Clipper Arnold

Editorial Director and Writer

United States

Clipper Arnold is an Editor/Writer, Musician, Artist, and Game Designer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He’s the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for Red Tank!, Founder/Lead Game Designer at Polyhedra Games, and the former COO at High Priority LLC. He has ghostwritten speeches and materials for politicians and State House Representatives. He’s worked as an Editorial Director for Arena Music. He also does freelance writing, graphic design, sound engineering, and web design. He is available for all of your music, content, storytelling, advertising, and project managing needs.

Portfolio
Ghosts & Flowers
06/10/2024
Cometa Negra’s Live Record Kicks Ass

Cometa Negra is a psychedelic rhythmic sledgehammer, a meandering metallic wall of noise, and a sludgy riff-fest with a dash of needle-piercing guitar solos. They strike a delicate balance: one which necessitates locking the hell in™ to that heavy downtempo groove while also blasting the noise, solos, and tempos to the redline when it’s time to get a lil weird with it. Their newest release is a live project courtesy of Dynamite Tapes. With all the raw adrenaline and energy of a live...

Jacobin
07/30/23
The Power Rangers Set Was a Hotbed of Labor Exploitation

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was awesome and will live in our hearts forever. Sadly, it was also a completely disastrous nonunion workplace where actors were paid pennies, worked to the ground, homophobically bullied, and nearly set on fire.

Polyhedra Games
05/31/2023
How to design and publish your own tabletop RPG

Making a tabletop RPG is a very fun, fulfilling, and creative endeavor. There are some parts of it that are hard work, but there’s never been a better time than now to set yourself to the task and make use of available resources. Whether it’s a metalhead’s viking fantasy, a surreal and abstract dreamscape, or a fantasy heartbreaker, there are many different ways to go about mechanics, layout, and distribution of your game.

Ghosts & Flowers
03/28/2023
Amador Diaz new single “Breathewithyou”

Between soft and contemplative piano melodies, breakbeats, and characteristically processed vocals, “Breathewithyou” is a hypermodern elegy combining sparse and disparate elements into something novel and profound. If you prefer a more upbeat, danceable, or #nightcore version, the second half of this single “Breathwithyou – EXE Mix” also has you covered. This release is the second single from Amador Diaz’s forthcoming album Air Dash, which will be released later in 2023.

Polyhedra Games
10/11/22
Classic opening sequences for tabletop RPG campaigns

The beginning of any journey starts with the first step. After you’ve read all your books, gathered friends, and created characters, it’s time to get into the action. Though, where is best to begin your epic tale?

Ghosts & Flowers
02/22/2023
“on a plain” – An interview with monopark

monopark has just released a record called “on a plain.” They’re a largely instrumental duo focused on ambient and growling synths, hip-hop-adjacent percussion, reserved breakbeats, bells, soft acoustic melodies, and verbed-out lead keys with a lot of character.

Ghosts & Flowers
11/25/2021
Indie Rock Nostalgia and Lova Noka

There’s a specific type of indie rock cultivated between the 2000s and early 2010s which was a coalescing of energetic rock guitars/drums/bass and sweet, dreamy melodies. It was surely informed by melodic pop sensibilities, but rough enough to be meaningful, authentic, and personable. It was perhaps a convergence of common elements of ’90s lo-fi, jangly brit-pop, and indie rock, ’80s guitar rock and power pop, and some ’50s and ’60s rock and garage pop. I don’t know, it was maybe all and none...

Ghosts & Flowers
05/15/2021
“aight, u?” – An interview with MC|DC and Gimpheart

In an increasingly disconnected world, tiny moments of sincere connection — like checking in with friends to see how they’re doing — can have new meaning. Subtle or otherwise mundane occurrences can similarly breed joy, reflection, or commonality in the right context. This record might be a little bit like that.

Entertainment Voice
09/12/2019
Charli XCX Returns With the Avant Pop of 'Charli'

Since her hit "Boom Clap," Charli XCX has proven herself to be an energetic songwriter. Charli's third studio albium, "Charli," is a futuristic avant-pop experiment in songcraft, a unique record in that seamlessly blends her underground sensibilities with pop stylings, and includes features from Lizzo, Haim, Sky Ferreira, Cupcakke, and Clairo.

