Back on February 19th, 1948, Tony Iommi was born. Tony Iommi turns a young 64 today. Guitar Legend. Founding member of Black Sabbath. Metal Legend. What more can be said about what Tony Iommi has accomplished for the evolution of Heavy Metal? One more thing can be said, however:
LONG LIVE TONY IOMMI.
Stone.
YES – Back on February 19th, 1971, the third studio album from Yes was released in the UK on Atlantic Records. Conveniently titled The Yes Album, it boasts three songs that catapulted Yes into the stratosphere of Rock and Progressive Rock notoriety. Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper and I’ve Seen All Good People became eventual permanent listening fixtures on FM radio. These are easily the three songs from Yes that triggered me to become a fan of their music, so many years ago.
The Yes Album is without question, my favorite album from the Yes catalog. The Yes Album I regard as a 100% Progressive Rock and Rock classic, from a seriously legendary band that helped pioneer Progressive Rock. Yes belongs nominated and inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame… what an obvious scandal that this iconic band has not been given membership from that confusing “establishment” as of yet.
The Yes Album was released in the United States one month after its UK release. This was the first Yes album that featured the (eventual) legendary guitarist: Steve Howe. For me, I find it so amazing, that The Yes Album was released over 40 years ago and it still sounds so fresh and brilliant to this day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve escaped stress while listening to The Yes Album. As fine of an introduction to Progressive Rock as you’ll hear, The Yes Album stands alone. Simply timeless to my ears is The Yes Album.
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Jon Anderson – lead vocals
Steve Howe – guitars, vocals & vihuela
Chris Squire – bass & vocals
Tony Kaye – organ, piano & moog
Bill Bruford – drums
* For more info on YES, click on the links below:
LONG LIVE YES.
Stone.
There certainly is something in that New Jersey water that can produce some incredible music. FOREVER’S EDGE is a conglomerate of Metal’s finest featuring Clay Barton (Suspyre), Salvatore Pisano, Andrew Distabile (Suspyre), Mike Pignataro, Samus Paulicelli (Decrepit Birth, ex-Suspyre, ex-Mutiny Within, ex-Abigail Williams), and Sharon MacPherson.
FOREVER’S EDGE has some of the most technical musicianship layered with soaring vocals by Barton and complex song structures. For anyone who has even the slightest interest in Progressive Metal, this is a band that will have you hooked.
The band is currently in the studio (Erypsus Studios) recording their second, as of yet unnamed, masterpiece. The album is due to be out in the summer of 2012 with a load of updates and announcements in the mean time.
Swedish epic Power Metallers SABATON have revealed a bunch of details for the bands upcoming album Carolus Rex which will be released May 25 via Nuclear Blast Records.
The lyrics for the CD deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721) and are sung entirely in Swedish.
Commented the band: “For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on ‘Carolus Rex’, and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a Heavy Metal album should sound like!”
Liljegren’s previously published works include acclaimed biographies of Karl XII among others. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series “Boston Tea Party”.
The album’s release will be followed by a two-year world tour.
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CAROLUS REX – Track Listing:
01. Dominium Maris Baltici
02. Lejonet Från Norden
03. Gott Mit Uns
04. En Livstid I Krig
05. 1 6 4 8
06. Karolinens Bön
07. Carolus Rex
08. Ett Slag Färgat Rött
09. Poltava
10. Konungens Likfärd
11. Ruina Imperii
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on SABATON, click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/sabaton
LONG LIVE SABATON.
Stone.
As I was trolling around for some cool Metal festivals for 2012, I came across Metal Hammer Presents: Destroyers Of The Faith 2012. The concert poster pic above says it all! Cannibal Corpse, Triptykon, Enslaved and Job For A Cowboy. ‘Nuff said there, when it comes to Metal of the Extreme! This potently Extreme Metal tour takes place this March 7th through the 11th out in the UK.
