Where the Devil would like to officially welcome its newest member to the family, Hamish Unahi. Normally known as a monster on the six- and seven-string in both Take My Soul and Faith in Lies, Hamish will be picking up a bass in his new position.
“I used to play bass back in the day for a punk band and a progressive rock band,” Hamish says. “It’s been a while, but I’ve been locked in my studio for a couple of weeks getting the low-end skills sharp again.”
L.A. GUNS – Checkered Past Released – 12/11/21 Frontiers Music
Long running hard rockers L.A. Guns have announced the release of their new studio album, Checkered Past. Written and recorded while the world was still in the grips of the coronavirus pandemic, the new studio album sees Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, and company continuing with the darker lyrical tone of the preceding studio albums, The Devil You Know and The Missing Peace, while incorporating their classic rock influences into the mix.
Internationally recognised Americana singer / songwriter Lucie Tiger returns today with her good time party song ‘Do Me Right’. It follows her recent singles ‘Midnight Goodbye’ and ‘Found My Home’, which both charted on TMN CountryTown Hot 50 airplay chart, with the latter peaking at #20.
VEGA – ANARCHY & UNITY Album Release 17th Sept 2021 Frontiers Music
VEGA have been a favourite of mine for a while now, having picked up their first album Kiss of Life around 10 years ago, and also having known singer Nick Workman from his previous band Kick. Always melodic, with a touch of nu-metal edge that set them a little apart from the crowd, Anarchy & Unity is their seventh album release following up from Grit Your Teeth from early 2020, and the new record is very much in the same vein, but perhaps with an added maturity and bite.
James McNair is a hit country songwriter from Aiken, South Carolina. He’s probably one of those names you have never heard, but if you like your country music, then you will have heard a whole heap of his songs.
At age 7 with a Sears catalog electric guitar found in his grandmother’s attic, James learned his first chords. His father, Jim, let him pick through old boxes of records and started him on the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. James learned to play along with the songs and developed a deep appreciation for well-crafted lyrics and melodies.
Perth based Indie Folk artist Duncan Saige has just released his heartfelt new single and music video ‘Start All Over’, which was premiered on Double J. The single focuses on reinventing yourself in the face of inevitable hardships.
Duncan has also announced a run of WA tour dates to celebrate the release.
Underoath haveshared Pneumonia, the third single off their highly anticipated seventh full-length, Voyeurist, set for release on January 14 via Fearless Records. Pneumonia is a sonic and lyrical voyage through death, partly inspired by the passing of guitarist Tim McTague’s father. Clocking in at just over seven minutes, the track shows Underoath continuing to push their boundaries as a band, serving as one of the most melodic and experimental songs in their career. As the track progresses, the listener is met with eerie guitars, pulsating drums, and an earth-shaking switch from Aaron Gillespie’s lush vocals to Spencer Chamberlain’s intense screams.
Q: Descending Death is the band’s fourth single release and marks yet another stylistic turning point. How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard you?
A: We try to be as heavy as we can while still retaining melody in the songs. At least at this point in time, there is no WTD template, so to speak: we write whatever comes to us and if we like it, it goes to the next stage and Ben (Pennifold, singer) will add his lyrical magic to it and it becomes a Where the Devil track. We don’t have a set list full of modern tech metal, or groove metal, or thrash or any one genre. I think for us, there are some touch points that you can find throughout all our songs, like certain chord types or chug techniques that might help tie it together, but it’s really Ben’s vocals that are the link between our different sounds.
Really, I think the fact all our songs have been a bit different has been more a plus than a possible negative.
Where the Devil‘s latest single, ‘Descending Death’ is released on streaming services August 27. It is perhaps the antithesis of the band’s last outing, ‘Misery’; ramping up the tempo and the aggression to new levels of brutality.
MIRANDA EASTEN BEHIND UNBROKEN STRINGS Released – May 21st
Following the success of singles Cowboy Lullaby and the super-catchy Country Boy across Australia and USA, Christchurch’s Miranda Easten is releasing her long awaited debut album Behind Unbroken Strings. The collection proves that she is a master of twang and a face of modern country music.
THE DAMN TRUTH – NOW OR NOWHERE Released – May 2021
Montreal-based rock band The Damn Truth have recently bubbled up from an underground presence with the release of their third album, Now Or Nowhere, mostly produced by the legendary Bob Rock who got heavily involved in the recording process by introducing the band to a range of vintage guitars and amps to tie in with the 1970’s attitude and live sound.
MIDNITE CITY ITCH YOU CAN’T SCRATCH Released – June 11th
Since bursting out onto the scene with a vengeance in 2017, Midnite City have taken on the world and hustled themselves to the top of the pile to be considered one of the top modern exponents of quality melodic rock. Their debut self-titled album was a cracker, with Harry Hess mastering their demos, the full band being pulled together, and the formal release gave enough support for the band to be considered as leaders of a resurgence in commercial AOR hair-metal heaven!
