No rest for the Teutonic ACCEPT. To promote their upcoming Album (stay tuned) ACCEPT will hit the stages in Spring 2012. See below for dates and check out their new tour trailer! Check all tour dates HERE! The new record Stalingrad will be released on April, 6th, 2012.
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on ACCEPT, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE ACCEPT.
Stone.
’77 – This Hard Rock band ’77 is from Barcelona Spain and man are they… Old School! The second studio album from ’77, High Decibels, is slated for a February 28th release on Listenable Records. This is an album of raw, riff infested and: “share a case o’ beer with your Metal buddy” style of Hard Rock. This is also Hard Rock to crank up in the car, on a long weekend cruise with your chick by your side. Blue collar Hard Rock never sounded so damn fun as ’77 does on High Decibels!
The incredible resemblance that Armand Valeta has vocally to the late Bon Scott is unreal. Musically ’77 does overflow with 70’s AC/DC sound, vibe and feel. With all the AC/DC comparisons aside, what ’77 does very well is they play their Hard Rock with credible passion and they write original songs. The more I’ve listened to High Decibels, the more I hear a band that is fired-up about Rock ‘N Roll and it’s a fever they can easily spread to Rockaholics worldwide like myself.
I am impressed by the old school Hard Rock allegiance that ’77 bestows in their brand of Hard Rock. Too often a band like this will get mocked for being a “rip-off” or dated. My response would be: It’s 77’s style of Rock ‘N Roll that’s spilling from their Rockin’ souls. Metal be thy name. My two favorite songs on High Decibels are: Backdoor Man and Since You’ve Been Gone. I highly dig the bluesy side of ’77’s Hard Rock! Bad-ass Classic Rock is here to stay with ’77 too.
High Decibels is an album where once you hit “play” that’s it. You can’t stop it until it’s over! It’s like a cool party that just got started… why would you want to end a good thing? If you’re a Hard Rock fan from any generation, you should mark ’77 down and make certain to add High Decibels to your “must need” list of good-times and ass kickin’ Rock ‘N Roll albums. Everyone’s album collection deserves a solid kick-in-the-ass and ’77 shall bring it.
Armand Valeta – Frontman & Guitar
LG Valeta – Lead Guitar
Johnnie Dolphin – Drums
Mr. Raw – Bass
High Decibels
(Gotta Go) Gotta Hit The Road
Are You Ready For Rock ‘n’ Roll
Let’s Beat It Up
Backdoor Man
Gimme A Dollar
This Girl Is On Fire
Meltin’ In A Spoon
Since You’ve Been Gone
Promised Land
Things You Can’t Talk About
* For more info on ’77, click on the links below:
http://www.myspace.com/seventysevenrocks
LONG LIVE ’77
Stone.
Warriors Of Metal Festival V Open Air 2012 – Press Release:
We are very excited to announce that the Oklahoma City Power / Speed Metal band FORTE’ have officially confirmed their participation in this year’s Warriors Of Metal Fest V Open Air. FORTE’ released 4 great albums from 1992 to 1999 while signed to Germany’s Massacre Records and self released their Limited Edition “Vae Solis” EP in Sept. 2011! They’ll release their 5th full length album in early 2012.
The incredible Rev Jones who plays Bass for STEELHEART and MSG also plays Bass in FORTE’ and he’s something to behold LIVE! We thank FORTE’ for giving us the privilege to showcase them at our 5th year anniversary Metalfest in 2012!
We are also very happy to report that our American Metal Goddess, Veronica Freeman and our friends in BENEDICTUM have confirmed their return to the Warriors Of Metal Fest stage for a repeat performance in 2012, after being the very first female fronted Metal band that graced our stage in 2011.
The return of Benedictum to WOM Fest V Open Air was made possible in large part due to the generous fan sponsorships of Kent & Kathy Wittwer and DJ Valkyrie Lawson (of Hard Rock Radio Live) who are all WOM Fest fans and saw Benedictum in action this past year at WOM Fest IV Open Air and made this great band only the 3rd one to make a return to our stage besides Cleveland’s Vindicator & Brazil’s Machinage. We welcome Benedictum back to our Metal family in 2012!
