#ron lipnicki

[stoneoferech]

Overkill

[rp-kat]

Hades

2001

Thrash'em All  #5

[rockyoushow]

REVIEW: Hades, Dangerous Toys Vets CRUSH On CASSIUS KING'S Latest "Dread The Dawn"

REVIEW: Hades, Dangerous Toys Vets CRUSH On CASSIUS KING’S Latest “Dread The Dawn”

CASSIUS KING returns with Dan Lorenzo, Jason McMaster, Ron Lipnicki and Jimmy Schulman pounding out classic Metal that brings you back to the Ronnie James Dio era of Black Sabbath.  They have really outdone themselves, proving these veterans still have a lot of bullets left in the chamber. Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Vessels Of Light, Non-Fiction) presents some MONSTER riffage throughout “Dread The…

[riffrelevant]

Overkill's D.D. VERNI To Release First Solo Album With Guests Including Jeff Loomis, Bruce Franklin, Jeff Waters & More; Lyric Video Premiere

Overkill’s D.D. VERNI To Release First Solo Album With Guests Including Jeff Loomis, Bruce Franklin, Jeff Waters & More; Lyric Video Premiere

(By Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Lead Journalist/Writer, RiffRelevant.com) After decades as Overkill bassist and primary songwriter (along with side project The Bronx Casket Co.), D.D. Verni is branching out with plans for his first-ever solo album release. It is planned to arrive in 2018 and include a mix of all of Verni’s diverse musical influences. Currently, the group is looking for a label to call…

[doomedandstoned]

Cassius King Gives Voice to the Night in ‘Dread The Dawn’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Listening to CASSIUS KING, you get why metal remains such a powerful and moving medium of expression. What began as a solo project of ex-Hades/Non Fiction riffian Dan Lorenzo (guitar), soon attracted a formidable frontman in Jason McMaster (vox), formerly of Watchtower/Dangerous Toys. The powerful heartbeat is supplied by Jimmy Schulman (bass) and Ron Lipnicki (drums) who, besides spending time together with Dan Lorenzo in Hades, are also tagged to grissly Jersey doom outfit Vessel of Light.

It's honestly a joy to listen to new material from Cassius King, and not just because they're so nicely recorded. At the core, 'Dread The Dawn' (2022) is filled with exuberance and inventiveness. You can tell these guys approached their second LP with the kind of confidence that comes from decades of artistic achievement and collaboration.

Songs will often greet you with a lot of groove ("Pariah to Messiah") and sometimes go for sheer metal god glory ("Back From The Dead"). The title track is about as dreary as you can ask for, but in a very cool way (think Trouble and Solitude Aeternus). Then there's the melting vocal harmonies that end "Bad Man Down." Cassius King's approach to doom is thoughtful, convincingly bluesy, and down-to-earth.

There are creative choices I appreciate in the songcraft, as well. For instance, instead of a flashy guitar solo to up the ante on "Abandon Paradise," we're given the tuned-down and swampy treatment. I adore this grungy, doomy, bluesy "anti-breakdown" from Flotsam and Jetsam guitarist Michael Gilbert, who guests here. "As I Begin to Turn" also stands out with its twisted atonality that crawls like thorns over the relentless central riff.

Some of you may be wondering, what's with the name "Cassius King"? Most bands in the scene have a story behind their name, and sometimes incorporate themes from history, philosophy, religion, and science, so of course I gave this some thought. "Cassius" means "hollow," so does their name actually mean "Hollow King"? In my mind, I conjured images of an ancient Roman usurper to Caesar's throne.

Turns out, the answer was right in front of me the whole time: Cash is King. "I moved out of my house when I was 21," Dan Lorenzo told me this morning when I finally broke down and asked. "I was extremely poor for 10 years and my grandmother's wealthy husband used to always say to me: Cash is King."

All told, Dread The Dawn is an exhilarating listen. Cassius King unleashes these 11 tracks on Friday, October 21st (digital pre-order here) and the record gets a CD release from MDD Records in Europe and Nomad Eel Records has it on both compact disc and cassette. This is the Doomed & Stoned world premiere.

Give ear...

