HERE ARE THE ROCK MATRIX MAIN HEADLINES THIS WEEK
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MONDAY 19 JULY and BEYOND
UNIFIED SOUNDS EVENTS
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21/07/10 - Looks Dirty!
Acts playing: GENERATION GRAVEYARD, THE ELECTRIC WASTED, KITTY LIPS, SILICONE BULLET, KILLING WITH STYLE
Venue: Dirty South, Lee, London
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24/07/10 - Dish The Dirt
Acts playing: MEKANIZM, BLOODLOSS, DIE KUR, BLOODSAND
Venue: Dirty South, Lee, London
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26/07/10 - The Monday Hate Club
Acts playing: INNER FIRE, SILAS, THUNDERWOLF + 1 more TBC
Venue: Bull n Vic, Dartford, Kent
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05/08/10 - METABOLIC - Pre Bloodstock Party
Acts playing: DJ THE KEV, DJ LIFEGUARD BUNNY + 2 TBC
With Bloodstock fast approaching it is only right we celebrate the UKs best metal festival with a night of METAL (and other rockish music as usual) which also includes Bloodstock tickets to GIVE AWAY!!!!
Venue: Ivory Lounge, Bexleyheath
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For those with no access to Facebook all the above events and more can be seen in the eventmatrix gig guide.
MONDAY 19 JULY and BEYOND
SELECTED EVENTS BY OTHERS
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23/07/10 - Unholy Club
Acts playing: DJ 69, BEHOLDER, CHAOSANCT, SANGUINE
Venue: Scala, Kings Cross, London
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24/07/10 to 25/07/10 - High Voltage Festival
Acts playing: ZZ TOP, ELP, FOREIGNER, JOE ELLIOT'S DOWN N OUTZ, GARY MOORE, UFO, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, DOWN, CATHEDRAL, CLUTCH + many many more!
Venue: Victoria Park, London
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30/07/10 to 01/08/10 - Sonisphere Festival
Acts playing: IRON MAIDEN, RAMMSTEIN, ALICE IN CHAINS, PLACEBO, PAPA ROACH, LACUNA COIL, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, ALICE COOPER, MOTLEY CRUE + many many more!
Venue: Knebworth Park, Knebworth
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13/08/10 to 15/08/10 - Bloodstock Open Air
Acts playing: SPLINTERED SOUL (Kent Metal 2 The Masses winners 2010, ZOCALO (Kent unsigned slot winners 2010), ECHOES FALL (Essex Metal 2 The Masses winners 2010), SILAS (Essex unsigned slot winners 2010), SNAKEBITE (Kent Metal 2 The Masses winners 2009), TWISTED SISTER, CHILDREN OF BODOM, FEAR FACTORY, BLOODBATH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BEHEMOTH, OBITUARY, KORPIKLANNI, DORO, GOJIRA, SONATA ARCTICA, EDGUY, GWAR, GORGOROTH, LEAVES EYES, SUFFOCATION, ROSS THE BOSS + many many more!
Venue: Catton Hall, Derby
If you attended or know any of the bands who played in the Kent or Essex Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses please also look at this event, which details all the bands playing from the Kent and Essex areas:
Link to Facebook Kent/Essex Bloodstock M2TM event page
You can purchase your Bloodstock tickets from us:
PURCHASE BLOODSTOCK TICKETS HERE
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BAND SERVICES
Want to be in a band or play a gig?
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Band: DESIGNS OF CHAOS
Need: VOCALIST
Details: Looking for a brutal new vocalist to front the band. No screamo's please. Music all wriitten, recordings and gigs pending. Let us know if your interested.
Contact: Richie on 07852 413591
Link: Designs of Chaos myspace page
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Band: AGENLAND
Need: DRUMMER + 2 GUITARISTS
Details: Melodic Death Metal Band featuring 2 ex-Storm The Gates members. Must have a good level of musicianship. Previous stage experience preferable, but not required. Influences include: At The Gates, Dethklok, Amon Amarth, Kataklysm, Bodom, Megadeth, Sabbath.
Contact: James on adrenachrome_69@hotmail.com
Link: Agenland gumtree page
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Band: BAND NAME TBC
Need: VOCALIST
Details: Needs to be able to sing both clean vocals and some dirty metal growls! The band is based in Gravesend.
