Author Archives: Nick DeSimone

Interview: Toothgrinder discuss their step forward on ‘Phantom Amour’

Posted by on November 30, 2017

  While Toothgrinder have been kicking around New Jersey since their formation in 2010, it wasn’t until Spinefarm signed them and released their third EP, 2014’s Schizophrenic Jubilee, that they were in the national spotlight. And for them to have followed up last year’s full length debut, Nocturnal Masquerade, with a second full length less than two […]

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Amplified Premiere: Future Figment spiral out, keep going in new video

Posted by on June 2, 2017

In this Very Special Episode of Amplified, we take an exclusive first look at the brand new video for “Dementia” from Icelandic proggers Future Figment. As I’ve no doubt mentioned here before, I’m one of *those* Tool fans, so I’m constantly looking for bands to scratch a similar itch for me. Future Figment is probably […]

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Amplified video special: Eye Of The Destroyer get intimate with the electric chair

Posted by on March 17, 2017

Amplified is a column focusing on small and emerging artists. If your band fits the bill, drop us a line at amplified@metalinsider.net. If you’ve been with us for a while, you remember Jersey old school death metallers Eye Of The Destroyer. 90s death metal in the classic, Tampa style is one of my all-time favorites, […]

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Phil Anselmo opens up about childhood abuse in Rolling Stone

Posted by on December 22, 2016

We’re all sick to death of the think-pieces and analysis of the Dimebash incident by now. Phil Anselmo apologized once, said he wouldn’t keep groveling at the feet of the music community beyond that, and the articles and peer interviews keep rolling in. It’s obvious that no one on either side of the popular opinion […]

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Immortal recording their first album post-Abbath this January

Posted by on December 21, 2016

After frontman and primary songwriter Abbath very publicly exited Immortal in 2015, the remaining members of the band are about to enter the studio to record their first record without Abbath at the helm in January. Says the band:   IMMORTAL starts recording their new album in Abyss Studio in January 2017! IMMORTAL will start […]

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Today in Satan: Pagan priest wins right to wear goat horns in license photo

Posted by on December 20, 2016

Only in Maine, we guess. A Pagan priest in Augusta made national news when he appealed to the secretary of state for his right to wear goat horns in a state ID photo as a “religious headdress.” Phelan Moonsong is ordained as a Pagan religious figure, and wears his horns at almost all times, “except […]

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Groan: internet predictably flips out over Kanye West in a Testament shirt, Alex Skolnick reacts

Posted by on December 20, 2016

We know, we know. But it’s also rare that an artist weighs in so heavily as well. Professional shit-disturber Kanye West was photographed wearing a vintage Testament t-shirt this week, following in his new family’s awful footsteps of probably having never heard of any of these bands. Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick had some colorful thoughts […]

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Orange Goblin frontman sets up crowdfunding campaign to help ex-Team Rock employees

Posted by on December 20, 2016

Yesterday, we learned that Metal Hammer publisher Team Rock is liquidating its assets as the company prepares to close. That’s bad news for metal in print media to be sure, but even worse is that 73 people with homes and families are out in the cold a week before Christmas. That really sucks, so this is the […]

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Metal Hammer parent company closing its doors, 2016 continues to be terrible

Posted by on December 19, 2016

British publishing company Team Rock “went into administration” officially this week, following layoffs of nearly its entire staff. This is essentially the UK equivalent of bankruptcy; the company is currently retaining a small handful of administrators to assist in liquidating the company’s assets. This is extremely bad news for three music magazines you may subscribe […]

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Maylene and the Sons of Disaster vocalist offers update on condition

Posted by on December 19, 2016

Last we heard from Maylene and the Sons of Disaster/ex-Underoath vocalist Dallas Taylor, he’d survived a serious ATV accident in Florida – the kind where “doing better” was still something you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. After a few months of radio silence, we’re just now hearing from Dallas himself via Maylene’s Facebook page. […]

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