Dread The Dawn by CASSIUS KING

'Dread The Dawn' track-by-track with vocalist Jason McMaster

ABANDON PARADISE

In the lyrics, I tried hard to bring into view the idea of being forced to leave everything behind, to stop living the life dreamed and built from hard work. It can be as bad as you think or even just a bit of having to do without something vital to a happy life. Definitely open to some interpretation.

BACK FROM THE DEAD

Of course, not literal, or flesh and bone, but a ghost of (or a whisper of) what was with someone or a group of people you spent time with. Imagine the times that something you were told by a loved one, a friend, or family member, where they were extremely emotional. Maybe a phrase , a word, a whispered secret, or a threat. Then that person is gone, dead, exiled, moved away. But every time you hear that phrase or see something related, you think of and hear them say it again and again. They almost appear, like a haunting. I relate to this one a lot.

BAD MAN DOWN

This lyric is a hydra of sorts. A few meanings shine through at different times. I was going for a story line where it seems some of us root for the villain. “You can’t kill evil” kind of a thing. Humans do crazy things to other humans. There is guilt and then there are those who do not feel, or deal with any emotion or empathy, so they continue the journey or path, to just go without brakes. The reaper is a character that lives in theater, comedy, tragedy depictions. Always there. When the girl you want always runs away with the sinner, the bad kid down the street. Beaver Cleaver always loses and settles for less, or so they think.

DOOMSDAY HAND

Important to know, is this idea was sent to me by Jimmy. His ideas are coming from a super dark place. His inspiration for writing is different from mine...maybe? I interpreted this in a couple of ways. one as a hand of cards, of course, but also a somewhat vision of the hand of Lucifer guiding man through life. Each turn there are decisions to be made. Make good choices and you will live a happy spirited life. Play your hand badly, take too many chances, and life turns out a bit twisted. Played out based on past choices.

The verse that I talk of the deck Dan Lorenzo here, my wife was reading me a story from a magazine about elephants and she was reading and the words Dread The Dawn were in the article. I had just finished writing the music to the song and I told Jimmy that I love that line.

DREAD THE DAWN

This, along with “Doomsday Hand” , were ideas sent to be by Jimmy. Super dark. descriptions of pictures of fear of the dawn and sunlight. Sleeping late became a new meaning to me after this. This is vampirical, but is not about just that. This can be taken by many different forms. To become friendly with the dark, and live with it like a lover, is incredibly powerful. If you or I are called by the name of “Dread” and you are in bed with “Dusk” or the turn of night or dark. You are a powerful witch or soothsayer or magician of dark and light. This is a sort of love affair with these mixed as a cold drink. It might not taste very good, but you are stuck in this by your own choices.

GENESIS

Imagine Darwin-ism before an early man spoke a word. Maybe the sounds of trees falling is all and if.. any living thing of flesh was to rise from the sludge. I speculate the craft of gasses and other single cell animals fusing together like a Frankenstein’s monster, or worse, and crawling from mud, to rise up and become hungry and hunt and kill just to become hungry again and repeat. the beginning of just surviving, and what for.

PARIAH TO MESSIAH

I was watching a history program, or documentary about a protest of some kind, and actually was completely derailed from the true content and name of the show, etc.. when i heard this title over the TV speakers. I had gathered what the fodder was all about, and was interested in the angry moments of what was protesting from two sides.

The derailment ended in me fading away from it with pen and paper to start writing this lyric. This shows both sets of eyes. The protest starts and ends for both. There is a winner, and a loser, but by this wording in the song, you cannot tell who either are. Who is ruling? Who shouted the loudest? Who had the bigger guns? It didn’t matter. The insurrection happened, people were hurt and killed. Nobody won anything. No rules were changed.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Ok, my facts are not checked and I am prepared to be called out by history buffs. The slaughter of Native Americans (or any other continent of early indigenous humans) by the new order, the visiting looters, who think they “found it first.” This is the basics of this lyric. Based on fact or fictional early American lore. Genocide. White man getting in good with some, trading or exploiting by the introduction of gunpowder (“boom stick”) and whiskey (“fire water”). I gather some history books (not all) would tell the truth.

