#Louder Than Life 2019 Bands

[theageoftheunderstatement]

Happy birthday to The Car, which was released on 21st October, 2022.

"We could very well still have made a loud guitar record after all. If the music had asked for it, I think I would have obediently followed. When we finished touring in 2019, everything pointed in that direction. Much louder than Tranquility Hotel, in any case. But that started to shift towards a different direction and that's why we took a break from it at the time. I was afraid I would start forcing things. And sometimes you just have to accept the fact you can't go back to the riffs from ten years ago. At the end of the tour I knew what kind of songs I wanted to do, with the lights of the stage still in my eyes and the thundering roars of the audience in my ears. Big, loud guitars should have been part of that. That's what I'm gonna do! I even put on my motorcycle boots to get a hold of that mood. But that didn't feel right in the end, as said. You're not that person anymore, your music wants to go in a different direction. Then I can only follow that. The only reason we now can not make a loud guitar record in all peace and comfort, is because we're still Arctic Monkeys. Everyone has grown up, the essence of the band has grown with us. The faces are a bit more round, the boys call their children instead of their parents, but the feeling remains the same. Life itself happened – and not in an unpleasant way. It's all good, everything."

[metalloverr]

SLAYER IS BACK!!!

SLAYER have officially reunited and will return to the stage in September.

For the first time since the band played the last concert of the world tour in November 2019, SLAYER members will return to the stage this fall, becoming the headliners of two major festivals - Riot Fest and Louder Than Life.

Tom Araya said:

"Nothing compares to the 90 minutes we spend on stage playing live, sharing this intense energy with our fans, and frankly, we lacked it."

Kerry King added:

"Do I miss live performances? Absolutely. SLAYER means a lot to our fans, they mean a lot to us. It's been almost five years since we saw them."

[golden-kingdom]

So Good - Part 1

Summary: Pop singer Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, better known as Celaena, had everything she wanted in life. Until she met Rowan Whitethorn at a party. She decides to stay away for her own good and his, but fate has a funny way of bringing them together again and again.

Based on the song So Good by Halsey.

Word Count: 4.8k

Warnings: Cursing, a bit of violence, drinking and drugs, asshole!Chaol (I'm sorry I promise I don't hate him), mention of cheating

This is my first fanfiction ever so please be kind with me. I don't really know how making music works so I'm sorry if the process doesn't make sense. This is inspired by the song So Good by Halsey and a bit by Halsey's life too. The song in the first part is called Sorry and is also by Halsey.

Masterlist

Read it on AO3

June 2019

Aelin loved a good party. And this was definitely one. She would know, she was the one who organized it. Dressed in a short golden dress that hugged every curve of her body, she made her way through the club to the birthday girl, her best friend and agent, Elide.

She found her surrounded by people she knew and some she didn’t. She had invited a lot of people. Elide had a big smile on her face and her face was flushed in a way Aelin knew she had already enjoyed a few drinks. Not that she had anything to say about it; she was the first one who got a shot for her friend when the party started. And then another one.

Aelin quickly found her way next to her friend and put an arm around her shoulders to catch her attention.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked the short black-haired woman over the loud sound of the music and everyone talking.

"Yes! Thank you so much for this, Ae! But you know you didn’t have to," she replied, a little louder than necessary.

Aelin just shrugged and smiled.

"You only turn 25 once in your life! And you deserve to be celebrated," she replied.

Elide looked up at her and gave her a true smile. But then, something that looked like determination took over her face.

"Since you’re here, there’s someone I’d like you to meet." she said in her agent voice that had Aelin ready to turn on her heels. But the other woman grabbed her arm and pulled her forward to a few tall men talking.

Aelin knew one of them. Lorcan was the guitarist in her supporting band on tour and, to her greatest sorrow, Elide’s boyfriend. Lorcan and Aelin didn’t exactly get along. They bickered constantly and insulted each other every five minutes. But he was a great guitarist and Elide loved him for reasons unknown to Aelin. So, she had to tolerate him apparently.

Lorcan wasn’t the person who caught her eye in the small group though. Next to him was a very tall man (not huge like Lorcan, but definitely a lot taller than Aelin) with broad shoulders, tan skin and short silver hair. He looked a bit older than her and Elide. Probably in his early thirties. But what stroke Aelin was the intricate tattoo design descending his left arm. She would never admit it to anyone, but she definitely had a thing for tattoos. Especially on good-looking men like this one. Before he could catch her staring at him, Elide spoke.

"Aelin, this is Rowan Whitethorn. He’s a good friend of Lorcan and an amazing musician," she said, gesturing to the man she was just looking at.

He finally looked at her and Aelin took in his deep pine green eyes looking at her with intent like he was seizing her up, but she didn’t look away, holding his gaze.

"So, this is the famous Celaena? Nice to finally meet you," he said with a crooked smile.

He knew who she was… Of course, he did. Most people knew who she was. She was a pretty famous pop star after all. But she didn’t like to assume everybody knew that. And she certainly wasn’t going to let this handsome man she just met call her by her stage name. 

"Please, call me Aelin," she smiled back.

"Remember that song you loved from Manon Blackbeak and the Thirteen, the one about witches slaying men? Rowan is the one who wrote the music," Elide told her, interrupting their little exchange.

"Yeah, that song was alright, I guess," joked Aelin, looking at Rowan to see his reaction.

She just found him smirking.

"I thought I would introduce the two of you. Maybe someday you can work on something together," explained Elide.

"Please, this is your birthday, Elide! Stop working, you’re not my agent tonight. Go have some fun please," said Aelin in an exasperated but amused tone.

On cue, as if it’s all she was waiting for, Elide took Lorcan by the arm and lead him toward the dancefloor. She had never seen Lorcan danced, but she guessed there was a first time for anything. He really was whipped for his girlfriend she thought.

"I’m sorry, I know you probably didn’t come here to talk work. Please allow me to buy you a drink as an apology," said Aelin to the silver-haired man still standing in front of her. They were the only two left from the small group.

"No worries. I don’t mind at all. But I’ll take you up on your offer for a drink," Rowan replied with a small smile.

Aelin went to the bar and, after getting two drinks, she went back to Rowan who was standing in a quieter part of the club. She handed him his drink, a whiskey on ice, and he thanked her. She just winked at him and gave him a mischievous smile.

"So how do you have the great displeasure of knowing Lorcan Salvaterre?" she asked him.

He laughed, not a full-on laughter, but his face lit up and his features softened a little. He really was beautiful, especially like this. Now all she could think about was making him laugh again if that was the reaction she got.

"Lorcan is one of my best friends. We met when we were younger. We actually had a band together years ago," he replied, taking a sip of his drink. 

She watched the way his throat bobbed while he swallowed the drink and felt a little hot inside. She quickly looked back at his face.

"Lorcan was in a band? With you? What was it called?" she asked, focusing on his answer and not how big his hands were around the glass… She definitely had too much to drink. She had just met the man for Gods’ sake. She needed to get a grip.

"The Cadre," Rowan said, apparently obvious to what she was thinking. Good. "But it never really took off, and we all ended up parting ways and doing our own thing. We’re still good friends though."

"I always wanted to be in a band. I mean, I guess, I kinda have one now, but it’s not the same when you’re a solo artist. It can feel a bit lonely sometimes," Aelin said with honesty, taking a sip of her own drink.

"So, the life of a world-famous pop star is not all it’s cracked up to be?" the man said, joking, but looking at her with the same honesty.

"I mean, it definitely has its perks," she laughed. "Like the endless amount of designer clothes I get gifted! But it also means I’m always touring the world and I cannot see my friends and family like I want to. And I don’t ever really feel home anywhere," she confessed in a small voice.

"I can relate to that. It feels like I’ve always drifted from places to places, and never had somewhere I could settle down and call home…" he said, looking at her with a look she couldn’t quite place.

She wanted to ask more, but he sighed and said: "I have to go, but here’s my number. Text me if you wanna make some music together. I have a studio at my apartment."

"I’ll have to think about it," replied Aelin trying not to look too excited by the idea of seeing him again.

He gave her a small smile and a nod.

"I hope you have a great night, Aelin. It was really nice meeting you," he said and then he left.

Aelin tried not to be too disappointed that he left so early. She wished she could have talked to him more. She wanted to know more about this man. She downed the rest of her drink and went to join her friends, trying not to think too much about what he made her feel.

…

It took a lot of strength for Aelin to not text Rowan the next morning. But she had more pride than that. She would make him wait a little. Even though she was dying to see the man again. It was dumb she knew it, they only had a short conversation, but she couldn’t help but like him. And there was the fact that he was pretty damn attractive if she said so. She shook her head and sighed. She needed to work. She went to get her notebook in which she wrote all of her lyrics and jostled down a few ideas.

…

She ended up texting Rowan four days later. His reply came quickly, and they agreed to meet at Rowan’s apartment the next night to work on the latest lyrics she had written. Aelin knew this was only a work thing, but she couldn’t help but feel excited to see Rowan again. She might have thought a little too long about what she should wear and if she should put her hair up or let it down. It was just for work she reminded herself.

…

The night was dark and the stars hidden by the city lights when Aelin made her way to Rowan’s apartment. She was wearing a green summer dress and she had decided to let her golden hair flow freely down her back. The air was still warm from the day’s sun, but the breeze made it comfortable as she walked from her car to the address he had given her.

She got in front of an unassuming building and looked at her phone again to make sure she had the address right. When she was sure, she knocked on the door. After a couple of seconds, Rowan’s face appeared in the doorway.

"Hey," he said with a soft smile. He looked happy to see her.

"Hey," she replied, shy suddenly.

"Come in, please," he said as he motioned for her to come inside his apartment.

