This past week the news broke of Slipknot notifying drummer Jay Weinberg that his service was no longer needed. After 10 years with Slipknot, contributing to 3 studio albums and touring, the loyalty factor went dark on Jay Weinberg for obviously no sufficient reason. “Slipknot is intent on evolving” is basically an excuse taken out of the handbookof cheap excuses to fire someone. Please. Slipknot evolving? Into what? A folk band? Bluegrass ensemble? Whatever.
Below are the press releases as released by Slipknot and Jay Weinberg. Granted, I don’t know every detail behind the scenes here; however, if it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck… then it’s a duck. I wish nothing but the very best of Metal success for Jay Weinberg for he deserves to rise above this nonsense. -Stone
The band will make their triumphant return to Latin America for 10 shows, with the first stop in Lima, Peru on Saturday, April 6. In addition to Peru, upcoming stops include Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and México. Presale tickets for Mexico will be available for Cyber Army members beginning Saturday, November 11 at 10AM local time. Presales for the rest of the tour dates are listed below and coming soon.
“April of 2024 Megadeth returns to South America to support our latest record, The Sick, The Dying, And The Dead!, and I always get excited because there is something truly different about South America. I don’t know what it is… but whatever IT is, they come by it naturally,” shared frontman Dave Mustaine. “We are also planning a really big surprise for where “Aguante Megadeth” all started in Buenos Aires, too! So… if you can, DO NOT MISS THAT SHOW!”
Ticket and VIP Package Presales begin Saturday, November 11, 2023 in select markets.
Today, US thrash metal legends SACRED REICH release MC re-issues of their classic albums “Surf Nicaragua” (1988) and “The American Way” (1990) via Time To Kill Records. Order your copies now at:
SACRED REICH is an American thrash metal band based in Phoenix, Arizona, that was formed in 1985. The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006. They have been credited, along with Testament, Destruction, Death Angel and Dark Angel, for leading the second wave of thrash metal in the late 1980s.
In 2019, SACRED REICHreleased their first record in twenty-three years: “Awakening”. Showcasing everything a fan would expect and hope for from the Phoenix, Arizona unit, “Awakening” is a timeless collection comprised of blistering thrash, crushing grooves, meticulous solos, and socially conscious lyrics. The return of Dave McClain, who manned the drum throne from 1991 to 1997, and the addition of twenty-two-year old guitarist Joey Radziwill, alongside original members guitarist Wiley Arnett and vocalist/bassist Phil Rind, are integral facets of the record.
“Awakening” was produced by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy), engineered by John Aquilino, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Halford, Armored Saint).
German heavy metal veterans U.D.O. who were recently forced to postpone their planned 2023 North American tour, are pleased to reveal the rescheduled dates for Fall 2024. The journey will commence on September 6th in Frenchtown, New Jersey and makes its way through two dozen cities, closing on October 12th in Manchester, New Hampshire. Tickets, as well as VIP upgrades which include a meet and greet with U.D.O., a photo-op, autographs, and more are available at: national-acts.com/UDO.
Tickets purchased for the previous 2023 shows will be honored on their respective rescheduled dates. See all confirmed dates below.
U.D.O. Touchdown US/Canada Tour: 9/06/2024 Artie’s – Frenchtown, NJ 9/07/2024 The Vault – New Bedford, MA 9/08/2024 Reverb – Reading, PA 9/11/2024 Southport Music Hall – Jefferson, LA 9/12/2024 Rise Rooftop – Houston, TX 9/14/2024 Rolling Oaks Event – San Antonio, TX 9/15/2024 Trees – Dallas, TX 9/17/2024 Rockhouse – El Paso, TX 9/18/2024 The 44 – Glendale, AZ 9/20/2024 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA 9/21/2024 Stages – Santa Ana, CA 9/22/2024 Whisky A Go Go – West Hollywood, CA 9/23/2024 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 9/25/2024 Rickhouse – Denver, CA 9/27/2024 The Vixen – Mchenry, IL 9/28/2024 The Forge – Joliet, IL 10/01/2024 Brass Monkey – Ottawa, ON 10/02/2024 Foufounes Electriques – Montreal, QC 10/03/2024 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON 10/04/2024 Token Lounge – Westland, MI 10/05/2024 Q & Z Expo – Ringle, WI 10/06/2024 Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI 10/09/2024 Blue Note – Harrison, OH 10/12/2024 Angel City Music Hall – Manchester, NH
U.D.O. released their latest studio album, Touchdown, in August via Atomic Fire Records. The record, which marks the musical reunion of singer Udo Dirkschneider and bassist Peter Baltes (ex-Accept) who joined the U.D.O. ranks earlier this year, continues to reap critical accolades globally and entered the official German album charts at #4 upon its first week of release marking the highest charting result in their homeland in their long-running career!