Queens, New York’s Epic Metal band THE LAST ALLIANCE was the first band to confirm their participation in our special 5th year Anniversary celebration of True Metal in 2012. The Last Alliance self-produced their debut album “Out Of The Ashes” and are now in the process of recording their sophomore full length saga. It can easily be said that The Last Alliance writes songs that one would expect to hear on an Iced Earth or a Blind Guardian album so we are very excited to showcase this highly talented group of musicians at our festival this year.
The Warriors Of Metal Fest V Open Air will take place on June 29th & 30th, 2012 at the Frontier Ranch, 8836 York Road, Pataskala, Ohio which is just a 20 minute drive East of the capital city of Columbus, Ohio. Tickets for this event are now on sale at the Fest website:
http://www.warriorsofmetalfest.com
Weekend passes for adults (17 and up) are just $50 and Weekend 4-Packs for adults (groups of 4 people) are only $40 per person. Adult single day tickets are $30 for each day and $25 per person in a 4-Pack for a single day ticket. Teenager tickets (11-16) are only $15 for the whole weekend, Friday only or Saturday only. Kids under 11 get in for Free. Camping is free and ticket buyers can also pre-order their Fest T-shirts at the time of their ticket purchase.
LONG LIVE WARRIORS OF METAL FEST.
Stone.
MOLLO / MARTIN – Dario Mollo (guitarist & producer) has teamed up with Tony Martin (vocalist) for another new album of Melodic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal songs titled: The Third Cage. This album has ten songs of musical substance, fusing both elements of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal in seamless and memorable fashion.
This is a new release from Mollo / Martin that should not be overlooked. A complete album of songs it is and I can’t hold back by calling The Third Cage as one of the best of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums for 2012. The Third Cage will be releasing on January 20, via Frontiers Records.
Below are 5 factors I’m spotlighting as to why The Third Cage is indeed… one of the best in album releases during this new year:
Factor #1: Dario Mollo. This Italian musician is simply wonderful to take in on guitar. You’re not getting anything watered down from Dario, just one stupendous guitarist that knows how to balance the melodic with the heavy. Dario’s solo’s are a treat to my ears and I applaud his precision in keeping each song interesting as hell. You must hear Dario Mollo on guitar to truly understand my appreciation for his skills.
Factor #2: Tony Martin. Yes, Tony is a former vocalist for Black Sabbath and one of the unsung hero’s of Heavy Metal’s history. Whatever Tony has done to keep his vocals in top form after all these years should be bottled up and sold to the highest bidder. Clarity is always key with Tony and his melodic tones resonate all that is golden about a revered era of Traditional Heavy Metal.
Factor #3: Dario exhibits his diversity as a guitarist by adding plenty of Funky licks in Can’t Stay Here. The end result is some Heavy Funk that Tony Martin sings along to brilliantly. This song is a winner and made for a pleasant surprise for me on this album.
Factor #4: The keyboards. The added layer of sound that the keyboards gives to The Third Cage is a key necessity to establishing the feel and vibe of these songs. War Dance is elevated to the stratosphere due to them keys.
Factor #5: Seasoned talent doesn’t always equate to an excellent album of songs, only this seasoned crop of musicians have proven to my ears there was grand chemistry that swirled amongst them, during the writing and recording process. Not one song sounds like it was “slapped together”, instead, attention to detail and a continuity of quality flows from each song.
Wicked World
Cirque du Freak
Oh My Soul
One Of The Few
Still In Love With You
Can’t Stay Here
Wardance
Don’t Know What It Is About You
Blind Fury
Violet Moon
Dario Mollo – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Tony Martin – Vocals
Roberto Gualdi – Drums
Fulvio Gaslini – Bass
Dario Patti – Keyboards
Brian War – Keyboards
* For more info on MOLLO / MARTIN, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE DARIO MOLLO & TONY MARTIN.
Stone.
13 is 100% New American Blue Collar Heavy In Your Face Rock!! Catch 13 opening for Finland’s amazing NIGHTWISH at the Key Club Hollywood! The details are right there on that very cool concert flyer below:
* For more info on 13, click on the link below:
http://www.reverbnation.com/13rocks
* For more info on NIGHTWISH, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE 13.
LONG LIVE NIGHTWISH.
Stone.
