Archive for January 20, 2014

CRUSADER – Confirmed For Warriors Of Metal Fest VII

Posted in Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , on January 20, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Crusader - Onward Into Battle - promo cover pic - 2013

January 20, 2014  Cincinnati, Ohio – The Warriors of Metal, Inc. non-profit organization is pleased to announce that NWOBHM-inspired Heavy Metal/Thrash act CRUSADER has been confirmed for this year’s Warriors of Metal Fest. The Chicago-based band appeared as an 11th-hour replacement act for last year’s pre-fest showcase and will hit the main stage this year in support of their Stormspell Records release Onward into BattleThe Warriors Of Metal Fest VII will be held at O’Sheckys LIVE in Columbus, Ohio on June 27 and 28.

Check out album track “Hopeless Destiny” below:

Fest organizer Datis Alaee comments: “Crusader was brought to my attention by the former Chicago Thrash Metal guitarist Alex Manske of Degradation who played their penultimate Live show at Warriors Of Metal Fest V Open Air in 2012 and upon contacting and subsequently booking Crusader for our Pre-Fest Showcase, I was really impressed with the way these guys re-arranged their schedules at the last-minute so that they could come down to Ohio and rock our socks off.  And if that was not enough, they stuck around and supported ALL the other bands that played that night.  They only left the venue because we were getting kicked out and by then most of the other bands who played that night were already gone.  That was very impressive to me so right then and there I vowed to bring them back to Ohio so that they could play on our main Fest stage in 2014!”

CRUSADER drummer Colin Holmes states: “It’s an honor to be able to participate alongside such a great and growing lineup at WOM Fest for the last two years.  We’re really looking forward to getting on the main stage this year hot on the heels of the release of Onward into Battle, our first full-length album through Stormspell Records.”

Warriors Of Metal Festival VII - promo flyer - 2014

Keep up-to-date with all of the developments such as band announcements and ticket information for next year’s show through the Warrior’s of Metal Fest’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/warriorsofmetal

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(Source: CLAWHAMMER PR)

* For more info on CRUSADER:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/crusaderwarmachine

Bandcamp: crusaderwarmachine.bandcamp.com

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LONG LIVE CRUSADER.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

QUEEN “Greatest Hits I II & III” – Is Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day!

Posted in classic rock, classic rock bands, classic rock news, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , on January 20, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Queen - Greatest Hits - I II III - promo box set picture - 2014

This beautiful QUEEN CD box set (above) is Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day and here’s my story why:

Just this past week it was revealed to me, from my (teenage) daughter, that she is a fan of Queen and a huge fan of the late Freddie Mercury. I held back the tears of joy, as she expressed her sincere appreciation of this iconic band’s music to me. Her unquestionably compassionate emotion for the (incredibly) legendary Freddie Mercury is beyond heartwarming, as I listened to her during (at least) three conversations we enjoyed together last week.

The leap I’ve been waiting for has arrived! The stars have aligned and Mother Earth has summoned all creatures both large and small to celebrate in my joy of this news! Stonehenge has moved a centimeter to the right. The Great Pyramid has beamed a laser to the stars. The Classic Rock Gods really do move in mysterious ways. Hallelujah and Metal be thy name. In other words, Stone is a happy and proud dad.

I love my daughter more than words can ever, ever express, regardless if she has become a Queen fan or not. However, as you can tell, her fondness for Queen has me tickled to Metal death. When She asked me for any of my Queen CD’s to listen to, I  told her to give me some time to find them; for my entire CD collection is still (shamefully) unorganized since last February’s big move from Pennsylvania to Ohio. Panic had now begun to stir inside me…

Brian May - Back To The Light - promo cover pic - 2014

BRIAN MAY – Back To The Light (1993)

I remembered having the first solo CD from Brian May not being lost in my collection; so I immediately went to the shelf where I knew I’d find it and there it was! Back To The Light was released back in 1993 and I bought it used a few years ago for around $3 (US). Nice price, huh? Whoa.

I gave this Brian May hidden gem to my daughter for starters, as I continued searching for the only two Queen CD’s I knew I own. The Brian May CD pictured above is the CD cover version that I own and gave her; I realize there is another CD cover art version out there.

Queen - Stone Cold Classics - promo cover pic - 2014

QUEEN – Stone Cold Classics (2006)

You see, being the old school fart I am, I never upgraded my Queen vinyl LP’s or cassettes to CD; with the exception of owning Queen’s Stone Cold Classics and  A Kind Of Magic on CD. My vintage Queen vinyl was swept under by evil water and that’s now an old, lousy, sad story. I wanted and needed to give my daughter as much (digital) Queen as I can currently afford; therefore I took a ride on Sunday (yesterday) to my local Best Buy for a Queen CD hunt. I did stop by a cool store called Buyback$ Entertainment, before I hit Best Buy; this store sells used CD’s galore. There was not one Queen CD at Buyback$ though…

Queen - Some Kind Of Magic - promo cover pic - 2014

QUEEN – A Kind Of Magic (1986)

Best Buy was no better, with only one Queen Greatest Hits II for sale at nearly $12 (US). My local Super Walmart has more Queen CD’s for sale than Best Buy! Unreal. I was readying to leave Best Buy and head to Super Walmart when the whiz-bang sight of Queen’s Greatest Hits I II & III caught my eye and made my Metal heart soar! There this magic CD box set was… on an end cap with other Classic Rock CD’s at Best Buy! The price was just under $19 (US) for 51 Queen songs! Stone is buying! My daughter will have a superb catalog of Queen classics on CD (with very cool liner notes) to enjoy over and over!

