Thrash legends return, Elvis gets a doco and Adele’s first Aussie tour is now official… here’s the latest in music.
Metallica are baaaack!
It’s finally here! After eight years, the highly anticipated album from thrash metal gods Metallica is upon us. Hardwired… to Self-Destruct is the 10th album from the veteran four-piece and their first studio album since 2008’s Death Magnetic (excluding Lulu, the collaborative album with Lou Reed, which many saw as a misstep.) Yesterday, Metallica released music videos for every song of the new album. Check some of them out below:
Reviews for the album have started flowing in. Respected music publication Rolling Stone were positive, saying “The epic-length tracks… are melodically assured furies of serial riffing and tempo shocks.” While British magazine NME were a tad more critical, saying “It’s a mixed bag of killers and still-epic fillers”.
Elvis Presley getting a king size documentary
Deadline.com reported earlier this week that “The King” is getting an HBO documentary. Although it hasn’t yet been confirmed, it will reportedly be a three-hour, two-part series spanning Elvis’ childhood and his musical career right through to the end. It’s said to be directed by Thom Zimny, whose work includes several Bruce Springsteen documentaries.
Urban beats
Since her debut album in 2005, Rihanna has gone on to become one of the hottest names in pop music and fashion, even trying her hand at acting. Earlier this week, it was announced that her entire discography – all eight studio albums – will be released in a 15 LP box set.
The box set, to be released on December 16, will feature albums from Music of the Sun to this year’s Anti, a 186-page hardback book and a custom slipmat. Several albums included in the box set have never-before-seen vinyl pressings. It’s pricey at USD$300 but, I’ll be honest, I am definitely considering it.
In other urban news, Childish Gambino has dropped a second track from his upcoming third album, Awaken, My Love.
Deadmau5′ online music production classes.
Progressive house musician and producer, Deadmau5 is offering electronic music production lessons. Deadmau5′ lessons will be available on Masterclass website, which offers a range of online lessons ranging from voice training with Christina Aguilera, acting with Kevin Spacey and tennis with Serena Williams. A trailer of what the Masterclass lessons will contain can be viewed below.
Deadmau5′ released a new track from his new album, W:/2016ALBUM (pronounced W Drive 2016 Album), via an interview with BBC Radio 1, titled 4ware. W:/2016ALBUM is due out December 2.
The Heavy stuff
As well as the obvious metal news (cough, Metallica, cough), here’s some other metal/punk stories this week.
Last year, progressive metal band Protest the Hero took to Facebook to say they were trying a different approach to writing music. Rather than the standard album release, they announced they would be using a subscription style platform to release six tracks individually over several months, only available to subscribers. Well that happened, and now the whole album is here for all.
In tour news, the support acts for the upcoming Alexisonfire (pronounced Alexis-on-fire) Aussie tour were announced this week. Two Aussie bands, The Getaway Plan and Behind Crimson Eyes will join Canadian trio, The Dirty Nil for a string of shows in January.
It’s fantastic to see Behind Crimson Eyes on the bill – the Melbourne post-hardcore outfit have been M.I.A for several years now, their last release was all the way back in 2009. Here’s hoping we get a third record from the guys soon.
POP
Adele is coming down under! In a Twitter post this week, the British singer-songwriter shared a handwritten note breaking the news.
For further details go to https://t.co/nBO4QoSecU pic.twitter.com/W0d66Nsyg1
— Adele (@Adele) November 14, 2016
This will be the first time the Rolling in the Deep singer will tour Oz, hence everyone’s excitement. Tour details can be viewed here.
Last week, English electropop sensation, Charli XCX debuted new music at 30 Days in LA, where more than 70 artists perform throughout Los Angeles for a month. She released the first single from her upcoming third, as-yet-untitled album called After the Afterparty a few weeks ago.
2016 J awards
Continuing triple j’s Ausmusic month, the 2016 J award winners have been announced. Taking out this year’s Australian album award is D.D Dumbo‘s Utopia Defeated. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard took out both Double J and music video award. And The Unearthed winner for 2016 is Melbourne singer-songwriter Tash Sultana.
New release Friday
Bruno Mars gives us 24k Magic today, his third album, a mix of soul/R&B/funk. If the first single is anything to go by, it’s going to be amazing. British X-Factor winners Little Mix release their fourth record, Glory Days. Virginian Metalheads, Lamb of God have a new EP out today, titled The Duke. Country star, Miranda Lambert gives us her sixth album, The Weight of These Wings. — Compiled from online source by Ben Rochlin.
Top image taken from Metallica’s Instagram account.
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