THE RODS are a storied heavy metal band that rocked their way through the ‘80s with a powerful, raw energy that had fans and critics alike calling them “The American Motörhead.” Once the go-to opening act for some of the biggest metal bands in the world, THE RODS toured throughout the ‘80s with the likes of Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, and Iron Maiden, among others. Along with contemporaries like Anvil and Raven, THE RODS are an integral part of what is commonly recognized today as Heavy Metal’s “golden age,” and emerged during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Following their latest, much acclaimed 2019-album Brotherhood of Metal, now, THE RODS have announced their signing with Massacre Records,and are currently gearing up for the release of their forthcoming studio offering, entitled “Rattle The Cage”! The album will be available as CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats on January 12, 2024, the pre-sale has just started at: https://therods.bfan.link/rattlethecage
Drummer Carl Canedy comments: “THE RODS are thrilled to have signed with Massacre Records! The staff and the label’s commitment to Metal is second to none. We feel our new album, “Rattle The Cage”, is one of our best ever. We’re looking forward to working with everyone at Massacre to help make this album as successful as it deserves to be. The Rods have always been about bringing their music to the fans. We will be doing just that in 2024! “
To share a first appetizer, today, THE RODS are presenting their upcoming album title track! “Rattle The Cage”is now available on all digital streaming services at THIS LOCATION, a music video is now premiering HERE!
“In preparation for this new album, I received a message from Carl stating that he had an idea for a new song,“ vocalist and guitarist, David “Rock” Feinstein, reveals.“He sent me the title, and some lyric ideas, and of course I thought the title and concept he formed was great. He then left it to me and my imagination to add more lyric ideas, and complete the musical work. The song is about the everyday person who feels trapped at what they might be doing in their life. No matter what the job may be, the need for relief was in need. It’s also about freedom, and about standing up for what you feel is right, and not being taken advantage of. Rattle the cage, and be heard. Let your feelings be known, and stand up for your rights. It really applies to everyone’s life.“
Heavy, dark, deep, insightful, and maybe even a bit more inciteful than ever before: “Rattle The Cage”is THE RODS at their incendiary best! Lyrically, they’ve taken a cue from David “Rock” Feinstein’s cousin, Ronnie James Dio, providing the listener with a similar sense of hope and resiliency in the face of an ever-changing world. Musically, the band is tighter than ever! Founding members David “Rock”Feinstein and Carl Canedy are joined by new bassist Freddy Villano (Quiet Riot, Widowmaker), and the results are simply sublime: The songs are rhythmically tighter, yet more musically unbound, the grooves heavier, and the melodies more dynamic.
Mixed and mastered by Chris Collier, “Rattle The Cage” benefits from his masterful, modern touch, with the kind of sound that will simultaneously appeal to core fans as well as new generations of listeners! THE RODS epitomize the term power-trio, and the word “power” has never been more evident in their music than it is now. 2024 will markTHE RODS’ 45th anniversary, in support, they will be playing many special dates and performances to commemorate 45 years together. With such an impressive history firmly notched in their collective belt, THE RODS are still firing on all cylinders, and as eager as ever to crank it up, louder than loud!
Rattle The Cage” track listing:
Now And Forever
Wolves At The Door
Cry Out Loud
Rattle The Cage
Can’t Slow Down
Metal Highways
Hell Or High Water
Play It Loud
Shockwave
Hearts Of Steel
THE RODS: David “Rock” Feinstein – Guitar, Lead Vocals Freddy Villano – Bass, Vocals Carl Canedy – Drums, Vocals
Frontiers Music is pleased to announce the upcoming release from The Grandmaster, “Black Sun” on January 12, 2024. The first single and video from the album, “Watching The End” are out today. Following their explosive 2021 debut “Skywards,” this remarkable band, led by German guitarist Jens Ludwig (co-founder of Edguy), is set to deliver a powerful fusion of power and melody with a distinctive Teutonic twist.
Keen to hit the road to promote further releases, Danish vocalist Peer Johansson has been welcomed into the fold for the recording of ‘Black Sun’, the group’s follow-up record. Celebrated for his contributions to bands such as Fate, Ureas and Pentakill, Johansson’s voice is characterised by its warmth and an impressive range that has seen him compared to fellow hard rock titans like Rob Halford, Jorn Lande and Udo Dirkschneider.
Musically exuding infectious grooves and again displaying the exceptional prowess of Ludwig with a series of rhythmic riffs and captivating solos, the stellar vocal performances delivered by one of the genre’s hidden gems is the icing on the cake.
Ludwig was thrilled to get Peer on board for the follow-up, “I’ve actually been a fan of Peer’s for decades and own all the Fate albums he was involved in. The excitement was back for this second record and it was great to see the songs take shape from their original demo form and also see how Peer’s voice has developed over the years.”
For his part, Johansson describes ‘Black Sun’ as “a fantastic collaboration from inception to completion. When I first heard Jens’ riffs, I was completely blown away. His guitar playing is absolutely mind-blowing and has left me with a sore neck from all the headbanging! He plays like a musical deity and I feel honoured to be part of this extraordinary project. I can’t wait to share the stage with him during live shows and give it everything we’ve got.”
Guided by the ubiquitous Alessandro Del Vecchio, who plays bass and keyboards while also making a significant contribution to its superb production, ‘Black Sun’ is a dynamic and captivating album that sees in 2024 with a massive metallic bang.
