Musicgoat.com » Heavy Metal Music

Elton John To Sing With Alice In Chains

Corey Koehler — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:16:42 +0000

Yep, you read that right. Sir Elton John is going to be doing a tune with Alice In Chains on their upcoming album “Black Gives Way To Blue”. For the record I usually don’t do a ton of press release stuff but this is above and beyond Musicgoat worthy. I mean think about it, Elton John and Alice In Chains? I couldn’t have made it up if I tried. Can’t wait to check it out.

Anyway, here is the rest of the press release with some statements from the Jerry Cantrell. Read it and let us know what you think in the comments below…

Los Angeles, CA (August 11, 2009) – Among the many highlights on Black Gives Way To Blue, the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS, is a special guest performance by Elton John. The two rock legends collaborated on the album’s stunning title track, “Black Gives Way To Blue,” a heart-stirring tribute to Alice In Chains’ late lead singer Layne Staley. The album arrives in stores September 29.

“We were thinking about adding piano to the track and a friend suggested we call Elton,” recalls guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell. “I remember laughing and saying, ‘Yeah, I’ll get right on that.’ But I decided it was worth trying and wrote Elton an email explaining what that song means to us — that it’s a real, raw openhearted song for Layne. We sent him the track and got a call shortly after saying he thought it was beautiful and that he wanted to play on it. We were blown away. Elton John is a huge influence on me as a songwriter and having him on that song is an amazing honor for us.”

“I’ve long been an admirer of Jerry Cantrell and when he asked me to play on ‘Black Gives Way To Blue,’ I was very flattered and couldn’t resist,” says John. “It was a great recording session with Alice In Chains for a beautiful song. ”

About the collaboration, Cantrell says, “Elton was finishing his Red Piano run in Vegas, so we flew there and hung out for a few hours. Walking into a studio and seeing the sheet music for that song on Elton’s piano made it meaningful on so many different levels. The whole experience was pretty magical.”

BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE is Alice In Chains’ first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist/vocalist William DuVall) recorded the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Foo Fighters) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

WAIT! You don’t want to miss the next review, podcast, music promotion tip or whatever else music related we decide to put out here. Subscribe to the Goat now for the all time low price of free and you will get all the kick ass content from the Goat fast and easy. Just subscribe to Musicgoat.com newsletter by email now and have this stuff in your inbox seconds after I post it .

Music Review: Metal ala Deflagration and Acoustic Rock ala Rob Anthony

Corey Koehler — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:20:59 +0000

Well I have a few gems for you this week. I have a new metal band that I have been listening to for the past month (and should’ve told you about long before today). And an artist who was on a previous podast that has released a masterpiece of intimate and inspiring acoustic rock. Here ya go.

Deflagration “A Call To Arms” (Metal)

This stuff is damn heavy and breaks some new ground ta boot (I can’t quite pinpoint it but you’ll see what I mean). I’ve been listening before and during my workouts for over a month now and this stuff gets me really – and I mean REALLY – jacked up (which reminds me, try not to listen around your buddies that drink whiskey, unless you are looking to break up a fight).

Anyway, they kind of remind me of the band Pro-Pain (I think its the singing). Oh and don’t just take my word for it. I’ve shared their stuff with some of my live and bleed metal buddies and here are their comments;

Mark on Facebook – “Dude! I checked out Deflagration and it was awesome! Thanks!”

Bob on Facebook – “I like them. They sound different. I like the sound though. I might have to get the CD.”

My favorite tunes are “Split Wide” and “Color and Ash”. Bottom line, if you are a metal fan, you are gonna like these guys. These tunes will fit nicely in a playlist along side Slayer, Testament, Exodus, Metallica, Slipknot and many of the newer bands of that ilk. Check them out on MySpace or CDBaby.

Rob Anthony – “While the World Sleeps” (Acoustic Rock/Americana)

Speaking of metal, Rob Anthony is an ex-thrasher who has learned how to turn it up by turning it down. He has crafted a great acoustic album.