She walked in and looked around, curious to see what Rowan’s place looked like. Somehow, even though they didn’t know each other much, it felt very much like him. Everything was clean and in order, but in a way that still felt welcoming and cozy. The walls were a warm white and the furniture made of wood. There were a few pictures on the walls.

"I like it," she said, still looking around.

"Thank you," he replied. "Follow me, I’ll show you the studio."

She followed him down a hallway and she wanted to ask him to show her around, but she didn’t. Instead, she followed after him into a room that was darker than the rest of the apartment and full of fancy equipment and instruments. This was a really nice home studio she thought as she took it in. She spotted a black leather couch and she sat down. Rowan sat next to her.

"So, I guess we should get right into it," she said with a small nervous laugh, pulling out her notebook from her bag.

"Do you want to show me what you were working on?" he asked.

She showed him the lyrics she had written so far, and he asked her a couple of questions about what she wanted the song to sound like. They agreed that piano is what would sound best with the lyrics, so he got up and went to sit at the keyboard. He seemed to be thinking for a little while, but then he started hitting the keys. He tried out a few tunes, asking her for her opinion. They worked like that for a while until they figured out something they liked. 

"Do you wanna try it with the lyrics?" he asked Aelin.

"Yeah, good idea," she replied.

She started singing the chorus she had written down while he played the tune on the keyboard.

"So, I’m sorry to my unknown lover. Sorry that I can’t believe; that anybody ever really starts to fall in love with me. Sorry to my unknown lover. Sorry I could be so blind. Didn’t mean to leave you and all of the things that we had behind."

He stopped and looked at her like he wanted to ask something, but instead he said: "I like how that sounds. Let’s work on the rest of the song."

They worked for a while. Aelin didn’t know how long exactly. It could have been 45 minutes or a few hours. She found she really liked working with Rowan. It’s like he knew exactly what she wanted. They understood and completed each other well. She was now sitting next to him at the keyboard, entirely too aware of how close he was, trying out different melodies with the new lyrics she had written.

"I think it should go," she said as she demonstrated what she meant on the keyboard.

"What if we do this" he replied, and then, to her surprise, he put his hands on hers to show her the keys he was talking about. Time stopped and Aelin held her breath. She felt electricity run through her body at the simple touch. She looked down at where his hands held her infinitely smaller ones. She suddenly felt the need to have those hands on her face, on her waist, over her whole body.

Rowan seemed to realize what he was doing and removed his hands from on top of hers. There was a silence and then they looked at each other. They were sitting close enough on the small bench that she could feel his warm breath. The look in his eyes was both soft and something else. He pulled his face a bit closer to hers. She didn’t move, waiting to see what he was going to do…

The front door of the apartment suddenly opening startled both of them and Rowan moved away from her, sitting at the far edge of the seat, as if he wanted to be as far away from her as possible.

"Baby, it’s me!" a female voice said and Aelin felt the blood leave her face.

"In here, I’m in the studio," replied Rowan.

Aelin got off the bench quickly and went to sit back on the couch. A beautiful brown-haired woman peeked her head through the door.

"Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were working," she apologized with a smile.

"No worries, babe, Aelin was just about to leave anyway."

Aelin felt like she was going to be sick. She needed to get out of here. The woman looked at her with her lovely chestnut eyes and seemed to recognize who she was.

"Hi! I’m Lyria, Rowan’s girlfriend, so nice to meet you," she said, getting inside the studio and holding out a hand.

Aelin couldn’t think, her brain was going too fast and all she could register is that Rowan had a girlfriend, but she shook her hand lightly.

"Aelin. Nice to meet you too… I’ve got to go, I’m sorry," she replied as she got up. "Thank you, Rowan, I’ll text you about the song." Then she grabbed her notebook and her bag and left the small studio.

She was almost at the front door when she heard Rowan behind her.

"Aelin, wait!"

She didn’t reply. Instead, she opened the door and ran to her car. When she was sitting inside her car, she let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding and a small sob escaped her mouth. She knew there were tears in her eyes, but she just turned her car on and focused on getting home as quickly as possible.

…

January 2020

Aelin kept checking her phone. She was sitting in her chair letting her make-up artist, Nesryn, do her thing, but she had a hard time staying still. She hated giving her a hard time; she prided herself on not being a diva. Especially since Nesryn was basically her friend after all those years working with together. But today wasn’t a good day. She was already late to the event and the person accompanying her, her boyfriend, wasn’t replying to her texts.

She heard the door of the room open and was ready to give him an earful about how late he was, when Lysandra appeared with her outfit for tonight on her arm.

"Hey rockstar! Ready for the red carpet? Elide keeps texting me that we’re late, but I told her to stop worrying so much or she was gonna get wrinkles before her time," she joked.

Lysandra stopped in her track at the lack of response from Aelin and looked at her friend.

"Why are you in a bad mood?" she asked. When Aelin didn’t answer, she added: "What did that asshole do again? Do I need to text your cousin so he can kick his ass like he’s wanted to do for ages?"

"No, please, leave Aedion out of this. As much as it would please me, I don’t need more drama in my life," finally replied Aelin. She sighed and breathed in and out to calm her anger. "He was supposed to join me here an hour ago and he isn’t even replying to my texts." She threw her phone on the bed.

"I’m sorry, Ae. And I know you’re tired of hearing me say this, but you deserve better than Chaol Westfall."

Aelin knew she deserved better. She didn’t even know why she kept putting up with his shit. It’s not like she was in love with the man. But they had been good together. At the beginning.

"You don’t need him anyway. You will blow everyone away in that dress," said Lysandra.

"Okay, I’m done" said Nesryn, putting the final touches to her make-up. As soon as she had stopped, Aelin got up from the chair and headed for the dress that Lysandra had laid on the bed.

"Can you help me, Lys?" she said while she removed her robe and stood in her underwear. It was nothing that the two women hadn’t seen before, and Aelin was far from being a prude.

"What kind of stylist and friend would I be if I didn’t help you put on your dress?"

Aelin picked up the dress and Lysandra quickly came next to her to help her in. The dress had a sheer corset lined with emerald green that hung to her curves and pushed up her breast. The skirt of the dress was in the same green color and was made of silk. It had subtle flattering draping at the waist and it flowed down her legs. There was thigh-high slit putting her left leg on display. She paired it with satin green pumps and diamond drop earrings. Her golden blonde hair was parted on the side and the curls flew down her back. Nesryn came to check that her hair and make-up were still perfect.

"You look like a queen!" said Lysandra, checking her out from head to toe. "Chaol is gonna be furious when he sees what he missed on."

"Well, if he even bothers showing up," Aelin replied.

Then she was heading downstairs and got into a sleek black car where Elide was waiting for her.

"Ready?" she said, not even mentioning Chaol’s absence. She knew Aelin too well to ask.

They drove to the place where the event was being held and Aelin waited for her cue to come out of the car. When it was her turn, she came out, Elide behind her, and smiled at the photographers and fans lining up. She walked down the red carpet, taking her time and posing.

The photographers were screaming her name and trying to catch her attention. She was blinded by flashes, but she kept smiling. Walking the red carpet was far from being her favorite thing but it came with her job. She kept going for five long minutes before Elide called her name and motioned for her to come. She stopped to sign and take a few selfies with fans, and then she was on her way inside. She let out a breath when she passed the doors.

Aelin and her agent were seated at a round table in a grand room decorated for the occasion and a waiter immediately approached to offer them something to drink. Taking a sip from her champagne glass, she looked around the room. She knew most people who were here. The industry wasn’t very big.

She looked to the empty seat next to her and tried to supress the anger that was overwhelming her again. She hadn’t checked her phone, but she knew he hadn’t texted her back. Her throat was tight, so she gulped down her drink.

She didn’t notice a group of people heading toward the table and sitting down across from her, too busy mulling over her jerk of a boyfriend. She only looked up when she heard Elide talking with the people who had just sat down. There was a gorgeous blonde man with tan skin sitting next to an equally gorgeous black woman. She recognized the woman as Nehemia Ytger, an upcoming actress who was rapidly making her way to the top. She guessed the man was probably an actor too with the white smile he had plastered on.

But then, she blanched. She recognized the sound of his voice first. And when she looked at who else she would be sharing the evening with, she had to hold the table with two hands. His silver hair was a bit longer and he seemed tired, but he looked as beautiful as the last time she had seen him. He was sitting next to a man who looked eerily similar to the blonde one except for his dark hair. He seemed to notice she was watching him because, before she could look away, Rowan Whitethorn was looking at her. His green eyes seemed unsure. She couldn’t help but smile tentatively. They hadn’t seen each other since last summer. To her surprise, he returned her smile with a genuine one.

"Aelin, you already know Rowan. This is Nehemia Ytger, Fenrys Moonbeam and Connall Moonbeam," Elide said as she pointed to the actress and then to the blonde man and the dark-haired one. Twins, that made sense.

"Pleased to meet you," said Fenrys in a flirty tone.

She couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t seem upset by her reaction; he just gave her a charming smile. Rowan rolled his eyes at his friend’s antics.

Everyone started talking and soon the dinner was served. As she was eating, Aelin kept glancing over at Rowan whenever she made a joke or said something she though he might find interesting. He seemed to notice at some point because he looked at her and she looked away, a little embarrassed to have been caught.

After they had finished eating, everyone started to mingle and go around the room to talk to people at other tables. Elide’s phone started ringing and she told Aelin she had to take it. She left the room and Aelin realized she was sitting alone with Rowan. He smiled at her and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She reminded herself he had a girlfriend. A very real girlfriend who was probably waiting for him at home.

"I have to say, you look amazing tonight" Rowan said softly.

And just like that, the butterflies were back in her stomach. She blushed a little.

