Tag Archive: Queens of the Stone Age

Folk Rockers Yard of Blondes Ready Murderology EP

Feb.01, 2013

Yard of Blondes

Stick with me for a second as I shake things up and introduce you to a band on the outside fringes of this site’s collective sense of music taste, yet are still entirely relevant. If you’re not counting folk metal, folk music in general seldom comes into play in the average music library of those who have more obscure and extreme tastes. This of course is changing every day, with artists like Wovenhand and Chelsea Wolfe taking a darker, almost doom-like aesthetic choice in folk rock that complements many bands that are considered sludge and stoner metal. It’s a rare connection, but it’s found among the open minded.

The latest band rising up and promising to capture the crossover appeal is Los Angeles based folk rock band Yard of Blondes. There actually isn’t much in the way of a studio recording of the band available yet from what I gather, but the duo plans to release an EP titled Murderology on March 26th. Their roots seem to be in a more traditional folk rock vein judging by YouTube live bootlegs of older material, but from what I’ve heard of Murderology, Yard of Blondes’ new material seems to invoke an interesting cross section of Ghost, Queens of the Stone Age, and Silversun Pickups. The album art has been unveiled through the short teaser clip found below, and it is gorgeous. It’s NSFW and features full-frontal female nudity, but as my assistant editor Evan “Juular” says, “naked bishes on the album art is always a plus.”

If you’re interested, visit Yard of Blondes on Facebook and be on the look out for Murderology on March 26th.

- JR

Tags: Chelsea Wolfe, Ghost, Queens of the Stone Age, Silversun Pickups, Wovenhand, Yard of Blondes

Gaia’s Best Records Of 2012… So Far!

Filed Under: Editorials, Lists!

Jun.11, 2012

For a couple years now I’ve decided to make a kind of midway list at the end of May of the records that have come out in the year, it helps me remember them when the year-end lists start rolling up. It’s also probably the best opportunity to shine a light on some records which may have flown under your radar, with enough time for you to digest and perhaps include them in your own year end list. I suppose one can dream. Lets get under way…

5. Stubb – Stubb

I had known and liked Stubb before I went to Desertfest in Camden back in April and yet I surprised myself when I sang along with ‘Scale the Mountain’. In fact what was more surprising was that the Purple Turtle, the venue, was packed and sweaty and everyone made their voice heard, and it was only 2.30 in the afternoon. This did not happen regularly.

On stage they were just regular guys in rather colourful shirts, but as Stubb they swaggered and rocked, the record’s practically anthemic yet it is dirty and sleazy, and we all loved it washing over us. There’s a sense of invigorated classicism about their 70s psych tinged stoner rock; they’ve suffered their share of evil women and they’ve studied every note of every Hendrix solo, and it feels real with Stubb whereas if it were another band it may seem cliché.

The record easily benefits from the superman Tony Reed’s (Stone Axe) production skills (he has also done Saint Vitus’s new one this year) making this catchy and memorable release a standout of the year so far.

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Brendon Small’s Galaktikon

Filed Under: Reviews

Apr.18, 2012

Brandon Small’s Galaktikon

01. Triton
02. Prophecy of the Lazer Witch
03. Deathwaltz
04. Beastblade
05. Truth Orb and the Kill Pool
06. You Can’t Run Away
07. Arena War of the Immortal Masters
08. Dangertits
09. On My Way

[04/29/12]
[Self Released]

Whether you know it or not, you’re likely familiar with Mr. Brendon Small. He’s the creator and mastermind behind the cult animation hit Home Movies and more topically, Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse, which features the best-selling melodic death metal band Dethklok. With hit television shows and two Dethklok records under his belt, Brendon Small is at it again and spreading his wings for another musical endeavor in Galaktikon, a self-proclaimed “high stakes intergalactic extreme rock album.” Galaktikon sees Brendon Small trade in his death metal growls as Dethklok’s Nathan Explosion for a more melodic vocal approach, creating something catchier and almost operatic in some senses.

