I’ve already forgotten what the quiet Christmas slowdown was like. As of now, we have over thirty videos in the “feature me!” queue, so I’m going to have to get picky. Or start taking bribes…
Sixlight – “Sick Again”
Rock quintet Sixlight has released their new music video and single “Sick Again”. The new single comes from the group’s forthcoming album set to release this spring. Blending catchy radio friendly hooks with standout vocals has these former active duty marines and newly formed band on the right track to the active rock world.
Sixlight orginally formed in 2014 after three of the five founding completed their enlistments in the Marines. While in the Marines, Curtis Martin (guitar), Nick Tekampe (vocals) and Ian Collins (guitar) met and immediately connected with musical tastes. This later grew into the idea of their next mission, Sixlight.Vocalist Nick Takempe had the following to say:
The concept behind “Sick Again” was to put into words the mental struggle of addiction to an abusive relationship or substance. The lyrics describe the feeling of relapsing into the same destructive habits you know are killing you, but enjoying the high and giving in to temptation just to ease the pain. Everyone struggles with right and wrong when finding themselves and we keep making the same crippling choices over and over. “Sick Again” is the hard hitting dark anthem for anyone who has ever felt like a slave to addiction.
Daggerplay – “One Mile Town”
Daggerplay have been busy perfecting their combination of vintage 1950s pop, hardcore punk sensibilities and society-skewing lyrics since 2011, and have released an acclaimed album in their homeland of Finland. They cite influences including Rancid, The Gaslight Anthem and The Wildhearts. Below the infectious melodies and relentless energy of their music are lyrics that scratch at the scabs of social and political issues, and “One Mile Town” is the best example yet of their talent for welding pop-punk choruses to rebellious ideas. As frontman Pekko Mantzin explains:
“One Mile Town” is a song about being a frustrated teenager – or an adult punk rocker, mod, metalhead, hippie or just an outsider – living in small narrow-minded town where people think you’re just a weirdo who should be kept down. All of us in the band are originally from those kinds of places and it wasn’t very easy to cope with the expectations and pressures of society to conform to their rules. Despite that, it´s a positive song as the subject of the song won´t accept the circumstances and wants to get out – and he does, too!
Epica – “Beyond The Matrix”
Dutch symphonic metal band Epica have launched the new music video for “Beyond The Matrix” taken from the band’s latest album The Holographic Principle. Frontwoman Simone Simons comments:
The energy that lives within Beyond the Matrix is extremely contagious. It will sweep you off your feet when the melodies enter your mind. The video embodies the spirit and liveliness of Epica. Transcend together with us and shine past the sky.
Epica’s guitar player Mark Jansen continues:
“Beyond the Matrix” is one of my favourite tracks to play live from our new album, as it makes the crowd go wild, so I’m happy we are releasing a video of it. We have managed to catch the energy of the song and translate it into images (and words). The song is dealing humans, being caught in a matrix (an illusion) because of our excessive thinking. We have lost control over our lives and accept the illusion as ‘the one reality’. But if we manage to free ourselves from those shackles and become masters of our thoughts again, we can make a huge step forward in collective consciousness and will be able to look beyond the borders of our matrix. Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride!!!
Gallery Circus – “The Flood”
Following on from their last, riff-infused track “Club House Killer”, identical twins Daniel and Graeme Ross – aka Gallery Circus – have released their brand new single “The Flood” out now via Killing Moon Records.
The high octane track is accompanied by a brilliantly gruesome video, think Game of Thrones The Red Wedding meets Falling Down, as Gallery Circus continue to prove that their boisterous sound is certainly not for the faint-hearted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLz8CQIzDsA
