Let’s be honest. We’ve all been waiting for this. It’s now been s e v e n (!) years since the release of Arcane Frost‘s second EP Dragged Into The Void in 2019. We started this blog in 2019 and what can I say except we’ve been waiting for this to happen since we started with all of this. And here we are!
Having surfaced with the release of their first EP Cosmic Winter in 2017, this Wolfsburg-based Black Metal outfit quickly drew attention of the underground scene. A strong symbiosis of a raw Black Metal tone while still maintaining a drive for ambience compiled the characteristic Haunting Black Metal sound of Arcane Frost. In 2019, the second EP followed, refining the sound as well as the production and building up interest towards a full-length debut.
On the 3rd of January, Arcane Frost will finally unleash their full-length debut Night’s Cavalry that will be released via no better fit than Bleeding Heart Nihilist. Be the first ones to listen into this first full-length offering below!
On their debut, Arcane Frost are capable of showcasing that the versatility of their sound gets an intensive amount of time to breath throughout those seven tracks. There are different dimensions of Black Metal that are intertwined with the characteristically raw tone that this combo already presented on their previous EPs. With “Swarming Rats” as the first single that was released off this debut effort, there was quite a worthy opportunity to get a grasp of the sound that is to be expected on Night’s Cavalry. When having looked back at the first EPs of Arcane Frost, especially that raw tone was an aspect that was repeatedly mentioned. In order to uphold this tone, handing off duties of mix & master to Andy Rosczyk at Goblin Sound Studio perfectly matched expectations. Summing up with the cover of Drowned Orange, this is a fitting package for this debut release.
Tomorrow, on the 3rd of January, there will be a release show of Arcane Frost‘s Night’s Cavalry at the S.V. Jugendhaus Ost in Wolfsburg! Starting off this day with Doomcore band coldspine and Heavy Metal combo Beast, this evening is surely going to be a blast!
Night’s Cavalry will be released on the 3rd of January via Bleeding Heart Nihilist.
Good Day Noir Family,
Listening to Infinity Fall I for the first time feels like diving into a personal universe where fragility and force coexist without warning.
Watch Me Die Inside is Infinity Fall I’s EP Out Now
Watch Me Die Inside does not ease the listener into this EP; instead, it invites you into an emotional space that constantly shifts, yet remains its own distinct identity.
The title track, Infinity Fall I, opens with an atmospheric piano figure that seems ancient, almost cosmic. At first, the melody feels intimate and reflective. However, the restrained calm does not last long. The vocals enter softly, carrying a sense of introspection and vulnerability. Then, just as comfort begins to settle, the song pivots sharply. Around the midpoint, the arrangement explodes into unexpected metal territory, complete with harsh screams that cut through the serenity. Because of this contrast, the track feels like an emotional fracture rather than a simple genre shift. Still, the song eventually reconnects with its melodic core, creating a circular journey instead of a collapse.
Next, Weak Tension expands the palette while maintaining continuity. Here, melancholy remains central, yet the rhythm section introduces a heavier pulse. The drums occasionally push with a near–black metal intensity, while the melodic layers remain rooted in rock. Consequently, the tension between aggression and sensitivity becomes the defining feature. Instead of overpowering the composition, these shifts add depth and unpredictability to it. Moreover, the vocal performance adapts fluidly, reinforcing the EP’s emotional coherence.
Something Is Wrong closes the release with a darker, more assertive tone. The track leans further into power and urgency, yet it never abandons melody. In contrast to the opening piece, this song feels more direct, almost confrontational. Still, reflective moments appear between heavier passages, suggesting unresolved thoughts rather than final answers. As a result, the EP ends not with closure, but with a lingering question.
Infinity Fall I stands out because it embraces contradiction. Instead of choosing between melodic rock and extreme metal, Watch Me Die Inside allows to coexist. The EP feels honest, raw, and deeply personal. For listeners drawn to music that reflects inner conflict without compromise, this release offers a distinctive and memorable journey.
Infinity Fall I is Watch Me Die Inside‘s EP is Out Now!
Unique!
Aleph is a metal artist from Cyprus whose sound defies traditional genre lines. Active since the early 2000s, he fuses with his project Watch Me Die Inside the sharp intensity of deathcore with the emotional sweep of melodic metal, layered with electro-pop influences and the cold, atmospheric edge of black metal. This hybrid has led him to define his own niche: Deathened Melodic Electro Pop Black Metal.