Even though I know it’s borderline heresy in the indie world, I’ve been listening a decent amount of top 40 rock, country and adult contemporary lately as part of my songwriting self-education. The stuff on this release could EASILY go toe to toe with almost anything on the pop charts. The top-notch songwriting is both timely and timeless.

His performance is very personal and very intimate. He will tap your psychy and bleed the emotion out of you on nearly every tune. There is really no way to pick a few favorites because I love pretty much every tune on the disc. And for all of you cover tune nuts, you will want to check out his take on the DePeche Mode tune “Personal Jesus”.

Bottom line, if you haven’t heard him, you are missing out. Check him out on the official Rob Anthony Site or on CDBaby. Then tell everyone you know because he deserve to be heard. Oh and be on the lookout for an interview with Rob in the near future. We’ve been in contact and are trying to find some time in our schedules.

Music Review: Stoner Metal Grunge, Some Outlaw Country and the Record Label that Pimps Them

Corey Koehler — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:28:26 +0000

I normally don’t review multiple bands from the same record label but when I stopped by the Small Stone Recordings website, I was side tracked for a few hours and ended up burning up about thirty bucks on downloads, so I figured why the hell not. Here’s a word or two about a label and a few of the bands that you should check out.

The Label

Based out of Detroit, Small Stone – for the most part – represent bands that are of the stoner rock ilk, but, they aren’t afraid to mix it up – one of my favorite finds, happens to be country.

They have stood the test of time and have been putting out their brand of music since 1995. In an April 2008 article on Metromix, the founder Scott Hamilton explained that he wanted to model the label after Sub Pop. He also defined stoner rock as being “just a really amped up version of classic rock” with “a bunch of fat guys with beards in the crowd.” You gotta love the honesty.

The Bands

Here are some of the bands that caught my attention. And, to give you sort of a jumping off point, I’ve listed a tune or two from each (which by the way have made it into heavy rotation on my iPod).

Oh and just so you know, you can buy the cd’s on Small Stones site and if you are the mp3 type, everyone of these artists – and the tunes listed – are available for immediate download on emusic (which means you can get them for free if you don’t have an emusic account).

Anyway, check these bands out;

Roadsaw - If you are fan of early Soundgarden circa “Louder Than Love” – or just grunge in general – you need to check these guys out. I love vocals and the smooth grind that is present throughout.

I think your best bet to get a feel for what these guys can do is to get started with “Up To You” and “It’s Your Move”.

Whitey Morgan and the 78′s – WARNING: When combined with good weather, good booze and good friends, the music of Whitey Ford could leave you with a splitting headache and a pissed off boss.

This band takes a well needed and refreshing approach to old school country. They easily slip into all of the elements of 70′s era outlaw and all of their tunes will make Waylon, Wille and Bosephus fans very, very happy (and a little jagged).

I recommend that you download the whole album but if you are only going to stick your toe in the water, make sure you check out “Crazy” and “If It Ain’t Broke”.

Mos Generator – The riff heavy tunes that these guys are laying down are immediately addictive. The tune “Acapulco Gold” – which could easily be the love child of Steely Dan and Monster Magnet – documents a love affair of the smokin kind. And “Wizards of the Prophecy Pen” is a well produced tune that could very easily be an early Sabbath tune. Grab them!

There, now you have some stuff too listen to as we all wait for summer. Remember, all of this stuff is on eMusic for immediate download and if you are still doin the CD thang, check out the Small Stone online store.

I Made the Top 50

Corey Koehler — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:23:17 +0000

One of the trickiest parts about blogging and podcasting about a wide variety of music styles – in other words, being the Musicgoat – is that you run the risk of alienating readers and listeners of one particular style of music.