"Thank you, you clean up quite well yourself" she replied with a smile.

There was an awkward silence.

"Lyria couldn’t come?" she couldn’t help but ask, even though she regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

"No, she had something important at work."

"Oh, I see. Well, my boyfriend couldn’t come either, though I doubt his reasons are as good," she said as she pointed to the empty seat.

He looked at her with a sad face. She didn’t need his pity, so she said: "It’s all good though because that leaves more dessert for me."

He laughed a little. Then he turned more serious.

"Aelin, I wanted to say… About last time…" he started but she interrupted him before he could finish.

"Don’t worry, it’s all forgotten," she said with a fake smile she had years to practice. "So, what have you been working on lately?"

He looked taken aback by her reply, but he took a sip of his drink and said: "Nothing big, just small things here and there. I’m working on an album, I mean, my own album. I’m not signed so it would be home-made, but I like the freedom of creativity."

"I didn’t know you could sing!"

"Well, clearly not as well as you, but I manage I guess."

"Please, I bet you have a beautiful voice."

"You should come by some time. I could make you listen. I’d love to have your opinion."

She was going to reply that it was a bad idea when she spotted something, or rather someone, in the corner of the room.

"I’m really sorry, but I have to go. I’ll be back."

She didn’t wait for his reply and got up, walking up to the person she had seen.

At first, she thought she could’ve been mistaken, but as she got closer and she saw a tall man talking to a beautiful redhead from a little too close, she knew her eyes hadn’t failed her. Chaol had come to the event. But not with her. There was a fire burning inside of her; she couldn’t think straight anymore because of how furious she was.

"Excuse me," she said curtly to the woman. "I need to talk to him for a second."

Then she roughly grabbed Chaol by the arm and led him to a place where they wouldn’t be the center of the attention. She let his arm go quickly; she couldn’t bear to be touching him right now.

"What the hell? Where the fuck have you been? I waited for you for an hour and texted you about ten times, you asshole!" she tried to keep her tone down to not attract attention, but she wanted to yell at him.

"Calm down, babe. I’m here now, aren’t I?" he said, trying to play it cool. He ran his hand through his brown hair and looked at her with guilty eyes.

"We were supposed to walk the red carpet and sit together! And then, I see you flirting with this woman in front of everyone. What is wrong with you?"

"I’m sorry, darling. I was looking for you I swear. Let me make it up to you," he said, trying to grab her hand, but she noticed his voice was slurred.

"What are you on?"

He started to open his mouth to reply, but she cut him off.

"No, don’t even bother answering, I don’t wanna know. You and I are over. I’ve had enough of your bullshit. I thought you were done with all that shit. You promised me last time. And now you’re cheating on me? I deserve better than this after everything I did for you," she said.

Chaol tried to grab her arm as she was leaving and she was ready to knee him in the groin, but someone else stepped in.

"She said it was over. Don’t touch her. I suggest you go back home and sober up," growled Rowan. She didn’t know when had gotten here.

"Who the fuck are you? She’s my girl and I will do whatever I want," Chaol snapped back.

Before Aelin knew what was happening, Rowan had punched Chaol in the face. He lost his balance and swayed a little, but then he was looking at Rowan with violence in his eyes. He tried to punch him back, but security stepped in and separated the two men as Aelin looked in shock. But Chaol wasn’t having it and kept trying to get out of their grip to get to Rowan who was standing in front of Aelin. Security escorted Chaol out of the room as he promised to make him pay for this. Luckily, most people were too busy chatting and the music was too loud for them to notice what had happened.

Rowan turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?" he said, worry in his voice.

"Yeah, I think so," she said in a small voice.

Suddenly, Elide appeared. She looked at the both of them, and took in Rowan’s dishevelled appearance and Aelin’s face.

"Gods! What happened?" she asked. When neither of them replied, she said: "Come on, let’s go home, Ae. Goodnight, Rowan."

Aelin looked at him. She didn’t know what to say. She followed Elide and, outside, they got into a car that was waiting by the entrance. Elide gave them the address and they rode back to Aelin’s house in silence. Aelin closed her eyes and a tear fell down her cheek.

[kenpiercemedia]

Slayer Adds One Final Date to its Summer Festival Itinerary

Slayer Adds One Final Date to its Summer Festival Itinerary

The Press Release: Last week, Slayer – Tom Araya, Kerry King, Gary Holt, and Paul Bostaph – announced that they plan to return to the concert stage for the first time since they concluded their Final World Tour in November 2019, to headline two summer festivals, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life. Today, the band announces they’ve added one last U.S. 2024 festival date, headlining the Aftershock…

[shit-talk-turner]

We could very well still have made a loud guitar record after all. If the music had asked for it, I think I would have obediently followed. When we finished touring in 2019, everything pointed in that direction. Much louder than Tranquility Hotel, in any case. But that started to shift towards a different direction and that's why we took a break from it at the time. I was afraid I would start forcing things. And sometimes you just have to accept the fact you can't go back to the riffs from ten years ago. At the end of the tour I knew what kind of songs I wanted to do, with the lights of the stage still in my eyes and the thundering roars of the audience in my ears. Big, loud guitars should have been part of that. That's what I'm gonna do! I even put on my motorcycle boots to get a hold of that mood. But that didn't feel right in the end, as said. You're not that person anymore, your music wants to go in a different direction. Then I can only follow that. The only reason we now can not make a loud guitar record in all peace and comfort, is because we're still Arctic Monkeys. Everyone has grown up, the essence of the band has grown with us. The faces are a bit more round, the boys call their children instead of their parents, but the feeling remains the same. Life itself happened – and not in an unpleasant way. It's all good, everything."/ 😭❤ How can anyone not love and admire this man? This guy is a genius. And I'll say more, no one forces him to do anything, he does what he wants because he knows exactly the direction of things he wants and believes.

👏🏻👏🏻

[metaladdicts]

SLAYER Plays Second Reunion Show At Aftershock Festival (Video)

SLAYER has performed their second reunion show last night (October 10) at Aftershock festival at Discovery Park, Sacramento, CA. It was only the band’s second show since their retirement in 2019. Their planned appearance at Louder Than Life in Kentucky last month had to be canceled due to bad weather. No further dates have been announced at this moment. Setlist for Aftershock show was as…

[thephotopitmagazine]

SLAYER ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF ONE FINAL SUMMER FESTIVAL DATE

SLAYER ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF ONE FINAL SUMMER FESTIVAL DATE   Last week, Slayer – Tom Araya, Kerry King, Gary Holt, and Paul Bostaph – announced that they plan to return to the concert stage for the first time since they concluded their Final World Tour in November 2019, to headline two summer festivals, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life. Today, the band announces they’ve added one last U.S.…

[guitarbomb]

Slayer reforming to headline Louder Than Life

Slayer reforming? The legendary thrash metal band Slayer is set to reunite and headline the upcoming Louder Than Life festival, joining forces with iconic bands Slipknot, Korn, and Mötley Crüe. This eagerly anticipated event marks Slayer’s return to the stage since their farewell in 2019, promising fans an unforgettable experience at the renowned Kentucky festival in September. Slayer…

[thekillogiceffect-blog]

SLAYER ANOUNCE 2024 REUNION

SLAYER has officially reunited and will return to the live stage in September. For the first time since the band wrapped the last concert of its world tour back in November 2019, SLAYER — Tom Araya (bass, vocals),Kerry King (guitar),Gary Holt (guitar) and Paul Bostaph (drums) — will return to the stage this fall, headlining two major festivals, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life. Sep. 22 - Riot Fest - Chicago, IL Sep. 27 - Louder Than Life - Louisville, KY GET TICKETS: https://www.slayer.net/ #music #news #reaction https://louderthanlifefestival.com/ https://riotfest.org/ Source: https://blabbermouth.net/news/its-off... My Social Media: patreon.com/thekillogiceffect https://www.twitch.tv/thekillogiceffect https://www.reddit.com/user/TheKillog... https://www.tumblr.com/thekillogiceff.. thekillogiceffect.weebly.com https://www.facebook.com/thekillogice... twitter.com/KillogicFilth vk.com/thekillogicefect

[nicoscheer]

"We could very well still have made a loud guitar record after all. If the music had asked for it, I think I would have obediently followed. When we finished touring in 2019, everything pointed in that direction. Much louder than Tranquility Hotel, in any case. But that started to shift towards a different direction and that's why we took a break from it at the time. I was afraid I would start forcing things. And sometimes you just have to accept the fact you can't go back to the riffs from ten years ago. At the end of the tour I knew what kind of songs I wanted to do, with the lights of the stage still in my eyes and the thundering roars of the audience in my ears. Big, loud guitars should have been part of that. That's what I'm gonna do! I even put on my motorcycle boots to get a hold of that mood. But that didn't feel right in the end, as said. You're not that person anymore, your music wants to go in a different direction. Then I can only follow that. The only reason we now can not make a loud guitar record in all peace and comfort, is because we're still Arctic Monkeys. Everyone has grown up, the essence of the band has grown with us. The faces are a bit more round, the boys call their children instead of their parents, but the feeling remains the same. Life itself happened – and not in an unpleasant way. It's all good, everything."

Happy Bday to The Car

October 21, 2022 (1 year today)

[spookyfbi]

what did cody said about klave?

Omg Anon okay so, twitter user umbrellaacademy invited Cody to do a twitter space with them which they did yesterday (8PM Friday EST) and Cody stayed for OVER TWO AND A HALF HOURS answering fan questions and saying SO MANY things about Dave and Klave and I am still so overwhelmed. I have recorded it and I’ve sent the video to the host and they’ve said they’ll release it soon (although the file is massive so I suspect they’ll have a bit of trouble wrangling it like I did so it might take longer). In the meantime, some highlights under the cut:

- Dave’s favourite thing about Klaus is his openness. He’s charismatic because he’s unafraid to be himself. Cody also finds it endearing that Klaus marches to the beat of his own drum.