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Tags: Brendon Small, Brendon Small's Galaktikon, Dethklok, Devin Townsend, Galaktikon, Metalocalypse, Queen, Queens of the Stone Age, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Ziltoid

Black Tusk – Set the Dial

Filed Under: Reviews

Sep.27, 2011

Black Tusk

Set the Dial

01. Brewing the Storm
02. Bring Me Darkness
03. Ender of All
04. Mass Devotion
05. Carved in Stone
06. Set the Dial to Your Doom
07. Resistor
08. This Time is Divine
09. Growing Horns
10. Crossroads and Thunder

[10/25/11]
[Relapse Records]

For quite a while now, Georgia has breed its fair share of bands that all utilize that brand of southern-tinged music, albeit to a much heavier degree. Bands like Mastodon, Baroness and Kylesa have made a name for themselves and despite their different paths, they’ve all retained certain characteristics such as massive hulking riffs, booming vocals and an all around gritty sound. And in the case of their backwater brethren, Black Tusk, they are no different. But what sets Black Tusk apart from the other bands is there no holds barred approach to writing high-energy hard rock/metal music that bodes well their overall hell raising attitude. And with the release of their latest album, Set the Dial, Black Tusk continue that formula, bringing back that southern hospitality which will undoubtedly have you banging your head and stomping your feet!

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Tags: Baroness, Black Tusk, High On Fire, Kylesa, Mastodon, Queens of the Stone Age, Set The Dial, Skeletonwitch, soundgarden

David Grohl Involved In New Mastodon Album?

Filed Under: General News, Upcoming releases, WILD SPECULATION!

May.04, 2011

Mastodon let their fans know that they’ve recently stepped into the studio to write and record their new album by uploading a series of photos in the album ‘New Album Recording April 2011′. The above photo of the legendary Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Probot, Tenacious D, Them Crooked Vultures, etc if you somehow forgot his legacy) was tucked neatly at the end, leading rock fans everywhere to salivate in awe at the possibility of Dave contributing to the new album. Dave is certainly fit for Mastodon’s sound, just as Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Them Crooked Vultures, etc) fit in perfectly in “Colony of Birchmen” from their album Blood Mountain. Hopefully this ends up being more than friendly goofing off and we see a recorded collab between Dave and Mastodon; it’s just undeniably sweet and should be excellent!

Expect to hear more about this soon enough. We’ll have the record later this year!

- JR

Tags: Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters, Josh Homme, Kyuss, Mastodon, nirvana, Probot, Queens of the Stone Age, Tenacious D, Them Crooked Vultures

Songs I Like By Bands I Don’t (Part 1?)

Filed Under: Editorials, Interblog Bullshit, Lists!, Video

Dec.10, 2010

I saw this idea thrown up by the ladies over at Reign In Blonde (via Metalsucks, of course), outlining a list of enjoyable songs by bands who are otherwise not all that enjoyable. I thought to myself, “Well, here’s a short gap in studying and homework and there’s fuck all in the news this late in the year, so I might as well bite at the idea.”

So here I am! And here are some songs I like by bands I don’t!

Children of Bodom – Tie My Rope

I’ve tried to get into Children of Bodom in the past, but they never really clicked for me, save for this song, “Tie My Rope,” which comes off of their last album Blooddrunk. I liked my melodic death on the side of In Flames and Soilwork around that time, so Children of Bodom’s more thrash-influenced approach didn’t do much for me, but this song has a certain catchiness and groove that drew me in. Unfortunately, the rest of the album failed to get that sort of attention from me, but I still enjoy this particular song.

Muse – Supermassive Black Hole

Despite their praise as a prog rock band, I could never get into Muse as a whole. “Knights of Cydonia” is alright, but it didn’t stick with me like this one did. This song is too damn catchy for its own good, though. That riff is infectious and the lyrics are catchy. And yes, I know this song is on the Twilight soundtrack, effectively ruining Muse with an army of Twilight fans. Regardless, this is a fun song.

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Tags: Children of Bodom, Mercenary, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age, Rick Astley, Scar Symmetry