Category Archives: Staff Picks

Featured albums chosen monthly by our team members.

February STAFF PICK: Riddles, Ruins & Revelations by Sirenia

Symphonic metal institution SIRENIA are renewed in darkness on their tenth studio album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, released on February 12 via Napalm Records. The quartet around mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and producer Morten Veland is certainly not afraid of combining a heavy symphonic sound with modern influences, which their latest record, Arcane Astral Aeons (2018) is proof of. This time, SIRENIA offer an exciting new twist to their songs, spicing them with electronic vibes, but never losing sight of their musical core.

The four-piece remains as true to their album title word-play as they do to their dedication to symphonic soundscapes, drawing the listener into a pounding narrative about the darkest aspects of life. All eleven songs accumulate step by step to an integral sound artwork, where the versatile mezzo soprano voice of singer Emmanuelle Zoldan always shines in high-profile.

In addition, there are many enchanting, instrumental surprises lurking on the way that absolutely need to be discovered: With the opening “Addiction No. 1” the formation mainly based in Norway delivers an immense and catchy tune that will have fans of bands like Beyond The Black and Amaranthe falling in love immediately. “We Come To Ruins” offers a contrast of harshness and skillfully portrays the multi-faceted nature of SIRENIA. With “Downwards Spiral”, Emmanuelle is supported by the remarkable voice of longtime friend Joakim Næss on clean vocals, who has joined the band on previous releases. The band’s tenth full-length ends with a cover of Desireless` 1986 hit “Voyage Voyage”, where the band again impressively combines symphonic sounds with electronic atmosphere, which doesn’t count only for this final epos, but for Riddles, Ruins & Revelations as a whole.

Most parts of Riddles, Ruins & Revelations were recorded at Audio Avenue Studios in Stavanger, Norway, and mixed and mastered entirely by Morten Veland himself.

Sirenia “Riddles, Ruins & Revelations” album artwork

Chosen by:

Brittney Coon

Music Journalist

Sirenia Online

Website | Facebook | Instagram |
Twitter | Spotify

January STAFF PICK: Miss Anthropocene by Grimes

Miss Anthropocene is the fifth studio album by Canadian musician Grimes, released on February 21, 2020. It marked her first album in over four years, when she released Art Angels. It was officially announced on March 19, 2019. The album’s name is a pun on the feminine title ‘Miss’, and the words ‘misanthrope’ and ‘Anthropocene’, a neologism popularized in the year 2000 by Paul J. Crutzen that was proposed to denote the current geological age the Earth is in. 

“The album is a loose concept album about an ‘anthropomorphic goddess of climate change’ inspired by Roman mythology and villainy. Miss Anthropocene is Grimes’ final album on record label 4AD, to which she has been signed since 2012. The album is darker in style than Grimes’ 2015 album Art Angels, containing inspiration from the sounds of industrial music.” (Source: Wikipedia)

On January 1, 2021, Grimes released Miss Anthropocene (Rave Edition) featuring remixes by ANNA, Richie Hawtin, Channel Tres, Rezz, Âme, Tale Of Us, Julien Bracht, Things You Say, Modeselektor and Bloodpop.

Chosen by:

Katherine Amy Vega

Owner, Manager, Concert Photographer, Media Artist

Katherine Amy Vega
| Photography:
Jim “Fury” Hesterman

Grimes Online

Facebook | Instagram
| Twitter | YouTube | Spotify

November STAFF PICK: Love Is The King by Jeff Tweedy

“Released in conjunction with his book How to Write One Song, the Wilco frontman’s response to the pandemic is a mellow, easygoing collection of songs stressing the importance of human connection.” — Pitchfork

(Burning Hot Events earns from qualifying purchases.)

Jeff Tweedy’s New Album is Available Digitally Now

Vinyl and CD will be available January 15

PREORDER:

• US Wilco Store
• EU Wilco Store
• AUS Wilco Store
• Bandcamp
• Amazon
• Apple Music
 Spotify

All preorders come with an instant download of the full album.

Vinyl preorders before Jan. 14 in The Wilco Stores (US/EU/AU) will receive a free white 7″ single featuring two bonus tracks: “Susquehanna River” and “I’d Rather Be Alone.”  While supplies last.

