Art of Shock Share "The Spark" — WATCH + LISTEN

Hollywood's ART OF SHOCK — frontman Art Geezar, lead guitarist Nicholas Ertel, bassist Brice Snyder, and drummer Adrian Geezar — recently announced their second album Shine Black Light, out September 8 via Century Media. Pre-order it here.

Today, the band has shared the lyric video for "The Spark." Watch and listen below. 

"This is about us individuals whose behavior is or has been akin to chain-smoking in a fireworks factory," says Art. "To those who've had to endure such souls as us, I truly apologize. Yet, for the unacquainted, may you believe this speaks of another tale entirely." 

The album takes a massive step beyond the thrashing intensities already synonymous with the speed-limit-shattering quartet from Dark Angeles. "Shine Black Light is an album that came out of extreme times," says Art. "The lockdown felt like the end of the world for us. Like many other bands at the time, we felt crushed. It was a frustrating time, but we also found some good in it."

When it came time to select a producer, ART OF SHOCK weren't afraid to step outside their own comfort zone. They tapped fellow San Fernando Valley native Taylor Young. Known largely as a band member of boundary-bursting hardcore acts, Twitching Tongues and God's Hate, as well as the man behind the boards for the likes of Drain or Suicide Silence, Taylor was hardly an obvious choice for the band. With that, ART OF SHOCK  2023 is a much more lethal proposition now than the band that made Dark Angeles in 2019. They've grown miles past the band whose story began several years ago in Mexico City. It was there that brothers Art and Adrian grew up, inspired by classic thrash and metal bands that became the fuel for their earliest musical endeavors. Their early ambitions and push to get out of their native country brought them to Los Angeles, where a scrappy lineup of ART OF SHOCK began to make a dent playing in Hollywood.

 ART OF SHOCK (rounded out by lead guitarist Nick Ertel and bassist Brice Snyder) have shared bills over the years with the likes of Trivium, Hirax, and Sacred Reich and the experience only strengthened the band's live presence, but it was on the road where ART OF SHOCK have become a machine. Now, months before the release of Shine Black Light, the band has already completed two high-profile support slots: the rescheduled Sepultura jaunt in late 2022 and a Southwest and Californian run with machete-wielding death squad Brujeria in March 2023.

Wrapped in a sleeve by the legendary metal cover artist, Travis Smith (Opeth, Nevermore), Shine Black Light is full of twists, turns and unexpected moments from ART OF SHOCK.

Shine Black Light is an album born out of chaos and frustration that’s  become the start of a new chapter for ART OF SHOCK. Their fuck-all attitude is finally paying off. "We've become the band that we always dreamed about being,” says Art. “Through successes and disappointments, we’ve never given up or let anything stop us. It wasn't easy but it's been worth it – and it feels like things are just beginning."

Art of Shock Announce Album "Shine Black Light" + Share "Drag Me to Hell"

Hollywood's ART OF SHOCK — frontman Art Geezar, lead guitarist Nicholas Ertel, bassist Brice Snyder, and drummer Adrian Geezar — have announced their second album Shine Black Light, out September 8 via Century Media. Pre-order it here.

Today, the band has share the video for "Drag Me to Hell." Watch it below.

The clip was lensed by Chilean director Carlos Toro.

"'Drag Me to Hell' is very different from anything we've done in the past both lyrically and sonically," states Art Geezar. "Initially, it was difficult for me to share this song since it reflects my personal journey of survival. It captures a time when I felt powerless and somehow responsible for the violence inflicted upon me. It represents a moment when I couldn't envision a future beyond the endless cycle I was trapped in. However, like many others, I eventually realized that I wasn't alone and discovered the strength within myself to rewrite the ending of my story."

He finishes, "Unfortunately, there are still millions of people trapped in this nightmare. By sharing our journeys and showing solidarity with those who are still suffering, we can inspire them to find their inner strength. We can change the ending of the story. We are survivors."

The album takes a massive step beyond the thrashing intensities already synonymous with the speed-limit-shattering quartet from Dark Angeles. "Shine Black Light is an album that came out of extreme times," says Art. "The lockdown felt like the end of the world for us. Like many other bands at the time, we felt crushed. It was a frustrating time, but we also found some good in it."

