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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Rock Cure


As we all know breast cancer is a very serious disease and it affects millions worldwide. We believe that being part of the Rock N Roll community comes with huge responsibilities, and whenever someone reaches out for help we will step up and help out. We did it at Duff's Brooklyn for the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund" fund raiser, and we are doing it again on Saturday September 4th for "The When- I Awareness Rock Show".

The event will feature live music by The Penguin Revolution, Sex Slaves and The Resurrection Sorrow. Additionally, there will plenty of food, amazing raffles, great music and t-shirts. All proceeds will go to the "When-I Organization". You are all invited and remember: YOU can make a difference.

Related links:
Official site of the When-I Organization
Official site of The Penguin Revolution
Official site of Sex Slaves
Official site of The Resurrection Sorrow

Thursday, August 26, 2010

EXCLUSIVE interview about HIXONFEST on Liquid Metal!


History keeps being written here on the Horns Up Rocks grounds, yesterday the biggest Heavy Metal station in the world Liquid Metal, powered by Sirius XM, aired an exclusive interview with Richard Christy! CHECK IT OUT!

LIQUID METAL interview clip


Related links:
Sirius XM Liquid Metal
Horns Up Rocks
Jefferson Avenue Productions
Richard Christy
The Hixon
Judas Priestess
Lies Beneath
Canons
Sealed With a Kiss
Facebook INVITE

MADBALL: R.A.H.C.


New York Hardcore titans Madball, will be releasing a new record on October 12th. The new record is titled Empire and it will be out through Good Fight Records here in the USA and on Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. Make sure you pick it up!

Here is the first song to be released by the band via theirMySpace page, its titled R.A.H.C. The songs message is very clear and is dedicated to all those who claim that Hardcore music is dead and gone. The reality is that Hardcore is a musical genre that has expanded beyond the horizon and today it is a worldwide movement, thanks to bands like Madball. Check this awesome song out!

Here is what Freddy and Hoya had to say about Empire:

“Erik has been great to work with,” states Cricien. “He’s definitely a perfectionist, which I have no problem with. It’s going to benefit us in the end! He’s got his own techniques like everyone does, so he’s going to bring a different dynamic into the sound/mix. I’m excited for people to hear the finish product. I predict it will be very HARD!” - Freddy Cricien

"The new record is groovy and hard, full of good Madball songs about life! It reminds me of Demonstrating My Style and Hold It Down, but the songs are definitely up to date.
We can't wait for people to hear it." - Hoya Roc

Related links:
Madball on MySpace

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

PANTERA UNRELEASED

The Kings of Metal Pantera, debuted a previously unreleased song called "The Will To Survive" on their official Facebook page. The song has the vibe of Power Metal, combined with the furious groove of Cowboys From Hell. In case you don't know this, Rhino is re-releasing Pantera's legendary album Cowboys From Hell on September 14th. The Official release party will take place at Duff's Brooklyn on September 10th.

The re-release of Cowboys From Hell will be delivered in various formats thanks to Rhino Entertainment. One of those version is a three-disc package, which includes the demos of this legendary album. For more details about this release and for a more detailed view of the packaging, become a Pantera fan on Facebook.

PANTERA: A WILL TO SURVIVE


Here is a video tribute we put together for PANTERA's COWBOYS FROM HELL!


Related links:
Official Pantera site
Official Pantera Facebook Page
Official site of Duff's Brooklyn

OZZY: Life Won't Wait


The prince of darkness released one of the best videos of his career earlier this week. Directed by his son Jack Osborne, the video for "Life Won't Wait" is fresh and shows a reinvented Ozzy. When we had the chance to meet Ozzy at his book signing here in New York City, he looked great and was extremely grateful to have his fans show their support for his new venture as a story teller. It's safe to assume that Ozzy will be around for years to come, because the iron man can't be stopped and life is good for the Osbourne's right now. Here is the video for "Life Won't Wait"!



Related links:
Ozzy's Official Site

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

CHARETTA: Sweet Rocking

At the 2 year anniversary of "Gotham Rocks" at the Highline Ballroom here in New York City, we finally had the chance to experience Charetta's music. Charetta features Angelina DelCarmen on vocals, Pablo LaFrossia on guitar, Richard Mollo on bass and Adonis Sanchez on drums. As discussed during the interview we did with the entire band (which you can see below), Charetta stands out for having a very talented female vocalist, blended with well crafted original guitar licks, groovy bass lines and precise drum parts. Many compare them to Evanescence and Lacuna Coil, but to me they stand tall and the only reason they get such comparison, is because of having a beautiful female vocalist.