BLACK SUN – TRACKLISTING: 1 Black Sun 2 Watching the End 3 While the Sun Goes Down 4 Learn to Forgive 5 Heaven’s Calling 6 Something More 7 Fly, Icarus Fly 8 I’m Alive 9 What We Can Bear 10 Soul Sacrifice 11 Into the Dark
THE GRANDMASTER: Peer Johansson – vocals Jens Ludwig – guitars Alessandro Del Vecchio – bass, keyboards Brett Jones – keyboards Mirko De Maio – drums
Iconic heavy metal outfit ARMORED SAINT will return to the stage this Spring supporting Queensrÿche! The trek, which commences on March 27th, 2024 in Anaheim, California and runs through May 21st, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada, includes several ARMORED SAINT headlining shows scattered throughout.
Comments ARMORED SAINT vocalist John Bush, “Hello SAINT fans, We are happy to announce that we will be hitting the road again in March 2024 to team up with our good friends and one amazing band, the mighty Queensrÿche! Playing shows with Eddie [Jackson], Michael [Wilton], Todd [La Torre], Casey [Grillo], and Mike [Stone] is always inspiring and a lot of fun. The tour hits lots of cities we haven’t played in a while including dates in Canada! Come on out and watch two classic metal bands bring the house down every night! If it’s anything like the 2016 tour we did together, it’s gonna be one hell of a ride! Until then, we are writing brand new music which is sounding amazing! Thanks as always to our loyal fan base. We’ll see ya soon!”
Tickets go on sale Friday, November 10th at 10:00am local time with VIP upgrades available at THIS LOCATION. See all confirmed dates below.
Additionally, ARMORED SAINT will appear at this year’s edition of Life After Death Horror Fest in Mexico City, Mexico December 3rd followed by a special show with KK’s Priest in Bogota, Columbia on December 5th. The band will also take part in the Monsters Of Rock Cruise which departs from Miami, Florida on March 2nd, 2024, and sails for five days with stops in Jamaica and the Bahamas.
ARMORED SAINT: John Bush – vocals Jeff Duncan – guitars Phil Sandoval – guitars Joey Vera – bass Gonzo Sandoval – drums
ARMORED SAINT: 12/03/2023 Life After Death Horror Fest – Mexico City, MX [info] 12/05/2023 Royal Center – Bogota, CO w/ KK’s Priest 3/02/2024 Monsters Of Rock Cruise – Miami, FL [info] w/ Queensrÿche: 3/27/2024 House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA 3/28/2024 Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA 3/29/2024 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA ** 3/31/2024 Neptune Theater – Seattle, WA 4/02/2024 Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO 4/03/2024 Gothic Theater – Englewood, CO 4/05/2024 Barnato – Omaha, NE ** 4/06/2024 Delmar Hall – St Louis, MO 4/07/2024 Paramount – Cedar Rapids, IA 4/09/2024 Coronado Performing Arts Center – Rockford, IL 4/10/2024 Peoria Civic Center – Peoria, IL 4/11/2024 The King Of Clubs – Columbus, OH ** 4/12/2024 The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN 4/13/2024 State Theater – Kalamazoo, MI 4/14/2024 Majestic – Detroit, MI 4/16/2024 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH 4/17/2024 House Of Blues – Cleveland, OH 4/19/2024 Phoenix Theater – Toronto, ON 4/20/2024 Theater Beanfield – Montreal, QC 4/21/2024 Elements – Kitchener, ON 4/23/2024 Tally Ho Theater – Leesburg, VA ** 4/24/2024 The Roxian – Pittsburgh, PA 4/26/2024 Empire Live – Albany, NY 4/27/2024 Palladium – Worcester, MA 4/28/2024 Toad’s – New Haven, CT 4/30/2024 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ 5/01/2024 Keswick Theater – Glenside, PA 5/02/2024 Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY ** 5/03/2024 The Paramount – Huntington, NY 5/04/2024 Lovedrafts – Mechanicsburg, PA ** 5/05/2024 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC 5/07/2024 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA 5/09/2024 Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL 5/10/2024 The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL 5/11/2024 Culture Room – Ft Lauderdale, FL 5/12/2024 The Ranch – Ft Myers, FL 5/15/2024 Scout Bar – Houston, TX ** 5/16/2024 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX ** w/ Dangerous Toys 5/17/2024 Granada Theater – Dallas, TX ** w/ Dangerous Toys 5/18/2024 The Shrine – Tulsa, OK ** 5/20/2024 Nile Theater – Phoenix, AZ ** 5/21/2024 Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV ** ** ARMORED SAINT headlining show
ARMORED SAINT’s most recent studio album, Punching The Sky, was released in 2020. The critically lauded full-length hit worldwide record charts including #4 on Billboard’s Current Hard Music Albums chart, #6 on the Top New Artists chart, #16 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and #17 on the Current Rock Albums chart upon its first week of release.
Metal Blade Records labelmates RIVERS OF NIHIL and ENTHEOS will support Lorna Shore’s trio of holiday shows this December. The short run, dubbed 3 Nights Of A Lorna Shore Christmas, will see the tour package playing Worcester, Long Island, and Sayreville December 20th, 21st, and 22nd. In addition to RIVERS OF NIHIL and ENTHEOS, additional support will be supplied by Currents and Varials.
RIVERS OF NIHIL guitarist Brody Uttley states, “We are stoked to be doing a few dates on the East Coast with our pals in Lorna Shore. These shows will undoubtedly crush, and we can’t wait to bring some old and new favorites to the stage to warm you all up for the holiday season.”
