Recently in Rhapsody Exclusives Category

Founded in 1982, Metal Blade Records was young metal fan Brian Slagel's DIY solution to the absence of metal music in record stores across the nation. In a time of tape-trading and word of mouth propelled by a burgeoning underground scene, he saw an opportunity missed by major labels to get metal out to the masses, and nearly 30 years later Metal Blade is still thriving and bringing metal to your doorstep. Boasting an eclectic roster, from Florida death metal legends Cannibal Corpse to Polish black metal heroes Behemoth, as well as Christian metallers Whitechapel, thrash apprentices Lazarus A.D. and heralded deathcore outfit Job For a Cowboy, Metal Blade is a veritable heavy music institution. Here's a taste of some Metal Blade essentials, available for streaming exclusively on Rhapsody.

Killswitch Engage have been growing in strength since their first self-titled album was released a decade ago. Now, as they unveil their fifth album, they find themselves at the top of their game. Co-produced by Adam D. and Brendan O'Brien, the second coming of Killswitch Engage displays the powerful combination of technical musicianship and catchy melodies that these frontrunners forged and cultivated. Listen to the new record here, plus take a look at our thoughts on the album, read our Q&A with members Mike D'Antonio and Justin Foley, dive into Mike D's top 10 essential albums, and listen to playlists featuring the best of Killswitch and their Massachusetts contemporaries.

BROWSE: Check out Rhapsody's review of Killswitch Engage (II).

INTERVIEW: Check out our exclusive chat with KsE's Mike D'Antonio and Justin Foley.

EXPLORE: Dig into Killswitch's "Top 10 Essential Albums"

HEAR: Listen to a playlist of essential Killswitch Engage jams.

PLAY: Blast this Massachusetts Metalcore playlist.

RADIO: Hear what's new and awesome in metal with "Fury".

From left to right: Joshua Winstead, Emily Haines, Joules Scott Key, James Shaw

After spending time apart focusing on other projects (Broken Social Scene, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton), Metric unite for their first album in nearly four years with new release Fantasies. We got a chance to talk to guitarist Jimmy Shaw about the band's time apart, their writing process, how songs pass the "road test" and the Beatles vs. the Stones. Plus we got to pick his brain about such topics as fantasies, Fleetwood Mac moments, soaring pterodactyls and underground roller-coasters. Yeah, it's not all shop talk here.

 

Rhapsody: So, how do you guys celebrate a new release?
Shaw: Actually, last night it was a combination of champagne, a drink that we made up on tour called the Ginger-E (a mottled ginger, lime and tequila) and a chocolate fondue. I'm not going to lie to you.

 

Rhapsody: Did you practice some of the new songs at live shows to see how the audience would respond to them?
Shaw: It's funny the way we did it. We booked a tour and we did a lot of writing in 2007 ... By the end of that year we felt like we were really close to having a finished record. So, we booked a U.S. tour and played 30 days all across the U.S., and it was totally awesome. And we had a great time. By the end of it, we looked at each other and said, "I don't think this is good enough." We put it through the road test and most of it didn't pass … We virtually went back to the drawing board and started again. That's when Emily [Haines] went down to Buenos Aires and everybody sort of disbanded for a minute. I went into the studio and wrote some tracks. At that point it was more like knowing what you want to do by process of elimination. And that's how most of the songs on this record were actually written.

 

Om Records may be a San Francisco institution, but the label's sensuous aesthetic has always seemed better suited to more tropical climes. (Whether downtempo or deep house, there's typically little fog in the skies of any given Om release.) Hence the Om: Miami series, an annual love letter to Miami's springtime bacchanal known as Winter Music Conference. Following editions from 2006, 2007 and 2008, Om: Miami 2009 brings together cuts from roster stalwarts like Mark Farina and Fred Everything with floor-tested selections from Om's circle of friends and allies, including Sebo K's runaway hit "Diva" and M.A.N.D.Y. vs. Booka Shade's Laurie Anderson-sampling "O Superman." Mixed, as ever, by the appropriately named DJ Fluid, the set emphasizes subtle blends over DJ acrobatics; while the tracks are made for dancing, the subdued session works just as well at home or at the office (where you may be sitting online browsing last-minute airfares to Florida).

If you are going to Miami, Om is planning an 11-hour shindig on Saturday, March 28, at Karu&Y, where the big draw will be an exclusive performance from the long-dormant Kruder & Dorfmeister. Rounding out the bill, Radio Slave, Mark Farina, Diplo, Chromeo, DJ Sneak, Mike Monday, Colette & Heather, Hipp-E and Charles Webster are just a few of the names making the night a worthy addition to your WMC plans. (Presale tickets are available here).

To celebrate the event, Om is giving away a free MP3 of Mike Monday's buoyant tech-house gem, "Salieri Complex (Club Mix)." Get it here, along with more of the week's free MP3s.
 

This thrashing four-piece from Kenosha, Wisc., are not your average resurgence band. Sure, they've got the skate-punk-meets-metalhead swagger in spades, plus a rep for total liver destruction like their hard-partying predecessors and contemporaries, but Lazarus A.D. -- Dan Gapen (guitars/vocals), Jeff Paulick (bass/lead vocals), Alex Lackner (guitars) and Ryan Shutler (drums) -- are leaving the thrash-by-numbers sound for other new schoolers.

Instead, these guys boast a modern inflection on a classic style, leaving pummeling thrashers like "Last Breath" to demonstrate their fealty, slow burners like "Absolute Power" to show their forward thinking, and juggernauts like "Forged in Blood" to see where they meet in the middle.