The new CANNIBAL CORPSE studio album TORTURE, releases on March 13, 2012 in North America, via Metal Blade Records.
* For more info, click on the links below:
http://www.kililive.com/artists/destroye…
CANNIBAL CORPSE – Official Website
LONG LIVE EXTREME METAL.
Stone.
Massacre Records are proud to announce the signing of the German Dark Metal legends EWIGHEIM!
With the addition of Markus Stock (The Vision Bleak, Empyrium) as a full and third band member, the band of Allen B. Konstanz ( The Vision Bleak) and Yantit (Eisregen) is now a trio!
Following their cult albums “Mord Nicht Ohne Grund” (2002) and “Heimwege” (2004), they have finally finished their third studio album “Bereue Nichts”.
The new masterpiece will be released on May 25th and will be available as limited digipak with bonus track and as jewel case CD!
(Source: Massacre Records)
* For more info on EWIGHEIM, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/ewigheim
LONG LIVE EWIGHEIM.
Stone.
April 6th 2012 is the day! The new ACCEPT album STALINGRAD will be released worldwide. The previous record “Blood Of The Nations”, which was released in August 2010 was a huge success and nominated over 50 times worldwide for the “Hard Rock and Metal Album Of The Year” being the most successful album of ACCEPT history.
Following an extensive 180 show tour that took ACCEPT round the world twice, the band retreated into the studio to produce a longplayer that shows them in their most purist form. “STALINGRAD” is a no compromise album from start to finish without a filler track anywhere to be found, sticking to the winning combination of working with producer Andy Sneap.
Because of the huge success of “Blood Of The Nations”, the expectations on “STALINGRAD” are huge. Wolf Hoffmann comments: “We put ourselves under enormous pressure to bring out a new album right after this tour marathon, which brought us two times around the globe. But we are very proud about what we delivered with ‘STALINGRAD’ and we hope our fans will like it as well”.
01. Hung, Drawn And Quartered.
02. Stalingrad
03. Hellfire
04. Flash To Bang Time
05. Shadow Soldiers
06. Revolution
07. Against The World
08. Twist Of Fate
09. The Quick And The Dead
10. Never Forget (bonus track)
11. The Galley
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“STALINGRAD” will be available in stores like this:
Ltd. CD + DVD
CD
2 LP (red) in Gatefold
2 LP (white/red) in Gatefold – excl. Blast! Mailorder Edition
DVD INCLUDES:
OFFICIAL BOOTLEG
Live @ Bang Your Head 2011
01. Princess Of The Dawn
02. Pandemic
03. No Shelter!
Live @ Masters Of Rock 2010
04. Teutonic Terror
05. The Abyss
Video clips:
06. Teutonic Terror
07. Pandemic
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on ACCEPT, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE ACCEPT.
Stone.
It’s been a busy week in Coheed world! We are in the studio working on our sixth studio album, and we just announced we’ll be touring this summer with IRON MAIDEN in the US and Canada as part of the “MAIDEN ENGLAND WORLD TOUR!” According to IM’s management, the tour will closely mirror, in terms of production and content, Maiden’s original 1988 concert video of the same name, shot on the “Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son Tour.”
We will begin our stint with them on July 24th in Winnipeg and end on August 18 in Houston, with stops in Seattle, Denver, Dallas and Los Angeles along the way. Tickets go on sale March 2nd and 3rd. Full dates below, and more info will be coming soon.
We will also be appearing at this years HANGOUT FESTIVAL in Gulf Shores, AL with Jack White, Wilco, Skrillex, and many more.
Jul 24th – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center
Jul 26th – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
Jul 27th – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place
Jul 29th – Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum
Jul 30th – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
Aug 1st – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
Aug 3rd – San Francisco, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug 6th – Phoenix, AZ – Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
Aug 9th – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Aug 12th – Albuquerque. NM – Hard Rock Pavilion
Aug 13th – Denver, CO – Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Aug 15th – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Aug 17th – Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavilion
Aug 18th – Houston, TX – The Woodlands
* Check out the new look of CoheedAndCambria.com!
