On May 28th, 1983 – The US Festival began the first of three days in San Bernardino, California; this was New Wave Day. Heavy Metal Day and Rock Day were to follow, respectively. This 3 day festival was the brainchild of Steve Wozniak.
Among the very many performers spanning the entire festival were: Van Halen, David Bowie, The Clash, Joe Walsh, The Pretenders, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Triumph, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, U2, Missing Persons, Stray Cats, INXS, and Stevie Nicks. Amazing!! By the way, I was 17 years old in ’83. Whoa.
On May 28th, 1988 – The amazing Iron Maiden peaked at #12 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart with their seventh studio album: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. This album went on to achieve Gold sales status in the United States. The great Derek Riggs created the album cover art for this splendid album too. Whoa!! Long live Iron Maiden!
On May 28th, 2015 – The new studio album from Detroit’s BATTLECROSS is ranked at #47 on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Rise to Power will be released worldwide via Metal Blade Records, on August 21st, 2015. Hail BATTLECROSS!
On May 28th, 2015 – Whitesnake’s new studio album of Deep Purple cover songs, The Purple Album, debuts at #87 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Long live Whitesnake and David Coverdale! Hell and yeah, man!!
Upon returning from their successful European Tour which consumed the past several weeks, POISON IDEA has returned home and announced that the band is going on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. The band has issued that they need to address some health issues and personal matters, and all upcoming shows for the indeterminable future have been cancelled or postponed. Additional details on the band’s future plans will be announced at a later date.
Portland, Oregon’s undisputed kings of punk, POISON IDEA released their critically acclaimed Confuse & Conquer LP through Southern Lord Recordings in April of this year. Setting everything in its path ablaze with the energetic pummeling assault the band has assaulted the planet with for three-and-a-half decades, and by incorporating the use of epic piano segues, the album is an instant classic for all POISON IDEA fans as well as one of the most undeniably important releases in the punk/hardcore realms this year.
The band’s first new album since 2006’s Latest Will And Testament, and first since the passing of their great friend and guitarist, the iconic Tom “Pig Champion” Roberts, Confuse & Conquer boasts thirty-five minutes of thundering, infectious rage recorded in the band’s hometown by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust) and mastered by Brad Boatright (From Ashes Rise) at Audiosiege, and proves that absolutely nothing can stop this legendary act and all attempts are a futile waste of time.
Confuse & Conquer LP is available on colored 12″ vinyl and CD including shirt and vinyl bundlesHERE, and the album is streaming in full and available for digital purchaseHERE.
Formed in 1980, POISON IDEA became a household name in the hardcore/punk scenes early in their career, and are known as one of the most notoriously in-your-face acts in the American musical underworld, with an enraged, high-energy live set even more rambunctious than the massive roster of singles, EPs, full-length studio and live releases and more, across a realm of labels including Pusmort, Alchemy, American Leather, Bitzcore, Tim/Kerr, Taang!, Farewell, TKO, Southern Lord, Candlelight, and their own Fatal Erection.
They’ve been an incredibly influential act to major performers including Nirvana, Pantera, Napalm Death, Machine Head, Eyehategod, Emperor, Turbonegro and an endless list of others. Soaking up respect from generations of hardcore punks and dishing none out, the dastardly denizens of mid-paced punk shred are in trademark form on Confuse & Conquer.
POISON IDEA‘s new masterpiece proves itself both identifiable and rewarding to listeners who have encountered them at any point from their 1980 birth onwards. Their forceful hardcore pummel is underwritten with dark humor, rage, disdain, and moments of real melancholy well beyond the usual remit of the genre, but it’s to be expected of Portland’s nihilistic champions, proudly unaligned with any other sound out there.
Below is a quick studio update about MURASHITA’s forthcoming debut EP. Take a listen to Masaki Murashita, my fellow Metal brethren:
Crank up below, MURASHITA – Retribution (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO) and show your eardrums NO Metal mercy! This song kicks supreme METAL ass! METAL Be Thy Name!!
