Séverine Peraldino of Metal Express Radio talks with Steve Blaze, lead guitarist and original member of Lillian Axe, about their new album From Womb To Tomb, his past works within Lillian Axe, and his musical influences throughout his career. The band is releasing their new album on August 19, 2022 and is touring the UK for the first time in almost 30 years.
Shapeshifters Lillian Axe is one of these bands surviving through the decades. They started out in the ’80s and have continued releasing albums since. Throughout the years, they have shed their musical skins and evolved from a Glam inspired Hard Rock to a Progressive and Melodic Heavy Metal. There is a whole world between their classic hit “All’s Fair in Love And War” and their new single “I am beyond”. With this new album From Womb To Tomb, you will embark on a quest to re-discover the sound of Lillian Axe. Burying the axe? From Womb To Tomb was first an idea that had been ripening in Steve Blaze’s head for quite some time. And it is a rather ambitious idea. To quote the man himself: “This album is a different type of concept record, whereas it does not contain a story-based theme. Rather, it is a timeline from the birth of a child to the ascension of the soul, with each song emphasizing a specific time of one’s life and the lessons learned therein.” Thus the emotional, spiritual, and perhaps even initiatory dimensions of the music should be considered when listening to the album. Right from the start, you will notice the approach is definitively more contemplative and progressive than their earliest albums but you can still hear the affiliation between this album and songs such as “The Great Divide” or “Death Comes Tomorrow”. “Breathe” the opening title, confirms this operatic and dramatic ambition. However, heavier riffs still have their place on this album with “I am Beyond” or “The Golden Dragon”. There are also a very good number of sharp soli that elevate the whole album like “The Fall of The Human Condition” or “Dance Of The Maggots”. Despite these examples, after listening to the whole album the …READ MORE
There’s no doubting that the influence of US Rockers, Riot, spread far further than their record sales would suggest. Pre-dating the resurgent New Wave Of British Heavy Metal by a good couple of years, their supercharged metallic riffage was the bridge linking the classic heavy Rock of the ’70s and the more aggressive riff heavy Metal of the ’80s. Their albums Narita, Rock City and Fire Down Under set the standard for many to follow. Riot Act features Rick Ventura, rhythm guitarist in Riot during their classic era and tonight was the first time he’d stepped on a Newcastle stage in over 40 years. With a set built around those classic years with a couple of new songs dropped in to for good measure, Riot Act’s nine song set raced past at breakneck speed with “Rock City,” “Road Racin’” and a blistering “Swords and Tequila” sounding tight and punchy. Ventura laid down some tasty riffs as vocalist Don Chaffin lead the charge. Close your eyes and you’d swear it was original singer Guy Speranza. New songs “Closer To The Flame” and “Wanted” have Riot DNA running right through them and show a bright future ahead but it was “Don’t Hold Back” and “Warrior” that sent the hardcore fans into delirium with one of the best special guest slots Trillians has seen in years. It’s only been a mere 29 years since Melodic Hard Rockers Lillian Axe last toured the UK so relatively recently compared to Riot. Not one for playing it safe Lillian Axe kicked off, not with one of their many classics but “I Am Beyond” from their just released album, From Womb To Tomb, and it was a real, dramatic epic to open show. Of course, the classics came thick and fast with “Misery Loves Company” riffing hard …READ MORE
Hair I Go Again, a documentary about the determination and failures of a former hair band chasing their dreams, will officially be released worldwide on March 10th, 2016. In anticipation of the event, the producers have unveiled its newest trailer and key art. Set To Premiere Worldwide On March 10, 2016 The year was 1985. Thousands of miles away from the sonic debauchery of the Sunset Strip, two teenage friends shared aspirations of glam rock grandeur. Freshly permed and taking a page straight out of Hit Parader, a hungry, determined band was born. Fame and fortune, however, remained out of reach and the group unceremoniously imploded…probably over some chick. Fast forward thirty years Facing a mid-life crossroads, Kyle Kruger and Steve McClure set out on an improbable journey in order to fulfill their dreams of achieving rock & roll stardom. With credit cards maxed out and the 401K cashed in, the pair risk everything in hopes of reclaiming the magic they had as a band over a quarter century ago. It’s a story about a lifelong friendship, insurmountable odds and dealing with the always present thought of “what if”? It’s a tale of rediscovery, determination, triumphs and failures. Because first and last chances happen only once. Featuring candid interviews with some of the most influential musicians and industry professionals in the business, including Eddie Trunk (That Metal Show), Jeff Keith and Frank Hannon (Tesla), Ron Keel (KEEL), Steve Blaze (Lillian Axe), Frank Bello and Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Les Warner (The Cult), as well as members of Kix, Stryper, Queensrÿche, Quiet Riot, Warrant, Motörhead, L.A. Guns and more. Video trailer:
