Jason Roche

Slipknot; Credit: Courtesy of Roadrunner Records

Corey Taylor Is Ready for Knotfest and the "Scent of Slipknot"

Jason Roche
Dark clouds barraged nine-piece metal behemoth Slipknot in the wake of their 2008 release All Hope Is Gone. The death of bassist Paul Gray in 2010 from a drug overdose nearly derailed the group permanently. The band regrouped two years later for live shows, but then longtime drummer Joey Jordison......
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Southern Lord Showcase

Jason Roche
Founded by Greg Anderson (Sunn O))), Goatsnake) in 1997, Los Angeles label Southern Lord Records continues to be one of the pioneering forces in metal by championing tripped-out stoner doom, dirty hardcore punk and just plain esoteric stuff. This show will celebrate L.A. legacy acts, with performances by '80s Venice......
Anthrax's Scott Ian; Credit: Clay Patrick McBride

Scott Ian Describes His Worst Moment in Anthrax's History

Jason Roche
Heavy metal icons Anthrax may be on hiatus from recording and touring, but downtime has never kept guitarist and band founder Scott Ian from staying busy. The Queens native — now firmly transplanted in Los Angeles — stayed productive by writing his autobiography I’m the Man: The Story of That......
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Ides of Gemini

Jason Roche
This Los Angeles power trio conjures up heavily psychedelic drone rock on its second album, Old World New Wave. The centerpiece of this arrangement is bassist/vocalist Sera Timms, also of similarly psychedelic locals Black Math Horseman. Timms has a hearty bellow, which does not change much in register. Within the......
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Earth

Jason Roche
These Seattle instrumentalists unleashed an innovative wave of distorted drone metal with their early work in the mid-'90s, paving the way for later acts like Sunn O))) to push the boundaries of low-end repetitive riffs. That sound gained popularity during Earth's 1996-2005 hiatus, but bandleader Dylan Carlson lessened the heaviness......
AEGES; Credit: Danielle Hardy

Premiere: Hear "Echoes," a New Track by L.A. Hard Rockers Aeges

Jason Roche
Los Angeles rockers Aeges have weathered some lineup changes since their impressive 2012 debut The Bridge. But the band’s approach to melodic hard rock remains quite powerful on their upcoming sophomore album Above & Down Below, which drops on September 23. Band member credits prior to Aeges range from the......
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Municipal Waste, The Shrine

Jason Roche
Virginia punk-thrashers Municipal Waste are the modern-day spiritual kin to such '80s crossover greats as D.R.I. and Suicidal Tendencies. Albums such as 2012's The Fatal Feast showcase a ferocious beast whose primary lyrical obsessions include beer, pizza, partying and horror movies. While the subject matter may not be that serious,......
Babymetal; Credit: Babymetal.jp

The Battle of Babymetal vs. Heavy Metal Nerd Rage

Jason Roche
When I first sat down to type out this post, it was with the full intention of tearing the piss out of Babymetal. This trio of precocious teenage girls — average age is 15 — has become one of the hottest forces in metal thanks to techno-infused J-pop layered over metallic......
Nita Strauss; Credit: Courtesy of Nita Strauss

Alice Cooper's Words of Warning to Guitarist Nita Strauss

Jason Roche
At age 27, new Alice Cooper touring guitarist Nita Strauss is younger than many of the fans in the audience. But gigs playing guitar with acts as diverse as reunited ‘80s rockers Femme Fatale, video game tribute band Critical Hit, and Jermaine Jackson – yes, that Jermaine Jackson – have......