Retribution features Masaki Murashita on guitar and vocals, bassist Kelly Conlon (DEATH, MONSTROSITY, VITAL REMAINS), drummer Kevin Talley (SUFFOCATION, SIX FEET UNDER, CHIMAIRA) and was Mixed by Ryan Greene (Megadeth, NOFX).
* Lyrics/Music by Masaki Murashita
Below: Support MURASHITA and purchase Retribution!
About Masaki Murashita:
Masaki Murashita first showed his scorching riffs and powerful songwriting, along with his blistering and aggressive vocal style with the critically acclaimed modern thrash band Hemoptysis.
Combining elements of melody, thrash and modern extreme metal, Masaki molded his own razor-sharp brand of metal that has left audiences and critics alike awestruck and demanding more.
Not content to rest on his already impressive work with Hemoptysis, Masaki is in the process of writing and producing his first solo album. He is pushing his songwriting, musicianship and incendiary metal style to a new level.
Masaki will be joined in his new project with several other well-respected musicians in the metal scene, proving that he can stand with the best metal players in the industry and hold his own with his unique brand of sonic aggression.
Masaki’s Endorsements: ESP Guitars, Engl Amps, EMG Pickups, Providence cables, straps and effects, Morley pedals, ISP Technologies, Voodoo Lab, InTune Guitar Picks and SIT Strings.
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* Masaki Murashita bio courtesy of Masaki Murashita Facebook.
Chilean / Belgian band KING HEAVY is set to release its self-titled debut full length on Cruz Del Sur Music on September 4th in Europe and September 19th in the U.S.
KING HEAVY is anything but the typical brand of mono-dimensional, superficial doom metal. KING HEAVY rocks! Aside from strong elements of CANDLEMASS and of the more traditional doom metal sound, KING HEAVY offers epic arrangements and a twisted touch that reminds of BLACK SABBATH’s Born Again, CELTIC FROST’s Into the Pandemonium and the early, darkest side of DANZIG
The album contains seven songs for a total running time of over 47 minutes and was engineered, mixed and mastered by Pablo Clares at DM6 Studio, Chile; vocals were recorded by Peter Maene at Creative Factory, Belgium.
Shortly after the release of the album, the band will engage an European tour which will bring them to Malta’s Doom Fest, Dutch Doom Days, Biebob (the notorious Belgian metal club)… Other tour dates will be published and confirmed very soon!
KING HEAVY was formed in 2009 by ex-Procession founder Daniel Perez Saa and Luce Vee, known for being the vocalist of Dutch Doom Metal act Hooded Priest. Shortly thereafter guitarist Matias Aguirre and drummer Miguel Canessa were added to the line up and in 2014 the band self-released an EP entitled Horror Absoluto, which was later repressed on split-vinyl by French label Emanes Records.
Track List:
La Gárgola
Life A.D.
As Dawn Broke On The Day
Thirteen Chosen Ones
Wounds
The Crowning
He Who Spoke In Tongues
Forward Unto Dawn are gearing up to ignite pits across Canada.
Halifax, Nova Scotia-based deathcore band Forward Unto Dawn are taking the heavy riffs and smooth grooves of their recently released EP ALPHA on the road. Joined by their brothers in metal, SINTHETIK, The Parallel and The Luminary, the ALPHA Release Tour is set to open up the pit, and assault all of the senses.
In the words of Forward Unto Dawn bassist, Devan Smith:
“Not only is it exciting for us to continue to push ALPHA, the album we all worked so hard on and are so proud of, but this is also our first trip out of the Maritimes. Intrepid Bookings set us up with stellar bands that we are ecstatic to work with. The gents in SINTHETIK will be along for the entire ride, while The Parallel will be crossing the Maritimes with us then passing the torch to The Luminary for dates through August. It is an awesome feeling to be able to bring Forward Unto Dawn’s music to an entirely new scene and to have the opportunity to play alongside the diverse talent that exists across Canada.”
