THE FACELESS BREAKUP RUMORS DISPELLED

With the absence of Evan Brewer (master bass slapper) from the recent live shows put on by The Faceless, rumors have been circling. And as many of you know, rumors suck the big ones. In response to people hinting at The Faceless breaking up, both Evan Brewer and Michael Keene have issued statements dispelling any suspicions (through HeavyBlogIsHeavy and The PRP respectively).

Shhh internet rumor mill... No words... Only dreams now.

Read up below and blast the metal \m/
__________________________________________________________________________________

I’m sure many of you have become aware of the fact that I have not been out with The Faceless on their current tour. I’ve been using this time to explore a potential musical opportunity that has presented itself.

Initially we didn’t feel the need to say anything because we thought it was only going to be a couple of shows missed but, due to the circumstances, it became apparent that it would be better for them to finish the tour without me.

I am not looking to quit the band, merely exploring an opportunity and I hope to be back on tour with The Faceless again in the near future. We will fill you all in on details regarding future tours as soon as they develop.
Please go support The Faceless on the rest of this fantastic tour and I will catch up with you all down the road.

- Evan Brewer

I’ll clear it up as much as I can at the moment. Evan is trying out with a project that is kind of a big deal to him. It’s one of his all-time favorite bands. He’s playing some shows with them. I’m sure everyone’s about to find out what it is any day now. It’s not really my place to say what it is but he’s not out of the band. He’s still in the band it’s just felt like he needed to give this a shot. So, he’s missing the tour.

- Michael Keene
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Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

WES HAUCH OF THE THE FACELESS FORMS NEW PROJECT WITH EX- MEMBERS OF ALLEGAEON AND DECAPITATED

This will be absolute madness, guaranteed. The incredibly talented and most recent guitarist of The Faceless, Wes Hauch, has a new project up his sleeve. And a few more super talented sleeves are involved. He has joined forces with Ryan Glisan (who literally just left Allegaeon, Pyrithion) and Marcin "Martin" Rygiel (ex-Decapitated) in what's sounding to be a massive Death Metal album. They've also been working with Daniel Castleman (Allegaeon, Suicide Silence) as an engineer.

They expect to have new material and an official band name sometime this Fall! So far they've released a beastly studio video detailing the insanity of the rhythm guitars. I'm sure the leads will be out of this world... Stay tuned for more!

Links: Wes Hauch Facebook // Ryan Glisan Facebook

ALEX RUDINGER (THE FACELSS, EX-THE HAARP MACHINE) PLAY THROUGH BUFFET

Alex Rudinger is one of those drummers that managed to shock and awe before being with any big time bands. I personally discovered him through his Youtube channel of dead on, seemingly effortless drum covers back when Ordinance was his main project. I became a fan of his work in about 10 seconds...

I remember when The HAARP Machine debut came out last year. It was well hyped but when I discovered Alex Rudinger was the drummer, my interest tripled. Great album full of great musicianship. He left the band since...

...And he wound up in The Faceless. Talk about making big leaps. This is the kind of prestigious band worthy of Alex's skill. Looking forward to what the future brings.

Speaking of his extreme skill, I've assorted just a few of his plentiful play throughs for all the drum heads out there to enjoy. So get on it!

Links: Facebook // Youtube // The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

EMG PICKUPS - PLAY THROUGH BUFFET

Big shout to the guys at EMG pickups for consistently supporting and spreading awesome music on a mass scale. Not to mention for producing sweet gear... Check their official website for more details.

Some of you have probably ran into these videos before but EMG Pickups is renowned for bringing incredible talents into their studio to do what they do best.... Check out amazing performances from Tosin Abasi (Animals As Leaders), Jeff Loomis, Evan Brewer (The Faceless), Chris Letchford (Scale The Summit), and Alex Laiho (Children of Bodom) down below and check EMG on Youtube for more!

Links: EMG Pickups Facebook // Official Website // Twitter

DRUM PORN - DEATH METAL BUFFET

Here is a collection of hyper talented Death Metal drummers from behind the kit. We've included legends and newer names alike. Enjoy the insanity!