ENTHEOSvocalist Chaney Crabb adds, “We’re excited to be joining Lorna Shore’s Christmas shows this year alongside Currents, Rivers Of Nihil, and Varials. Each night will be one to remember and we’re looking forward to celebrating the holiday with three of the best crowds in the country. See you all soon.”
Tickets for all shows are available now. See all dates below.
3 Nights Of A Lorna Shore Christmas w/ Currents, Rivers Of Nihil, Varials, Entheos:
12/20/2023 The Palladium – Worcester, MA [tickets]
12/21/2023 The Paramount – Long Island, NY [tickets]
In March 2023, Reading, Pennsylvania-based RIVERS OF NIHIL wrapped up a recording session that saw the now four-piece band birth a considerable amount of new music featuring their previous bassist/backup vocalist Adam Biggs as the new lead vocalist/bassist. This recording session also marked the first appearance of new guitarist Andy Thomas (ex-Black Crown Initiate), whose vocals also play prominently in the music as a member of RIVERS OF NIHIL. These new singles are the first to showcase the band’s new lineup in full-on collaboration, and demonstrate that while this is a new, brave sound with tons of potential, it also carries the band’s classic energy.
Watch/listen to RIVERS OF NIHIL’s new singles “Hellbirds” HERE and “The Sub-Orbital Blues” HERE.
ENTHEOS photo by Daniel Alvarado
Pushing progressive death metal in ever more imaginative directions, ENTHEOS continues to stand apart from the pack. Incorporating elements drawn from myriad genres – including death metal, groove, grunge, electronica, slam, gothic rock, jazz, prog and more – they have evolved with every release. Having stripped down to a two-piece in 2020 has helped to streamline the band and allow the core members to make the music they want to with no compromise, which is clearly to their betterment. Earlier this year the band released the diverse and exhilarating “Time Will Take Us All” full-length, and in recent weeks released a new single, the Drumcorps remix of the Time Will Take Us All song “The Interior Wilderness.”
Watch/listen to ENTHEOS’ Time Will Take Us All and the Drumcorps remix of “The Interior Wilderness”HERE.
BERZERKER LEGION was founded in 2016 by guitarists Tomas Elofsson (Hypocrisy) and Alwin Zuur (Asphyx) with a vision to create death metal of the most belligerent quality, they recruited a line-up of solid well-known musicians consisting of James Stewart (Vader) on drums, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on vocals and Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral) on bass to complete the Legion.
Alwin Zuur (guitars/songwriter) comments: “During the recent years Tomas and I met each other at shows and festivals regularly. Much of our conversations were about music and styles. During these meetings we found out that we really had a lot of common musical interests .
Music wise our debut album ‘Obliterate the Weak’ displays the perfect balance between brutality, melody and harmony. Being a fan of the early 90’s Swedish Gothenburg style, with bands like At The Gates, Eucharist, A Canorous Quintet, as well as being a die-hard fan of brutal old school death metal style with bands like Bolt Thrower, Obituary, I have always wanted to write songs showing a mix of such different death metal genres.
With our new album “Chaos Will Reign” we have further developed ourselves in our typical musical mix of melody and brutality. “Chaos Will Reign” sounds more professional, complete, massive and powerful thanks to Jonas Kjellgren’s production. It has become the logical successor, a huge step forward compared to our debut album “Obliterate the Weak”.
Saying the album songs transpire massively produced invigorating heavy death metal is an understatement. BERZERKER LEGION knock out with warlike triumphant, powerfully addictive harmonies that will turn them into an unstoppable beast in a live situation and on record.
THUNDERMOTHER don’t just play Rock’n’Roll. THUNDERMOTHER are Rock’n’Roll!
The Swedish rock queens return with a new single after the attention-getting line-up change. A music video for “I Left My License In The Future” – a jaw-dropping, straightforward, energetic, catchy potential hit, is now premiering below! Produced again with Danish mastermind Soren Andersen (Pretty Maids, D-A-D, Glenn Hughes, Mike Tramp, …) in autumn 2023, the song will showcase globally the potential of THUNDERMOTHER in terms of vocal performance and songwriting skills.
The release of the new single will be accompanied with a central-European tour with LANSDOWNE starting November 24 in Munich’s Backstage club and will be continued in early 2024 – for the first time ever – with a wide-ranging Swedish tour. The goal is to bring their Rock’N’Roll message live and on stage to their home country – all the way up to the Far North. Find all upcoming THUNDERMOTHER shows listed below!
Says the band about “I Left My License In The Future”: “With this first single from the new line-up, we would like to give the fans a hard hitting no-brainer track aimed at the one in the passenger seat without a driver’s license. An anthem for those of us who never gets to be the designated driver and a love letter to the ones in the driver’s seat. Cheers and let’s party!“
“I Left My License In The Future” is now available on all digital services HERE, the video clip is now premiering HERE:
THUNDERMOTHER 2023 – this is Linnea Vikström Egg, Majsan Lindberg, Joan Massing and Filippa Nässil. One line-up, one vision, one goal! Their slogan “We fight for Rock’N’Roll” has to be taken literally!