For instance, I will do a hard rock/metal oriented podcast one month, follow it up with an indie acoustic country show the next month and then post a review on a Hip Hop artist that has caught my ear the next. As you can imagine certain fans – within either genre – could get a little annoyed and therefore not stick around (which is a bummer but you can’t please everybody right?).

Anyway, I knew this would make it more difficult to build an audience but this is the most honest way for me to approach a music site. I knew I couldn’t talk about one style over and over when there is just to much to like from many other genres. Also, I knew that there were others out there who like to mix it up as well and I figured this would pose a great opportunity to find them.

Now, why am I telling you this? Well I just learned the other day that the Musicgoat made number 36 on the list of Top 50 Twitter Users in Hard Rock and Metal.

What that means is that I haven’t completely alienated the metal community, in particular one of its biggest proponents, ~~Marc~~ Mark Carras (RockMyMonkey.com and HeavyAsHell.com). Mark, the author of the list, is one hardcore fan of all things metal. Having him endorse the Goat is an honor. Thanks Marc!

The list also features some pretty high profile rockers, writers and labels so you might want to look through to see is there is anyone you might want to follow. Check it out! And if you want to follow me, be my guest. Just look to the right in the sidebar under “Find Me Online.

Music Review: Metal ala Deflagration and Acoustic Rock ala Rob Anthony

Music Review: Extreme is Back With a Guitar Lovers Feast

Corey Koehler — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:30:28 +0000

I was flipping through eMusic the other day when I noticed a new release by an old favorite of mine, Extreme. I was a little apprehensive at first but figured what the hell, I’ll download it. Boy am I glad I did. Here is a quick review.

The title of the release is “Saudades De Rock“. In the opening line on the track “Slide” Gary Cherone sings “Find a groove and then drop the hammer.” That pretty much sums up most of the tunes on the release.

One of the reason i was a fan of Extemes music was because I am a sucker for good guitar. I always loved Nuno’s guitar work and this release did not do anything to change that. He is one of a seemingly dieing breed of guitarists who can dance over the fretboard, navigating a path of tasty grooves throughout every song.

The whole CD is about what you would expect from Extreme if you were a fan of some of the their popular stuff like “Pornograffitti” and/or “Three Sides to Every Story” but they do venture into new territory and pull it off well.

Bottom line, if you love active guitar, meaty grooves and solid songwriting, this is a no-brainer.

FEED YOUR POD! If you are interested in downloading any music – including the stuff discussed in this post – while at the same time supporting Musicgoat.com, click on the image above or use either of the following Musicgoat-friendly links: eMusic, Amazon.
THANKS and YOU ROCK!

MMP034 – A Hard, Heavy and Very Metal Resolution

Corey Koehler — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:34:15 +0000

Grab your studs, your air guitar and a beer (or three). I keep the intensity level high as you and I check some out some tunes from all over the metal spectrum.

Press play and listen as we explore some newer metal music ranging from Hard Rock to Thrash.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Robot Lords of Tokyo - “Mergatroid” (get it free on eMusic)
Robot Lords of Tokyo – “Belly Full of Greed”
DC4 - “Candy Caine” (get it free on eMusic)
SNEW - “Got Love” (get it free on eMusic)
SNEW – “She’s A Real Gunslinger” (get it free on eMusic)
American Angel – “Turns to Grey” (get it free on eMusic)
Top Johnny – “X-Tasy”
Exodus – “Children of a Worthless God” (get it free on eMusic)

Websites Mentioned on this podcast;
SNEW frontman interview on the Classic Metal Show

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

MMP028 – Meaty Metal Crunch With A Hint of Hard Rock Featuring Sevendust

Corey Koehler — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:48:09 +0000

Are you ready for a healthy dose of crunch? You better be damn it because it’s on. A little screamin, a little crunch and nothin but head bobbin, fist pumpin metal goodness for your listening enjoyment.

You are about to listen to what could possibly be my best metal podcast yet!

Press play and brighten your f#$@%n day.

