(Video) An Exclusive Interview with Artist Kira Lee at ACA Galleries, NYC

Kira Lee is an amazing NYC based artist. ACA Galleries, in NYC, is currently having an exhibition of her incredible art, called Legends and Lyrics. They her music inspired pieces are of iconic rock artists like John Lennon, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, David Bowie (who gets a whole wall dedicated to him!), Kurt Cobain, and many others. Her art is amazing and truly breathtaking. As you get closer to look at it, you get to truly realize just how much work and heart she puts into her pieces, as you come to realize that they are made up of words and lyrics, inspired by each of the artists.

You can see of the pieces in the pictures displayed in this article, though they do not do them the true justice that they deserve. You simply need to see them for yourself to truly get the depth of their beauty.

 

I am a huge fan of her work and had the utmost pleasure of talking to her about on them at the public opening of her art show, last week on Feb. 2, 2017.

You can see the interview in the video below:

Her gallery will be on display through March 4, 2017 at the ACA Galleries on 529 W20th St, #5E. Do yourself a favor go as soon as you can! I guarantee that you will be glad that you did.

 

 

 

Video shot and edited by Negative Pop.
All photography by Negative Pop, except for the Kiss painting, that one is by myself.

Aborted Fetus- The Art of Violent Torture (Album Review)

Musicians: Aborted Fetusan
Album Title: The Art of Violent Torture
Genre/ Subgenre: Brutal Death Metal
Label: Comatose Music
Release date: April 28, 2017

The Russian death metal monster known as Aborted Fetus is a brutal and gore drenched delight. Their upcoming release The Art of Violent Torture is filled with pummeling and crunching brutality that is backed by unrelenting bursts of blast beats by drummer Hammer and undecipherable guttural vocals by frontman Alexander "Meatgrinder" Andreev.What he have here is pure and unquestionably brutality.

The aural assault from the album is fast and pulverizing with moments of crunching that slows it down. What is consist is the interest in brutalizing the listener with a consistent sonic barrage and the utter heaviness of it all.

The album opens with the instrumental ''The Art of Pain'', which serves as the perfect set-up for the savage and pounding ''Boiled Alive''. The sound of ''Blinded by the Flame'' feels like lightning fast cuts made by a blade as it eviscerates flesh and destroys its victim. ''Axe Decapitation'' has face smashing veracity. Perhaps my favorite track on the album is ''Buried Alive''. It has this beautiful and haunting intro that returns every so often and plays in marvelous counterpart to the unrelenting music. Speaking of which, there are moments of peaceful and almost beautiful sounds in instrumentals like "Awaiting" which serve as a calm break between it all. Only to then, have the next track punch you multiple time right in your fucking face.

There is a shit load of talent and unquestionable brutality in Aborted Fetus. As such, The Art of Violent Torture, with its gore obsessed lyrics and low growling vocals, is a great choice for Cannibal Corpse fans who love complete and utter brutality. Not for the weak-hearted, this one puts the extreme in extreme metal.

3.5 out of 5

The Return of Charetta- Gramercy Theatre NYC 1/13/17

This past Jan, Friday the 13th was definitely not a day of bad luck for fans of hard rock and metal in New York City. In fact, it was a night of fucking awesome luck as Charetta returned, after not having played for a couple of years, as part of the Bound by Substance show at Gramercy Theatre. As a matter of fact, I was at one of their last shows when they opened up for Flyleaf back in Oct, 17, 2014. At that very show, their bassist Rich Mollo played what was then his last show with them. Low and behlod, he is back with them and played on this, their big return. You can see him in the pic below playing the red colored bass guitar.

Now I should mention that I have been a HUGE fan of the band since I first caught them earlier that very year, and declared them to be one of the best, if not THE best, opening act that I have ever seen. I firmly stand by that statement, to this very day. In fact, they are one of New York's best rock bands, period! And, this night further cemented that in stone!