(Source: FanBridge/on behalf of – Coheed And Cambria)
LONG LIVE COHEED AND CAMBRIA.
LONG LIVE IRON MAIDEN.
Stone.
EYE BEYOND SIGHT – The band began to play in 2003. Within the past couple of years many members gave up the playing. However, they always found people with enthusiasm who wanted to be a part of EYE BEYOND SIGHT.
In 2005 Tomi joined EYE BEYOND SIGHT as vocalist and after some months Kepasz (bass) and Balint (drums) followed. The band’s debut album “Dies Ad Quem” was released in 2007. Their second album “The Sun And The Flood” was recorded in May 2011 and will be released soon.
Welcome to the family, EYE BEYOND SIGHT!
(Source: Massacre Records)
* For more info on EYE BEYOND SIGHT, click on links below:
http://www.facebook.com/EyeBeyondSight
http://www.youtube.com/user/durikika
http://www.massacre-records.com
LONG LIVE EYE BEYOND SIGHT.
Stone.
As passed along to me from Louis St. August, vocalist of Boston’s legendary Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band MASS:
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What do you get when you mix Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper) JK Northrup (King Kobra / XYZ) Justin Murr (LnJ) and Louis St August (MASS)??
LONG LIVE LOUIS ST. AUGUST.
LONG LIVE LIBERTY & JUSTICE.
Stone.
For 12 years Michael Monroe fans in South America have had to wait for this day when we are very happy to announce TWO PERFORMANCES in South America:
23.5.2012 Teatro Vorterix, Buenos Aires
25.5.2012 Blackmore Rock Bar, Sao Paulo
(Source: Michael Monroe.com)
* For more info on MICHAEL MONROE, click on the links below:
http://www.twitter.com/michaelmonroe
LONG LIVE MICHAEL MONROE.
Stone.
GARY MOORE – Live At Montreaux 2010 was released back on September 20th, 2011, via Eagle Records. The legendary Gary Moore had performed at the 44th Montreux Jazz Festival back in 2010. The Festival dates were July 2nd through July 17th of that year. This world-famous festival also showcased the following diverse lineup of bands in 2010: Simply Red, Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Norah Jones, Roxy Music, Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Herbie Hancock, Joe Bonamassa and Missy Elliott (to name a several few).
Seven months to the day, after this Montreux performance, Gary Moore passed away from a heart attack. February 6th, 2011 was a very sad day for music indeed. I remember my first time listening to a Gary Moore album in its entirety and it was 1984’s Victims Of The Future. When I first saw Gary Moore in the music video for Shapes Of Things, I was hooked. I thought to myself so long ago… this dude is not acting, this dude is real.
As the Gary Moore discography of Blues piled-up, I regretfully didn’t keep up. Over the years, my habitual leanings towards the “heavy stuff” and being broke time and again seemed to detour my buying habits. It’s okay though, at least I have a Gary Moore want list that I can enjoy filling and exploring still. Plus I’ve held onto Still Got The Blues on cassette after all these years!
Recently, I came across this live Gary Moore CD at Best Buy. I knew I wasn’t leaving the store without it. The whole reality of Gary Moore passing away hit me as well once again, as I held onto this CD. I wasn’t going to be a turd and pass over fine wine for a beer on this shopping trip for music. Not this time. Honestly, this CD surprised the daylights out of me for the track listing screamed of the Hard Rock side of Gary Moore’s late 80’s career. I felt like time froze as I approached the check-out at Best Buy. Really.
As I drove home with this newly purchased Gary Moore CD playing, it felt so right. It also felt so grand to hear Gary Moore playing his harder stuff live too. Odd as it sounds, yet, Gary Moore was alive once again through his music and I just became lost in the midst of these live songs. Gary Moore played three brand new songs at this Montreux Festival and they are included on this album. The new songs are: Days Of Heroes, Where Are You Now and Oh Wild One.