Click Button To Play | Right-Click To Download

Here are the songs heard on this podcast and the links to each artists website;
Dream Evil – “Fire Battle in Metal” (get it free on eMusic)
FEFF – “I’ll Tell You”
Sevendust – “Deathstar”
Warrel Dane – “When We Pray” (get it free on eMusic)
Ground Mower – “Down”
Pride Tiger – “The Lucky Ones”
Supagroup – “Born in Exile”
Paradise – “Lady Luck”

Other sites and podcasts mentioned in this show;
Live Metallica with King Diamond ..very cool
Heavy metal christmas album on the way (yep you read that right)
Mike Cameo’s Indie Top 10 Rock Podcast

Most of these and a ton of other great artists can be found on the Pod Safe Music Network.

The Music of Apocalyptica: Thrash Metal Without Guitars (Video)

Corey Koehler — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 19:29:06 +0000

If you are a fan of metal music, classical music or even both, then today is your lucky day. I was surfing around and came across this video by a band called Apocalyptica doing a cover of Metallica’s “Fight Fire With Fire.”

Now this isn’t your everyday local cover band version either. These dudes put a whole new spin on it. First, as you watch the video, you’ll notice that there are no guitars. Next, you’ll notice that the music is still just as heavy.

I searched around and noticed that Apocalyptica did a few other metal classics like Metallica’s “One” and Savatage’s “Hall of the Mountain King.” You will want to check them out as well.

As you would expect, being a musicgoat, I’m a big fan of this kind of stuff. It opens up doors for fans of one style of music to another style of music.

Hell, this is about as cool as when Pat Boone did “In a Metal Mood.” One minute I’m tapping my toe to “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin” Pat style, the next thing ya know I’m checking out Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and really digging it.

Anyway, check out the video. I’m going to see were I can download some of this stuff.

Uncensored and Raw: Witness Life on the Road with the Band Jetboy

Corey Koehler — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:37:29 +0000

You and I both have our ideas about what life must be like for rock bands on the road. Whether it the penthouse suites and first class treatment of superstars like Bon Jovi or the lonely outsider depiction outlined in Bob Seger’s melancholy classic “Turn the Page.” Today you get a chance to see – and hear – for yourself what it’s like for lesser known, harder working bands to be on the road.

For a few weeks now, I have been following a guy named Micheal Butler around the Midwest. Micheal Butler is the host of one of my favorite podcasts called the Rock and Roll Geek Show. Since he is also the hired gun on bass for the band Jetboy – who is on tour with Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy – he is documenting snippets of the tour on video and audio for all to see.

Unlike much of the scripted reality stuff on TV, this is about as legit as it gets. You get to see (and hear) first hand what its like to be in a band on the road.

For anyone, the series is solid online entertainment. Its interesting, addictive and good for an occasional laugh. For the real rock and roll fan it is must see.

Watch as these California rockers travel though the midwest while human nature and old man winter throw everything they can at them. Check out the Rock and Roll Geek Show Jetboy tour updates starting with day one now, follow along and be glad you did.

Serj is coming!

Brice — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:52:17 +0000

Thanks for the introduction CK. Iâ€™m glad to post for you, itâ€™s an honor. Ok, my first entry into the Goat, so here we go. I feel no pressure. (Yea, right.)

Now that yet another of my favorite bands has decided to â€œpursue individual interests,â€ Iâ€™m left again to wonder what the future holds for myself musically. I look to Serj Tankian (lead vocalist, System of A Down) to heighten my interest immediately.

Serj is unloading the bandsâ€™ first solo project on October 23rd, oddly titled, â€œElect The Dead.â€ He has been pushing his project almost overwhelmingly on Myspace.com.

Although only two singles have been released, itâ€™s obvious that this album will not sound much like System at all. Serj amuses with his unique banter of catchy phrases and vocal prowess that has made him into one of the top lead men in music today. Not only can Serj hang with the best of them vocally, he has an artistic advantage due to his experiences in the industry. He knows what sounds good and what people want to hear. He mixes his talents beautifully, all while speaking his ever so opinionated mind. A lot of people can â€œsing,â€ but itâ€™s those who can incorporate voice, rhythm, harmony, and the occasional scream that end up with a true masterpiece.