Contact: ryan_sedge@hotmail.co.uk or ring 07773240833
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Musician available: KEVIN EARDLEY
Plays: SINGER
Details: Classic rock singer looking to work with like minded musicians. Influences include everyone from Rush, AC/DC, Deep Purple to Mastodon, Alice In Chains and Dokken.
Contact: 07891584862
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Band: FARADAY CAGE
Need: BASSIST
Details: Influences include Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, Nick Drake to Jeff Buckley. We are 15 going on 16 we would prefer our bassist to be 14-16 (maybe 17). We also want someone who is devoted to practice quite frequently. We are from Welling and Abbey Wood and would prefer our bassist to be from around those areas.
Contact: faradaycageband@hotmail.com
Link: Faraday Cage Rock Matrix profile
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Band: COMETH OF SOLACE
Need: DRUMMER
Contact: andylittlebritain@msn.com or ring 07941865704
Link: Cometh of Solace Rock Matrix profile
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Musician available: TOM FITZGERALD
Plays: MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST / SONGWRITER
Details: Based in Dartford with own equipment and studio, looking for others. Influences: A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden, Tool, Muse, Radiohead etc.
Contact: ring 01322 284 009
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Musician available: DARREN HOLMES
Plays: SINGER
Contact: dareneholmes@hotmail.co.uk
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GIG REVIEW
Tres Calaveras + Silicone Bullet @ Bull n Vic - 15/06/10
The Tuesday immediately after the Download Festival was never going to be a crowd puller, with most people still recovering from a weekend of drink, sunburn, lack of sleep, lack of money and maybe still drying out...
In these circumstances credit must go to the chosen few who bothered to venture out and spend time watching the bands at this particular Trashy Tuesday.
First up was solo guitar wizard GARY STAR GUTTER (6.5/10) who got the evening off to a laid back opening. Unlike the other local solo electric guitar player Roy Stone, GSG plays with a chilled freedom, the songs flowing into a sea of bluesy wonders, rather than an explosion of speed. Ex Ritual Abuse bassist Gummby lends his hand for this set, providing extra depth to the material.
London rockers TRES CALAVERAS (8) probably expected to play in front of more people but this didn't effect their performance. The first thing that hits you is the intensity of the front man. As he strides confidently around the stage (okay, pub floor) there is a feeling of forboding and an aurer of unpredictablity. One minute he is climbing onto the bar and the next pulling a table to the centre of the venue and laying on it. He does this while drooling out the lyrics to a collection of dark rock songs. Sky London pounds away on the drums while both the guitars and bass sound add a sinister aftertaste to each track. Tres Calaveras treat the crowd to a fine display of blackened rock music, managing to sound as sinister as Danzig but with the swagger of The Cult.
Not quite as slick as their Edge Bar performance SILICONE BULLET (7) stride through their half hour set with a quiet determination. The melody driven choruses tick the right boxes though, with Music Fusion CD track 'It's over' being one of the highlights of the evening.
Having put on one of the most energetic displays in the Kent Alternative Band Quest final it was slightly disappointing to see this tired performance from local rockers COLT.44 (7). Despite this, even in a lower gear the band show why they are one of the best local rock acts with a professional set. Their Music Fusion CD track 'I tear myself away' goes down well on a night when they and Silicone Bullet are promoting their inclusion on said compilation.
It may have been a quiet post-Download gig but Tres Calaveras ensured those who were there took a little bit of darkness home with them.
Review by Alan Hicks
EP REVIEW
Zocalo - Providence
It would be something of an understatement to say Zocalo have had a good year. The addition of an extra guitarist made them rock harder than ever and of course there was the small matter of grabbing a slot at Bloodstock, the primary festival for metal in the UK. Therefore, the 'Providence' E.P. arrives at a time when everyone is looking at the band.
This is the point where some bands collapse under the pressure. They spend years banging their heads against various walls to gain enough attention, only for it to end in disappointment. Fortunately Zocalo are made of sterner stuff and have produced a collection of songs which build upon their work and successes to date.