All three new songs that Gary Moore and his band performed are sensational to say the least. Days Of Heroes is vintage Hard Rockin’ Gary Moore. Where Are You Now can be considered a ballad due to its tempo, still, Gary Moore lays his guitar parts and solo down with an exquisite touch, giving this song a Rockin’ edge that is difficult to shake from my brain. The Wild Frontier and After The War days are summoned up by Gary Moore in dazzling fashion, with Oh Wild One. Man, is this a melodic Hard Rock song that became instantly imbedded in my head! Whoa.
The entire band that Gary Moore assembled for this 2010 tour and Montreux performance are seasoned pros (see band lineup below). Honestly, they played damn tight together during this performance and its damn right refreshing to hear such a level of quality from them. Gary Moore just downright shines vocally and (of course) on guitar throughout each song. This live production never comes across as being “tinkered with”, it’s as live as it gets to my senses.
There are guitar legends and then there are those guitar legends that play with such emotion, that their guitar tones come across as vocals to me. Gary Moore was/will forever remain one of those guitar legends for my senses. Just listen to Blood Of Emeralds and So Far Away/Empty Rooms and hopefully you’ll understand what I mean. A mammoth of a song is Blood Of Emeralds, so fully enriched with Gary Moore’s guitar playing and it simply moves me.
Please pardon my lengthy review for this live gem, only this Gary Moore album I could write about for another 50,000 words or so. However, I will come to a close by saying this is a live Gary Moore album that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I never had an opportunity to see Gary Moore live so this is as close as it gets. It’s amazing how music can change your mood for the better. Gary Moore Live At Montreux 2010 just elevates my spirits and reminds me once again, that what I was hearing way back in 1984 was real after all… and that was the guitar of Gary Moore.
Gary Moore – vocals, guitar
Neil Carter – keyboards, vocals, guitar
Jon Noyce – bass
Darrin Mooney – drums
Over The Hills And Far Away
Military Man
Days Of Heroes
Where Are You Now
So Far Away/Empty Rooms
Oh Wild One
Blood Of Emeralds
Out In The Fields
Walking By Myself
Johnny Boy
Parisienne Walkways
Rest In Peace, Gary Moore.
1952 -2011
Stone.
The Melodic Thrash / Prog Metallers of Burnaby, BC’s TRIBUNE are proud to reveal the album artwork and track listing from their upcoming 8 track annihilator “Elder Lore/ The Dark Arts” that will be officially released on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 under their independent label Corpse Corrosion Music.
“Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, our album -“Elder Lore / The Dark Arts”– has come to usher in a new era of Canadian Melodic Thrash Metal, so come bask with us in this radiant, and dynamic vision. -“for none but death shall stop this lone revolution.” – lyrics from Bryan Baker of Tribune from the song “The Warrior Mentality”.” Commented TRIBUNE bassist Ryan O’Shea.
This is TRIBUNE‘s third studio effort and second full length since the band of friends and brothers inception in 2005. Mixing elements of Death Thrash Metal with melodic vocals, the album will feature new material along with classic fan favourites and is an album capturing the raw energetic sound the band projects naturally live.
In additional news, TRIBUNE will also be kicking off their two month USA and Canada tour in support of “Elder Lore/ The Dark Arts” on April 2012 with dates soon to be announced.
(Source: Asher Media Relations)
Original artwork by Ryan O’Shea.
Art production by: Steve Kwasniewski
LONG LIVE TRIBUNE.
Stone.
Legendary Alice Cooper Group Drummer and Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Neal Smith Unleashes his NEW Youtube Video of “Squeeze Like A Python” from his latest album “KillSmith Two”.
