‘Un-Natural Disaster’ (Collide Mix) is the first song to be previewed from the soon-to-be-released album ‘Beauty Re-Envisioned’, which will contain an extremely wide variety of remixes and alternate versions of many of the tracks that appear on their debut album ‘Finding Beauty in Chaos’. Both albums are produced by Ministry’s Grammy-nominated producer Michael Rozon at Ciravolo’s own SAINTinLA Studio.
This track breaks the constraints placed on the debut album, not only due to the addition of synthesizers but also in the wicked unleashing of a blistering guitar solo by guitar guru Zakk Wylde.
“Zakk plays more notes on this solo than I did on the entire album, but with taste, technique and a ton of flair,” Michael Ciravolo laughs.
For this project, Ciravolo – a New Orleans native – teamed up with King’s X’s dUg Pinnick, who previously lived in Houston. Their shared experiences and memories of the chaos caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, along with the ‘beauty’ of those who came to help the victims, profoundly shaped the song’s music and lyrics.
“When Michael sent me the music and asked me if I would sing and play on it, I immediately said yes. I think it rocks!! And some deep lyrics were my thoughts. Since I come from Katy Texas, where it flooded a few years ago very badly and, not very far away, it was the same for New Orleans, I thought it was appropriate to sing about the un-natural disasters that are happening due to man’s ignorance,” says dUg Pinnick.
“It was fun putting my bass part on the track and a big surprise being on the same song with Ice-T and Zakk Wylde. What a great opportunity, I’m glad to be a part of this project. And the video shoot was wet!! Lol! And so much fun… and even captures the serious topic of this song.”
Ice-T, famed rapper, actor and frontman of Body Count, also spits out a poignant exclamation point to the extent of these tragedies.
“This song really hits close to home as I was born and raised in New Orleans. I lived in Los Angeles when Katrina hit, but watched as friends and family lost everything. My elderly Aunt was evacuated as the city’s services shut down, and sadly she did not survive the move to Alabama. She along with at least 1200 others lost their lives as a result of this devastating hurricane,” says Michael Ciravolo.
Vicente Cordero, who directed the accompanying video, also directed the three previous Beauty In Chaos videos, delivers a visually stunning interpretation of this song. Production credit for all four goes to Industrialism Films.
Originally from New Orleans and now based in LA, Michael Ciravolo has played guitar in Human Drama for the past 30 years, most recently on ‘Broken Songs for Broken People’ (2017). Perhaps best known as President of Schecter Guitar Research, he has also played live and recorded with Michael Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel since 1998.
The debut album ‘Finding Beauty in Chaos’ features numerous music luminaries, including Wayne Hussey (The Mission), Simon Gallup (The Cure), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Pete Parada (The Offspring), dUg Pinnick (Kings X), ICE-T (Body Count), Michael Aston (Gene Loves Jezebel), Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Dirk Doucette (Gene Loves Jezebel), Ashton Nyte (The Awakening), Pando (A Flock of Seagulls), Evi Vine, Betsy Martin (Caterwaul / Purr Machine), Marc Danzeisen (The Riverdogs), Kevin Kipnis (Purr Machine / Kommunity FK), Rudy Matchinga (Red Scare), Johnny Indovina (Human Drama), and Tish Ciravolo (StunGun/ Daisy Rock Guitars).
On June 21, ‘Beauty Re-Envisioned’ will be released via LA-based label 33.3 Music Collective on deluxe CD and limited-edition heavy-weight colored vinyl. It will also be available digitally across online stores, including iTunes, and streaming platforms like Spotify. CDs and vinyl can be ordered from the Beauty in Chaos website at https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/music-store.
“Families left homeless screams and cries. Harvey comes people lose their lives’ – ‘what can I say?… this track came out dope!”
– Ice T“When Father Mike asked me to put a solo on The New CRUSHINGLY STUPENDOUS BEAUTY IN CHAOS song & be in the Video with dUg & Ice-T, I was kind of hesitant about doing it, But when Father Mike said he’d thrown in a Thin Crust pizza from Joe & Pats in Staten Island, NY along with a BEAUTY IN CHAOS T-Shirt I knew THIS WAS MY DESTINY!!!”