Good Day Noir Family,
There’s a certain tension that defines “Edge Of The World,” and it appears immediately, not through volume but through atmosphere.
Edge Of The World is Brian Hunsaker’s Single Out Now
A wide, airy introduction paints the scene, and the listener is invited into a space that feels open and uncertain. However, that calm never feels passive.
Instead, it works as a launchpad. Soon after, a confident guitar riff breaks through, bringing a clear hard-rock identity that nods to classic ’80s energy while keeping a modern edge.
Brian Hunsaker’s vocal entrance reinforces that momentum. His voice arrives with conviction, sitting high and strong in the mix, and it pushes the song forward rather than floating above it. The phrasing feels deliberate, and the melody follows a path that balances drive and reflection. The track never settles into predictability. Each section adds something new without losing focus.
As the song develops, the arrangement grows in layers and intensity. The rhythm section remains tight, grounding the track even when harmonic shifts appear. Notably, the pre-chorus introduces subtle changes in chord movement, and the transition into the chorus feels earned rather than forced. The chorus itself expands with backing vocals that add weight and scale, creating a sense of lift without excess.
Meanwhile, one of the strongest aspects of “Edge Of The World” lies in its use of dynamics. Instead of maintaining constant pressure, the song briefly pulls back. That moment of restraint allows the listener to breathe, and then the track surges again with renewed force. Because of this contrast, the emotional impact feels natural and well-paced.
Later, the final section delivers a guitar solo that acts as a statement rather than a showcase. It sings, it bends, and it resolves themes introduced earlier. The ending feels complete and purposeful. “Edge Of The World” is focused, energetic, and thoughtfully constructed, proving that strong songwriting and attention to detail still matter deeply.
Edge Of The World is Brian Hunsaker’s Single Out Now!
Intense!
Edge Of The World is Brian Hunsaker’s Single Out Now
Brian Hunsaker is a Seattle-born guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter blending classic metal roots with bold originality. Influenced by Dio, Iron Maiden, and Joe Satriani, he built his reputation through electrifying performances, technical skill, and emotive songwriting.
A featured artist at Northwest Shredfest and former guitarist for Dio tribute band Stand Up and Shout, Brian earned acclaim for his 2012 instrumental album Across the Galaxy. Now emerging as a solo artist, he delivers gritty, cinematic tracks that showcase both his voice and virtuosic guitar work. Brian is endorsed by McNaught Guitars, Jim Wagner Pickups, and DR Strings.
Good Day Noir Family,
Michellar’s Reverie: From Then Till Now unfolds like a journal written in melodies rather than ink.
Reverie- From Then Till Now is Michellar’s Album Out Now
Each track offers a new chapter, yet the entire album maintains a graceful continuity that reflects her unmistakable artistic identity.
Even though the record travels through several emotional territories, it always circles back to her gift for intimacy and honest storytelling.
The opening track, “It’s Another Year,” introduces a soft pulse of percussion beneath a fragile guitar pattern. The arrangement leaves plenty of room for her expressive delivery, and the result feels warm and inviting. Soon after, “Running Wild”—featuring Harrison Black—shifts the atmosphere. Its strong Americana influence gives the album a sense of movement, as though the listener has suddenly stepped onto an open road. Black’s tone blends beautifully with the song’s roots-driven energy, and the collaboration becomes a highlight.
Then “Promise” brings the momentum inward again. With its minimal keyboard motif and gentle progression, the track creates a suspended moment, almost like a breath taken between memories. Its simplicity works in its favor, and the emotional clarity resonates.
Furthermore, “Never Say Sorry” leans into a nostalgic alternative style reminiscent of classic 90s songwriting while still preserving Michellar’s melodic elegance. The chorus lifts naturally, and the track leaves a lasting imprint.
The title track, “Reverie,” moves toward a folk-styled openness that recalls the reflective writing of early singer-songwriters. Its message centers on finding meaning in small, often overlooked moments, which gives the song a universal quality.
Later, “Conquer All With Love,” the duet featuring Harrison Black and Christina Rntd, stands out for its intriguing opening. The first few measures carry a subtle echo of Sting’s “Every Breath You Take,” not in imitation, but in the atmospheric steadiness of the groove and the clean, spacious arrangement. Harrison’s voice brings a warm, country-leaning tone, and when Christina enters, her clarity and emotional nuance create a beautiful contrast. Together, they shape a heartfelt American country ballad enriched by a thoughtful blend of influences and a genuine sense of shared storytelling.