The time has arrived. Yes it has. Time for what Stone? It’s time to reveal my very first “live” concert experience. Oh, it was a dandy. No, The Partridge Family wasn’t my first live concert experience. They are mentioned in this post though. I was a youth when I attended my first live concert. I believe I was about eight or nine years old. Hell, I didn’t have a favorite Rock band at that age. This was around 1974 – ’75. While I was growing up that age, wiffle ball, baseball cards and Hot Wheels were all I cared about. For crap sakes, I was into whatever the AM radio dial was playing in the family station wagon, back then.
Needless to say, I make no excuses by revealing my not having a clue about real Rock, Hard Rock or anything remotely close to Heavy Metal at this young age. KISS was “mentioned” to me at Burger King and Pizza Hut birthday parties and that is as close as it came folks. Hell, there were The Partridge Family songs that ignited my adrenaline at age 8 and 9 for shit sakes. Metal as my witness, I’m not ashamed to admit that anymore. My (late) sister had that exact greatest hits album by The Partridge Family (shown at top of post).
**********
Those were different times, man. It was all about accessibility and exposure during my childhood, with obvious limited technological access to music back then, compared to today. Okay, onward with my first live concert experience. Enter… Nelson’s Campground in East Hampton, Connecticut. Yes, this family friendly campground located in the wooded serenity of East Hampton, along the Connecticut shoreline, was where it would all happen for my first plunge into loud, live and rowdy music.
My Dad, Mom, Sister and I headed for this gargantuan field, in the middle of Nelson’s Campground, as it became dusk. There were easily a few hundred fellow campers all assembling in this field as well. I remember being psyched just to be outside, running around and chasing lightning bugs. I easily recall, like it was yesterday, my Dad being “pumped-up” to see this band and they called themselves: The Mozark Mountaineers. Once this band hit the stage, I was a child that was simply awestruck.
**********
The lead singer was a mammoth of a man to my young eyes. He was wearing a stain strewn white t-shirt, with holes cut out to reveal his… nipples. At that moment, I realized I was witnessing something I’ve never seen before. Before this band started to play any music, this same mammoth frontman held up a shotgun to the night sky and fired it off! If I knew the line then, as I know it now, I would have exclaimed: Metal be thy name!
Think about this for a moment, how many bands are you aware of today, that are legally allowed to fire off a shotgun on stage? Did this shotgun fire off “blanks”? From remembering what this band looked like and knowing what I know now… that had to be live ammo. As The Mozark Mountaineers began to play their music, I jumped around and acted silly as a child should. The loud sounds of the banjo and fiddle filled the evening’s air and swirled about this campground field. Laughter and good times I vividly remember, as it stirred up among the campers, all due to this hillbilly band of raucous musicians.
If there is that one song that reminds me of that night which I experienced so many years ago, it is Steamer Lane Breakdown by the legendary Doobie Brothers. Loving that song is just a matter-of-fact for me. Reliving this childhood moment by writing about it, reminds me of where I came from and I could never lose sight of that.
* The Partridge Family – At Home With Their Greatest Hits was released back in 1972 on Bell Records.
* Steamer Lane Breakdown can be heard on the 1978 (Warner Bros.) Doobie Brothers album Minute By Minute.
* Nelson’s Family Campground still exists! Click the link below:
This post is dedicated to my Mom and Sister. May they both rest in peace, up in heaven.
Stone.
Good news for all European RE-ARMED fans! The guys are going to support Chimaira at their upcoming The Age Of Hell Tour 2012.
Here are the confirmed dates:
29.03.2012 BE Antwerp – Trix
30.03.2012 NL Amsterdam – Melkweg
31.03.2012 DE Cologne – Underground
01.04.2012 DE Hamburg – Logo
02.04.2012 DE Berlin – Magnet
03.04.2012 DE Munich – Backstage
Re-ARMED’s new album Worldwide Hypnotize will be released via Massacre Records on January 27, 2012!
(Source: Massacre Records)
* For more info on RE-ARMED, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/rearmed
http://www.massacre-records.com
* For more info on CHIMAIRA, click here: CHIMAIRA – Official Facebook
Stone.
Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone – Back in 1987 Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone released their second studio album: Children Of Madness. Damn good album it is. I let it go decades ago when I was sincerely piss poor to the wind, either in trade or for a few bucks. By some Metal miracle, I do remember the very day I bought this slab of vinyl too. Here is the embarrassing story:
In 1987, I was living in very expensive Connecticut and working at a bearing factory during Summer and Winter breaks from college. I shoveled oil and also worked in the waste treatment facility there. Yes, it was a dirty job. A job only a Metalhead could enjoy. Just a couple of streets away was a fine establishment called The Moosehead Tavern. It was normal for me to stop in there after work and down a few ales. On this particular day, I downed quite a few.
Right next door was a comics and collectibles shop which also sold a very cool assortment of Heavy Metal vinyl. My cousin Randy managed this store and was in charge of buying and selling all the music. Well, on this particular early evening, I stumbled from The Moosehead Tavern into this store and exchanged conversation with the owner and my cousin. Then I saw the Children Of Madness album. Uh, oh…
I grabbed this album and held it up high, like it was my F’n Heavy Metal trophy. Then, without hesitation, I broke into song. Oh no. I began to sing in a drunken stupor, what lyrics I knew to the song: I Don’t Wanna Know. There were a few other customers in the store and they became quite nervous and scared of me, from what I remember. The store’s owner and my cousin told me to either pay for the album or get lost. I paid for the album, all the while I kept bellowing the wrong lyrics to I Don’t Wanna Know. One dude buying sports cards gave me that “I’ll kick your ass look” and I really didn’t give a shit.
My cousin knew I was harmless and just feeling pretty damn good. With his face contorting and fists clenched, the store’s owner was very pissed-off at me. This made me sing belligerently all the more. I left with that new album under my arm and drove myself home. Please remember, this was back in 1987. Yes, I was an idiot. I’m lucky to be alive for being such one. At least I can look back and laugh at it, all while writing about this dumb-ass memory. Metal be thy name.
Take a look and listen to I Don’t Wanna Know by Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone below. Try not to imagine me singing this song in a drunken state either.
Children Of Madness is out of print. There are currently 2 used Children Of Madness CD’s on Amazon.com selling for $74.99 and $99.98 respectively, in U.S. funds.
Paul Di’Anno – vocals
Graham Bath – lead guitar
John Wiggins – lead guitar
Steve Hopgood – drums
Pete West – bass
Rip It Up
I Don’t Wanna Know
Nuclear Breakdown
Torch Of Hate
Whispered Rage
Children Of Madness
Metal Tears
It’s Love
The Promise
To The Limit
* For more info on PAUL DI’ANNO, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE PAUL DI’ANNO.
Stone.
By King Diamond
January 16th, 2012
Hail to all of you,
It has just been confirmed that King Diamond has joined forces with Nick Storch at ICM and Paul Ryan at The Agency Group.
Nick Storch will be in charge of booking King Diamond concerts in North and South America, and Paul Ryan will be in charge of booking King Diamond concerts in Europe and Rest of World.
“It is great to be in the top professional hands of Nick and Paul. They both come highly recommended by Brian Slagel of Metal Blade, who personally suggested the partnership that is now in effect. ICM and The Agency Group have so much combined experience, which will open new doors for us. When it comes to getting us back on stage again, we all agree on how to bring King Diamond to a whole new level. Within a few weeks, we should be able to announce the first part of our plan.
WELCOME ON BOARD AND STAY HEAVY.” – King
“I can speak for the entire team here at ICM that we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a legend of heavy metal. I could not be happier to be involved with King Diamond’s return to the stage.” – Nick Storch
“It’s a huge honour, and one I and everyone here at The Agency Group shares, to be part of King’s team moving forward!… Being such an influence on the metal genre and an artist I have personally enjoyed and been inspired by for many years; it’s a very exciting time to be involved!” – Paul Ryan
King Diamond adds: “There’ll be a lot more great news coming the next couple of weeks. It’s been difficult keeping everything under wraps, but soon it will all be out in the open.
I want to thank you for your amazing patience.
We will get back to the Skype sessions in not too long as well.”
Stay Heavy,
King Diamond
* For more info on KING DIAMOND, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE KING DIAMOND.
Stone.
On Saturday night, January 7th, 2012, the Metal community took another step in dealing with the tragic death of long-time GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot by holding the first of two events in a three-show schedule of shows designed to support the Smoot Family Foundation and honor the life of this prolific artist, who died of a heart attack this past November at the age of only 34.