Charetta started when musicians guitarist Pablo LaFrossia and drummer Adonis Sanchez, who have been part of the New York rock scene for years, decided to start a band that would be all about the "Sweet Rocking". Don't get confused though, Charetta will keep your head banging throughout their entire set. While many bands perform better on smaller stages, Charetta has proved that they can play on a big stage like they did at the Highline Ballroom, and that they can also play at more intimate venues like at the Best Buy store here in New York City.


The next year should be very interesting for Charetta, because they have the right mindset and good music to go with it. The band released a record titled "Defying the Inevitable" last year in June, which was produced by Brett Hestla (Creed, Framing Hanley, Dark New Day). It includes 9 songs and was approved by many ears nationwide. The band is already planning on entering the studio in January of 2011. Before we get into the interview we did with Charetta backstage at the Highline Ballroom, we want to thank the band for being one of the most professional and on point bands we have ever interviewed. \m/





Related links:
Charetta Official Site
Charetta on My Space

BEHEMOTH: Exclusive interview with Nergal


Hailing out of Poland, the land of beautiful women and tremendous Vodka, Behemoth has quickly become their finest musical export in decades. Unfortunately, the motor behind Behemoth, Mr. Adam Darski( A.K.A. Nergal) is currently facing some major health issues. We wish him the best and hope to have him destroying stages with Behemoth very soon. Here is an interview that our partners in musical crime (Music Photocalypse) recently conducted with him.

You started your “Evangelion” Tour last year and apparently 2010 won’t be the last year of your tour.

Actually, this tour is different. We used to tour more intensely in the past. We are planning to tour in support of “Evangelion” for the next two years, 300 shows more or less is the plan. 300 shows in 3 years are not the same as 300 shows in 18 months. This time we just want to make sure there is a break for us: like playing a few shows in Australia and then having a week off; then – some more shows in Japan and then again time off. We just want to keep it that way. We want to have time to recover and recharge batteries, and so on. So yes, this is how we do it.

Immediately after releasing “Evangelion” you said you couldn't be any happier of having completed the recording process because you felt it was very good and considered it to be the climax of your music career. Usually when one feels like reaching the top in any sphere of life, one gets to the natural question: “What's next?”

I can't really tell you now. I am just taking it as it is, day by day. We are touring for this record now. We are trying to make sure we show that “Evangelion” is the biggest and the most splendid record and once we are done with the project, we'll take a sit and have some time off. Maybe then we will realize that there is no reason to continue. But I am a pretty determined individual and I am very ambitious too, so I guess I will at least give it a shot.

The album is quite angry, so where did you take all that anger from? The reason why I ask is because you were in such high spirits and so positive while recording it.

Well, I was mostly happy with the recording process. But it doesn't mean I didn't struggle in my personal life. When I was doing the record I was just going up and down. There were some bad things happening... But all this was pretty motivating too. So, as long as I can find motivation I don't give a fuck. And if you want you can turn such things into the worst experience but you can turn them into a driving force too.

After recording “Evangelion” with British recording engineer Colin Richardson famous for his work with Slipknot, Carcass, Fear Factory, Cannibal Corpse and many other top Heavy Metal bands, are you planning to work with him again in future?

Oh, definitely I am really happy with how he mixed “Evangelion” and I am really hoping to work with him again. Bad mixing can totally destroy the album. You have to do it the right way: to have right taste and balance and everything.

Your lyrics have always been full of symbols and allusions and one has to dig through a lot of books to understand their meaning; are you trying to educate your fans?

I know, you have to read a lot to understand ... But then again, no. It's like yes and no. Let me give you an example: I am a Rammstein fan but I don't know a shit in German but for some reason I sense the spirit, I can feel it. I don't know the lyrics but I know what they are singing about. And I hope I get the right feeling - it is just my interpretation of it. So, I mean you don’t have to read the whole text. I don’t expect a 15-year old Metal head to do that and sometimes we don't understand what we are singing about. It's just a stream of energy with words and actions. We just put it in a very poetic way. Sometimes these are only various impressions. It's not mathematics. It's feelings, it's emotions. Remember we speak about feelings here so it’s really easy to make up wrong interpretations.

You have a picture of the Harlot of Babylon on the cover of “Evangelion”. She is stepping on broken stone tablets containing the 10 commandments. Do you want to say that you offer new commandments and new evangel A.K.A. “Evangelion”?

This image is a universal message which we have always conveyed – it tells to stand out from the crowd, to get your own gods; staying truthful and faithful to your own spirit. So, anything we use in our graphics or our lyrics it all pretty much gets the same point across - the theme of freedom and liberty. The Harlot stepping on the broken commandment stones is not about winning a fight with God. It's the manifestation of our attitude, freedom, philosophy… and that's it. It's just my opinion and I am not really trying to force it upon anyone.