Finally, “The Star” closes the album with a serene, almost pastoral mood. Michellar uses minimal elements to great effect, offering a soft landing after an emotional journey that feels both personal and generous. With the help of producer Tobias Wilson, she shapes an album rich in heart and depth.
Reverie- From Then Till Nowis Michellar’s Album Out Now!
Radiant!
Reverie- From Then Till Now is Michellar’s Album Out Now
Michellar, hailing from the vibrant music scene of San Francisco, United States, is the talented artist behind the captivating original single, Dreaming. She has been writing songs from a tage of 15 and had a 40 year hiatus from the skill. Until recently , her Songwriting craft has been ignited by a confidence boosting acceptance to the deYoung Museum Open Call Exhibition in 2023 and has since written many songs and have released 22 singles in 9 months.
In a new chat with Jon Smith from 103.5 The Arrow, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx laid out what’s coming with the band’s next big run: “The Return Of Carnival Of Sins.” The tour marks 20 years since the original “Carnival Of Sins” era (2005–2006) and lines up with the band’s 45th anniversary. The Live Nation-backed trek hits 33 cities, launches July 17, 2026, in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, at the Pavilion at Star Lake, and brings Extreme and Tesla along as support.
Sixx framed it as a return to one of the band’s biggest production swings, only now, the toys are better.
“Two of our biggest tours were the ‘Dr. Feelgood’ tour and the ‘Carnival Of Sins’ tour 20 years ago. And back then, [we had] probably 20 semi-trucks full of gear — hard goods, as they call ’em — [with] all kinds of stuff. And now, with the advancement of technology, we can just take the fans on a crazy journey. And I just think it’s gonna be the next level. ‘Cause the first one was a lot of people’s favorite tour, so we have a lot to live up to,” he said (via Blabbermouth).
Smith brought up the band’s reputation for escalation, “always upping the level of entertainment when it comes to the shows,”, and Sixx said that pressure is exactly where Mötley Crüe lives.
“It’s always our goal. It really is. It’s what we love doing. There’s a lot of stuff that we leaned into so heavy. Like all the way back in the beginning, the ‘Live Wire’ video where the band lit me on fire, and we’ve just constantly been kind of pushing.”
“And then on the pyro thing and actually working with companies and developing kind of — not our own technology, but a lot of times when you mix different fuels together, they create different colors. So we would put one pyro head into a steel wall, and another one would hit, and it would change… I mean, this stuff was super exciting for us,” he added.
“And then we kind of outgrew the pyro, because you can watch a baseball game, and they have pyro now. So it’s, like, how do we take advantage of new technology? We don’t want you to show up and go, ‘Yeah. It looks just like the last four bands that I saw.’ And so there’s always a lot of pressure on us to do that. And that’s, I think, what really drives us.”
So where does a new Mötley Crüe stage show even start? Sixx said it comes down to a theme first, and the visuals build from there, right down to something as basic as color.
“First and foremost, it’s a theme. And a theme, if you talk Dr. Feelgood, well, when we designed the album cover, it was in the very last moment where we changed it to green. It was a white hospital linoleum wall with the medical symbol on it, and we switched that to green. Well, once that shifted to green, it all of a sudden gave us a complete color palette for what we would actually do with the show. So those are the type of things,” Sixx explained.
“So, obviously, something as colorful as a carnival, our brains are going crazy,” he revealed. “And to see what’s out there, what’s available, and especially with video, you can take people on a journey that you just can’t do with a backdrop and some fire. So it’s exciting.”
And yes, this is still a hits-heavy band talking to a hits-heavy audience. Sixx made it clear he gets why people buy the ticket, while also hinting at deeper cuts that can reshape the whole production.
“Obviously, we know the fans wanna hear the hits. And I hate it when a band goes out and doesn’t play their hits. I remember [David] Bowie doing that, and he was one of my favorite artists. I was, like, I don’t wanna go hear a bunch of C and D tracks off of records that I love. I wanna hear those songs, like ‘Rebel Rebel’, and at that point he was, like, ‘I’m so tired of playing the same songs.’
“We’re not tired of playing those hits, but we are excited about getting into a setlist and diving into some songs that we maybe never played or haven’t played in a long time and shaking it up. And those types of things, if you’re playing a song like ‘On With The Show’ from the first album, that’s gonna dictate a lot of what production looks like. So, for us, it’s this moving creative ball of energy. It’s super exciting,” Sixx continued.
