Music

Arizona metallers Landmine Marathon will be releasing their fourth album, Gallows (Prosthetic) on September 27, but you can get an exclusive sneak peek by listening to opening track "Three Snake Leaves." The record is the first to feature the band's new drummer, Andy York, with guitarist Ryan Butler claiming that it contains their "most raw and vicious material to date."

To see an interview of frontwoman, and Hottest Chick in Hard Rock alumna, Grace Perry talk about the song with our friends at Metal Injection, click here.

Give it a listen and don't forget to tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Arizona metalcore quintet Blessthefall are set to drop their third album, Awakening (Fearless), on October 4, but Revolver is giving you an exclusive sneak preview right now. Check out "Promised Ones" from the new record below and read what frontman Beau Bokan has to say about the track. After you've had yourself a listen don't forget to tell us what you think of it in the comments section.

REVOLVER What's this song about?
BEAU BOKAN This song is us saying that we're here to stay. Some people have been saying "Blessthefall is back!"... but the truth is we've never gone anywhere. It's our battle hymn.

Which part of it did you come up with first? And what was the inspiration?
I had the line "We are the promised ones" written in my phone for a while and I just built off of that. My inspiration was the battle that we go through in our lives; the battle to stay relevant and the battle to be one of the best bands in music today.

Was this an easy song to write or record?
Once I sat down with the music and started writing the lyrics and melody it came very, very quickly, and I was stoked on all my ideas. There were a few high harmonies to sing in the song, but I think I nailed 'em. [Laughs]

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
We put out a 30-second clip of this song not too long ago and kids are freaking out. Makes us feel really good that they are stoked on new material. They'll be blown away by the full track!

Sludge rockers Elks are releasing their debut, Destined for the Sun (Tee Pee), on September 13. But you can get your first taste of the band right there, by listening to their song "White Fang Learns to Hate." Bassist Don Stewart fills us in on the song below. Let us know what you think in the comments!

REVOLVER What's this song about?
DON STEWART Some backstory: The EP is about the peaceful inhabitants of a planet colonized by an expanding empire who are imprisoned in a golden space hulk, then sent hurtling towards the nearest sun. Without food or water they are forced to eat the flesh of their kin while the heat from the approaching sun slowly cooks them alive. Eventually they're knocked off course and the ship crash lands on an inhabitable planet, where the unlucky survivors begin to rebuild their society. This song in particular is about the moment when they launch their redemption ship, the White Fang, to extract revenge.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
The first piece written was the second riff of the song, by an old guitar player of ours, Jon James. It was heavy and kinetic so we built the song from there. Lyrically it chronicles the experiences and intentions of the crew of the White Fang and sets the stage for the rest of the EP.

Was this an easy song to record?
It was a cinch. We'd been playing it for a while in different variations, so by the time we hit the studio we pretty much knew what we wanted to do with it.

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
We open shows with it a lot. It's focused and gets the point across about who we are and what we're trying to do. Live, people know in those first two minutes whether they'll like or hate us, and we all prefer that approach. No bullshit!

Hard rockers Kyng will release their debut, Trampled Sun (REALID), on September 27. You can hear the title cut right now, though, by streaming the song below. Vocalist-guitarist Eddie Veliz fills us in on the song below, also don't forget to let us know what you think of the track in the comments.

REVOLVER What's this song about?
EDDIE VELIZ Well, initially the angle was partially politically inspired, at least the sparks of the themes of misleading incentives into choosing who and what you stand for. But ideally the driven theme is inevitable conformity despite individuals striving to do their own thing and express something they think is new and brave in order to break free. It's saying that, for the most part, it doesn't matter what you're trying to free yourself…the paths of change have already been prepackaged for you, and the definitions have already been coined.

Because you're still trying to be that person that you need to be in order to not be apart, but it all fades just like the love you said that would never change, but does, because you were locked in from the moment you started making "decisions." That whole bag was derived from a feeling of being young and fresh and promising yourself that you'd never be what you already are.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
The verse riff came first along with the breakdowns and turn around. The whole bit was lifted from vintage tones I was shifting through—I wanted this big '60s riff that swung with a Hendrix vibe. Then I began floating melodies over it that I knew had to be as simplistically discernable as the riff, and that would fly with a high range power. The whole thing has such an easy heavy foundation that the vocals had to sustain like a banshee. And that was the beginning of that really, and then of course Tony [Castaneda, bass] came up with those ominous opening lines and the breakdown ending that really contains the smash quality of "Trampled Sun."

