Remembering Chris Cornell

It's been one year since we lost the great Chris Cornell. This week, Lily, Keith and Lou take some time to celebrate one of the greatest rock singers of all time.   Featured Loudini Artists:     Ragdoll   Aboleth   Scorpion Child   Diamante

Ragdoll

http://www.ragdollrock.bandcamp.com
Merges the swagger of the Seventies, the anthemic melodies of the mid-Eighties and the sonic intensity of modern times.” Classic Rock Magazine

Perth rockers Ragdoll are set to release their long awaited debut album ‘Back To Zero’ in Australia May 6 via Firestarter Distribution, closely followed by a string of shows across the country. Built around the classic trio format, ‘Back To Zero’ is an epic slab of hard rock with a sound that owes as much to the arena rock of the 70's and 80's as it does the grungy sounds of the 90’s.

Led by the powerhouse vocals of Ryan Rafferty and backed by the shredding guitars of Leon Todd and pounding drum grooves of Cam Barrett, ‘Back To Zero’ may tip its hat to the past but is a thoroughly modern record. Avoiding the genre’s cliche of sex, drugs and rock n' roll, ‘Back To Zero’ instead explores lyrical themes ranging from social media addiction (current single The World You Gave Us), technological alienation (Rewind Your Mind), domestic abuse (Letting Go) and the existential (Shine).

Renowned as one of the hardest working bands around, Ragdoll hit the road throughout 2015 playing over 70 shows throughout Australia and the USA in order to fund their album themselves. By road testing new material while writing and having complete control over their creative process, the final result is a consistent and honest expression of the Ragdoll sound.

Todd says of the process, ”We just set out to make music we ourselves love to listen to. We never set out to sound like anyone other than ourselves.”

After planting seeds in the US via 30+ dates including a coveted slot at the Rocklahoma festival (alongside Megadeth and Rob Zombie) and supporting Skid Row at the Whisky, Ragdoll plan to head back overseas but will first launch ‘Back To Zero’ with live dates this June and July around Australia.

On what drives Ragdoll in 2016 Rafferty says "We feel like Ragdoll is a band that happily bridges the divide between old and new school while still staying true to the aesthetics that made rock music so great in the first place."

‘Back To Zero’ is out May 6 via Firestarter Distribution and is currently available for pre-order via JB Hifi.

New single 'The World You Gave Us' is out now via all good digital retailers

Awards
EP of the year 2012 and 2013 - The Rockpit

Current Location
Perth Western Australia

Influences
Rush, Kings X, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Whitesnake.

Press contact
Heidi Weston - heidi@firestartermusic.net

Booking agent
ragdolltheband@gmail.com

Aboleth
https://abolethband.bandcamp.com/
About
doom // desert // fuzz // riff // heavy // rock
Instagram: @abolethband
Vocals: Brigitte Roka
Baguitar: Collyn McCoy

Scorpion Child
http://www.scorpionchildofficial.com
A rock ‘n’ roll record should unlock a journey. The music, lyrics, and aura can summon a trip out of the ether. Scorpion Child conjure that kind of trip on their second full-length album, Acid Roulette [Nuclear Blast Entertainment].
The Austin, TX quartet—Aryn Jonathan Black [vocals], Christopher Jay Cowart [lead guitar], Jon “Charn” Rice [percussion], Alec “Mexecutioner” Padron [bass], and Aaron John “AJ” Vincent [heavy keys]—confidently expand the sonic palette established on their 2013 self-titled debut. That first offering bowed at #26 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #99 on the Hard Music Albums chart. Following its premiere by Eddie Trunk, iTunes named “Polygon Of Eyes” its “Single of the Week,” and Scorpion Child earned a nomination for “Best New Band” at the Classic Rock Magazine presented “Classic Rock Awards.” They’d also share the stage with Monster Truck on the “Lords of the Riff” UK Tour.
Everything set the stage to play Acid Roulette.
“We didn’t want to divorce what we had built on the first record,” explains Aryn. “At the same time, we wanted to show we could do a lot of different things. The goal was to create a sound that could be both ethereal and turbulent. It was a journey making it. We all were going through a lot of stuff, but everything fell into place.”
Following a breakout two years, the group amicably parted ways with drummer Shawn Paul Alvear, bassist Shaun Avants, and guitarist Thomas Frank. Scorpion Child welcomed “Charn,” “Mexecutioner,” and “AJ” and immediately hit the studio in early 2015. Once again, they teamed up with GRAMMY® Award-nominated producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith [Meat Puppets, The Toadies, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead] at The Bubble in Austin, TX. However, they took a different route this time during their three weeks in the studio.
"We recorded the heart and soul of the album live in the studio” says Aryn. “We didn’t do that on the first record. Tracking live made the album a snapshot of a moment. Since the guys just joined the band, we didn’t have much time to figure each other out or overthink things. We just naturally clicked. It was a do or die situation, but it worked out. Our initial vision became more intense with time and texture.”
That intensity courses through the album’s conceptual narrative. A tale of love, loss, lust, betrayal, and a game called “Acid Roulette,” the record follows the story of a doomed love that lands the male protagonist behind bars while his wife lives out an affair with her wealthy lover.
“With extensive touring, you experience so many things,” Aryn goes on. “I had this lucid dream about a bohemian guy who gets framed for a murder he perhaps did or didn’t do. He goes to prison for life. In order to mentally escape, he plays ‘Acid Roulette.’ The inmates would take a jar and cut up a sheet of acid and a sheet of paper. They’d mix it all up. Some guys wound up with like five hits of acid, while other people got none. It’s crazy.”
That story comes to life across the record’s twelve songs. The first single “Reaper’s Danse” revs up a twin guitar assault ala the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and otherworldly howl that could rouse any graveyard from its slumber.
“Lyrically, it’s the dance of the dead,” he explains. “It’s about what we become in the afterlife. It’s this triumph on top of something monolithic. The character is thinking about death, but he has no rope. He still has some will to live.”
“My Woman In Black” tempers a muscular riff with a bluesy cadence that’s wonderfully doomy as our protagonist muses on the woman that destroyed him.
“It’s about the first time he ever saw her,” continues Aryn. “Musically, it’s like an archway for us. We’re leaping into other influences like dark wave and even nodding to the likes of Bauhaus and The Sisters Of Mercy.”
Whether it’s the woozy psychedelic soul of the title track or the haze of delay on the chugging “She Sings I Kill,” Scorpion Child channel the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll with a fresh spell of their own.
“We wanted to blend sounds we haven’t heard before,” Aryn leaves off. “It’s gritty when it needs to be. There’s a lot to think about in there. I hope people can absorb something personal when they go on this ride.”