When Smith talked about loving bands that back strong records with real performance, Sixx agreed, and pointed to the old-school mindset that shaped him: bigger-than-life shows, shock, and spectacle, done with intent.
“Me too,” Sixx said. “I just don’t get when people don’t. I grew up in the ’70s when rock stars were superheroes, and the shows were over the top, and everything was about shock and awe. And so, 45 years in this band, or coming up on it, it’d be kind of hard to revert back to something that was never about Mötley Crüe.”
“Yeah, we still have those super-raw, early punk influences. We did our Vegas residency — we opened the Vegas residency in a very small area, and we played two songs off the first record, and it was like a club gig. It was smaller than the Whisky A-Go-Go stage. And then it opened into the third song, and the whole place was, like, ‘Oh my God. I didn’t even know all this was here.’”
“So that’s the kind of fun stuff… I’m not saying we’re doing that, but that’s the kind of fun stuff, the mode we’re in right now. It’s, like, what can we do? How can we keep our original roots? And how can we take the audience…? You can just go on your computer or on any of your digital devices and have your mind blown,” he explained. “So my intention is not to go out and do a show that can’t compete with that. We gotta have people going, like, ‘That was an amazing show. I love the songs. I love the show. I’m really glad I came out.’”
He closed by acknowledging the practical side: fans have other shows to budget for, schedules to juggle, and time to plan. That reality is part of why tickets are going up early while the stage build is already underway.
“It’s not easy for fans. The shows aren’t for almost eight months. And we know, from a lot of our fans, they’re saying, ‘I just wish I had a little more time to prepare to go to that.’ And there are a lot of great bands out there that are going on tour. So, people, our fans have a chance to see if they can come and bring their friends or whatever it is. So we’re going on sale early and designing the show at the same time. So that’s where we’re at right now.”
Happy New Year, folks. It’s still before midnight here in Pacific Standard Time (aka the only time zone that matters) so legally speaking I’ve managed to fire this off while it’s still 2025. I listened to lots of great shit this year, and my favorites are below. In each category I’ve got a list of runners-up in alphabetical order followed by a winner, and down at the bottom is my overall Album of the Year. Let’s get to it!
Death Metal
Runners-up: Clairvoyance – Chasm of Immurement Dormant Ordeal – Tooth and Nail Glorious Depravity – Death Never Sleeps Hedonist – Scapulimancy Malthusian – The Summoning Bell Mortual – Altar of Brutality Ritual Mass – Cascading Misery
Winner: Rothadás – Töviskert… a kísértés örök érzete… lidércharang
As per usual, my hardest decision of the year comes in the death metal category. This year featured killer debut LPs from all over the world—Mortual (Costa Rica), Clairvoyance (Poland), Ritual Mass (US), Hedonist (Canada)—and you could make a decent argument for each. The veteran outfits here also delivered some of their best work: Dormant Ordeal’s first foray without founder Radek Kowal proved they haven’t lost a step, while Rothadás and Malthusian each delivered sophomore slabs of dark, brooding atmospheric brutality. The Hungarians won me out in the end with their pummeling, doom-tinged tunes, grim old school graveyard death with impressive songwriting and hefty thumping production. It’s moody and bleak, with foggy layers of heavy atmosphere and riffs to die for.
Black Metal
Runners-up: Amalekim – Shir Hashirim Blood Abscission – I I Hæresis – Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum
Winner: Vigljós – Tome II: Ignis Sacer
This year was underwhelming for me on the black metal front, lots of good but very little great, and fewer still that really spoke to me. The Amalekim record’s dark, subversively religious aura latched onto me, as did the atmospheric balance of violence and beauty in Blood Abscission’s sophomore release. I discovered Hæresis in early December while checking out things I’d missed and was blown away by their stunning, thoughtful songwriting. It’s Vigljós, though, that captured my ears in dramatic fashion with Tome II: Ignis Sacer. Their raw, medieval-influenced tunes are exquisite, weaving evocative melody into layers of buzzing distortion, striking wails and screams against hypnotic guitars and drums that range from mesmerizing to downright danceable. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Progressive, Technical, Melodic, and Otherwise Rad Subgenre-Modifying Shit
Runners-up: Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings Defacement – Doomed In Mourning – The Immortal Pillars of Cacophony – Paralipomena Species – Changelings Synaptic – Enter the Void Weeping Sores – The Convalescence Agonies
Winner: An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City
There was quite a dogfight here in the catch-all category for subgenre modifiers. In Mourning’s newest was downright stunning, while Cave Sermon’s expansion into post-death was nothing short of a triumph. Defacement also pushed into post-metal textures with great success, and Pillars of Cacophony literally infused their dissonant chaos with bioscience. Species laid down one of the coolest and most colorful prog thrash records in recent memory, Weeping Sores ripped out our hearts with agonizingly personal avant-death/doom, and German melo-tech outfit Synaptic shredded brains with their thrilling debut LP (shoutout Max from Sublation for putting me onto this January banger in December). But amongst all this excellence, the winner is The Sleeping City, a masterpiece of a follow-up to what for many was the 2022 AOTY. An Abstract Illusion have truly cemented themselves as the pinnacle of modern progressive death metal.
