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PORCUPINE-TREE

Album Review: Blackfield ‘Welcome To My DNA’

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on March 28, 2011 @ 9:34pm
Category: Music / News

It’s no secret that I love metal. Hell, I cover it all the time here on BD, so the hint should have been picked up by now. But sometimes, I need to ease back and appreciate other styles and genres. In that love of exploring other styles and genres, I found Blackfield. Their first two albums are, in my mind, masterpieces of melancholic pop rock and I’m always excited to hear news about them. So when ‘Welcome To My DNA‘ was announced after four years, I was rather ecstatic. So, were my expectations met or did they fall flat? Check after the jump!

Album Review: Blackfield Welcome To My DNA

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on March 27, 2011 @ 9:25pm
Category: Music / News

There has been talks for a few years now of a project between Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Blackfield) and Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath). Originally, the project was also supposed to have Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) on board, but it was determined that drums were not needed for this project (WTF?). According to Blabbermouth.net, Steven and Mikael have finished writing material for a project that is tentatively dubbed Storm Corrosion. However, that does not mean that all the recording has been completed. According to Steven Wilson, “There’s still a lot of recording work to do, but this should definitely be out in early 2012.”

This is not the first time that Wilson and Akerfeldt have worked together. Wilson produced three of Opeth‘s albums (Deliverance, Damnation, and Blackfield Park). Personally, I’m beyond excited to hear this. They’ve both stated that it doesn’t sound like Opeth or Porcupine Tree, so it could be really exciting to hear something new from these guys.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 07, 2011 @ 8:36pm
Category: Music / News

We’ve been lucky enough here at Bloody-Disgusting to bring you an interview with Clandestine guitarist Dan Durakovich as well as the exclusive premiere for the track ‘Fracture’. So, with all this content, how does the rest of it sound? After the jump, you can find out as I tackle their first full-length album, ‘The Invalid’.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 07, 2011 @ 4:25pm
Category: Music / News

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Blackfield is one of my favorite bands. They’ve put out some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking, yet at the same time, cathartic music, in the last several years (just listen to ‘My Gift Of Silence’). They’re a band that I keep coming back to and appreciating. So, when it was announced that there was going to be a third album, ‘Welcome To My DNA’, I was already happy enough.

However, Blackfield have just announced that they are doing a N. American tour in support of the album. You better believe that I’ll be at the Detroit show at St. Andrews Hall. Funny story: St. Andrews Hall is where I first saw both Porcupine Tree and Opeth. It was the same show, no less (The ‘In Absentia/Damnation Tour’). Check after the jump for tour dates. READ MORE

Exclusive Audio Interview: Dan Durakovich of Clandestine

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 02, 2011 @ 7:22pm
Category: Music / News

Bloody-Disgusting scored an exclusive interview with Clandestine guitarist/programmer Dan Durakovich. With ‘The Invalid’, their first full-length album, coming out Feb. 15th, I spoke to Dan about the album, his influences (where he cites Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree and Bjork as a few), plans for after the release and what he thinks about horror. Check out the exclusive audio interview after the jump.

dandurakovichclandestine Exclusive Audio Interview: Dan Durakovich of Clandestine

Photo courtesy of Clandestine

You can follow Clandestine on their Official Website, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. READ MORE

Blackfield Releases Album Teaser Video

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on January 23, 2011 @ 1:45am
Category: Music / News

Blackfield, the project of Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson and Israeli mega star Aviv Geffen, will be releasing ‘Welcome To My DNA’, their third album, on March 28th. A teaser video that snuck onto the web in which you can hear samples of many (all?) the songs on the album. Check it out here. I really enjoyed the first CD but the second Blackfield album is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. So I’m really looking forward to hearing this when it comes out.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on December 20, 2010 @ 12:48am
Category: Music / News

Blackfield, easily one of my favorite bands, has set late March release date for the upcoming, as of yet untitled, third studio album. A whole slew of festival tour dates have been announced on the Blackfield Facebook and a North American tour announcement will be coming soon.