Although â€œThe Unthinking Majorityâ€ single was an immediate hit with fans and critics, it was leaked out by an unidentified source. Serj later played it off by saying, â€œI released this song due to the chaos of our world today. There are a lot of problems that we all must deal with immediately.â€ Serj always has an issue with something in our government. Although I love the guy like no other, it tends to piss me off a bit that he can never keep it shut. After all, Iâ€™m not interested in â€œDixie Chickâ€ opinions, I just want to rock!

The second and final single that was released is titled, â€œEmpty Walls.â€ It has a catchy feel to it from the start and it never loses its interest. It always makes me feel like Iâ€™ve heard it years ago, but yet I still find myself listening to it. Of the two singles, I feel this is the strongest. Although Serj has only given us a limited peek at his project, it sounds like itâ€™ll be a well-deserved Top 10 seller. Strong opinions aside, as we all have them, I look forward to the album more than I did before the release of the â€œIllusionsâ€ by GNR in 1991.

Two weeks ago Serj announced his plans for a small tour to promote his album and hopefully jumpstart his solo career. It all starts off here in good oldâ€™ Chi-town at the Vic Theatre on Friday, October 12th. Yes, I was online with Ticket master at the moment they went on sale! Serj does not plan on playing any System songs, but hopefully with a little heckling we can get a stellar version of â€œSugarâ€ rocking the small theatre into a madness that has yet to be seen.

After the Chicago show, Serj heads to Canada for a one night show in Toronto, then comes back to the states for 7 shows to fill up the October calendar. Starting November 3rd, he heads overseas, teaming up with the Foo Fighters for a total of 6 shows in Manchester, New Castle, Dublin, Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Manchester.

Finally, Serj wraps up his small tour in cities with larger arenas, such as London, Paris, and Amsterdam. Although Serj plans a larger scale tour in the near future, he has yet to release any of these dates. Iâ€™ve heard rumors it will consist of some pretty big names, but weâ€™ll just have to wait and see.

So mark your calendar for the 23rd of October. I guarantee an enjoyable album that will be listened to for years to come.

Some Great New Heavy Metal and a Very Metal Observation

Corey Koehler — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:57:31 +0000

As much as I love heavy metal music I really haven’t talked about it a whole lot on the Goat. Today, in the spirit of metal, I just wanted to share an observations, a cool new song from a legend and kick ass band you need to check out.

First, an observation. I don’t know what it is but I’ve noticed that the older I get the better Iron Maiden gets. The other day I was running and listening to my iPod. I was listening to a playlist I like to call Metal Stew when the “Flight of Icarus” came on. Great song and another example of Bruce Dickinson being an awesome singer. The guy has range and can hang on to a note forever.

Next, a cool new song. I’ve been down on Ozzy’s new stuff for, give or take, the last 10 years. And after watching him on his reality series I was a little turned off. However, the so”I Don’t Want to Stop” is just freakin contagious. I’ve been into it for a few months now but I finally downloaded it the other day and I can’t stop listening to it. A good old fashioned heavy metal riff, classic vocals and very inspiring lyrics.

Last but not least, kick ass band. Last spring I was surfing around on CDBaby and I found a band called the Robot Lords of Tokyo. These guys are the shit. I finally ordered the CD a few weeks ago and there hasn’t been another CD in my Alpine since.

They do a very cool version of Motley Crue’s “Knock’em Dead Kid.” I was a little skeptical when I saw the title of the song because lets face it, there is no one like Vince Niel and the song and I go waaaaay back. I’m alway leary of someone messing with a classic. However, they nail it. They make it there own and much more brutal. This version would’ve no doubt incited a few more fights back in the day.