In a world where brutal death metal bands are a dime a dozen, it takes a lot to stand out while playing straight up brutal death, but Compulsed did exactly that on their debut LP. The other way to stand out in the brutal scene is by playing either shit that’s excessively weird, which is how we find ByoNoiseGenerator’s remarkably coherent brutal jazzgrind here, or staggeringly technical and complex…which also applies to ByoNoiseGenerator, but more importantly describes Kakothanasy. The Swiss outfit, featuring members of Anachronism and Grotesquerie, delivered a mercilessly precise and punishingly heavy dose of ultra-technical nonsense (complimentary).
Great Achievement in Still Being Pissed as Fuck After 20+ Years
Winner: The Acacia Strain – You Are Safe from God Here
Many bands are pissed off. Many bands are pissed as fuck, even. The Acacia Strain are, if anything, more pissed off now than they were back in 2002. It’s a rare act that can roll on without losing a single ounce of venom over more than two decades, and these guys are the blueprint. You Are Safe from God Here is some of their absolute best work, a gargantuan, fuming eruption of malice that has all the unvarnished hate of their early releases honed with the more mature, progressive leanings of their last few.
Best Clean-Sung Metal ’25
Runners-up: Majestica – Power Train Messa – The Spin
Winner: Pagan Altar – Never Quite Dead
Being someone who 1) is a millennial and 2) came into metal fandom in my late teens, I met a lot of legendary bands on the late side. I’ve devoured many a legacy act discography in retrospect after being tipped off to their existence by a trusted source, and to wit: I’d never even heard of Pagan Altar until Westin recommended this record as one of our mid-year nominees. I’ve fallen in love with the bluesy, doomy songwriting and vivid riffs of Never Quite Dead and it’s led me to a slow journey of discovering their classic releases. This album feels both fresh and timeless at the same time, and new frontman Brendan Radigan (Sumerlands, Savage Oath) lays down the perfect vocal performance to match. A true gem of modern British heavy metal.
Non-metal AOTY
Winner: clipping. – Dead Channel Sky
I’ve sung this album’s praises before and I’ll damn sure do it again. clipping. took the experimental industrial horrorcore sound of their previous releases it and delved into glitchy digital futurism and old school takes on technology, a glorious cyberpunk amalgamation. This half-flesh half-tech monster ranges widely from energetic 80s sci-fi to pumping dance club beats to the group’s signature noise and field recording elements. Daveed Diggs’ flow is as precise and intricate as ever, and the words fly out fast enough to make your head spin. This is absolutely top notch hip hop.
And your 2025 Album of the Year is:
An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City
I’ve already said many things about this wonderful record—you can read my review here, if you want—so I’ll just say that The Sleeping City has continued to grow on me and at this point I can’t imagine any other album holding the Album of the Year title. It’s magnificent and stands side by side with their outstanding previous record Woe rather than in its considerable shadow.
Of course, there are great albums I’m unaware of, but here are my top ten favorite albums I’ve bought this year:
#10: Death Wheelers: The Ecstasy Of Möld
The Death Wheelers get better with each release. They are now my favorite instrumental stoner rock band. Every track on this is perfect, and if you told me it should be #1 on the list, I wouldn’t argue.
#9: Nightstalker: Return From The Point Of No Return
I’ve always loved Nightstalker, and this is one of their best albums. It soothes my soul.
#8: Dozer: Rewind To Return: Rarities, Singles And B-Sides
The fact that Dozer had this much quality unreleased music blows me away. Even though this is older music, these gems were released this year, making this a top 10 album of the year.