- He likes the idea that the briefcase brought Klaus to Dave because of fate/destiny. Dave is the missing piece of Klaus, he fills a void in Klaus. He’s as interested as we are to find out if the timeline loops back in season 3

- Dave is soft spoken. There are qualities of Dave that have grounded and soothed Klaus but also Klaus has pulled Dave out of his shell. Klaus’ openness was like an invitation to Dave to open up and be goofy and strange, and this was a vibe Cody got from Robert as well in the bar scene, but then the dynamic shifted later and he felt that Dave was the one who was opening up first.

- Dave would go with Klaus to be with his family. He would want Klaus to take the reigns and would trust Klaus re- what kind of life they could have together post Vietnam. Although there would be no hesitation from Dave about his love for Klaus, there might be hesitation about planning a life together because of the time period they were in. There’s a sense of peace and wanting to settle from Klaus. Cody just basically being solidly on the Klaus bringing Dave back to 2019 to meet his family train.

-  There is a sensitivity and self awareness to Dave, Cody thinks he accepted his sexuality but just was careful about advertising it because of the time period. He also says that his Dave in season 1 didn’t have the experience we saw in season 2 with his uncle and that might have made him more open (I am staring directly at my reverse George McFly theory).

- Dave’s love for Klaus is unconditional, he loves him for exactly who he is. Dave’s unconditional love is a foil for the conditional love Klaus gets from his family. Klaus doesn’t really know what love is and then he gets fired this laser beam of love from Dave.

- Cody that been in a play where his character was in a relationship with a guy but he thinks Rob hadn’t done that before. The director set the tone that the kiss scene was an intimate and tender scene. He feels like there was a reassurance from Dave to Klaus in that moment.

- Dave was holding 4 shot glasses in the scene where he’s holding them with both hands. 

- Cody describing Dave in 4 words - kind, sensitive, empathetic, soft. Dave would describe Klaus as free spirited, open, unfiltered, unexpected (he also put forward chaotic but didn’t stick with it and replaced it with unexpected).

- Dave’s first thought when he woke up and saw Klaus was “Is this a dream... We’re not sleeping much so this could be a dream, I wouldn’t put it past my brain” Also “The dream coming to reality but maybe not necessarily looking like what he thought.”

- He thinks Klaus probably took the dogtags off Dave after he died as a way to remember him rather than them exchanging them

- He wants Klaus and Dave’s storyline to end with love prevailing. He also floats the idea of Dave taking a dark turn and Klaus has to be the redemptive person to bring Dave back.

In preparation for playing Dave he watched the Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary series on Netflix and also looked up online about the Vietnam war. He also listened to music he thought Dave would be into from 1965-1968: He mentions Motown and Stones (Cody said he himself likes Motown)

- Cody’s favourite thing about Dave is the quality of how he loves Klaus. He describes it as pure and unconditional and simple and he talks about he thinks people need to love each other fearlessly - not just romantically but in friendships as well, especially with what’s happening now (and this sort of clarifies to me why he was talking about love over fear so passionately in the clever klaus q&a and what he meant by that)

- Cody is a fantasy nerd

- He would love to see Dave giving Klaus some agency

- He thinks that Klaus has some guilt about Dave’s death

- He would like to play a Commission agent (Commission Dave rights!!)

- Robert is very open and unassuming and funny and it was easy to have an immediate rapport with him. Cody also talked with Tom Hopper (about their mutual friend Bradley James). He also briefly met Colm and Robin and he also remembered he met Aidan (who here had a theory about a deleted scene with Aidan in the attic?)

- He doesn’t know how time works in the afterlife or how Klaus’ power works but Dave would have waited 50 years for Klaus

- Calem joined the space and they said that they hadn't interacted before but they had a bit of a chat. Calem said that his filming in season 2 was 4 days but about 1 month apart. Calem’s internet kept cutting out and then he disappeared.

- If Dave was one of the 43 children his power could be the care bear love blast and he could fire hot beams of love out of the hole in his chest. He would give Dave a more passive power to round out the more active powers the other Hargreeves have, like a healer

- The scene in the tent was filmed at the studio. The scene on the bus was shot outside. The scene in the trench was partly shot outside but some of it was shot in the studio as well (I wonder if he’s confusing that trench scene with the hallucination at the Rave though?)

- He said the scenes were beautifully lit (I beg to differ, Cody!)

- Klaus helped unlock that part of him (I think he means Dave’s sexuality) and he also says that Klaus was a very specific target to Dave’s love. Klaus seems like one in a million. When you love someone there’s something specific about them that pulls that out of you.

- Calem returns! He was in his room where the internet crapped out on him but then he went downstairs. Cody asked what it was like for Calem to come in and play an established character. Calem said he purposely didn’t talk with Cody about the character before playing him because he’d done the audition without knowing anything about the character so he didn’t want to risk doing something too different from what he’d done in the audition, but he did watch season 1. He also said he was a bit anxious about what the audience would think of him playing the character, and Cody went into acting mentor mode and said that he doesn’t think the job is about appeasing the fans but about trying to be as true as possible. He also said that Calem did a good job and he shouldn’t be hard on himself but Calem then said that he quickly got over it and he wasn’t thinking about it on set, just afterwards. Calem mentioned that he creeped Cody’s IMDB and he said that his dad was a camera operator on Lizzie Borden Chronicles this Cody guest starred in an episode of.

- Dave loves music like Cody. He mentioned Four Tops as another band and then Motown again. He thinks the bar scene shows Dave’s love of music but he wasn’t thinking about that at the time.

- Dave would be overstimulated at first if he came to the future because we’re bombarded with a lot more stimulus than in the 60s. The internet and iPhones would blow his mind. He let’s a “we’ll see” slip, which he then quickly corrects to “we would see”

- The kiss in the bar was definitely the first kiss and he thinks it happened a couple months into the tour. He thinks the feelings were mutual quite early, but that it would have taken some time to act on them and to be able to gauge if each other were really giving off the signals that they like each other.

- He’s appreciative of the fan love and he tries to make a connection with everyone he can

- Dave is an optimistic force who thinks that love will prevail so he would have wanted to do something to make it work despite the obstacles they faced

- Cody doesn’t know how close to the vest Klaus kept the stuff about his powers and the time travel etc but he did see Klaus appear so he does know there’s something strange about him. Dave trusted Klaus and even if it wasn’t explicitly talked about there was enough trust to go “wherever you go I’ll follow, wherever that leads.” When Klaus conjures Dave, Dave is excited to see him but isn’t really surprised or put off by any of the circumstances that Klaus is in.

- He thinks that Dave is more the listener of the relationship, but he could certainly see Dave telling Klaus about Dune and Klaus indulging him.

- Rob is very genuine, very unassuming, very immediately open, very funny, definitely puts you at ease, incredibly thoughtful, very considerate, good dude (wow it’s the complimenting Rob speed run! 8 in a row!)

- The aspect of Dave that Cody connects to most is his non-judgemental quality

- Dave would connect with Vanya’s softness and Luther’s moral compass (he said Diego’s moral compass in the cleverklaus q&a so not sure if he just mixed them up). He thinks Dave might be a bit too sincere for Five and Ben would appreciate being able to unload Klaus on Dave.

- He thinks Dave is not a tattoo guy but Klaus is impulsive so getting a tattoo really aligns with his personality. He thinks that Dave’s actions speak louder than words written on him

- He connects to the fractured family theme of the show on a personal level

- Dave being jewish was something he only learned about through looking at the dogtags, it wasn’t in the script or anything

- Dave might have studied Philosophy if he’d gone to college instead of joining the military, he feels like there’s a dreamer quality to Dave

- Even though Dave was pressured into joining the military, he thinks that Dave believed he was going the right thing by enlisting

- Colm is a Canadian Hall of Fame actor and Reginald is such an intense character so Cody would love to do a scene with him. He would also love to do a scene with Elliot.

- Cody remembered waiting on set to film the scene in the club and he, Rob and Tom were in an 80s hotel with a heart shaped jacuzzi (??? oh was this the set with the Handler and Agnes maybe?)

[callmeblake]

10 THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE’S ‘DANGER DAYS’

The future is bulletproof, but how’s your ‘Danger Days’ knowledge?

By Ali Cooper-November 20, 2020

It’s been an entire decade since the Killjoys first made some noise on 2010’s Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys. The aftermath is secondary, ultimately legendary and a timely reminder that My Chemical Romance can turn their hands to any far-fetched concept and produce a timeless, genre-defining album in the process.

For every year we’ve run away with Party Poison and co., fighting off Better Living Industries, we’ve uncovered one lesser-known fact about this neon My Chem era—and the final full album from the New Jersey boys—in hopes that it may not be their last record for much longer.

Read more:

Frank Iero teased the new Future Violents EP for longer than you realize

My Chem didn’t intend for “Look Alive, Sunshine” to make sense

The immortal words of Dr. Death Defying’s introduction to the Danger Days era were a roll call to the post-apocalyptic world where the Killjoys reside. And they’re perplexing, to say the least. What does “Louder than God’s revolver and twice as shiny” even mean, anyway? The good news is MCR didn’t intend for us to understand it in the first place. Gerard Way confirmed to Billboard that the language play in this opening track mirrors that of the novel-to-film classic A Clockwork Orange. Teenage gang members in Anthony Burgess’ novel use a nonsense language called Nadsat. It’s just loose enough for readers to understand its base meaning but not how it reaches the point. So that explains why this introductory narration has kept us scratching our heads for years.