Click on the link below and listen to Neal Smith on vocals, drums and guitar! Neal Smith and his band flat-out: ROCK! Metal be thy name, Squeeze Like A Python is one Hard Rockin’, memorable, kick-ass classic of a song! The video is very cool itself, with some fine eye candy dancing around. Now that’s Rock ‘N Roll… whoa. – Stone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO22Ttr_adM
Neal Smith ‘KillSmith Two’ is available from: http://cdbaby.com/cd/nealsmith3
* For more info on NEAL SMITH, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/NealSmithRocks
(Source: Glass Onyon Publicity)
LONG LIVE NEAL SMITH.
Stone.
SKID ROW – Check out the 2012 tour dates below for the Hard Rockin’ band we all know as – SKID ROW. Maybe they’ll be in your neck of the Rockin’ woods this year… if so, support SKID ROW and tell ’em Stone from Metal Odyssey sent you!
March 30th @ Havana – New Hope, PA
March 31st @ Starland Ballroom – Sayerville, NJ
April 20th @ Revolution – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
April 21st @ GASC Grounds – Cape Coral, FL
May 12th @ M3 Rock Festival – Columbia, MD
June 8th @ Riverfest – Gasden, AL
July 12th @ Rock USA – Oshkosh, WI
August 23rd @ Wolf Den – Uncasville, CT
* For more info on SKID ROW, click on the links below:
http://www.twitter.com/Officialskidrow
LONG LIVE SKID ROW.
Stone.
Jeff Hughell, former bassist for Brain Drill & Vile, has been chosen as new SFU bassist!
Within days of announcing the departure of Matt DeVries, SIX FEET UNDER has locked in the latest addition to the bands already heavy and extremely talented lineup. Seven-string bassist Jeff Hughell, formerly of the Santa Cruz California technical Death Metal band Brain Drill and Concord California Death Metal band Vile, will be joining the ranks as the new SIX FEET UNDER bassist. Check out a video of Jeff shredding on his bass HERE.
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Vocalist Chris Barnes comments; “Six Feet Under is proud to announce our new member, bass player Jeff Hughell. He’s an amazing musician and I have been a fan of his work since first hearing Brain Drill a few years back. We feel with the addition of Jeff, all the puzzle pieces are in place and the killing machine known as Six Feet Under is now a true Death Metal force to be reckoned with! Prepare to be toe tagged and body bagged.”
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Jeff Hughell adds; “I am honored to be the newest edition to the mighty Six Feet Under. This band is now a well oiled killing machine with Kevin Talley and myself as the rhythm section, Steve Swanson and Rob Arnold crushing guitars, and of course the man himself Chris Barnes killing it on vocals. The new material is the heaviest Six Feet Under songs I have ever heard and I can’t wait for the world to get their faces melted clean off by it. I would like to thank Mike Faley, Kelli Malella and the whole Six Feet Under family for thinking of me. It’s going to be one hell of a ride!”
Stay tuned to SFU420.com, Facebook.com/SixFeetUnder, and MetalBlade.com for album news and tour dates.
(Source: Metal Blade Records News Update)
LONG LIVE SIX FEET UNDER.
Stone.
WEDNESDAY 13 – Yes, Wednesday 13 wears his Alice Cooper “badge of influence” on his sleeve. I find it admirable, thank you. Calling All Corpses is a Horror Punk/Metal album that Alice Cooper should have made last year without any billionaire producer pulling the strings. Instead, this is a Wednesday 13 album and he uses his ghoul-given talent and cool as hell band to deliver 13 horrifying songs of thump and stomp on Calling All Corpses. These are songs that fans of Horror Metal, Horror Punk, Gothic and Hard Rock should easily get motivated to bounce up and down to, while kicking their neighbors trash cans over, under a moonlit sky.
Calling All Corpses is a party album. A crank-it-up-loud album. A “who gives a shit about the economy that our elected politicians screwed up” album. Wednesday 13 obviously realizes that Rock ‘N Roll was supposed to be (gasp) FUN in the first place and runs with it with infectious gusto. Wednesday 13 will never release an album to make you “think”, hell no. Wednesday 13 makes hard & heavy driven music to accommodate your escape from the stupid-ass stimuli that invades your space and day.