Cory had played the role of Flattus Maximus in the world’s most infamous band for eleven years, as well as participated in many side projects, while at the same time producing and engineering tons of records at his always busy Karma Studios. In doing so he had become a treasured part of the local and national Metal scene, and they turned out in force to both events, opening their hearts to Cory’s family in a completely selfless display of solidarity, respect, and generosity.
Cory’s widow, Jaime, who is pregnant with Cory’s child, had this message for the fans-
“I want to sincerely thank ALL the friends and fans for their amazing donations and support!! Thanks to Eve and Brent for organizing the events, to the businesses that contributed raffle prizes, and to the venues and bands for making the shows awesome!! You guys made Cory, the baby and me very proud!”
Show highlights included Lamb of God lead singer Randy Blythe singing for thrashers Cannabis Corpse. Blythe was later joined by Municipal Waste lead singer Tony Foresta in shearing off five years of hair from GWAR lead singer Dave Brockie’s head, which was raffled off to a lucky winner but ended up everywhere. But the most stirring performance came from Cory’s band mates Mensrea, who pulled themselves together for a powerful and emotional tribute to the life of this truly amazing man.
The show Saturday night at the Canal Club was also the CD release party for Cory’s solo record, When Worlds Collide, which will be coming out on Metal Blade Records soon. The next planned event is on March 16th, when GWAR, Municipal Waste, and Ghoul will play at the National Theater. All funds raised at the show will go to the Smoot Family Fund. For those who can’t make it and still wish to donate, they can do so HERE.
(Source: Metal Blade Records News Update)
Rest In Peace, Cory Smoot.
Stone.
America’s reigning kings of brutality, CANNIBAL CORPSE, will unleash their twelfth studio offering this March via Metal Blade Records. Aptly titled Torture, the follow-up to 2009’s Evisceration Plague offers up 12 tracks of maniacally precise, soul-searing Death Metal. Torture was again produced by Hate Eternal’s Erik Rutan at his own Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida as well as Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and features the maniacal cover art by longtime CANNIBAL CORPSE artist, Vincent Locke, viewable HERE.
While Torture marks the latest progression in the band’s sound, it also witnesses a return to what drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz accurately terms “the frenzied attack of Butchered At Birth (1991) or Tomb Of The Mutilated (1992),” infusing the band’s advanced musicianship with the raw savagery that haunted their earlier releases, and in the process conceiving the definitive CANNIBAL CORPSE record. Adds bassist Alex Webster on the outcome of the record: “We’re extremely happy with how Torture turned out. Erik Rutan did an amazing job with the production, and the songwriting and performances may be our strongest yet. We can’t wait until our fans get to hear the whole thing!”
Witness the gutting sounds of “Demented Aggression,” the band’s first single, as well as studio footage, at the official CANNIBAL CORPSE landing page, at THIS LOCATION.
01. Demented Aggression
02. Sarcophagic Frenzy
03. Scourge of Iron
04. Encased in Concrete
05. As Deep As the Knife Will Go
06. Intestinal Crank
07. Followed Home Then Killed
08. The Strangulation Chair
09. Caged…Contorted
10. Crucifier Avenged
11. Rabid
12. Torn Through
As a precursor to the release, CANNIBAL CORPSE will perform a special one-off show at the Culture Room in West Palm Beach, Florida on January 22nd then head to the seas to take part in this year’s edition of the 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise. The band will get a short break before a near month-long march through Europe on the Full Of Hate 2012 tour with labelmates Behemoth.
Torture will be released in North America on March 13, 2012.
Alex Webster – Bass
Paul Mazurkiewicz – Drums
Rob Barrett – Guitar
Patrick O’Brien – Guitar
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – Vocals
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on CANNIBAL CORPSE, click on the links below:
http://www.metalblade.com/cannibalcorpse
https://www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse
LONG LIVE CANNIBAL CORPSE.
Stone.
The iron fist of the underground, VORE, has reached a new milestone in their already legendary DIY career. Barely a month after its release, VORE’s latest symphony of destruction, Gravehammer, reached the #4 spot on Amazon.com’s Death Metal downloads chart. The long-awaited follow up to 2005’s Maleficus, Gravehammer, sees VORE’s battle-ready brand of Death Metal taken to a new level of intensity and aggression. Gravehammer was mastered by Colin Davis of Imperial Mastering. The album is available at www.vore.org and Amazon.com.