The Black Parade is dead

Blink and you’ll miss the sneaky reference to My Chem’s previous album, The Black Parade. A skeleton half-submerged in the desert sands wears a dusty Parade-era jacket in the chaos of the “Na Na Na” video. But this glimpse of their past isn’t just a visual depiction of “The Black Parade is dead” sentiment. What we’re actually seeing is the burial of the memory of drummer Bob Bryar. He left the lineup during the writing of Danger Days, but they don’t brush over the loss of a key member in their rise to success. Instead, the passing nod recognizes and celebrates Bryar’s role and lasting effect on MCR’s past, present and future.

MCR meets The Sims

We’ve heard the rapid-fire anthem “Na Na Na” in many shapes and forms over the last decade. But there’s one alternate version we never expected. My Chem re-recorded the song in the fictional Simlish language for the video game The Sims 3: Late Night. If you’ve ever wondered what the classic track would sound like if you couldn’t understand English, look no further. We wouldn’t recommend listening to this gibberish version while drunk. Still, it’s definitely an unusual addition to the legacy of a song that broke the mainstream.

“Bulletproof Heart” provided the concept

After exhausting themselves through the process for The Black Parade, My Chem swore their next effort wouldn’t feature a concept. They planned to return to their raw talents as songwriters without novelty costumes or fleeting gimmicks. However, that all changed when the band wrote “Bulletproof Heart,” which handed them their next grand concept: futuristic runaways. And it sounded like a distant echo from the existential Black Parade days morphing into the laser-beam Killjoys era. Gerard confirmed to Billboard that this epic track showed MCR how to use their experience in high concepts to the best effect for their fourth record.

“SING” rebooted Danger Days

One of the defining anthems from Danger Days, Gerard confirmed to Billboard that the writing process that culminated with “SING” was the catalyst for the band’s decision to scrap their progress on the fourth album and start all over again. It was a defiant track devoted to standing up and being heard. And it brought life to the new incarnation of My Chem was given the rousing cover treatment on Glee. Plus, the band recorded a version entitled “#SINGItforJapan” to raise funds for the Red Cross relief efforts after the 2011 Japan earthquake.

California 2019

The band proved fans right about their theory of MCR’s return in 2019, the same year the Danger Days universe is set in. But they also paid tribute to something other than their own forward-thinking genius by placing the Killjoys in an alternate dystopian universe nine years in the future. The setting was inspired by one other bleak, post-apocalyptic vision of California in the year 2019: Blade Runner. It turns out we have Harrison Ford’s 1982 sci-fi classic to thank for MCR’s futuristic interpretation that involved the entire band dying in the field of combat with robots.

“Party Poison” is a love song to rock and metal

The anti-party party anthem “Party Poison” brought the unbridled energy to the Danger Days era. And it included a plethora of rock and metal influences. Originally titled “Death Before Disco,” the midpoint of the album not pays tribute to both Ray Toro’s inspirations from the vibrant MC5 and Gerard’s favorite Judas Priest song, “Living After Midnight.” Gerard also mentioned the outstanding influence of Bruce Springsteen on Danger Days. He explained to Rolling Stone that writing “Party Poison” was like discovering their own show-stopping alternative to “Born To Run.”

Kobra Kid’s helmet

While fighting off Draculoids and Exterminators, the Killjoys needed all the luck they could get. Kobra Kid was of course there to help with his iconic helmet sporting the words “good luck.“ This design feature was a sneaky nod to the space-based Nintendo video game Star Fox, where a screen appears and a voice says “good luck” before every mission. With this 1993 callback, Mikey Way’s Danger Days alter ego kept a classic sci-fi shooter reference close to his heart. Of course, the positive message didn’t save his character from death, but it’s the thought that counts.

The origins of “DESTROYA”

Gerard once described “DESTROYA” as “the hardest song the band have ever done.” And he later revealed to Billboard that the Hindu Holi festival inspired its lyrics. Known as the “festival of colors” and a positive social event for friends and family to repair broken relationships and strengthen connections, this traditional event in the Indian calendar encapsulates all the neon fun-loving vibrance of Danger Days. According to Billboard, every member of the band took to the drums for the recording of “DESTROYA.” Their goal: To bring out the vivacity and togetherness of one of the most upbeat songs on the record.

Gerard hinted at their return during

Danger Days

Eagle-eyed MCR fans leave no stone unturned when it comes to speculating the now-factual return of the emo icons. The MCRmy uncovered a hint of the band’s foreshadowed return by way of an olive green jacket Gerard wore during promotion for their fourth album, suggesting that a sigil patch that appeared on his shoulder spells out My Chemical Romance. We saw Gerard sporting this jacket on numerous occasions before the band’s hiatus. And in hindsight, he also wore this jacket for their reunion show in Los Angeles in 2019. Was the singer always hinting what to expect when My Chem eventually returned?

© Copyright 2019 Alternative Press, Inc.

[kenpiercemedia]

Slayer Announces Their Return to the Concert Stage

The Press Release: For the first time since the band wrapped the last concert of its Final World Tour back in November 2019, Slayer – Tom Araya/ bass & vocals, guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt, and Paul Bostaph on drums – announce they will return to the stage this fall, headlining two major festivals, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life. Continue reading Slayer Announces Their Return to the…

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Having already provided two tasters of her forthcoming second EP, ‘5’1’ and ‘Polyfilla’, both exceedingly different songs sonically, Greta Isaac continues to outshine expectation with her wonky and jagged yet cohesive and boundary pushing new single ‘NUH UH’. Her new EP I Think You’d Hate It Here will be released on April 1. ‘NUH UH’ is yet another example of Greta’s melodic prowess. With a killer guitar and synth riff played in counterpoint with the chorus’ vocal melody, she weaves a dizzying atmosphere reminiscent of a drunken walk home after a night out. Greta said: “I wrote 'NUH UH' around the same time as 'Polyfilla' and '5’1', although the tone and essence of this song could not be more different. 'NUH UH' is manic, delusional, desperate and super charged to the point where I don’t really feel like it’s me who’s singing it when I listen to it. Sonically it feels like the moment you have a “spark” with someone - a spike in energy, your eyes blacken, your skin gets hot and sweaty. I see it in myself and people around me, it looks like we’re all turning into vampires, desperate for human connection and the feeling of being wanted by another person. It’s fascinating.” The single has arrived with an equally surreal and flamboyant music video. Self directed by Greta, it continues her ongoing working relationship with stylist/creative director Suzie Walsh and sees Greta showcase a variety of outlandish outfits.

Last year, the Los Angeles-based musician Lael Neale released Acquainted With Night, her first full-length for Sub Pop. Now, she’s back with a new single, the gentle and hypnotic 'Hotline.' “I became interested in numerology through John Lennon and his belief in the significance of numbers, specifically the number nine,” Neale said in a statement. “Because this song imagines a late night call of desperation into a psychic hotline, I thought it’d be fun to act as that ‘psychic’ and connect with people directly, giving them a personalized fortune for this year based on their unique numerology.” [via Stereogum]

Cate Le Bon is releasing a new album, Pompeii, next month, the follow-up to 2019’s excellent Reward. She’s shared two singles from it already, 'Running Away' and 'Moderation,' and now she’s sharing one more, 'Remembering Me,' a burbling groove whose chorus goes: “Upset and out of touch/ Good grief, you missed so much/ Louder than empty rooms/ Face down in heirlooms/ Remembering me.” “‘Remembering Me’ is a neurotic diary entry that questions notions of legacy and warped sentimentalism in the desperate need to self-mythologise,” Le Bon said in a statement. Above, watch a video for the track by directors Juliana Giraffe and Nicola Giraffe. [via Stereogum]

Never underestimate the power of the mothers, Tanya Tagaq warns with new song 'Teeth Agape,' out now along with accompanying video animated by David Seitz. From forthcoming album Tongues, produced by Saul Williams and co-produced by Gonjasufi, 'Teeth Agape' makes two promises: to protect, and to attack. Growling and gnashing over trancing pulses, Tagaq transforms into a creature all claws and teeth, ready to reckon with those who do harm. It’s the fight that comes from survival, snarls Tagaq.

The London-based, pan-continental female instrumental four-piece, Los Bitchos share their latest single and video, 'Pista (Fresh Start)'. The whooping, hollering single which sounds like William Onyeabor discovering cumbia, is accompanied by a video, the final in a trilogy from director Tom Mitchell. The band said the following about the song and video: “We are so excited to put out this track. Some people may recognise it and we hope you enjoy the sassy makeover we gave it for the album. The video transports you to our life in witness protection following our game show/court room victory - the good life and new beginnings. Things aren’t quite what they seem though... We had so much fun shooting this video and didn’t want to leave our cosy, wholesome nest! Thank you to Dario Argento and Are you afraid of the dark? for inspiring the final instalment of this trilogy.”

YAQI has release her new music video for 'I'm On It'. The Y2K inspired single has an equally nostalgic visual. In collaboration with the luxury clothing brand PRIVATE POLICY, YAQI teamed up with an entirely POC led creatives who are not only experts in their own fields, but also activists in social equality and diversity. YAQI has dedicated the video to Asian female creatives, who have been stereotyped and ignored for too long. "Moved and impacted by events since the violence towards the AAPI communities during the pandemic, it is time for us to stand up, speak up, and support each other. It is so touching to see the enormous support from other groups," she says. "We wish to show the world and more importantly all the female immigrants and people who feel unseen while working towards their dreams that we see you, support you and you can do it! 'I'm On It' is the spirit in many women, we are here to cheer them on!"