The band have never been about heaviness, instead relying on their southern groves to move their audience. E.P opener 'Swimming against the tide' manages to squeeze all that is good about Zocalo into a four minute and thirteen second statement of intent.
The fact this was recorded and mixed in four days adds a dirtier feel to proceedings, the sweaty riffs in particular sound as if they are lounging about at a local bbq rather than cutting the heads of spotty teenage metal fans.
The Clutch-esque doodling and sugary backing vocals on 'Concrete blues' are perfect examples of the subtle changes in sound which have added another dimension to their usual sun drenched platform. 'Carved in stone' may begin like an alcohol fuelled jam in someone’s back garden but their is a sinister Alice In Chains vibe running through the song, topped off by a perfectly placed bluesy guitar solo. Vocalist Sarah Humphries shines on 'Providence' which brings things to a close, ending the E.P. in style.
With this release Zocalo have continued their tentative climb. Now go hear these tracks live at Bloodstock and let the good times roll.
8/10
Review by Alan Hicks
ALBUM REVIEW
Tyr - By The Light Of The Northern Star
From the first chords of 'By The Light Of The Northern Star', you know this is going to be a great album. The haunting, yet powerful intro to 'Hold The Heathen Hammer High' sets this album up perfectly and the chorus is a true sing-along that will make you want to raise your drinking horn and roar into the northern skies.
Taking a huge influence from traditional Scandinavian songs yet again, Tyr show they have what it takes to stand out from the rest of the Viking/folk metal bands that are around today. The a cappella intro to Faroese masterpiece 'Turid Torkilsdóttir' gives the listener a short break from the faster more sword wielding 'Northern Gate' and 'By The Sword In My Hand' (the latter having a chorus so epic and powerful that even the sceptics of Viking metal would find it hard not to grab a sword-like implement and wave it in the air).
The vocals of Heri Joensen are at their best throughout this album, with the use of group-style layering on some of the more epic choruses and a brutal singing voice, the vocals glide over the progressive grooves and catchy melodies of the guitars. The drums once again finish the ensemble off brilliantly.
Overall, I think this album has just about everything needed to be a masterpiece of modern metal. From the heavy start to a hard-riding finish (with the exception of the 'epic' of the album, 'Turid Torkilsdóttir') 'By The Light Of The Northern Star' is a must-hear for any metal or progressive fan out there.
10/10
Review by James Devine
GIG REVIEW
Natalie Merchant @ The Lyric Theatre, Salford Lowry - 24/05/10
To mark her first European tour since 2003 the former 10,000 Maniacs singer and songwriter, Natalie Merchant flanks herself with two plug-in acoustic guitarists and affords herself the luxury of an adept double bassist, from time to time. The most unique feature of evening is a slideshow at the back of the stage. It displays nonsense verse, quirky images and pictures of the mixture of well known and obscure British and American poets. Whose work she has spent six years researching and has adapted into a stirring 26 track new album, 'Leave Your Sleep'.
Merchant's infamous, slightly eccentric, endearingly quirky and moment grabbing stage presence still illuminates the set as much as the theatrical neon lights. Merchant and her guitarists are tight and focused as they run through material from the latest album. Each song is preceded by a brief, concise and authoritative biographical introduction on the artist in question and the significance of the piece being performed. Of course, Edward Lear needs no introduction, but was given a suitable and charming one anyway. Before the country and Celtic folk flavoured 'Calico Pie', is sung with flightiness and abandon. There's a subtle forlornness attached to it, tonight. Making you take the song, original poet and tonight's performer seriously.
A hollow string laden run through Arthur Macy's 'Peppery Man', is underlined by the achingly sombre delivery, as a poignant moment falls upon the full venue. Various emotions and genres are explored jumbled together, then punctuated by a bracing narrative introduction. e.e. cummings' charming 'maggie, millie, molly and may', possesses innocence and a serenity that defies the worldly and well travelled reputation of tonight's heroine. 'Native Names', adds another strand to the serious veil that covers the simplistic base and format of some of material on display. It cuttingly, yet stirringly covers the prickly topic of the perceived desecration of the Native American culture by modern American society.