#7: Stonebirds: Perpetual Wastelands
I didn’t like this a lot the first time I played it, but I did seek it out again and started a sequence of events which resulted in every single one of these tunes being cemented in my head.
#6: Froglord: Metamorphosis
Froglord does not disappoint!!!
#5: The Riven: Visions Of Tomorrow
In a different era, I think this band would have been huge. Great musicians and songwriters, and a flawless album.
#4: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Death Hilarious
This album is also perfect. The creativity along with the sheer heaviness of their sound makes this band special. I was close to making this album #1
#3: Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd – 50 Years Later
An impressive addition to the “50 Years Later” series of tribute albums. Again, a situation where I didn’t like all these covers at first, but they wormed their way into my head to the point where I love every single one.
2: Motorpsycho: Motorpsycho
Motorpsycho are consistently operating on a different plane than everybody else. How they have been this good for this long is mind-boggling.
#1: Brimstone Coven: The Light Shines Not For Thee
How does anything beat that Motorpsycho album? While I can’t rationalize the answer, I can say that I’ve just played this one more often. I’ve been playing it since I bought it, and that makes it my favorite album of 2025.
Happy New Year!!!!
I didn’t have time to make posts for these, but if you’re interested, you can find my #30-21 album picks here, and my #20-11 album picks here
Of course, there are great albums I’m unaware of, but here are my top ten favorite albums I’ve bought this year:
#10: Death Wheelers: The Ecstasy Of Möld
The Death Wheelers get better with each release. They are now my favorite instrumental stoner rock band. Every track on this is perfect, and if you told me it should be #1 on the list, I wouldn’t argue.
#9: Nightstalker: Return From The Point Of No Return
I’ve always loved Nightstalker, and this is one of their best albums. It soothes my soul.
#8: Dozer: Rewind To Return: Rarities, Singles And B-Sides
The fact that Dozer had this much quality unreleased music blows me away. Even though this is older music, these gems were released this year, making this a top 10 album of the year.
#7: Stonebirds: Perpetual Wastelands
I didn’t like this a lot the first time I played it, but I did seek it out again and started a sequence of events which resulted in every single one of these tunes being cemented in my head.
#6: Froglord: Metamorphosis
Froglord does not disappoint!!!
#5: The Riven: Visions Of Tomorrow
In a different era, I think this band would have been huge. Great musicians and songwriters, and a flawless album.
#4: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Death Hilarious
This album is also perfect. The creativity along with the sheer heaviness of their sound makes this band special. I was close to making this album #1
#3: Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd – 50 Years Later
An impressive addition to the “50 Years Later” series of tribute albums. Again, a situation where I didn’t like all these covers at first, but they wormed their way into my head to the point where I love every single one.
2: Motorpsycho: Motorpsycho
Motorpsycho are consistently operating on a different plane than everybody else. How they have been this good for this long is mind-boggling.
#1: Brimstone Coven: The Light Shines Not For Thee
How does anything beat that Motorpsycho album? While I can’t rationalize the answer, I can say that I’ve just played this one more often. I’ve been playing it since I bought it, and that makes it my favorite album of 2025.
Happy New Year!!!!
I didn’t have time to make posts for these, but if you’re interested, you can find my #30-21 album picks here, and my #20-11 album picks here
Per Google Oxford Languages, to reimagine is to reinterpret (an event, work of art, etc.) imaginatively. To form a new conception. I thought in light of the upcoming New Year, where we often contemplate and try reimagining our jobs, our hobbies and interests, ourselves and our life paths, I would share a collection of songs expertly reimagined by many skilled artists.
There have been times when hearing a new song that somehow seems familiar, yet new, I then have the “a-ha” moment realizing it is an interpretation of a song I know, and marvel at the metamorphosis. Sometimes this entails a total reworking of the style, feel, and approach of the song, making it almost unrecognizable. Other times it is more a genre or energy shift. But the result is often a spectacular seemingly new cover song that is often equal if not superior to its original tune.
The ones that come to mind most readily for me are some interestingly enough by the original artist in a new iteration of themselves, often in their transition from membership in their rock band to their status as a solo artist. Think Phil Collins/Genesis with “Behind the Lines,” the solo offering a pop-R&B version of the song, with the original a progressive rock staple.
Or Sting/Police with Shadows in the Rain, with reggae rock giving way to a jazz-pop style.