Catherine Moan, like all infatuation junkies, knows that a fresh fling can be both wildly exciting and wildly destabilizing. The Philadelphia-based electro-pop artist illustrates this on her new single 'Soda Pop,' which is a sweet, sticky synth-pop concoction about crushing hard and crashing harder. Of course, the track also doubles as an ode to Moan’s carbonated beverage of choice. She knows the buzz won’t last forever: “It’s driving me crazy / And taking me all the way to the top,” she sings, “and I’m fallin’ down / I’m crashing bad.” Still, she’s hooked: “I can’t get enough of your / liquid love, liquid love / your liquid drug.” “‘Soda Pop’ is a song I wrote during one of my frequent energy drink binges,” says Moan. “If I have work to do I’ll slam back a Monster and treat it like medication for my ADHD. It’s a simple song about love, addiction, and withdrawal from someone sweet like sugar. Sometimes you don’t realize how deep you are in your obsession until it’s cut off from you and the pangs and manic thoughts come raining down. You can take the message literally or figuratively; maybe you drink too much soda and need a cola breakup anthem.” [via FLOOD]

Guerilla Toss have signed to Sub Pop and will release their first album for the label, Famously Alive, on March 25. The band wrote and recorded the album during the pandemic in the Catskills, and while their unbridled creativity and disregard for genre boundaries is still in effect, this is a poppier, shinier Guerilla Toss than you may remember. "You have to be with yourself all the time during the pandemic," says singer/lyrcist Kassie Carlson. "I had to figure out a way to manage my anxiety. The pandemic was hard, but it helped me get comfortable inside my own body. My peace of mind came out of being thrust into the deepest shit. This album is all about being happy, being alive, strength. It’s meant to inspire people." You can get a taste via 'Cannibal Capital,' which is effervescent and very danceable yet also makes room for very windmillable guitar power chords. [via Brooklyn Vegan]

Aldous Harding has announced a new album, Warm Chris, the New Zealand-born, Wales-based musician’s follow-up to 2019’s Designer. She once again worked with producer John Parish, and she recorded it at Rockfield Studios. “Listening back, it sounds to me like there’s something completely new happening with my voice. The vocals are tiny. I won’t try to speak about sound too much, because it’s here, and I don’t want to ruin or create a surprise. It reminds me personally/musically of a large horse trying to keep up with a train,” Harding said in a new interview with BBC Radio 6’s Lauren Laverne. Now, Harding has shared the album’s lead single, 'Lawn.' “This video is pretty luxurious for me, but that’s what I saw when I shut my eyes and said ‘Show me,’ that sort of thing. So that’s what we made,” Harding continued. “Turns out it was just the thing. Music’s wonderful that way. The video was directed by Martin Sagadin and myself.” [via Stereogum]

Mitski will release Laurel Hell, one of 2022’s most-anticipated albums, on February 4 via Dead Oceans, and will then embark on a sold out UK Tour. Now, Mitski presents the new single/video, 'Love Me More,' a disco-tinged and urgent number reflecting how Laurel Hell evolved “to be more up-tempo and dance-y.” "As ‘Love Me More’ was written pre-pandemic, lyrics like 'If I keep myself at home' had different meanings than what they would now, but I kept them on the album because I found that some of the sentiments not only remained the same, but were accentuated by the lockdown," says Mitski. "‘Love Me More’ went through the most iterations out of all the songs on the album. It’s been too fast, too slow, and at some point, it was even an old style country song. Finally, I think because we had watched The Exorcist, we thought of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ and experimented with floating an ostinato over the chorus. As we steadily evolved the ostinato to fit over the chord progressions, we began to hear how the track was meant to sound." The 'Love Me More' video sees Mitski collaborating once again with Christopher Good, who directed the video for Mitski’s 'Nobody.' It was shot in Kansas City in December 2021.

Boy Harsher have shared a third and final pre-release single from their forthcoming album The Runner (Original Soundtrack) out January 21 via Nude Club/City Slang. Following the heavy presence of lead single 'Tower' and the flirtatious 'Give Me a Reason,' new single 'Machina' is a HI-NRG homage performed by Mariana Saldaña of Boan, sung in both Spanish and English. On the surface the song is cheeky and playful, but it truly is an uptempo cautionary tale. In her lyrics, Saldaña describes a cold, sterile entity, the Machine, that is soulless and without a heartbeat. The cryptic message repeats throughout the song - 'I can’t spend tonight with you, I can’t dance with you, I can’t end my night with you, I can’t feel your heart beat too'. The implication is that contemporary obsession with the 'Machina' is a lonely reality. The content is dark and intentionally witty: who are you going to dance with, when the machine is your only companion? Muller marks his time spent in Mexico City, at the renowned dance club Patrick Miller, as sonic inspiration: "I was reminiscing about Friday nights at Patrick Miller. I was trying to create an artefact from a club in a far off place and an unknown time. Mariana and I were sending each other old freestyle and Hi NRG videos and just having fun." 'Machina' blends the bright cheery palette of HI-NRG and Italo Disco, with Boy Harsher’s shadowy aesthetic merging the best of both worlds. The electrifying self-directed video produced by Muted Widows comes from the world of The Runner, presented as an exclusive NUDE TV studio performance by Saldaña.

Norwegian 7-piece band Fieh are ready to unleash new LP In The Sun In The Rain, which is slated for release on March 4 via Jansen Records.  Now, the group has shared brand new visuals, by Nikolai Grasaasen, for minimalistic soul banger 'Telephone Girl'. The track itself is dedicated to the very modern phenomenon of telephobia. “I’m not a telephone girl, that’s why I never reply when you call me” sings Sofie Tollefsbøl. “This song is a public apology to everyone who’s ever tried to call me. It’s not you, it’s me” she jokes. Of the new video, she says: "Warning: This video contains orange snakeskin pants, guitar solos in the desert, girls drinking highly toxic pink drinks and dangling telephones around and other depictions of a day in the life of a NON-Telephone Girl. You could start your new telephone free life today too – just stop answering those calls. Had a lot of fun with this one, many shoutouts to Nikolai!"

London-based, soul R&B artist Taloula has released the music video for ‘Quick Fix Love’, taken from her debut EP The Evolution of Taloula out now. The introspective ‘Quick Fix Love’ is a candid R&B slow jam addressing dependency in relationships. Directed by Taloula and Jack Thompson, the striking new visual sees Taloula and dancers Josh Denyer, Darius Drooh and Camille Corgeron, perform a beautifully choreographed aerial dance that brings feelings of emotional dependency to life. “This video was a huge challenge for me, personally as it was my first time directing a music video, and also as we technically chose to do a single shot with a film camera. With Zack we imagined these sequences highlighting the dependence on others. The intensity of the movement shows the hold people can sometimes have over you," says Taloula. "I talk about how I've always been dependent on others, whether in my romantic or professional life, putting aside my opinions and needs. Subconsciously, I never allowed myself to think for myself, always needing the approval or direction of others.”

With their new album IRE due Jan 28 via ANTI-, New York-based Latinx quartet Combo Chimbita have shared the final single and video from the record 'Yo Me Lo Merezco', which is the fourth and last in a series of auto-fictional narrative videos with prominent queer and trans performance artists to be featured alongside tracks from Combo Chimbita’s upcoming record. The video for 'Yo Me Lo Merezco' features Black trans artist Teresa Karolina wading through a river of affirmations and seeking abundance from Yemaya, orisha of nourishing waters. In the video we find Karolina emerging from her everyday routine and into a dreamy simultaneous dimension where she commands the lyrical manifesto of divine feminine strength and radical self-love.

Adele — torchbearer of the CD revival, conqueror of album sales — returns today with a brand new video for 'Oh My God,' a highlight from her recent smash album, 30. The singer teased the music video ahead of its release with a short trailer on YouTube and social media, although anything with Adele’s name attached doesn’t need much teasing to cause a commotion. Playing into the song’s conflicting themes of wanting to let loose while carrying a load of responsibilities, there’s danger in the 'Oh My God' video: “Maybe, baby, I’m just losing my mind/ Cause this is trouble/ But it feels right teetering on the edge/ Of heaven and hell,” Adele sings, surrounding by evocative dancers, stunt people, and plenty of flames. The video also has a surreal element to it, with Adele often appearing beside herself. Directed by Sam Brown and choreographed by Megan Lawson, the 'Oh My God' video is a spectacle — but it’s not like we expected anything less. [via Consequence]

Aluna has dropped a new collab with Diplo and Durante, ‘Forget About Me’. The track – which follows on from Aluna’s debut album – was co-written with Kelli-Leigh, and co-produced by Aluna, Diplo and Durante. “This song is about that moment when you’ve cleaned up the trash pile that was once your heart,” she explains, “you’re feeling yourself and you’ve worked out how to be alone but the past comes back to haunt you, hungry for your new self love and abundant vibes. Those are the moments you have to stay strong and really forget about your old love so that new fresh love can waltz into your life. When the one that got away comes back…what you gonna do? That’s not what I call destiny, you deserve better.” [via Dork]

UK R&B force La Shana Latrice returns with new single 'Let It Flow'. The Birmingham raised vocalist has always been infatuated with R&B, so much so that she moved to Atlanta, Georgia to chase her dream. Finessing her skills, she returned to the UK and released her debut album Everything Is Changing in 2020, a potent display of her abilities. New single 'Let It Flow' takes her into a different plane, with the clinical production helmed by Reginald 'Regg' Smith. Her divine vocal lifts the song, with 'Let It Flow' locating that sub-zero charm. Reginald 'Regg' Smith sculpts the visuals, building a universe for La Shana Latrice to inhabit. [via Clash]

