To complete a day of good news, the first episode of an exclusive online game for “Imaginaerum“ will be launched on November 18 – WATCH OUT!!!
The entire album, “Imaginaerum“, which will be released December 2, 2011, can also be pre-ordered at the Nuclear Blast Mailorder. The album will be available as several exclusive editions: http://bit.ly/suOkUR
In other news the band recently announced a fanchat with bass player Marco Hietala for today, November 11, 2011. Everyone owning a Facebook or Twitter account may login at http://www.nuclearblast.de/streamingroom to ask Marco your personal questions about NIGHTWISH and “Imaginaerum“.
The chat will take place from 7pm – 8pm CET.
NIGHTWISH also announced the first leg of their extensive “Imaginaerum“ world tour 2012-2013:
10.04.12 SE-Gothenburg Lisebergshallen
11.04.12 DK-Copenhagen Falconer Theater
13.04.12 NL-Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall
14.04.12 DE-Düsseldorf ISS Dome
16.04.12 BE-Brussels Forest National
17.04.12 FR-Paris Bercy
18.04.12 FR-Nantes Zenith
20.04.12 FR-Lyon Halle Tony Garnier
21.04.12 LU-Luxembourg Rockhal
23.04.12 DE-Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle
24.04.12 CH-Zurich Hallenstadion
25.04.12 IT-Milano Forum
27.04.12 AT-Vienna Gasometer
29.04.12 HU-Budapest Budapest Arena
30.04.12 CZ-Prague Tesla (T-Mobile Arena)
01.05.12 DE-Leipzig Arena
03.05.12 DE-Hamburg o2 World
05.05.12 DE-Nuremberg Arena
06.05.12 DE-Stuttgart Schleyerhalle
08.05.12 SL-Ljubljana Križanke
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* The North American Release date for Storytime is November 22, 2011.
* The North American release date for Imaginaerum is December 27, 2011.
Johnny Winter – Friday Music is re-releasing on 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl, Second Winter, the third studio album and 1969 Blues/Rock Classic from the iconic Johnny Winter. An American Blues/Rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Johnny Winter’s influence across the world of Rock cannot be measured. Simply put, Johnny Winter is one-of-a-kind.
* Second Winter will be re-released as a three-sided album as well, with the fourth side left blank, just as the original Columbia Records release from 1969.
* As a very limited run, this 180 Gram Vinyl re-release of Second Winter includes the original gatefold album cover designed by Tony Lane and the photography excellence of Richard Avedon.
Second Winter – Band Lineup:
Johnny Winter – vocals & guitars
Edgar Winter – keys & saxophone
Tommy Shannon – bass
Uncle John Turner – drums
Second Winter – Track List:
Side One:
Memory Pain
I’m Not Sure
The Good Love
Side Two:
Slippin’ And Slidin’
Miss Ann
Johnny B. Goode
Highway 61 Revisited
Side Three:
I Love Somebody
Hustled Down In Texas
I Hate Everybody
Fast Life Rider
* To purchase this Johnny Winter gem, on 180 Gram Vinyl, click the link below:
An official vendor at this year’s Goregrowler’s Fest, Ibex Moon Records will be giving away 100 CDs each day of the fest to the first 100 people through the door. Goregrowler’s Ball will take place November 18th – 20th at Korova Live Music Venue in San Antonio, TX.
L to R: Kio K, Anni Sutinen, Brenda Mejia, Shae Padilla
FireSky – Okay, to be upfront and honest, cause Stone can never tell a Metal lie, these four gals that call themselves FireSky… ROCKS! I’m very glad FireSky crossed my Metal path, this is a band that is ready for some Rock industry attention. After listening to their 5 song Erase The Enemy EP, (which was several times), I realized without hesitation that FireSky has “IT”. What is IT exactly, that FireSky has you’re asking? Song writing, vocals and these gals can play. FireSky has an attitude that comes through in their songs that screams: Rockin’ For Real. There’s some good Rockin’ vibes that emit from Erase The Enemy, Metal be thy name.
