THIS AND THAT: SOILWORK, TOMAHAWK, BYZANTINE, SOM PLUIJMERS, AND FREDRIK WIDIGS

In here: A few things I noticed this morning.

SOILWORK

Soilwork’s ninth studio album The Living Infinite, which will be a two-disc release, is now scheduled for release by Nuclear Blast on March 1 in Europe, and March 5 in North America. Late yesterday, the cover art was unveiled. The artist is Mnemic’s Mircea Eftemie Gabriel. He also created the artwork for Soilwork’s Stabbing The Drama album seven years ago. It’s a change from the style of the band’s last few covers, and I’m liking it. It seems to have a nautical theme; I don’t know how that connects to the music, but we’ll find out.

Nuclear Blast also released the album’s track list: There are a total of 20 songs. I’m sure there will be some catchy melodic ones in there, but I’m hoping for some old-school Soilwork head-wreckers, too.

TOMAHAWK

This morning I also saw four new music videos. The first one isn’t metal. It’s for a song named “Stone Letter” by Tomahawk, who we last featured here. Tomahawk consists of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) plus a bunch of other interesting musicians: Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard, Unsemble), Trevor Dunn (Fantomas, Melvins Lite), and John Stanier (Battles, Helmet). Five years have passed since their last release, but they’ve got a new album coming in January called Oddfellows.

“Stone Letters” will be released on Tuesday as a digital single. The video for the song is a combo of studio recording plus clips from Tomahawk’s debut tour in October. They’re cranking up another short U.S. tour in February, followed by a five-date tour of Australia. Here are the U.S. dates. Guess where I’ll be on February 12, because . . . Mike Patton.

February 12 Seattle, WA The Showbox
February 13 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
February 15 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
February 16 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
February 17 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory
February 19 Los Angeles, CA The Mayan Theater

Here’s the video. Again, not metal, but a cool song with some old-school punk vibe. Also, Mike Patton.
 

 

BYZANTINE

Three days ago, West Virginia’s Byzantine premiered a new song from their forthcoming self-titled album — the band’s first music since they dissolved five years ago following the release of Oblivion Beckons. Today, they unveiled a lyric video for the song. The song’s lyrical content is based on the massive heart attack that Byzantine’s lead guitarist and founding member Tony Rohrbough suffered almost 3 years ago.

I already frothed at the mouth about the song, and the album, when the music debuted on MetalSucks last week. Rather than repeat myself, I’ll just embed the video right here. Damn, this album is good.
 

 

SOM PLUIJMERS

I’m posting this next thing because it answers the question about what Som Pluijmers will be up to in the near term following her exit from brutal death metal band Cerebral Bore, which we reported here: She’s back to doing what she did before joining that band — recording YouTube vocal covers of death metal songs. She says she’ll be posting a new one every week for the indefinite future.

I like her pick for this first vocal cover since she left Cerebral Bore. It’s “Cold” by At the Gates. By the way, Som turned 21 on November 29. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
 

 

FREDRIK WIDIGS

Fredrik Widigs lives in Stockholm, Sweden. He plays drums for Rage Nucléaire, Demonical, Overtorture, and The Ugly. He has also played with Vomitous and Kraanium, in addition to playing live drums with Witchery when Martin Axenrot was busy with Opeth.

I fuckin love Rage Nucléaire and Demonical, and part of the reason I love them is Fredrik Widigs on drums. Yesterday, Sick Drummer premiered a video of him killing the drum kit to the Rage Nucléaire song “Hunt With Murderworms, Sculpt With Flies”. Enjoy.