Raveena returns with new song 'Rush'. The R&B auteur has inked a major label deal, with much more to come in 2022. Her new chapter opens with 'Rush', a hallucinogenic feast of future-facing soul music. Global in her sweep, Raveena matches aspects of her heritage with outward creativity, a fusion approach that breaks new ground. 'Rush' came to Raveena back in 2017, after coming up on a psychedelic trip while absorbing an Eastern sound installation at the Rubin Museum. The visual echoes this lysergic encounter, with Raveena co-directing alongside Munachi Osegbu. She comments... “I wrote 'Rush' a couple years back and the song was the genesis of me exploring a more intense marriage between Bollywood sounds and the pop/R&B music that I grew up on in America. The song and video are centered around a character I created named Asha, a Punjabi space princess who is transported to a distant planet and learns highly advanced spiritual intelligence from the beings that live there. In the video that I co-directed with Munachi, I wanted to create a campy ode to the colorful 80’s Bollywood movies and 70’s Western sci fi movies that I’m obsessed with, complete with a choreographed dance sequence alongside Asha’s alien friends.” [via Clash]

Toronto-based composer Maylee Todd has announced her debut album for Stones Throw Records — Maloo is arriving March 4, and Todd has shared the video for first single 'Show Me.' In a statement about the record, Todd described Maloo as a concept album of "science fiction lullabies" named after the digital avatar featured on the record's cover. The album is inspired by the utopian possibilities of technology, informed by Todd's experiences with VR during the pandemic. "Often we place too much emphasis on status, wealth, and clout on social media," she wrote. "Instead, what if we find ways to share our dreams and goals for ourselves and society? Tapping into our creativity and imaginations rather than having to preserve status or identity for acceptance." The songs on Maloo are told from the titular avatar's point of view, set in a world called "The Age of Energy" where empathy, mental health and creativity are essential elements of survival. This world, as seen in the video for 'Show Me,' was conceived, created and animated entirely by Todd. [via Exclaim]

LA-based artist Celeste Tauchar is the mastermind behind the new project talker. After gaining momentum with the singles 'Sad Chick' and 'Summerlin,' Tauchar returns with the sizzling tune 'Don’t Want You To Love Me' and to announce the debut EP, In Awe Of Insignificance. Directed by Chanel Samson, talker’s 'Don’t Want You To Love Me' video shows Tauchar hoping that a mannequin will stand in the place of the perfect boyfriend. She dresses him up at the for a disco dance party and even creates a picnic in the back yard. But she eventually realizes that even a the plastic man isn’t a stand-in for the one she really wants to be with. Speaking about the new track in a statement, Tauchar says she was inspired by the unfortunately all-too-familiar feeling of someone not feeling the same way as you do about them: “When your past shows up to haunt you, you have to decide if you’re going to open the door. And when someone comes back, you have to weigh the options and decide if you’re willing to put yourself through the ringer again for them. It’s easy to just block anything that knocks you off your course. A classic he loves me/he loves me not/will they/won’t they – but sometimes you have to silence your rational thoughts and trust your emotions. This song is me doing exactly that.” [via UPROXX]

Singer, songwriter, actress, and activist Sofia Carson has shared her female empowerment anthem 'LOUD,' along with the breathtakingly bold music video. 'LOUD' follows the journey of a once silenced voice breaking free. Carson worked with songwriters Alida Garpestad Peck and Paris Carney on the anthem. 'LOUD' mixes together pop and R&B, as Carson’s powerhouse vocals captivate with depth and soul. About the song, Carson commented, “From the bottom of my heart, this song is dedicated to YOU. The women of the world and all the LOUD voices of change. Because we were all: Made to Be LOUD.” Through the metaphor of a butterfly coming out of her cocoon, the video, directed by award-winning director and frequent collaborator Uri Schutzer and choreographed by the acclaimed Avihai Haham, tells the story of a silenced voice, spreading her wings, taking flight, and breaking free. Louder than ever. [via Vacancy]

It’s been less than a year since Israeli pop star Noa Kirel first started releasing English-language singles and she recently capped off 2021 with her biggest gig yet. She took the stage for a showstopping performance of her single 'Bad Little Thing' on the televised Miss Universe 2021, opening the night with a captivating choreography. Now ringing in the new year right, Kirel returns with 'Thought About That,' her first new song of 2022. 'Thought About That' arrives alongside a futuristic and fun video directed by Roman Buchatsky. It sees Kirel waking up in a sci-fi fantasy world characterized by towering buildings and flying cars. She realizes her man has left her behind but has no problem dancing through a broken heart. “Oh did you think I’d hate dancing alone / Oh did you think I’d stay home / You should have thought about that before you broke my heart,” she sings. In a statement about the dancefloor-ready track, Kirel said she hopes the song inspires young women everywhere to prioritize themselves when it comes to relationships: “I turned 20 this year and it’s so important for my music to inspire young women to be independent and stand up for themselves, especially in relationships.” [via UPROXX]

Platinum-selling pop artist Alicia Moffet released the music video for her new single 'Lullaby' via The Orchard. The new track is a sassy song that infuses electro-pop with rich and complex sounds of RnB and soul, while exuding Alicia’s disarming charm. The music video, shot at Windsor Montreal Salon Versailles in Montreal, QC, and directed by Jaycee and his team at Moonstruhk, features a party where abundance, good looks and superficiality are at the heart of all the interactions between the guests. We follow flamboyant and clichéd characters who seize the opportunity to boast about themselves, as Alicia wishes to represent in a clean or figurative way enters several uncomfortable situations she has experienced in the past by demonstrating her discomfort and nonchalance to all the superficiality that surrounds her.

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

HALESTORM: Behind-The-Scenes Footage From Making Of 'Back From The Dead' Video

HALESTORM has shared behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the official video for the band's new single, "Back From The Dead". The track is taken from the group's upcoming fifth full-length album, due in 2022. Directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, the clip features frontwoman Lzzy Hale and the rest of the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.

Lzzy says: "'Back From The Dead' is about survival, not in a physical sense, even though I know we all have been touched by death especially these last few years. This song is personal and written from a mental health perspective. I wanted to give myself and the world a hard rock song we could shout out loud as the gates opened again. I was on the edge of this world getting completely lost in oblivion, but even though it was the harder of two choices, I didn't just let the darkness and depression in my mind dig me an early grave. I didn't just sit and let it take me. I've erased my name from my headstone, so save your prayers, I'm back! I hope this song, as I pass it on to you, reminds YOU of your strength individually and that you are not alone."

She continues: "The video was so much fun to film! Dustin Haney is an amazing director. Dustin and his team really helped bring my words to life and the video is one of the most cinematic pieces we've done in years! I hope this song, as I pass it on…reminds YOU of YOUR individual strength and that you are not Alone. Raise your horns!"

By breaking rules, bucking trends, and busting down doors, HALESTORM has surged through rock 'n' roll on a singular path without compromise or apology. Along the way, the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet — Lzzy Hale (vocals, guitar), Arejay Hale (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar) and Josh Smith (bass) — has collected a Grammy Award, scored successive number ones at radio, garnered multiple gold and platinum certifications, and performed to sold out crowds on five continents.

Going against the grain again in 2021, the band weathered the flames of chaos in 2020 and returned stronger than ever with their most empowering and undeniable anthems to date.

"Throughout the pandemic, I was writing a lot of melancholic and hopeless songs about the ups and downs of the world," admits Lzzy. "I've been in this group longer than I haven't been in it. We've always had shows. Even when I was 13 years old, we had a couple of bowling alley gigs once a month. This was the first time I didn't know if we would ever play again. However, I started to use music in the same way I did as a teenager—to get myself through this situation that was plaguing us all. I sidestepped and said, 'Let's keep our heads up, get our attitude back, be a light in the dark for a second, and celebrate the fact we're surviving and there's hope for the future.' So, we started to write songs that were a reminder to ourselves of who we are and what we're capable of. That became the mission statement."

In a way, it's always been the mission statement…

Since roaring to life in 1998, HALESTORM has uplifted audiences with a combination of sonic ass-kicking, provocative songwriting, and unshakable hooks. The four-piece received a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". The song also minted them as the first female-fronted band to hit #1 on the Active Rock radio charts. Thus far, their discography spans two gold albums "Halestorm" and "The Strange Case Of..." , a platinum single "I Miss The Misery", and two gold singles "Here's To Us" and "I Get Off". Between surpassing one billion cumulative streams worldwide, they've notched two consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with "Into The Wild Life" (2015) and "Vicious" (2018). The latter represented a critical high watermark with Rolling Stone citing it as "a muscular, adventurous, and especially relevant rock record." In its wake, "Uncomfortable" emerged as their fourth #1 at rock radio and earned their second Grammy Award nomination, while Loudwire christened HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019. Not to mention, they have supported everyone from HEAVEN & HELL and Alice Cooper to Joan Jett on the road.

Even as the world went dormant during 2020, Lzzy remained prolific. She lent her voice to collaborations with everyone from Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER, IN THIS MOMENT, APOCALYPTICA, and Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD to EVANESCENCE, Cory Marks, and Mongolian phenomenon THE HU. Additionally, she joined forces with a trio of legends — Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT, Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo — for the theme song to Netflix's "Thunder Force". Plus, the group contributed a cover of THE WHO's "Long Live Rock" to the documentary of the same name. Expanding her presence across television, she hosted the AXS TV "A Year In Music" series, joined the cast of Hit Parader's "No Cover" as a judge, provided the singing voice for Bella Thorne in the Prime Video hit "Paradise City" and launched her own show "Raise Your Horns" on Rolling Live. On the channel, she appeared in Mike Garson's David Bowie tribute with a performance of "Moonage Daydream" alongside Broadway star Lena Hall. She also participated in the platform's Ronnie James Dio tribute, supporting the Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

At the same time, she remained a huge proponent of encouraging the dialogue around mental health. She participated in a Grammy Mental Health panel and empowered the next generation of rock musicians as the keynote speaker at the Little Kids Rock Modern Band Summit. She also made history as Gibson Guitars' first-ever female ambassador.