– Zakk Wylde“What started for a fleeting moment as my ‘solo album’ quickly blossomed into so much more. My role as President of Schecter Guitars certainly put me in the enviable position of meeting a lot of great artists whose albums are a big part of my record collection. The beauty from all of this is the friendships that I have developed. . It was mindblowing to be able to put together artists that have never been on an album together, much less perform on a song before BIC. Two of the most recognizable voices in rock n’ roll … Robin Zander and Michael Anthony together on ‘Drifting Away’. Two goth-rock icons, Wayne Hussey (The Sisters Of Mercy and The Mission UK) and Simon Gallup (The Cure) on ‘Man Of Faith’ is another example of the magic on ‘Finding Beauty In Chaos’. Many of these artists are looking forward to being part of the ongoing evolution of BIC. I sincerely hope that whatever notoriety this record garners opens the door for other artists to want to join in. I do have a ‘wish list’ 😊. On a purely personal note, with the help of Michael Rozon, my dear friend and producer, I was able to create the record I have always wanted to make”
– Michael Ciravolo“Intense hurricane-themed song… The King’s X frontman’s poignant vocals and booming bass add gravity… An ominous Ice-T rap rounds out the powerhouse song. sleek electronic drums… full of dramatic string bends and speedy, head-spinning shred”
– Rolling Stone
LINKS:
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/bic-blog
https://www.facebook.com/beautyinchaosmusic
https://www.instagram.com/beauty.inchaos
https://twitter.com/MichaelCiravolo
https://soundcloud.com/33-3-music-collective
https://beautyinchaos.bandcamp.com
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Pure Phase Ensemble 6 ft. Anton Newcombe – God Drugs (Live at SpaceFest!)
Capturing the essence of a live show is never easy. A lot of footage gives the impression that some of the artists are phoning it in, actually. But not the case with Pure Phase Ensemble 6 ft. Anton Newcombe and the new video for the live version of “God Drugs”. This is more of an artistic immersion. An immersion delving further and further into an event that is every bit an experience as it is a concert. While giving off the vibe of the sonic successor to Woodstock and Altamont, this glimpse into a live performance of musical storytellers and mood-setters gives a glimpse of solid emotion set physically on a stage. A stage of imagination.
About Pure Phase Ensemble
Pure Phase Ensemble is an eclectic rotating group of musicians, who come together every year in December during Gdansk’s illustrious SpaceFest!,. The group’s makeup constantly changes, guided by the artistic vision of a new curator every year and directed by Anna Szynwelska and Karol Schwarz of Nasiono Records , who has been responsible for its musical cohesion from the very outset.This current incarnation was led by a true legend: Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, along with Emil Nikolaisen of Scandinavian rock band Serena Maneesh. The six other musicians involved this year were drawn from various Polish alternative bands. They include Karol Schwarz (7faz, KSAS), Olga Mysłowska (Polpo Motel), Maciej Karmiński (Jesień), Marcin Lewandowski (Judy’s Funeral, Castlings, Soon), Jakub Żwirełło (Oslo Kill City, Szezlong), and Kacper Graczyk (Aiodine, coding).
Just ahead of SpaceFest!, Nasiono Records hosts a workshop, with musicians improvising to produce a set of unique songs. These intensive sessions take place at Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art in the city’s Nowy Port district, the artists gathering inspiration amidst its post-industrial atmosphere. The festival then culminates in this music being performed and recorded in real time for the inevitable album release.
‘God Drugs’ is one of the seven tracks recorded for this album. Underlying the importance of festivals like this, Anton Newcombe says, “turn on the fucking radio…then turn it back off. That shit is bad for you. erm…lets have an urban contemporary rap festival everywhere and see what happens. Let’s have more DJ festivals…name one fucking important DJ now that people will respect in 30 years…name a record besides some classic jam that anyone at a club cares about. It’s all disposable. We are all trying to create our own culture because Western culture is dead”.
“I want to help establish SpaceFest! as one of the most important cultural events in Poland and totally relevant in Europe. I would like to be involved on a deeper level. I want to integrate culturally, artistically with all of Europe…well not the fascist part haha, not the neocons…not the Polanski eyes wide shut fuckers… but the artists”.
Another outcome of this latest SpaceFest! is a collaboration between Anton Newcombe and PPE 6 member Kacper Graczyk, which resulted in the track ‘Not Blowing Smoke Up Your Ass’.
In past incarnations of Pure Phase Ensemble, the group was curated by Mark Gardener (Ride), Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab), Ray Dickaty (Spiritualized), Steve Hewitt (Placebo), Jaime Harding (Marion), Chris Olley (Six By Seven), and Hugo Race (The Bad Seeds, The True Spirit).
SpaceFest! has figuratively transformed Gdansk into the intergalactic capital of Poland, presenting psychedelic music at its best with shoegaze, Krautrock and space-rock plus cosmic energy, intergalactic cats, forest goblins, psyched visuals, pagan disco and more. The workshop is organized by the Nasiono Association in cooperation with the Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, and is co-financed by the City of Gdansk.
Clocking in at just over 44 minutes and priced at just €6.99 ($8.22), Pure Phase Ensemble 6 ‘Live at SpaceFest!’ will be released on CD and digitally on September 29, but can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.
