MusicReview

Video: Comeback Kid – Do Yourself A Favor

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:49:15 +0000

The kings of never-ending touring, hardcore punkers Comeback Kid have just released a sweaty new video for their track ‘Do Yourself A Favor’. Not to sound cheesy, but you should do yourself a favour and check out this music video. Watch it below and sing along.

Dissecting Marilyn Manson

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:42:18 +0000

Marilyn Manson, the shock rocker born Brian Hugh Warner, is putting the final touches on his eighth studio album, Born Villain, which will be released sometime in 2012. Despite losing many crucial band members over the years (they all seem to end up in Rob Zombie’s band), Marilyn Manson hasn’t thrown in the lipstick-smeared towel yet.

Looking back at MM’s career, we’ve chosen to dissect the band and find out what sort of influences are running amok. Obviously different folks pick up different influences, but there are the 5 bands that we found have the most in common with Marilyn Manson.

Nine Inch Nails (25%)

Even though Trent Reznor and Marilyn might not be spending Christmas holidays in Disneyland anymore, there was a time where they were inseparable. Trent signed Manson to his label and was involved in the production of Portrait of an American Family, Smells like Children and Antichrist Superstar. In fact, much of Manson’s material smells like NIN.

David Bowie (30%)

One glimpse at the cover of Mechanical Animals (1998) tells you everything about this comparison. The androgynous images that intend to provoke and make you uncomfortable, plus the fact that Manson himself has stated that David Bowie is his biggest influence in numerous interviews, all confirm that Mr. Manson loves some Ziggy Stardust in his life.

Kiss (10%)

The makeup. The outrageous over-the-top stage shows. The costumes. There’s no doubt that Kiss helped shape Manson’s stage persona in some form.

Alice Cooper (15%)

Who was the original shock rocker pissing off parents and getting banned? Alice was, of course. Manson is undoubtedly more controversial than Cooper ever was, but he must’ve learnt a thing or two from the ‘Poison’ singer.

Iggy Pop and The Stooges (20%)

Firstly, Marilyn Manson reek of punk influences. Secondly, the showmanship of Iggy Pop is something that Manson has studied and imitated to the tee. Rolling around on shards of glass, self-mutilation, destroying equipment, simulated sex with the audience? Hell, this sounds like the 70s to me.

- Sergio Pereira

Black Sabbath Reunion In Jeopardy

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:32:54 +0000

Black Sabbath’s upcoming reunion has been put in jeopardy with news that drummer Bill Ward might drop out due to an “unsignable contract”.

Ward posted a detailed statement on his official website. One of the excerpts reads as follows:

“At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a “signable” contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another “unsignable” contract was handed to me.”

Video: We Came As Romans – Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:02:13 +0000

Detroit, MI’s We Came as Romans have just dropped their new music video for the title track off their latest album, Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be.

This is the third and final instalment of a video series that was directed by Travis Kopach [AFI, 3OH!3, Panic! At The Disco] and filmed in Brooklyn, NY. We Came as Romans bassis,t Andrew Glass, who assists with the development and execution of creative concepts for all of the band’s album artwork and music videos, explains of the video series: “The three videos we shot portray a person lost, confused and struggling to find purpose in life. He sees himself at his darkest in the first video, trying endlessly to find his way out. After going through a traumatic experience, he finds his way out and his eyes begin to open to a new journey of finding out what really makes him feel alive. Through this journey the man traces back to his childhood house, where it all began. Overwhelming feelings wash over him as he remembers the feeling he once had long ago. Now, with a sense of purpose, he embarks back into the world to take the path he should have taken long ago.”

Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes Returns In 2012

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:43:28 +0000

Saturday 7 April 2012 sees the revival of a festival favourite, Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes, at its new venue, Jam Street just outside Oudtshoorn.

Historically, Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes has hosted some of South Africa’s biggest music icons. Stalwarts such as Valiant Swart, Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba, Koos Kombuis, Jack Hammer, Johannes Kerkorrel and Anton Goosen paved the way for FPK/Fokofpolisiekar, Corne & Twakkie, Mandoza and Prime Circle; defining this one day open air music celebration as the highlight of the ABSA KKNK.

With this rebirth of sorts, expect the return of a killer South African line-up catering for a variety of musical tastes, a few surprises, as well as current heavy-hitters who have never graced the Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes stage before.

So circle the date and whatever you do, don’t miss out on Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes 2012.

5 Reasons Why The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are Really A Boy Band

Sergio Pereira — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:10:58 +0000

It is all a conspiracy. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might be exactly what they are labelled as, but they are also something far worse. Much worse than Darth Vader’s Death Star or the demise of Cherry Coke. I hate to break this to you, but I’m afraid I’ll have to: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are really a boy band.

