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ARSON ANTHEM “INSECURITY NOTORIETY” – RELEASES OCTOBER 12, 2010!

Posted in hard rock music, hardcore bands, hardcore metal music, hardcore punk rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, Punk rock, punk rock albums, punk rock bands, punk rock music, rock and roll, rock guitarists, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

ARSON ANTHEM – The first “full length” studio album from ARSON ANTHEM – Insecurity Notoriety, will be released on October 12, 2010, on Phil Anselmo’s very own… Housecore Records. The triple threat combination of Hardcore, Thrash and Punk are what you can expect from ARSON ANTHEM… with the onslaught of Hardcore dominating their music. Sure, you can call ARSON ANTHEM a “supergroup” based on their incredible lineup, only this is a band that brings it Hard… Heavy… and F’n Hardcore! No bullshit found in the music of ARSON ANTHEM.

*As Phil Anselmo has stated about Insecurity Notoriety: “This is vicious Hardcore, so trip out on this record!” – (Hard Rock Hideout Interview, September 20, 2010)

ARSON ANTHEM:

Mike IX Williams – vocalist

Phil Anselmo – guitars

Hank Williams III – drums

Collin Yeo – bass guitar

* Brief Metal career background on the members of ARSON ANTHEM:

Phil Anselmo has forged in Metal, his legendary career as lead vocalist for the iconic Pantera. Phil is the vocalist for the kick-ass and Louisiana born Metal Band – Down. Superjoint Ritual and Christ Inversion are just two more past bands that Phil has been a driving force behind. Mike Williams is the lead vocalist for the Metal Band – Eyehategod. Hank Williams III played bass for Superjoint Ritual and is a vocalist/guitarist for his very own Metal/Punk Band – Assjack. Collin Yeo heads up his eerie and alternatively contagious band – PonyKiller.

* For more info on ARSON ANTHEM, just click the link below:

ARSON ANTHEM – myspace music

* For more info on Housecore Records, just click on link below:

HOUSECORE RECORDS

* For more info on DOWN, just click on the link below:

DOWN – myspace music

* For more info on Hank Williams III and Assjack, just click the link below:

Hank Williams III – Official Website

* For more info on EYEHATEGOD, just click the link below:

EYEHATEGOD – myspace music

* For more info on PonyKiller, just click on the cool link below:

PonyKiller – myspace music

* The debut and self-titled ARSON ANTHM EP, (8 songs), was released on February 19, 2008, on Housecore Records.

Track Listing For ARSON ANTHEM EP:

Year Of The Fork

Doomed Morale

Bunker Life

Hammer Them Out

Wrecked Like Clockwork

Cops Shoot Coke

The Avoider

Sri Lankan Medication

LONG LIVE THE HARDCORE OF ARSON ANTHEM!

Stone.

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HOLY MOTHER “TOXIC RAIN” – 1998 METAL ALBUM FOREVER UNLEASHES IT’S METAL POTENCY!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 22, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HOLY MOTHER – This third studio album, Toxic Rain, released in 1998 by Holy Mother, is one hell of a solid chunk of Traditional Metal. Toxic Rain downpours with a sound and style of American Power Metal in the vein of DIO and Obsession, along with a thick influence from Judas Priest and the Old School/Traditional Metal essence that the NWOBHM is so remembered and revered for.

With Metal roots originating from Long Island, New York, Holy Mother is a Metal Band that should not be bypassed for any lack of commercial success, mainstream snubbing or mid-’90’s media ignorance towards Heavy Metal. Great and real Metal will always rise from the ashes or raise it’s victorious fist from any catacombs of dormancy.

Becoming aware of Holy Mother and Toxic Rain all started with my trip to Music Outlet in Enfield, Connecticut. Best Metal Buddy, Scott Coverdale took me to this very cool and independently owned record and CD store that he frequents consistently. That day, I observed Scott walking about Music Outlet with a sinister grin upon his face… “I got it”… is what he said to me. I looked down upon the CD he was holding and it was Toxic Rain. Man, Scott was psyched out of his mind to have landed this CD… and now I know why.

Now that I own my personal copy of Toxic Rain, I realize the reason why Scott was grinning from ear to ear at Music Outlet that day. This album = Metal. Damn, you could not find a better representation of Traditional Metal, built with speed, blazing guitar leads and victorious riffs, than this Holy Mother album. The drumming of Jim Harris is like a battle call to Metal arms, his ultra-potent fills and supercharged timing are the icing on the Metal cake for Toxic Rain.

Vocalist Mike Tirelli is not gonna be in the back of the line ever, not according to my Metal scorecard. Mike is also a former vocalist for Riot and Burning Starr, making for an impressive Metal resume. I can compare Mike’s vocals to that of Mark Boals (of Yngwie J. Malmsteen fame) and Michael Vescera (of Obsession and Loudness fame), only adding in a harder edge.

Rich Naso on guitar lays it down heavy and steady from start to finish on Toxic Rain, with shades of Speed Metal wizardry gelled together with many extremely relevant and Traditional Metal tones. Rich never runs out of ultra delectable guitar licks… he’s just a cool player to hear on this album. Randy Coven on bass, has played with Yngwie J. Malmsteen and Riot during his Metal career. Creating a Metal family tree is evident, with this Holy Mother lineup of 1998.

The decade of the 90’s is NOT the lost era of Metal. Many, many, Metal Bands were releasing albums and touring during the 90’s. (Thank you… Slayer, W.A.S.P., Pantera and Overkill, to name a few). Instead, it will always be remembered by me as the decade where the mainstream media did NOT cover Metal… or great Metal for that matter. If Holy Mother released Toxic Rain in the mid to late 1980’s, hell, it would have probably received a ton more promotion and circulation amongst the media. This is my Metal opinion… and I’m not budging from it.

If you want me to be “street” about summing up this Toxic Rain album in one sentence, well, here it goes: Holy shit is this Holy Mother band unreal great on Toxic Rain! For me to “refer” this album to fans of Metal is really absurd. I need to bellow: Buy this Toxic Rain album if you believe in your own damned Metal salvation! Seriously, if your looking to make that purchase of a classic Metal release… Toxic Rain can be as viable a choice as any. So let it be Metal written… so let it be Metal done.

Once you hear Wars kick in, this song’s speed and rugged crunch shall be the leading Metal indicators that Holy Mother is not screwing around on Toxic Rain. The title track – Toxic Rain is a deluge of Metal that forces it’s way upon my ears, all the while I’m taking it all in like a parched desert floor during a tropical downpour. Again, its the speed + power which = holy shit great Metal here. Again, that’s as “street” honest as I can get.

My favorite song on this now revered Metal album is – My Destination. I’ll tell you what my destination has always been… to discover and listen to great, quality laced Metal, just like Holy Mother. My Destination has a melodic power surge running wild and it’s riveting to say the Metal least. The River carries it’s melodic drive through the vocals of Mike Tirelli and the savory leads and solos of Rich Naso. This song is a heavyweight like all the others on Toxic Rain, it showcases no doubt’s that Mike Tirelli can hit the high notes. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ is the lone cover song on this album. This Judas Priest Metal classic is given it’s justified due from Holy Mother, it’s worth cranking it up on high, still there’s nothing like the original. A solid cover it is and very worthy of many obligatory headbanging moments.

Losing My Bet closes out Toxic Rain, a song that sustains the consistent quality, heaviness and unrelenting power of sound that Holy Mother plays from the very onset. No one song sounds alike on Toxic Rain and Losing My Bet is an exclamation point to this statement. The only similarities heard between all 11 songs are that of the astute allegiance to Metal that Holy Mother plays so damn well.

I must factor in that the vocals of Mike Tirelli and the guitar playing of Rich Naso are standout on each song, while Randy Coven on bass and Jim Harris on drums are fabulously tight together. Once Losing My Bet comes to a close, I have that Metal hunger to listen to this Holy Mother album again… and again. That is a benchmark of being a great Metal album for me, when I can state something like that.