Entertainment Voice
09/12/2019
Pixies Return With Their Best Songs in Years on 'Beneath the Eyrie'

One of the most influential rock bands of all time, Pixies have inspired various '90s alt bands, from Nirvana to Radiohead and beyond. For their seventh album, "Beneath the Eyrie," they've managed to drum up a bit of their old flair, even chronicling the album creation process with a podcast.

LANDR Blog
09/11/2019
26 Samples Tips: The A-Z of Using Samples in Your Music Production | LANDR Blog

Samples are some of the most powerful tools in your music production arsenal. They're bits of sound that you can chop, loop, stack on top of each other, and manipulate any way you want. In this article we're breaking down the A-Z of tips, tricks and techniques to help you work better with samples.

Entertainment Voice
09/06/2019
'Hollywood's Bleeding' Exhibits Post Malone's Unique Affinity for Pop Artistry

First rising to prominence with "White Iverson," Post Malone established himself as a pop trap sensation where many others could have easily sunk into the churning tides of one-hit wonderdom. After releasing "Stoney" and having every song on "beerbongs & bentleys" chart, however, there was no question of his staying power.

Entertainment Voice
09/06/2019
Bat for Lashes Evoke Youthful Abandon on 'Lost Girls'

Throughout her successive releases as Bat For Lashes, English singer-songwriter Natasha Khan has explored varying realms of art pop and synth-tinged indie music, accompanied by equally haunting and enchanting vocals. Her latest album as Bat for Lashes, "Lost Girls," centers the motorcycle-riding, girl gang-affiliated runaway Nikki Pink as its protagonist.

Entertainment Voice
09/05/2019
Iggy Pop Will Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night on 'Free'

At the age of 72, Iggy Pop is, of course, a legendary performer and musician. Known for his shirtless, spirited live performances, and rocket-propelled vocals dating back to his initial output with the Stooges, Iggy has released eighteen solo records over the years.

Entertainment Voice
08/30/2019
Lana Del Rey's 'Norman F-king Rockwell' Is the Next Best American Record

Lana Del Rey built a career from a single-handed synthesis of summertime vibes and sadness by crafting indie-adjacent songs with pop sensibilities, and straining American nostalgia and luxury through a dreamily despondent filter. After five albums of melancholy subject matter and sultry vocals, "NFR" may just be LDR's magnum opus.

Entertainment Voice
08/30/2019
Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Is the Album Fans Have Been Waiting For

It has been thirteen years since Tool released "10,000 Days," their fourth studio album in a line of records released to critical acclaim and commercial success. A band unlike any other, Tool are known for putting out heavily emotive songs that are cerebral and complex, yet primal.

Entertainment Voice
08/23/2019
Taylor Swift Is at the Top of Her Game With 'Lover'

There's been a lot of hype surrounding Swift's seventh studio album, "Lover," her first set of owned recordings released through Republic Records. Swift's previous six studio albums were recorded on the recently sold Big Machine Records label, with Swift having voiced discontent about the sell and not owning the rights to her own masters.

Entertainment Voice
08/23/2019
Missy Elliott's 'Iconology' Puts a New Spin on Classic Missy

It's been almost 14 years since the last collection of music from Missy Elliott, but she's certainly been poised for a comeback. She has released a number of singles since her last record, and most recently, she was featured on Lizzo's "Tempo." On Thursday, Missy Elliott tweeted that she was releasing new music at midnight.

Entertainment Voice
08/16/2019
Sleater-Kinney Pick up the Pieces as Things Fall Apart on 'The Center Won't Hold'

Olympia, Washington's Sleater-Kinney have long been a revered indie rock band. On "The Center Won't Hold," the band's ninth studio album, Sleater-Kinney have certainly altered the formula, but kept a hint of familiarity. As a St. Vincent-produced affair, there are sleek production techniques, synthesizers, and programmed drums accompanying more restrained guitar and drum work.

