Rock Lab TV Magazine

Minnesota rock band Throw The Fight released a new single, “Snake Mountain” , March 18th, 2022, and fans of this hard rock band who like their heavier side will be pleasantly surprised. This hard-rocking tune has a dark, ominous vibe and the title adds to the venomous theme of the song. Throw The Fight includes Ryan Baustert (guitar/vocals); Kris Weiser (guitar); Kade Kastelitz (vocals/bass); and Jeff Baustert (drums). Musically, “Snake Mountain” was written by all four band members, with Kastelitz writing the lyrics. This song is definitely heavier than the last two singles from 2021, “Wake Up!” and “The Fallout”, and incorporates elements of metalcore with the unclean vocals of Ryan Baustert mixed with the clean vocals of Kastelitz. The song starts right away with Baustert’s screams, and I knew this was going to be a banger. Then comes the first verse, which showcases Kastelitz’s singing voice which has incredible range. The chorus is fast-paced at first, but slows down a littl

I recently had the opportunity to speak with singer/musician/songwriter Doug Westcott about his music and what’s coming up for him this year. But first, a little background on him. Westcott, a Live Looping Solo Artist from Texas, has been writing songs since he was 12 years old when he received his first guitar, and formed a band when he weas 13. A self-taught musician, Westcott played in a variety of bands in high school, including punk, rock, and alternative.  Westcott found his true love when he discovered the loop pedal. According to a quote from Westcott’s website, ”I remember the exact moment I knew that I had to have a loop pedal. I saw a video of Ed Sheeran when he first came out in the US, performing ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ using the loop. I was blown away; instantly hooked! I knew, in that moment, this was something I had to do.” For those who don't know much about the loop pedal, here is how Westcott describes it. "The way that I use a loop pedal is I'

  Iravera Retribution Independent February 25, 2022 EP Review by Annie Schlottman Ohio metalcore band Iravera released its second EP, Retribution, February 25th, 2022, and it showcases a variety of musical and vocal elements as well as themes that made me want to listen to it over and over again. The band, formed in 2019, includes Nick Figley (clean vocals), Mikey Wrightson (extreme vocals), Shane Grim (guitar), Tyler Bailey (guitar), and Alex Finch (bass). They are currently looking for a drummer. One of my best friends who happens to be from Ohio told me about Iravera last year, and the first time I heard them I was hooked. There will be more music coming from Iravera, too. According to Figley, “We have an album’s worth of music we are going to release this summer, but this was sitting around, so we pieced it out and released it.” The EP consists of five tracks, all previously release except for one, “My Curse”. That is the current single the band is pushing, with a music video

  Texas-based rock band Kingdom Collapse is back with a fantastic new single that not only rocks you to your core, but also touches your heart and soul with a theme that is easily relatable to any listener. “Save Me From Myself” was officially released March 10th, 2022, but was sent in advance to SiriusXM Octane and started spinning March 1st. Octane added it to the regular rotation March 7th and this song is already taking off with multiple requests coming in and high praise from the Octane hosts. Following the success of 2021’s “Unbreakable”, which reached number one on the Octane Big Uns countdown, it seems like a no brainer that “Save Me From Myself” will be a big success. The official music video will be released Monday, March 14th, and will be a contender that evening on The Sound Grudge Match. Kingdom Collapse consists of Jonathan Norris (vocals), David Work (guitar), Aaron Smith (bass), and Elijah Santucci (drums). Acording to Norris, who wrote the lyrics and music for this

  Awaken The Giant Black & Blue Independent February 25, 2022 EP Review by Annie Schlottman American rock band Awaken The Giant released its debut EP,  Black & Blue , February 25th, 2022. The six-track EP includes a mix of heavy tunes and softer ballads with some surprising elements that will keep the listener intrigued. Awaken The Giant was originally formed in 2017 by Tab Cocchia (vocals) and Blake Suarez (guitar/unclean vocals). They were bandmates in another band, and broke off on their own to be the sole song writers and create their own music the way they wanted to. Guitarist Mike Yorks and drummer Dustin Lanier, who, like Cocchia and Suarez, were in another band together, joined Awaken the Giant earlier this year. They already knew each other from playing shows together. So far from witnessing how well this band gets along on and off stage, this seems to be a great fit for all of them. The future for Awaken The Giant is exciting. Currently touring the south and southeast

Skillet Dominion Atlantic, Hear It Loud January 14, 2022 Album Review By Annie Schlottman Originally published on Boston Rock Radio website February 16th, 2022 The popular Christian hard rock Dd band Skillet released its 11th studio album, Dominion , January 14th, 2022. This 12-track album by the Wisconsin quartet is a great mix of heavy-hitting bangers and meaningful ballads.  Listeners who know Skillet’s previous work will hear quite a bit of the familiar, along with some new elements that may surprise, including electronics, screams, and even some rap elements on the album’s final track. The combination of vocals by lead singer and bassist, John Cooper, and drummer and backup singer Jen Ledger, are perfect, as usual. Guitarists Seth Morrison and Korey Cooper (John’s wife) contribute the heavy guitar riffs that this band is known for.  The ballads are beautiful and just about anyone can relate to the themes incorporated throughout. According to the band, “This record is all about th