I could say, without any hesitation, that Toxic Rain is one of the very best Metal albums from the 90’s decade. (Criminal Afterlife is another Holy Mother album I feel this same way about as well, only that is for another post). You are getting the entire Metal ball O’ wax with Holy Mother’s playing on Toxic Rain… no run of the mill, no “standard stuff” or copycat crap going on with this band. Hopefully Holy Mother can make a return down the Metal road and release some potent, new material. Holy Mother is yet another Metal reality check, as to there being great bands from the 90’s that flew under the Metal radar by me… and I’m thankful Scott Coverdale uttered those now infamous words toward my way, during one cool visit to Music Outlet… “I got it”.

* For more info on HOLY MOTHER, just click on the link below:

HOLY MOTHER – myspace music

* HOLY MOTHER – Toxic Rain was released on A.B.S. Records

HOLY MOTHER as they appeared on Toxic Rain:

Mike Tirelli – vocals

Rich Naso – guitar

Randy Coven – bass

Jim Harris – drums

Track Listing For Toxic Rain:

Wars

Electric

Toxic Rain

The Rats Keep Runnin’

My Destination

Live To Die

The River

You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (Judas Priest cover)

Symptom Of Withdrawal

Melting Pot

Losing My Bet

LONG LIVE THE METAL OF HOLY MOTHER!

Stone.

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HALFORD “MADE OF METAL” – RELEASES SEPTEMBER 28, 2010!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HALFORD – The Metal God… Rob Halford and his mighty band Halford will be seeing their third studio album – Made Of Metal released on September 28, 2010! Rob Halford is a living legend of Metal… with his Metal legacy forever forged as the front man for Judas Priest, Fight and 2wo.

This forthcoming album from Halford just seems to put a Metal exclamation point on the “year of Metal releases”… 2010! I personally can’t wait to hear Made Of Metal. Whoa. Whoa again.

* Made Of Metal will be released on Metal God Entertainment.

* For more info on Rob Halford and HALFORD, just click on link below:

ROB HALFORD.com

Track Listing For: Made Of Metal:

Undisputed

Fire And Ice

Made Of Metal

We Own The Night

Til The Day I Die

There’s No Tomorrow

Speed Of Sound

Heartless

Hell Razor

Thunder And Lightning

Twenty-Five Years

Matador

I Know We Stand A Chance

The Mower

Here is a discography of HALFORD studio albums:

Ressurection (released August 8, 2000)

Crucible (released June 25, 2002)

Halford 3 – Winter Songs (released November 3, 2009)

Yes, Halford 3 – Winter Songs is a studio album, however it is a holiday album. I guess one may still state this is an “official” studio album from Halford and call Made Of Metal the “fourth” studio album. It really makes no difference to me… cause HALFORD rules no matter what.

LONG LIVE ROB HALFORD AND HIS BAND – HALFORD!

Stone.

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PANTERA – “THE WILL TO SURVIVE” DEMO IS A HIDDEN METAL TREASURE

Posted in hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, heavy metal songs, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 20, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

PANTERA – On September 14, 2010, Rhino Records released the 3-CD Deluxe Edition of Cowboys From Hell. PANTERA rules. Originally released back on July 17, 1990, on Atco Records, this was the album that catapulted PANTERA as a relentless and blazingly bad-ass live band. Metal be thy name, that is the truth. 2010 ushered in the 20th Anniversay of Cowboys From Hell, whoa… seems like yesterday to me when this unreal great album came out. Cowboys From Hell marked the fifth studio album from PANTERA… the first four being on their own label called Metal Magic. PANTERA rules.

It’s an endless Metal debate, as to which PANTERA album is the very best. I like to go with Cowboys From Hell, Vulgar Display Of Power and Far Beyond Driven as my personal top three. Hell, it’s very difficult for me to pin one PANTERA album against another. PANTERA rules. As I see it, PANTERA was the pit bull in the backyard, that was set loose to protect and spread the cause of Metal in the decade of the ’90’s… and they did just that and then some. Metal be thy name.

There is one demo, that was never released before, on disc 3 (the demo disc) which is The Will To Survive. Whoa, do I like this song a Metal ton. Phil Anselmo sounds like Rob Halford… or can I say has some heavy duty Rob Halford influence in his vocals, on this demo. After listening to this song a couple dozen more times… I will even make a Metal stretch by saying, that I hear a bit of Geoff Tate in the vocals of Phil Anselmo too. The Will To Survive of course was written and had it’s parts recorded well before there was a Vulgar Display Of Power, even before Cowboys From Hell.

I’m calling The Will To Survive demo a hidden Metal treasure. Why? For one, it’s not a song I would have expected to hear on this deluxe edition of Cowboys From Hell. Sure, the thought crossed my mind of maybe hearing something from the Metal Magic era of PANTERA… only this song surpasses what I initially thought it would sound like, both in it’s Traditional Metal style and sound. Trust me… the late and ultra legendary Dimebag sounds fabulous on guitar too, giving The Will To Survive a Speed Metal/Power Metal vibe that really leaves me whining for more.

If there were more hidden Metal treasures like The Will To Survive still on tape somewhere… locked away… I pray that Vinnie Paul, Rex Brown and Phil Anselmo would turn ’em loose on us fans someday, with one entire CD of PANTERA songs that have NEVER been heard before in any form. PANTERA rules.

Why do I keep stating “PANTERA rules” throughout this post you may query? There really is nuthin’ to question here… PANTERA F’N RULES. Always did… always will. Call me a PANTERA fan boy? Hell, I’m not alone there and I’m in good company, thank you very much. Plus, I’m damn proud to be one. Yes, I strongly urge any and all fans of Metal and of course, PANTERA, to get a copy of this Cowboys From Hell – 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

* Recently, I interviewed Phil Anselmo for my very good Metal Buddies over at HARD ROCK HIDEOUT. You can check out this HARD ROCK HIDEOUT exclusive by clicking the large link below or by clicking any HARD ROCK HIDEOUT link you see here.

PHIL ANSELMO – THE HARD ROCK HIDEOUT INTERVIEW!l

*An abbreviated breakdown of the 3 disc Cowboys From Hell – 2oth Anniversary Deluxe Edition:

* Disc 1 is the Cowboys From Hell studio album remastered. Disc 2 contains 12 live songs. Disc 3 has 11 demos from the Cowboys From Hell sessions, which includes The Will To Survive.

LONG LIVE THE METAL OF PANTERA!

REST IN PEACE, DIMEBAG.

Stone.


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CANNIBAL CORPSE – 1998’S “GALLERY OF SUICIDE” ON 180-GRAM VINYL – RELEASES SEPTEMBER 28, 2010!

Posted in Death Metal, death metal music, extreme metal music, extreme music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 19, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

CANNIBAL CORPSE – The sixth studio album from Cannibal Corpse, Gallery Of Suicide, will be re-released on 180-gram vinyl on September 28, 2010, on Plastic Head. Originally released on April 21, 1998, on Metal Blade Records, Gallery Of Suicide was the second album to have George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher on vocals. This was also the first Cannibal Corpse album to have Pat O’Brien on guitar.

This album it outrageously brutal, from the song titles and lyrics to the Death Metal barrage heard within. ‘Nuff said about this album… alright, it’s wicked F’n Heavy. With every Metal re-release on vinyl, it certifies the fact that there are Metalheads out there that want to hear their bands the Old School way. Just like the Metal I live for, vinyl will never go away.

* As with most vinyl and 180-gram vinyl releases, Gallery Of Suicide is being touted as a “limited release”. I have seen it available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

* For more info on CANNIBAL CORPSE, click on the link below:

CANNIBAL CORPSE – Official Website

CANNIBAL CORPSE, as they appeared on Gallery Of Suicide:

George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals

Jack Owen – guitar

Pat O’brien – guitar

Alex Webster – bass

Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

Track Listing For Gallery Of Suicide:

I Will Kill You

Disposal Of The Body

Sentenced To Burn

Blood Drenched Execution

Gallery Of Suicide

Dismembered And Molested

From Skin To Liquid

Unite The Dead

Stabbed In The Throat

Chambers Of Blood

Headless

Every Bone Broken

Centuries Of Torment

Crushing The Despised

Stone.

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AS I LAY DYING – FALL NORTH AMERICAN 2010 TOUR SCHEDULE WITH ALL THAT REMAINS, UNEARTH & CARNIFEX!