Arena Music
07/31/2019
3 Upcoming Garage Rock Releases

August is packed with releases from garage rock artists. We delve into what you can expect from King Gizzard, Oh Sees, and Ty Segall.

Arena Music
06/29/2019
Chance's "Acid Rap" Gets Re-release

Chance the Rapper re-releases "Acid Rap" and "10 Day" mixtapes for commercial streaming. We take a look back the impact of "Acid Rap"

Arena Music
06/21/2019
Album Review - Lil Nas X "7"

The "Old Town Road" artist came in on a dusty whirlwind of controversy, and attempts to strike while the iron's still hot

LANDR Blog
06/04/2019
5 Places to Find Inspiration Outside of Music | LANDR Blog

Creativity can mean many things. To write a song that really resonates you'll have to draw from sources of inspiration that go way beyond music. We're still learning a lot about creativity from modern psychology and neuroscience, but a lot of its power is said to lie in divergent thinking .

Arena Music
06/01/2019
Apple to Phase out iTunes

iTunes, once a cultural institution in the world of digital music, is being phased out in favor of standalone Apple apps

Arena Music
06/01/2019
How to Record an Album in a Weekend

Some albums take years to craft, while others are knocked out in a few hours on a weekend. If your recording output is in a slump, try simplifying the process so that it works for you.

Arena Music
04/28/2019
Album Review - Wand "Laughing Matter"

Wand's newest record is impressionistic and interest-piquing. Filled with psychedelic rock and ambient texture, it draws from disparate influences to create something wholly unique.

LANDR Blog
04/26/2019
The 10 Best Free Songwriting Tools for Musicians | LANDR Blog

Writing songs is tough. Sometimes you don't know where to start and other times you feel completely stuck. But it doesn't have to be depressing. There are more great tools out there to help with songwriting than ever before Need to find the right chord progression for that bridge?

Arena Music
03/15/2019
Tierra Whack's Weekly Singles

Philadelphia hip hop artist Tierra Whack has been releasing a single each week for the past month, with her most recent release, "Wasteland", dropping a few days ago.

Arena Music
03/01/2019
3 Essential Independent Record Stores/Labels

The record store has long been an essential cultural institution. It's a place where you can gather to discuss music, browse album covers, and discover new or old gems. While they might have once been more lucrative and indispensable to music listeners, the independent record store still very much exists, and is arguably more vital and necessary for independent music than ever before.

Arena Music
03/01/19
Shoegaze's Holy Trinity

In the '90s, British indie rockers pioneered and crystallized the art of shoegazing--crafting albums with loud, effects-heavy guitar work. Out of this once niche scene came the "holy trinity" of shoegaze bands and albums, which consisted of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless (1991), Slowdive's Souvlaki (1993), and Ride's Nowhere (1990).

LA Record
02/25/19
FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS: ZAM (PLUS ALBUM PREMIERE!)

If you are an L.A.-area musician who would like to submit music of any genre for review, email a stream or download link to [email protected]. FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS ZAM Greenway Frankie and the Witch Fingers' output has run from '60s garage- and psych-inspired material to fuzzed-out music with a punky edge-stuff that bears a strong resemblance to contemporary L.A.

Arena Music
02/15/2019
The Irrelevance of The Grammys

Every year, time continues its relentless march--and awards shows follow suit. Every year, people discuss who was snubbed, who was robbed of awards, who caused commotion, and who should have been nominated. At their best, awards shows are a celebration of culture and artistic achievement in popular music.

Arena Music
02/15/2019
Classics Review: Sonic Youth "Daydream Nation"

I first listened to Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation in my bedroom in high school. I was probably about 15-years-old. While some of it was initially pretty abrasive and strange, I decided to listen to the album in its entirety to see what was going on beneath all the weird squealing guitars.

Arena Music
02/01/2019
Tips for Independent and DIY Musicians

Navigating the world of independent music and DIY culture can be tough, especially when you don't know where to start. One minute you're playing some cool songs in the garage and the next minute, expectations set in.