Links: The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // Merch

Links: Necrophagist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

Links: George Kollias Facebook // Official Website

Links: Fallujah Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Arsis Facebook // Twitter // Merch

Links: Colosso Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

HUGE TOUR WITH BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME

Check this out! Here's some big news for the American fans of proggy face-melting metal. Between The Buried And Me will be on the road across the nation between September and October with very special support from... take a deep breath... The Faceless, The Contortionist and The Safety Fire! Hell yes!

On top of that, Between the Buried And Me will be performing their album “Future Sequence” in it's entirety. Don't miss this incredible opportunity if they're coming near to you. Tickets are now available exclusively at Showstubs.com. Get them while you can!

Links: BTBAM Facebook // Twitter // Official Store
The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Safety Fire Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

THE FACELESS WORKING ON A COVERS ALBUM

Covers are usually a pretty divisive affair. Tech-death band The Faceless forged a new sound with 2012 album “Autotheism” that turned out to be pretty divisive in itself. So it’s perfect that the band has announced they are in the midst of working on a covers album. Guitarist, vocalist, and band mastermind Michael Keene revealed the project through an interview with metalinsider. Read the whole interview here if you’re interested. Keene predicted a release date for early next year, possibly January or February, or maybe even earlier. That all sounds great to me.

To add to the controversy that The Faceless cover album is going to cause, Keene released some of the artists that will be covered. And if you want divisive opinions and accusations of selling out, you’re gonna get 'em. The band will be covering Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Soundgarden, At The Gates, Megadeth, and even David Bowie. I’m assuming there will be some more tracks as that’s only 7 but your guess is as good as mine.

I personally very much enjoyed “Autotheism” and the new territory the record brought The Faceless into. The entire Autotheism trilogy and and the clean vocal bridge in "Ten Billion Years" were some of my favorite pieces of music from 2012. I’m stoked to hear this stuff and can’t wait to find out how Keene and friends approach each one of these tracks. It can’t fail to at least be interesting if not entertaining. Keep up with The Faceless below and check out their new-ish music video while you’re at it.

-Trisolino

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Merch

THE FACELESS TOURING ALONGSIDE WITHIN THE RUINS AND RINGS OF SATURN IN JUNE

Are you still sure that Europe always gets the best tours? Look again. Californian technical death metal masters The Faceless will be on tour around North America for 15 shows in June. But this is just the beginning. They'll be teaming up with some of the greatest technical death metal / deathcore acts of America! Within The Ruins and Rings Of Saturn will join them for the whole tour while Abiotic and Today I Caught The Plague will be performing on selected dates. Man, I think I may cross the ocean swimming to witness one of these shows!

Links: The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Within The Ruins Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Store
Rings Of Saturn Facebook // Bandcamp // iTunes
Abiotic Facebook // Twitter // Merch
Today I Caught The Plague Facebook // Twitter // Merch

THE FACELESS EXPAND THEIR CANADIAN TOUR

Apparently, The Faceless made their Canadian tour not entirely in Canada. More tour dates were announced for their tour with Withing The Ruins, Rings of Saturn, and Today I Caught The Plague. Dates in Poughkeepsie, NY and Worchester, MA join the primarily Canadian tour. But hey, that's great news for fans in the states.

The Faceless is currently on tour with The Dillinger Escape Plan until June 1st which is a huge accomplishment. Next is this headliner in Canada/two dates in the US. The band honestly is one of the heavier bands to live on Sumerian Records' roster and hopefully they'll be around for some time. Below is the tour poster with dates so be sure to try and catch this brutal tour!

-Fe

Links: The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Within The Ruins Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Store 
Rings Of Saturn Facebook // Bandcamp // iTunes
Today I Caught The Plague Facebook // Twitter // Merch

THE FACELESS "DECONSECRATE" MUSIC VIDEO

The Faceless have officially released their first music video EVER. That's right, the Death Metal icons are finally on film. And as to be expected, they have delivered quality entertainment to the metal masses.