Posted in death metal music, extreme metal music, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, metalcore music, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

AS I LAY DYING – Whoa. Here is a Metal tour that has already gotten underway on September 14, 2010, in El Paso, Texas… As I lay Dying is headlining with support from: All That Remains, Unearth and Carnifex… whoa again. Check out the tour dates below to see if this great Metal tour is in your backyard or down the Metal highway from you:

As I Lay Dying with All That Remains, Unearth and Carnifex:

09/14 – El Paso, TX @ Club 101

09/15 – Odessa, TX @ Dos Amigos

09/16 – Abilene, TX @ Midnight Rodeo 3

09/17 – Little Rock, AR @ The Village

09/18 – Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre

09/19 – Knoxville, TN @ Valarium

09/20 – Covington, KY @ The Madison Theater

09/21 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Orbit Room

09/22 – Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s

09/23 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom

09/24 – Clifton Park, NY @ NY Northern Lights

09/25 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre

09/26 – Quebec, QC @ Imperial De Quebec

09/27 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis

09/28 – Ottawa, ON @ Capital Music Hall

09/29 – London, ON @ Cowboys

10/01 – Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Center

10/03 – Saskatoon, SK @ Odeon

10/04 – Calgary, AB @ Macewan

10/05 – Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Event Center

10/07 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre

10/08 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

10/10 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater

10/11 – Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre

10/15 – Yuma, AZ @ Club Blackout – * With Carnifex, Beg For Life and Demise Of Hollywood

* (Source: Metal Blade News Update Newsletter, September 17, 2009)

* For more info on AS I LAY DYING, just click the link below:

AS I LAY DYING – myspace music

* For more info on ALL THAT REMAINS, just click the link below:

ALL THAT REMAINS – myspace music

* For more info on UNEARTH, just click the link below:

UNEARTH – myspace music

* For more info on CARNIFEX, just click the link below:

CARNIFEX – myspace music

AS I LAY DYING are touring in support of their album The Powerless Rise, released on May 11, 2010, on Metal Blade Records.

ALL THAT REMAINS are touring in support of their album … For We Are Many, released on October 12, 2010, on Razor & Tie.

UNEARTH are touring in support of their album The March, released on October 14, 2008, on Metal Blade Records.

CARNIFEX are touring in support of their album Hell Chose Me, released on February 16, 2010, on Victory Records.

These are some potent and seriously brutal Metal Bands!

LONG LIVE METAL!

Stone.

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ACCEPT “BLOOD OF THE NATIONS” – A METAL TRIUMPH AND RETURN TO METAL GLORY FOR ACCEPT!!

Posted in hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, heavy metal songs, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, music reviews, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 14, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

ACCEPT – I received in the U.S. mail on Monday… ACCEPT – Blood Of The Nations (deluxe digipak) from Best Metal Buddy – Scott Coverdale. There are many Metal albums that have kicked my ass over the years… and then then came Blood Of The Nations. This new ACCEPT album hasn’t just kicked my ass today… it’s as if I opened up a box of unlimited Metal whoop ass and now I don’t know how to contain it or fight it off. I guess I’ll have to take my Metal whoopin’ as a man each and every time I listen to any or all of Blood Of The Nations. Understand please, what I’m about to say in describing my first listen through of this unreal/new ACCEPT album, here it goes… F’n Metal be thy F’n name.

ACCEPT guitarist and founding member Wolf Hoffmann describes in the liner notes, meeting up with new lead vocalist Mark Tornillo and producer Andy Sneap as “miracles”. As a lifetime fan of ACCEPT, Stone calls holding onto this Blood Of The Nations digipak while these 13 new Metal songs from this legendary band is being absorbed into my ears, at maximum level… a miracle. As a fan, I’ve always embraced the Metal fact that ACCEPT was no more. For nearly fourteen years, the 1996 studio album Predator seemed like it was the last any of us Metalheads would hear from ACCEPT. Well… Metal miracles really do happen and ACCEPT is F’n BACK!

Now, I would not be coming across so damn excited here, if it wasn’t for the powerful surge of premium Metal that ACCEPT has created on Blood Of The Nations. Trust me, if this was average or even slightly good Metal from this new ACCEPT album, I would call it out as such or not bother to write about it at all. Instead, the world needs to know… ACCEPT has returned with a Metal double drop kick to the face, with an amazingly energized and psyche-out filled Metal album. Crap, it seems like all of the “Old School dudes” are kicking everyone’s Metal ass in 2010, doesn’t it?

The vintage ACCEPT sound is all heard here on Blood Of The Nations. The dueling guitars of Wolf Hoffman and long time member Frank Herman brings back to Metal glory the searing and scorching riffs, leads and solos that were such a dynamic trademark of this band. Metal… the ACCEPT way. The formidable chorus that bellows behind the lead vocals of Mark Tornillo on songs – Blood Of The Nations and Shades Of Death are a valiant reminder that ACCEPT has returned with their Metal legacy written on their chests. Metal… the ACCEPT way.

Speed is not a bashful guest on Blood Of The Nations. Locked And Loaded is as easily recognizable as a feisty nod to ’80’s Speed Metal as I could ever wish for. Whoa, this song is fast… and it never relents with it’s raging Metal tempo. Locked And Loaded will easily remind fans of the Metal glorious Restless And Wild album and just how the speed jumped out of those songs back in 1982. Time Machine is pumped-up with plenty of muscular Metal grooves and carries along a heavily melodic pace. The Balls To The Wall era background chanting gives Time Machine a retrospective Metal haze, that is yet another Metal signature of ACCEPT.

So, understand please, with what I’m about to say in regards to my listening to Blood Of The Nations for the fourth time today… F’n Metal be thy F’n name. Realistically, the more I listen to this new ACCEPT, the more I’m realizing that Scott Coverdale just might be right in his calling Blood Of The Nations: Metal Album Of The Year. Wolf Hoffmann and Frank Herman aren’t just on fire with their guitar riffs, leads and solos… they are like crazed human Metal torchs on guitar. One listen to Pandemic and my Metal point is made quite clearly here. Pandemic! Pandemic! Hell yes… Metal… the ACCEPT way.

New World Comin’ rises with an intensified Metal groove that is enriched by the bass thumpin’ of founding member Peter Baltes and the thunder stompin’ of Stefan Schwarzmann on drums. New World Comin’ is the ACCEPT Metal anthem of 2010, bringing the mid ’80’s Arena Metal vibe to a new generation of Metalheads worldwide. Is this my favorite song on Blood Of The Nations? F’N HELL YEAH!!

Look, the reason for my elevated Metal excitement every so often, while doing an album review is due to: A. The respective band is a core/lifetime favorite of mine and B. The Metal contained within is absolutely legitimate and reflects what I feel Metal is supposed to be about… loud, powerful and full of pump-you-up sound, style, energy and feel. Blood Of The Nations is all this for me and then some. Just the prolific way in which Blood Of The Nations opens up with Beat The Bastards is evidence alone as to my prior explanation. Beat The Bastards showcases the melodic yet still fast and heavy character of ACCEPT. Angst filled and still victorious laden, the lyrics of this song are stuff of ACCEPT legend.

The Abyss and Blood Of The Nations guide me into this Metal world of ACCEPT 2010 and I am all the better Metalhead for it. This is Metal that isn’t farting around the beer keg here. The song Blood Of The Nations hails freedom, dreams and ideals… all the important aspects of life that are worth “fighting for”. I, like Scott Coverdale, can’t resist the overall patriotic appeal that this song Blood Of The Nations stands for.

Kill The Pain is a strong Metal… ballad. You read that correctly, ACCEPT has created a killer of a ballad, with 0% plastic sappiness, just stark reality of missing someone that is dearly lost. The guitar solo which ends Kill The Pain resonates with the emotion of this songs lyrics. Kill The Pain brings that moment during this ACCEPT album where I can come down from my Metal psyche-out high. All the while I can still enjoy an incredibly arranged song that showcases Mark Tornillo’s vocal diversity.

The overall Metal sensory experience can truly be better described by listening to these songs on Blood Of The Nations for yourself. Just when I think the Metal exhilaration running through my veins will subside… another song begins on this album that maintains the psyche-out level to a maximum level. ACCEPT has been resurrected and their Metal is dominating on Blood Of The Nations. ACCEPT has returned and ACCEPT has fortified my Metal soul once again.