When it came time to select a producer, ART OF SHOCK weren't afraid to step outside their own comfort zone. They tapped fellow San Fernando Valley native Taylor Young. Known largely as a band member of boundary-bursting hardcore acts, Twitching Tongues and God's Hate, as well as the man behind the boards for the likes of Drain or Suicide Silence, Taylor was hardly an obvious choice for the band. With that, ART OF SHOCK  2023 is a much more lethal proposition now than the band that made Dark Angeles in 2019. They've grown miles past the band whose story began several years ago in Mexico City. It was there that brothers Art and Adrian grew up, inspired by classic thrash and metal bands that became the fuel for their earliest musical endeavors. Their early ambitions and push to get out of their native country brought them to Los Angeles, where a scrappy lineup of ART OF SHOCK began to make a dent playing in Hollywood.

 ART OF SHOCK (rounded out by lead guitarist Nick Ertel and bassist Brice Snyder) have shared bills over the years with the likes of Trivium, Hirax, and Sacred Reich and the experience only strengthened the band's live presence, but it was on the road where ART OF SHOCK have become a machine. Now, months before the release of Shine Black Light, the band has already completed two high-profile support slots: the rescheduled Sepultura jaunt in late 2022 and a Southwest and Californian run with machete-wielding death squad Brujeria in March 2023.

Wrapped in a sleeve by the legendary metal cover artist, Travis Smith (Opeth, Nevermore), Shine Black Light is full of twists, turns and unexpected moments from ART OF SHOCK.

Shine Black Light is an album born out of chaos and frustration that’s  become the start of a new chapter for ART OF SHOCK. Their fuck-all attitude is finally paying off. "We've become the band that we always dreamed about being,” says Art. “Through successes and disappointments, we’ve never given up or let anything stop us. It wasn't easy but it's been worth it – and it feels like things are just beginning."

Art of Shock Share "Death Stays Silent" Video — WATCH

Hollywood's ART OF SHOCK — frontman Art Geezar, lead guitarist Nicholas Ertel, bassist Brice Snyder, and drummer Adrian Geezar — have dropped "Death Stays Silent." Watch the video here. 

The song is a thrashy throwback with modern edges and tackles an extremely topical issue.

"'Death Stays Silent' addresses the agony and hopelessness of battling mental illness," the band shares, pulling back the curtain on the songs deeper meaning. "It's about isolation and confinement, the yearning for support and empathy, and the exasperation of being neglected and dismissed, sometimes even by death itself. It aims to raise awareness of the severe consequences of disregarding those who suffer from mental health issues. We need to communicate and empathize with one another and, hopefully, by doing so, keep death silent for another day."

"Death Stays Silent" follows the release of their video for "2020v."  Watch it here. 

Stay tuned for more music to come in the near future.

Art of Shock's first album, Dark Angeles, was produced by Mark Lewis and released by Century Media Records at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Despite the challenging circumstances, the album was a testament to the band's drive and determination, eventually taking them across the U.S. and Canada and finding them sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the heavy metal genre, including Sepultura, Crowbar, and Sacred Reich.

Art of Shock Drop "2020v" Video — WATCH

Hollywood's ART OF SHOCK — frontman Art Geezar, lead guitarist Nicholas Ertel, bassist Brice Snyder, and drummer Adrian Geezar — have dropped their video for "2020v."

The track has quite a topical message.

"This song was written during the first few weeks of the pandemic lockdowns," the band says. "Rich, poor or famous, politician thief or mattress salesman. In 2020, all  humans were democratically sentenced, our lives disrupted in a way we hadn't seen since the last great war. The world grinded to a halt and became a prison as we faced a new and invisible enemy, wondering if we brought this on ourselves."

 "2020v" was produced by Taylor Young and accompanied by a visually stunning music video directed by Vicente Cordero. It is a testament to Art of Shock's commitment to pushing the boundaries of the heavy metal genre. The song is the first single from the upcoming full length, due out later this year.

Art of Shock's first album, Dark Angeles, was produced by Mark Lewis and released by Century Media Records at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Despite the challenging circumstances, the album was a testament to the band's drive and determination, eventually taking them across the U.S. and Canada and finding them sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the heavy metal genre, including Sepultura, Crowbar, and Sacred Reich.