Here are the 5 reasons why:

1. Rat Manager

Behind every successful boy band is a rat-bastard manager, who would sell his own mother for a packet of branded Skittles. I mean, really, why else would Master Splinter adopt 4 mutated reptiles and give them such marketable names? I just see how the meeting went in Hollywood: Splinter: “Hmm…let’s start a boy band, made up of 4 turtles, all named after Renaissance artists!” Execs: “We love it! Here’s $20 million!”

I still believe after the Turtles’ popularity waned in the mid 90s, Splinter was responsible for the ghastly Street Sharks, another boy band made of sharks. Typical rotten manager move…

2. Predictable Personalities

Remember how every boy band consisted of the leader, the bad boy, the funny guy and the smart one? You know what I’m talking about. Leonardo is Ronan Keating, Raphael is A.J. McLean, Michelangelo is Joey Fatone, and Donatello is Danny Wood. April O’Neil is also the groupie, in case you were wondering.

3. Synchronised Moves and Similar Outfits

Synchronised moves and similar wardrobes…no, we’re not talking about Westlife; we’re talking about the Turtles. Yeah, I saw you 4 pesky turtles getting your synchronised jive on to Vanilla Ice in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Every fight scene looking like it was choreographed by the team behind New Kids on the Block. Disgusting.

4. Punks Loathe Them

We’ve already established that Bebop and Rocksteady are punk supervillains, but why do they hate the Turtles so much? It’s because they’re pop scum! Think about it: do you think you’d ever spot Henry Rollins enjoying a pint with Aaron Carter? Absolutely not. Bebop and Rocksteady just want to make raw tunes and show the finger to the system, but the Turtles keep hogging (no offence, Bebop) the spotlight. Travesty, I tell you.

5. Marketing Whores

Putting their likeness on everything from pizza to lunch boxes to bubble bath, the Turtles even put the Parlotones to shame with their unabashed lust for cold, hard cash. They don’t care about selling out – just selling. Everyone who was born in the 80s is responsible for aiding them by purchasing their action figure line. Shame on us.

- Sergio Pereira

Jack White’s Debut Album Out April 24

Sergio Pereira — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:08:59 +0000

‘Love Interruption’, the first taste of Jack White’s forthcoming debut album, Blunderbuss, is available exclusively to Third Man Records’ Vault members to hear now, and will become available to the public as a free stream at www.jackwhiteIII.com in 30 minutes. The digital version of the track will be available to purchase tonight at 9 pm PST/12 AM EST.

Blunderbuss will be released April 24 on Third Man Records/ Columbia.

A vinyl version of the ‘Love Interruption’ single featuring exclusive non-LP B-side ‘Machine Gun Silhouette’ will be released February 7 on Third Man Records.

Produced by White and recorded at his own Third Man Studio in Nashville, Blunderbuss has been described by White as “an album I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

Lonehill Estate Are Going to Hollywood

Sergio Pereira — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:05:07 +0000

Lonehill Estate have been invited to perform in Los Angeles at the esteemed MUSEXPO in Hollywood this April. MUSEXPO, the highly respected and critically acclaimed annual international music conference, will take place on April 29 – May 2, 2012 at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

But what’s more, Lonehill Estate will also be performing at the renowned Viper Room during their visit. The Viper Room was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp, until 2004, and to this day continues to host multiple music genres, including metal, rock, punk and alternative. Situated on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, the club is known to be a popular hangout for the Hollywood elite.

Frontman Nathan Ro expresses his excitement, “LA, baby! Just like Nonhle Thema, Lonehill Estate will walk the streets of Hollywood. I sure hope we don’t come back jerks or anything. Just like losing weight each achievement is like a notch on our belt… and we are looking good. We are so excited to be going and showcasing ourselves for the Americans. We hope to do a night drive and hopefully see a Kardashian.”

Interview: Contrast The Water

Sergio Pereira — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:36:51 +0000

Hard work. Perseverance. Never say die. Those are all qualities that MusicReview appreciates in true musicians. One band that epitomises this code of honour is Durban’s Contrast the Water. Kicking ass and taking stripper names in the U.S. at the moment, CTW are making things happen for themselves, without relying on the music machine to give them any handouts. Vocalist Barry Drewett chats to us about their nomination in our poll, metalheads around the world and being far beyond driven.

We were insanely impressed by how you guys managed to mobilise the metal community to get behind you in our “Best Local Artist of 2011” poll. How does it feel to know that your fans put you guys ahead of an act such as Van Coke Kartel?

Well, first off we would like to thank you at MusicReview.co.za for actually nominating a death metal band; this is exactly the kind of support metal needs in South Africa, so a big shoot-out to you guys for nominating us in the first place. We knew that the metal crowd would get behind us on this, as it was more an issue of South African heavy metal getting the recognition of the mainstream industry than getting CTW to actually win. We are such proud metalheads at the moment, and so proud to say we are a part of the South African metal scene. We just got to send a shout-out to Mark Haze, a hard working and gifted artist, as all the bands on the list where, and we were just honoured to be a part of it all.