The ALPHA Release Tour Dates:
July 23rd – Halifax, NS – Gus’ Pub w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
July 24th – Truro, NS – The Split Crow w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
July 25th – Saint John, NB – Pub Down Under w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
July 26th – TBA w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
July 30th – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
July 31st – Ottawa, ON – Pressed w/ SINTHETIK and The Parallel
August 1st – Toronto, ON – Rancho Relaxo w/ SINTHETIK and The Luminary
August 2nd – Hamilton, ON – The Doors Pub w/ SINTHETIK and The Luminary
August 3rd – London, ON – The APK w/ SINTHETIK and The Luminary
On May 27th, 1989 – The Cult peaked at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart with their fourth studio album: Sonic Temple. This great album went on to sell one million (plus) copies in the United States.
On May 27th, 1999 – RUSH became the first Rock band to be awarded a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame, in Toronto, Canada. Whoa!
On May 27th, 2014 – Legendary guitarist Marty Friedman released his studio album, Inferno, via Prosthetic Records. A few featured musical guests on Inferno are: Jason Becker, Danko Jones and Alexi Laiho.
On May 27th, 2015 – The forthcoming studio album from Australia’s Thy Art Is Murder is ranked at #20, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. The title of this new album is: Holy War. A North American release date of June 30th, 2015 is scheduled for Holy War’s release. Whoa!
Founding Member /Bassist Yves “Dug” Duguay Rejoins
Recently celebrating their 30 year anniversary tour earlier this March on their ‘Forsaken East Coast Survival US Tour’, AGGRESSION have re-kindled their fire and hitting the road once again with not just founding member / guitarist Denis ‘Sasquatch’ Barthe who reformed the Canadian 80’s thrashers, but will have original bassist Yves “Dug” Duguay rejoin them for their ‘Canadian C.H.U.D. Invasion Tour’ that includes three festival appearances at Alberta’s Farmageddon Open Air in June along with BC’s Metallion Festival and Montreal’s Obscene Extreme Festival in August (all dates listed below).
“Seeing the new version of the band and having a chance to play one show with them already back in March, I had no other options than joining when the chance came up! The new members do a great job helping capture the essence of what Aggression is supposed to be. Seeing them perform brought me right back to the early days. Of course it is nice to be reunited with Denis “Sasquatch” Barthe too!” – comments bassist Yves “Dug” Duguay.
‘Canadian C.H.U.D. Invasion Tour’
June 5 – Vancouver, BC – Wise Hall & Lounge – Event Details here.
June 6 – Victoria, BC – The Cambie – Event Details here.
June 12 – Calgary, AB – Overtime Sports Bar – Event Details here.
June 14- Ryley, AB – Farmageddon Open Air Festival – Event Details here.
August 14 – Vanderhoof, BC – Metallion Festival – Event Details here.
August 20 – Quebec City, QC – Bar La Source De La Martiniere
August 21 – Montreal, QC – Obscene Extreme America Festival – Event Details here.
August 22 – Jonquiere, QC – Le 4 Barils – Event Details here.
August 23 – Trois-Rivieres, QC – Rock Cafe Le Stage
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About AGGRESSION:
Formed in 1985 under the original moniker “Asylum” to be later changed to AGGRESSION, the speed metallers unleashed their 1986 demo “Forgotten Skeleton”, (which saw an album release in 2005) and their debut full length “The Full Treatment” in 1987, which lead them to become one of the most popular bands to rise out of the Quebec and Canadian metal scene. With their manager at the time (Johnny Hart), AGGRESSION quickly became a household name with their concerts sold out everywhere and a fan base that grew from hundreds to thousands in no time.
Other bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Hallow’s Eve, Destruction and others all wanted to see the beast for themselves during tour stops in Montreal. Playing numerous concerts with bands such as Anvil, Celtic Frost, Voïvod, Nuclear Assault, Agnostic Front, D.R.I., Possessed, Dark Angel, Crumbsuckers, Sacrifice and others, AGGRESSION decided to call it quits in 1989 due to external influences.
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Discography:
*band line up for recordings was Denis Sasquatch Barthe (guitar and backup vocals), Botcher (vocals), Burn (guitar), Dug (bass) and Gate (drums and backup vocals).
