Vix 20 are Gary Mills and CJ, two music industry veterans who grew so disillusioned with the state of every element of the music industry that they threw their guitars out of the window and sulked for a few years. Now rejuvenated, though no less prickly about the Modern Age, they return, to quote the band themselves, “we’re hard rockers turned to the dark side of pop”.
As evidenced on their previous single, Digital Age, their passion for power-pop (don’t say ‘punk-pop’ to them, it suggests too much jumping around) and dexterity with words combines to become insanely catchy 3-minute thunderbolts.
The track Hashtag Change pushes the envelope even further with the glorious cut-up tones of Donald Trump delivering a love letter to his beloved Melania.
Usually, a band would flash their pedigree and tell you about all the incredible things members of Vix20 achieved during their years in music. Regale you with stories of rock n roll decadence, tours, and air miles…from Rick Wakeman on a beach in Tenerife to L A Reid in New York City, not to forget becoming Dutch Rock Heroes…but you probably wouldn’t believe them anyway.
And so it was 25 years after their first school band and after a period of time spent apart sheltering from the music industry, label politics and amoral men in suits, CJ and Mills quite accidentally started making music again…strictly for fun, right?
Sure, right up until Mills arranged the commercial release of ‘Digital Age’. This has made CJ very angry but Mills thinks it will be fine. Each cut on the Vix20 debut album draws from their eclectic influences.
After the surprising reach of Digital Age, The second single follows up where we left off punk leaning towards pop of Me Gwanshi and the tongue in cheek day in the life of the commander and Chief.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
https://www.vix20.com
https://www.instagram.com/vixtwenty
https://www.facebook.com/vixtwentymusic
https://twitter.com/Vixtwenty
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuPABFfRP8fWPKkp6mA9Kkw
https://open.spotify.com/artist/01fEKKUsAN1pp9jguVrTQG?si=0cMw1OI6R6mM2iO_42M6sw
-
T.E. Yates – Burning Bungalow
Most musicians boast of exploding onto their local scene in a glittering blaze of media hype and spontaneous applause. The unassuming, unusual and enigmatic T.E. Yates, however, snuck in through an open window.
His name was not on the top line of event posters but rather a discreet artist signature in the bottom corner; his first gig flyers and album covers were ones he designed for other bands, not himself. He’s performed in front of huge crowds but always as a hired hand or supporting player, a multi-instrumentalist in the shadows – mandolin, banjo, harmonica, even musical saw – you may have heard him on the tracks of other artists without even knowing it. But now T.E. Yates has stepped out of the shadows, taking center-stage with a formidable backing band (both onstage and on record) comprising members of Victorian Dad, The Bedlam Six, Ottersgear, Gorilla Riot, and Honeyfeet.
Even when performing solo the man doesn’t travel light, his weird and wonderful drawings regularly making an appearance between songs, baffling and delighting audiences in equal measures.
His debut album “Silver Coins And White Feathers” is by turns moving, catchy and ambitious, brimming with influences from all across the genre spectrum, the subject matter ranging from astronomy to the Suffrage movement – a real treat for music lovers of all persuasions.“Nick Drake’s ‘Hazy Jane’ with a touch of Roy Orbison”
– BBC Radio ManchesterLINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/T.E.Yates.Official
https://twitter.com/teyates
https://soundcloud.com/t-e-yates
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vfksH96y3ZbDe6SLRX6mT
https://teyates.bandcamp.com
https://vimeo.com/user24745797
https://debtrecords.net
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrn1R2iL89k&index=1&list=PL–NzcS5ylP3JYe2k6gDEcqZQVsszD-Lp -
Counterfeit Culture – Apothecary (ft. Ricky Armellino)
In this day and age, we’re constantly bombarded by an onslaught of overwhelming influences from the entertainment industry and the media. It’s inescapable. Standing out from the pack becomes a bold proposition and an even bolder move. That’s where Counterfeit Culture comes in. Not only do the New Jersey quartet—Nick Broglio [vocals], Patrick Robertson [guitar], Elijah Pagan [bass], and Chris Smith [drums]—shake up heavy music, but they also shake up pop culture at large, ripping conventions to shreds with an artful amalgam of intricate metallic musicianship and alternative-inspired melodies. Their 2017 Deathwish EP introduces an infectious ideology.