VORE has been cranking out their unique blend of crushing, Doom-laden Death Metal since 1994. VORE draws upon Death, Thrash and Traditional Metal influences to create an onslaught of titanic power and heaviness. VORE‘s mid-paced rhythmic style is built around strong riffs and songcraft, rather than all out speed, which sets them apart from current trends in Death Metal. Over this soundscape, themes of doom, darkness, conquest and sorcery roar in a savage vocal attack.
VORE consists of guitarist/vocalist Page Townsley, drummer Remy Cameron and bassist Jeremy Partin. The band has independently released four self financed cd’s – Dead Kings Eyes in 1997, Lord of Storms in 2001, Maleficus in 2005 and their latest opus, Gravehammer, is being unleashed in late 2011.
VORE has worked hard to promote their metallic wares in the Metal underground and beyond. All of their releases have garnered accolades in the Metal press and despite remaining independent and unsigned to a label all these years (many argue criminally so!), they have sold thousands of cd’s worldwide and charted at Metal radio.
VORE is always at their best within the live realm, pummeling audiences with their thunderous sonic assault and tight energetic performances. Over the years VORE has performed with bands such as MORBID ANGEL, CANNIBAL CORPSE, OBITUARY, DEICIDE, SIX FEET UNDER, NILE, IN FLAMES, MONSTROSITY, MALEVOLENT CREATION, HALFORD, ORIGIN, GOATWHORE, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MANOWAR, CARCASS and many others. VORE are also veterans of the infamous Milwaukee Metalfest.
(Source: ClawHammer PR)
* For more info on VORE, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE VORE.
Stone.
Bastardized Recordings signs Science Of Sleep
We are happy to tell you that there is some new blood in the Bastardized-Roster. Germanys Deathcore-Newcomers Science Of Sleep will release their first EP on Bastardized Recordings this year. This is what the band has to say:
Science Of Sleep are glad to announce we have signed to BASTARDIZED RECORDINGS! We are looking forward to great cooperation with them and will re-release our “Affliction” Ep as soon as possible (incl. bonus track!) and also our first full length LP later this year!
Cheers!
(Source: Massacre Promotion News, Massacre Records)
* For more info on S.O.S., click on the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/SOSMETAL
Stone.
LILLIAN AXE – On February 14th (Valentines Day) 2012, XI: The Days Before Tomorrow will be released in North America via CME Records. This will be the first LILLIAN AXE album to feature new vocalist Brian Jones.
As stated by guitarist/songwriter Steve Blaze, on the Official LILLIAN AXE Website: ” This is an important album as it introduces Brian Jones on vocals. As I have been writing this record, there has been a feeling of creativity that is similar to that of when I wrote Psychoschizophrenia. The band has really done a great job so far. We can’t wait to get back out on the road to support it.”
As the band stated, (on their CD release/show info newsletter), regarding new vocalist Brian Jones: “The band sounds great and Brian hit it out of the park. Brian’s vocals are angelic yet they have a big set of balls to them. We know it has taken us a really long time to make this album. You, our fans will not be disappointed. We took our time to make an album that you would be proud of.”
* Produced by guitarist & songwriter Steve Blaze. Engineered by Rob Hovey and mixed by Sylvia Massey (Tool, Deftones, Johnny Cash, System of a Down, Prince, Black Crowes).
* XI: The Days Before Tomorrow will be released on February 13th, 2012, in Japan via Disk Union.
* XI: The Days Before Tomorrow will be released in Europe via AFM Records. The European version of the new album will contain a special bonus song called Angels Among Us. Also a special limited edition is being made that will also contain a Lillian Axe T-shirt. The European release date will be January 27. The single being worked in Europe is called Babylon. You can preview Babylon here.
XI: THE DAYS BEFORE TOMORROW – Track Listing:
Bablyon
Death Comes Tomorrow
Gather Up The Snow
The Great Divide
Take The Bullet
Bow Your Head
Caged In
Soul Disease
Lava On My Tongue
My Apologies
(Sources: Official LILLIAN AXE Website, CD release/show info newsletter)
* For more info on LILLIAN AXE, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE LILLIAN AXE.