I appreciate Wednesday 13 for not trying to impress any Rock scholar out there who feels that the Rock history’s sun set and rose on 1969. The Punk fueled I Wanna Be Cremated and the hammerin’ Ghoul Of My Dreams may never get performed on any elitist Grammy stage, still, these songs have more substance than half of the audio sewage I suffered through, while listening to and watching that music comedy awards show.
It is not a ghastly move to buy Calling All Corpses and become absorbed by the Horror Punk/Metal and lyrics that spill from it. Calling All Corpses does not come across as cliché’, nor does this album ever drift off into repetitious content. If you’re looking for cliché’ and repetition, then watch a re-run of last Sunday’s Grammy Awards. This is a style of music born from good-times Rock ‘N Roll and it’s deserving of my Metal praise. Metal be thy name.
* Calling All Corpses was released on October 11, 2011, via DevCo Entertainment.
Wednesday 13 – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Roman Surman – lead guitar, background vocals
Jack Tankersley – bass, guitar, background vocals
Jason “Shakes” West – drums, background vocals
Brent Clawson – additional background vocals
Blood Fades To Black
I Wanna Be Cremated
Ghoul Of My Dreams
One Knife Stand
Calling All Corpses
Miss Morgue
Silver Bullets
Bad At Being Human
London After Midnight
Candle For The Devil
We All Die
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Blood Fades To Black (reprise)
* For more info on WEDNESDAY 13, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE WEDNESDAY 13.
Stone.
Band Continues Work On Forthcoming Album
FEAR FACTORY today confirms Matt DeVries as the band’s new bass player. DeVries, previously of Chimaira and most recently Six Feet Under, joins the band replacing Byron Stroud. The announcement comes as the band continues work on their upcoming new album, planned for release early Summer. The album is currently being mixed in Canada by Greg Reely while artwork for the album’s packaging is nearly complete.
DeVries comments: “I have been asked by Dino and Burton to join one of my favorite bands. I have been a fan of FEAR FACTORY since 1992 and I could not be more excited to be part of this incredible band. We have shared the stage many times together and now I’m beyond stoked to be on the same stage playing together. Thank you to all my fans worldwide for sticking by me and I will be seeing you all on the road very soon.”
Guitarist Dino Cazares and vocalist Burton C. Bell note: “We are very excited to have Matt playing bass for FEAR FACTORY. We feel he is a great addition to our touring lineup. He has been a friend for a very long time and he’s a great musician who will be a perfect instrument in the FF machine.”
FEAR FACTORY’s new album will follow 2010’s highly regarded Mechanize. Said Blabbermouth of the record, “this is the album fans have been waiting for…a fiery and evolved rebirth of the band that changed metal in the ‘90s.” Revolver Magazine called Mechanize, “one of the best albums of the band’s career. Its combination of new-wave melody, rapid-fire aggression, and electronic ambiance sounds as fresh today as FEAR FACTORY did nearly 20 years ago. Call it the soul of their new machine,” while Decibel Magazine added, “FEAR FACTORY are back and beyond intact.”
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on FEAR FACTORY, click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/FearFactoryMusic
LONG LIVE FEAR FACTORY.
Stone.
The cat’s out of the bag!
After posting a few teasers on their facebook page about a big announcement regarding the band’s future, KITTIE have now announced the departure of their bassist Ivy Vujic and the return of Trish Doan!
In a statement on the band’s website Ivy wrote:
“After 4 amazing years of jamming with my crazy metal sisters of Kittie, I am officially resigning as their bass player.
I’ve had an incredible time touring the world with these ladies and I am very grateful for all the fun I’ve had and amazing things I’ve had the opportunity to experience.