*1985 – *4 track demo
*1986 – *Live (14 track live album)
*1986 -* 4 Track demo
*1986 – Forgotten Skeleton (originally recorded in 1986 and later released in 2004)
1987 – The Full Treatment (full length) – band lineup for The Full Treatment was Denis Sasquatch Barthe (guitar and backup vocals), Cactus Pete (vocals) Dug (bass and backup vocals) and Gate (drums and backup vocals)
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For more info on Aggression, please visit the following links:
Guitar World’s July 2015 issue features Lynyrd Skynyrd. As they gear up to release their latest live record, One More for the Fans! guitarist Gary Rossington reflects on his career as the sole surviving original member of the Southern rock giants.
Then, in an excerpt from his new biography on the rise of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars: The Fast Life and Sudden Death of Lynyrd Skynyrd, author Mark Ribowsky provides a harrowing account of the 1977 plane crash that rocked the music world.
Also, from “Free Bird” to “That Smell” and “Swamp Music” to “Call Me the Breeze,” we pay tribute to the legends of Southern rock by ranking their 25 best tracks.
Also in the issue, Guitar World gets freaky with Kirk Hammett as the second annual Kirk Von Hammett’s Fear FestEvil- the Metallica guitarist’s star-studded celebration of all things metal and horror.
Finally, Guitar World presents a selection of 15 of the tastiest seven- and eight-string axes on the market today.
First official CD reissue since 1998. Expanded edition incl. thick booklet with all lyrics, lot of previously unseen pictures and new liner notes written by Mark Briody & Harry Conklin. Limited to only 1000 copies. One of the best Heavy Metal albums of the ’90s, incl. ultimate classics such as “Iron Eagle” and “Chain Of Command”!
On May 26th, 1966 – The Best of the Animals entered the United States album charts. This album would peak at #6 and stay on the charts for an impressive 113 weeks. Long live the legacy of The Animals!
On May 26th, 1973 – The Edgar Winter Group hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their hard rockin’ instrumental: Frankenstein. Hell and yeah! This grand song is featured on the third studio album from The Edgar Winter Group, released in 1972: They Only Come Out At Night. Whoa!
On May 26th, 1973 – The super legendary Deep Purple released their iconic hit single: Smoke on the Water. This amazing song went on to peak at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. This song is featured on the sixth studio album from Deep Purple, released in 1972: Machine Head. Long live Deep Purple!
On May 26th, 1984 – Scorpions hit #25 on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their Heavy Metal classic: Rock You Like a Hurricane. This enormously popular song is featured on the ninth studio album from Scorpions, released in 1984: Love At First Sting. Long live Scorpions!
On May 26th, 2015 – Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits is ranked at #168, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This must-own compilation of Aerosmith classics has spent 47 non-consecutive weeks on this chart. Long live Aerosmith!
Southern Lord is pleased to announce the signing of Montreal trio, BIG|BRAVE.
The three-piece plays sincere, long-form out-rock that ventures in to different directions, at times mournful and unsettling, their music plays out in to moon-bleached grunge where serene vocals crumble over scraping guitars bled of melody.
The new BIG|BRAVE album is penciled in for a late summer release, recorded with Efrim Menuck (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra) at Hotel2Tango. This will add to a growing discography comprising their debut EP An Understanding Between People (2013) and the debut LP Feral Verdure, which they recorded at Paradise Studios with Jon Boles, and self-released in September 2014. There’s high expectation of great things to come…
Stay tuned for more news from Southern Lord and BIG|BRAVE.
On May 25th, 1965 – Dave Davies, guitarist for the The Kinks, stumbled onto drummer Mick Avory’s cymbal and was subsequently knocked unconscious, during a concert in London. Whoa and WTF!? I’ve always loved The Kinks; true Hard Rock and Heavy Metal pioneers.
Above: The Who and Led Zeppelin Concert flyer. Event was held at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, in Columbia, Maryland, USA, May 25th, 1969. Concert flyer artist was Tina Silverman.
On May 25th, 1969 – The Who and Led Zeppelin performed on the same bill for the only time in Rock History, at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, USA. Led Zeppelin opened for The Who, by the way. Whoa, man! Check out the ticket prices (above) for this unbelievable historic event!! OMFG!! Notice on the ticket stub (above) the misspelling of Led Zeppelin. LOL!! This is an event that I would go to in my time machine; if I had a time machine, that is. I NEED a time machine! Now!! Who is with me?!