Stone.
As reported on The Official VENOM Website aka “The Official Website Of Black Metal”:
Venom’s Management have just announced that they are currently in negotiations with the Promoters of a fantastic new festival in Latin America called “Metal Open Air Brazil“. The ‘M.O.A.’ Festival will be a 3 day event in Sao Luiz [Northern Brazil] and will take place between 20 to 22 April 2012. The event is now attracting some big names including Venom who are looking to headline on Sunday 22 April 2012.
Also in South America, Chile are currently organising a festival called “The Metal Fest Chile” on 28 April 2012. Venom have been invited to appear as ‘special guests’ to Anthrax.
More details, confirmations & other possible dates to follow soon.
* For more info on VENOM, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE VENOM.
Stone.
NYHC legends BIOHAZARD just released a (second) studio trailer for the bands upcoming comeback album Reborn In Defiance, which is set to be unleashed January 20, 2012.
Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbzLyV7uWxE
To get some first sonic impressions, surf to http://www.facebook.com/biohazarddfl and check Come Alive and Vengeance Is Mine.
Also don’t miss BIOHAZARD live on stage near you!
20.01 Deinze – Brielpoort (BE)
21.01 Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle (GER)
22.01 Hamburg – Docks (GER)
23.01 Berlin – Astra (GER)
24.01 Munchen – Werk (GER)
25.01 Wien – Gasometer (AUT)
26.01 Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn (GER)
27.01 Saarbrucken – Garage (GER)
28.01 Dresden – Eventwerk (GER)
29.01 Tilburg – O13 (NL)
30.01 Paris – Bataclan (F)
IN YOUR F*CKING FACE UK TOUR:
31.01 Manchester – Club Academy (UK)
01.02 Glasgow – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (UK)
02.02 Birmingham – The Library at HMV Institute (UK)
03.02 Camden London – Underworld (UK)
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
LONG LIVE BIOHAZARD.
Stone.
THE BLAME calls Istanbul, Turkey home and they’re a Metal band that wants to be heard. This young and talented band of Metallers, have made it possible for you to download their debut 11 song album Born – entirely free! As an option, you may also donate any amount of money to buy this album. The choice is up to you and The Blame doesn’t mind which way you choose!
Click here to be directed for your free download of Born: http://www.theblamemetal.com/
Stone Says:
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you download this debut album from The Blame as fast as you can! With Thrash, Power Metal and Traditional Metal influencing this band, their final product is a rich and refined sound of high-adrenaline Metal. The high-octane speed and power of the album’s opener Made of Stone is just an amazing prelude of what’s to come from The Blame on Born. Whoa.
Sacred Souls is an instrumental that speaks volumes about this band’s musical maturity. This is a Metal instrumental that is both melodic and hypnotic with its guitar laden presentation. Deserted Nation is another Metal highlight amongst 11 Metal highlights. If it’s a guitar driven album of the utmost impressiveness, then Bahadır Sarp (lead guitar) and Kaan Afacan (rhythm guitar) provide an outstanding Metal listening experience. The guitar solos I hear in Beyond The Wind are sensational!
The rhythm section of Onur Altınay (bass/fretless bass) and Berca B. Kantarcıoğlu (drums) are fantastically tight and hold the beats solid every micro-second. Whoa. The overall sound and production is so clean and vibrant that Rick Rubin would be jealous. As for the clean and melodic vocals of Aykut Ozen, this (former) frontman of The Blame falls somewhere between Michael Kiske (Helloween, Avantasia) and Michael Vescera (Obsession, Loudness, Yngwie Malmsteen). Uh, huh… Aykut is that damn good.
Metal as my witness, The Blame cannot possibly be overlooked by any record label (major or independent). This band brings it all on their debut album Born. No fillers. No lousy moments to be heard. Memorable Metal songs of skill, substance and structure are what awaits your ears and senses with Born. Originality with relevance aplenty, mixed with some old school Metal vibes are the Metal ingredients that makes this album dazzle. A record label talent scout who is looking for the next diamond in the Metal rough is being handed just that from Stone… they’re called THE BLAME.