An off-the-cuff strut and stroll through some of Merchant's older and popular material, gives the encore some freshness, whereas the vitality is provided by the performers. 'Tell Yourself', is as gripping as ever and has a new wave twang to it this evening. Potent lyrics that lash out at society for the ills that it has caused, like anorexia, are playfully delivered.
Despite the fact that Natalie Merchant is now in the fourth decade of her music career, each tour is given the same energy and heart that most acts reserve only for their first tour. Also, each album is given the attention to detail, thought and injection of spirit as though it were a debut album.
Rating; 4/5
Review by Dave Adair
METAL BLADE NEWS
CANNIBAL CORPSE and POWERWOLF Bloodstock 2010 competition
Click on image above to go to the Metal Blade myspace page
Become a fan of Metal Blade on Facebook
Click on band links below for info:
Win 2 Weekend tickets with camping!
METAL BLADE have teamed up with our good friends at Bloodstock and The Noise Cartel to offer one lucky winner a free pair of weekend tickets with camping to see CANNIBAL CORPSE and POWERWOLF plus many more at the tenth anniversary Bloodstock 2010.
CANNIBAL CORPSE will destroy the main stage on Sunday August 15, 2010 while German metallers POWERWOLF will headline the SOPHIE LANCASTER stage on Friday 13th August. It will be the Teutonic terrors debut UK appearance.
For your chance to win go to:
www.metalblade.com/uk/contests
The BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR METAL FESTIVAL 2010 will take place at Catton Hall, Derbyshire from 13th – 15th August.
Weekend tickets are on sale now at www.bloodstock.uk.com
BAND QUEST 2010 NEWS
All the results from all the finals!
Just in case you missed the results from last weeks newsletter - here they still are!
London Alternative Final - 27/06/10
1st - PASSION FOR CATS
2nd - They Came From Japan
3rd - Facade
4th - The Fetts
5th - The Martis Project
6th - Ghost In Mirrors
7th - Grimhilde (no show)
8th - Shaun Grimsley (no show)
9th - Red Fire Dawn (no show)
London Metal Final - 26/06/10
1st - SUNRISE FALLING
2nd - Kill The Machine
3rd - Brutai
4th - Silas
5th - Sons Of Torment
6th - Seven7
7th - Diachronia
8th - Mekanizm
9th - Metal Cross
Essex Metal Final - 31/05/10
(incorporated Bloodstock M2TM)
1st - ECHOES FALL (M2TM winner)
2nd - Silas (unsigned stage slot)
3rd - Snake Eyes
4th - Brutai
5th - The Furious Horde
6th - Near Death Experiment
7th - Merciless Fail
8th - Eradication
9th - Ionise
Kent Metal Final - 30/05/10
(incorporated Bloodstock M2TM)
1st - ZOCALO (unsigned stage slot)
2nd - Cursed As Angels
3rd - Splintered Soul (M2TM winner)
4th - Inner Fire
5th - Sanity Burns
6th - Seven
7th - Training Icarus
8th - Kill The Machine
9th - Karybdis
10th - Callous
Kent Alternative Final - 23/05/10
1st - CITIES FALL SILENT
2nd - Strangers Lane
3rd - Colt.44
4th - Everyone's Straight But Kate
5th - This Blank Page
6th - Trash Monroe
7th - The Conspiracy Theory
8th - The Grafters
Band Quest 2010 may be over but bands interested in taking place in Band Quest 2011 should register their interest here: www.bandquestuk.com/apply.
For more information on Band Quest please go to www.bandquestuk.com
CD RELEASE NEWS
Fusion CDs unleashed on world
All the bands who took part in Band Quest 2010 had the opportunity to appear on one of two compilation CDs. The albums are now available.
Both the Metal Fusion and Music Fusion albums are available at any of the Unified Sounds live nights. They will be located at either the front desk as you enter or on the stall (if there is one).
The albums cost £3 each or 2 for £5. Any purchase includes a free Altascope magazine featuring all of the bands who took part in Band Quest 2010. £1 from every purchase goes towards Childrens Leukemia.
Only enough CDs are sold to break even and they are also sent to industry.
If you cannot attend ANY of our events please email your interest.
I wish to purchase Metal Fusion
I wish to purchase Music Fusion
ADVERT
This Intrepid Fox doesn't bite!