If we speak about you and your attitude to religion, what is the thing that you are fighting with? Are you more anti-Pope, anti-Church or anti-Christianity in general?

We are anti-stupidity; we are against any kind of limitations. Just be yourself, show yourself, just fucking fly! Just drift away from anything that holds you down and limits you and suppresses your abilities, your potential, and your freedom. I know it’s very general, but it’s the way we feel.


So you are much more after Aleister Crowley and the power of will philosophy, aren’t you?

Well it’s quite clear that he means a lot to me and his writings are very inspirational... But I don't think I am anyone’s or anything's follower. I just use my intuition and that shows me the right path in my life.

You had problems with the Polish Church and the Conservative Party back in 2007 and now you were officially charged with insulting the Roman Catholic Church on March 8. What kind of danger do you think you constitute to the mighty church that makes them be after you?

It is all just about keeping people in control. Poland has been enslaved by regimes for decades. So for us gaining democracy is something totally new. Some people just freak out when they see that the individuals can go out and speak out for themselves, just being who they are... In Poland things are very schematic and square’ish, so they are afraid when anything stands out: people are going out of the way, it’s getting out of control – their control. But you cannot control people. As I’ve said, I will always be an individual, because there is freedom within; you should be able to do whatever you want. I’ll be facing a new court trial. I will stand for what I say and I will go to court.

Having such things going on in Poland are you still comfortable living and working there?

Yeah, kind of. I was born there, my family is there, my fiancée is there, my band is there, so it’s my place. I can see myself living outside of the country. I can see myself living in another country part-time. We will see, I don’t know yet.
You sound like you are not afraid of anything in this life. Am I right?

I am not afraid of anything. I thought about it several times. I don’t want to sound like a hero, it’s stupid. I don’t know, maybe there is something I should be afraid of and I am just not aware of it. Some people are afraid of solitude, of loneliness. I just know that in our lives we get what we deserve. As long as you are not disabled and you’ve got two legs, two hands and a brain, you are pretty much able to get anywhere you want. That’s how I think.


And you obviously enjoy ruining a lot of Metal head stereotypes: you started dressing quite trendy, you keep a healthy lifestyle and are dating a pop singer.
I don’t give a fuck about other people’s reaction. See, I am pretty sure there is not a single fucking person who left this venue unsatisfied. So this is my proof, and my lifestyle has nothing to do with music. The world is full of bullshit and shitty opinions anyway. So… I don’t give a fuck. What can I say; I am just doing what I am doing. It’s the main principle of Heavy Music and Black Metal – it’s all about being free and doing what you want. If people think that I am breaking many of these rules, that is their problem. I am not here for to be part of society or a group of people. I don’t really feel like looking like those guys. I have nothing against it, I just don’t really like that look. That’s it.

You have always insisted on having make-up and costumes on stage. So you couldn’t deliver the same message to the audience wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt?
We have been doing that pretty much since day one, we just developed, evolved. We got to the place we had never been to. I think it was very unique and original. That’s what I think about what we do with Behemoth, we are not like any other band. And the passion, the passion about what we do is the key to success. And it keeps us going, for example, the last few days were terribly intense for us and I am just hoping for a few hours of sleep tonight. And we will have to wake up around 4:30 to catch our plane. But when we go on stage we just try to give our fucking best, and make that show the greatest ever and just be passionate about it.

Interview courtesy of: Music Photocalypse
Interviewer: Victoria Maksimovich
Photographer: Xeniya Balsara

Related links:
Official Behemoth Site
Music Photocalypse

Monday, August 23, 2010

Vision of Disorder: Alive, Loud & Proud

On Friday August 20th, we experienced the best live performance we have ever seen at The Gramercy Theater in New York City. That night Long Island's Vision of Disorder, took center stage and demonstrated that they are as relevant as when they released their self titled album almost 15 years ago. If there is something that Vision of Disorder proofs time and time again, is that they are an original and unmatched band. The key word in Vision of Disorder's music has always been evolution. This is why even after taking an extended break, the original members still remain loyal to what VOD represents. Now they are back in form and outperforming bands stage after stage, night after night. It's no surprise that they were asked to perform at the first Ozzfest ever in 1997, when they were only 20 year old kids.

We could write about what Vision of Disorder represents for days to come, but instead we will let their legendary front-man Tim Williams tell you about the present of the band. We purposely didn't talk much about the past of VOD, because that story has been released many times. And Vision of Disorder is not yesterday's news, they are today's headline!


This is Vision of Disorder performing their song "Suffer" live at The Gramercy Theater on Friday August 20th:


This is Vision of Disorder performing their song "Element" live at The Gramercy Theater on Friday August 20th:


This is Vision of Disorder performing their song "Viola" live at The Gramercy Theater on Friday August 20th:


Related links:
VOD on MySpace