Arena Music
02/01/2019
4 Inventive Independent Hip-Hop Acts

Noname With 2016's Telefone mixtape and her debut album Room 25 (2018), Chicago-born Noname has two solid self-released projects under her belt. She rose to prominence in 2013, following her feature on Chance the Rapper's Acid Rap. Her simultaneously candid and dextrous lyricism is often offset by melodic jazz, strings, and choral arrangements.

Arena Music
01/13/2019
Explaining the Cassette's Resurgence

With listening audiences streaming more music and CD sales dragging, many are turning to vinyl and cassette tapes for physical releases.

Arena Music
12/31/2018
11 of the Best Albums of 2018

2018 was a great year for music full of noisy indie rock, punk rippers, psychedelic trap. Here are a few favorites from the year in no particular order.

Arena Music
11/09/2018
The Club is Open: Tracing the Trajectory of Lo-fi Music

Lo-fi can be a nebulous term. It can be used to describe analog tape warmth and record crackles. Some have used the term to describe Beach Boys recordings, bedroom pop musicians, cassette culture, certain scenes in the Pacific Northwest, and nostalgic jazzy hip-hop.

Arena Music
10/22/18
Are Greta Van Fleet Shamelessly Ripping off Led Zeppelin?

They seem like nice lads. They wear "cool" clothes. They have music in car commercials. They're a young band who was playing sold out tours off of a double EP. They just released a new record on a Universal imprint. And, there's that cliched quote about good artists copying and great artists stealing.

Arena Music
10/14/18
5 Best New Releases

These past few weeks have yielded some exciting releases. Here are a few favorites. milo - budding ornithologists are tired of weary anologies milo's most recent album is a 15 tracks of contemplative poetry. It was released on September 21st. It's characterized by an even more immediate stream of consciousness than is featured on his previous releases.

Arena Music
11/14/16
Mike Park of Asian Man Records on DIY, Politics, and more

Asian Man Records is a an independent, DIY label run by Mike Park in Northern California. Initially specializing in putting out records from Skankin' Pickle and similar ska bands--the label has, over the course of 20 years, proven to be a launching pad for all variety of independent music--all while being run out of Mike's parents' garage.

Arena Music
09/04/18
Album Review: "Astroworld" by Travis Scott

Travis Scott's third studio album, Astroworld, was released in August. It's his follow up to Birds in the Trap Sing Mcknight (2016) and his Rodeo (2015) debut. The psychedelic trap album features artists like Frank Ocean, Drake, the Weeknd, 21 Savage, and more.

Arena Music
12/17/18
4 Great Garage Punk Bands

With all the raucous energy, yelping, and noisy guitars--these bands are some prime examples genre

Arena Music
12/04/18
5 Classic Post-Punk Records

In the late '70s and early '80s, punk was taking a new shape. Here are 5 classic albums from that era.

Arena Music
12/04/2018
5 Classic Hip-Hop Records

The Golden Age of Hip-Hop is characterized by various unique voices, from Biggie to Tribe, here are a few favorites.

Arena Music
12/17/18
Rock & Roll Action Figures

Bands have always found ways to create novel merchandise, but one of the cooler and more interesting ways to be immortalized is as an action figure. Here are some of the coolest, best, or more notable band-inspired action figures

Arena Music
05/02/2017
Arena Music Pays Artists In Bitcoin

Arena has been experimenting with offering payouts in the popular cryptocurrency. Today, it unveils its plans to offer the payout program to all artists on the platform.

Arena
11/30/2016
California X are really into Dungeons & Dragons

For sounding like a fuzzed-out autonomous war machine, it makes sense that Massachusetts-based California X spend a lot of their time practicing escapist small group skirmishes

Diginativ
03/26/16
Leika Kitamura | Artist Profile - Diginativ

Author: Clipper Arnold Introduction I personally have been, and continue to be today, a fan of Digimon. Perhaps some of this derives from rose-tinted, bittersweet nostalgia. Though, it spoke to me as a child, and continues to speak to me. Digimon incorporated narratives of friendship and morality to be expected of children's media, though it also encouraged and [...]