Teutonic Terror has Mark Tornillo singing his lungs out. Mark comes across on this song as if it’s his personal favorite. Is it? I don’t know for sure. This is the ACCEPT lead vocalist now and I’m digging every syllable Mark Tornillo belts out. Do I miss the ultra Metal legend Udo Dirkschneider? Of course I do, I would be sadly mistaken if I didn’t. With the way life constantly intertwines and develops new paths to navigate, people move on and take their own journey. UDO has taken his solo Metal journey and I have and forever shall support him. I can only admire and applaud the loyalty to the cause of Metal that Udo Dirkschneider has exhibited throughout his historically fantastic Metal career.

This isn’t an album that needs to “sit with me” in order to figure out it’s Metal domination factor.

As with so many bands that are still touring and/or recording today, ACCEPT is a Metal franchise. Their name is branded in the Metal hearts, souls and minds of countless Metalheads the world over. Regardless of having a new lead vocalist, if you are going to maintain consistency, having founding and long-time members of a band only adds to the credibility and legitimacy of the music. If a band is going to have a new lead vocalist, he/she better be good and symbolize the true identity and sound of that bands career. Mark Tornillo is damn good. Wolf Hoffmann, Peter Baltes and their band ACCEPT have returned in a most amazingly formidable way, maintaining the Metal sound and style that solidifies this band as… legendary.

ACCEPT:

Mark Tornillo – vocals

Wolf Hoffmann – guitar

Peter Baltes – bass

Frank Herman – guitar

Stefan Schwarzmann – drums

All music & lyrics by: Baltes, Hoffmann and Tornillo*

* Rolling Thunder – music & lyrics by Frank & Tornillo

Track Listing For Blood Of The Nations:

Beat The Bastards

Teutonic Terror

The Abyss

Blood Of The Nations

Shades Of Death

Locked And Loaded

Time Machine – (bonus track)

Kill The Pain

Rolling Thunder

Pandemic

New World Comin’

No Shelter

Bucket Full Of Hate

LONG LIVE ACCEPT!

Stone.

7 Comments »

ACCEPT “BLOOD OF THE NATIONS” – 2 DAYS TO GO UNTIL IT’S U.S. RELEASE! SOME METAL THOUGHTS…

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 12, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

ACCEPT – Their back. With a new lead vocalist in Mark Tornillo. Wolf Hoffman and Herman Frank are the guitar duo with Peter Baltes on bass and Stefan Schwarzmann on drums. This is ACCEPT 2010… and I can’t wait to get my ears melted by the scorching Metal that Blood Of The Nations is about.

I’m feeling quite confident that Blood Of The Nations will be a great listen. Why? Well, I entrust in the words from Metal Odyssey’s correspondent Scott Coverdale… who has stated today: “Blood Of The Nations is a strong contender for Metal Album Of The Year“. Scott Coverdale goes on to say: “Regardless of where you purchase your CD’s, be it f.y.e., Best Buy, Target, Walmart or an independent mom/pop record store, if they aren’t carrying Blood Of The Nations… demand it!

Scott Coverdale continues to say: “This album is definately the heaviest album that Accept has ever recorded. I would even say it is a bit faster and heavier than Restless & Wild. For all those who are skeptical of Mark Tornillo being able to fill an UDO-less Accept, you will definately be pleasantly surprised, almost to the point you’ll like his vocals better… in my opinion. Producer Andy Sneap is a genuis”.

Stone’s thoughts: Wow. Now, for the Metal record, I am an UDO advocate, one who feels strongly that his vocals are the signature of this legendary band we have known and embraced as ACCEPT over the decades. Scott Coverdale has his Metal opinion and he is very much entitled to it, just like anyone else. Indeed, with an “UDO-less” ACCEPT, there will be a huge void to fill in the vocals department, certainly. I have listened to just one song from this new ACCEPT album – The Abyss. I have been Metal impressed by this song since I first heard it, dating back to May 3rd, 2010. The band sounds 100% Metal potent, with Mark Tornillo’s vocals sounding just super to my ears. If anything, while listening to The Abyss, I hear a “touch” of UDO in Mark’s vocals. Is it just me? I don’t know. Still, Mark Tornillo is a unique vocalist, a veteran front-man and comes with plenty of Metal credibility.

Coverdale has already listened to this new ACCEPT album quite a few times now… and he is Metal thrilled to say the least. I look forward to giving my Metal insight/review on this new ACCEPT album in the very near future.

* Producer for Blood Of Nations, Andy Sneap, has woven his legendary Metal career working with the likes of: Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Blaze Bayley, Arch Enemy and Onslaught… just to name more than a few.

* Legendary ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffman is credited as being the photographer for the front cover image on Blood Of The Nations.

ACCEPT – Blood Of The Nations releases on September 14, 2010 in the U.S. on Nuclear Blast.

* For more info on ACCEPT, just click on the really cool links below:

ACCEPT – Official Website

ACCEPT – myspace music page

* Century Media Records online (aka) CM Distro is a site where you can buy ACCEPT – Blood Of The Nations. Just click right here to get it: Century Media Records/CM Distro

ACCEPT vocalist Mark Tornillo has made his mark in Metal History with New York/New Jersey’s Heavy Metal/Power Metal ambassadors – TT Quick.

* For more info on TT QUICK, click here: TT QUICK – myspace music

* In case you missed it on Metal Odyssey back on May 3rd, 2010, check out the post which featured the still video/song for The Abyss, from Blood Of The Nations. Just click on the big and luring link below and you can listen to The Abyss:

ACCEPT – “THE ABYSS” FROM “BLOOD OF THE NATIONS” ALBUM – HERE IT NOW! PLUS MORE ACCEPT INFO!

Blood Of The Nations – Track Listing:

Beat The Bastards

Teutonic Terror

The Abyss

Blood Of The Nations

Shades Of Death

Locked And Loaded

Time Machine (North American Bonus Track)

Kill The Pain

Rollin’ Thunder

Pandemic

New World Comin’

No Shelter

Bucketful Of Hate

LONG LIVE ACCEPT!

Stone.



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TEN VERY UNCOOL HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL ALBUM COVERS PART II

Posted in classic rock music, Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 5, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER?

I don’t advertise myself to be an “expert” in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal album cover design. Nor am I a photography expert either. What I do know is this… a Hard Rock or Heavy Metal album cover should entice fans or potential fans to buy the album. Skulls, flames, guitars, dragons, sword & sorcery, space aliens, monsters, spooky landscapes, the paranormal and the macabre is right up my Metal alley when it comes to album covers. You won’t find this cool stuff on the album covers below. Marketing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal should be simple, right? Well, that is not always the Metal case, as you shall see from the following list of ten very uncool album covers that I have compiled… just for you… and it’s “Part II”!

Years ago, I did earn a degree in Graphic Communications, therefore I think I know what cool Hard Rock and Heavy Metal album artwork is supposed to look like. Then again, what do I know? Some, if not many of the albums in this top ten list have probably sold millions of copies worldwide… so my opinion on these very uncool album covers is probably one big, nasty and smelly fart in the wind anyways.

* Just because an album cover is uncool, doesn’t necessarily mean that the music contained within is lousy. This list, as with the first list, only points out those Hard Rock & Heavy Metal album covers which Metal Odyssey finds so extremely boring and embarrassing that they are… well, uncool.

Here are Metal Odyssey’s Top Ten Very Uncool Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Album Covers Part II, enjoy! Or, try to enjoy.

#10:

Hard Rock Essentials: 1980’s (1995)

Wow. Is that supposed to be a guitar in the center? Um, it’s missing some parts. Ahhh! Those two skulls are so NOT scary! These aren’t the skulls and guitar that I’m looking for on an album cover! This is what a record company gets, when they don’t want to pay the $$$ for decent Hard Rock artwork. Instead, it looks like some record company gave a kindergartner the “go” on this one. Or, it’s some overpaid record executive’s fourth grade kid that did it. Either way… this artwork stinks like rotten cabbage.