My last appearances with Kittie will be our upcoming hometown shows in London (February 17th) and Toronto (February 18th), as well as the Soundwave festival in Australia immediately after (February 25th – March 5th). I wish the Kittie girls the best of luck in all of their future endeavours and I know they will continue to be successful in whatever they do.”
Trish comments:
“I am very happy to be reunited with the Kittie family. The girls and I have remained close friends over the last 7 years and I am excited to have this amazing opportunity. I am looking forward to seeing everyone when we go back on the road this spring. I wish Ivy all the best!”
Morgan Lander about Ivy’s departure and Trish’s return:
“Ivy has been friend and partner in crime for over 4 years, we love and respect her wishes to depart from the band and move onto another phase in her life.
Trish has been a member of our extended family since she joined the band in 2005 and we are welcoming her back into the band with open arms. We are ecstatic that she will be returning to bass duties and are looking forward to the (US) tour this spring! We love both girls and are glad that we all remain friends, first and foremost.”
Welcome back, Trish!
(Source: Massacre Records)
* For more info on KITTIE, click on the links below:
LONG LIVE KITTIE.
Stone.
VAN HALEN – As I pondered about what and how to write my review for A Different Kind Of Truth, these two realizations came over me: A. this album simply ROCKS and B. What can I possibly write that hasn’t already been written, debated and tossed around by countless other fans, bloggers, websites and the mainstream press? Whenever a titanic sized band releases a titanic “comeback” album, such as Van Halen has done, the Rock media world can get obviously flooded with album reviews and for good reason.
Having brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen join Hard Rockin’ and Heavy Hittin’ forces with David Lee Roth once again, on a full-length album, a long-awaited return of this magnitude since the RIAA Diamond Certified – 1984, is something special for fans of this band, (myself included). This Rock historic reunion becomes extra special, due to this new studio album resonating such a vintage return to form for Van Halen. Whoa, this album ROCKS. Regardless of when any “parts” of any of the songs were written for A Different Kind Of Truth, I’m in the crowd that cares only if the songs were written by members of Van Halen… and not ABBA.
Did I mention that this new Van Halen album ROCKS? Anyhow, life is short and when authentic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal can be written and recorded by this iconic band of the Rock music world and delivered to their patient fans, (there hasn’t been a Van Halen studio album released in 14 years), then there is valid cause for Rockin’ jubilation. This is not a reunion of a band that released a lone chart topping album 25 years ago. Van Halen dominated arenas and stadiums then… and will still now. This is a reunion of a band that can easily boast as much “important” musical influence as the likes of “American” Rock historic legends KISS, Aerosmith and The Doors, (to name a few).
Diamond Dave’s hair may be a “tad” shorter in 2012 and legendary bassist Michael Anthony may be absent from this “classic” Van Halen lineup, only the successful result of 100% pure Hard Rock is in the 13 songs my ears and senses have consumed from A Different Kind Of Truth. I’m both ecstatic and impressed simultaneously by this band. My relief from the first several listens of A Different Kind Of Truth lies in the fact that this new Van Halen album is not a dud, that all four of these musicians took the “right road” and decided to keep their sound real and true. Van Halen didn’t have to reinvent themselves just due to it being 2012. By the way, this album ROCKS.
Now, if you’re looking for a return to 1984, you best keep looking. A Different Kind Of Truth is an album that fits in quite fittingly “somewhere” within the first four Van Halen releases… with Diver Down looking over this album’s shoulder. Van Hagar? Certainly a fabulous and memorable era imbedded in my Rockin’ soul. Gary Cherone fronted Van Halen? A unique moment in Van Halen history that (in my Metal opinion) receives too often unwarranted and negative commentary. It’s now 2012 and this is Classic Van Halen. The Return of Van Halen. Diamond Dave fronted Van Halen. The world just became a “tad” brighter for me, as I wrote that preceding line.
* For more info on VAN HALEN, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE VAN HALEN.
The word “tad” appears twice in this post.
Stone.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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