Archive for germany

WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA Returns For 2023

Posted in Black Metal, death grind, Death Metal, Extreme Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal festivals, metal music, Music, music news, news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2022 by Metal Odyssey

Wacken Metal Battle Canada announces its return in 2023 to cities across the country. Hosting battles from coast to coast since 2013, Wacken Metal Battle Canadaselects one unsigned Canadian band to perform on one of the world’s most prestigious stages and largest metal festival Wacken Open Air, with over 80,000 people in attendance, held in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years.

WMBC has been on pause since 2019, due to the Covid pandemic, and has hosted battles across Canada from 2013 until 2019, with one skip year in 2017.

Previous winners have been The Slyde(Toronto, ON – 2019), Centuries of Decay(Toronto, ON – 2018), Profaner (Hamilton, ON – 2016), Vesperia (Toronto, ON – 2015), Mutank (Montreal, QC – 2014), Crimson Shadows (Toronto, ON – 2013).

Wacken Metal Battle Canada Trailer – https://youtu.be/b55Fh5Vo64k

Independent Canadian bands interested in participating can apply at https://metalbattle.ca/apply.html

Band submissions will open on November 29th at 6 AM PST and close on December 19th at 11:59 PM PST.

Battles will be hosted in the following cities:

Vancouver, BC, Edmonton, AB, Calgary, AB, Toronto, ON, Hamilton, ON, Ottawa, ON, Montreal, QC, and Quebec City, QC.

All bands will be performing in front of experienced music industry professionals who will be making judgments at each qualifying round based on various categories of professionalism and musicianship.

The National Final will be hosted in Toronto, ON in May 2023 (full date to be determined).

WMBC organizer JJ Tartaglia adds:

“Very stoked to be getting this going again after a long 3-year break. Our team is back together and excitement is in the air. Really curious to know what bands have been up to during this time, which new bands have formed, I know there are some hidden gems out there and hope to see them emerge for the Metal Battle.”

Wacken Metal Battle Canada is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance of winning their spot among 29 other countries’ champions, and represent Canada in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade giving independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

How it works:
Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter where one band will move forward to the Canadian national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2023 and compete against the winners of 29 other countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

Rules for participation: https://metalbattle.ca/rules.html

Links:
Metal-Battle.com
MetalBattle.ca
Facebook.com/MetalBattleCanada
Twitter.com/MetalBattleCan
Instagram.com/MetalBattleCan

Source: Asher Media Relations

HELLOWEEN – ANNOUNCES THEIR RETURN TO NUCLEAR BLAST

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, Power Metal, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Helloween - promo band pic - 2014 - #610091

Founded in 1984 and hailed as one of the pioneering Power Metal bands from Germany, the Hamburg-based quintet HELLOWEEN is celebrating their 30th Anniversary in 2014 and have announced their return to Nuclear Blast’s worldwide artist family.

“As a label, Nuclear Blast is ‘Heavy Metal to the bone,’” shares HELLOWEEN vocalist Andi Deris, “and we are really looking forward to working together with a lot of familiar faces.”

Nuclear Blast’s founder & label owner Markus Staiger is overwhelmed at bringing the band back into the fold. “We are more than proud that HELLOWEEN is part of the Nuclear Blast family again,” he states. “All those years we had a friendship-like connection and our ways crossed on a regular basis at concerts and festivals. HELLOWEEN to us is a matter of the heart. There’s not only the two records we released [The Dark Ride in 2000 and Rabbit Don’t Come Easy in 2003], but they’re an act that has influenced me and many of our employees. Together there are big plans and we are looking forward to having another productive and successful cooperation.”

Helloween - Classic Band Logo - #119 - 2013

Following HELLOWEEN’s appearances on the European summer festival circuit, the band will enter Mi Sueño Studio on the island of Tenerife off the coast of Morocco with producer Charlie Bauerfeind (BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL, PRIMAL FEAR) to record a new studio album for an early 2015 release.