Blackfield came about as a collaboration between Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Israeli songwriter Aviv Geffen.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on November 03, 2010 @ 2:33am
Category: Music / News

Israeli progressive metal band Orphaned Land has announced that they will be recording two shows in Tel Aviv in December, one on the 9th which will feature Greg Mackintosh from Paradise lost and one on the 10th, featuring Israeli singer Yehuda Poliker. Both shows will feature Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree on stage. Both shows will be filmed as well as all sorts of backstage shenanigans and interviews to make for a full DVD experience. You can check out our exclusive interview with guitarist Yossi Sa’aron below.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on July 09, 2010 @ 5:22pm
Category: Music / News

One of my favorite bands, Porcupine Tree, has released the video for their second single, ‘Bonnie The Cat’, off their latest album ‘The Incident’. Unfortunately, I couldn’t embed it so you’ll have to GO HERE to check it out, which I highly recommend that you do as this video is beautifully done and has a very creepy vibe about it.

ptbonniethecatpic Porcupine Tree premiere video for Bonnie The Cat

Porcupine Tree will also be touring with Coheed & Cambria later this summer. Check HERE for tour dates and HERE for a Bloody-Disgusting exclusive interview with bassist Colin Edwin.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on July 01, 2010 @ 4:40am
Category: Music / News

Okay, so it’s been quite a bit since I’ve done a Retro Review but I’ve been thinking of how I wanted to approach this. So I decided, I’ll do one at the end of each month but I’ll leave it to YOU, the readers, to decide what album to do next. To suggest an album, simply leave a comment below with what you’d like me to review. The only guideline is that the album has to be at least 10 years old. I know that my first Retro Review (Porcupine Tree’s In Absentia) doesn’t fit that guideline, but hey, I’m starting this anew. So from here on out, with each Retro Review, leave a comment, I’ll pick an album at random and that will be the next month’s review. But for now, on to ‘Slaughter of the Soul’.

atgsotscover Retro Review: At The Gates Slaughter Of The Soul

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on June 22, 2010 @ 3:30pm
Category: Music / News

This summer, UK art-rockers Porcupine Tree will join up with Coheed and Cambria for a 12-date co-headlining U.S. tour that kicks off at the Hollywood Palladium in LA on August 12. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, June 25. It is the third round of U.S. touring for Porcupine Tree since their top-25 debut of The Incident last September.

These shows also continue the momentum that Porcupine Tree have built up over the last several months. At Coachella, the New York Times praised the “progressive rock virtuosos” performance while the Wall Street Journal raved that Porcupine Tree “attacked [their] compositions with ferocity.” Porcupine Tree’s North American Spring tour sold out, and they have already sold out their October show at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

And that is by no means the extent of Porcupine Tree’s activity this summer. Further events are listed after the jump. Also, check out our exclusive interview with bassist Colin Edwin HERE.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on June 04, 2010 @ 9:56pm
Category: Music / News

I recently got the opportunity to do a phone interview with Damon Fox, singer and keyboardist of progressive rock band Bigelf. Damon was a very cool guy who was eloquent and intelligent and gave some great responses that were not only well thought out, but also very intimate and personal. Read on to see how Damon responds to questions about a new Bigelf album, how the band survives the rigors of the road as well as his thoughts on the current state of music and a few of his favorite horror movies!

Bigelf’s last album, ‘Cheat The Gallows’ came out in 2008. Check inside for the video to their latest single ‘The Evil’s of Rock and Roll’!

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on May 13, 2010 @ 5:37pm
Category: Music / News

OSI (Office Of Strategic Influence), the hard rock duo formed by Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) and Kevin Moore (Chroma Key, Dream Theater), has inked a deal with Metal Blade Records! The band has gained a strong underground following since its inception in 2003. OSI already has 3 full length records and an EP in its catalogue of music. Their 2009 album, Blood and includes guests Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) and Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth). Past participants include Mike Portnoy on the first two albums, Sean Malone and Steven Wilson on the debut, and Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning) on Free. OSI is currently working on their fourth album and Metal Blade debut for a late 2010 release.

OSI’s music can’t easily be pigeonholed and is a completely different animal when compared to its founders’ other projects. The music is a combination of dark rock chorus’ with atmospheric, often industrial keys and is an eclectic mix of both Moore’s and Matheos’ influences.