The video is for the song "Deconsecrate", the third movement of the epic "Autotheist". This was done in support of the band's most recent album, with a very similar title "Autotheism". You can read our full review right here. The video itself is awesome, bringing guns, girls, corruption, a twist, and metal \m/ Check it out along with more greatness from The Faceless down below!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

LYLE COOPER LEAVES THE FACELESS

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it has been confirmed that Lyle Cooper is no longer with Progressive Death Metal gods, The Faceless. He issued the following statement in regards to his departure:

"After almost five years with the band, I've decided to part ways. Over the last couple of years it seemed that the interests, goals and musical approach of the band was not that of my own. Also, managerial issues became too frequent with no resolution. These issues, I felt, made it hard for me as an individual to produce as a creative and enthusiastic member. I'm sure that proceeding my departure, the band will have no trouble finding someone with the right mindset and talents to step in and keep the band moving forward."

"Thank you to the fans and everyone who supported The Faceless throughout the years. I wish the band and its members nothing but continued success and make sure you catch them on their upcoming tours. I will still be pursuing my other musical projects so look out for new Absvrdist and Abhorrent this year."

As Lyle stated, all the artists will push forward on their respective musical ventures. This is already apparent as The Faceless had taken on three new members during the creation of their latest record, "Autotheism". You can read our review for that incredible album right here. Stay tuned for more. And while you're waiting, blast a timeline of Faceless jams below. Past to present.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

CRADLE OF FILTH / THE FACELESS / DECAPITATED / THE AGONIST TOUR

The widely famed Cradle of Filth will be setting out across North America on possibly the most twisted tour of the year. They will be accompanied by the dark forces of The Faceless, Decapitated, and The Agonist \m/ The tour will officially kick off February 22nd in New York City, make a full loop of the United States up into Canada, and will return for it's end in Huntington, NY on March 28th. Should be an insane, mosh worthy experience. Check out the flyer, listen to some music from all the bands, and check the dates / grab your tickets right here!

Links: Cradle of Filth Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Decapitated Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Agonist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2012

It's finally here. These are our top 10 albums of 2012. It's been one helluva year for the heavy music community and now it's time to celebrate the cream of the crop. Here are the top 10 albums of 2012, no shits given about whiny elitist opinions. Also check out our top 10 of 2009, 2010, and 2011.

   1   
PERIPHERY - PERIPHERY II: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL

This wasn't just an album, it was an event. The anticipation was so high for this record you could have cut it with a chainsaw. And when it hit, it hit hard. There's division amongst the metal community, but it's hard to deny the musical excellence without being an elitist (refer to the intro of the segment). "Periphery II: This Time It's Personal" was damn near perfect. Every virtuosic member of this band progressed significantly, making serious contributions to form a masterpiece. Intelligently crafted and executed, every track offers something unique and awe-inspiring. "Periphery II" deserves album of the year. Easy.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   2   
THE HAARP MACHINE - DISCLOSURE

From the very first time Sumerian Records announced The HAARP Machine, it was evident they would become a metal juggernaut. But at the time, there was no way of telling just how amazing they would be. "Disclosure" is everything you could hope for and some. Providing a cutting edge Progressive sound and a serious, shred heavy Technical approach along with Mike Semesky's amazing vocal work, Abdullah Al Mu'min and crew  created one of the best albums to come out in 2012. This is a masterpiece through and through. This is evinced by tracks like "Pleiadian Keys", "The Escapist Notion", "Disclosure", and "Esoteric Agenda".

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes 

   3   
SKYHARBOR - BLINDING WHITE NOISE: ILLUSION & CHAOS

Coming out of India, Skyharbor made a huge debut. Featuring the flawless voice of Daniel Tompkins (ex-Tesseract) and boasting massive guest spots from Marty Friedmen (ex-Megadeth) among others, they formed a masterpiece. Actually it wouldn't be a stretch to call Skyharbor's debut, "Blinding White Noise", music of the gods with it's ethereal beauty and unique approach of songwriting. Split into two parts, "Illusion" for beauty and "Chaos" for heaviness, this album is so unlike what you've heard before. It's encouraged you give it a listen or seven. You'll thank us after hearing songs like "Dots", "Maeva", "Aurora" and "Celestial".