On May 25th, 1974 – Sweet hits #27 in the United Kingdom with their second studio album: Sweet Fanny Adams.
On May 25th, 1983 – The debut studio album from the iconic DIO released: Holy Diver. This enormously grand Heavy Metal album went on to peak at #56 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. Holy Diver would go on to sell one million (plus) copies in the United States alone. Rest in peace, Ronnie James Dio.
KLAUS MEINE
On May 25th, 1948, Klaus Meine was born in Germany. Happy Birthday, Klaus Meine! Klaus Meine is world-famous as the vocalist, co-songwriter, lyricist and classic member of SCORPIONS. Klaus Meine has also worked with many other musicians projects over the years, including Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia.
SCORPIONS today – from L to R: James Kottak, Matthias Jabs, KlausMeine, Rudolf Schenker and Paweł Mąciwoda
Above photo credit: Scorpions Facebook – May 25, 2015 – Scorpions in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Above: Circus (magazine) pull-out poster – circa mid 80’s
Above: SCORPIONS from L to R: Klaus Meine, Francis Buchholz, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs
PSYCHOMANCER have released their new studio album, Inject The Worms, back on April 7th, 2015, via Orchestrated Misery Recordings. Proving that the Midwest is and (hopefully) forever will be a nurturing habitat for underground Death Metal, Psychomancer have unleashed 6 songs of terror that I have embraced, within my Metal world, like a long-lost and cuddly goat. I don’t know where my dependency to Death Metal came from; perhaps it is due to my lifetime infatuation with monsters Or maybe due to my 8 years of Parochial schooling back during the 70’s? All the same, I am a content fan of Death Metal, due to the overwhelming choices of bands and albums that are out in the world today.
Inject The Worms is my first introduction to Psychomancer; this band originally formed around 1998. What always catches my eye first, when shopping around for Death Metal are the album cover’s artwork. The more grotesque the Death Metal cover art doesn’t always equate to the best music heard within, in my Metal opinion. The cover art for Inject The Worms (see above) is both old-school and morbidly fun for my taste; it’s not insanely gut spilling nor repulsive. The less is more mantra for cover art kicks right in here, folks. Thus, I really dig this album cover art.
The 2015 band lineup for Psychomancer are: founding member Duston Bullard on bass and vocal duties, with new members Corey Blackstad on drums and guitarist Curt Hutchison on rhythm and lead guitars. Every delicious sonic nuance in which die-hard Death Metal fans look for is readily heard on Inject The Worms. Quaking bass, blast beats, earth shattering double bass and sadistic growling vocals; with plenty of psycho speed-driven guitar and rhythmic magic. Doom infested riffing and sludgy bass chugging is featured on this album as well. The acoustic guitar intro and haunting chants on Abhorrent Wings Of Decay are both a surprise and successful musical elements; too often Death Metal bands can become too predictable. I love it when a Death Metal band can add that something extra to an album.
I honestly believe every fan of Six Feet Under, Obituary, Suffocation and Cannibal Corpse will be licking their chops while listening to this Psychomancer album. Hell, I sure did. What does licking your chops mean anyways? Onward we go. There are melodic Death Metal moments to hear on this album too, with the intro to the title track being a very good candidate to point out. Inject The Worms has proven to be a winner for my Death Metal tastes and it’s all about these 6 songs not sounding alike. I can not say enough about the hell-raising vocals of Duston Bullard and with the overall musicianship from Psychomancer. Inject The Worms is an album I very highly recommend to all my Death Metal brethren. Metal be thy name. – Stone
On May 24th, 1969 – The Who peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their hit: Pinball Wizard. This marked the fourth top forty single for The Who, in the United States. Whoa! The Who forever! Yeah!
On May 24th, 1978 – The Van Halen self-titled debut album was certified Gold by the RIAA. This incredible album went on to sell 10 million (plus) copies in the United States alone. Whoa, man! Long live Van Halen!
On May 24th, 1991 – Guns N’ Roses began their Use Your Illusion Tour at the Alpine Valley Music Theater, in East Troy, Wisconsin. This GNR tour went on until July of 1993. Um, who cares? I sure don’t.
On May 24th, 2005 – Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne put their Beverly Hills home up for sale. This was the same home featured on their hit reality television show: The Osbournes. Who eventually purchased this famous and very expensive house? None other than Pop star Christina Aguilera. In other words, who cares.
On May 24th, 2015 – The newly released EP from California’s INCUBUS debuts at #1, on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. Whoa, again!
On May 24th, 2015 – Metallica Master Of Puppets is ranked at #149, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This amazing album has spent 83 non-consecutive weeks on this chart, peaking at #29. Master Of Puppets is the third studio album from Metallica, released back in 1986. I love this Metallica album… just as much as I love to breathe. Metal be thy name! – Stone
On February 15th, 2015, Poland’s DEIVOS released their fourth studio album of Death Metal savagery, via Selfmadegod Records. The album is Theodicy and it’s 6 songs that are damn decent to listen to. Guttural vocals, heavy-duty grooves and melodic guitars (yes, melodic) are showcased in a very big way by DEIVOS; with also an impressive nod to some splendid Speed Metal on the axes too.
The drumming and percussions are so good to listen to that it’s downright supernatural. I have the drummer’s name as Wizun and he is a sonic blast of fireworks behind the kit! This is drumming that sets DEIVOS apart from many other Death Metal bands, with fills aplenty and entertaining as hell. Please note, I’m not talking about copious noise and drumming that is so fast you cannot follow the beats.
Vocalist Hubert is a monster treat to listen to and an obvious student of old-school Death Metal. Each song has its own identity; no song on this album falls victim to its own chaos or redundancy, there is songwriting of substance here on Theodicy, my Metal brethren! Originating back in 1997, with lineup changes along the way, DEIVOS has impressively planted themselves within the tier of Death Metal bands that are to be taken serious; for both perseverance and talent, in my Metal opinion. In other Metal words, DEIVOS is no overnight sensation of a Death Metal band.
Overall, this is a very, very strong release from DEIVOS, from beginning to end. DEIVOS truly has kicked my Death Metal loving ass with this album. The album cover artwork is a work of Metal beauty; this is the stuff I want to visually take in. Death Metal and Black Metal fans should be on the lookout for this DEIVOS album. Support DEIVOS and buy Theodicy. Metal be thy name. – Stone
Tech-death gurus Cryptopsy have released a 45-second teaser video for their forthcoming EP, The Book of Suffering: Tome 1. Tome 1 is the first in a planned series of EPs collectively titled The Book of Suffering. Check out the teaser video at this location or below:
A crowd funding campaign is underway to help fund the recording and release of The Book of Suffering. Details, perks and links can be found below.
The band is currently on the road with Disgorge, Erimha, Soreption and The Convalescence on the “Back to the US 2015” tour. Remaining dates are as follows:
5/23 PENSACOLA, FL @ THE HANDLEBAR
5/24 SAN ANTONIO, TX @ KOROVA
5/25 AUSTIN, TX @ DIRTY DOG
5/26 DALLAS, TX @ GAS MONKEY
5/27 KANSAS CITY, MO @ RIOT ROOM
5/28 DES MOINES, IA @ VAL AIR BALLROOM
5/29 CREST HILL, IL @ BADA BREW
5/30 CUDAHY, WI @ METAL BAR
5/31 CLEVELAND, OH @ AGORA
Three years after unleashing their acclaimed self-titled album, Cryptopsy will release a series of EPs entitled The Book of Suffering. This approach will allow the band to put out new music more often while remaining true to their standards of quality.
After being on a record label for their entire career, Cryptopsy decided to go independent in 2012. Supported by their fans, Cryptopsy distributed and sold thousands of albums across the globe and had the opportunity to tour Japan, Western and Eastern Europe, the UK, South America, Scandinavia and Canada. They are now embarking on a crowd funding campaign that will allow them to give their fans more in terms of videos and enhanced live show production.