BORN – Debut Album
Enver C. Yılmaz – vocalist (new)
Aykut Ozen – former vocalist (on entire Born album)
Bahadır Sarp – lead guitar
Kaan Afacan – rhythm guitar
Onur Altınay – bass / fretless bass
Berca B. Kantarcıoğlu – drums
* For more info on THE BLAME, click on the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/user/theblamemeta…
LONG LIVE THE BLAME.
Stone.
Street credibility? Check. Uncompromising sound? Check. Pure enthusiasm? Check.
GUN BARREL don’t breathe new life into the great tradition of Heavy Metal, they inject it with high pressure. These guys combine old school, misfit Rock ‘n’ Roll and Metal attitude in an ingenious way. Being the representatives of this dirty Metal Rock ‘n’ Roll, they really let it rip during their legendary live performances.
You can feel the animal instinct and the heart and soul that make the band skyrocket on stage. If nothing else, this might be due to the fact that GUN BARREL are among the most frequent performers in Germany. Those, who survived the GUN BARREL live drumfire are totally thrilled and become serial offenders. This is unavoidable.
GUN BARREL are always good for a surprise. Acoustic show or full decibel attack; it is not unusual that guest stars such as Andy Brings appear on stage with them, that they contribute songs to several samplers, take a flight to Spanish island Mallorca by the order of Rock ‘n’ Roll or that they give the audience an understanding of their sound at legendary festivals such as Wacken Open Air or Slovenia’s Metalcamp.
GUN BARREL have gone through a lot during the last 10 years; so these dudes became a tough alliance. Rock star affectations? No way. Despite all the glamour, the band remains down-to-earth and continues to look forward – one is still up to much more!
GUN BARREL’s new album Brace For Impact will be released on March 23, 2012 via Massacre Records!
Patrick Sühl – Vocals
Rolf Tanzius – Guitar
Toni Pinciroli – Drums
Tomcat Kintgen – Bass
(Source: Massacre Records)
* For more info on GUN BARREL, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/GunBarrel
http://www.massacre-records.com
LONG LIVE GUN BARREL.
Stone.
NIGHTWISH – The new, second single out of the successful gold-record Imaginaerum will be the rocking track The Crow, The Owl And The Dove, which will be released on March, 2nd.
Along with the title song, you will also get a previously unreleased song called The Heart Asks Pleasure First (theme from movie ‘The Piano’)! You will find the song in two different versions, including an instrumental one.
The Crow, The Owl And The Dove is featured in three versions: the radio-edit, album version and an instrumental.
You can order the single on CD, or as a vinyl in clear or blue colour, HERE!
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on NIGHTWISH, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE NIGHTWISH.
Stone.
Brooklyn Sludge Rock ensemble HULL will ring in the New Year with an appearance on The Learning Channel’s Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker this Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:00PM EST. The Cake Boss: The Next Great Baker is a TLC series hosted by Buddy Valastro, the star of his own reality series, Cake Boss. The show features contestants participating in challenges that test their baking and decorating skills.
Commented guitarist/vocalist N. Palmirotto: “We received this email from a production manager from the TV show, The Next Great Baker, a Cake Boss spin-off, asking us if we would like to perform on the show. It was during the time that the Big Four were in town, and Megadeth were originally asked to perform for Mauro’s birthday. Mauro Castano is the Cake Boss’ right-hand man and brother-in-law, as he was always a big Metalhead back in the day, but Megadeth couldn’t do it for whatever reason. HULL was mentioned at a board meeting, and low and behold, they contacted us. We showed up in Hoboken on a rainy afternoon to a huge production. They had us set up and perform on top of two box trucks while the contestants displayed their best attempts at metal-themed birthday cakes. It was truly a one of a kind experience, and we are very much looking forward to Episode 8, Headbanging Bakers, on January 16th.”
For more info on the show, point your browser to the official website HERE.
HULL recently unleashed their Beyond The Lightless Sky opus, which continues to earn critical praise from fans and media alike. Released via The End Records, Beyond The Lightless Sky was co-produced by Brett Romnes, mixed by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins, et al).and features guest appearances by vocalist Jarboe, keys/ambiance by Fade Kainer (Batillus/Jarboe/Inswarm ) and cello by Joe Merolla with artwork by Tamara Waite-Santibanez.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on HULL, click on the links below:
http://www.hullorhighwater.com
LONG LIVE CAKE BOSS.
LONG LIVE HULL.
Stone.
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 > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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