Make sure to catch THUNDERMOTHER fighting for Rock’N’Roll, on their upcoming European tour with Boston-based rock band LANSDOWNE, tickets are now available via: https://www.thundermother.com/
24.11.2023 DE München / Backstage 25.11.2023 DE Köln / Live Music Hall 26.11.2023 CH Bern / Bierhübeli 28.11.2023 DE Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal 29.11.2023 FR Paris / Petit Bain 01.12.2023 DE Memmingen / Kaminwerk 02.12.2023 DE Hannover / Capitol 03.12.2023 NL Utrecht / De Helling
With remarkable records such as the self-titled Voodoo Circle or Locked & Loaded, Alex Beyrodt’s VOODOO CIRCLE quickly establish themselves as the epitome of quality in classic hard rock. This band has it all: lots of experience featuring members of PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER and PINK CREAM 69, outstanding songwriting skills and musicianship, passion and a sense for great hooks.
It’s obvious that VOODOO CIRCLE have enhanced their classic rock repertoire on the highest level. A German band never before sounded that international, with that much “American Hard Rock“ in their blood. These melodic anthems, cultivated by the powerful voice of David Readman, the tasteful Hammond-sounds by Jimmy Kresic, Mat Sinner’s as usual precise bass foundation and Markus Kullmann’s drumming in best Bonham tradition, appear to come down right from the Olympus of hard rock.
To shorten your wait for a new studio offering to follow in the hopefully not so distant future, on December 1, 2023, VOODOO CIRCLE present their Best Of “15 Years Of Voodoo” via AFM Records, featuring not only highlights of their discography ( Locked & Loaded, Raised on Rock, More Than One Way Home, Whisky Fingers, Voodoo Circle ), but also two previously unreleased tracks! One of them, “Sweet Devotion”, recorded in 2021 during the Locked & Loaded album-era, is now available with a music video, streaming HERE
Says Alex Beyrodt:“Sweet Devotion is a typical Voodoo Circle song with all trademarks. David’s voice blows me away every time. I’m glad that the song now has its place on the Best Of album that will be released soon!“
Brace yourself, Austin! The city known for its vibrant music scene is about to get a new blitzkrieg of a bash. Announcing the first ever Austin Death Fest, a two-day death metal extravaganza set to reverberate through Austin on April 27th and 28th, 2024 at the Mohawk.
Today, the festival has announced WITCH VOMIT, MORTUOUS, MAUL, CIVEROUS, TORTURE RACK and LUNAR CHAMBER will be joining thepowerhouse lineup. Previously, headliners MORTIFERUM, OUTER HEAVEN, TOMB MOLD, and PHOBOPHILIC were announced.
The festival founder, Jason Dahlke, shares his vision: “The goal with Austin Death Fest is to showcase the best contemporary bands in the genre on one of the coolest stages Austin has to offer. So many of the bands on the lineup are churning out some of the best records in modern death metal and grinding it out in clubs or DIY venues, playing for the die hard fans of the culture. Paying homage to previous Austin festivals such as Chaos in Tejas, I wanted to bring back a festival that got people excited for what’s happening currently in the scene and hopefully inspire them to start up their own bands, start attending more local shows, and putting their passion into the scene to help it further grow.”
Austin Death Fest not only offers a platform to the greatest in contemporary death metal but also hopes to revive and grow the love for the genre within Austin’s eclectic community of music enthusiasts.
Mark your calendars, gather your crew, and prepare for a weekend of headbanging, electrifying riffs, and the raw energy that is the essence of death metal. Austin Death Fest is coming!
Currently, weekend passes are on sale at Early Bird pricing. Tickets can be purchased HERE. All Early Bird passes cover the entire weekend – two days of solid death metal! Single day passes will be made available at a later date.
About Austin Death Fest:
Founded by Jason Dahlke of LEFT TO ROT, Austin Death Fest is a new festival aiming to celebrate and grow the death metal community in Austin, Texas. With an inaugural lineup that promises a sensational experience, the festival seeks to be a cornerstone event for all death metal enthusiasts.
November 24, 2023 sees German death/thrash metal band BURDEN OF GRIEF release their much-awaited, eighth studio album, titled “Destination Dystopia”, via Masssacre Records. Coming as CD, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats, the pre-sale is available at: https://lnk.to/destinationdystopia
It’s the band’s first offering in more than five long years. Five years, in which so much has happened in the world that BURDEN OF GRIEF were forced to refer to it lyrically and musically. Reinforced by the two new members Dominik Hellmuth (guitars) and Manuel Lüke (drums), they now present the strongest, heaviest and most varied album in the almost 30-year band history.
Following a previously-released, first album appetizer “Fevered Dreams”, now, BURDEN OF GRIEF are premiering a music video for their new single “A Daydream Of Sorrow”!
“On each of our albums we have 2-3 songs that break out of our usual musical context, mostly by being significantly slower,” the band comments. “This is enormously important to keep the music as varied as possible. “A Daydream Of Sorrow” is one of those songs that is particularly catchy, not least because of the slowing down of the tempo, and also has an extended solo part. In the studio it has already turned out that this song clearly stands out from the overall material. But fans of our heavier stuff don’t have to worry, most of the other songs are much faster.”
Watch the new BURDEN OF GRIEF video now streaming HERE
On “Destination Dystopia”, BURDEN OF GRIEF accomplished to focus on their years of experience, to combine their strengths and to put them into 10 riff monsters that are bursting with energy, great melodies and pure heaviness. First and foremost, you’ll get the thrash and melodic death treatment, but you’ll also find a plethora of elements that go way beyond what these musical drawers are all about. Expect killer grooves, classic twin-guitar solos as well as the return of the old-school Hammond organ.
Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner and his assistant Daniel Claar took care of the drum recordings, mixing and mastering of the album at the Kohlekeller Studios (Hämatom, Powerwolf, Aborted, etc.), and they made sure that “Destination Dystopia” is the tightest and heaviest album BURDEN OF GRIEF has ever released!
BURDEN OF GRIEF: Mike Huhmann – Vocals Philipp Hanfland – Guitars Dominik Hellmuth – Guitars Florian Bauer – Bass Manuel Lüke – Drums
“Destination Dystopia” track listing:
World Under Attack
A Daydream Of Sorrow
Exposed To The Dark
Downfall
Fevered Dreams
The Devil’s Bride
Mass Murder Society
Destination Dystopia
Fall Into Oblivion
My Suicide
DISCOGRAPHY: 2000 – Haunting Requiems 2001 – On Darker Trails 2004 – Fields Of Salvation 2007 – Death End Road 2009 – Haunting Requiems (Re-Release) 2010 – Follow The Flames 2014 – Unchained 2018 – Eye Of The Storm 2023 – Destination Dystopia
DOGBONE featuring Keel guitarist Bryan Jay, Keel drummer Dwain Miller, new vocalist Bob Reynolds (7 Angels, Fierce Heart, Grave Danger) and bassist David Dion have released the new single “Speed Kills,” a full throttle heavy metal thrill ride full of dangerous turns and high speed straightaways.
The track is featured on RFK Media’s “LIVETHE ROCK Volume One” CD and now available on all digital and streaming platforms, along with the relentlessly dizzying lyric video, via http://lnk.to/dogbonespeedkills.
Originally formed in the cultural transition between 80’s metal and 90’s grunge, DOGBONE once included the late great Rhett Forester (RIOT) on vocals. This long-awaited resurrection took place in the wake of the 2020 pandemic when Bryan Jay began working with vocalist Reynolds on tracks for his Digital Assassin TV & film music library, capturing lighting in a bottle with tracks like “Speed Kills.”
In addition to running the Digital Assassin music library and sporadic reunion shows with Keel, Jay also was instrumental – playing guitar and arranging music – in the 2001 VH1 film “Hysteria – The Def Leppard Story.”
BRYAN JAY (photo: Missie Tong)
“This song ‘Speed Kills’ is the perfect opening statement for the next chapter of this band,” Bryan claims. “We hope that rockers everywhere, Keel fans and all metalheads will keep up with us online and on social media as we put the pedal down. Speed kills – but life and rock & roll will keep us in the fast lane!”
“Bryan Jay and I have always been the best of friends and worked together in Keel and on a number of other projects,” explains RFK Media founder Ron Keel. “I must admit, when he sent me ‘Speed Kills’ I was both proud and jealous – songs like this put us both on the map, and RFK Media is extremely proud to be part of Dogbone’s rebirth.”
The follow-up to 2021’s “Embrace the Unknown” (released by Germany’s Pure Steel Records), “Deception” features five tracks of prog-infused thrash highlighted by the band’s signature melodic vocals and hook-laden approach to songwriting.
Deception is set for release on November 10. Pre-order and pre-save the EP at linktr.ee/lower13official
Tracklist: 1) More Time 2) Your Love’s a Curse 3) The One to Blame 4) Holding on to Misery 5) You Just Left Her
LOWER 13 was formed in Parma, Ohio in March 2006 and is comprised of Eric Kruger (drums), Sean Balog (bass, vocals), and Patrick Capretta (guitars, vocals). Lower 13 strives to carve their own identity in the metal scene, blending styles and pulling from their various influences. They create their own brand of metal laced with crushing riffs, grooves, and dual vocal harmonies.
Iron Maiden will return to the USA, Canada & Chile with The Future Past Tour in 2024!
Oct 2024: 4 North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA, USA 5 Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA 8 Kia Forum, Los Angeles, CA, USA 12 Aftershock Festival, Sacramento, CA, USA (on sale now) 14 MODA Center, Portland, OR, USA 16 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA, USA 18 Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA 19 Ball Arena, Denver, CO, USA 22 Xcel Energy Center, St Paul, MN, USA 24 Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL, USA 26 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, CANADA 27 Videotron Centre, Quebec, QC, CANADA 30 Centre Bell, Montreal, QC, CANADA
Nov 2024: 1 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA 2 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA 6 DCU Center, Worcester, MA, USA 8 PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 9 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, USA 12 CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore, MD, USA 13 Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC, USA 16 Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX, USA 17 Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX, USA 27 Estadio Nacional, Santiago, CHILE
Tickets on sale: Chile – 2 Nov at 12pm (local) USA & Canada – 3 Nov at 10am (local)
IMFC Presales: Chile – 30 Oct USA & Canada – 31 Oct
Trooper VIP will be available for most shows in the USA & Canada.
Further dates for 2024 will be announced in due course.
Longtime Tesla guitarist Dave Rude will release his highly anticipated full-length album, “Through the Fire” on November 17, 2023, via Rat Pak Records. The album features 11 new studio tracks and was mixed by fellow Tesla band-mate Brian Wheat, at his studio J-Street Records in Sacramento, CA.