#9:

Metal Church – The Human Factor (1991)

Look, anyone who knows me, knows I revere Metal Church… every Metal Church lineup too. With that said, this album cover does this Metal Church lineup NO Metal justice whatsoever. It looks like these guys are laying down on a (gulp) Disco dance floor from Saturday Night Fever. The Metal Church “classic logo” is there, only it’s not enough.

#8:

Torben Enevoldsen – Heavy Persuasion (2007)

Alright, Torben, sit right there and hold up your guitar’s neck directly in front of your face… o.k., a little to the right, hold still now, why aren’t you smiling? Sit still… done! What a picture we got! That didn’t take too long now, did it? Man, Torben, this is gonna make an awesome album cover!

#7:

Lee Aaron – Metal Queen (1984)

Um, yup. Anyways, Lee Aaron really doesn’t look like a queen here at all. Instead, let’s be real, she looks more like a lady barbarian. Where’s the queen’s clothing? Hey… that’s a cardboard sword! Is that backdrop a soiled shower curtain? Regardless, this is not the sword & sorcery I’m talkin’ about. Where’s Doro Pesch when we really need her!?

#6:

Koushik – be with

Apparently, Koushik is a Canadian electronic musician. That’s what my Metal research has uncovered. Despite the lack of Hard Rock or Heavy Metal tags associated with Koushik, this album cover is just a MUST to make this list. I should have never thrown away my kids drawings from when they were one years old. Damn, I could be selling them right now… to record companies as album covers! I could have been rich! I could understand if this cover was for Kids Bop though.

#5:

Symphonity – Voice From The Silence (2008)

Trust me… these dudes called Symphonity ROCK. However, the Power Metal & Speed Metal that this cool band is great at just does NOT resonate on this album cover. Honestly, if I did not know about this Symphonity band, I would swear this was a Gospel album.

#4:

Helloween – Chameleon (1993)

As with Metal Church, Helloween is a band that I honestly revere. Helloween invented Power Metal for Metal sakes. Helloween F’n Rules. However, Chameleon is hands down, my least favorite Helloween album ever released… and it has the worst Helloween album cover ever created. Yes… Metal be thy name.

#3:

Heavy Metal: Head Bangin’ Hits (2003)

It’s some girl wearing a Dee Snider Halloween wig and Jerry Garcia glasses. Um… not my idea of a “Heavy Metal Chick”. It’s covers like this that makes me ask… WTF?

#2:

Heart Of Metal 2 – Various Artists (2001)

Yeah, o.k., like every Metalhead out there is gonna give their sweetheart a barbed wire heart, as a token of their Metal love. Here baby… I love you baby… uh, don’t get cut on this barbed wire heart. Over the years, it never ceases to amaze me, the over zealous stereotyping that we Metalheads receive. Like we are all a bunch of cash strapped barbarians, that rummage through landfills for anniversary gifts. If I gave my wife a barbed wire heart… she would then know that I totally lost my Metal mind, plus I’d get kicked out of the house as well. Hey, not even Hot Topic sells these barbed wire hearts. Not yet anyways.

#1:

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Road Songs That Rock – Hand Picked by Guy Fieri (Compilation) – (2008)

F’n Whoa. Hey, I don’t need that Food Network or Guy Fieri hand picking ANY Rock, Hard Rock or Heavy Metal songs for me. Stick to eating your high cholesterol foods Guy. Plus, I don’t see the F’n connection between the Food Network and Rock ‘N’ Roll anyways. Furthermore, I NEVER connected Guy Fieri to Hard Rock, Heavy Metal or any Rock Music for that F’n matter. All of a sudden, Guy Fieri is the second coming of Wolfman Jack.

Do you think the Food Network would let me have a 30 minute show called… Cooking With Stone? Bet your Metal butt they wouldn’t. Yet it’s alright for the Food Network to set loose their “food experts” on the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal world. Gee Metal whiz.

This is a perfect example of a corporate entity getting involved where they DON’T BELONG! It’s all about the quick $$$ isn’t it Food Network? By the way… the track listing is not too shabby on this CD. I don’t own it and would never buy it… due to the Metal fact it has a damn Food Network logo on it with Guy Fieri laughing all the way to the bank… or should I say refrigerator?

Stone.

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BLACKIE LAWLESS OF W.A.S.P. – HAPPY METAL BIRTHDAY!!

Posted in celebrity birthdays, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock & roll, rock and roll, rock music, rock music history, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 4, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

BLACKIE LAWLESS – On September 4, 1956, Blackie Lawless was born. On that day, the history of Heavy Metal was solidified and secured. Blackie Lawless turns a Metal cool 54 today! Happy Metal Birthday Blackie Lawless! You are a Metal Odyssey – Lifetime Metal Warrior. With 14 studio albums and 4 live albums as the founding Metal leader of W.A.S.P., I and Scott Coverdale give you a Metal salute and a rousing THANK YOU!

THANK YOU Blackie Lawless for also standing up against the PMRC back in 1985… our freedom to listen to the music that we love in America was on the brink due to this PMRC “group” and WE WON due to our Metal and Music community banding together as one. Scott Coverdale and I don’t forget what you stood up for back in those late 80’s. Stone and Scott Coverdale shall never forget their Metal roots, therefore, we shall never forget the history of Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P.!

THANK YOU for creating Babylon. This 2009 studio album of unreal & supercharged Metal was heralded as the #1 Heavy Metal album of 2009, right here, on Metal Odyssey! On December 28, 2009, Metal Odyssey posted their “Top 25 Heavy Metal Albums Of 2009”. Anyone who missed it can read all about it and check out W.A.S.P. Babylon being #1, just by clicking on the big and cool link below:

METAL ODYSSEY’S TOP 25 HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF 2009

* After the release of Babylon, I was so psyched out of my Metal mind about this album, that praising one song at a time from it seemed like a logical Metal choice. Here is the post, from November 14, 2009, that gives Metal praise to the Chuck Berry classic Promised Land, that W.A.S.P. so admirably covered on Babylon:

W.A.S.P. COVERS CHUCK BERRY CLASSIC – “PROMISED LAND” ON “BABYLON” ALBUM

* On November 11, 2009, I gave a Metal thumbs up to the song Crazy from Babylon:

W.A.S.P. “CRAZY” FROM “BABYLON” ALBUM IS WOVEN WITH HEAVY METAL MATURITY

* And on November 10, 2009, I ranted and Metal raved about W.A.S.P. covering the Deep Purple classic Burn that is heard on Babylon:

W.A.S.P. COVERS THE DEEP PURPLE CLASSIC “BURN” WITH HEAVY METAL PRIDE ON BABYLON ALBUM!

* On March 10, 2010, Metal Odyssey posted about just how incredible W.A.S.P. Live… In The Raw truly is. You can check it out by clicking on the magic link below:

W.A.S.P. – “LIVE… IN THE RAW” RESONATES THE LIVE POWER AND SOUL OF HEAVY ROCK ‘N ROLL!!

* On January 14, 2010, Metal Odyssey featured a post about the collector side of Stone when it comes to W.A.S.P., the 12″ single of The Real Me is shown in all of it’s Metal glory! Click that jim dandy link below to check it out:

W.A.S.P. – “THE REAL ME” 12″ SINGLE FROM 1989 REVISITED!

* On December 30, 2009, Metal Odyssey got all Metal giddy about the 1989 picture disc of The Headless Children. Yes… that fine link below will take you right to this post:

W.A.S.P. “THE HEADLESS CHILDREN” 1989 PICTURE DISC IS FOR KEEPS!

* Going back to April April 24, 2009, Metal Odyssey wasn’t bashful about being Metal psyched about the 1985 studio album – The Last Command. Metal be thy name, this is a fabulous W.A.S.P. album! Read for yourself, if you so choose, by clicking the link below:

W.A.S.P. “The Last Command” is a Heavy Metal classic!

* Back on March 21, 2009, Metal Odyssey celebrated 26 years of W.A.S.P. Heavy Metal! A terrific post was written to celebrate this amazing and historic Heavy Metal event. The link below shall guide you to this Metal read:

Celebrating 26 years of W.A.S.P. Heavy Metal!

* For those who want to learn about more incredible W.A.S.P. albums from the past, all you need to do is click on the links below. These are all album reviews written by Stone!