Metal Blade founder and CEO Brian Slagel adds: “We are very excited to welcome OSI to the Metal Blade Family. I have been a big fan of the band and all of us here can’t wait to work on the new album.”

Keep an eye out for more news and updates as the band continues work on their new album!

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on May 10, 2010 @ 2:48am
Category: Music / News

While on tour for their album, ‘The Incident’, I had a chance to catch up with Colin Edwin, bassist of British prog-rock band Porcupine Tree. We sat down to discuss how the tour is going, what were some funny stories that happened on tour, how the various members side projects are going and what some of Colin’s favorite horror movies are. Check the interview below and let me know what you think!

Read on for my review of the concert at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit, Michigan.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on May 06, 2010 @ 10:44pm
Category: Music / News

Israel’s ORPHANED LAND pioneered Middle Eastern metal music and the band just completed a highly successful North American stint with Suidakra that included two high profile SXSW performances. The great folks at Metal Injection caught up with Kobi (vocals) and Jossi (guitars) for a candid, in-depth interview when they rolled through BB Kings in NYC and you can view that interview now at the link below along with a slew of exclusive live footage from that show.

http://www.metalinjection.net/tv/view/4913/orphaned-land-exclusive-interview-spring-2010

Live Clips -

http://www.metalinjection.net/tv/view/4910/orphaned-land-from-broken-vessels-live-13

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on April 01, 2010 @ 6:36pm
Category: Music / News

Israeli progressive folk metal band Orphaned Land have just released a ‘Making Of’ video showing how their video for ‘Sapari’, off of ‘The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR, was created. CLICK HERE to check out the video!

Orphaned Land just completed a highly successful North American stint with Suidakra that included two high profile SXSW performances. They will also be opening up for Metallica on May 22nd at the Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel. This will be Metallica’s third time playing in Israel, the last time being in 1999.

You can check out a Bloody-Disgusting exclusive interview HERE and a review for ‘The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR’ HERE.

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 13, 2010 @ 6:11pm
Category: Music / News

Late last year, while in Israel, I was fortunate enough to interview Orphaned Land and then stick around to see them in action at a concert in Tel Aviv. It was a great experience and I walked away feeling very excited for the follow up to the 2004 album, Mabool. And now, The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR is finally out.

cover ALBUM REVIEW: ORPHANED LANDs The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR

The first thing I noticed was the incredible rise in production value. While Mabool was an amazing album that was a musical journey, the sound quality was often a bit painful and piercing. But not on The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR. With Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree, Opeth, No-Man) behind the mixing board, the overall sound quality rose dramatically. Each instrument is clearly definable and the subtle ambiences are beautifully placed in the mix. READ MORE

ORPHANED LAND Post New Music Video For ‘Sapari’ Online

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on February 10, 2010 @ 12:58am
Category: Music / News

Israel’s ORPHANED LAND pioneered Middle Eastern metal music and their highly anticipated fourth studio opus The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR is now available everywhere. It’s a sophisticated concept album taking ORPHANED LAND’s unique brand of exotic, heavy music to soaring new heights in terms of complexity and catchiness. READ MORE

Album Review – KARNIVOOL’s Sound Awake

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on January 31, 2010 @ 9:01pm
Category: Music / News

I got an e-mail a few weeks ago that had my digital copy of Guitar Edge within. Seeing as how Alice in Chains was on the cover and the cover promised several other interesting stories, I started clicking through the pages to see what was new in regards to gear, tabs, interviews and articles. One of the articles/interviews in the magazine was with an Australian band named Karnivool. READ MORE

RETRO REVIEW: PORCUPINE TREE ‘In Absentia’

Music
Posted by JonathanBarkan on January 28, 2010 @ 8:07pm
Category: Music / News

In the summer of 2003, I randomly purchased the Porcupine Tree album, “In Absentia” based solely on the cover. It was of half a face, close up and painted blue but aged and cracked with a hand pulling apart the eyelids grotesquely, the eye rolled completely back. Sounds pretty sweet, right? The cover satisfied my joy of all things “horror” and randomly buying an album just seemed like such a “cool” thing to do. Man was I going against the system! Plus, who the hell had heard of Porcupine Tree then?