When you’re a DIY band and conscientious towards the song, word will travel fast and fans will follow. I’m listening to FireSky and they have created 5 melodically memorable songs, adding a contagious dose of Alt/Hard Rock flavor to their overall sound. It’s when my ears are introduced to a band like FireSky, that I wish I had the executive position at any record label to sign them. Instead, I can only pass along the great news that FireSky is out there, accomplishing and not just thinking about it, hungry for some Hard Rockin’ success.
If you are a fan of The Donnas, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Pink, Pat Benatar or The Bangles, you should get quite a Rockin’ thrill out of hearing the fresh and relevant Rock sound of FireSky.
Founding member, song writer and lead guitarist Shae Padilla recently told Metal Odyssey:
“Right now, FireSky is writing, rehearsing, playing locally here in California, and working on some touring opportunities! Its hard work being an independent band. But in our minds, if you have a dream you really believe in, you need to go for it. Even if you don’t “Make it”, you can be satisfied that you tried your hardest! And I’m happy to say, so far, so good for FireSky! We’ve made a lot of progress in the short time we’ve been a band, and it’s actually nice being the ones to make the decisions on the way our music sounds, and the way our band is presented to the public!
Shae elaborated on the title of her band’s EP, Erase The Enemy:
We decided to name it after the last track on the EP because it’s easy to remember and a good message. The song is about how often times, people are their own worst enemies and limit their potential. So you have to “Erase the enemy on the inside”. I love Anni’s (lead singer) lyrics! Definitely makes the writing process easy, when she’s right there coming up with interesting and meaningful lyrics!
When asked about a forthcoming full-length album being in the works, Shae responded:
“As far as a full length album goes, we’re hoping to have one out next year! We’re currently writing for it now, and also working on booking a tour so we can reach our fans wherever they may be!”
Where can fans buy your Erase The Enemy EP?
“You can buy our EP on iTunes by going to itunes.com/FireSky. OR if you like having a physical copy, you can go to our webstore and buy a copy! Just go to http://firesky.storenvy.com/“.
* Erase The Enemy EP was released on iTunes on August 23rd, 2011.
FireSky’s last two shows of 2011:
November 20th – Hollywood, CA @ Molly Malone’s
November 23rd – Upland, CA @ The Wire
FireSky:
Shae Padilla – Guitar
Anni Sutinen – Vocals
Brenda Mejia – Bass
Kio K – Drums
Erase The Enemy EP – Track List:
Free Fall
Pleasure For Mourning
Soundtrack Of My Life
Black As The Night
Erase The Enemy
* For more info on FireSky, click on the links below:
TEAM ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC is proud to announce Progressive/Tech Metallers ABOVE THIS to its roster under the PR umbrella. Born with the desire to create some of the heaviest music on the planet known to man, while adding a unique twist, ABOVE THIS’s latest release 7L7 blows minds with its signature brutality.
With the ability to capture anyone on a first impression, the band’s monster riffs mixed with lyrics that deliver a message of real life situations, gives the listener the chance to both violently headbang and have plenty of substance to ponder. With tight Technical/Progressive Metal riffing, memorable punch lines, absolutely CRUSHING breakdowns, a mean swagger, and the gnarliest bass drops (prepare your subwoofer!) you’ll hear, ABOVE THIS sticks out amongst the others in this over saturated Metal scene of Progressive/djent wannabes. ABOVE THIS are incredibly catchy from song to song on 7L7 without a filler song to be found – be forewarned!
ABOVE THIS stands for all of the misjudgments, cruel treatment, rejection, hatred, depression, hurt, and emotion that can revolve around anyone’s lives, and the goal is to make sure you stand above your fears.
(Source: Team All About The Music – Publicity, Management, A&R)
* For more info on ABOVE THIS, click on the links below:
ELM STREET – Releasing on November 18th, via Massacre Records, is the debut album from Elm Street. Melbourne, Australia is where Elm Street calls home, while Traditional Metal with impressive melodic and speed guitar leanings is their calling card. Forming back in 2003, Elm Street have paid their Metal dues, now it’s time the entire world gets to hear their Metal. Elm Street dishes out an impressive listen into speed, crunch and wallop with their Metal and the barrage of their Metal brand doesn’t cease from the opening track Barbed Wire Metal to the closer Metal Is Theway.