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – DYING FOR THE WORLD

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – STILL NOT BLACK ENOUGH

* From March 15, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – HELLDORADO

* From March 14, 2009:

W.A.S.P. – THE CRIMSON IDOL

So, as anyone can see, Blackie Lawless and his amazingly important and Metal historic band W.A.S.P. are and forever will be embraced here on Metal Odyssey.

LONG LIVE BLACKIE LAWLESS!

BLACKIE LAWLESS = HEAVY METAL & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL LEGEND

Stone.

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STRAIGHT LINE STITCH ANNOUNCE TWO SEPARATE TOURS WITH 36 CRAZYFISTS AND SOULFLY

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 2, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

(New York, NY) — STRAIGHT LINE STITCH have announced dates along side both 36 CRAZY FISTS & SOULFLY. Dates will run from mid September through the end of the year. “We are excited and honored to be supporting 36 CRAZY FISTS on their first national headlining run. When we’re out with those boys it feels like home because we know all of them so well and it just makes for a much more fun experience. It’s going to be a party for sure!” says front woman Alexis Brown.

The band is also set to do a short Canadian run with HATEBREED this month with a slew of off dates. Visit http://www.myspace.com/straightlinestitch for more info. When asked about having the chance to tour with SOULFLY, Alexis continues,“We get to tour with SOULFLY too? WOW! That about sums it up. We have been fans of SOULFLY since day one. They have been rockin’ out for a minute, and now that we get to support them just makes everything that much sweeter. We’re really looking forward to sharing the stage with them and hopefully learning a thing or two along the way.”

w/ Hatebreed

Sep. 06 – The Blind Dog – Windsor, Ont.

Sep. 07 – The Music Hall – London, Ont.

Sep. 08 – Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, Ont.

Sep. 09 – Club Soda – Montreal, Que.

Sep. 10 – The New Capital Music Hall – Ottawa, Ont.

Sep. 11 – Illot Fleurie Park – Quebec City, Que.

Sep. 13 – Oxygen Nightclub – Moncton, N.B.

Sep. 14 – The Cunard Centre – Halifax, N.S.

w/ 36 Crazyfists and Taking Dawn

September 16th Seattle, WA – El Corazon

September 17th Portland, OR – Peter’s Room

September 19th San Francisco, CA – Avalon Ballroom

September 20th Las Vegas, NV – The Farm

September 21st Los Angeles, CA – Whisky A Go-Go

September 24th Mesa, AZ – The Nile

September 25th Farmington, NM – Gator’s Bar And Grill

September 26th Lubbock, TX – Jake’s

September 28th San Antonio, TX – Scout Bar

September 29th Houston, TX – Scout Bar

September 30th Dallas, TX – Trees

October 02nd St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre

October 03rd Jacksonville, FL – Brewsters

October 05th Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade

October 06th Charleston, SC – The Oasis

October 07th Fayetteville, NC – Rock Shop

October 08th West Springfield, VA – Jaxx

October 09th Vineland, NJ – Hangar 84

October 10th Philadelphia, PA – Polaris

October 14th Flint, MI – Machine Shop

October 22nd Denver, CO – Marquis Theater

October 23rd Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep

w/ Soulfly and Incite

November 26th Los Angeles, CA – House Of Blues

November 27th San Diego, CA – House Of Blues

November 28th San Francisco, CA – Slim’s

November 30th Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre

December 02nd Chicago, IL – House Of Blues

December 04th Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues

December 08th New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre

December 09th Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Of Living Arts

December 12th Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live

December 15th Dallas, TX- House Of Blues

December 16th Houston, TX – House Of Blues

STRAIGHT LINE STITCH, originally hailing from Knoxville, TN, features Alexis Brown on vocals, Seth Thacker and Pat Pattison on guitar, Jason White on bass, and Kanky Lora on drums.

* Their latest release on eONe/Raging Nation Records “When Skies Wash Ashore” is in stores now!

* For more info on Straight Line Stitch visit – Straight Line Stitch – MySpace.com

For more information on eOne Metal please visit http://www.e1metal.com/ or follow @E1MetalATTACK

(Source: eOne Music press release, September 1, 2010)

Stone.

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HIGH ON FIRE “FROST HAMMER” – A METAL SONG FOR THE METAL AGES

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news, stoner metal music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 29, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

HIGH ON FIRE – Good health. Family. Cool Metal buddies. Sunny skies. Free stuff. Cold beer. Finding an independent record and CD store. Finding a quarter in the grocery store parking lot. Taking a relieving dump. Sure, these are all the big and some little things that can perk up the human spirit. However… it’s Metal that never fails to perk me up time and again, year after year, day after day.

Hearing that one Metal song that lifts me up is always a reminder as to why I am hooked on the greatest music in the history of mankind. What’s the greatest music in the history of mankind you query? Uh, it’s Metal. This is Metal Odyssey after all, that you are visiting. Sure, there are other Rock genres covered on Metal Odyssey… only Metal is the end all and be all. Metal be thy F’n name.

I’ll get to the Metal point here: Frost Hammer from the High On Fire album Snakes For The Divine – kicks some serious Metal ass. Frost Hammer is an instant adrenaline surge for me. Whoa… I’ve been Metal supercharged by High On Fire. A charging pissed off beast, out of the dark northern woods of no man’s land is Frost Hammer. Des Kensel on drums plays with enough fierce enthusiasm, with so many cool fills, that it’s mind numbing. Lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Pike leads the way with his nailed to the Metal riffs, leads and a solo so fast and tenaciously addicting that it smacks me senseless.

The triple Metal threat of Matt Pike, Des Kensel and Jeff Matz are as potent as any power trio I’ve ever listened to. For me to state otherwise, would be untruthful. On Frost Hammer these guys play tight, no, super tight, defining what “in-your-face” Metal is supposed to sound like. Frost Hammer is one of those great Metal songs, where I wish it would continue on for another five or ten minutes. Nonetheless, this song will always sound like an epic to me. High On Fire didn’t rewrite any sacred Metal rules with Frost Hammer… they just stayed true to ’em.

With speed and heavy coexisting so deliriously well on Frost Hammer, there is no moment to really catch your breath. This is not even a Thrash Metal song, yet it rivals the fierce and bombastic tempo of such. Just hearing Matt Pike bellow out – “Frost Hammer”! is enough to make me feel secure in my own little Metal world, which I love to get lost in continuously.

High On Fire doesn’t make Metal that’s fashionable, they make Metal that kicks ass… period.

* For more info on High On Fire, just click the link below:

HIGH ON FIRE – myspace music page

* High On Fire – Snakes For The Divine was released on February 23, 2010, on E1 Music.

LONG LIVE HIGH ON FIRE!

Stone.

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THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – THE DEFLORATE TOUR 2010… NORTH AMERICAN DATES LISTING!

Posted in death metal music, extreme metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Deflorate, the fourth studio album from The Black Dahlia Murder, was released on September 15, 2009, on Metal Blade Records. Deflorate reached #43 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and went to #5 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart. With subsequent worldwide touring since, The Black Dahlia Murder are now setting their Extreme Metal sights on a North American tour… The Deflorate Tour. This blazingly Metal fierce band will be headlining, with opening bands – Goatwhore and ARKAIK.

The Black Dahlia Murder:

Trevor Strnad – vocals

Brian Eschbach – guitar

Ryan Knight – guitar

Ryan “Bart” Williams – bass

Shannon Lucas – drums

Check out the tour dates below… The Deflorate Tour just might be in your backyard.

* For more info on The Black Dahlia Murder, just click the link below:

The Black Dahlia Murder – myspace page

* For more info on Goatwhore, just click on the link below:

GOATWHORE – myspace page

Goatwhore are touring in support of their 2009 studio album release – Carving Out The Eyes Of God, released on Metal Blade Records, on June 23, 2009.