Conceived by rock n' roll, born the bastard child of punk; raised on streets filled with trash, worshipped on the altar of rock and welded to the engine by metal...!!! Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the infamous INTREPID FOX...
From it's beginnings in the heart of Soho in the sixties, once patronised by the likes of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, hellraising actors Richard Harris and Peter O'Toole; the seventies led to the Sex Pistols and Malcolm Mclaren proclaiming it "like an old friend"; Slash could be seen propping up the bar in the eighties whilst the nineties provided a watering-hole for such legends as Lemmy and Zakk Wylde...
Re-located to it's new lair in St Giles in 2006, the Fox continues to uphold the alternative spirit, playing host to Iron Maiden, Bullet For My Valentine, Buckcherry, Zodiac Mindwarp and Backyard Babies to name a few, always providing a safe haven for London's rockers and goths, punks and metallers alike...
Always entertaining and fun, frequently deranged n' impossibly handsome the wily old Fox continues to rock this town like a motherfucker...!!!...'nuff said...
Check out the calendar for weekly events! Our resident DJ's Fri & Sat in the upstairs bar from 9PM are:
Dj Lola (Unholy), Danny Serrano (Mercy House), Devilman, Lucyfur (Denim & Leather), Adam Lightspeed (Electric Ballroom), Ben Christo (Sisters Of Mercy) Jonny Graveyard (Generation Graveyard), Sky London (Tres Calaveras), Danny (Breed 77), DJ Griffin (Torture Chamber), Duncan & Giles with "Last Men Standing".
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK:
MON-WED 3PM til 11PM
THUR 3PM til MIDNIGHT
FRI-SAT 3PM til 2AM
SUN 5PM til 11PM
So rev up yer party machine, accept no imitations and leave yer fuckin' eagle at the door...
LISTEN
Radio and Podcasts
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ONLINE RADIO:
TotalRock:
Need a station that plays the best in old AND new rock, metal, punk, goth etc etc music? Then TotalRock is for you. You can listen now by using the:
TotalRock Radio Player
Some TotalRock shows you should listen out for this week:
Wednesday 6pm-9pm: Talita Twoshoes - Two live hours of fun, craziness and music from Talita. Weekly updates from Feebz in Luxembourg, Axeman of Wolf in Sweden and Philly from Gama Bomb in Ireland. Surprise guests and the usual eclectic selection of great music.
Thursday 9am-12pm: Nix's Breakfast Bomb - Rock n' Metal n' Glam n' Punk to explode your eardrums and start the day.
Friday 6pm-9pm: Sex To 9 with Maria - Sensual metal and exotic latin passion.
Email your requests here: studio@totalrock.com
Request line: 0871 2500 777 (National Rate)
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PODCASTS:
Bloodstock:
Each week keep up-to-date with the build up to Bloodstock.
Click here for Bloodstock Podcast
Amped Rock:
At Amped Rock Sky London and Tazz Stander source the world to bring you the best of the best, in rock and metal. If you want to know before everyone else, or just keen to open your mind to new music be sure to listen every month. From the biggest bands to the best of unsigned it's all here.
On the 1st of each month we will release the next episode, so don't miss out on the podcast that the bands themselves listen to. Subscribe, follow, facebook and more importantly listen!
www.ampedrock.com
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VIDEOS
Latest video releases, interviews + more
Each newsletter we bring you a set of different videos ranging from the new releases from signed acts, band interviews, live videos, unsigned bands to older videos which have been plucked from the golden vault that is YouTube.
High Voltage Festival special:
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER (ELP) - Knife Edge video
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - Concrete Jungle video
Other:
WHITECHAPEL - The Darkest Day Of Man video
AS I LAY DYING - Parallels video
EVERGREEN TERRACE - Australia 2010 video
GRAVE DIGGER - Cologne Rehearsals 2010
EXODUS - War Is My Sheppard video
ROSE FUNERAL - God Demise video
CONTACT
Links and Emails
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EMAILS:
Gig booking: annika@unifiedsounds.co.uk
Newsletter queries: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk
Reviews: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk
General: adam@unifiedsounds.co.uk
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LINKS:
Facebook group - Band Quest/Unified Sounds
www.myspace.com/rockmatrixpromotions
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