Arena
Milo Returns With a New Record, Asks ''Who Told You To Think''

The 404-wielding, Nietzsche-quoting, Ruby Yacht-repping wordsmith returns with a new full-length entitled Who Told You To Think?​?​!​!​?​!​?​!​?​!. This is his first album project since the monolithic So The Flies Don't Come (2015)--that is if you don't count the mixtapes and albums he's released since under the Scallops Hotel moniker / alter ego.

Arena
Album Review: Yung Lean - "Stranger"

Yung Lean released his third studio album Stranger last month. The internet-based, cloud rap-affiliated, Swedish sad boy icon is known for his absurdist lyricism and laid back delivery. Early on, sometimes bars were populated with too many syllables for him to finesse with adequate dexterity.

Arena
Album Review: Jeff Rosenstock "POST-"

Jeff Rosenstock's third solo record is a surprise release composed in the fallout of the 2016 presidential election POST- is an album which speaks to feelings of anger, apathy, desperation, isolation, and hopelessness.

Arena
Album Review: "Snares Like a Haircut" by No Age

No Age revisit and redefine their beloved sound No Age are rightfully revered as seasoned Los Angeles DIY heroes. They've long-championed all ages venues like The Smell, toured relentlessly for years, and have likely been instrumental in shaping a new tide of lo-fi indie rock for over a decade now.

Arena
Diners on Skateboarding & Singing Karaoke to Stoner Metal Bands

Diners is a band and songwriting project created by Tyler Broderick. The 24-year-old Phoenician has been on extensive DIY tours the past few years with label-mates AJJ, Jeff Rosenstock, and Dogbreth. We met up with Tyler at a local coffee shop as he gears up for another tour and the release of his new record, "Three".

Arena
On Mortality and Art-Punk, the Legacy of WIRE

Wire are a legendary band. With a career spanning several decades and albums, it's hard to know what to expect from a band who so consistently and readily defy expectations. This is the experience of a young person at a Wire concert in 2017.

Arena
Japandroids Release New Album After 5 Years

Cover Photo by Leigh Righton Japandroids have always been a band whose style has been characterized by sprawling, noisy, energetic, inspiring, and anthemic tracks. Sometimes this sprawl and momentum might come at the expense of coming across as a bit reckless or uncouth, but the energy tends to make up for it.

Arena
Lo-Fi Hip Hop and the Legacy of Sampling Technology

Forged in dark bedrooms, largely on standalone sampling technology, there's a soothing anachronistic vibe which flows through the digital ether. Lo-fi hip hop might appear at first blush to be partially informed by the ethos of vaporwave, but in many ways, predates it--it's an amalgam of nostalgia primarily unified sonically via downtempo drums and jazz samples with an ear for its own decay.

Arena
New Wicca Phase Springs Eternal EP Released

Yesterday, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal released a new EP entitled Stop Torturing Me. The 5 tracks are a collaboration with Horse Head, another GothBoiClique affiliate. They're a collection of reverbed out guitar samples, hip-hop percussion, and Wicca Phase's characteristically emotive lyricism. Wicca Phase Springs Eternal is Adam McIlwee's hip-hop project.

Arena
King Gizzard and the Tradition of Psychedelic Fantasy

The comic book shop I frequent will often play Oh Sees albums (fka Thee Oh Sees) while I scour the racks for material. I pull up comics to examine the cover art and thumb through the pages while John Dwyer's familiar reverbed-out yelp blares overhead.

Arena
Oh Sees ''Orc'', A Track-By-Track Review

Oh Sees (fka Thee Oh Sees, OCS, or whatever they decide to call themselves at any given point in time) are a band fronted by the prolific John Dwyer. Having already amassed a giant discography, this band plugs away in the studio and it shows. They just released "Orc" on August 25th.

Arena
Flying Microtonal Banana, King Gizz Grapple With 'Imperfection'

In February, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard released the first of five records they plan on putting out in 2017. It is called Flying Microtonal Banana. The album is, in many ways, quintessential garagey psych-rock one might expect from the Melbourne-based septet.

Arena
Bully Bring a Grungy Approach to "Losing"

Bully released their second record "Losing" on Sub Pop a couple of weeks ago. It's garagey, grungy, and more forcefully delivered than their previous material. While featuring quite a bit of songwriting similarities track-by-track, it's still a very solid and enjoyable record. Alicia Bognanno's screams and yelps soar up and down each track.