Gender

Current Location
abroad

Press contact
mail@nuclearblastusa.com (NA) / info@nuclearblast.de (EU)
Diamante

http://www.thisisdiamante.com
Diamonds are like artists;
no two should be alike.
Enter Diamante. With iridescent sapphire hair, a show-stopping voice, runway-ready fashion swagger, and an empowering message, the Boston-raised and Los Angeles-based Mexican-Italian-American sonic heroine brings a new (and blue) fire to rock and alternative music. Serendipitously, her name might as well have pre-destined a future in the spotlight…
“In Spanish, Diamante means ‘Diamond,’ and my middle name Azzura means ‘Blue’ in Italian,” she explains. “If I was a color, I would be blue. I love it, because it’s bold, ethereal, and everything I am.”
Born to an Italian dad and Mexican mom in a Boston suburb, she always stood out. Interchangeably speaking three languages—Italian, Spanish, and English—she found inspiration in words, penning poetry and short stories at a young age inspired by J.K. Rowling and Stephen King. Drawn to musical theater, the budding performer starred in school productions of The Little Mermaid, Grease, and more before relocating to L.A. with her family at 13. Already a fan of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne, her discovery of rock music via a School of Rock summer program ignited a dormant passion.
“Being on stage and singing rock was the way I broke out of my shell and was able to realize who I am and the full potential I have,” she admits. “From there, I really connected to the women of the eighties like Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, and Debbie Harry. I thought they were so cool, iconic, and badass. That’s how I wanted to be.”
Diamante spent the next few years quietly cutting her teeth at local gigs on the Sunset Strip as a singular musical vision came into focus. A disciple of both P!nk and Guns N’ Roses who doesn’t fall into rockstar excess or even sport tattoos, she devoted every waking minute to honing a signature “classic rock sound with a modern alternative edge.” This unique and undeniable approach caught the attention of Eleven Seven Music Group and Better Noise Records who signed her in 2015. Amassing a bevy of ideas, she hit the studio with super producer Howard Benson `{`My Chemical Romance, Chris Cornell, Halestorm, Kelly Clarkson`}` to record what would become her full-length debut, Coming In Hot. “Diamante is the only true heir to the female rock throne that has been vacant since Joan Jett’s heyday,” says Howard Benson.
“Howard really pushed me to be vulnerable and talk about things I was afraid to talk about,” she goes on. “I finally got the courage to be honest with my lyrics and myself. I want to be someone girls and guys growing up can relate to.”
Her single “Coming In Hot”—out June 16, 2017—seesaws between an arena-filling chant and a robust and raucous riff. At the center, she confidently serves up the knockout refrain, “Whether you’re ready or not, I’m coming in hot!”
“It’s essentially a super fun weekend summer anthem,” she smiles. “I picture people leaving their day jobs in the car on a Friday, cranking this, and getting ready to go nuts on the weekend. It’s also a metaphor for me coming in hot into the industry. I want to bring this style back and take over rock.”
In the end, rock ‘n’ roll has never sounded, looked, or felt like Diamante on Coming In Hot.
She leaves off, “When people hear this, I’d like for them to think, ‘Oh my God, rock is not dead. This girl is bringing it back’—whether they’re ready or not…”
DIAMANTE