* For more info on ARKAIK, just click on the link below:

ARKAIK – myspace page

ARKAIK are touring in support of their new studio album – Reflections Within Dissonance, which was released on Unique Leader, on January 26, 2010.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – THE DEFLORATE TOUR WITH GOATWHORE AND ARKAIK/U.S. AND CANADIAN DATES:

09/28 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s

09/29 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place

09/30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Europa

10/01 –  Hartford, CT @ Webster Underground

10/02 –  Bucksport, ME @ The Kave

10/03 – Quebec, QC @ Imperial de Quebec

10/04 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Cafe

10/05 – Ottawa, ON @ Ritual

10/06 – Toronto, ON @ The Wreck Room

10/07 – Lemoyne, PA @ Championship

10/08 – Richmond, VA @ Canal Club

10/09 – Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox Laundrolounge

10/10 – Charlotte, NC @ The Casbah

10/12 – East St. Louis, MO @ Pop’s

10/13 – Des Moines, IA @ The Vaudeville Mews

10/14 – DeKalb, IL @ House Cafe

10/15 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Mixtape Cafe

10/16 – Toledo, OH @ Headliners

(Source: Metal Blade News Update Newsletter, August 27, 2010)

EXTREME METAL RULES.

Stone.

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WHITECHAPEL – “THE CORRUPTOUR” FALL 2010 SCHEDULE!

Posted in death metal music, extreme metal music, extreme music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 23, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

WHITECHAPEL – Now that Whitechapel are finished with being a potent part of the Vans Warped Tour Twenty Ten, they are set to headline their very own tour… The Corruptour. Whitechapel will be supported by Impending Doom, Miss May I, Oceano and I Declare War, beginning on October 1st, 2010, in Macon, Georgia and culminating on October 23rd, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Out supporting their third studio album – A New Era Of Corruption, released June 8th, 2010 on Metal Blade Records, Whitechapel is an all-out Extreme Metal Force of Deathcore Fury… and The Corruptour shall showcase this Metal fact.

* For more info on WHITECHAPEL, just click on the link below:

http://www.thediseased.com/

Whitechapel Are:

Phil Bozeman – vocals

Ben Savage – lead guitar

Alex Wade – guitar

Zach Householder – guitar

Gabe Crisp – bass

Kevin Lane – drums

Whitechapel – The Corruptour

With:Impending Doom, Miss May I, Oceano, I Declare War:

10/01 – Macon, GA @ The 567

10/02 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

10/03 – St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre

10/04 – Jacksonville, FL @ Rain (Plush Complex)

10/05 – Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero

10/06 – Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall

10/07 – Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11 Tavern

10/08 – Norfolk, VA @ Norva

10/09 – Jermyn, PA @ Eleanor Rigby’s

10/10 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre

10/12 – Boston, MA @ Harper’s Ferry

10/13 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance Theatre

10/14 – Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon

10/15 – Toledo, OH @ Headliner’s

10/16 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection

10/17 – Elgin, IL @ Mad Maggies

10/19 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

10/20 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s

10/21 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall

10/22 – Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

10/23 – Nashville, TN @ Rocketown

MONSTER MOSH II

With: The Devil Wears Prada, Enter Shikari, Black Veil Brides:

10/31 – Frisco, TX @ Dr. Pepper Arena

(Source: Metal Blade News Update, August 20th, 2010)

KICK SOME EXTREME DEATH METAL & DEATHCORE ASS WHITECHAPEL!

Stone.

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THROWDOWN – RELEASE 2 NEW MUSIC VIDEOS FROM THEIR “DEATHLESS” ALBUM!

Posted in extreme music, hardcore metal music, hardcore punk rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, metalcore music, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , on August 3, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

THROWDOWN RELEASE TWO NEW MUSIC VIDEOS FROM THEIR LATEST ALBUM “DEATHLESS”

(New York, NY) — THROWDOWN will be unleashing two new music videos for songs “Tombs” and “Blinding Light” from their latest full length DEATHLESS today, exclusively on Metalinjection.com. The band had not so recently released two videos for songs “This Continuum” and “The Scythe” earlier this year on Headbangers Ball, vocalist Dave Peters explains the difference this time around.  “‘Tombs’ and ‘Blinding Light’ are my two favorite songs on the record. ‘Blinding Light’ didn’t initially have that creepy vibe that it took on later during production. Unfortunately, the vocal and guitar layers are what give it that vibe, and it’s not real easy to reproduce live as a four-piece. I’m notorious for painting us into a corner that way, but it’s ridiculous to dumb a song down or not use parts in fear of translating it live in my opinion.”

Peters goes on to talk about a past experience of playing a new song live, and the sometimes spur of the moment tactics used to get through a set. “We actually played it live once before we finished writing it. I straight up free-styled the lyrics. No one even noticed. Just nonsense.  I probably mentioned waffles and Manny Ramirez. We played with DANZIG that night and I sang the ‘Danzig shopping list’ (http://bit.ly/ccTPQX) while Mark was tuning. About 9 people lost their minds. The other 2400 were confused.”

Videos for “Tombs” and “Blinding Light” can be viewed here: http://bit.ly/cKR5n8

THROWDOWN’S latest album, DEATHLESS was released last year to extraordinary critical praise.  DEATHLESS has been hailed as the bands most powerful and diverse offering to date.

“Simply put, ‘Deathless’ is a breath of fresh air in a scene that has been overrun with deathcore / screamo clones.”- Loudside.com 8/10

“The gents have given it their all with the outcome being more sharp, crisp and with an emollient approach that still stays old school.” ABORT Magazine

“With Deathless, Throwdown find the perfect combination of beauty and brutality to create an absolute metal masterpiece!” thenewreview.net 5/5

You can purchase / preview DEATHLESS on iTunes here: http://bit.ly/79DPjO

For more information, please visit:

http://www.throwdowngo.com

http://www.myspace.com/throwdown

http://www.twitter.com/throwdown

* (Source: entertainmentone – press release, August 2, 2010)

KNOCK ‘EM OUT, THROWDOWN!

Stone.

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DARKEST HOUR – TO ENTER STUDIO & ANNOUNCES PRODUCER FOR NEW RECORD!

Posted in Death Metal, death metal music, Hard Rock, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, metalcore music, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 2, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

DARKEST HOUR TO ENTER STUDIO &

ANNOUNCE PRODUCER FOR NEW RECORD

(New York, NY) — DARKEST HOUR are about to enter the studio and they have announced that they are teaming up with renowned SOILWORK shredder Peter Wilchers. The band has put a lot of time and thought into choosing the right producer for this record and they’re convinced they’ve found one. “We’re really excited about working with Peter on this album.  It’s going to be amazing collaborating with such an inventive and unique guitarist/musician to produce and document what we feel is the most emotional and melodic Darkest Hour album to date,” says drummer Ryan Parish.

With records such as ALL THAT REMAINS’ “The Fall of Ideals” and SOILWORK’s latest effort, “The Panic Broadcast” under his belt, DARKEST HOUR are quite confident in what Peter brings to the table. “Peter is someone we’ve admired and very much respected as a musician and producer for quite some time.  Being a pioneer of the Swedish metal sound, (which has so greatly influenced our band) we hope to refine all of those classic elements with him and incorporate new methods to improve our songwriting” says font man John Henry.

This time around, these songs we’re done a bit differently. Guitarist and founding member Mike Schleibaum explains, “We have been working on these tunes ever since we left the studio lastD April. The Eternal Return was written during a very dark, bleak time for the band and I think that record matches that in both tone and character. Our vision was for it to be an in your face, no frill aggressive assault.  The new material shares in that aggression and pushes Darkest Hour beyond the unknown.” The new songs are just about finished and ready for the studio. “I am very exited to work alongside the Darkest Hours guys, and I know from hearing some of their new material that it will be a killer one,” says Wilchers himself.

For more information on DARKEST HOUR and their experience in the studio with Peter, visit http://www.darkesthour.cc for updates over the next few months.

http://www.myspace.com/darkesthour / http://twitter.com/Darkesthourrock

* (Source: entertainmentone – press release, August 2, 2010)

GO GET ‘EM DARKEST HOUR!

Stone.

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FORBIDDEN – NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES FOR 2010!

Posted in concerts, Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news, Thrash Metal, thrash metal bands, thrash metal music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 28, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

FORBIDDEN – The tour poster pic seen below tells all… FORBIDDEN is BACK! Thrash Metal in 2010 has become even more potent!