Regarding the recording process Dave states, “Through the Fire” was written all over the world – in dressing rooms, hotels and at soundchecks. “When I tour with Tesla, I usually have a mobile Pro-Tools recording rig with me so I can put down ideas during our downtime. Writing and recording in so many different places over a long stretch of time gave the songs a lot of variety and dynamics. I’m very happy with how it turned out and I’m excited to get this music out there!”
From the driving intro of album opener “Hell and Back”, to the melodic acoustic outro track “Ship Came In”, Dave Rude shines with his signature brand of rock-n-roll. Tracks like “Drink with the Devil”, “By the Blade”, “Eye for an Eye” and “Ain’t my Time” are chock full of memorable hooks and melodies, while songs like “Bron-yr-Rude” and “Gotta Pay” showcase his diverse and unique songwriting abilities. “Through the Fire” delivers all the power and punch that one would expect from this high-level guitarist!
After an incredible run earlier this year on the Rise of the Machine Tour, Static-X is back on the road but this time with some new friends. The 2023-2024 Machine Killer Tour now includes not only Static-X and Dope but Sevendust has now been introduced into this already powerful equation. Fans lined up early at Piedmont Hall in Greensboro NC on Oct. 13th to get a taste of the action. There was no better way to spend Friday the 13th.
The show opened with Lines of Loyalty, a three piece band from Wisconsin. The band consists of Glenn Morrison on guitar and vocals, Redo Ianni on bass and Brayden Pike on drums. Morrison has extremely crisp vocals that come from a place of passion. Pike is the definition of never judge a book by its cover. He looks all sweet and innocent but plays the drums like they owe him money. The only time Lanni ever stood still was when he was addressing the crowd. Other than that he owned every inch of his side of the stage with both physical movements and sound. Overall Lines of Loyalty was extremely well received.
Dope was up next with a bit of a last minute line-up change. Early on in the show lead singer, Edsel Dope, informed fans that long time guitarist Andre Karkos, better known as Virus, was hospitalized. At the time the reason for hospitalization was unknown, however, Edsel reassured everyone that he was doing ok. He then introduced Virus replacement, Tommy Shaffer. Shaffer fit in perfectly. He looked the part and he played so well it felt more like he had been touring with them the whole time rather than just filling in.
Edsel has a very calming presence when he speaks. He talked to the crowd with such care and confidence and then turned around and sang with such anger, power and intensity. The rest of the band easily matched his performance. Drummer Chris Warner is always a treat to see. He makes it look so effortless but the sound is so fierce. Bass player, Daniel Fox, was all over the stage making faces and making sure everyone could feel the music.
Dope had the crowd hyped but when Sevendust took the stage the crowd erupted with screams of excitement. Lead singer, Lajon Witherspoon is a powerhouse of a front man. He had command of everyone in the building with just his voice. Witherspoon is proof that even though metalheads may look and sound scary they really are one big family and they look out for each other. During their set, Witherspoon, opened up a walking pit and encouraged everyone to join in a safe space that was similar to a circle pit.
This did not stop him from also encouraging the crowd to open multiple mosh pits. He acted kind of like a mosh pit life guard, singing one moment and in the same breath asking if someone was ok then going right back into the next line. Mid set Witherspoon paused, pointed the microphone at the audience, and stood back to listen as the crowd sang back at him like they were part of the band.
The best way to describe drummer, Morgan Rose, is the human version of Animal the Muppet. He shows no mercy to those drums yet the music still sounds so wonderful.
Pairing his animalistic approach to the drums with the deep soul touching sound of Vinnie Horsnsby’s bass, it was impossible not to feel the music. From the bathroom to the concession line every part of that venue was shaking. Clint Lowery and John Connolly are an underrated guitar duo who even on opposite sides of the stage still play well together.
Finally it was time for Static-X to take the stage. Imagine this, a storm of soapy foam like bubbles cloud the stage, a large smiling pumpkin man enters from the side as music plays. Suddenly the music changes and the pumpkin man’s smile turns into a terrifying devilish grin. Tony Campos, Ken Jay, and Koichi Fukuda take the stage as Xero’s laser red eyes appear atop a podium dressed in a steal Static-X logo. Hollow begins to play. As Xero steps down from the podium and the band transitions into Terminator Oscillator the stage became flooded with smoke bubbles (dry ice). Whoever says bubbles aren’t metal has obviously never seen a cyborg play guitar as they pop around him.
Xero’s vocal style is extremely similar to that of original lead singer, Wayne Static. The concept of replacing a fallen band member has always had some controversy behind it but Xero has been taken in with open arms. It is apparent that he is in no way trying to replace Wayne but instead keeping his legacy alive. Static came out with a new album in 2020 called Project: Regeneration Vol. 1. This year they have dropped a few songs from Vol. 2, which is set to release in 2024. As the band began to play Z0mbie a new but familiar looking monster appeared on stage. He towers over the band, he’s green, his hair reaches to the heavens and he is simply known as FRANKENSTATIC.