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CASSIUS KING Release Cover for JUDAS PRIEST's 'All The Way'

CASSIUS KING Release Cover for JUDAS PRIEST’s ‘All The Way’

CASSIUS KING – led by guitarist Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction, Vessel Of Light) with Dangerous Toys/Broken Teeth vocalist Jason McMaster – have just released their cover for JUDAS PRIEST‘s ‘All the Way’. Available digitally everywhere by Halloween. The song is feat. Jason McMaster vocals and bass, Ron Lipnicki drums, Dan Lorenzo guitars. Furthermore the band reveals that their second album…

[roleplaytipsandadvice]

hi there! could you please do a family template for billie lourd? thanks :)

Brother

Oliver Jackson-Cohen

Jonathan Lipnicki

Adam Lambert

Armie Hammer

Shane Kippel

Sister

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Cara Delevingne

Natalie Portman

Nora Arnezeder

Dianna Agron

Halston Sage

Becca Tobin

Nicola Peltz

Este Haim

Alona Tal

Mother

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Alicia Silverstone

Gwyneth Paltrow

Alyson Hannigan

Jessalyn Gilsig

Marlee Matlin

Helen Slater

Lin Shaye

Father

Michael Douglas

Bryan Cranston

Stephen Lang

Jeff Goldblum

Damian Lewis

Misha Collins

Ron Perlman

Jason Isaacs

Shane West

Seth Green

Larry Miller

Zach Braff

Chris Pine

Ben Stiller

[randgugotur-6]

This Day in Metal

Feb 10th 2017 #Overkill released the album "The Grinding Wheel" #OurFinestHour #MeanGreenKillingMachine #TheLongRoad #ThrashMetal

Did you know..

It is the last Overkill album with drummer Ron Lipnicki, who left the band shortly after its release and was replaced by Jason Bittner https://t.co/KJNoU5J3MF

[nofatclips]

The Long Road by Overkill from the album The Grinding Wheel

[earpeeler]

Talking Metal – Dan Lorenzo Talks Hades Reissues & Ron Lipnicki On TM 636

Talking Metal – Dan Lorenzo Talks Hades Reissues & Ron Lipnicki On TM 636

On this episode of Talking Metal, Mark Strigl interviews Dan Lorenzo of Hades, NonFiction and The Cursed. It starts 25 mins into the show. http://media.captaint.com/talkingmetal/talkingmetaleps663.mp3 Interview topics include Ron Lipnicki leaving Overkill, Ancient VVisdom, Hades reissues (see official press release below), The Cursed, Screaming Metal and much more. This episode is co-hosted by…

[rustynr]

CD review: OVERKILL - The Grinding Wheel

CD review: OVERKILL – The Grinding Wheel

Overkill- The Grinding Wheel

Label: Nuclear Blast

Release Date: February 10, 2017

Overkill is one of thrash metal’s most relentless and resilient bands, and the group’s 18th studio album, The Grinding Wheel, is a prime example of how they keep trudging forward in a genre that continues to change and morph every few years. Overkillreleases a new record like clockwork about every two years, as they…

[johnerigo-blog]

CASSIUS KING (Stoner/Doom Metal) - Release their album "Dread The Dawn" via MDD Records #CassiusKing

CASSIUS KING (Stoner/Doom Metal) – Release their album “Dread The Dawn” via MDD Records #CassiusKing

CASSIUS KING (Stoner/Doom Metal – Featuring Jason McMaster on vocals) – Release their album “Dread The Dawn” via MDD Records #CassiusKing     Last summer Cassius King ( Jason McMaster vocals, Dan Lorenzo guitars, Ron Lipnicki drums and Jimmy Schulman bass) released their debut album Field Trip on California’s Nomad Eel Records. A mere 6 months later and Cassius King grace us with a brand new…

[rockyoushow]

CASSIUS KING With Dan Lorenzo And Jason McMaster Release New Album And Video

CASSIUS KING With Dan Lorenzo And Jason McMaster Release New Album And Video

Dan Lorenzo (ex-Hades, Non Fiction, Patriarchs In Black) is a riff machine made flesh, or as the trade press attested to him: His mastery in the art of writing real, true-to-life riffs is second to none!  With “Dread To Dawn”, Cassius King once again prove this statement on their second album.  On 11 songs, the quartet rolls through dragging, poignant melodies, embraced by the striking vocals of…