FORBIDDEN ARE:

Russ Anderson – vocals

Craig Locicero – guitars

Steve Smyth – guitars

Matt Camacho – bass

Mark Hernandez – drums

Forbidden debut album – Forbidden Evil from 1988.

* For more info on FORBIDDEN, just click on that fantastic link below:

FORBIDDEN – myspace music page

LONG LIVE FORBIDDEN!

Stone.

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THE ABSENCE “ENEMY UNBOUND” – RELEASES SEPTEMBER 14, 2010! TRACK LISTING & ALBUM ART!

Posted in death metal music, extreme metal music, extreme music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, heavy metal songs, melodic death metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, thrash metal music with tags , , , , , , , on July 23, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

THE ABSENCE – On September 14, 2010, The Absence – Enemy Unbound will be released on Metal Blade Records. Enemy Unbound will be the third studio album released by The Absence, all on Metal Blade Records.

You can listen to the new single from The Absence – Enemy Unbound on their myspace music page, (click link below)… it’s worth multiple listens. Enemy Unbound is fast, heavy and chock full of melodic guitar moments. Don’t be swayed by The Absence bringing melodic guitar to the Metal table though… this song blisters with extreme vocals from Jamie Stewart and the pummeling attack of Jeramie Kling on drums and Mike Leon on bass. Listening to the duo guitars of Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle is a substantial reminder of just how potent The Absence is with their Metal sound… and talent. Blending both Death and Thrash Metal styles together, while stirring in strong melodic consistency, is what The Absence delivers.

* Jeramie Kling has rejoined The Absence on drums. Jeramie parted ways after touring in support of their debut album – From Your Grave. (Source: Metal Blade News Update).

THE ABSENCE ARE:

Jamie Stewart – vocals

Peter Joseph – guitar

Patrick Pintavalle – guitar

Jeramie Kling – drums

Mike Leon – bass

Track Listing For Enemy Unbound:

Vertigo

Erased

Deepest Wound

Maelstrom

Enemy Unbound

Solace

The Bridge

Warton

Hidden In White

Vengeance and Victory

Triumph

The Absence Discography:

From Your Grave (2005)

Riders Of The Plague (2007)

* For more info on The Absence, just click on the links below:

THE ABSENCE – myspace music page

METAL BLADE RECORDS

Stone.

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WHITECHAPEL – LAUNCHES NEW & OFFICIAL WEBSITE!

Posted in death metal music, extreme metal music, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 18, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

WHITECHAPEL – Released their third full length album and second on Metal Blade Records – A New Era Of Corruption, on June 8, 2010. Now… Whitechapel has launched their new and official website! This new & official Whitechapel website is Metal muscle bound with music videos, live videos, video interviews, tour dates, news, store and more! To access the media, blogs, contests and forum portions of Whitechapel’s website, you have to buy a membership.

Stone’s Note: This is a 1 year interactive membership you would buy. Regardless, there are 3 levels of paid membership you can choose to purchase, with each level having different Whitechapel merchandise included with the paid membership, (the higher your level of membership, the better and more merch that is offered… and the third level is loaded). Click on the link below to see for yourself!

http://www.thediseased.com/

WHITECHAPEL is bringing their brand of Death Metal Technicality and all out Extreme Metal fury to the thousands of fans attending the Vans Warped Tour Twenty Ten! Find out more about Vans Warped Twenty Ten by clicking the all-knowing link below:

Vans Warped Tour Twenty Ten

WHITECHAPEL ARE:

Phil Bozeman – vocals

Ben Savage – lead guitar

Alex Wade – guitar

Zach Householder – guitar

Gabe Crisp – bass

Kevin Lane – drums

Stone.

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REDEMPTION “SNOWFALL ON JUDGEMENT DAY” – A PROGRESSIVE METAL ALBUM NOT TO OVERLOOK

Posted in hard rock albums, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, progressive metal albums, progressive metal bands, progressive metal music, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 16, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

REDEMPTION – Snowfall On Judgement Day is an entertaining listen in quality Progressive Melodic Metal. Released on October 6, 2009, (on InsideOut Music/The Century Family Inc.). Snowfall On Judgement Day marks the fourth studio album release from Redemption. Each song is thoughtfully written lyrically, with very impressive musicianship throughout. The songs on this album are layered with an almost exquisite sheen, with all the ambiance and textures one can expect from a Progressive Metal Band of substance.

The vocals of Ray Alder are pronounced, while never overreaching. Ray Alder is a veteran of the Metal Music world, while also being the lead vocalist for the quite famous – Fates Warning. Redemption plays as a seamless and cohesive unit, making each song the star on Snowfall On Judgement Day. Nick van Dyk and Bernie Versailles are a potent duo on guitars, adding very interesting and downright likable melodic moments from beginning to end on this album. Greg Hosharian on keyboards adds all the atmospheric and melodic elements of mysticism, openness, sense of flight and emotional highs and lows. I guess Greg seems to cover it all, when it comes to sensory interpretation of his keyboard playing.

Chris Quirarte plays drums in the spirit and style of one Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater fame. This comparison may sound complimentary, which is rightfully justified, in my Metal opinion. Chris comes across to me as a drummer not trying to play hard and stand out, he is just simply mastering the beats and adding all the right drum fills within each song heard. What more can one ask for from their drummer? With each musician in Redemption seeming to convey their astuteness for their craft, I still need to mention Sean Andrews on bass, who helps anchor the rhythm section and doesn’t fall short on speed when the song dictates.

James LaBrie, lead vocalist for Dream Theater, is a guest vocalist on the song Another Day Dies. This song captures an almost total Euro Power Metal sound and feel. It’s the guitar leads and solo that seem to keep it from melting over completely into this comparison. James LaBrie’s vocals makes for a perfect match, with this Progressive Metal style that is Redemption. I still like Ray Alder fronting this band though, he is by no means a second tier front man. The harmony and tone of Ray Alder’s vocals are tailor made for Redemption… to my ears anyways.

Hopefully, my descriptive thoughts on Redemption as musicians, can help you understand just how the songs play out on Snowfall On Judgement Day. This band and this particular album should not be relegated to the back of the line. Flying under the Progressive Metal radar can’t be a reality in Redemption’s future. When there are so many bands and their albums to choose from in the vast world of Heavy Music genres, it’s a band like Redemption that just can’t go overlooked. I invite anyone who loves to hear songs and not four minute hits, to step right into the Progressive Metal creation that is Snowfall On Judgement Day.

Fans of Dream Theater, Queensryche, Coheed And Cambria and Mastodon should be very enthused by Redemption and Snowfall On Judgement Day. I’m pleased to have purchased this album and I highly recommend Redemption to any fan of Hard Rock or Heavy Metal that is looking to expand their music listening interests in a more progressive way.

* The song Keep Breathing, is an emotional and tender song written in dedication to Nick van Dyk’s daughter Parker. On the last page of the liner notes, what I read broke my heart. Being a father of twin daughters, the medical battle that Nick’s daughter Parker is going through just really hit home with me. To directly quote Nick van Dyk: “my daughter Parker was diagnosed with a terrible eye condition called Cone Dystrophy. This is a genetic condition, that prevents the retina from forming properly, resulting in the loss of central vision”. Nick writes: “there is currently no cure or treatment for Cone Dystrophy… even with corrective lenses, her vision will be 20/200 or worse. She will be unable to drive a car and do many things that people take for granted”.

Nick van Dyk continues, in the liner notes: If you are looking for a charity to support, please consider the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which can be found at http://www.blindness.org”.

* For more info on Redemption, just click on the links below:

REDEMPTION – Official Website

REDEMPTION – myspace music page

Redemption, as they appeared on Snowfall On Judgement Day:

Ray Alder – vocals

Nick van Dyk – guitar & keyboards

Bernie Versailles – guitar

Sean Andrews – bass guitar

Chris Quirarte – drums

Greg Hosharian – keyboards & keyboard solos

* Snowfall On Judgement Day was produced by Nick Van Dyk and Tommy Hansen.

Track listing for Snowfall On Judgement Day:

Peel

Walls

Leviathan Rising

Black And White World

Unformed

Keep Breathing

Another Day Dies (With guest vocalist James LaBrie)

What Will You Say?

Fistful Of Sand

Love Kills Us All/Life In One Day

Stone.

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