Steve Blaze, the founder and guitarist from the legendary Hard Rock band LILLIAN AXE out of New Orleans, USA, took time out to talk with Metal Express Radio about the band’s latest studio release … Metal Express Radio: The new Lillian Axe album is entitled Act XI: The Days Before Tomorrow … what’s behind this title? SB: Well, we included “Act XI” in the title because it’s our 11th album, although some people have been quick to remind me that it’s really our 10th studio record, since we released a live album as well, but it’s our 11th release overall. The title “The Days Before Tomorrow” was actually introduced to me by my wife, who told me she came across this statement in something she was reading and thought it would be something that I would have come up with. As I was thinking about it, I thought it actually was a great phrase since I believe all of our actions and all of our deeds mean something or have a role in causing a specific outcome … and that’s reflective of our music career as well. If I take a left at one corner and take a right at another, our lives and our direction can be changed forever, so it’s important to me and to all of us that we make all of the “right” moves. So, I thought this title represented my philosophies well, and if anything, I wanted people who encounter this album to at least be left with something that may provoke some thought. MER: This album was released on Valentine’s Day in 2012, or February 14th … was there anything behind that release date, or was it just coincidence? SB: Our manager actually came up with the idea of a Valentine’s Day Massacre release! …READ MORE
Metal Express Radio recently spoke with Lillian Axe guitarist Steve Blaze. During the chat, Steve talks about Waters Rising, problems with the music industry, the similarities between Poison and Slayer and the brilliance of Alice in Wonderland. Metal Express Radio: Let’s talk about your new album, Waters Rising. Explain the recording process. Steve Blaze : As you know, we kind of took a hiatus for a few years, for different reasons. After putting out five albums and non-stop touring, we all just kind of needed a break from each other and basically from record companies and the industry. We went through a lot of ups and downs with the label, and with the band. We just let it breathe and we all had other projects we wanted to work on. We needed a kind of hiatus from each other as well. What happened, back in 1999, we got an offer to put out a B-side album and we did some reunion shows, and they ended up going really well. The entire time we were kind of off on our own, and we had amazing support from our fans all over the world… it wasn’t that I wanted to end the band. I’ll never end the band! I’ll be 100 years old and still make records. So, now it’s 1999, and we put the B-side record together, we go to Japan, start doing reunion shows, and things are looking good. It was at this point that I thought we needed to do a new record and get back into this. So we did some more shows, and we did a live album in 2002, and then we started recording this new album, Waters Rising. My mentality going into it was to take my time, make sure everything worked well, and to …READ MORE
None Blacker. You have to admit; that’s a kick ass name for an album. None Blacker is a Metallica tribute album, and no, St. Anger and other songs from their new release just didn’t make the cut. Instead, you’ll get an amalgam of songs from their entire catalog. Barring St. Anger, of course. You might ask yourself “Why do we need another Metallica tribute album?” Can any band really add anything new to Metallica’s honed perfection? The answer is obvious: no. But good songs are good songs, period. Hearing a band tackle songs you’ve head banged to since you were a teenager is just fun. Love it or hate it, cover tunes/tribute albums aren’t going away. So just be happy this isn’t a tribute to Gorky Park … Enertia starts off the blackness with their rendition of “Sad But True.” Enertia is a New York based metal band, who you probably haven’t heard of. This is another reason why cover albums are a good idea — they expose you to things you may never experience. In this case, Enertia gets things moving with a note for note perfect cover. Vocally, Scott Featherstone handles Hetfield well, and doesn’t try too hard to sound like him, which can kill any cover. (Unless you sing for Godsmack, ahem.) Anyhoo, while this cover plays it close to the vest, Enertia covers “Welcome Home (Sanitarium),” as well. While the music stays true to form, the vocals are changed somewhat, with the addition of backing vocals that transform the chorus into something that doesn’t sound exactly like Metallica. And it works. Lillian Axe’s guitarist Steve Blaze joins the fray with his cover of “Master of Puppets.” If you aren’t a Lillian Axe fan, you should be, because you’d know his playing style is perfect for this kind …READ MORE