We’ll pass on the kind words to Mark. So, what inspired Contrast the Water to release their album, Perseverance, for free? Surely, it must’ve cost you cash to record. How do you plan on recovering these costs?

Nowadays, in the global music industry, downloading is here to stay, and with the internet expanding to countries that battle even to get metal, people have a better chance to hear your music by downloading. It’s something we support with our music, to download and share with as many metalheads all around the world. Your music is your marketing tool. More people can get our music, because we want them to have it. We were very lucky to have a good friend of ours, Michiel van Niekerk, from The Campus Of Performing Arts and Erebus, to offer his services while he was doing his Honours in music production and recording. So, we never had to pay for our recording – just petrol money and food. Most of the time, the record was recorded in my lounge, while I jammed Xbox. With today’s technology, you don’t need a studio. So, we were in a great position for this album. So, our recovering cost is the joy on the fans faces in the pit when they can mosh out to our music.

You guys have been in the States for a while. What do you think of the scene there? Do they suffer from the same sort of issues that we do here?

The scene in the USA is way bigger than our scene, and the bands we worship at home are just a part of the scene here. There is a huge resurgence in heavy metal at the moment, and the vibe in the Bay Area is very positive. We tend to steer clear of any politics, or negativity, irrespective of what scene we are in; we are a band and it is our job to perform for our fans, and not to get caught up in any naysaying or ‘hating’, as it just destroys what we are all trying to achieve, and stagnates the scene.

Speaking of negativity, there has been some controversy regarding CTW and alleged statements that have been quoted about why you guys left South Africa for the U.S. Care to fill us in on what actually happened?

Yes. First off, this misconceived perception that we immigrated, or relocated to the States, is absolute nonsense, and a continuous source of amusement when we hear all the rumours of all the reasons why we are here. Simply put, Chris Kontos heard our demo for Perseverance, and felt we had something to offer the metal industry, and we set up a tour to promote The Alliance for Artist Rescue, and raise awareness about our own heavy metal industry. Chris had just got asylum for the amazing Iranian guitarist Artak Ozan, and is involved in rescuing several other artists, and this got a huge response, and hence the ABC interview. Our part in the interview was just the South African band that was on the promotional tour for A.F.A.R.; it was a very emotive interview, involving three different stories. The quote I made was in reference to lyrical content, and not to the state of our nation. We have been a socially conscious band for 6 years; our fans know it, and have supported us through everything we have been through, and our fans are well-versed metalheads with a mind of their own.

Burn Nightclub is closing down pretty soon, and since CTW are from Durban, we have to ask you: what’s going to happen to the scene in Durban? Are there any other venues that you think will cater for the metal crowds?

No venue is bigger than any scene, and the fact that Burn is closing, should in no way effect any bands progress. We have played in many different venues in Durban, including school benefits at fairs, etc, and there are several venues in Durban that are more than happy to host metal events because they realise that metalheads drink bars dry, so it will mean just a little more work, and a little inventiveness.

You’re coming back to South Africa soon. What’s the plan for when you arrive? New album?

When we get home, we are going on hiatus for a month to recuperate. We have been writing new material continuously, but we still have to finish touring Perseverance, before we even start thinking about a new album. We are looking to tour Indonesia and Europe this year, and preparing to tour the USA summer circuit in 2013.

We have to be realistic here; it’s hard for a South African metal band to survive in the local industry full-time. Do you see yourselves making the move overseas permanent, or are you going to try your luck here once again?

Yes, we have to agree with you there, but it is not as bleak as it is made out to be. As a touring international band, you could operate from S.A., which would give you the added advantage of the current exchange rate, or you could relocate – but these are all questions that will have to be answered by South African bands who take the chance and take their music abroad. For us, at the moment, the world is a stage, and we’re just hanging on real tight, and enjoying what we are being exposed to.

Do you think any local bands, apart from CTW, have what it takes to succeed overseas?

Most certainly, yes! The metal bands in South Africa are as competitive as any band we have seen. Just live your dream, man, and love what you doing. Don’t doubt yourself, work hard, sacrifice, and, man, just be “Far Beyond Driven”!

- Sergio Pereira

MusicReview

Video: Comeback Kid – Do Yourself A Favor

Dissecting Marilyn Manson

Black Sabbath Reunion In Jeopardy

Video: We Came As Romans – Understanding What We’ve Grown To Be

Kaktus Op Die Vlaktes Returns In 2012

5 Reasons Why The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are Really A Boy Band

Top 8 Video Game Characters That Would Make Good Musicians

Jack White’s Debut Album Out April 24

Lonehill Estate Are Going to Hollywood

Interview: Contrast The Water