Campos and Fukuda do an amazing job at commanding the sides of the stage. Campos stomps along to the beat of his bass with the same power that he puts into playing it. Fukuda hypes the crowd up with a level of shredding that has been consistent over almost 30 years. Even though Jay is hidden behind Xero’s hair it doesn’t stop anyone from hearing the crashing of his symbols or thunder like sounds as he strikes the drumhead. It wouldn’t be a Static-X show without an appearance from everyone’s favorite Shovel Man during I’m With Stupid. A song which no one could resist singing along to. However, nothing could compare to the roar that they met as they ended the show with Push It.
Static- X used the momentum from the Rise of the Machine Tour and doubled that energy with new friends both human and monster. With all four bands there is something for everyone on the Machine Killer Tour. Whether it’s this year or next this is a show no one should miss. Everyone shoud enjoy a little evil disco now and again. – Tanis Enos
Italian death metal quartet SPIRITUALDECEPTION has shared the official lyric video for “Thousand Lives Within,” the first single from the band’s upcoming new album, SemitaeMentis. The song features a guest appearance by NILE guitarist/vocalist Karl Sanders.
Semitae Mentis will be out on February 9, 2024. Amputated Vein Records will release the album on physical formats, with Earache Records handling digital distribution.
Check out the video for “Thousand Lives Within” at this location.
Following a series of EPs, Semitae Mentis bears the markings of a band that has reached a higher level of songmanship and technical prowess. The album features guest contributions by Karl Sanders (Nile) and Luc Lemay (Gorguts).
Track Listing:
The I Swells… (Decadence pt.I)
Atavic Future (Decadence pt.II)
The Days of Sleep (Decadence pt.III)
Beyond Perception and Matter
Dirac Sea (feat. Luc Lemay – Gorguts)
The Night opens
On the Edge of the Abyss
Thousand Lives Within (feat. Karl Sanders – Nile)
Individuality Dissolves
…To the Coldest Decline (Decadence pt.IV)
SPIRITUAL DECEPTION is an atmospheric death metal band, with hints of technical and brutal death metal, active since 2016.
The band has a deep connection with philosophy and owes its name to a theory from the Danish philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, which struck the composers’ minds: different human beings in the act of analyzing a particular circumstance, approach (inevitably) the situation with different points of view. Extending that fact to the ethics field hence that nothing can be defined as objective good or bad, true or false, as the judgment is deeply rooted in everyone’s own perspective. As a result, there is no objective truth, your soul is constantly deceived.
Line-Up: Mirko Frontini – Vocals and Guitar Riccardo Maccarana – Lead Guitar Billy Repalam – Bass Manuel Del Giudice – Drums
Since its birth, the band produced 3 EPs: Spiritual Deception (2018), Etemenanki(2019), and Oxymoron (2021), sharpening its sound towards a modern brand of death metal, with brutal guitar riffing and blasting drums, combined with melodic elements, which go from guitar harmonies to liturgical choirs and strings ensembles. The result of the combination of these elements is a sound that satisfies all kinds of listeners, from the brutal to the more sophisticated ones.
This formula is enriched by the lyrics which are all about philosophy, astronomy, history, and literature. The band wants to spark an interest in all these themes together with the passion for music into the listener and, in order to achieve its goal, wants to deliver a complete product, well-finished from all the points of view: from the music and lyrics to the artwork and media contents.
BLAZONER‘S catchy single “Ghost”, delivers plenty of fretwork through intricate guitar melodies and overdriven rhythms. Drawing musical influence from some of rock and metal’s major names including the likes of MELVINS, GENESIS and BLACK SABBATH, the resulting sound carries a classic edge with a few electronic twists. BLAZONER‘S debut album Escape to Electric Landwill be released on November 3rd, 2023.
Today, the band has shared the first taste of the new album with new single, “Ghost”. Stream it HERE.
The band shares of the single: “The first single from our debut album Escape to Electric Land is called “Ghost”. It’s a groovy heavy rock tune with worked fretboards and catchy chorus lines. Lyrically the song has a deeper spiritual meaning pointing in the direction of perseverance through consciousness. Being able to step outside ourselves and reflect on our true intentions.”
The band comments further on Escape to Electric Land:
“We call it Escape to Electric Land because that’s the overall aesthetic we are going for. Our band is really loud and intense and we feel we achieved that with this release. It’s meant to be listened to as a whole. An almost sonic sleep or coma with ups and downs. Some of the material had already existed, but we didn’t know how to use it until we formed BLAZONER.”
BLAZONER: Stephen Sullivan – Guitar, Vocals Brian Carnes – Bass, Vocals Andy Murray – Drums, Vocals
Escape to Electric Land – Track Listing:
Electric Land
The Servant
Ghost
Fallout
Onyx Stone
Misfortune
Time Shift
Full Stop
Credits: Mixed and Engineered by bassist Brian Carnes. Formats: CD and digital.
AboutBLAZONER: Hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia, BLAZONER emerged at the beginning of 2023 and within six months their debut album was completed. Comprised of seasoned musicians, BLAZONER’s members previously performed as the post-metal band ALLUVION. Sullivan and Murray are also former members of the doom metal outfit LORD, who shared stages with the likes of WEEDEATER, EYEHATEGOD and TORCHE. BLAZONER, sees the trio developing as musicians and performers as they seek to find their groove in this new heavy incarnation. Their upcoming full-length Escape to Electric Land will be released on November 3rd, 2023.
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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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