Last month, Nuclear Blast released special edition re-issues of The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don’t Come Easy, featuring 3 bonus tracks on each album, which can be ordered from the Nuclear Blast USA Webshop.

Straight Out Of Hell, HELLOWEEN’s latest studio album released in early 2013, debuted on the German album chart at #4 – the band’s highest chart entry in their home country to date – and held this position for five weeks. The album had five other “Top Ten” album entries in Europe and also cracked the American Billboard Top 100 chart with an entry at #97.

HELLOWEEN Festival Summer 2014:

2014-05-24 S Metallsvenskan Metallsvenskan

2014-06-27 SLO Piešťany Topfest

2014-06-29 BG Kavarna Kavarna Rock 2014

2014-07-11 D Ballenstedt Rock Harz

2014-07-12 CZ Masters Of Rock Masters Of Rock

2014-07-19 FIN Karjurock Karjurock

Helloween - promo band banner - 2014 - #86800

(Source: Nuclear Blast Records)

* For more info on HELLOWEEN:

Website: http://www.helloween.org/

Helloween – Facebook

http://www.youtube.com/HELLOWEENORG

Nuclear Blast USA - Logo - promo

Website: http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/

Website: http://www.nuclearblast.de

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE HELLOWEEN.

LONG LIVE METAL.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

Stone.

GAMMA RAY – German Power Metal Masters Premiere New Tracks From “Empire Of The Undead”; Album To Drop Next Month

Posted in Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, Power Metal, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , , on March 25, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Gamma Ray - Empire Of The Undead - promo cover pic - 2014

In celebration of its forthcoming release, Germany power metal masters, GAMMA RAY, offer up a whopping six tracks from their forthcoming new full-length, Empire Of The Undead, set for release next month.

In a mammoth, collaborative promotional effort, Bravewords, Decibel Magazine and Metal Insider, unite, each bringing fans two tracks from the record.

Sample “Avalon” and “Pale Rider,” currently streaming at

Bravewords HERE.

“Born To Fly” and “Master Of Confusion,” at Decibel HERE.

“Time For Deliverance” and “Demonseed,” at Metal Insider HERE.

A record that almost wasn’t, Empire Of The Undead was composed throughout 2013 with Eike Freese (Dark Age) at the mixing desk alongside bassist/co-writer, Dirk Schlächter, and was nearing completion before Hammer Studios, their home, rehearsal space, and meeting point for many Metal bands throughout Germany, had burned down leaving much of its contents in ruins. Fortunately, the Empire Of The Undead masters managed to make it through unscathed. “If this could not stop us, nothing ever will,” joked light-hearted GAMMA RAY vocalist Kai Hansen, adding that, “We got rid of a lot of shit that we gathered there. Unfortunately, a lot of good equipment as well. Anyhow, we look towards the future, we saved the production and we can continue now in this new place.”

Gamma Ray - Classic Logo - B&W!

More than four years since the release of their critically acclaimed tenth full-length, To The Metal!, Empire Of The Undead is over an hour-long and showcases a band more ambitious and variable than ever before. From the symphonic bombast of album opener “Avalon,” to the high-speed, Judas Priestian drive of “Hellbent,” GAMMA RAY manages to tread through an entire spectrum of Heavy Metal. Elsewhere the band seamlessly explores the realms of driving Hard Rock (“Pale Rider”) – a stylistic element Hansen honed from his time with side project Unisonic; triumphant Power Metal anthems (“I Will Return”) and emotional Rock ballads (“Time For Deliverance”).

Adding to its sonic diversity is the notable variation in Hansen’s characteristically high-pitched, voice. On “Master Of Confusion” from 2013’s eponymous EP, Hansen’s timbre is reminiscent of Billy Idol while the anthemesque “Seven” is suddenly punctuated by a sinister recitative, cleverly decelerating the song’s speed before finally exploding in a great choir finale.

