Korn drummer Ray Luzier finds himself in a unique situation. While the band is currently on tour celebrating a reconciliation with bassist Brian "Head" Welch, he's been taking pot-shots from original drummer David Silveria. But Luzier is no slouch having made a name for himself in David Lee Roth's solo band and playing on a slew of records. I had a chance to sit down with Ray at Toronto's Sound Academy on September 30th, 2013 to discuss how he fits into the Korn family.
Recently I had a chance to sit down with vocalist Erik Danielsson of the popular and controversial Swedish black metal band Watain. The band is unique in the sense that despite the fact that they have maintained their extreme sound throughout their career, their appeal continues to widen.
The band has also expressed the idea that their music and outlandish live performances (which have often included severed animal heads -- yes, real ones) are a very specific form of artistic expression, occupying a space outside of a world that they view as a shallow place.
Their latest album "The Wild Hunt" is the band's most diverse album to date, and has received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. The inclusion of a moody gothic ballad on the record has been a point of discussion on the web and in many publications. That being said the album is no more melodic or accessible than their previous releases, so I thought it would be a good idea to speak to Danielsson about their strange cross-over success, and I delve deeper into the in-between place where the music and philosophy of Watain dwells.
After three years, fans of the Ontario ska-punkers The Flatliners will have their patience rewarded when the band releases their new album entitled “A Dead Language” on September 17th. Expectations are high, as their previous release “Cavalcade” was a big hit amongst fans and critics alike.
I met up with the band following their short-but-sweet set at the Toronto edition of Riotfest to talk about the new record, their sound, and what it’s like playing the hometown gig after touring the world.
I became aware of Castle when I received a promo for their latest album “Blacklands”, a tight collection of female-fronted hard rock steeped in the tradition of early heavy metal. The band was listed as being from San Francisco, so it was a bit of a surprise when the next time I saw them mentioned it was on the 2013 Juno nominees list in the Metal/Hard Rock category.
Recently Castle passed through Toronto’s Lee’s Palace on their tour with The Sword, and I had a chance to speak with guitarist Mat Davis so we could clear up the Canadian connection, and also discuss the band’s sound in context with the glut of traditional rock and metal bands currently being signed and promoted.