I can’t help but be reminded of the Folk Implosion’s song “Natural One” in the way that it seamlessly integrates hip-hop into the aesthetic of underground, homemade psychedelic music, and just like “Natural One,” “Scorched Earth” is also an unlikely dance floor banger. The two songs on the a-side are killer, but for me the highlight of the record is the b-side, “Scorched Earth.” This song takes several of the most distinctive elements of Kaleidoscope’s sound-most notably the slightly hip-hop-flavored drum patterns and the wildly fluid and expressive, almost Hendrix-esque guitar-playing-and places them front and center. It’s a difficult thing to explain (and obviously an even harder thing to do), but the result is that this record feels refreshingly free of context, like it could have been made at any point in the last 30 or so years, but only by the most committed and adept musicians. Whereas it seems like most bands go about things in an additive way, trying to add more layers or finding newer and more arcane influences, Kaleidoscope seem like they’re penetrating to the heart of the matter, trying to latch directly onto that primal, deep-seated nerve that makes great music great. I’m not sure how they’ve managed to make music that simultaneously feels so inventive and free while still retaining pretty much everything I love about hardcore, but they’ve done it. Their rough, DIY recordings and risograph-printed record sleeves are definitely of a piece with the whole Toxic State aesthetic (and like the best of those bands, the visual aesthetic is ambitious, well-developed, and utterly fascinating), but it’s the actual music where Kaleidoscope truly shines. An artsy approach to DIY punk has always been one of the trademarks of that scene, but Kaleidoscope seem to be taking that vibe further than anyone else. In case you aren’t familiar, Kaleidoscope have deep roots in the NYC / Toxic State Records scene, with members having served time in Deformity, JJ Doll, Ivy, and numerous others I’m sure. Billboard charts and has gone on to sell 285,000 copies worldwide.Kaleidoscope: 2017 7” (D4MT Labs) Brand new 7” from New York’s Kaleidoscope, who are, in my opinion, one of the most exciting bands in the DIY punk scene, and these three songs only serve to further stoke my enthusiasm. ✻loodstone & Diamonds« debuted at #21 on the U.S. Europe, (including multiple dates in Russia and Greece), shows in Mexico and South America, a completely sold out run of 9 Australian / New Zealand shows, sold out dates in Japan, plus their first ever plays in Taiwan and Thailand, and all without any festival performances which the band publicly announced they would stop performing at in 2014. Three tours of the United States (with many dates sold out in advance), three tours of The U.K. Around 250 of those shows were performed as “An Evening With MACHINE HEAD” with no support bands and performances often lasting 2 1/2 to 3 hours in duration, much to their fans (called "Head Cases") delight. MACHINE HEAD wrapped up the touring cycle for their first Nuclear Blast Entertainment album ✻loodstone & Diamonds« in March 2016 with a whopping 283 concerts on 5 different continents around the world. ✻loodstone & Diamonds« World Tour 2014 – 2016 (Bonus Vinyl for box set): ✻loodstone & Diamonds« World Tour 2014 – 2016 (Bonus Live CD for box set): ✼atharsis« special edition bonus DVD track listing (filmed live at The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, 2015): To purchase or stream 'Beyond The Pale', 'Catharsis' and 'Bastards' go to: To pre-order ✼atharsis« in various formats (CD, Digipak, CD-Digi + DVD + 2LP Boxset, black, picture, red, dark blue, bi colored, splatter vinyl - see below), visit this location: Cover photography was created by Seanen Middleton. Mastering was handled by Ted Jensen ( HATEBREED, ALICE IN CHAINS, DEFTONES) at Sterling Sound, New York, NY. ✼atharsis« was produced by Robb Flynn and recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Zack Ohren ( FALLUJAH, ALL SHALL PERISH) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, CA. ✼atharsis« could really elevate our genre." Whenever you finish an album, you always feel proud, but this time. “You never know where you’re going to end up whenever you start writing a record. And while I’d love to say it was all some grand plan, there was no ‘plan’” Flynn adds laughing. Simplifying ideas, simplifying hooks, really concentrating on story-telling as opposed to ‘brutal poetry’ or whatever. A lot of consideration went into making these songs more identifiable to a wider audience. I feel like metal could really infiltrate the mainstream with this album. Today, the band has released the brand new track, 'Kaleidoscope'. San Francisco Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD, will release their highly anticipated new album ✼atharsis« on January 26 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.
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