MNEMIC has always had a little engine that could story, at least when discussing the band with fans, that’s the impression I have always received. The comparisons were always there, well they’re o.k. but they’re no IN FLAMES, or no KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, or any other metalcore giant you could think of. All of their previous outings showed you glimpses of what the band could do, but it was as if they could never kick things into 5th or 6th gear to put them over the top. That is until the released Mnemesis.
This album is solid start to finish; there isn’t one weak track on it. It runs a little over 43 minutes, and before you know it, it’s over. Very few albums do this to me where you listen to it, and before you know it, the album is over, leaving you wanting more. As usual, you’ll probably have some fickle purist think otherwise, but this album was a pleasant surprise, as I did not expect to enjoy it as much I have.
The album kicks off with the track “Transcend”, and it starts a trend that can be heard on this album, continuous infectious melody that carries over from one track to the next. GUILLAUME BIDEAU pulls off one of the strongest vocal performances to come out this year. He paints each song with strokes of harsh and flips things with straight forward clean vocals. Where most contemporary bands would stick to generic guttural vocals, and throw in rudimentary, paint by numbers chorus on each track, each of the songs on Mnemesis really stand on their own, and could have easily been the leadoff single, instead of “I’ve Been You”.
The album takes some chances here and there, which is what puts it over the top. The track “There’s No Tomorrow” is a song 99% of the current metal crop would be hesitant to put on their album. The track is a mix of FEAR FACTORY, BAUHAUS, FAITH NO MORE and perhaps even a splash of JANE’S ADDICTION. Although a lot of bands will cop to certain influences, it’s one thing to say who has influenced you, and another to say, “screw it, this track kicks ass, it’s going on the album”! If more bands did this we wouldn’t have all of the monotonous drivel, cash in on the latest fad copycat bands that are thrown at us all of the time. Some detractors will think, well it isn’t as if MNEMIC is reinventing the wheel, they’re not, but who in the last 20 years has? At the end of the day the music needs to be strong, entertaining, and memorable. I do believe they’ve covered that with this album.
MNEMIC: You may in fact call it a comeback!
Mnemesis is highly recommended to anyone that is remotely interested in a band like IN FLAMES, and been disillusioned with their last few albums. This is in no way Clayman, but it is the strongest album in this sub-genre to come out this year. It is chock-full of melody, the right amount of keyboards, heavy detuned guitars and bass, and a tasteful amount of drumming that varies from complex double bass patterns to simple straight forward playing to fit and propel the mood of each song.
JANE’S ADDICTION will release their latest effort, ‘The Great Escape Artist’ on October 18th via Capitol Records. Now, the band has announced some pretty incredible special performances where they will perform two night stands in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles in small venues where JANE’S ADDICTION performed during their historic ‘Nothing’s Shocking’ tour back in 1988-89.
These dates will kick off on October 3rd and 4th in Hollywood at the historic John Anson Ford Theater. Dates will follow at the Metro in Chicago and then the more info will follow in NYC.
This should be an epic night and I highly recommend all of our readers who have Citi credit cards to take part in the special pre-sale of tickets that Citi will be launching in support of each set of dates!
Everyone at this point expects a crazy good time when they go to see CAMP FREDDY in LA. The Dave Navarro spear-headed supergroup/cover band has brought out everyone from Ozzy to Steven Tyler to perform classic rock and metal hits. Now check out this most recent performance which features guest appearances from rap duo CYPRESS HILL and SEBASTIAN BACH performing the classic “Paradise City” by GUNS N ROSES!
Very few bands can effectively mix intelligence with intensity like Southern California’s INTRONAUT, who essentially walk a fine line between psychedelic brutality, captivating hooks and devastating yet unpredictable time changes. The much anticipated new album, Valley of Smoke, is set for an Oct. 12th release. This is the essence of thinking man’s metal and something so refreshing that it should serve as a vicious wake up call to masses forcing the entire genre to take notice.
The dynamic new track, “Elegy,” can now be heard exclusively at http://www.centurymedia.com/specials/intronaut/, so head over now to check it out. This is the final album version so if you already heard the track via the Invisible Oranges debut then this is the proper version that you need to hear asap.
Pre-order package deals for Valley of Smoke is now available exclusively through CMDistro.com featuring the CD + Exclusive Shirt=$18 ($20 xxl); LP + Shirt=$18 ($20 xxl). Also, some special bundles combining the band’s debut album, Prehistoricisms, with the new offering are also available: Both CD’s +Shirt=$23 ($25 xxl); Both LP’s + Shirt =$23 ($25 xxl); CD=$10; LP=$10; Both CD’s=$15; Both LP’s=$15. Click the link below to order now. http://www.cmdistro.com/Search/valley_of_smoke
A special, in-depth video series documenting the making of the album will be online soon, but in the meantime you can check out a video trailer for it now at the link below. http://bit.ly/as8O7f
Valley of Smoke’s stunning artwork was created by David D’Andrea and can be viewed at the band’s official Myspace (www.myspace.com/intronaut) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/Intronaut) pages or in the attached file.