And Clapton actually questions on Unplugged “See if you can spot this one” regarding his reimagination of Layla, virtually unrecognizable until you really focus on the lyrics and melody, so different than its early 70s guiotar driven blues rock.
Then CeeLo Green reenvisions his alter ego Gnarls Barkley’s psychedelic funk-soul “Crazy” to a more unplugged acoustic offering.
Sometimes, as discussed in my previous blog Cover Me – Great Cover Songs & Their Originals (October 21, 2021 – see/search via Playlist menu for an exhaustive list of cover tracks often better than their originals), songs we know and love, unbeknownst to us, are actually covers. The one that continues to blow me away in this regard is Led Zeppelin’s beautiful power rock ballad “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” originally a droning cat wailing song not worth remembering by Joan Baez. How Zep listened to that song and thought “we can turn this into a breathtaking, powerful track on their debut album to me is beyond comprehension. Only the most creative, gifted musical gods could pull off such a transformation.
Here is Pink’s fantastic cover of the Zep version:
Watching American Idol in 2008, David Cook was competing and as I listened to his cover, while I sensed I knew the lyrics and melody, I couldn’t quite place it, until it dawned on me it was Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Or was it? It was the Chris Cornell version/interpretation, which was pure genius.
One of my favorite Indie artists and former Glee and America’s Got Talent alum built a YouTube following with his creative interpretations of pop songs. His version of LMFAO’s “Sexy And I Know It” put him on the map. And Prince’s “I Would Die For You” was equally creative.
And his interpretation of Prince’s “I Would Die For You” was equally creative.
It often takes a verse or two of such wildly reimagined songs before you fully recognize and place the tune.
Other notable reimaginations include Natalie Merchant’s version of The Chiffons’ “One Fine Day” from the movie of the same name, Annie Lennox’ covers of the Clash’s “Train In Vain” and Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain” off her album of covers “Medusa.” There’s Lourde’s etherial somber cover of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” Tori Amos covers Nirvana, of all bands, with a very non-grunge interpretation “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” And Ryan Adams covering miss Eras herself, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.” Or Evanescense soaring with Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”
Joe Cocker delivers the definitive soul interpretation of The Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends” as does Johnny Cash with Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt.”
Many reimaginations are courtesy of a genre shift, often a shift from country or pop to rock, blues, reggae, techno-pop, or rap. Think Run DMC reenvisioning Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s blues coverage of Stevie Wonder’s funk soul “Superstition.”
Or Elvis Presley’s 50s rock and Jim Hendrix’ acid rock reinterpretations of Big Mama Thorton’s blues classic “Hound Dog.” There’s Sting covering Hendrix’ “Little Wing,” Hendrix covering Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower,” and Guns N’ Roses covering Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”
Classic reggae reinterpretations include UB40’s “Red Red Wine” (Neil Diamond) and “I Got You Babe” (Sonny & Cher), Club Nouveau’s “Lean On Me” (Bill Withers), and Big Mountain’s “Baby I Love Your Way” (Peter Frampton). Techno-pop interpretations include Erasure’s “River Deep, Mountain High” (Ike & Tina Turner), The (English) Beat’s “Tears Of A Clown” (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles), Pet Shop Boys “Always On My Mind” (Willie Nelson), and Soft Cell’s “Tained Love” (Gloria Jones).
Some inspiration for creative covers of movie songs include Whitney Houston’s soaring anthem “I Will Always Love You” (Dolly Parton/Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), The Beatles “Till There Was You” (Barbara Cook/The Music Man), LL Cool J’s “Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf (Disney), Gipsy Kings “I’ve Got No Strings” (Pinocchio) – they also offer a Spanish guitar adaptation of Hotel California (Eagles).
While perhaps unfair to include Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, as the musical collective’s mission is to rework popular music into vintage musical genres, most often swing and jazz, I felt it was worth given them some representation with reinterpretations of Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talking ‘Bout Love” and Kiss’ “I Was Made For Loving You.” Here’s yet another PMJ offering with Blondie’s “Call Me.”
And I thought I’d close with Jeff Buckely’s beautifully haunting, prayerful reworking of Leonard Cohen’s almost depressively brooding “Hallelujah.”
So as you contemplate the endless possibilities of reimaging parts of your life on the eve of the New Year, I hope you enjoy listening to some great songs reimagined by some very skilled artists. Happy New Year!
I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew. Rediscover the passion of music in your life.
