French rock band Bukowski recently appeared on the  L’Enorme TV show Une Dose 2 Metal to play a track from their latest album Hazardous Creatures.

Check out the guys performing “My Name is Kozanowski” below and visit Bukowski’s official website for more information.

An eerie moon with two eyes and mouth agape provided the pre-set backdrop for Steven Wilson’s show Friday night at Los Angeles’ Club Nokia, just before whispers were projected in over the speakers to create a stir within the capacity crowd.

As Wilson took the stage with his on-point collective consisting of guitarist Guthrie Govan, woodwind player Theo Travis, keyboardist Adam Holzman, bassist Nick Beggs and local drummer Chad Wackerman, there was a palpable sense of excitement and almost uncertainty as to what was to come.

You see, Wilson isn’t really known for creating tight four-minute tracks that are radio-ready.  Instead, the Porcupine Tree frontman is known for his epic opuses, whether it is with his typical band or as a solo artist.

In fact, his latest album, the critically-acclaimed The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), is comprised of six tracks that clock in with over 50 minutes of material.  Friday’s performance pulled from several of those compositions to the delight of the rapt audience.

Wilson, who carries the progressive rock banner for such acts like Yes, Genesis and King Crimson, perfectly commanded his band while regularly switching between acoustic and electric guitars, bass and keys.

And it’s amazing that they all can recreate the complicated sounds of The Raven live.  Early on, Wilson brought out “Luminol” from the album, drawing on Beggs’ ominous bass thumps and a furious solo from Guthrie – who was playing a prototype of his custom Charvel guitar – while scenes of city life played on a screen behind him.

The crowd was taken on a 360-degree experience when sounds of cars moving and idle sidewalk chatter was played from speakers set up near the back of the club.  With “Luminol” clocking in at over 12 minutes, the vibe went from metal to jazzy with a few quick key changes.

Because there were several rows of chairs planted on the floor level, Wilson noted that he didn’t want everyone to go all “L.A. on [him]” and launched into “Drive Home,” in which Govan was “required to get into character” as a man running from the trauma of his dead wife passing away in a grisly car accident.

While that might not be the easiest thing to convey via guitar, Govan’s sweeps up and down the fretboard conjured up the spirit of the deceased partner and painted a bleak picture of desperation.

Later, a curtain was brought down in front of the band, upon which the lights cast shadows of each member as they played “The Watchmaker.”  The track was set up with ghoulish ticks of a clock from all areas of the room, causing many to look around with anxious anticipation as to what was to come.

Wilson began with a slow build on his acoustic guitar before the bass kicked in, allowing for a flute interlude and Govan’s blistering solo that coincided with sharp auto-tuned harmonies.

The metal-sounding end of the song brought everything back to the theme, a recounting of a man “who killed his wife of 50 years and buried her under the floorboards” of his workshop.

While there was an encore of a solo tune – “On the Sunday of Life” – the real highlight was Wilson’s closer, the title track of his current album.

An animation of an old man walking towards his forest cabin with constant visions of his dead sister manifested in a raven served as a triumphant end to his sense-assaulting performance.

With several fans in attendance swaying back and forth to the jarring musical transitions, “The Raven That Refused To Sing” delved deep into the emotional core of Wilson’s performance.

And perhaps performance isn’t really the best word to describe a Steven Wilson concert.  Friday’s appearance could be more-aptly described as art.

Govan working with his prototype Charvel guitar.

Currently in the middle of their own headlining tour in Europe, Cleveland metalcore band Affiance is mere weeks away from the biggest tour of their career, as the group is set to hit the road with metal heavyweights Killswitch Engage and Miss May I this summer.

While there is certainly a lot of traveling on the docket, the chance to play tracks off their latest album The Campaign – and to be able to do it with their upcoming tourmates – marks an exciting time.

Charvel.com recently caught up with Affiance guitarist Brett Wondrak to talk about what lies ahead for the band.

Charvel.com: How did Affiance join up with Killswitch Engage for this tour?

Brett Wondrak: It took a lot of time and effort.  Our singer is also our manager, and as soon as he got wind of the tour, he immediately started hitting people up – even so far as to emailing [Killswitch Engage guitarist] Mike D – to get the opportunity to do it.  It came down to us and a few other bands, and we lucked out, I guess.  It’s a huge opportunity, and really, I don’t think any of us can really fathom it.  We’re excited.

Charvel.com: Would you consider this the biggest tour you’ve been on?

BW: Easily [laughs].  We would have been excited to go on tour just with Miss May I.  It’s all a big step for us.  A bunch of our heroes are on that tour.  We’re going to really enjoy watching those sets every night.