INTRONAUT is currently preparing for a North American fall tour with Helmet, so be sure to either see below or visit www.myspace.com/intronaut to view their tour itinerary.
INTRONAUT took metal in a new direction with their Century Media debut, Prehistoricisms, but their sophomore offering, Valley of Smoke, will quickly solidify them as genre visionaries. This stellar new album, which Decibel Magazine praises as “One of the most anticipated albums of 2010” is set for a fall release and was once again produced by the acclaimed Josh Newell (JANE’S ADDICTION).
INTRONAUT w/HELMET 10/8 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre
10/9 Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
10/10 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
10/12 Chicago, IL – Double Door
10/13 Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s
10/15 Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner
10/16 Detroit, MI – The Magic Stick
10/17 Toronto, ONT – Lee’s Palace
10/19 Montreal, QUE – Studio
10/20 Boston, MA – The Middle East
10/22 Baltimore, MD – Sonar
10/23 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
10/24 West Chester, PA – The Note
10/26 Charlotte, NC – Tremont
10/27 Nashville, TN – 12 and Porter
10/29 Houston, TX – The Scout Bar
10/30 Austin, TX – Red 7
10/31 Dallas, TX – The Loft
11/2 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
11/3 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
11/5 Los Angeles, CA – The Key Club
Very few bands can effectively mix intelligence with intensity like Southern California’s INTRONAUT, who essentially walk a fine line between psychedelic brutality, captivating hooks and devastating yet unpredictable time changes. The much anticipated new album, Valley of Smoke, is set for an Oct. 12th release. This is the essence of thinking man’s metal and something so refreshing that it should serve as a vicious wake up call to masses forcing the entire genre to take notice.
A special, in-depth video series documenting the making of the album will be online soon, but in the meantime you can check out a video trailer for it now at the link below.
INTRONAUT is currently preparing for a North American fall tour with HELMET, so be sure to either see below or visit www.myspace.com/intronaut to view their tour itinerary.
Sacha Dunable (vocals, guitars) further states: “It’s hard for us to believe that we’re finally done recording this album after months and months of stress and late nights. Here’s a summative look at the process of making this album. If you would have told me at 15 years old that I’d be touring with Helmet, well, I’d probably think that was really cool. Now, it’s happening, and I still think it’s really cool. INTRONAUT is very much looking forward to this tour.”
INTRONAUT took metal in a new direction with their Century Media debut, Prehistoricisms, but their sophomore offering, Valley of Smoke, will quickly solidify them as genre visionaries. This stellar new album, which Decibel Magazine praises as “One of the most anticipated albums of 2010” is set for a fall release and was once again produced by the acclaimed Josh Newell (JANE’S ADDICTION).
INTRONAUT w/HELMET 10/8 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre
10/9 Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
10/10 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
10/12 Chicago, IL – Double Door
10/13 Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s
10/15 Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner
10/16 Detroit, MI – The Magic Stick
10/17 Toronto, ONT – Lee’s Palace
10/19 Montreal, QUE – Studio
10/20 Boston, MA – The Middle East
10/22 Baltimore, MD – Sonar
10/23 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
10/24 West Chester, PA – The Note
10/26 Charlotte, NC – Tremont
10/27 Nashville, TN – 12 and Porter
10/29 Houston, TX – The Scout Bar
10/30 Austin, TX – Red 7
10/31 Dallas, TX – The Loft
11/2 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
11/3 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
11/5 Los Angeles, CA – The Key Club
RATT TO PLAY A FREE FAN APPRECIATION SHOW ON THURSDAY.
What better way for a band to show its love for its fans than by playing a free show in their hometown? RATT, who earned their way into the Sunset Strip’s legendary and historical rock pantheon with a parade of hook-filled anthems that went on to define the ’80s, will play a free “Fan Appreciation” show at the Key Club in West Hollywood Tonight, July 29.
That’s right. We said “free.” No gimmicks. No fine print. No tricks. The show is 100 percent free for fans anxious to Ratt ‘n’ Roll on a hot July night!
This free show is presented as part of the Sunset Strip Summer Concert Series and is being sponsored by BING. The show will be filmed for a forthcoming, feature-length documentary about the famed Sunset Strip, where some of the most culturally relevant bands of the past four decades were spawned. The documentary will also feature X representing the ’70s; JANE’S ADDICTION representing the ’90s; PUSSYCAT DOLLS representing the ’00s; and, of course, RATT representing the ’80s.
Tickets will be available here: www.therattpack.com/contests/lagiveaway, so get them now, because they are guaranteed not to last.
RATT was recently forced to cancel its European tour in order to allow vocalist Stephen Pearcy to undergo urgent hernia surgery. However, the RATT family is happy to report that Pearcy has made a full recovery and is eager to get back on the road.
“Despite the forced break with my surgery, I’m feeling better and being out here on tour with the SCORPIONS is rehabilitating, to say the least,” Pearcy said. “We’re doing different songs from Infestation and they are going over great! We’re mixing up our set and kicking some ass. It’s a Scorpion sting with some Ratt ‘n’ Roll!”
Metal Army America is hosting the RATT AFTER PARTY at Angels and Kings in Hollywood, CA.