With gang vocals and melodic guitar leads and solos abounding, Elm Street reveals they have more Metal goodies hidden inside their Metal bag O’ tricks than I first suspected. It’s difficult to not get dazed and simultaneously enthused by the fret work of Aaron Adie on lead guitar, coinciding with the iron-lined vocals of Ben Batres. Whoa, can Elm Street take Traditional Metal elements and swirl them into a batch of notable songs, with marked originality, making for a bona fide Metal album.
Tomislav Perkovic is key on drums, (impressive) Tomislav keeps the beat in an amazingly solid way, while adding horns to the sky fills where it necessitates. King Of Kings and Merciless Soldier may best be the songs that defines everything about Elm Street, from their speed and heaviness to the thundery rhythm section, this band is tight. Throw in myMetal notion that Elm Street sounds like a band that’s been making albums for a couple of decades and myMetal awe-meter alarm has sounded.
If I had to pick a favorite song from Barbed Wire Metal, it would be Merciless Solider. Then again, with this album, picking a favorite song is not an easy Metal task. Merciless Soldier just booms with that “take it to the hills and defeat thy enemy” victory vibe. Elm Street closes out this ultra-fine debut album of theirMetal with the appropriate Metal Is The Way. An outstanding song to finish off Barbed Wire Metal and I consummately agree with Elm Street: Metal Is The Way! It’s A Way Of Life!
Metal be thy name, this Elm Street band is real good.
ELM STREET:
Ben Batres – vocals & rhythm guitar
Aaron Adie – lead guitar
Brendan Farrugia – bass guitar
Tomislav Perkovic – drums
Barbed Wire Metal – Track List:
Barbed Wire Metal
The Devil’s Servants
Elm St’s Children
Heavy Metal Power
King Of Kings
Leatherface
Merciless Soldier
Metal Is The Way
* Album artwork by the legendary Ed Repka (Megadeth, Municipal Waste, Death)
* For more info on ELM STREET, click on the links below:
OBITUARY – In celebration of their upcoming East Coast Possession Tour, Metal Messiah Radio’s “Death Metal Dave, In Your Face” radio show will be broadcasting “live” from Redneck Studios with OBITUARY members John and Donald Tardy, Trevor Peres, and Terry Butler, along with other special guests. The show will air TODAY – Tuesday, November 8 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm EST and can be heard at http://www.MetalMessiahRadio.com.
The East Coast Possession Tour kicks off November 12 in Tampa, Florida and will run through November 21 in Atlanta, Georgia. A free live video cast from the band’s November 19 performance at Santos Party House in New York City will be available. Point your browser HERE for further info.
The legendary Death Metallers are currently composing the follow-up to2009’s Darkest Day full-length. The band plan to enter the studio early in the new year for a tentative late spring/early summer 2012 release. Further info to be announced soon…
OBITUARY – East Coast Possession Tour 2011 w/ Denial Fiend:
11/12/2011 The Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
11/14/2011 Sirens – St. Augustine, FL
11/15/2011 C Level – Panama City, FL
11/17/2011 Championship Sports Bar & Grill – Trenton, NJ
11/18/2011 42nd Street Rock House – Greensburg (Pittsburgh), PA
11/19/2011 Santos Party House – New York, NY
11/20/2011 The Casbah/Tremont Music Hall – Charlotte, NC
VECTOR – Releasing on November 22nd, 2011, via Heavy Artillery Records, is the new sophomore album OuterIsolation from the Arizona Thrash Metal unit known as: VECTOR. Outer Isolation contains five new songs and three re-recorded songs from their (2006) first and self-released CD (Demolition): Tetrastructural Minds, Venus Project and FastPaced Society.
* VECTOR released their debut album Black Future, back in November of 2009, via Heavy Artillery Records.