LINKS:
http://www.nasiono.net
http://www.facebook.com/purephaseensemble
http://purephaseensemble.bandcamp.com
http://twitter.com/PurePhaseEnsemb
http://www.youtube.com/user/nasionorecords/videos
http://soundcloud.com/nasiono -
Syteria – Revolution
Syteria premiered their video for “Revolution” from their debut album “Rant 0 Bot”. The video was directed by Andrew Staley, while the concept and production were created by Syteria’s vocalist Julia Calvo. Also on board are Drop D Films and Restless Focus, to augment guitarist/composer Jackie Chambers composition. Editing Guru Mike Brierley had the task of making it come together on the screen.
“The major corporations have had their say too long and the people are starting to fight back. Then from among the shadows, a hero is rising!” says Syteria.
Syteria is the stroppy offspring of British heavy metal rock band Girlschool with the talented lead guitarist Jackie Chambers leading the pack. Jackie has been lead guitarist of Girlschool since 1999, but when you are taking Syteria into account that is where the similarities stop. For those of you that were lucky enough to see their far to a quick tour of South East Asia or their Friday night UK headline gig in the V Lounge in Great Yarmouth, these girls and boys rock, but in a different more urgent way than Girlschool. The band is more Runaways/Joan Jett Solo than Iron Maiden or Saxon.
Syteria’s album Rant 0 Bot itself starts off with the anthemic “Revolution.” The video and song sound exactly as the title suggests, music to start a revolution too!
Cover photo by Yellow Mustang Photography.
Syteria is:
Jackie- Lead guitar and Backing Vocals
Julia- Lead Throat
Kiera- Bass guitar and vocals
Pablo- Drums and VocalsLINKS:
https://www.numberonemusic.com/syteria
https://www.facebook.com/syteriagirls
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxhTNvKJfLjHNV0FzdrIlCw/videos
http://syteria.co.uk -
Ender Bender – Honey Lavender Girl
Ender Bender, a newcomer in the indie-pop world, presents his new feel-good single ‘Honey Lavender Girl’, hot on the trail of his debut track ‘Star Killer’. These positive vibing tracks present an enticing taste of the forthcoming ‘EQ’ EP, to be released in late spring.
The new single centers around his life-changing move from LA to Rome, a journey from self-destructive hedonism to a spiritual and artistic renaissance. ‘Star Killer’, on the other hand, explores the ups and downs, the angels and the demons of life in Los Angeles. The accompanying video was designed and directed by Italian artist Tommaso Ragnisco.
Ender Bender is the solo project of Eddie Olguin, a multi-instrumentalist producer now based in Rome, guided by a unique mission of making perfect modern pop-rock. Creating music and spreading bliss in the face of the realization that nothing in life is perfect, the pursuit of this perfect sound is what fuels the Ender Bender fire.
“The idea for this song came about when I decided to walk away from everything I knew, pack my bags and follow my heart. The song encompasses basic feelings that can be associated with such a decision: anxiety, excitement, hope, love, but most importantly, choosing to allow yourself to be happy. The ride was exciting, tumultuous and often scary; but the destination is joy. “There’s a time and a place for everything, and our time is right now,” says Eddie Olguin.
About ‘Star Killer’, Olguin says, “L.A. raised me and made me who I was, both mother and lover, an open highway to my fantasies and, eventually, the butler of my demons. This song is but a humble, yet bittersweet, an ode to this city”.
An artist and a small business owner in Los Angeles, Olguin had the Ender Bender ‘vision”, one night in a hospital in Glendale, California while literally facing the prospects of his own death. He decided that he had to cut ties with the artistic quagmire that is Los Angeles and all of its demons. Soon after, the Universe, in all her giving glory, opened the doors for Eddie to relocate to Rome, Italy in the name of love, sanity and, in this case, music.
Not looking for a scene, but simply in need of certain energy and feeling, Rome ultimately proved to be the perfect place for Eddie to create this music, bringing the Ender Bender project to fruition.
Inspired by music from multiple genres, including light-hearted indie pop, Ender Bender combines new wave and synthpop elements of decades past with forward-thinking indie pop and electro. Here the past meets the future in an addictive sonic stimulant designed in an audio lab somewhere.
Featured image by Roberta Ovatta.
CREDITS
Written by Eddie Olguin
Vocals and all instruments performed by Eddie Olguin
Backing vocals by Roberta Ovatta
Recorded and mixed by Eddie Olguin
Mastered by Justin WeisLINKS:
http://www.enderbender.com
https://www.facebook.com/enderbendersonicdrug
https://soundcloud.com/iamenderbender
https://twitter.com/iamEnderBender
https://www.instagram.com/iamenderbender