If you're a die-hard thrash fan, you might remember Lazarus as the only unsigned band on Earache's kick-ass 2008 compilation Thrashing Like a Maniac. After being signed by Metal Blade Records, Lazarus A.D's debut The Onslaught is available exclusively here for streaming. You're welcome.

  What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Lily Allen, "The Fear" (Rhapsody Premiere)
Lily Allen's new single might have a shiny, pulsing electro-pop feel, but at it's core, it's got a heart of darkness.

P.O.D., Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
The Christian rap-rock ensemble at their furious live best. Features renditions of fan favorites like "Alive" and "Youth of the Nation."

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Katy Perry, "Hot N Cold (Rock Remix)" (Rhapsody Exclusive)

Anberlin, TK (Rhapsody Premiere)

The Higher, Rhapsody Original (Rhapsody Exclusive)

 

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Coheed and Cambria, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusives)
On this exclusive four-track EP, New York progressive rock/emo quartet Coheed and Cambria strip down fan favorites and let their strong songwriting and tight musicianship shine.

Little Big Town, Rhapsody Orignals (Rhapsody Exclusives)
Little Big Town reel off harmony-laced favorites such as "Fine Line" and "I'm With the Band" with precision and charm.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Kid Rock, Complete Catalog (Rhapsody Exclusive)
One part Skynyrd, one part LL Cool J, Kid Rock is an old-school emcee wrapped up in a Southern-rock package. We are proud to be the new exclusive home of his digital catalog, including his latest release, Rock N Roll Jesus, featuring the hit "All Summer Long."

Pretenders, Break Up the Concrete (Rhapsody Premiere)
Chrissie Hynde and co. return for their ninth full length, a set of songs that combine Hynde's tough-girl lyrics and a decided rockabilly sound.

 Walter Meego, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Human emotions break through the synth-poppers' computer sheen on this live set. Features "Girls," "Keyhole" and more.

Jarboe, Mahakali (Rhapsody Premiere)
'Tis the season for something sinister. The experimental siren returns with her 14^th solo album. Featuring Pantera's Phil Anselmo.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

F*cked Up, The Chemistry of Common Life (Rhapsody Premiere)
One of the most invigorating punk rock bands of the decade. In a rule-breaking genre, they break all the rules.

Jolie Holland, The Living And The Dead (Rhapsody Premiere)
Americana's dark angel warbles through a new effort of maudlin story-songs and jazz-inflected folk.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:


Dungen, 4 (Rhapsody Premiere)
The Swedish psych-rock revivalists return. 4 is a more jammy sounding affair than previous outings, with an almost improvisational feel permeating the music.

David Byrne & Brian Eno, Everything That Happens... (Rhapsody Premiere)
Two of the most groundbreaking and influential artists in modern music reunite (for the first time since 1981's My Life In the Bush of Ghosts). Everything... is a mature album full of elegant, atmospheric pop.

Jesus & Mary Chain, The Power of Negative Thinking (Rhapsody Premiere)
The Power of Negative Thinking is an 82-track collection of B-Sides, single versions, alternate takes and remixes from the legendary post-punk/noise-pop icons.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Incubus, VH1 Rock Honors: The Who (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Incubus cover two classics from the Who ("I Can See for Miles" and "Can't Explain") on this exclusive live EP recorded at the VH1s Rock Honors concert.

Rihanna, "Vogue" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Beyonce, "At Last" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Keith Urban, "You Look Good in My Shirt" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Beyoncé, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Solange, "I Decided" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
These exclusive tracks were recorded live at the annual Fashion Rocks Awards show. Check out some of pop's biggest stars covering some of the most stylish, sexy songs of all time.

Lesley Roy, "Unbeautiful" (Rhapsody Exclusive) This Irish-born singer-songwriter applies her smoky growl to this quiet-loud power ballad full of longing and regret.

Jazmine Sullivan, Bust Your Windows (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Check out the brand new single from Missy Elliot's Philadelphia soul protégé. This former gospel singer is certainly a rising soul star.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Cut Copy, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
The Australian electro-rock trio floss all their bright neon ghost colours on this live EP. The band plays four songs, including a sumptuous version of "Hearts on Fire."

No Age, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
An epic exclusive live EP from the critically adored Los Angeles noiseniks. This guitar-and-drums duo kick up a storm of near-shoegazer noise over their garage barrage.

Jessica Lea Mayfield, With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, (Rhapsody Premiere)
This Ohio singer-songwriter has a plaintive, dreamy voice that calls to mind a more country-stained Chan Marshall (Cat Power). With Blasphemy..., her debut album, was produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.

Phil Vassar, "Prayer of a Common Man" (Rhapsody Exclusive)
In honor of Feeding America's National Hunger Action Month, Rhapsody is proud to be the exclusive online home for country artist Phil Vassar's new single, "Prayer of a Common Man." Part of the proceeds will go toward Feeding America's charitable work.

What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Santogold, FNMTV (Rhapsody Exclusive)
One of the breakout stars of the year, Santogold performs her rollicking hip-hop-reggae-pop hybrid live on FNMTV. This exclusive single features "L.E.S. Artistes" and "Creator."

Tokyo Police Club, FNMTV (Rhapsody Exclusive)
These Canadian post-punks deliver an atmospheric and moody take on the garage rock of the Strokes on this live single. Recorded at FNMTV and featuring their fan-favorite, "Graves."

Donnie Klang, Just A Rolling Stone (Rhapsody Premiere)
Diddy's blue-eyed soul protégé makes his full-length debut. Filled with come-hither lyrics and bedroom beats and featuring the Wham!-sampling "Pretty Girls."

Tricky, Knowle West Boy (Rhapsody Premiere)
The trip-hop pioneer returns with a decidedly modern sound, aided by acclaimed producers Switch and Bernard Butler. Features the single "Council Estate."