VECTOR:
David Disanto – guitar & vocals
Erik Nelson – guitar
Blake Anderson – drums
Frank Chin – bass
Outer Isolation – Track List:
Cosmic Cortex
Echoless Chamber
Dying World
Tetrastructural Minds
Venus Project
Dark Creations, Dead Creators
Fast Paced Society
Outer Isolation
* For more info on VECTOR, click on the link below:
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – On November 1st, 2011, Glorious Christmas Songs That Will Make Your BlackLabel Heart Feel Good was released on iTunes via eOne Music. Each song sells for $1.29 apiece or $2.99 as a complete 3 song EP.
All three songs are instrumental, with a combination of electric and acoustic guitar. The ever legendary Zakk Wylde delivers the Christmas classics of I’ll Be Home ForChristmas, Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem and It’s A Wonderful Life to a level of Rock ‘N Roll cool, all the while keeping the tempos to a mellow level of appreciation. Minus any vocals only seems to enhance the ambiance and vibe of these Christmas classics.
This is one big and bad Metalhead (chuckle) that can honestly say, Black Label Society has made my Black Label Heart feel good. Metal be thy name. I wish there were more songs included with this EP, still, I’m not going to complain. Just these three songs alone are a welcomed addition to my personal collection of Rock ‘N Roll and Heavy Metal Christmas collection of music.
Track List:
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
It’s A Wonderful World
* For more info on Black Label Society, click on the links below:
Check out the video teaser below for RAMMSTEIN – Mein Land. The full video will be out on November 11th, via www.rammstein.com.
RAMMSTEIN RETROSPECTIVE ALBUM, MADE IN GERMANY 1995 – 2011, AVAILABLE DEC. 6th, 2011:
Rammstein’s long-awaited retrospective release, Made In Germany 1995 – 2011, will be available on Dec. 6th through Universal Germany’s marketing and distribution deal in the US with Vagrant Records.
Made In Germany 1995 – 2011 will be available in three different editions:
* Standard Edition: CD Digipak – Best of Album
* Special Edition: 2-CD Digipak – Best of Album and Best of Remixes
* Super Deluxe Edition: 2-CD (Best of Album and Best of Remixes) as well as 3 DVDs (including the full Rammstein video catalog, all previously available “Making of” and 8 unreleased “Making of” videos) packaged in a steel box complete with a 240-page booklet. Limited to 1200 copies in the US.
All songs and videos on Made In Germany 1995 – 2011 have been re-mastered for this release.
Announced earlier this week, the Berlin-based band have a new single, “Mein Land,” set for a Nov. 11 release. “Mein Land” will be available as a four-track release via iTunes with an unreleased song, “Vergiss Uns Nicht,” as well as remixes from BossHoss and Mogwai accompanied by the Jonas Akerlund directed video for Mein Land video and a digital booklet. The Amazon version will be “Mein Land” and the two remixes. The video for “Mein Land” will premiere on Rammstein.com on Nov. 11.
Rammstein’s most recent release, Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da, debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 in October 2009.
(Source: Speakeasy PR)
* For more info on RAMMSTEIN, click on the link below:
MESSENGER – Straight from the Great Metal country of Germany is the potent Heavy Metal band: MESSENGER. Signed to Massacre Records, their second studio album of 100% Heavy Metal, See You In Hell, was released in September of this year. Check out below MESSENGER and their incredible Heavy Metal song Land Of The Brave, from See YouIn Hell. Crank it up LOUD fellow Metalheads worldwide!
MESSENGER:
Siggi Schüßler – Vocals
Frank Kettenhofen – Lead Guitar
Patrik Deckarm – Rhythm Guitar
Benny Strauß – Bass Guitar
Markus Merl -Drums
* For more info on MESSENGER, click on the link below:
German True Metal force WIZARD, who earlier this year released new studio album “…Of Wariwulfs AndBluotvarwes”, will play their first ever live shows in UK and USA. On March 17, 2012, the band will burn the stage of the UK’s famous HAMMERFEST in Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park. They wil play there along with acts such as ANTHRAX, EXODUS and AMON AMARTH. And on May 18, 2012 the band will play in Mojoes in Joliet (Chicago suburn, Illinois) on the RAGNAROKKR METAL APOCALYPSE FESTIVAL. For more information go to www.hammerfest.co.uk and www.ragnarokkrmetal.com
(Source: Massacre Records)
…Of Wariwulfs AndBluotvarwes
* For more info on WIZARD and their new album, click the link below:
UFC fighter and Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter” cast member Kyle Watson is going head to head with Gronk! from A BAND OF ORCS in a UFC Fantasy Battle! What fits better than some Orc-ified Heavy Metal and Mixed Martial Arts fights?
