Tuesday, September 22, 2009

SLAPSHOCK


Slapshock produces music as loud and violent as its name. Slapshock is usually compared to Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot, as the band combines hip-hop and heavy metal to feed the market's appetite for brutal, in-your-face rap-rock. Slapshock formed in Manila, Philippines, on February 14, 1996, with vocalist Reynold Munsayac, bassist Lee Nadela, guitarists Leandro Ansing and Jerry Basco, and drummer Chi Evora. Nadela, Ansing, and Munsayac met at college; they were all attending UP Diliman in the Philippines. Wanting to alter their sound, the group dropped Munsayac and replaced him with Basco's cousin, Jamir Garcia, who had just returned from the U.S. While in America, Garcia had a band called Bruce Lee's Curse and was familiar with the East Coast hardcore rap scene; his background greatly contributed to the direction Slapshock would quickly take. The group built up a following in Manila's underground clubs. The band was quickly lumped in with two other almost interchangeable Filipino acts -- Cheese and Greyhoundz -- who pounded listeners into submission à la their foreign counterparts. When Slapshock opened for the alternative metal group Wolfgang during its Serve in Silence tour, the band generated excitement amongst angst-ridden teens in the Philippines as well as scorn from conservatives who felt such bleak, blisteringly noisy music was a bad influence on youth. Older fans who believed they were blatant bandwagon-jumpers ridiculed them. Nevertheless, Slapshock's 1999 debut album, 4th Degree, did well. On August 30, 2002, the band performed at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila and became the first rap-metal act to sell out all 8,000 seats in the venue. The band's songs continued to dominate modern rock radio in the Philippines as its third full-length, Project 11-41, was released that year. Project 11-41 displayed some sense of melody, but a number of critics felt that the group was still too derivative to be taken seriously. Despite that, Project 11-41 was one of 2002's most commercially successful albums in the Philippines, and Slapshock was voted Artist/Band of the Year at the NU-107 Rock Awards. Michael Sutton, All Music Guide

Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul (drums) and "Dimebag" Darrell (guitar), then known as Diamond Darrell, in 1981.[1] Bassist Rex Brown then known as Rex Rocker would join in 1982, with vocalist Terry Glaze. In 1987 Phil Anselmo would become the group's lead vocalist, completing the band's most successful lineup that would remain together for 16 years.

ANIMOSITY


San Francisco's Animosity have been combining the growl of death metal with the scream of hardcore and thrash metal since 2000. All the members were in high school and some were only 15 at the time. Three years later they would release Shut It Down on the Tribunal label, then in 2005 they would move to Black Market Activities and release Empires. The growth that had occurred between the two albums was noticed by the high-profile Metal Blade, who signed the band in 2006. Before they began working on their debut for the label, lead vocalist Leo Miller lost his girlfriend to a drunk driver. Her death helped to shape the very intense and very emotional lyrics found on the band's third album, Animal, which landed in 2007.

TERROR




TERROR (USA)


Nomen est omen: instead of easy listening, Los Angeles-based Terror's kettle of worms is tender trashing. Before Terror, the vocalist Scott Vogel was marinated in the acrid environment of the band called Slugfest, and later some of the band's former members have chosen the equally fiery Hatebreed as their retirement spot. The band, formed in 2002, has released three full-length albums, of which the latest is Always the Hard Way from the year 2006. A piquant additive to the formula, showing what Terror thinks of the most purist metalcore, is to have hip hop artists feature on the album.

Terror has been touring with such names as Madball, Biohazard and Sick of It All, sometimes stimulating themselves and their audience to such inspired moshing that gigs have been suspended in order to restore some kind of order. Before Terror's performance at Ilosaarirock, the band has been touring the planet at an astonishing rate. No hope, then, of catching these fellows unawares: Terror's experience is iron-hard and Scott Vogel's vogelisms rain on the audience thick and fast as ever.


THY WILL BE DONE



“Thy Will Be Done” are a US Metal Band. In 2007 they finished recording with Zeuss (Shadows Fall, Hatebreed) who produced, engineered and mixed their upcoming debut “Was and Is to Come” with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed as executive producer. The album displays a strong and distinct mix of their influences.


Their name, THY WILL BE DONE, is a perfect fit for this unique group from Providence, RI. It compliments both their explosive musical drive and the message they bring as a reaction to the “second-rate” commercial bands that use their stature and gimmicks to sell their senseless negativity and hopeless, nihilistic world views.

MADBALL


Freddy Cricien - Vocals

Matt Henderson - Guitars/Vocals
Hoya - Bass
John Lafatta- Drums

In-your-face n' off-the-streets: that's MADBALL. Spend some time 'round them and you'll know what makes this four-man wrecking ball tick. Freddy, Matt, Hoya and John: four distinct personalities who have honed their rage to a sound synonymous with the word Hardcore. Now, MADBALL step up the chemistry of their game up with this blur of belligerence, LOOK MY WAY.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

EMMURE


Emmure is an American deathcore band from New Fairfield, Connecticut, formed in 2003. The founding members, Ben and Joe Lionetti met Frank Palmeri and Jesse Ketive on the internet and began rehearsals together. Mark Davis joined when the original bass player had to leave for work-related reasons.Some of the members are from Queens, New York. To date they have released four albums, The Complete Guide to Needlework, Goodbye to the Gallows, The Respect Issue, and Felony.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

HATEBREED


Hatebreed is a Grammy Award-nominated hardcore band from Bridgeport and New Haven, Connecticut. The band was founded in November 1994 by Jamey Jasta, Dave Russo, Larry Dwyer, and Chris Beattie. The current lineup is Jamey Jasta (lead vocals), Frank "III Gun" Novinec (guitar), Chris Beattie (bass guitar), Wayne Lozinak (lead guitar), and Matt Byrne (drums). Hatebreed's sound can be classified as metallic hardcore-era metalcore, taking influences from death metal and groove metal. Their sound also has influenced modern metalcore bands.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA



The Devil Wears Prada is an American metalcore band from Dayton, Ohio, formed in 2005. They are currently signed to Ferret Music. The band derives its name from an anti-materialistic mindset as stated by vocalist Mike Hranica, instead of directly refering to the novel with the same title. To date the band has released three full-length albums one DVD and four music videos.

BRING ME THE HORIZON


Bring Me the Horizon are a British metalcore band from Sheffield, Yorkshire, who formed in 2004. They played a style of music that fuses death metal and metalcore, known as deathcore on their first album — but they have taken on a more eclectic style with their latest album.