Gamma Ray - Empire Of The Undead - promo cover pic - 2014

“As far as variation is concerned, I think that’s something we always craved for, something we always needed. To just do the same thing on ten or eleven songs is boring in some way,” Hansen remarks. “I always liked albums that had a certain variety in style in some way, as long as everything fits together. We always took the freedom to do what we liked and since I like so many different things, this album has become quite manifold…There’s definitely more bite and heaviness on this album. Since I’ve been pretty busy with Unisonic, which is more on the hardrock /AOR side of things, there has definitely been a need to be as bad as can be with GAMMA RAY now….”

Empire Of The Undead will be released in North America on CD, LP and digitally via Armoury Records in conjunction with earMusic on April 15, 2014.

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(Source: Earsplit PR)

* For more info on GAMMA RAY:

http://www.gammaray.org

http://www.facebook.com/gammarayofficial

Armoury Records - logo - B&W

EarMusic - logo - 2013

Website: http://www.eagle-rock.com

Website: http://www.ear-music.net

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE GAMMA RAY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

MANTRUM – S/T EP From German Metal Warriors Is: Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day!

Posted in Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Print

MANTRUM – They’re from Germany. They’re a Metal band. They’re Metal legit. They’re unsigned. This morning, their Metal has kicked me in the face with (accepting) blunt Metal force! They’re MANTRUM. Whoa, am I psyched out that I discovered this MANTRUM band (or make that they discovered me first) on Twitter! That’s the way social media works in 2014 and cool Metal connections happen, more often than I can count, on these sites.

I’ve been listening to their (5 song) S/T EP over and over, the past hour/plus as I write this. MANTRUM plays some serious freaking Metal, my Metal brethren! Death Metal vocals, a ballistic rhythm section and still this band finds a way to add melodic fret work to compliment their speed and riffage. Do yourself a Metal favor right now and click that play button below! Stone would never steer you down the wrong Metal path! Metal be thy name!

______________________________________

* For more info on MANTRUM:

Website: http://www.mantrum-band.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MantrumBand

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MANTRUM1

Facebook: Mantrum

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE MANTRUM.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

GLORYFUL – Heavy Metal Crusaders Introduce New Bassist, New Song Available For Streaming

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , , on March 6, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Gloryful - Ocean Blade - promo cover pic - 2014 - massacre records

From Massacre Records:

Good news, GLORYFUL’s new album is set to be released in late April.

“Ocean Blade” was mixed by Dan Swanö (Edge Of Sanity, Asphyx, Motorjesus) at Unisound and mastered by Powerwolf’s Charles Greywolf at Studio Greywolf. Kris Verwimp is responsible for the cover artwork.

You can listen to the brand new song “Cradle Of Heroes” in its entirety here:

The band has now also introduced their new bassist! Shortly before the recording of the upcoming album “Ocean Blade”, former bassist Oliver Karasch decided to leave GLORYFUL.

Oliver Karasch - Gloryful - former bassist - publicity pic - 2014 - #391

Oliver Karasch

Oliver stated:

“Due to personal reasons, I can’t fulfill the role as bassist of Gloryful anymore. It was a great time and I will always cherish the memories of great shows and the best company anyone could imagine. This has been the best band I ever played in and I’m glad that a good replacement could be found, otherwise I wouldn’t have left.”

Daniel Perl - bassist - Gloryful - publicity photo - 2014 - #59600

Daniel Perl 

Daniel Perl about his new role as GLORYFUL’s bassist:

“Working his artilleristic instrument, he had flattened the ground – besides his band members – for the infantristic sound to take over. As this good man has taken a back seat, it was my call to enter the band. With great pleasure and honor I’m taking the task that has been Oliver’s since the start of Gloryful. Locked and loaded and ready to rumble in the name of Heavy Metal, let the war begin!”

GLORYFUL’s new album “Ocean Blade” will be released on April 25, 2014 via Massacre Records!

Gloryful - band - ocean blade - promo banner pic - 2014

* For more info on GLORYFUL:

Facebook: Gloryful

Website: http://www.gloryful.net

Source:

Massacre Records - large logo! Red:black:white

Website: http://www.massacre-records.com

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE GLORYFUL.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

LONG LIVE MASSACRE RECORDS.