Was this an easy song to record?
It was fairly easy to record by the time we did. We were so rehearsed having run it in the set for at least a year prior. I think the most difficult part of writing it was to piece the bridge on it, because of the momentum that rallies the backbeat. It drops out, out of nowhere and the chord progression enters into a light of colors that flows into this Beatles-esque homage almost leading you to a musical serenity and then looks back to get swallowed into this huge relentless chugging riff. It's a ride and we're very happy with it.

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
We've gotten great feedback from fans about it and people hearing it live for the first time really seem to be drawn in by its familiar stature and then blown back by its power. It's so reminiscent and chock full of those tasteful '60s power riffs that no matter who you are, if you grew up listening to the classics, you'll recognize the feel.

Thrash pioneers Anthrax have unleashed "The Devil You Know," which is the first official single from the highly anticipated new album from Anthrax, Worship Music, due out on September 13 via Megaforce/MRI. The album was produced by Jay Ruston along with Rob Caggiano.

Worship Music marks the first new Anthrax material in eight years, and the first Anthrax studio album to feature lead singer Joey Belladonna since 1991's Persistence of Time.

Of the song "The Devil You Know," Anthrax lead guitarist Rob Caggiano had this to say: "That song's kind of a cross between 'Caught in a Mosh' and an AC/DC song, like 'Whole Lotta Rosie.' It's got that thrashy rock-and-roll vibe to it, which I love."

Listen to the song here and let know what you think in the comments!

Our friends in Eyes Set to Kill are releasing their fourth full-length, White Lotus (Maphia), tomorrow. But here you can hear the album, in its entirety, right now. Frontwoman Alexia Rodriguez fills us in on the album below. Look for more about the record, including a different interview with  Alexia, in the September/October issue of Revolver, which will be available everywhere on August 16 (or you can order it right here right now.) Let us know what you think of White Lotus in the comments.

REVOLVER What did you want to do differently on this album compared to past Eyes Set to Kill releases?
ALEXIA RODRIGUEZ In the past, we have had other guitarists write along with me. This is the first time I got to write both guitars and follow through with my own vision without having anyone else go against it.

What did Cisko Miranda bring to the group, creatively?
With our past members, I was the dominant one creatively. Cisko has been the only one I could write with without fighting or having intense creative differences.

How did doing your solo album inform how you, as a band, created this album?
I have always been the main writer of Eyes Set to Kill, and I knew that some of the songs I was writing wouldn't fit under our name. So I put these songs such as "Come Home," "Memories," and "Still Here" under my solo name. But as I recorded those songs on my own, I learned that Eyes Set to Kill fans could appreciate my acoustic songs, so that's why I covered some songs acoustically on White Lotus and did an acoustic version of our new song, "Harsh."

Why did you want to cover of Hole's "Doll Parts" and Nirvana's "Polly"?
I really wanted our fans to get to know who we are as musicians. We grew up on '90s alternative rock, and Hole and Nirvana were both my favorite bands. They both influence me tremendously. I love Courtney Love's voice and attitude and I love Kurt Cobain's intellect in his lyrics and the originality of his guitar playing. A lot of people don't respect him as a guitarist. I really believe he's one of the best songwriters of my time, especially since his influences were the Beatles and the Byrds.

What about the acoustic version of "Harsh"?
We play a lot of random acoustic gigs, so I thought it would be rad for the fans to hear that song the way I wrote it, and the way I will perform it on my own. We always try to include the fans as much as possible into our music. That's why we took two of our old EP songs and rewrote them for this release. Those songs used to be called "Pure White Lace" and "This Love You Breathe." But they are now called "Erasing Everything" and "The Secrets Between."

What are you proudest of about the album?
I'm most proud of Cisko's vocals. These are the first recordings we have had so White Lotus should be a treat for our fans since they have only heard him live and through YouTube. [Laughs]

Photo by Nathaniel Taylor

Hard rockers Maylene and the Sons of Disaster will release their long awaited new album IV, which was produced by Brian Virtue (Jane's Addiction, Deftones, Audioslave), on September 27 via Ferret Music. In anticipation of the record, they're proud of unleash new song "In Dead We Dream." So crank up the volume on your speakers, hit play, and be one of the first to bang your head to the track! Then read what vocalist Dallas Taylor has to say about the song, and let us know what you think in the comments.