Anyway, check them out the Robot Lords on CDBaby or stop by and visit them on MySpace. If you don’t you’ll be missing out because every song on the CD is excellent (there is no need to forward past any of them). It’s Best new CD I’ve heard since the last Stone Sour.

Another Eddie VanHalen Video

Corey Koehler — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:02:45 +0000

Did you see my last post with a video of Eddie VanHalen in his home studio? Well Keith Dick over at LifeTimeGamer did and this is what he had to say;

I think he needs a few more cigarettes stuck under the strings on the headstock.. hehe…Nice find keep â€˜em comingâ€¦

I too appreciate the trade mark cigarette on the headstock and since Keith wants more, he gets it. Here’s a video I found of Eddie putting on some sort of exhibition. This isn’t one of his best performances but he has the cigarette and, what I think is, one hell of a buzz.

Check out the video and see if you can guess what his blood alcohol level is.

Did You Know Motley Crue Wants To Put Paris Hilton In Jail?

Corey Koehler — Wed, 23 May 2007 11:23:34 +0000

I came across this on Digg.com this morning and thought I would pass it along. Evidently Motley Crue have either a ton of time on there hands, a bone to pick with Paris Hilton or both. They have started a petition to counter a petition that is attempting to keep Paris Hilton out of jail for her drinking and driving.

Even though I agree with them that she should do her time, it is sort of odd that they would be so vocal on something like this. Other than their 20 years of balls to the wall partying and near death experiences, a wasted Vince Neil was driving a car that ended the life a guy named Razzle from the band Hanoi Rocks.

Anyway, here is the article. Go check it out for yourself. Motley Crue: Throw Paris Hilton in Jail.

Get Some Inspiration From an Unlikely Source

Corey Koehler — Mon, 07 May 2007 11:16:55 +0000

I stumbled across a song from my youth the other day and thought I would share the lyrics with you. It’s a great song to get the positive vibes rolling.

See if you can guess who the artist is and what genre they are associated with. I’ll let you behind the curtain at the bottom but you may be surprised.

You’re a dancer
But you’re dancing on air
Just a matter of time till you fall

You’re a dreamer
One night at the fair
But still you want it all

You’re in danger
The last of a line
But the vision lasts forever

So just hold on
You can make it happen for you
Reach for the stars and you will fly

You’re Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
But you need a little hell

You’re a runner
But you’re chasing yourself
Feel the hot breath on your shoulder

You’re emotion
Running cold running warm
The young just getting older

We are sunlight
We can sparkle and shine
And our dreams are what we’re made of

So just hold on
You can make it happen for you
Reach for the stars and you will fly

You’re Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
Hungry For Heaven

You’re a dancer
But you’re dancing on air
Just a matter of time till you fall

You’re a dreamer
One night at the fair
But still you want it all

You’re in danger
The last of a line
But the vision lasts forever

So just hold on
You can make it happen for you
Reach for the stars and you will fly

You’re Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
But you need a little hell

You’re a runner
But you’re chasing yourself
Feel the hot breath on your shoulder

You’re emotion
Running cold running warm
The young just getting older

We are sunlight
We can sparkle and shine
And our dreams are what we’re made of

So just hold on
You can make it happen for you
Reach for the stars and you will fly

You’re Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
Hungry for Heaven
But you need a little hell

Did you find it inspiring? I do when I hear it. The song is “Hungry For Heaven” by the artist Dio on his album “Sacred Heart.” For those of you who don’t know, Ronnie James Dio is all metal and was a member of the bands Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath before going solo.

Other than trying to spread the inspiration, I wanted this to serve a reminder that all metal isn’t evil (nor is any other genre of music).

Pick up a copy and pick yourself up. Also, if you like to work out, throw it in your music mix to get the juices flowing.

P.S. The song is also on the motion picture soundtrack from an inspirational movie called “Vision Quest“…check it out.

Some Great New Heavy Metal and a Very Metal Observation