"I've learned a lot about myself through all of these different projects," she admits. "I said 'yes' to various adventures, and it made me a better artist."

Working out of her home studio in Nashville, Lzzy and the band channeled this renewed spirit into the music at the onset of 2021. Collaborating with Scott Stevens of THE EXIES, the musicians hit their stride and cooked up the single 'Back From The Dead'. Dramatic distortion and drums rumble as she screams, "I'm back from the dead!" HALESTORM come out swinging as punchy verses give way to a call-and-response chorus shocked to life with a searing solo and thunderous groove.

"We needed a reintroduction," she exclaims. "We needed something that simply said, 'Hey, we're back'. The live show is the time we feel as truly alive as we can be. When you walk out on stage with your guitar strapped on, your guys are next to you, and you have an audience looking at you, it's everything. We're celebrating the fact we're all back together again. Whatever it is that was trying to destroy that part of myself and my bandmates that our fans need couldn't do it. It failed miserably. We're fucking back."

From the moment the band graced the stage at a secret Nashville gig, they were indeed "back," albeit louder, heavier, and emboldened by an unbelievable year. Amped up to jump back in, their tour schedule took shape with festival dates followed by a co-headline run with EVANESCENCE in the fall.

Readying their fifth full-length album, they're delivering the soundtrack for a world ready to roar again.

"We've lost a lot of people, but we can start healing again," she leaves off. "I appreciate the little things even more. I don't only feel this confidence in myself, but also in every one of my band members. We're not the same people, none of us could ever be. HALESTORM is my source of my joy. It's my connection. It's the closest thing to my religion. We're moving forward. With this next album, I hope we're able to create a greater sense of community. We have a beautiful opportunity. When you listen to it, I want you to feel like you can walk through any fire."

[nightswithkookmin]

JIKOOK: ARE CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER?

Disclaimer:

Everything expressed in here is my opinion. It is not intended to be malicious or disrespectful to any of the parties mentioned in here. Please do not hate on or send hate anyone mentioned in her expressly or by inference.

In my previous posts, I pointed out how this past year, from August 2019 to June 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for Jikook. Their relationship has been all over the place with some even concluding they have broken up for good- you wish!

My inbox has been flooded with questions such as: Are they still broken up, are they good, are they married...

Y'all think I'd be here blogging at 1 AM for Tumblr if Jikook were married married?- Ok, I would. Lol

But No, Sis. Jikook aren't married. Not that I know of. But don't be sad though because THEY ARE BACK! Fully back to function. By that I mean Jimin mostly. Jk never left. Lol- I'll explain in a bit. But yes, I'm happy to report that they are Jikooking again!

I refrained from posting about their new moments especially this July moments because even though they've been back together after a long period of on and off again relationship during ON comeback through to festa season, and then May when JM finally asked for space in their relationship(see previous posts for details)

I've being unsure about Jimin. I've been anxious to know what the outcome of his asking for space to think things through would be.

Jikook have a push and pull relationship dynamic. We been known. Mostly when one steps back from their relationship for whatever reason, the other leans in to pull them back in.

Same thing has been happening from January where Jimin would be pulling one minute, the next he would be like meh and JK would be push to pull him back in.

That was the case in this (June-July) Japan comeback interviews. Jk was front center with expressing interest in JM pulling him whereas JM was like meh, I'm down for this baby but let's keep it professional for the group's sakes.

Just look at them here... (Photo of them at 2020 Japan interview where Jk said he was looking at JM)

See what I mean? Now you may not notice at first but look at JM's demeanor and compare it to moments in past interviews whenever JK is talking about him or their relationship.

Jk was on his flirting game which he usually is when he wants to break the ice with Jimin if there's been tension between them or when someone around is making a pass at JM and he wants them to know what's up- he ain't slick. Lol

At times too he takes the initiative to flirt when he is feeling super confident and cocky and hella bold and just wants to. Trust me, when he flirts with Jimin, IT IS NOT FOR FANSERVICE. He means that shit.

Now compare JM's body language in that Japan interview moment this one right here: (photo of JM and Jk at the interview where JK said from now on together)

Jimin usually acts very coy, giddy and whipped even around JK when JK flirts with him but most importantly he seems to egg JK on in such moments. He enjoys being claimed openly by JK just as much as JK loves being claimed by JM publicly- which is why as nervous as that makes him he keeps going back for more.

Now this is gonna sound controversial but I have seen JM tell Suga off at times when Suga has tried to initiate skinship with him. I won't show you the picture but you can watch it for yourself during the On Come back where they wore Purple and black. It happened right at the moment Suga touched JMs back. JM mouthed 'Hajima' to Suga to stop touching him. That's all I'm gonna say y'all. Lmho. Don't want trouble.

My point is, these boys have a filter. If they don't want something done to them they won't hesitate to say it or show it. Much like when JK pushed Tae's hand away during a VLive- and he's pushed JM off sometimes too. He is assertive more so than all the members. If he doesn't want something he won't do it or allowed it.

Suga asked him not to get the tattoos when he first expressed interest in them way back in American Hustle life. But he told them if army loves him they would love everything he does and not try to limit him. Jk does as JK pleases.

So yea, if JK didn't like what Jimin has been doing with him he wouldn't be around him much less reciprocate those feelings and actions and initiating them on his own at times. Their interactions are MUTUAL.

And yes, that was shade.

Jimin understands the guts it takes JK to take such initiatives with him and so he kinds of encourages Jk to go on with it or acts in a way that boosts JK's ego. Like when JK shouted 'arrest me' in the middle of an interview. Jk... SMH.

So it was a bit unsettling to watch JM not even try to flirt back with JK in moments like this like he usually would. Dude wasn't even initiating their shtick during this period first of all nor was he responding to them in a way he usually would.

Not sure the aesthetics he was going for here but it screamed let's keep this professional on camera and get naughty when we get home. Or much like, dude I asked for space and I'm realizing I like you just as much but stop coming on too strong.

Which frankly, is what the members have been asking them to do since October last year when the hashtag to cancel Jikook in S.K trended. So JM wouldn't be wrong to take such a stand....

Given that the crux of their issue has been that Jikook is developing into a brand almost independent of BTS' brand and this in a way is affecting the dynamics of the group, a little discretion wouldn't hurt.

The cheers for Jikook moments are getting louder and louder each year even at events such as awards and not just on stage. Jikook is taking a lifeform of it's own. Its becoming a brand almost as powerful as BTS' brand. They are a power couple or becoming one. Like or not. Their fans are becoming loud and large too. So often, lately, it seems they tend to steal the show and direct attention away from the band. It's crazy.

Tae literally had the floor, delivering his speech at the MMA 2019 but people weren't even paying attention to that at all. They were more interested in Jikook and whatever they were doing and they went nuts the moment JK held Jimin and even wilder when he placed his head on Jimin which is what lead to infamous standoff with RM.

JM had literally bumped his butt against Hobi's crotch region moments before the Jikook moment but the crowd didn't lose it as much. Please go back and listen to the deafening sounds of the crowd for yourself.

As much as we love Jikook, there are some that don't and they can be very loud. I'll leave it there. Please support Jikook. Thank you.

BTS had a whole concert end of October 2019 and the hashtag that trended was 'cancel Jikook.' That took away from the hardwork of the band and reduced it to a few seconds of two boys fanboying over eachother. That's.... sigh.

When you see it this way, the RM separating them at Jingle bell red carpet, on stage or even BigHit trying to regulate their Vlives make sense.

Moving on. So yea I wasn't sure about JM all this past few months especially as I believe he had asked for space in their relationship. You might not think much of it but given as JM had said in the past how if he had a lover he would want to be with them all the time and Jikook do spend a lot of time around each other but suddenly hear them talk about spending time apart and enjoying it and what not....

But I think I can stop worrying now because HE IS BACK! There is a new Jimin in town and he is taking names! Good for him!

And I don't mean his new hairdo this August. I mean the new attitude. This attitude:

In this interview he says he would take JK to an island which smart decision. I would take JK too cos dude can do anything, cant he?! Bless him.

But thats beside the point. What I think is happening here is, Jimin finally took a stand. He made up his mind and he is not getting pushed around anymore. Because this Jimin hasn't showed up in a while now. Now he seems quite defiant most times if you've been paying attention to him, so rebellious, so sure of himself. Good for him. Spending time to himself has done him some good. It's given him room to reflect and sort out his priorities.

He loves his work, his band and he loves JK and it's hard when all of those start rubbing against eachother. But Fuck professionalism. He is in love with JK and that is professionalism too. Add loving JK till the end of time to his profession bishes!! :p

Sorry. I got carried away.

But seriously, he seems like his old self but it's also a new self because he hasn't been that self for a hot minute. This is JK's sweat tastes like holy water Jimin. This is I promised Jk I will go to the moon with him Jimin, this is I wanna go on a trip alone with JK Jimin- but badder. If you are a hardcore JM stand like I am you'd understand what I'm talking about.

HE IS BACK BABY! Our daddy is back!

The point of this post is to say, I believe JM finally figured out what he wants. So now hopefully the up and down should die down because quite frankly it's hard to keep up with those two I swear! We need a smooth sail Jikook. Make it happen!

I love it. I love where this is going and I can't wait to see more of their interactions so cheers to Jikookers and congratulations to Jimin for putting his shit together. We wanted rain. We about to be hit with a tsunami of Jikook moments.

Stay blessed. Stay beautiful. Jikook forever.

Signed,

Goldy