Chosen by:

Ryan Novak

Music Journalist

Ryan Novak

Jeff Tweedy Online:

Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter
| Wilco Facebook | Wilco Website

August STAFF PICK: Old Flowers (Vinyl) by Courtney Marie Andrews

Courtney Marie Andrews, Old Flowers

“Created in the aftermath of a long-term relationship, Old Flowers features Andrews’ most vulnerable writing to date on ten new songs that chronicle her journey through heartbreak, loneliness and finding herself again after it all.” — Amazon

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Andrews reflects, “Old Flowers is about heartbreak. There are a million records and songs about that, but I did not lie when writing these songs. This album is about loving and caring for the person you know you can’t be with. It’s about being afraid to be vulnerable after you’ve been hurt. It’s about a woman who is alone, but okay with that, if it means truth. This was my truth this year—my nine-year relationship ended and I’m a woman alone in the world, but happy to know herself.”

Chosen by:

Katherine Amy Vega

Owner, Manager, Concert Photographer, Media Artist

Katherine Amy Vega
| Photography:
Jim “Fury” Hesterman

Courtney Marie Andrews Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
YouTube | Spotify | Bandcamp | SoundCloud


July STAFF PICK: VELVET by Adam Lambert

Artist, Album

Adam Lambert, VELVET [Explicit]

VELVET is the fourth studio album by singer Adam Lambert. He had intended to promote the September 2019 release in 2020, starting with a five date residency in Las Vegas, followed by a European tour. The postponement of these performances resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Praising Lambert’s work on VELVET, Variety’s A.D. Amorosi wrote, Perhaps tired of being Queen’s plus one, or smoothing over his rougher vocal edges, the 38-year-old out singer goes for something less glamorously amorously entertaining and more grimily soulful and sleekly funky than we’re used to hearing from him…” “…Adam Lambert has made “Velvet” a testament to finding his way, personally and professionally, in what is his most accomplished solo work to date.

Chosen by:

Mark Greenawalt

Senior Concert Photographer, Music Journalist

Mark Greenawalt - Concert Photographer, Music Journalist
Mark Greenawalt

Adam Lambert Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube | Spotify


June STAFF PICK: Everythangs Corrupt by Ice Cube

Artist, Album

Ice Cube, Everythangs Corrupt [Explicit]

Ice Cube’s Everythangs Corrupt was released on December 7, 2018. It was the first album from Ice Cube in 8 years (I Am The West was released in September of 2010 and peaked at #6 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart). Since then, he’s released the hit film, Straight Outta Compton, been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Burning Hot Events will donate any commissions earned through the purchase of Everythings Corrupt on Amazon through our links during the month of June to Rights4Girls — a human rights organization dedicated to ending gender-based violence against young women and girls in the U.S.

Black Lives Matter

“Racism is everywhere in sexual exploitation.

Pornography is rife with racist material that celebrates the degradation of black women and girls. Commercial sex buyers are predominantly white while victims of sex trafficking are disproportionately women and girls of color. Predators prey upon the people society has marginalized, which means minority communities are a prime target. The list goes on.

Addressing sexual exploitation means addressing racism and the systems that allow oppression and marginalization to continue.”
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Chosen by:

Katherine Amy Vega

Manager, Concert Photographer, Chief Editor

Katherine Amy Vega
| Photography:
Jim “Fury” Hesterman

Listen to “Arrest the President”

Ice Cube Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube | Spotify


May STAFF PICK: Mother by In This Moment

In This Moment
| Photographer:
Jeremy Saffer

Artist, Album

In This Moment, Mother 

Mother follows 2017’s beloved Ritual. Excitement for this record burns at a fevered pitch, as In This Moment landed on several “Most Anticipated” lists, including Alternative Press, Loudwire, and Revolver.

(Burning Hot Events earns from qualifying purchases.)

Chosen by:

Brittney Coon

Music Journalist

During this COVID-19 pandemic, everyone needs the work of artists to cope, and independent artists need your help to survive and keep making art. Please consider donating extra today to our hard work at Burning Hot Events or making a purchase from our brand new merch store!

Watch The Video for The New Song “The In-Between”

In This Moment Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube | Spotify


April STAFF PICK: Manic by Halsey

“GRAMMY Award-nominated, multi-Platinum artist and alternative pop maverick Halsey returns with her third full-length album Manic featuring her 5x Platinum hit “Without Me” and “Graveyard.” The success of “Without Me” has made Halsey the first and only female artist to have at least three songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100. It now ranks as the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit by a female artist of this century.” – Amazon

Artist, Album

Halsey, Manic 

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Chosen by:

Brianne Dunn

Content Editor

Brianne Dunn

During this COVID-19 pandemic, everyone needs the work of artists to cope, and independent artists need your help to survive and keep making art. Please consider donating extra today to our hard work at Burning Hot Events!