Before they came, their new video for "We Will Survive" off of their latest album, Fate Strikes Twice, had its world premiere. The video has some splatter FX and the horror fan in me loved it! Angelina DelCarmen, the band's beautiful, extremely sweet, and down to earth signer, would later tell me that shooting the video and working with the gore FX opened up her love for horror in a way she hadn't felt before. This makes it extra awesome!
You can see the video directly below:

From then the band came onstage and rocked the fucking house! They played a bunch of songs that spanned the history of the band. Included among them many of my favorites like "This Is Your Fall", "The Apocalypse Is Here", the beautiful and moving ballad "Not Made of Stone"', "I'm not Your Bitch" which is my personal favorite track by them, and many more. We, the audience, sang along to their songs and had a total blast!

And, that's cause the band just sounded tight as hell; as they were killing it onstage. The music was rocking and lead by the beautiful vocals of Angelina, who might just be the best signer in hard rock music that you haven't heard (unless you have, in which case you know what I am talking about!) Charetta is just such an awesome and kick ass live experience and truly deserve to have all the success in the world.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 In one of the coolest moments of their set, Angelina came out in a trench-coat for one of the songs.

For the final song of the night, the band played "We Will Survive". That is, of course, the video that was played at the start of their set, which bought the concert to full circle. Angelina came out in the blood-spattered outfit that she actually wore in the video! That was just so fucking cool and insured an awesome ending to one hell of a show!

Welcome back, Charetta, you were missed by your fans! We are so glad to have you back. Here is to many more shows!

Trans-Siberian Orchestra- Prudential Center, NJ 2016

On Dec. 26, 2016, I was fortunate enough to catch progressive rock/ Christmas/ neo-classical metal band the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) live in New Jersey at the Prudential Center. The best part is that I was seated  second row in the floor section, baby!

Now, I should start by saying that I this was my first time ever seeing the band. I hadn't heard a whole lot from them aside from the track here and there. Of course, I knew them best when they were progressive/ power metal band Savatage. The things is I really wasn't expecting much. I thought this was going to be a lame, pretentious, and boring show. Holy fuck was I ever wrong! This was one of the most fun and mind blowing live experiences ever!

Before the concert I got a pic with metal radio DJ, co-host of the very missed That Metal Show, and author Eddie Trunk. He is always so nice, friendly, and down to earth in person.

Guitarist Chris Caffery came out to greet the crowd before the concert began. At every show, a portion of every ticket sale goes to charity. This time was no different. Bless, this band for having such a good heart.

Not soon after this the concert began and from then on TSO kicked all our collective asses! Mixing video images, storytelling, laser lights, "snow", pyro (including white-hot fire!), beautiful back-up signers, and a large, over-head ramp walkway, it had everything, and more, that you could ask for in a big arena rock performance.

TSO consisted of/ were joined by: Zak Stevens, Dustin Brayley, Rob Evan, Autumn Guzzardi Horton, Mee Eun, Kim, Roddy Chong, Robin Borneman, James Lewis, Lisa Lavie, Georgia Bleu, Natalya Rose Piette, Russell Allen, David Z Rock, Joel Hoekstra, Kayla Reeves, Bryan Hicks, Jeff Plate and Chris Caffery.

Set-list:

Who I Am
March of the Kings
The Lost Christmas Eve
The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night
Good King Joy 

Christmas Dreams
Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage cover)
Christmas Canon Rock
What Child Is This?
Music Box Blues
First Snow
Promises to Keep
This Christmas Day 

The Best of TSO
Christmas Jam
A Mad Russian's Christmas
A Last Illusion
Christmas Nights in Blue
Wizards in Winter
Carmina Burana
Mountain Labyrinth
Not the Same
The Night Conceives
The Mountain
Requiem (The Fifth)
Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Reprise) (Savatage cover) 

I think I'll let the pics do most of the talking from here on. Enjoy, and remember as cool as they may look, it's even more awesome in person:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the concert I got to meet beautiful signer for the band, Kayla Reeves, backstage. In all, this was a most amazing and unforgettable experience. I highly recommend you all to partake in this and see TSO live at least once in your life. You owe to yourself and will thank me for telling you about it, even if you are doubtful about it.