This tour's lineup was an absolute MUST for anyone deeply rooted in the 90s Nu-Metal, Alternative Metal and Industrial uprising! Most still instantly think of Grunge and the conversion of 80s Thrash to a more "user-friendly", radio-formatted style, but on this tour, we get a dose of the 90s underground- a great reminder of the decade's steadfast sound that has carried over into the 2000s!

During my hour and a half interview with FILTER front-man, Richard Patrick, we discussed a wide variety of topics- everything from his own history and career as a musician which began in 1989 with Industrial-Rock legends, NINE INCH NAILS to his own rather independent ventures with FILTER. It wasn't until Patrick had started his work on material for FILTER that Trent Reznor realized how much he needed "Piggy" (Reznor's nickname for Patrick). This material, namely "Hey Man, Nice Shot" would go viral (back before it was called viral) and gain overnight success that would lead to several offers of $1,000,000 from various top-notch record labels such as Atlantic, Epic, London and Warner Brothers, but Reprise Records won the contract on their debut, "Short Bus". This was clearly much wiser than NIN's offer of a pizza boy job! Crazy, but wise! Patrick definitely has a strong message of self-worth and belief for his audience- on and off record. His "off-record" antics and range are phenomenal! Absolutely hilarious, yet thoughtful and reflect on a desire for knowledge.

Doing this interview, so much more truly makes sense in FILTER's messages in their music. So much light shed on making a difference in the world, being a better person than you were yesterday, the outcomes of such versus being a selfish, arrogant prick like you seem to see with today's "false music idols" in the plastic Pop scene and just so many other great points about other so-called "leaders" and "role-models". FILTER also enjoys playing overseas for military troops! How often do these bubblegum "Pop sensations" get off their high-horses and do this? They don't! And Richard makes it perfectly clear he has no qualms doing so as well as taking the piss at anyone not willing to do the same!

Be sure and check out the latest and greatest on the links below!
http://www.officialfilter.com/
http://twitter.com/officialfilter
http://instagram.com/richardpatrick
http://www.facebook.com/Filter

Later in the evening, we get the extreme pleasure to sit down with COAL CHAMBER's own skinsman, Mikal Cox! We talked everything from from the new album- how it came about, sources of inspiration, musical guests, etc. to tour life over the years and presently to a basic, yet detailed recap of the band's history!

First off, we discussed the name of the upcoming album ["Rivals", Napalm Records, 2015] and how it got its name as well as the driving force behind it! As many other fans seemingly did, I thought perhaps it was derived from an old, now-settled feud between Dez Fafara (COAL CHAMBER, DEVILDRIVER) and SEVENDUST drummer, Morgan Rose, but as Mikal stated, "Not at all! SEVENDUST is my favorite band!", especially to tour with as they did in 2013 during their reunion tour of North America! With that theory cleared up straight from the source, the idea behind "Rivals" is actually based around how as humans, we are our own biggest rival no matter how you try and weigh it, and for all members of COAL CHAMBER, there were a lot of inner battles fought and won which have lead to a great tour and a highly-anticipated album (due out May 19th, 2015 via Napalm Records). For those of you that made it out to any of the your dates with FILTER, COMBICHRIST, SAINT RIDLEY and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE, you all heard the new tracks they chose to take out on the road and know exactly why it is such an anticipated album aside from it being the first since 2002's "Dark Days". For those of you that didn't make it, out, you would beat yourselves up if you were aware of even half of how spectacular this tour and all its shows were!

Another great topic hit on (as did FILTER's Richard Patrick) is sobriety, namely in terms of hard drugs and heavy alcohol consumption. Sure, a lot of fans may enjoy the aesthetic products and results of drug and alcohol-fueled bands, but there are plenty examples of the hard-reality and negative results of the wild "rockstar" life. Some, like Mikal now have children whose lives now depend on their state of sobriety, and that really fuels the albums and shows we all love! As a matter of fact, when musicians sober up, they end up giving us more of the albums and shows we as fans love!

"Rivals" also includes MINISTRY's very own "Uncle Al" Jourgensen providing guest vocals on "Suffer in Silence" along with 13 other tracks that are sure to rope in their original audience they first captured between 1993 to 2003 as well as new fans who very well could've still been in diapers when COAL CHAMBER split in '03! The joy of Nu-Metal has got to be its variety- both in sonic elements and audience appeal! COAL CHAMBER is back and more "loco" than ever! Be ready for them!

For social media updates on Coal Chamber, check links posted below!
www.coalchamberofficial.com
www.twitter.com/coalchamberoffi
www.instagram.com/coalchamberofficial
www.facebook.com/coalchamberofficial

In addition to FILTER and COAL CHAMBER, also featured on this tour were SAINT RIDLEY, COMBICHRIST and AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE! SAINT RIDLEY is a high-energy outfit from Detroit/Flint, Michigan, whose style is greatly shaped and set by 80s Hardcore Punk, PANTERA and even DEFTONES! Keep and eye and ear open for them! Next up, AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE, who got their big start when SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist, Shavo Odadjian forwarded them to American Records' Rick Rubin! If that doesn't make credentials blatantly clear and obvious, what will? Unfortunately, they had to drop off the tour 3/4 of the way through it. Rumors were/are circulating that COAL CHAMBER booted them off the tour, but after speaking with Mikal Cox and AHC's own Ted Hallows (guitars), that is a groundless lie. They left for personal reasons, and that's all we've got for now.
 

For more on Saint Ridley:
www.facebook.com/SaintRidley

For more on Combichrist:
http://www.combichrist.com
http://www.facebook.com/Combichrist

For more on American Head Charge:
http://www.headcharge.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AmericanHeadCharge