Yesterday night Trent released a new single over the airwaves and interwebs, titled “Discipline.” This comes just barely a month after his NIN released their most recent LP, the instrumental Ghosts. I’m a bit confused by Trent’s new strategy of releasing mass music, seeing how the band’s members are free agents, free from any label restrictions, this shouldn’t be a problem, but too much can really be too much. This can  most obviously be seen in the quality. This is not to say that Discipline is bad or anything, far from it, but its not as spectacular as Trent’s previous work, because that’s what all of us what to hear. Think he’s rushing things too much. Discipline has been released as a free download, as the NIN have already accustomed us to and can be download from here, and for those of you with DJ skills, can be remixed here.

Tags: Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor

Artist name: The Mars Volta
Album name: The Bedlam In Goliath
Label: Universal Motown Records
Gender: Psychedelic Rock/Progressive Rock
Release date: January 29, 2008
ZMErating: 8/10
Website: www.themarsvolta.com

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I’ve always been fascinated by the prog and experimental rock scene, being a fan of old school musicians like Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, The Beatles or The Velvet Underground, but also following contemporary acts like Xiu Xiu, Dream Theater, Tool and not ultimately The Mars Volta. The band first popped under my radar with their highly praised 2003 debut De-Loused in the Comatorium, a concept album revolving around a protagonist in a drug-induced coma, but it was their sophomore release, France The Mute, that got me hooked, another concept album, based on a random diary that was found in a repossessed car. The third record Amputechture, written as a simple studio album, however, came as a total disappointment, with repetitive hooks and riffs. It seemed like TMV ran out of ideas, but on their latest, forth installment, titled “The Bedlam In Goliath,” the band has returned to it’s conceptual album roots, with the same epic hooks and melodies, this time heavily funk infused and with a story about the occult.

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Tags: The-Mars-Volta

Well whoever said that The Mars Volta music is “puzzling” is oh so right, especially when the Long Beach, CA based band, recently put out a brain challenging puzzle on their website. The puzzle is made out of 16 blocks, all forming the cover art for TMV’s forthcoming 2008 studio album “The Bedlam in Goliath,” the type where you have to move a block one at a time. Yeah I know it’s really frustrating. If you successfully complete the puzzle caption you’ll be rewarded with a new song from the band, actually a Circle Jerks  cover of “Back Against the Wall.” Play the puzzle here and check out the album’s cover art after the jump.
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Tags: The-Mars-Volta

Nine Inch Nails fans, around the world,  were exited about the release of the 1337 R3M1X album of Year Zero, titled Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D, however those whom actually like to contribute with material and remixes of the band’s tracks were terribly disappointed when the album’s accompanying website, remixes.nin.com, wasn’t launched.

Apparently Doug Morris and Universal Records doesn’t want the website released, designed as a hub for submission and discussion of fan remixes, as they don’t want be seen backing a copyright-disregarding free-for-all when they’ve been spending so much time squelching such behavior elsewhere. Although Trent and NIN are currently free agents, their Year Zero album was recorded under Universal, thus all rights belong to the respective label.

Trent didn’t take this lately and in his characteristically fashion mocked the giant label and it’s band of sharks  lawyers, at the NIN website during a post suggestively titled “copyright fun.”

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Tags: Nine Inch Nails

Here’s a new blow to the mainstream music industry for ya: Trent Reznor and co. have just ended their contract with Interscope and are now free agents. The 18 year old relationship between Nine Inch Nails and their label has officially been broken yesterday, during an announcement on the band’s website:

“Hello everyone. I’ve waited a LONG time to be able to make the following announcement: as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label. I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate.

Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008.

Exciting times, indeed.”
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The LA three piece Seneca Hawk is a rather unknown band, outside of Californian dessert, but make no mistake they are extremely talented. The band has released their debut self-titled LP back in October and since then completed a national tour. “Restless Sea” is the LP’s highlight and as the title may suggest, it mirrors the band’s raw and wild nature, that makes a rock ‘n’ roll band great. A barrage of excellent drumming, together with simple, but rhythmic three chords riffs, toped by frontman Jonah Rivera’s agitated vocals makes this song a great listen. This is truly a band to watch. You can stream the whole Seneca Hawk debut LP on their website.

Tags: Seneca-Hawk