“The name Counterfeit Culture basically says that we live in a society where TV shows, movies, magazines, and web sites tell us how to dress, how to act, and how to live our lives,” says Patrick. “Society tries to force you to be a certain way. We’re saying that’s wrong, and you can be whoever you want to be and live life however you want.”
The members initially met in 2015 while still in high school. They quickly built a local buzz, performing with top-notch acts such as Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Like Moth To Flames, The Plot In You, Erra, Thy Art Is Murder, Invent, Animate, and much more. In 2017, they worked with producer Ricky Armellino [Currents, This Or The Apocalypse] and mixer Taylor Larson [Periphery, Darkest Hour] on what would become Deathwish.
“We take inspiration from multiple genres,” the guitarist goes on. “Of course, we’re a heavy band, and we’ve got those down-tuned breakdowns. At the same time, there are melodic riffs and singing with layers of vocal harmonies. It’s this mix between alternative and metal.”
The single “Apothecary” illuminates the nuances of that style. Snapping from precise polyrhythmic pummeling into hypnotic harmonies, it consciously speaks up against domestic violence lyrically and in its cinematic music video.
“The lyrics are about pretending to be someone you’re not and trying to sell yourself as someone you’re not,” explains Nick. “The music video tells that story of domestic abuse. We gave it a visual representation. It’s a girl in this abusive relationship, making it seem normal. Obviously, she’s in pain, but she doesn’t show it.”
Elsewhere, “X” tackles the horrors of drug addiction through a tightly woven sonic assault, “Second Soul” examines “the self-destructive death of one’s former self.” The band separates itself from their contemporaries through both the integration of melody and a fashion-conscious image, eschewing the typical “black t-shirt and jeans,” as Patrick puts it.
Drawing inspiration from remaining outsiders since growing up through and through, Deathwish is as real as heavy music gets. “When people hear this EP, I hope they think about how they’re living their lives and open their eyes,” Patrick concludes. “You don’t have to just do things the way your favorite actor does. Take our songs as inspiration to live your life how you want to live.”
“The songs come from an honest place,” Nick leaves off. “They talk about my past. I felt myself change as a person. I want other people to know that change is possible.”
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/CounterfeitCultureNJ
https://www.instagram.com/counterfeitculturenj
https://twitter.com/CCNJOfficial -
Testament – Live @ Hellfest Festival 2019
Testament is an emblematic group of thrash metal and the movement of the Bay Area in particular.
About Hellfest
Founded in 2006 on the ashes of FURYFEST, the HELLFEST festival was conceived and imagined by Benjamin Barbaud (founder) and Yoann Le Neve (Co-Founder).Established for 13 years in the small town of Clisson (44 – Nantes), the HELLFEST has quickly established itself as one of the leaders of European festivals that offer extreme music.
Each year, more than 160 bands come to perform on the six scenes of the HELLFEST, each representing a current of extreme music: MAIN STAGE 1 & MAIN STAGE 2 (hard rock / thrash) – TEMPLE STAGE (doom / pagan metal / black metal) – ALTAR STAGE (death metal / grind) – VALLEY STAGE (sludge / stoner) – WARZONE STAGE (punk / HxC).
During this decade, big names in Metal have been programmed: RAMMSTEIN, IRON MAIDEN, AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER, MOTORHEAD, MOTLEY CRUE, MANOWAR, SCORPIONS, KISS, ALICE COOPER, ZZ TOP, MARYLIN MANSON, DEEP PURPLE, MEGADETH, KORN, SLIPKNOT, GUNS’N’ROSES, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, JUDAS PRIEST, DEFTONES, TWISTED SISTER, EUROPE, EMPEROR, TURBONEGRO, NOFX, BODY COUNT, STATUS QUO etc …
Mixing the giants of the genre, the rising formations or nuggets extracted from the underground milieu, the HELLFEST has won the trust of its public by offering each year an original and eclectic poster in the world of extreme music!
Welcoming more than 150,000 festival-goers over 3 days, the HELLFEST has distinguished itself by offering new installations year after year to guarantee the comfort of its fans, but also by offering an original immersion in an atypical setting. (Sculptures, ornaments, dressings, skate park, Ferris wheel ….) The scenography is worked in the smallest detail and has never been equaled: titanic light show, pyrotechnics, show and performances, set in daytime and night atmosphere, fire fireworks. The festival has surrounded itself over the years with artists and visual artists who participated in the creation of his own universe.