[riffrelevant]

VESSEL OF LIGHT Welcomes Former Overkill & Hades Members; Playing New England Stoner & Doom Fest 2019

VESSEL OF LIGHT Welcomes Former Overkill & Hades Members; Playing New England Stoner & Doom Fest 2019

Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker, Senior Writer/Journalist ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway, Owner/Chief Editor

Argonauta Records recording artists VESSEL OF LIGHT, the band formed by Nathan “Opposition” Jochum (Ancient VVisdom) and guitarist Dan Lorenzo (Hades, Non-Fiction, The Cursed), announce the completion of the band’s roster of members. (more…)

[doomedandstoned]

Cassius King Drums Up Hard Driving New LP, ‘Field Trip’

~By Tom Hanno~

In the doom/stoner metal circles, the name Dan Lorenzo has become synonymous with his Vessel of Light project, but there is more to this prolific guitarist than just that band. From his days in Hades to Non- Fiction to Vessel of Light, Dan has laid his trademark work to many albums, and now he presents us with an album of original music from his latest project, CASSIUS KING. 'Field Trip' (2021) will be out next week and is, in my opinion, a must-have album.

For a bit of historical context, I want to add that Dan has been using the Cassius King name for years, from his debut solo album to his endless cover song CDs with various lead vocalists; but it wasn't until 2021 when Lorenzo decided to make an all-original album with vocalist Jason McMaster (Watchtower, Dangerous Toys, Broken Teeth, Howling Sycamore, Ignitor). This decision stemmed from the Covid-19 pandemic keeping Vessel of Light from touring in support of their Last Ride album, with Dan also feeling that fans weren’t ready for a fifth VoL album without touring the last one.

Ironically enough, the song “Join the Exodus”, which we’ll talk about later in this review, was originally written during the recording/writing sessions for the second Vessel of Light album, Woodshed. Dan tells me that, “I actually recorded the music to the song Join the exodus for the Vessel of Light album Woodshed. I wrote so many songs that Nathan forgot about it. So then Ron ended up playing on it, and it just sat there for two years until Jason sang on it. It’s probably one of my favorite songs on the album.”

Despite the connection to Vessel of Light, I don't recommend jumping in thinking you're getting music that is just like them; there's obviously going to be a comparison because of Dan, but it's not an overly large one. Cassius King is less doom, even though there’s a definite Black Sabbath sound, and Jason McMaster has more in common with singers like Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and Dio, than he does with Nathan Opposition; who, as you know, provides his own awesome vocal style to the Vessel of Light albums.

Jason McMaster explains further, by saying that "It was the kind of material I had been wanting to do for a long time. It feels a bit like Ozzy and Dio playing poker over some leftover Sabbath material. The melodies came to me quickly, as well as some of the lyrics. Things I already had fit the visions I had upon first listen and it all flowed immediately. I would not call it a full "doom" application of terms, but its heavy, it reminds me of what I love about Sabbath and Dio songs."

Now that we have an idea on what we’re getting into, let’s begin talking about the best tracks on the album. We'll start with the aforementioned song, “Join the Exodus.” This is the one track where I will draw that direct line to Vessel of Light, and I had thought so even before Dan shared its origins with me.

Beginning with a heavy intro, with the guitars playing a stripped down version of the main verse riff, and Jason singing:

TEARS ON THE TRACKS IN A RACE, EMOTION GLEAM AROUND THE BEND I TASTE THE RAIN DROPS AS THEY TRICKLE DOWN MY FACE AGAIN REMINDS ME OF THE SAND FALLING FROM THE HOURGLASS TIME DISAPPEARS WITHOUT A TRACE.

Jason’s vocals are performed with such conviction, such power, that you can get the idea that he’s really really feeling what he’s saying, which helps make the song seem more honest than it would if he was just “phoning it in.” This goes without even mentioning the Dio influences in the lyrics themselves, and in certain areas of his performance here.