Don’t get me wrong, it would be a dream come true to shell out the money for every Queen CD ever released, to present to my daughter; only the prices for the recently reissued Queen CD’s are pricey and would all add up to a small fortune. I do believe my daughter will be quite psyched out of her mind, once she realizes that this Queen CD box set is hers. I know I had fun late Sunday running out for this unexpected Queen bounty! Good times. As I believe, it’s the little things in life that add up and make the human spirit thrive with joy… and Rock ‘N Roll saves the day and another young person once again; just as it has saved me throughout my entire life. Metal be thy name.

Classic Queen - Mick Rock - promo cover pic - 2014

This (beyond) wonderful hardcover book, Classic Queen – Mick Rock, I gave to my daughter last week, after she told me of her loving Queen. The  photos that the legendary Mick Rock had taken of Queen throughout the years are breathtaking to say the least. The quotes from Freddie Mercury are an enormous read, alone, in this book!

Filled with anecdotes and must read history of the iconic Queen, this is a book I was proud to give my daughter to keep as her own. I kept this book long enough in my collection and it was now time to pass it on to someone who will enjoy it (even more) as I have. My daughter’s reaction to receiving this book was: omg, thank you, dad! The smile on her face told the whole story, of how much Freddie Mercury and Queen means to her.

Hearing those words, seeing that smile, were better than hitting the lottery, to me. Priceless.

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* Queen Greatest Hits I II & III was released via Hollywood Records.

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LONG LIVE THE LEGACY OF QUEEN.

REST IN PEACE, FREDDIE MERCURY.

Stone.

THE SOCKS – French Psychedelic Fuzz Rockers To Release Debut Full-Length Via Small Stone; New Video Now Playing

Posted in classic rock, Hard Rock, hard rock bands, Music, news, rock bands, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , on January 20, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

The Socks - promo debut album cover pic - 2014

French psychedelic fuzz rockers, THE SOCKS, recently joined the Small Stone Recordings family for the release of their self-titled debut full-length! Slated to drop this Spring, The Socks was recorded and mixed by Raphaël Cartellier at Studio Cartellier, France, mastered by Christopher Goosman (Early Man, Sasquatch, Dixie Witch, Solace et al) at Baseline Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and features nine tracks of road-tripping goodness where thick, glassy-eyed, jams swell into kaleidoscopic riff torrents, gristly vocal serenades and magnetic grooves.

Elaborates THE SOCKS in a collective statement, “The sound and identity of the band have been shaped through the years to become this psychedelic hard rock, meant to be played live. We’ve recorded all together in a room with analog tapes to focus on the energy and to make it sound real and raw. Now it’s time to take it with us on the road and share it with everyone!”

The Socks will be released via Small Stone Recordings on March 18, 2014. Further info, including preorder links, to be unveiled in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out THE SOCKS‘ video for second track “Some Kind Of Sorcery” below:

The Socks Track Listing:

1. Lords Of Illusion
2. Some Kind Of Sorcery
3. Next To The Light
4. New Kings
5. Holy Sons
6. Electric War
7. Gypsy Lady
8. We Live
9. The Last Dragon

Some bands simply sound like they were born to do it, and listening to the classic heavy rock groove of THE SOCKS, there can be no doubt it’s what they’re made for. They’re naturals. The duel-guitar French foursome formed in Lyon in 2009 and began surprising audiences almost immediately, eventually settling down to pump out their debut EP the following year. 2010’s Side A offered up five well concentrated songs from a band still finding themselves. Inspired by the teachings of Sabbath and Zeppelin, THE SOCKS supported the release by playing with an array of national and international acts, boasting intensely energetic gigs while continuing to develop their style. The next two years drove the band to write darker, heavier, songs that were more calculating and less frenetic. The resulting 2012 EP, Bedrock spouted a pseudo psychedelic, neo-grunge moodiness that proved captivating upon first listen.

The Soda Shop dubbed it “some pretty epic fucking stoner rock,” while Church Of The Riff opined, “The entire EP shows that THE SOCKS know how to write damn good songs. Everything sounds fleshed out and exciting, without ever getting repetitive or redundant…The riffs, vocal harmonies, tasteful solos and keyboard work show a band that knows exactly what they are doing.” The record eventually caught the ears of Small Stone Recordings. During the Fall of 2012, THE SOCKS completed their first European tour. Drawing on experience garnered from festivals and gigs alongside Karma To Burn, Red Fang, Truckfighters, Horisont, Mars Red Sky, Black Rainbows and many others with whom they share various elements while still maintaining a personality all their own, they were instant crowd pleasers.

As the band continues to thrust themselves into Europe’s next generation of heavy rock ‘n’ roll beside acts like Abrahma, Deville, Asteroid, Isaak, Black Rainbows and Mother of God, Small Stone is pleased to bring their debut full-length to the masses this March.

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(Source: Earsplit PR)

* For more info on THE SOCKS:

Website: http://www.thesocks.fr

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thesocks

small stone records - logo - 2013

Website: http://www.smallstone.com

(Source: Earsplit PR)

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LONG LIVE THE SOCKS.

Stone.

FOZZY – New Album Update

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , on January 20, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Fozzy - band publicity pic - #38090 - 2014

As reported on the FOZZY Facebook page on January 17th, 2014:

New Fozzy Album – Day One of Vocal Tracking

Day one of tracking is done and the first song is vocally finished! This song SERIOUSLY ROCKS! #lightsgoout #June2014 – CJ

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Chris Jericho – Vocals

Rich “The Duke Of Metal” Ward – Guitar/Vocals

Frank Fontsere – Drums

Paul Di Leo – Bass

Billy Grey – Guitar

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* For more info on FOZZY:

Website: http://www.fozzyrock.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/fozzyrock

Website: http://www.thedukeofmetal.com

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LONG LIVE FOZZY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.