Charvel.com: With Miss May I being from Ohio, what is the hardcore scene like in your home state?

BW: To be honest, it’s a little spotty.  Dayton is good, but Cleveland was dead for a long time.  We’ve been around for a good seven years, so we kind of saw why it died, and it’s recently been reborn.  Columbus is stepping up their game.  It’s a roller coaster ride, but I think it’s that way with any city.  A lot of metal bands have come from Ohio within the last seven or eight years.  I don’t know what it is.  There must be something in the water.

Charvel.com: What was the process like putting together The Campaign?

BW: There were actually about three years between the writing of No Secrets Revealed and the release of The Campaign, so we had a lot of time to grow.  We really wrote a lot of songs within a year of its actual release.  We wanted that time to grow, as guitarists and Dennis as a singer.  I think that ended up showing a little bit, and that might be why the musical difference is pretty vast between the two [albums].

Charvel.com: Will you be playing the new songs on tour?

BW: It’s pretty much all going to be from The Campaign.  The reaction so far has been positive.  There are those people who will always say “Call to the Warrior” is their favorite song of ours.  I think that’s partly nostalgia, as in that’s how they got into us.  But it’s been good seeing people like the new stuff.

Charvel.com: The video for the new single “Kings of Deceit” has some pretty political imagery.  What is behind that?

BW: We’re very centered around politics.  We’re not trying to push anybody in one direction.  We don’t want to say, “Hate this guy, vote for this guy.”  It’s more about paying attention and asking questions, and that’s what “Kings of Deceit” is all about;  not turning a blind eye to what’s going on.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Don’t be afraid of seeking truth.  I do think that if you do seek [truth], you’ll find it, and it might not be what you expected.

Charvel.com: When did you start playing guitar? 

BW: Actually, like when I was 20 or 21.  I started late – one of the few.  I’ve always felt like I had a lot of catching up to do, and it’s weird being on tour with a bunch of kids who are making way better money than me [laughs].  But I’ve always loved music, so I picked it up and worked hard at it.  I feel like I’m fairly competent now [laughs].

Charvel.com: Who were some of the bands that served as inspiration for you during those early days?

BW: There’s one band called Project 86. They were kind of big in the Christian scene, and I’d say they were post-hardcore.  Maybe not metal, but they were heavy.  I was really into them lyrically and musically, just very expressive and different.  They were what drove me to want to start writing songs and playing guitar.

Charvel.com: What gear are you using now? 

BW: I’ve got a [Charvel] Soloist with a Floyd Rose and also a double cutaway.  I got the double cutaway first.  It’s extremely comfortable and has a really thin neck, so it’s really easy to do quick fills.  It’s also white, so it’s really stage-worthy.  It’s one of the few guitars I’ve had where I could just pick it up and play and be 100 percent happy with it.

For more information and tour dates, visit Affiance’s official Facebook page.

The clip, which was filmed during an appearance at the House of Blues in March, shows Death By Stereo at their hardcore best.

Watch the band in action after the jump and visit their official Facebook page for more information.

Check out the video after the jump and visit their official Facebook page for more information.

Watch Nassie put the Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH, the San Dimas Style 1 HH and the San Dimas Style 1 HS HT through the paces in the playlist below.

Metal Assault was on hand at a recent Adrenaline Mob at the Roxy in Hollywood, and they were able to capture several performances on film.

The all-star band played tracks from their debut full-length Omertà and their 2013 covers album Coverta.

Watch Adrenaline Mob perform their own single “Undaunted” and two covers – Black Sabbath’s “Mob Rules” and Led Zeppelin’s “The Lemon Song” in the clips after the jump.

Visit Adrenaline Mob’s official website for more information.

Several songs off Keneally’s setlist came from his acclaimed 2012 album Wing Beat Fantastic: Songs written by Mike Keneally & Andy Partridge, on which he collaborated with XTC’s Partridge.

For those that missed Keneally’s romp through Europe, footage of a complete concert at the The Night and Day Cafe in Manchester on March 22 has emerged.

Check out the show in three parts after the jump and visit his official website for more tour dates.

The band will be busy this summer on the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, and they are currently on tour with After the Burial, The Contortionist and Within the Ruins.

Check out the video after the jump and visit City in the Sea’s official Facebook page for more information.

Gojira frontman Joseph Duplantier recently sat down with the folks at Jagermeister UK to talk about the French metallers’ upcoming DVD shoot and what’s happened in the past year.

On the heels of their 2012 album L’Enfant Sauvage, Gojira has just embarked on the European Jagermeister Music Tour with Ghost and the Defiled.

Watch the interview after the jump and check out Gojira’s official website for more information.