Outside The Ring has teamed up with Metal-Rules.com to offer up a killer contest in which fans can win a copy of “WarChiefs of the Apocalypse” and a T-Shirt from A BAND OF ORCS.
As reported in the Gibson Guitar newsletter – November 6th, 2011:
Gibson Guitar Corp. has announced the “Fight For Your Right To Rock!” contests. Participants can submit a video, original song or logo expressing how the Lacey Act can be made fair. Contributors will have the opportunity to win a customized Gibson USA Les Paul Standard adorned with the winning logo.
On August 24, 2011, agents from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service raided Gibson facilities and seized more than 10,000 guitar fingerboards made from Indian rosewood, along with computers and other records. At issue is the Lacey Act, which was amended in 2008 to prevent trafficking in illegally harvested or illegally exported plants. However, Gibson has complied with Indian law and no concerns have been raised by the Indian government.
“Through this contest we’re asking people to lend their voice so that those in power understand that there’s true concern,” said Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. “To be clear, we’re not looking to abolish the Lacey Act — we’re asking that it be amended — that it be made fair and clear.”
* To continue reading this story and for all info regarding the “Fight For Your Right To Rock!” contests, click on that very cool link below:
Syracuse, New York Heavy Rockers Brand New Sin have announced a string of live dates in support of their newest release, United State,out now on Goomba Music. Additionally, the band will be on location in Detroit this weekend for a video shoot for the track “The Lord Came Down.”
BRAND NEW SIN LIVE:
11/5 @ The Ritz – Warren, MI
11/9 @ Shooter’s Pub -Sussex, WI
11/10 @ Underground Lounge – Chicago, IL
11/12 @ Chugger’s Rock n’ Roll Sports Bar – West Seneca, NY
12/23 @ Fusion – North Syracuse, NY
Brand New Sin has risen to new levels with the disenfranchised roar of United Stateout now on GoombaMusic.
The enduring trio of Kris Wiechmann (Vocals/Guitar), Chuck Kahl (Bass), and Kevin Dean (Drums) are joined by the new blood of Tommy Matkowski on lead guitar. Tommy’s playing is truly the finishing piece to this already powerful puzzle, lending a fresh and deeply rooted hard rock style to the Brand New Sin sound. This line-up spent much of 2010 on the road together defining the terms of United State, including opening shows for Slash & Myles Kennedy.
(Source: Clawhammer PR)
* To purchase United State by BRAND NEW SIN, click the link below:
MASS – Louis St. August – It all started back in 1984, when MASS released their self-titled EP and garnered the widespread attention of radio stations, record companies and of course their new-found fans. In 1985, this Boston, Massachusetts originated band was signed to RCA Records and their first full-length album, New Birth, was released upon the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal world. New Birth catapulted MASS onto the Billboard charts and MTV came knocking on their door. The single released from New Birth was Do You Love Me and this song became a successful music video within the coveted MTV rotation.
Caught somewhere between the positive vibes of Stryper and their very own brand of melodic heaviness, coupled with credibility at every angle, MASS did exit the 80’s leaving behind 3 studio albums and their historic EP as a reminder of greater things to come. MASS was then, as they are now, a Heavy Metal band that glistens with accessibility without compromising their hard and heavy sound.
Louis St. August – 2011
MASS is still Rockin’ in 2011, their fifth full-length, Heavy Metal achievement and critically acclaimed Sea Of Black was released in 2010. With their best work existing in the present, reflecting on where it all began for MASS is something Louis St. August embraces and is understandably quite proud of. As the old saying goes, “times were different back then” and 1985 was no exception, as founding member and lead vocalist Louis St. August will reveal in this exclusive Metal Odyssey interview.