Arena
Hesperus Release Music Video for "Smoking a Cig"

Hesperus is one of the more exciting experimental hip-hop groups to come out of the Phoenix scene in recent years. Their debut album Dark Corners in My Circle premiered in late 2017. It's delightfully lyrically complex, but often melodic, harmonic, and hook-y. Instrumentals feature an array of lush synths, noisy guitar textures, and danceable beats.

Diginativ
Das Video Game Kapital - Diginativ

Co-Authors: Clipper Arnold and Sam Thomas "All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned" - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party The gaming industry is a recent victim of capital's constant need to revolutionize itself, resulting in its own ossification.

Arena
An Interview with Aydin Immortal from Wolvves

When Wolvves first announced they were breaking up in early 2015, Aydin Immortal articulated his interest in forming a new project called Paradox Valley. But, in the midst of intensive daily 10 hour sessions of working on new material, his primary collaborator "had a meltdown, moved home, and quit art," Aydin says.

Arena
Captain Samurai Release ''Two Years'' EP

This month, Captain Samurai released a new EP entitled Two Years. It's an impressive and aesthetically similar follow-up to 2015's Hey Thanks Goodbye. The following is an interview with Amador Diaz, who fronts Captain Samurai, about the new EP. What was the process like for writing and recording "Two Years"?

Diginativ
09/09/2016
Sky Blade Cloud on ROM-Hacking: Online Video Game Fan Translation Projects

Something in the digital ether has given rise to novel forms of altruism. Under rational, self-interested models of market systems, there's not much of a "logical" reason for someone to upload every episode of Bleach (for instance) to YouTube or torrent websites. Quite the opposite, in fact. In doin

Arena
Blissing Room - Know You | Video Premiere

Blissing Room is a recording project led by Dane Jarvie. A former Chicagoan, Jarvie moved to Phoenix for school when he was 18, but currently resides in Austin, Texas. "Know You" is the first single off the group's upcoming debut, Comfort Life Eternal.

Arena
7 Classic Slappers In Cinema

Film is an exceptional medium which aims to combine the best elements of theater, visual art, and music. There are plenty of climactic movie moments which could only be captured by pairing the perfect song. This list delves into a few of those moments.

Diginativ
02/25/2016
Digimon: A Postcyberpunk Narrative of Digital Natives and Digital Nomadism

Introduction I personally have been, and continue to be today, a fan of Digimon. Perhaps some of this derives from rose-tinted, bittersweet nostalgia. Though, it spoke to me as a child, and continues to speak to me. Digimon incorporated narratives of friendship and morality to be expected of childr

Arena
Sentient Divide and the Ethos of Vegan Black Metal

Sentient Divide are self-described "vegan blackened hardcore" from the Pacific Northwest. They performed at Valley Bar on August 6th with Rotting Yellow, Pig City, and The Living Receiver as part of a larger West Coast tour. Bathed in only the shine of a red stage light, their set was focused, crushing, and fast.

Diginativ
06/13/16
Solomon Bobinac | Artist Profile - Diginativ

Author: Clipper Arnold Milk Gallery is a virtual art museum created by @beefmilk from Twitter. The program incorporates work from various artists from the far reaches of the internet into a gamified virtual experience. You can walk (not run, as the entrance sign advises) and jump through the gallery at your leisure.

Arena
The 25 Best Albums of 2016

There are many lists that aim to rank, collect, and categorize the best releases of the year. The following are some of the most impactful and influential releases. While there are plenty additional albums that would deserve a spot on this list, we've attempted to concisely collect our thoughts on some of our favorite albums of this year that we think you would want to know about or hear discussed.

Arena
Phoenix Rapper mr.UU on Dark Avenue, Death Grips, Witch House

Uche Ujania, aka mr. UU, is a hip-hop artist based out of Phoenix, AZ. His new record Dark Avenue, was released on March 17th. Arena interviewed him about his new music, making hip-hop music after Death Grips, and being a punk kid from the suburbs. When did you start mr. UU?