REVOLVER What's "In Dead We Dream" about?
DALLAS TAYLOR The song is about having a conflict with someone, and then they tell everybody their side of the story, bending the truth to feel like the victim and get all the sympathy when all along the tables are turned. But the other person involved doesn't care about trying to convince a bunch of people that this is the case, because they know in the long run people will see that person for their true colors anyways. It is also about wishing certain circumstances would be different and hoping you can turn a situation around, but knowing it is pretty much impossible to do so.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
The music came first. We wrote the song in the studio. It was pretty much last minute that the lyrics came about. We literally wrote most of the lyrics as I was going into the vocal booth to track the songs. The inspiration for the music just came about jamming in the studio, and the lyrics came from a lot of personal stuff that I have experienced in my life and in the past two years.

Was this an easy song to write?
It was a very easy song to write musically. As far as the lyrics and vocals, they were a little harder. We had written the song vocally but didn't feel it was fitting the music and so we rewrote it as we were going in to track it. Now I think the song makes the most sense and just feels right all around.

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
We have been playing this song on our current tour and it has been going over amazing. People love it, and it seems to be making people very excited for the new record. It feels really good to play our new songs and get compliments on them every night. We are really excited about this record.

Sebastian Bach—who blew minds with his show-stopping performance with Asking Alexandria at the 2011 Golden Gods award show, and who is featured in the forthcoming issue of Revolver, out everywhere on August 16—unleashes his highly anticipated new solo album, Kicking & Screaming (Frontiers), on September 27. But today he's premiering the music video for the record's title track exclusive right here! Watch the clip below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo by Clay Patrick McBride

Noise-rock stalwarts Today is the Day are releasing their ninth album, Pain is a Warning (Blackmarket), which was produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, on August 16. The band formerly included future members of Mastodon in its ranks; today it features members of New York metallers Wetnurse. In anticipation of the record, Today is the Day are unleashing a new song, "The Devil's Blood," exclusive right here. Listen to it below, read what frontman Steve Austin has to say about the song, and let us know what you think in the comments.

REVOLVER What's "The Devil's Blood" about?
STEVE AUSTIN It's an understanding about how hard it is to be a parent, when you are totally broke. Shit is so expensive, and when you have two young sons who are 7 and 10, keeping with the costs of technology is fuckin' hard. Our society is so driven by marketing for products that are ridiculously priced and, when you can't even afford heating oil or food, an iPhone or iPod is the equivalent of buying a new car.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
The first section of the song was written first, and it reminded me of the Dead Kennedys. The lyrics for the second section—the "iPhone, iPod, iPad, PS3" part—were the first lyrics written.

Was this an easy song to write or record?
No, it wasn't easy. It's a complicated song and getting both the music and vocals delivered right was a pain in the ass. I am pleased with the end result.

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
A lot of people relate to it because a lot of people are fucking broke and sick of consumerism.

Photo by Karen Novak

Kittie are releasing their sixth album, I Failed You (eOne), on August 30. But you can hear their song, "Empires (Part 2)," for the first time right here. Frontwoman Morgan Lander fills us in on the song below. Also, look for a feature on Lander's "Favorite Shit" in the Revolver coming out August 16. Let us know what you think of the song in the comments.

REVOLVER What's this song about?
MORGAN LANDER "Empires (Part 2)" is about the fall of something that at one time was considered great and indestructible. It likens a union, or relationship to the idea of a great empire, and as history has taught us, even the most mighty and powerful of empires crumble and fall eventually. Nothing is forever.

What is its relationship to the album's "Empires (Part 1)"?
Well, musically, "Empires (Part 1)" and "(Part 2)" are based around the same guitar chords and structure, and "(Part 1)" is more like a soft, acoustic introduction to the fury of the second part, much like a time of peace before unrest.

Which part of it did you come up with first?
"Empires (Part 1)" was the original concept, as written by Tara [McLeod] on her acoustic guitar. From there we built it into a two-part song, and one that fit with the intensity of the album, which made sense for Kittie to do, musically.

Was this an easy song to write or record?
It was really a very easy song to both write and record. Most of the main ideas were already in place, as Tara had demoed a few sections of it previous to our collaboration as a band. We all just work so well together when it comes to writing, that once we get going, ideas just flow out of us. It was relatively pain free, and the end resulted in one of my favorite songs on the album!

What sort of feedback have you gotten on this song so far?
So far, so good. People that have heard it, really dig the vibe of the song, and the chorus is so catchy! I can't wait for the masses to hear it.