Stone:Do You Love Me is a memorable song from the New Birth album. What was the process of choosing this song for a music video?
Louis: It was solely RCA records idea of making and pushing the Do You love Me video first as we felt it was a poor representation of what the band was really about. We wanted to go with something a bit heavier like Toofar Gone or Crying Alone. But the label insisted and thought a power ballad would open doors up for us and that radio would pick up the song a lot quicker. They told us the second video would be the heavier one which never did come to be.
Looking back at it now It’s kind of funny because the very first script the video production team wrote for the Do you love me video was actually turned down by RCA records because they felt it was too sexy and would get banned from MTV and other video stations. The script only calling for a Catholic girls school bus breaking down in some dark alley, when the girls all got out of the bus dressed up in their little catholic school dress’s knocked on our rehearsal door only to come in and start dancing seductively and falling in love with the song and band. Very mild and tamed I must say compared to the videos we see today. (Laughs). But that’s the early eighties for you.
Stone: Where was this video filmed?
Louis: The video was filmed in an abandoned warehouse in Manhattan, New York. It took two days to film it. (Film not video), that’s why it has that grainy look to it. I couldn’t believe it took 48 straight hours to film, only to have it edited down to a 3 minute and 20 second song. (Laughs). The video cost RCA records $50,000 something that would cost $5,000 to $8,000 today.
MASS – That Was Yesterday!
Stone: How difficult or easy was it to get Do You Love Me on MTV? How psyched were you guys to get that exposure?
Louis: It was not difficult at all with such a big label like RCA behind us. MTV execs were actually at the shooting of the video and approached our management at the time to see if they would agree to let MTV make the Do You Love Me video an exclusive premier for MTV. But our management said NO because they wanted to share it with the U68’s,V66’s video stations of the world. A big mistake in my eyes for we would have gained much more exposure had they agreed to this and received “heavy rotation” play instead of the “1ight rotation” we received on MTV.
We were very excited the first time it aired on MTV. Just like the first time you hear your song on the radio you never forget that feeling. After that it seemed like every time you put the TV on or the radio on you would hear your song. The phone never stopped ringing after that. And still hasn’t. (Laughs).
Stone: Were there any aggravating and/or funny moments you want to share while filming “Do You Love Me”?
Louis: We just simply had a blast making it, hanging with all the hired extras and crew. We even put our road manager (Gino) at the beginning of the video along with our stage manager (Laurie). We also included our manager & lawyer towards the end (carrying the food trays). Although it was extremely exhausting we were just running on pure adrenaline and tons of laughs and good times.
MASS – In The Present!
Stone: As you look back on the New Birth album now, what fond memories does it stir up?
Louis: There are so many but here are just a few for me. We all moved in to the studio in beautiful Bearsville New York. The whole band actually lived in a huge barn. Our equipment was set up downstairs in the living room while all our beds were upstairs in the loft. We would work with our producer Tony Platt (Led Zep /Cheap Trick, etc) during the day on preproduction stuff in the barn for two weeks before moving into the studio to start recording. When I had free time, I would ride my mountain bike through the beautiful town and hills, while enjoying the fresh air and star studied night skies.
During the evenings, the band would get together and hang with Joe Lynn Turner and his band mates and go out for dinner at various places. Joe and his band mates were there recording an album as well with producer (Roy Thomas Baker/Queen). We had a lot of fun and many a food fight at some of the top-notch restaurants in the area, where we would sometimes be asked to leave. (Laughs).
Our girlfriends, wives, would come down a few weekends during our 8 week stay and enjoy the surroundings as well as the music we were making. My wife at the time was pregnant with my first child so it was special for me when we decided to call the album New Birth.
* All Photos Courtesy/By Permission Of Louis St. August
DEATHSTARS – Swedish Death Glam icons DEATHSTARS just released the videoclip for “METAL”, one of two brand new songs featured on their best of compilation “The Greatest Hits On Earth” which has been released just today, Friday, November 4th.