Stone.

RAGE – “THE SOUNDCHASER ARCHIVES 30TH ANNIVERSARY” 2-CD/DVD RELEASING IN MAY, VIA NUCLEAR BLAST!

Posted in Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , on March 3, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

RAGE - The Soundchaser Archives 30th Anniversary - promo cover pic - 2014

German Heavy Metal masters RAGE are about to celebrate their 30th band anniversary with the release of a unique collection of songs from their outstanding back catalogue.

The Soundchaser Archives will contain 30 tracks put on two brimful CDs, covering everything from previously unreleased material or versions, demo recordings to fractions of ideas that finally went to find clear sonic ground. Additionally the 2-CD will contain a bonus DVD including the RAGE performance of last years Masters Of Rock festival.

The Soundchaser Archives will be out on May 23, 2014 via Nuclear Blast. Diving into their own history, RAGE has 21 studio albums released to date, covering three decades of an unbeatable Heavy Metal career.

RAGE - The Soundchaser Archives 30th Anniversary - promo cover pic - 2014

The track list of The Soundchaser Archives will be as follows:

CD1

01. Anybody Home?
02. Mystery Trip
03. In Union
04. Long Hard Road
05. Full Moon (International Version)
06. Nevermore
07. French Bourrée
08. A Perfect Day
09. Enough Is Enough
10. Here Comes The Night
11. Spiritual Awakening
12. Lost In The Void
13. The Missing Link
14. Another Kind Of Madness
15. Down To The Bone

CD2

01. The Speed Of Sound
02. Darkness Turns To Light
03. Death Is Alive
04. Gentle Murders
05. From The Cradle To The Grave
06. Refuge
07. Fugue No. 5
08. Last Goodbye
09. Dirty Wings
10. The Pit And The Pendulum
11. Waterfalls
12. Heads Off
13. Assorted By Satan
14. Shame On You
15. Soundchaser

DVD

Live at “Masters of Rock” Festival 2013
01. Cleansed by Fire
02. From the Cradle to the Grave
03. Scapegoat
04. The Devil’s Bride
05. Empty Hollow
06. Lament
07. Suite Lingua Mortis:
– Prelude of Souls
– Innocent
– Depression
– No Regrets
08. Witches’ Judge
09. Straight to Hell
+ Interviews & Bonus Videos

Rage - band promo banner pic - 2014 - #23109

Catch RAGE live during the following dates. There will also be a European tour in September and October, being announced soon.

19.04. B Mons – PPM Fest
26.04. D Dernbach/Pfalz – Dorfgemeinschaftshaus
23.05. D Bergeheim – Tribute to Jon Lord
30.05. D Geiselwind – Out & Loud Festival
31.05. CZ Plzen – Metalfest
06.09. CH Porsel – FestiWolf

LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA feat. RAGE 
05.07. DE Gelnhausen – 1. Gelnhäuser Sommerfestival 2014
11.07. DE Hamm – Klassik Sommer Hamm

___________________________________

(Source: Nuclear Blast)

* For more info on RAGE:

Website: http://www.rage-on.de

Facebook: Rage Official

Nuclear Blast USA - Logo - promo

USA: http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/

Europe: http://www.nuclearblast.de

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE RAGE.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

EDGEDOWN – Reveal First Album Details, Post Short Teaser Video

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , on February 22, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Edgedown - promo band pic - 2014 - #53008

EDGEDOWN’s debut album “Statues Fall” will be released in late April, via Massacre Records.

The band started to work on the album in early 2012 and entered the Dreamsound Studios in Munich, Germany, in summer 2012.

Jan Vacik and his team, Daniel Rehbein and Dejan Djukovic, took care of the recordings, the mix and the mastering.

You surely want to know what to expect from the band’s debut album, don’t you?