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   4   
THE SAFETY FIRE - GRIND THE OCEAN

There's so much to say about this album. The Safety Fire made one of the strongest debuts all year with their full-length, "Grind The Ocean". Years in the making, they have managed to create a stand out masterpiece. Bringing next level creativity and writing some of the best riffs known to man, this UK musical unit is easily one of the most promising bands out there. "Grind The Ocean" covered so much ground both musically and thematically, making for an abundance of classics on this record. "Huge Hammers", "Circassian Beauties", "Floods of Colour", and the rehashed versions of "Sections" and "DMP (FDP)" are just a few greats among many.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   5   
RINGS OF SATURN - DINGIR

Aliens, man.... aliens. Rings of Saturn write some of the sharpest, most technically proficient Death Metal that will ever bless your ears (...or shred them). "Dingir" is absolute brutal chaos from start to finish. This band shreds like no other \m/ Plain and simple. Actually they do it so well we're convinced they aren't human beings. Thus aliencore. Songs like "Objective To Harvest", "Faces Imploding", "Peeling Arteries", and "Hyperforms" should be locked up in Area 51. You can actually stream the ENTIRE album below and see why. This is definitely recommended if you have forty minutes to kill (bad Death Metal pun intended).

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   6   
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - THE PARALLAX II: FUTURE SEQUENCE

Between The Buried And Me always seem to expand and improve with every release. Which is saying a lot considering they're practically gods of Progressive Metal already. This is true as ever with their epic full-length "The Parallax II: Future Sequence". The band's sixth studio album is also the second part of the band's interstellar space saga. And it's safe to say it expands upon the concept of the original EP brilliantly. The release is teeming with master level classics. "Astral Body", "Telos", "Goodbye To Everything", and "Extremophile Elite" are just a few examples of the absolute greatness on "The Parallax II". Welcome to hyperspace.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   7   
THE CONTORTIONIST - INTRINSIC

The Contortionist are certainly standing out as one of the premiere bands of the metal underground. They have expanded and grown much since their debut, moving away from their Deathcore roots in favor of a Progressive approach and pure creativity. Not to say there isn't extreme heaviness to be found on "Intrinsic", just twice as much genius. This album is mind-blowing on so many levels (more puns). "Intrinsic" is a high-octane adventure through the inner workings of the human consciousness, providing captivating soundscapes for brains to explore. "A secret dimension of noise" - That lyric pretty much sums it up.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   8   
MESHUGGAH - KOLOSS

The masters of Math Metal never seem to disappoint. We're actually fairly convinced Meshuggah are robots, void of humanity, designed by the Swedish government to decimate the eardrums of metal listeners worldwide. Listening to Meshuggah is like receiving a heavy brain massage. Listening to "Koloss" is like having your brain massaged by a robotic titan. Expect massive grooves, mechanical technicality, and unparalleled polyrhythms. This is a prime example of Meshuggah doing what they do best. They crank out goods like "Do Not Look Down", "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion", and "Demiurge" for this colossal experience.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   9   
THE FACELESS - AUTOTHEISM

The Faceless came back as strong and creative as ever with their third full-length "Autotheism". This album seemingly took forever to be released, but was well worth the wait when it hit. There were serious line up changes, but The Keene Machine raised the bar with Evan Brewer and Wes Hauch in the mix. In many ways, this is really a side step for the band. "Autotheism" is an unexpected treat to listen to with an increased focus on melody and a theatrical approach. It opens up with singing for christ sake. Who honestly expected that? When all the factors are added up, it makes for a phenomenal listening experience.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   10   
DEFTONES - KOI NO YOKAN

Deftones has been in the business of making awesome music for over two decades and they haven't even come close to losing their spark. Their tenth studio album, "Koi No Yokan", is perfect evidence of that. This record delivers in all the ways that matter. It is the complete package from flying through the air with "Swerve City" to the genius, floaty closer "What Happened To You?". All the songs in between are outstanding as well. "Leathers", "Tempest", and "Entombed" just to name a few. This album is just plain amazing. It's recommended you give it a good listen but watch out... you may end up falling in love after listening (get it?).

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes