HELL & HEAVEN METAL FEST 2013 – Whoa! Check out the Metal bands that will be performing at this year’s Hell & Heaven Metal Fest! Motörhead, Anthrax, Testament, Six FeetUnder, Exodus, Suffocation, In Flames, Sodom, Epica, Suicidal Tendencies, Warbringer, ill nino, Heathen, Municipal Waste and even Dokken is slated for this 2 day Metal Fest! Metal be thy name!
This drop-kick-to-the-ass Metal Fest will be taking place on May 18th & 19th, 2013, in Guadalajara, Jalisco,Mexico. Just click on the links below for more info! Whoa again!
London, UK – Muli-instrumentalist and former drummer with the longest running KISS tribute act Dressed To Kill, Ian Danter has released his debut hard rock CD ‘Prove You Wrong’ on CherryRed Records. Ian Danter, a well-respected musician in his own right,can proficiently play several instruments, which he displays on his new CD. Ian plays drums, guitars, bass, keyboards and sings background vocals and lead on the three tracks. Lee Small, lead vocalist from the UK hard rock outfit SHY, lends his powerful Dio-esque vocals to 12 of the 15 tracks on the CD. Upon first listening to ‘Prove You Wrong’ classic rock artists like Rainbow and Dio immediately spring to mind. Ian explains, “I loved the music I grew up on because it made me stop and listen. It also made me appreciate good melody and how to construct a song. That is what ‘Prove You Wrong’ set out to do – to recreate the era of the song, the riff, the FEEL rather than following a trend.”
Some say sports and Rock and Roll don’t mix.. yet in the case of Ian Danter, this notion has been proven wrong. As well as his fame in the music industry, Ian is also known for his highly successful and fanatical fan-supported Saturday evening show ‘Football First’ on talkSPORT Radio, as well as presenting both local and national radio programmes in a wide variety of formats for well over a decade. Some may find it peculiar that a renowned sportscaster with an immense fan following would be able to deliver a hard rocking, well written and produced album, yet the CD title says it all. Ian explains, “As for the title, ‘Prove You Wrong’…well that is all about my desire to show that sports broadcasting and rock music are not mutually exclusive career choices! You can be credible as both, despite conventional wisdom, and I want to ‘prove’ that with this album.”
Because of Ian’s fame and work schedule as sports presenter, recording his new CD was not something that happened overnight. Says Ian, “I’ve been meaning to record my original stuff for over a decade now. The spark to actually get me into the studio was a little unfortunate – a couple of local musicians and friends passed away recently, including SHY guitarist/songwriter Steve Harris. At Steve’s funeral, I started talking to a producer friend and the subject came around to my stuff… Steve had been able to complete recording SHY’s best album just before his passing, and it suddenly occurred to me that I had to record my songs as soon as I could…you never know what the future might bring, after all.”
Ian’s musical influences can be heard loud and clear on his new CD, in particular his earliest musical loves Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and Rainbow. Ian recalls, “My older brothers owned ‘Machine Head’ by Deep Purple, ‘Live & Dangerous’ by Thin Lizzy and ‘Rising’ by Rainbow. Rainbow and Ronnie Dio’s voice were a huge influence on me. ‘Rising’ especially really captivated me…the riffs, the vocals, the sheer scale of it all just blew me away. Then one day at my cousin’s place I saw a couple of KISS albums in his collection and asked to borrow one – that was ‘Alive!’ and it was a total life-changer and had a profound effect on me. Before long I was buying everything I could find in their back catalogue – which wasn’t an easy task in 1970’s England! I’ve remained a staunch foot soldier in the KISS Army ever since.” Ian played drums with the longest running KISS tribute band Dressed To Kill for 5 years. Other musical influences include Dio, Rush, Foo Fighters, Wildhearts, Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, Pantera, Journey and Aerosmith, to name a few.
In closing, Ian has this to impart to his fans and listeners, “I hope you get as much out of listening to these songs as I did putting them together. It was a real labor of love… and hard work should always pay off!”
Ian Danter’s CD release party will be held on Friday March 22, 2013 at Birmingham City FC’s Jasper Carrott Suite.
Our fans are the are the most loyal fans in the world. We are totally grateful and feel very blessed! – Mark Kendall
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The story of Great White has many twists and turns; rising to a hard-earned status of world-wide popularity in the 80’s, with millions of albums sold, resulting in an instantly recognizable and branded band name, a 1990 Grammy nomination, touring across the globe with the industries biggest name bands, tragedy, a media intensified change in lead vocalists, lawsuits and then… Elation. With the arrival of Terry Ilous as the new frontman for Great White, a whole new era of Rock ‘N’ Roll spirit was ushered in as well for this legendary band.
Mark Kendall, Great White’s founding member, guitarist and songwriter, has recently took the time from his packed schedule to be interviewed by me; for which I extend a tremendous thank you to this talented and legendary gentleman of Rock. Mark elaborates on what the current vibes within Great White are like, the band’s newest studio and live albums, the changeover with lead vocalists and of course the fans. Here is what Mark Kendall had to say:
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Stone: What was (until now) the untold “big break” that Great White encountered during the early days of the band?
Mark: One of our first big breaks was meeting our Manager Alan Niven and making our first 5 song EP. This was such a huge moment for us. Michael Wagener was brought out from Germany to Engineer and Produce it and we already knew of him because of his work with Accept. Then when airplay followed on the 2 biggest Radio Stations in Los Angeles on KMET and KLOS we had really started to get excited.
Stone: After all these years, can Great White declare a feeling of Elation, just as your new album title reads?
Mark: Absolutely! We are really enjoying ourselves at the moment and the energy within the band is very positive!
Stone: During the exit period of Jack Russell was there ever a time when you thought Great White was “on the ropes”?
Mark: I never felt the band was on the ropes, but I felt Jack was. It’s very difficult to watch a person self destruct and you can’t do anything about it. I have never put that much energy and attention into trying to get a person sober and healthy in my entire life. It just wears on you and it’s a very difficult thing when someone just won’t accept help. His addiction unfortunately is winning and it has literally destroyed his body. He has this huge extended stomach, skinny little legs and just looks so sick, it’s very sad. I asked people who have 30 plus years sobriety is there anything I am missing or is there something else I can be doing for him. I was told that if an addict is not ready to surrender to his addiction there is nothing anyone can do. I work with a lot of struggling addicts and alcoholics on a daily basis, as well as I am involved with the Grammy Foundation through MusiCares to give back to the program and help people. What I have found is the ones who do well and are successful are the ones who want it more than anything! One can only hope he finds help before it’s too late..He remains in our prayers…
Stone: Is there a new-found feeling of brotherhood within Great White, now that Terry (Ilous) has become your new lead vocalist?
Mark: Everything is just easy and fun. We are having fun again without any drama. That alone is worth its weight in gold! Terry leaves it on stage every night and always brings everything he has to our live shows. He is a pleasure to be around and always has a positive vibe. He makes you feel good when you’re around him. The brotherhood is totally intact and our creative juices are flowing like crazy! I can’t wait to do the next record.
GREAT WHITE:
Mark Kendall – Guitar Michael Lardie – Keyboards & Guitar Scott Snyder – Bass Audie Desbrow – Drums Terry Ilous – Vocals
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Stone: Mark, how did it all unfold as Terry becoming the lead vocalist for Great White?
Mark: He filled in when Jack was on his path of self-destruction. Jack had to pull out of a tour with more than 30 dates on the books. To save face with the promoters we asked Terry to fill in. Terry had already filled in for one show. We actually had Jani Lane fill in for a few shows as well. When Jack reached the point of no return and announced he was moving on, Terry was a no brainer. We loved the man. Terry is such a good singer and a total pro. He is very dedicated and wants to work very hard all the time and is always very motivated. He vibrates at a frequency that’s a little higher than your average person!
Stone: Of course money is essential to live, however, what is more important, selling multi-millions of albums or playing the music that you love, live for your fans?
Mark: Playing live is everything to us!! Selling music has nothing to do with anything as far as just pure enjoyment. The great thing if you are selling millions of records though means your music is reaching a lot of people. That probably means more people will be at the shows and that’s very cool. Playing live is my favorite thing about making music though. Nothing else even comes close!
Stone: I look upon your newly released “30 Years – Live From The Sunset Strip” (Frontiers Records) as not only a celebration of Great White; I look upon it as a band that has persevered and showcases one of America’s greatest live Hard Rock Bands of yesterday and today. Did you guys have to be prodded for this live anniversary album or was it always in the cards?
Mark: No we didn’t. This is a tremendous milestone and we really wanted to celebrate it. We felt what a great way to do it by bringing it back to where it all started for us on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood California! It was such a great night. All our friends, fans and family came down to the show. We brought the video cameras out and recorded the show.
Stone: Media and fan response to “Elation” and your hit single “Hard To Say Goodbye” has been phenomenal. What were your expectations with the release of “Elation”? I look upon it all as a tremendous fresh and new start for Great White.
Mark: The feedback from everyone has been absolutely amazing!I think it’s a very great first effort. It was a lot of fun to make and we are all happy. I think the album is consistent and for writing, recording, mixing and mastering the album in 35 days we can’t complain. I really look forward to doing the next one. I am ready to make a statement and the next album I feel is going to be our strongest ever. I am setting my goals high and I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t believe it. This is a new chapter in the Great White book and we are enjoying riding the wave. Our fans are the are the most loyal fans in the world. We are totally grateful and feel very blessed!
Listen to and watch “Hard To Say Goodbye” below!
Stone: Frontiers Records has continuously signed the crème de la crème of 80’s Rock and Hard Rock bands. Were you approached by Frontiers or did you approach them?
Mark: We approached them and a few others. I think it’s great that there are labels that help get rock and roll music to the people. It’s a different world now than it was back in the day. We no longer have all the mediums like MTV and Radio, so it’s harder to get our music to the people. I just want people to hear our music. Everything is internet now so you really need a good team of people who know how to network.We have a great staff who are doing a wonderful job!
Stone: Mark, could you pinpoint the greatest moment you’ve experienced as a musician, regardless of how small or large the moment was?
Mark: For me it was having a musician father that encouraged me. I had some natural ability and there was always music in my house. I think having a Mother and Father that encouraged just about anything I did musically was a great experience and I don’t think anything else could really compare to that.
WHITESNAKE – YEAR OF THE SNAKE – Here’s some incredible news updates and tour info on Hard Rock legends Whitesnake for 2013! And it’s all… Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day! Metal be thy name!
WHITESNAKE – MADE IN JAPAN:
Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition/ DVD Edition (1 DISC) Blu-Ray Edition (1 DISC)
RELEASE DATES:
JP Release: Wednesday 3rd April 2013
UK Release: Monday 22nd April 2013
US Release: Tuesday 23rd April 2013
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce Whitesnake’s highly anticipated live concert Made InJapan – released on Deluxe 2CD/DVD Edition, Blu-ray and DVD in the UK on Monday April 22nd (North American release is Tuesday April 23rd).
Multi-platinum Rock band Whitesnake co-headlined the “Loud Park” festival on October 15th 2011 at Saitama Super Arena in Japan during their “Forevermore World Tour.”
23 June – San Sebastian, Spain (Donosti Arena)
24 June – Barcelona, Spain (Palau Olimpic)
26 June – Madrid, Spain (Vistalegre)
28 June – La Coruna, Spain (Coliseum)
Is playing, learning and hanging with members of DEF LEPPARD an item on your bucket list?
Metal Odyssey – This past Friday (March 1st) marked the 4th Year Anniversary of Metal Odyssey. 4 years of Metal existence for Metal Odyssey! Whoa! Quite honestly, I didn’t even remember that March 1st was the anniversary for Metal Odyssey; not until a little gold trophy icon appeared at the top header bar of my WordPress page! I clicked on it and was pleasantly surprised! Funny stuff.
4 years can be looked upon as a long period of time or just a quick burp during this century. Regardless, it’s been a fun and educational trip, while keeping Metal Odyssey running on all its Metal cylinders! I want to thank every visitor to Metal Odyssey; without site visitors there’s no use in doing this Metal gig! I also thank the PR professionals that send Metal Odyssey the stuff necessary for quality news and album reviews.
The countless musicians and bands covered on Metal Odyssey I cannot thank enough! To the major and independent record labels that sign and promote Metal, a thank you is in order. I’ve lived long enough now to realize that the Metal community is home for me. There’s no place like Metal home. No where on Earth have I found more genuine, kind and… badass brethren! Metal Buddies rule! Here’s to another 4 years of Metal Odyssey and… METAL. BE. THY. NAME.
If y’all wanna read my very first post I wrote for Metal Odyssey, back on March 1st, 2009, (the launching post if you will), just click on that kick-ass link below! Whoa!
The Misfits & Osaka Popstar Vintage Vinyl Records in-store signing (originally scheduled for Feb. 9th but postponed due to the blizzard that hit the East Coast), will take place on SUNDAY MARCH 10TH @ 3PM!
PLUS as a ‘snow day special’ bonus, for those who’ve patiently been awaiting the upcoming in-store signing, Vintage Vinyl Records has 50 copies of the super-limited Misfits Psycho in the Wax Museum clear vinyl 7-inch single! The first 50 customers to purchase both the Misfits DEA.D. Alive vinyl LP AND Osaka Popstar Super Hero 12-inch receive a Psycho in the Wax Museum single as a special added value item. Unavailable for sale anywhere, get one of these rare promo only 7-inch premiums FREE on a first come first serve basis, limited to one per customer, while supplies last, only at Vintage Vinyl.
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BE THERE! SUN. MARCH 10TH, 3PM @ VINTAGE VINYL RECORDS 51 Lafayette Rd. • Fords, NJ • 732-225-7717
Buy Misfits DEA.D. ALIVE on CD or Vinyl LP, or the Osaka Popstar Super Hero 12-inch single to get a wristband for this event. Each item pre-ordered comes with one wristband. Each person in line needs their own wristband in order to get into the signing.
If you haven’t already, click here http://www.vvinyl.com/ to pre-order your copies online from Vintage Vinyl Records now!
On March 30th AVANTASIA will release their new album The Mystery Of Time. Now the band presents the first track called INVOKE THE MACHINE. Besides mastermind TOBIAS SAMMET, the track features PRETTY MAIDS vocalist RONNIE ATKINS as a guest singer.
Tobias Sammet comments: “I have been a huge PRETTY MAIDS fan since I was a teenager. I already asked Ronnie to be on the Metal Opera in 1999, but he was busy back then. Last year I saw PRETTY MAIDS live and they were a steam train on stage, unbelievable. After the show we met and Ronnie was a great guy. Finally after 13 years, I am really proud to have him on the new Avantasia album. And his kick-ass performance leaves no doubt: It was a great decision to ask him!”
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(Source: Nuclear Blast)
* For more info on AVANTASIA, click on the links below!
As reported on the official facebook of SUFFOCATION:
New York Death Metal veterans, SUFFOCATION, have sold 3,213 copies of their new album Pinnacle of Bedlam in the U.S. during its first week of release. That puts the band at #152 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and at #2 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) Chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
“Pinnacle of Bedlam is an album that we couldn’t be prouder of,” commented the band. “A lot of blood and sweat went into the making of this album and the fans have responded! Thank you to all of you who support SUFFOCATION, as well as Nuclear Blast for their support in helping to bring this brutal beast to the masses and to our management team for keeping all the pieces together. We’ll see all of you on the road on the ‘Despise the World’ tour!!!”
Stone Says: Hails to SUFFOCATION for invading the Billboard Charts! I bought my copy of Pinnacle Of Bedlam; it’s the CD/DVD Digipak version sold at Best Buy for $11.99. I highly recommend this new deathly offering from SUFFOCATION and… Metal be thy name.
DRAGONFORCE – After all these years, I’ve come to the conclusion that if Metal wants to mingle and/or partner within the mainstream, the benefit can be that (hopefully) more people will be enticed into our beloved Metal universe. I know I sure would love a payday if Capital One wanted to partner with me! Stone and Capital One… nah, I can’t see it anytime soon.
Now on to this post… the Dragonforce guitar duo of Herman Li and Sam Totman are shredding some serious Metal in the Capital One video below. Whoa.
As reported on the official facebook of Dragonforce: “Finally, the full-length version of the exclusive DragonForce track “Galactic Astro Domination” of the Capital One commercial is out!”
I found this cool message and link for a FREE Dragonforce MP3 on youtube:
For a limited time and while supplies last, an exclusive MP3 of this smoldering, sweltering, and scorching anthem is available as a free download only on http://www.WhileBanking.com
PHANTOM 13 – That’s it at the top! Whoa! That’s my autographed PHANTOM 13 CD! I was able to catch these Horror Punk/Shock Rock bad-asses opening for the Queen Of Heavy Metal, aka, DoroPesch and her band DORO. This concert took place at Ace Of Cups in Columbus, Ohio, back on February 9th. HARD ROCK HIDEOUT‘s very own Rob Rockitt took my Rockaholic ass for a ride out to this DORO show and we both had a blast.
PHANTOM 13 are from Columbus, Ohio and they gave their hometown crowd of fans one hell of a spooktacular good time. I had heard of PHANTOM 13 before seeing them on that night; now I’m a fan. The band members of PHANTOM 13 were out and about in the crowd after their set, as well as hanging around their merch table. I bought their self-titled CD from them for $6. As the night progressed, each member of the band was more than happy to sign the front cover to the liner notes for me. Very cool.
Being a fan of the Misfits, Balzac and Wednesday 13 (to name a few) is no secret around here. Horror Punk, Horror Metal and Shock Rock just sucks me in. I love it. I really dig the moments when AFI and Aiden havedabbled into the Punk Horror theme. If any of these bands I’ve mentioned are favorites of yours, then, PHANTOM 13 is a band worthy of your time and money.
PHANTOM 13’s vocalist Sutter Cain comes across as an ominous figure, both physically and vocally, however, he politely apologized when he nearly walked into me in the crowd. That’s called having Rockin’ class and I respect that. From this experience, I’d have to readily admit that PHANTOM 13 can play and are a class act off the stage. I highly recommend seeing these guys live and don’t hesitate to buy their merch and music; whether it’s one mp3, an entire CD or slab of vinyl. Metal be thy name.
Ripple Music will release Fate is Your Muse from Indianapolis Heavy Rockers DEVIL TO PAY on April 9th. The album will be available on CD, vinyl, and digital formats. Fate is your Muse is an introspective lyrical journey that careens from the metaphysical, to the absurd, to the pragmatic (and back again), all set to bone crushing heaviness wrapped in elaborate vocal melodies and elegant guitar phrases. Exploring topics such as reincarnation, the end of days, and the thin veil between reality and fantasy, the Indianapolis foursome create a rare musical experience; one that will have Heavy Rock fans returning for the primal emotional riffs, as well as the complex and heady lyrical content.
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FATE IS YOUR MUSE – Track Listing:
Wearin’ You Down
Ten Lizardmen & One Pocketknife
Yes Master
Already Dead
This Train Won’t Stop*
Savonarola
Black Black Heart
The Naked Truth
Mass Psychosis
Tie One On*
Beyond The Ether
*CD version only
DEVIL TO PAY released a video for the single “This Train Won’t Stop,” which was premiered by The Obelisk in conjunction with the end of the Mayan Baktun on December 21st. The lyrics are about the continual false prophesying of the world’s end. Check out the video below!
The band is hosting a listening party for Fate Is Your Muse at the Sound Square Brewery in Indianapolis on the 16th of March, which will feature the establishment’s home brews, all of which will be named after DEVIL TO PAY songs for the night. DEVIL TO PAY’s album release party will be held at Radio Radio in Indianapolis on the 12th of April.
Pre-order Fate is your Muse by clicking the link below!
The esteemed DEATH TO ALL Tour, celebrating the life and music of DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, will be returning in 2013 for an even larger run of dates. After a successful 2012 run, the tour, now referred to as DTA1, will feature the original lineup of DEATH from Human — guitarist Paul Masvidal, bassist Steve Di Giorgio, and drummer Sean Reinert, with special guest vocalist/guitarist Max Phelps of Cynic/Exist. The band will be playing a selection of songs from the first four DEATH albums including the cream of the Human album.
Once again, the spirit of the tour is to spread the word and raise money for the charity Sweet Relief, while keeping the music and legacy of Chuck Schuldiner alive. A second version of the tour, dubbed DTA2, is planned for North America later this year, and will focus on the final three DEATH albums, plus a one-off European date at Neurotic Deathfest May 3 that will cover the entire DEATH catalog. A complete listing of dates is included below while a limited number of VIP tickets are available HERE.
Additionally, 2013 will continue to see the deluxe reissues of DEATH’s catalog by RelapseRecords. Over the last couple of years, the label has painstakingly reissued and remastered the later albums from the DEATH catalog including The Sound of Perseverance, IndividualThought Patterns, Human, Spiritual Healingand other Chuck Schuldiner related releases. These DEATH titles are currently available for streaming at this LOCATION. Details on the 2013 reissues will be announced shortly.
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DEATH TO ALL Tour Dates:
4/13/2013 House of Blues – W. Hollywood, CA Tickets
WITCH CROSS – Lead vocalist Kev Moore of Metal legends Witch Cross has recently took time out of his unreal busy schedule to do an exclusive interview with Metal Odyssey. A huge Metal thank you to Kev for being so obliging! Below you’ll read about Kev reflecting on the writing of the forthcoming Witch Cross album: Axe To Grind. Kev also speaks with the utmost respect for the Metal legacy in which Witch Cross has earned; as well he speaks the same for his band’s former and current members.
Band chemistry, special (well-known) guest musicians on Axe To Grind, playing the Metal festival circuit and (of course) the fans of Witch Cross, are all touched upon by this talented and charismatic frontman. It’s been many years since the last Witch Cross studio release; that being 1984’s Roadrunner Records release of Fit For Fight. It’s a new Metal era for this Danish rooted Metal band. The fans never went into hiding, Metal never died and now… Witch Cross is back! Here’s what Kev Moore had to say:
Stone: Kev, how excited are you and the entire Witch Cross band & camp to see ‘Axe To Grind’ release?
Kev: We’re totally psyched-up about this release Stone – it’s very, very important to us, as ‘Fit for Fight’ has achieved such a cult status in the Metal world, all these years later we knew it would be a hard act to follow. But we think we’ve stayed true to the ethic of the original, never losing sight that ‘The song is King’.
Stone: Can you tell us Metal faithful how cool it is to have Chris Tsangarides do the mixing for ‘Axe To Grind’?
Kev: To have Chris mix the album is a huge Metal bonus for us. We had him in mind right from the start, and we are great admirers of his work in this genre, his track record speaks for itself! We knew he could help us stay true to the genre and the era from which our music is born.
Stone: Can you elaborate on the flow and chemistry as you and (guitarist/founding member) Mike‘Wlad’ Kock wrote songs for ‘Axe To Grind’? Anyone else contribute to the songwriting?
Kev: Finding a songwriting partner that is easy to work with and complements your own ideas is not an easy task. Primarily, you have to check your ego at the door, and be prepared to have the other guy say ‘I don’t like what you did there’ or ‘that sucks!’ because you need to focus on what is best for the song, nothing else. When Mike sent an idea over for me to look at way before we even got deep into the ‘Axe to Grind’ project, and we started ‘ping-ponging’ the ideas back and forth, I immediately knew we could write together. Mike is prolific and fast, as am I. We worked at a furious pace, honing the material to how we wanted it. I want to give huge credit to Mike, who really kept his eye on the ball regarding his vision for this album, keeping it true to the band and the genre. In addition, we really wanted to make this album very inclusive, and ‘Part of the Machine’ was co-written with our bassist, Jan ‘Little John’ Fields, and ‘Metal Nation’ was co-written with guitarist Paul Martin. To take the ‘inclusive’ vibe further, we have our original drummer from ‘Fit for Fight’, Anders “A.C” Hjort as a guest on several tracks too.
Check out the teaser video below for Axe To Grind… Whoa!
Stone: How did your guest musicians Marta Gabriel, Graham Oliver and Jax Chambers all come on board for this exciting Metal chapter in Witch Cross history?
Kev: We’re so pleased to have these great Metal mates on board for this album! I’ve known Graham for many years, I sang with Oliver/Dawson Saxon for two tours before Wardi joined them and both Graham and I have guested on each others albums in the past. It was natural to want him to contribute to ‘Ride with the Wind’ which is a motorcycle song in the best Saxon tradition! I also get to play bass on that one, so it’s Graham and I together again like the first tour we did. We worked with the fabulous Crystal Viper at Metal Magic in Denmark last year, and Marta’s amazing vocals just knocked us out! It was an honour to have her take the part of the ‘Bird of Prey’, she just rips it to shreds… fantastic Metal stuff!
We’ve known Girlschool for years, often getting the same flights to and from Germany to shows. Jax was a natural to ask to contribute and she’s great fun! She laid down a great solo for ‘Chelsea 100’. What was also cool was my son Corey did the recording of Graham and Jax over in the UK for us, so we kept it in the family! It’s truly an honour to have these three great artists share this album with us. They rock!
Stone: Which are your favorite songs on ‘Axe To Grind’ or is the entire album a favorite?
Kev: It’s REAL hard to pick a favourite, throughout the process it’s changed…but if I had to pick one, it’s probably ‘The Killing of Chelsea 100’. I love the time signature changes and I’m very proud of the lyrics, which reference much of the history and people who went through that famous New York hotel. That said, the album as a whole is a fine body of work, in my obviously biased opinion!
Kev Moore
Stone: Have you performed any new songs ‘live’ yet? If so, how have the fans responded?
Kev: Yes, we’ve been performing ‘Demon in the Mirror’ and ‘Pandora’s Box’, and I have to say, we were blown away by the fans reaction! When you realize that they also have to deal with me as the ‘new’ vocalist singing the old songs and then hearing new stuff on top, it really gave us a great feeling as we were recording ‘Axe to Grind’.
Stone: Are there songs that didn’t make the cut for ‘Axe To Grind’ that (hopefully) will land on a future EP or studio album?
Kev: Hell yeah! We had so many ideas coming out that we’re well on the way to another album’s worth of material already! We had to think long and hard about what to leave off this one and things are shaping up nicely so that we hope it won’t be another 28 years between releases!
Stone: What can you tell your Metal brethren about the ‘live’ Witch Cross experiences you’ve had thus far?
Kev: You know, playing ‘Keep it True’ in Germany last year was immense for us. It was SO important. We didn’t really know how we’d be received, whether we could recapture any of the magic the band had back in the day, and from a personal perspective, whether I would be accepted as the new frontman, because, and I want to go on record with this: Alex Savage’s vocal performance on ‘Fit for Fight’ was a tour de force – it’s a superb piece of work. I’m no stranger to filling a role though. Going out singing Saxon’s catalogue with Graham Oliver, Nigel Durham and Steve Dawson was a big task too and the experience probably helped me when we resurrected WITCH CROSS.
Kev: The fans reaction was truly amazing. You must remember, as is so often the case with Metal, this music gets ‘handed down’ from older brothers, or indeed through generations and there are many people who know the old songs, who never thought they’d ever hear them performed live. Some of the messages of support we’ve had have been wonderful, and the instances of meeting many of the fans at the great festivals such as Metal Magic and Heavy Metal Maniacs in Holland have been very important to us. It is a symbiotic relationship. The band IS its fans, it is our raison d’etre. Without their enthusiasm, their approval, their support, I doubt this album would have been made.
Stone: What are the release dates for ‘Axe To Grind’ in North America, Europe and the UK?
Kev: We have a tentative worldwide release for the beginning of April, but nothing more definite than that at the time of writing. I DO know that our wonderful label Hells Headbangers, will be issuing it in on both CD and 12″ vinyl. More news as we get it!
Photo from Ultraviolet recording sessions at The Jam Room
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“UNSPOKEN” MP3 AVAILABLE NOW
Feb. 26, 2013, Philadelphia – Kylesa is set to release Ultraviolet, one of the most anticipated Hard Rock releases of the year and the follow-up to their critically acclaimed album SpiralShadow, on May 28 via Season of Mist (May 24 in Europe).
“Whereas Spiral Shadow was a warm album suggesting concepts of hope, Ultraviolet is a bit colder and darker,” explains songwriter/guitar player Laura Pleasants. “All of our studio albums have their own unique identity and we’ve always been a band who strives for something different than what current fads suggest. With Ultraviolet, we took a step inward and wrote music that we felt we had to write; this album centers around the multiple themes of loss and you can feel it in the music. Everyone goes through it during their lifetime and this record reflects that experience.”
The Savannah-based quintet recorded Ultraviolet at The Jam Room in Columbia, SC with the band’s guitar player/songwriter, and sought-after producer, Phillip Cope (Baroness, Black Tusk) once again overseeing production.
Kylesa released a rarities collection in November titled From The Vaults, Vol. 1, which featured unreleased, new and alternate versions of songs spanning the band’s catalogue as well as one new song titled End Truth. Cope and Pleasants spent over a year going through their archives preparing the release.
The band’s most recent studio album, Spiral Shadow, had the highest Metal/Hard Rock entry on the Village Voice’s 2010 Pazz & Jop album poll, led Pitchfork to say “Kylesa would be a household name” following the release and landed the band on the cover of Terrorizer as well as album of the month accolades from Metal Hammer, Rock Sound and Visions Magazines. In 2011, Kylesa became the first Metal band to perform on Last Call with Carson Daly.
Kylesa will return to the road in May with more details forthcoming.
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(Source: Speakeasy PR & Marketing)
* For more info on KYLESA, click on the links below!
TOKYO DRAGONS – They came from London, England. They played in-your-face, denim and leather wrapped, good-times Hard Rock. Their debut album Give Me The Fear was released back in 2005, via Escapi Music. This band certainly packed 100% Heavy Rockin’ potency and Give Me The Fear is 100% proof, to my middle-aged and Metal scorched ears. Tokyo Dragons was their name and how I wish they were still in the Hard Rock game!