Arena
Injury Reserve Release New Video

Injury Reserve are one of the most prominent (and arguably on of the best) hip-hop acts from Phoenix. Consisting of Parker Corey, Nathaniel Ritchie, and Jordan Stepa Groggs, the trio also champion the importance and relevancy of collaborative hip-hop endeavors in 2016.

Arena
Grid Search Is Phoenix's Newest Electronic Collective

Grid Search Collective is the most recent development in Phoenix's underground electronic scene. In an often-times disparately connected community, collectivizing and unifying under musical and artistic aesthetics can be a challenge. I talked to Michael Cullan (who produces as Bourbaki) about how he and his collaborators attempt to bridge the gap.

Arena
3 (Non-Metal) Recommendations for Fans of Black Sabbath

It goes without saying that Black Sabbath are one of the most influential bands of all time. In fact, it's hard to to make any vaguely dark or heavy riff in rock music without drawing a Black Sabbath comparison. That being said, some tend to be more blatant than accidental in their Sabbath worship.

Arena
Budding Bedroom Emcee, MC|DC Releases ''Blahssom''

MC|DC is a Phoenix-based rapper. He performs vocals, trombone, and auxiliary percussion in various bands around the area (Sun Conscious, Exxxtra Crispy, Hesperus), but also has a solo project he leads. He often reaches out to his roommate Dadadoh, his friend Andy Warpigs, or others for additions.

Diginativ
05/17/2016
Milk Gallery: Virtual Art Museums and the Digital Gallery Experience

Milk Gallery is a virtual art museum created by @beefmilk from Twitter. The program incorporates work from various artists from the far reaches of the internet into a gamified virtual experience. You can walk (not run, as the entrance sign advises) and jump through the gallery at your leisure.

Modern Times Magazine
03/26/16
Digging Deep With A GMO Food Expert

Brian Nadon, a doctoral student at the University of Georgia's Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics. Image supplied by Brian Nadon. University of Georgia Doctoral Student Brian Nadon Sat Down With Modern Times Magazine To Discuss Genetically Modified Foods By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine March 22, 2016 - There's a lot of incendiary rhetoric that gets thrown around regarding genetically modified foods (more commonly referred to as GMOs or GM foods).

Arena
Sonic Youth's ''Washing Machine'' Turns 22

On September 26th in 1995, Sonic Youth released Washing Machine.It's a drone-y, idiosyncratic, oft-spoken word excursion into the band's noisy sonic universe. A sharp contrast to the record that preceded it, which was described as "claustrophobic," Washing Machine has been described as a more open-ended release.

Arena
Interview and Single Premiere for Sincerely Collins - New Times

Sincerely Collins is a 26-year-old hip-hop artist from Phoenix, Arizona. Today, he premieres an exclusive new track for Arena. He's found immense success in the Arizona hip-hop scene, with his single "Light Work"--which received consistent play on Power 98.3 FM. His other single, "Possible," also reached the top 12 most Shazamed records in the valley.

Arena
Phoenix Independent Music Set to Erupt

There's been a tense tug of war being waged between major labels and indie labels since the dawn of time, or perhaps the early 20th century--largely fueled by technological innovation (cheaper physical reproduction, and later digital and streaming technologies) and the drive to keep up with demand for novel or influential cultural phenomena.

Arena
On Streaming Rates and Why Your Favorite Bands Work Day Jobs

It's no secret that the music industry is a monstrous capitalistic parasite which devours and regurgitates everything it touches--leaving no trace of subtlety or nuance in its wake after it extracts every piece of profit it can from budding artists or trends.

Arena
RNA: Noise-Rock from Phoenix

RNA are a Phoenix-based noise rock band composed of Jeremy Peterson and Zebadiah Scibelli-Gotlieb. They released their self-titled in 2015 and Deltas in 2016. They put out a "live" album based on a collection of self-recordings called "Live! Playing to no one" in April. We spoke with Zeb about this collection of recordings, among other things.

