New Orleans sludge metal embodies the spirit of collaboration
If you know anything about me, you know I love metal. As an explorer of the genre and connoisseur of all things heavy, one of the things that truly fascinates…
Alex Barnard
Sex jokes and rock ‘n’ roll: looking back at Erotic Cakes by Guthrie Govan
If I were to tell you to listen to the album Erotic Cakes by guitar virtuoso Guthrie Govan, you might reply, “What the hell is that?” or “I don’t know…
How my mom discovered Marilyn Manson
My mother is 62 years old. Born in 1958 to a family prominent in New York City’s classical music scene, she not only grew up loving music, but even performed…
Ozzy Osbourne confronts mortality on “Under the Graveyard”
2019 has been a great year for heavy metal comebacks. Tool, Rammstein and Slipknot all released new albums after long hiatuses, and Rage Against the Machine announced a reunion tour.…
Student band spotlight: pop-rock five-piece Mayla40
Wide-eyed first years arrive at college with big plans. Some desire to join a sports team. Others aspire to get better grades than they did in high school. Of course,…
For the sake of the album, don’t just take what you want
A couple of weeks ago, I learned that Post Malone released his new album, “Hollywood Bleeding,” and that one of the tracks featured none other than the “Prince of Darkness”…
After lengthy hiatus, Tool return with lackluster LP
After 13 long years, the great white whale of progressive rock and heavy metal has finally returned. Tool, long considered one of the greatest art rock bands to grace the…
On ‘Infest The Rats’ Nest,’ King Gizzard masters metal
Not long ago, I reviewed a new single, “Planet B,” from Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. At the time I said, “[I]f this single is…
StuMu Senior Showcase: Musicians recall last performance
As the Class of 2019 prepares to venture off into the real world, many graduating students have vowed not to abandon the Vassar community, but to give back to it…
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard experiment with boogie
The seven Melbourne natives that comprise Australian psychedelic rock group King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are known for being musical chameleons. In the span of just nine years, they…