Check out the video for “METAL” below… take in the exquisite mixture of Death Glam, Industrial and Modern… METAL from DEATHSTARS!
Stone’s METAL Note: There isn’t any “Lulu” going on here folks!
The Greatest Hits On Earth – Track List:
01. Death Is Wasted On The Dead (previously unreleased)
02. METAL (previously unreleased)
03. Death Dies Hard
04. Blitzkrieg
05. Motherzone
06. Synthetic Generation
07. Tongues
08. Blood Stains Blondes
09. Cyanide
10. New Dead Nation
11. The Mark Of The Gun
12. Chertograd
13. Semi-Automatic
14. Syndrome
15. Play God
16. Opium
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on DEATHSTARS, click on the link below:
Has anyone seen or heard where Metallica has been hiding lately? They used to create kick ass Thrash Metal like this album shown above. Please, someone, does anybody know?
METALLICA – Once upon a time, there was a Thrash Metal band that could tear the skin off your face with their blistering brand of speed and heaviness. Once upon a time this same Thrash Metal band put out three incredible Thrash Metal Classics in a row: Kill ‘Em All,Ride The Lightning and Master Of Puppets. Then, this Thrash Metal band took their inevitable legendary status and decided to make a song called… One. That song should have been titled: Ouch. That’s when it all started to get weird for me as a Metallica fan.
I did get a “hint” that Metallica returned with the commercially accepted and turtle neck applauding: BlackAlbum. Just wasn’t the same though. Back in 1993 Live Shit: Binge & Purge came out and I longed for it. I couldn’t afford this pricey Metallica live box set for many years. I eventually won the VHS version at a silent auction, go figure. From 1994 to 2007, Metallica disappeared, yet they wound up being seen sharing high fives and smiles at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, apparently becoming inducted into that political clique. Weird.
2008 came around and look out! Metallica was back! Rumors were being thrown around that Metallica was returning to their “roots” and actually “cared” about the “old school fans” that made them Thrash Metal legends in the first place. Death Magnetic sounded damn cool to me. Death Magnetic sounded a “tad” vintage. Death Magnetic was super-duper produced. Still not the same though.
It is now nearing the end of 2011 and I’m still searching for the legendary Metallica. The Metallica that truly changed my Metal lovin’ life, being one of the select bands that made me the rabid Metal fan I am today. I, like so many others, was there at the very beginning. I went crazy in the pit as Metallica played a small club, with the mighty Metal Church opening. No one can ever accuse me of being a “band wagon” fan salivating over the release of …AndJustice For All. Yes, The Big 4 sightings have been documented, still, a return to form in the studio and creating Thrash albums that fans really yearn for is lacking.
Just the other day, I overheard a Metal buddy say to someone: “If you’re looking for Metallica, a dude named Lou Reed knows where they’re at”. Whoa. Lou Reed? Why, why him? That same Metal buddy looked confused and weary when he turned to me and said, “Lulu”. I thought to myself, Lulu? Who is Lulu? What’s a Lulu? A Dr. Seuss character? A Saturday morning cartoon? This distraught Metal buddy of mine just kept mumbling, as he walked away… he kept mumbling… “Lulu”… “Lulu”. Lou Reed. Lulu. These code names do not help me in my quest to find out where Metallica has gone. I shall not give up though, Metallica has to return again someday. They just have to. I hope.
As reported by Metal Hammer (news) on 11/3/11 at 22:19 pm:
GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot – AKA Flattus Maximus – was found dead by his bandmates earlier today. Cory Smoot – better known to GWAR fans as guitarist Flattus Maximus – was found dead today by his bandmates during their North American tour.
“It is with a sense of profound loss and tragedy that the members of Gwar must announce the passing of their longtime guitarist and beloved friend Cory Smoot, also known to thousands of metal fans worldwide as Flattus Maximus,” says frontman Dave Brockie (AKA Oderus). Cory was found deceased this morning as the band prepared for a border crossing.”
Metal Odyssey expresses condolences to the family, bandmates, friends and fans of Cory Smoot. May he rest in peace.
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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