Apparently, Tokyo Dragons is no longer a band. From what I’ve read, Tokyo Dragons disbanded back in 2008; just after releasing their sophomore album Hot Nuts. With no official website or facebook page existing for this band, the alternative source for information is reading about their career biography on Wikipedia. Now that’s an unfortunate thing.
What I do know is what I hear and Give Me The Fear is an amazing experience of Hard Rock bliss upon my senses! This debut from Tokyo Dragons could have easily been titled: Psyche-You-Out-Of-Your-Hard-Rockin’-Party-Lovin’ Mind! ALL 11 songs on Give Me The Fear are high-octane and pedal to the metal! This is an album that can be enjoyed by both Classic Rock and Hard Rock fans alike; with the 80’s Heavy Metal crowd undoubtedly included!
There’s so many memorable riffs and hooks on Give Me The Fear that it’s flat-out insane! Guitar driven to the maximum and lead vocalist/guitarist Steve Lomax sounds like a seasoned superstar of the Hard Rock world. To me, Tokyo Dragons were (very likely) feeling and sharing some legitimate Hard Rockin’ chemistry as a band, when they recorded their debut; it’s such a damn shame they’re no longer around.
I landed Give Me The Fear on CD this past weekend; finding a used copy at a store called BuybacksEntertainment. For $2.99, I couldn’t have spent my money any wiser! Due to Give Me The Fear, I’ve been transported from being unfamiliar with Tokyo Dragons to being a fan of their heavy music. Tokyo Dragons played some blue-collar, kick-ass Hard Rock. ‘Nuff said.
In my most honest opinion, Tokyo Dragons wasn’t any copycat band. Fans of AC/DC to Cheap Trick (with Helix, Fastway and Motörhead fans in-between) can all find something to savor from Give Me The Fear. I know I’m savoring every moment, each and every time I listen to this album. Now if only Tokyo Dragons would reunite… that would be Hard Rock news to celebrate. Metal be thy name.
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Give Me The Fear – Track Listing:
What The Hell
Get ‘Em Off
Do You Wanna?
Come On Baby
Let It Go
Johnny Don’t Wanna Ride
Teenage Screamers
Ready Or Not
Burn On
Rockin’ The Stew
Chasing The Night
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TOKYO DRAGONS:
Steve Lomax – lead vocals & guitar
Phil Martini – drums & vocals
Mal Bruk – guitar & vocals
Ade Easily – bass guitar
* In the liner notes of Give Me The Fear, it reads: “Tokyo Dragons welcome aboard Mathias Stady on Bass Guitar.”
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LONG LIVE THE HARD ROCKIN’ LEGACY OF TOKYO DRAGONS.
CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC is pleased and extremely proud to have signed a deal with FATESWARNING’s original guitarist and founding member Victor Arduini for the release of Arduini’s new band FREEDOMS REIGN.
FREEDOMS REIGN marks Arduini’s comeback to the Metal world since he left FATES WARNING after the release of The Spectre Within in 1985.
Keeping his original, charismatic and unmistakable guitar-style untouched, Arduini returns under the spotlights with fresh enthusiasm and dedication, producing a notable effort of true American-styled Heavy Metal with a classic Ozzy/Sabbath’s flavor. FREEDOMS REIGN was introduced to Cruz Del Sur by long-time friend and “occasional A&R” Tom Phillips (While Heaven Wept) who said about F.R.’s music:
“I think Freedoms Reign would be a welcome addition for anyone into classic heavy rock, early Fates fans, those into both the recent Proto-Metal movement, and the wave of Classic Metal bands that evolved on the outer fringes of the Doom scene!”
Besides Arduini (guitar/vocals) , FREEDOMS REIGN also consists of Tommy Vumback (Guitars), Michael Jones (Bass) and Chris Judge (Drums).
The release of FREEDOMS REIGN’s self-titled debut is set for April 30th to celebrate the Walpurgis Night that originally influenced Fates Warning to release their Night on Bröcken debut exactly 29 years ago.
FREEDOMS REIGN has been active in the Connecticut Metal scene since 2011. The idea behind the band’s formation was to simply make some great music that returned the musicians involved to their roots and could deliver on their commitment to making some Old School Metal that would be relevant in today’s scene. Expect nothing less than a true return to heavy, hard and driving Old School Metal. The band’s self-titled debut was produced by Nick Belmore (Toxic Holocaust/Hatebreed) at Dexters Lab in Milford, CT.
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"
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Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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