Musically speaking, this track is heavy, with a strong groove, which really makes sense because of the era of its beginnings. Woodshed had that heavy groove throughout the album. As always, Dan has a phenomenal guitar sound, and even if you didn’t know it was him on this, you’d still know that it was him within moments after hitting play.

Towards the end of the album, we find a song that is titled, "Six," which had a working title that Dan told me came from the way the intro guitar part had sounded to him.

"And I didn’t tell anybody else this," he confided, "but the working title for the song 'Six' was 'Randy,' because I thought that opening riff sounded more like Randy Rhoads than me! Not sure if you agree, but just a little bit of knowledge on the track."

I can definitely hear that Randy sound in the intro riff, but, in my opinion, it doesn't really sound like that iconic guitarist as we get much further into the track. In all honesty, I hear more of a Kiss meets Black Sabbath vibe once the riff opens up for the verse.

Jason really brings in that Dio vibe with his vocal performance, and it shows exactly why Dan partnered up with him for this album. Between Jason, Jimmy Schulman, and Ron Lipnicki, Dan put together an immensely talented band for this album, and they all absolutely crushed it on this track.

One of my favorite tracks is titled, "Apocalyptic Nations," which just so happens to be my favorite song on the record. This tune opens up with some tribal influenced drumming, and is a perfect way to bring in the album. I think of Judas Priest's Painkiller when an album opens this way. Lyrically, this song could be about many things, but I catch a Stephen King influence in there, with his book The Stand.

TRASH MY NAME ACROSS YOUR SEAS YOU CONTROL MY DESTINY BRINGING FATES UNKNOWN TO ME LEGENDARY, WHEN PEOPLE USED TO DREAM ANCIENT STORIES OF THE TRAVELIN' MAN YOU WILL BELIEVE

If you've ever read The Stand, you'll know that the villain, Randall Flagg, is known as "The Walking Dude" and that he is hell bent on destroying civilization through terror, violence, and death. The lyrics really could be about this "Man in Black," as he's also called, but it could just as easily be about a government that is just as hell bent on the same things as Randall.

As per his usual modus operandi, Dan pours his all into the riffs contained within "Apocalyptic Nations." They create the power needed to propel Jason’s vocals into the stratosphere, while also leaving the perfect amount of room for the other instruments to shine through.

The last track that I'd like to bring up is "Below the Stone," and is one of my two top picks from this album; with the other being "Apocalyptic." The riffs have a sweet little groove to them, and are, once again, the perfect vehicle for the vocal work. I'm unsure of what the lyrical content is about, but the execution, and the arrangement, makes this song shine, really standing out from the others. This chorus section really exemplifies what I mean:

OH, OH, OH, WE PRAY FOR THE LIGHT WE MAGNIFY ALL HOPE AND THE SEARCH WILL BEGIN BELOW THE STONES THE SECRETS LIVE AND BREATH OH, OH, OH, WE PRAY FOR THE LIGHT

Field Trip will be out in digital format July 23rd, with compact disc and vinyl due out this October. The CD will include two bonus tracks, a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Out on the Tiles" (Dan actually plays the bass and guitar on this cover). and Cheap Trick's "Big Eyes." The other ten tracks are all original tunes. I have an earlier Cassius King CD that Dan sent me, which is full of cover songs, and hearing them attack these originals is really great for me.

To sum it up in one short sentence: you need this album. Pre-orders will be announced soon via Nomad Eel Records, so get ready for that and I'll see you in the next review really soon. Enjoy!

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Former Members Of HADES And OVERKILL Join VESSEL OF LIGHT

Former Members Of HADES And OVERKILL Join VESSEL OF LIGHT

VESSEL OF LIGHT have two releases on Italy’s Argonauta Records. Dan Lorenzo (Hades and Non-Fiction) and Nathan “Opposition” Jochum played everything on the two releases, Lorenzo handling both guitar and bass and Jochum all vocals and drum duties. VESSEL OF LIGHT played their first show September 28th opening for Life Of Agony in NYC at The Bowery Ballroom. Former Overkill drummer Ron Lipnickipla…