Cavalera said in a prepared statement, he was looking forward to the upcoming tour.
“I can’t wait for Soulfly to storm the gates with Gwar!!,” said Cavalera.  “I’m excited to be part of one of the coolest tours of 2026!  “Soulfly bringing the Chama tribal energy and Gwar, the ultimate theatrical madness band! I have been a fan of Gwar for a long time. It will be an honor to support them! Come on out and party with us every night!!”
The Berserker Blothar, Gwar’s vocalist, shared Cavalera’s sentiment.
“GWAR, Soulfly and King Parrot. This tour will be a ritual orgy of death, sex, violence and rock and fu**ing roll!!,” said Blothar. “Let the severed heads rain, bouncing down the pyramid onto a heap of human skulls. Be there humans, or be left to suffer on this planet while we party in the stars!”
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. local time Friday. The tour’s schedule is noted below:
Confirmed dates for SOULFLY joining headliners GWAR on ‘The Gor Gor Strikes Back Tour’ with KING PARROT are:
03.19.2026  Richmond, VA @ The National
03.20.2026  Reading, PA @ Reverb
03.21.2026  Albany, NY @ Empire Live
03.22.2026  Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
03.24.2026  Hartford, CT @ The Webster
03.25.2026  Wilmington, DE @ The Queen
03.26.2026  Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
03.27.2026  Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
03.28.2026  Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
03.29.2026  Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
03.31.2026  Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
04.01.2026  St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
04.02.2026  Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
04.03.2026  Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere’s
04.04.2026  Saginaw, MI @ The Vault
04.05.2026  Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Events Center
04.07.2026  Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
04.08.2026  Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
04.09.2026  Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
04.10.2026  Lawrence, KS @ The Granada
04.12.2026  Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater
04.14.2026  Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
04.15.2026  Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall
04.17.2026  Sacramento, CA @ Channel 24
04.18.2026  Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco
04.19.2026  San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
04.20.2026  Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater
04.21.2026  Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
04.23.2026  Austin, TX @ Emo’s
04.24.2026  Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
04.25.2026  Mobile, AL @ Soul Kitchen Music Hall
04.27.2026  Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal
04.28.2026  Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
04.29.2026  Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
Worldwide dates
01.24.2026  AU Mt Claremont @ Froth & Fury Fest – Perth 2026
01.26.2026  AU Brisbane @ The Tivoli *
01.27.2026  AU Newton @ Enmore Theatre
01.30.2026  AU Melbourne @ Forum Melbourne
01.30.2026  AU Wayville @ Froth & Fury Fest – Adelaide 2026
* – with NAILBOMB, SNOT
Soulfy’s upcoming run as special guest for Gwar’s tour is in support of Soulfly’s new album, Chama, which was released this fall through Nuclear Blast Records. The album has produced three singles to date: ‘Storm the Gates,’ ‘Nihilist,’ and ‘No Pain = No Power.’
More information on Soulfly’s upcoming tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: http://www.soulfly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/soulflyofficial
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheSoulflyTribe