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Sustaining a group of people through any level of longevity and success is perhaps one of the most insurmountable challenges of the human existence. On the other side of the coin, limiting oneself to a single goal is equally difficult for a talented individual. As you and I know very well, these scenarios very much apply to our world of heavy music. You cannot keep talented musicians quiet for too long, you cannot limit them to a single project. Out of broken-up bands rise new ones, and oftentimes musicians in already successful, established bands stumble upon an exciting side-project. Based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dress The Dead combines the individual and collective pedigree of guitarists Craig Locicero (Forbidden, Spiral Arms, Manmade God) and Dan Delay (Drawing Heaven), bassist James Walker (Manmade God), drummer Mark Hernandez (Forbidden), and vocalist Kayla Dixon (Witch Mountain). Channeling the frustrations of the breakups of his previous bands into positive creativity, and finding the perfect group of musicians, Locicero has landed upon something special with Dress The Dead. Earlier this week, even as they were busy preparing for their first Los Angeles show this coming Friday, Metal Assault spoke to Craig Locicero and Kayla Dixon for an interview. Get to know this band through this in-depth chat, along with a taste of the band’s music. Continue reading “Letting the Good Times Roll: Craig Locicero & Kayla Dixon discuss new band Dress The Dead”

In the last decade or so, Swedish band Graveyard has mastered the art of classic hard rock. From their 2006 inception to now, the group has steadily emerged and built up to become one of the dominant purveyors that are keeping the genre alive and kicking, with their fresh take on an age-old style of music. Graveyard’s fifth and latest studio album Peace was released in 2018 via Nuclear Blast Records, and witnesses the band’s coming of age into one of the finest groups of dynamic songwriters and musicians. Performing songs new and old, Graveyard is currently on a co-headline North American tour with Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats. Last Tuesday March 12, guitarist/vocalist Joakim Nilsson spoke to Metal Assault about all things Graveyard. Enjoy the chat below, get a taste of the new music, and catch the band on tour! Continue reading “Peace and Rock: In conversation with Graveyard frontman Joakim Nilsson”

Prog titans Dream Theater released their 14th studio full-length, Distance Over Time, on February 22 via InsideOut Music / Sony, and later this month, will embark on a North American “evening with” tour, playing two full sets, comprising a mix of new and old material, plus Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory in its entirety, to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the iconic concept album’s release.  The band’s newest effort certainly leaves no stone unturned in capturing the essence of what the DT name has meant and represented for over 30 years, but at the same time it also carries a distinctly modern feel, and witnesses the band succeed in attaining the often elusive balance between consistency and evolution. Guitarist, co-founder and songwriter John Petrucci spoke to Metal Assault last Tuesday March 5, about all things DT and JP. Enjoy the in-depth chat below, along with a taste of the new music, track listing, tour dates and everything else. Continue reading ““The Day You Feel You’ve Got Nothing Left to Learn, it’s the Beginning of the End”: Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci discusses New Album, Touring, Guitar Camps & more”