That’s why the band has uploaded a short video including live and studio footage and  snippets from three songs that will be featured on the new album: “Statues Fall”, “Live Together Or Die Alone” and “Flames”!

Enjoy It Here: 

EDGEDOWN have also revealed the identity of the special guest that’s featured on “Statues Fall”: Georg Neuhauser of Serenity!

Also, don’t miss the band live:

22.02.2014 DE Freilassing – Schnabuletti –http://www.facebook.com/events/597247130359718

28.03.2014 AT Salzburg – Rockhouse –http://www.facebook.com/events/570881159646716

26.04.2014 DE Piding – Baamhakke – http://www.facebook.com/events/1383411945238074

Edgedown - Statues Fall - promo album pic - 2014

EDGEDOWN’s debut album “Statues Fall” will be released on April 25, 2014 via Massacre Records!

* EDGEDOWN are from Freilassing, Bavaria, Germany.

____________________________________

EDGEDOWN:

Andreas Meixner – Vocals

Michael Zebhauser – Guitar

Mathias Gaßner – Guitar

Stefan Rehrl – Bass

Peter Ramspott – Drums

____________________________________

* For more info on EDGEDOWN:

Facebook: EDGEDOWN

Website: http://www.EDGEDOWN.de

Source:

Massacre Records - large logo! Red:black:white

Website: http://www.massacre-records.com

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE EDGEDOWN.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

TRIGANT – A Modern, Heavy, Thrash Metal Band From Germany You NEED To Know About!

Posted in Heavy Metal, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, Thrash Metal, world news with tags , , , , , , on February 8, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Trigant - cover - band logo promo pic - 2013

TRIGANT, in its current line-up has existed since mid 2010. Since then, this German band creates their own music, with a unique style, which can be described best as Modern Heavy Thrash Metal with a massive dose of Groove. Two in-house productions have already been released.

In spring 2011 “The Legendary Demotape” has been released, followed by the “Wolves EP” on Sept. 01, 2013.

Trigant - Wolves EP - promo cover pic - 2013

Furthermore, TRIGANT has launched a series of concerts known as “Metal im Markt” which takes place two or three times a year and for now counts to the most famous once in their region.

CRANK UP AND LET LOOSE THE METAL FROM… TRIGANT! METAL BE THY NAME!

_____________________________________

TRIGANT:

Peter “Piet” Czerniak – Vocals, Bass

Benjamin ” Benz” Rechner – Lead Guitar

Robin ” Rob” Rechner – Rythm Guitar

Daniel “Dan Dan” Rodenbücher – Drums

_____________________________________

* For more info on TRIGANT:

Facebook: TRIGANT

http://www.youtube.com/user/TrigantOfficial
https://soundcloud.com/trigant
http://www.reverbnation.com/trigant

Source:

MetalMessage - large logo - red - 2013

Website: http://www.metalmessage.de

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE TRIGANT.

Long Live Hückelhoven, Germany.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

NEUBORN OPEN AIR FESTIVAL – August 2014: Featuring DORO, Triptykon, Napalm Death – Info You Need!

Posted in Heavy Metal, heavy metal bands, Metal, metal bands, metal music, Music, news, rock music, rock music news, world news with tags , , , , , , , on January 18, 2014 by Metal Odyssey

Neuborn Open Air Festival - Doro - Triptykon - 2014 - promo flyer

This looks to be yet another splendid, kick-ass Metal festival in Germany, in 2014! On August 29th and 30th the Neuborn Open Air Festival will be the Metal place that’s happening! DORO, Triptykon, Napalm Death, Mustasch, Zodiac (and more bands) will be rocking this festival… Metal be thy name!

____________________________________

* For more Neuborn Open Air Festival info:

Map Location: Neuborn, 55286 Wörrstadt

Facebook: Neuborn Open Air Festival

Website: http://www.noaf.de

Stone - Motorhead Tee  pic:small

LONG LIVE NEUBORN OPEN AIR FESTIVAL.

LONG LIVE GERMANY.

LONG LIVE METAL.

Stone.

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