Cryptopsy’s crowdfunding campaign is open with exclusive t-shirts, girly tank tops, hoodies, CDs and vinyls. In addition to the more traditional merchandise, they are offering signed Flo Mounier cymbals, online lessons with each band member, guest performances and a song mix by their guitarist and sound engineer Chris Donaldson.
For those who are interested in memorabilia, they are offering stage banners that have been used since 2012. Cryptopsy’s $20,000 goal will fund the recording, mixing and mastering of The Book of Suffering Tome 1, as well as produce artwork, a music video and stage banners. Additional rewards such as a play-through video, a tour documentary and more music will be unlocked for all backers if they surpass their goal.
Cryptopsy have stated: “We hope that every extreme metal fan will be exposed to The Book of Suffering Tome 1. We are extremely proud of the material; it is some of the most brutal, technical and fresh music we have ever created.”
Crowdfunding details can be found at the links below:
On May 23rd, 2014 – Baltimore, Maryland’s MISERY INDEX released their fifth studio album, via Season Of Mist: The Killing Gods. Long live MISERY INDEX!
On May 23rd, 2014 – Germany’s Metal supergroup, UNISONIC, released their EP: For The Kingdom. This 6 song EP features 4 live tracks and 2 studio tracks. Whoa!
Above: Marshal Dutton – lead singer/musician of HINDER. Photo from HINDER Facebook.
On May 23rd, 2015 – The fifth studio album from HINDER, When The Smoke Clears, is ranked at #75, on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This is the debut week for this HINDER album as well. When The Smoke Clears is the first studio album to feature new vocalist Marshal Dutton; who is also a long-time co-songwriter and producer for HINDER.
On May 23rd, 2015 – Black Sabbath Vol. 4 is ranked at #100, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. This studio album was originally released back in 1972.
On May 23rd, 2015 – The third studio album from OTEP, The Ascension, is ranked at #70, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart.
in support of their recently released album Bad Guynaecology, London’s cheeky hard rockers Bad Guys are hitting Europe in the Bad Van for some good hearty goulash, sugary cakes and hard n’ heavy rock and metal shows. Prepare to rage as the band may be pillaging your village very soon.
Euro High Carbs Route Dates:
25th May Jazz Rock Café – Krakow – Poland
26th May Felezo Club – Debrecen – Hungary
27th May Daos Club – Timisoara – Romania
28th May Live Music Club – Szeged – Hungary
29th May Klub 007 Strahov – Prague – Czech Republic
30th May TBC – Lille – France
German Epic Melodic Death Metal virtuoso NOTHGARD announce a new bass player: Nico Kolja!
The band says about: almost 4 weeks ago our dear friend Vik S. has left the band due to unforeseen circumstances and private issues. However, Vik will remain within our Band-Family of course. Further more he will support the band with taking care of the homepage and more. On the other hand we are very happy to present you the first pic of the new musician behind the bass.
Again we say thank you to Vik for all the past years and dearly welcome Nico. For more impressions check out the Video by clicking the link below:
NOTHGARD – LINE-UP may 2015:
Vocals, Lead Guitar, Studio Keyboard: Dom R. Crey
Bass, Backing Vocals: Nico Kolja
Rhythm, 2nd Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals: Daniel K.
Rhythm Guitar: Skaahl
Drums: D. Ziegler
On May 22nd, 1976 – ELO aka Electric Light Orchestra had their hit single, Strange Magic, ranked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, in the United States. This song is featured on ELO’s studio album from 1975: Face The Music.
On May 22nd, 1979 – The great Cheap Trick received their first Platinum album for At Budokan. This live album was initially released in Japan only. At Budokan later released in the United States, after import copies began to soar. If you don’t own this Cheap Trick album, you obviously must collect other people’s nasal hairs. Truth.
On May 22nd, 2001 – Mötley Crüe released their autobiography The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band. This autobiography became a New York Times Bestseller. Whoa!
On May 22nd, 2015 – Coal Chamber have their fourth studio album, Rivals, ranked at #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Whoa.
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!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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