Arena
Here's Everything We Know About the New Parquet Courts Record

Parquet Courts are one of the most celebrated contemporary punk bands. Often valorized for their DIY ethos, the band keeps most of the art (done by guitarist and vocalist Andrew Savage) and production (often done by guitarist and vocalist Austin Brown) in house.

Modern Times Magazine
04/10/15
Hardcore Group Resists "Bro" Culture

Roger Zubiate Of Local Hardcore Band, Cloak, Reviews Their First Year And First Release As A Band, Discussing Musical And Lyrical Aspirations As Well As Where The Band Is Headed In 2015 By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine April 10, 2015 - Cloak is a drone, sludge, and doom influenced hardcore band based in Tempe, Arizona.

Modern Times Magazine
11/25/14
Tristan Jemsek of Dogbreth Talks Tours, Classic Rock, More

Fresh Off An International Tour With Andrew Jackson Jihad, The DIY Phoenix-Based Outfit Shares That Some Of The Members Have A Love For Classic Rock Luminaries Such As Pink Floyd, The Eagles And The Boss By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Nov. 25, 2014 -Dogbreth are a Phoenix-based indie-rock and pop-punk band.

Modern Times Magazine
11/05/2014
Arizona GOP Wins 2014 Battle, Preps For 2016 War

Republicans Continued Their National Win Streak In Arizona To Nab The State's Executive Seats, But Democrats Still Manage To Celebrate Thanks To Wins By Gallego, Sinema and Kirkpatrick By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Nov.

Modern Times Magazine
10/23/14
Raymond McAndrew Talks Perfect Pussy

The Guitarist Talks Being In A Cutting Edge, Woman-Led Punk Band, The Syracuse, N.Y. Music Scene, Relentless Touring As Well As Giving Updates On Side Projects Like SSWAMPZZ By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Oct. 23, 2014 - Perfect Pussy are a noise rock band from Syracuse, New York.

Modern Times Magazine
09/19/14
Even After Resigning, Pearce Will Not Go Away

Now That Russell Pearce Has Left His Republican Party Position After Drawing Criticism - Even From Within The Party - Some Might Think He Will Go Away, But The Reality Of The Situation Indicates Something More Troubling About The American Right

Modern Times Magazine
09/04/2014
The Night Ruben Gallego Became A Congressman

In An Important Democratic Primary, Ruben Gallego Gains The Nomination - And Effectively The Congressional Seat - More Than Two Months Before The General Election By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Sep. 4, 2014 - This past Tuesday, Ruben Gallego successfully won the democratic nomination for Congressional District 7 after receiving close to fifty percent of the vote.

Archive
08/20/14
Races To Watch In The Arizona Midterm Primaries

With The State's Primaries On The Horizon We Take A Look At Some Interesting Races, Including Those For Governor, Corporation Commission And Both Congressional District No. 7 And No. 9 By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Aug.

Medium
08/16/2014
Virtual Reality holds promise of an exciting new medium

Virtual reality has been traditionally relegated to the realm of science fiction. The concept might beckon images of the holodeck from Star Trek, the headset from Sword Art Online, or some sort of bleeding edge technology from a William S. Gibson novel.

Modern Times Magazine
08/06/2014
Grand Canyon Coal Plant Deal Is Short-Term Band-Aid

Close-up of the flue gas stacks and SO2 scrubber absorber, looking northwest on the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona. The EPA Has Approved A Proposal By The Self-Proclaimed Technical Working Group - Led By Salt River Project And Other Plant Owners - That Will Reduce Emissions At The Navajo Generating Station By One-Third By Clipper Arnold Special for Modern Times Magazine Aug.

Medium
06/24/2014
An interview with Emperor X about his new album, influences and more

Your show at the Trunk Space was very energetic. Reading through your CD (of live recordings) it was apparent that you took a journalistic or poetic approach to new tour experiences. How long have you kept a tour diary? Is it a physical notebook or is it digital?

Medium
05/08/2014
Episode VII Brings New Hope: - WolframOmega - Medium

However JJ Abrams handles Star Wars Episode VII, there is a high probability that some people somewhere on the internet will be very pissed off about it. There is a reason why when people get in heated discussions about music and start referencing The Beatles I immediately disengage.