The brand new open air festival METAL PARK have announced its first edition, set to take place from July 6th to July 7th 2024 in the ancient park of Villa Ca’ Cornaro in Romano D’Ezzelino, Vicenza (Italy).
The legendary frontman of Iron Maiden, BRUCE DICKINSON will headline the first day of the festival with his solo project. The second day will host as headliners the iconic Norwegian black metal band EMPEROR.
CAVALERA (full SEPULTURA set), THE DARKNESS, STRATOVARIUS, RICHIE KOTZEN, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MICHAEL MONROE, MOONSPELL and FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are the first confirmed support acts.
JULY 6 2024: BRUCE DICKINSON THE DARKNESS STRATOVARIUS MICHAEL MONROE RITCHIE KOTZEN
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JULY 7 2024:
EMPEROR CAVALERA – Full Sepultura Set DARK TRANQUILLITY MOONSPELL FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE
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Two-days passes and single day tickets can be purchased on Ticketone, Ticketmaster, TicketSms, and Mailticket. Attenders can also buy admission ticket to the camping site and car parking.
Single day ticket: 70€ + p.d. Two-days pass: 100€ + p.d. Camping 2 nights including pitch for 4 people with tent or camper van and car parking: 40 € Parking (1 car): 7 €
Epic Metal pioneers WARLORD are on a mission in tribute to fallen bandmate William J Tsamis and return once more with a new album in 2024.
With “Free Spirit Soar”, a brand-new studio album by Warlord with all songs having been recorded between March and September 2023, singer Giles Lavery and drummer Mark Zonder honor their bandmate Bill Tsamis who passed away in 2021.
They are joined by Jimmy Waldo on keyboards/synthesizer, Philip Bynoe on bass and Eric Juris on guitars. “We wanted to finish these pieces of music that were started ‘for Bill’,” explains Lavery, “and the material we felt was certainly strong enough to inspire us to do so.” Regarding the guitar parts he specifies: “Bill is there where we could pull his tracks off the demo recordings, in much the same way the Beatles were recently able to rescue John Lennon’s voice from an old demo tape. however be assured this album is not “a demo”, nor does it sound like one, our new guitarist Eric does most of the heavy lifting as far the recording, but all of the music was written by Bill and we stayed very very faithful to what he wrote.”
Tracklist: 01 Behold A Pale Horse 02 The Rider 03 Conquerors 04 Worms Of The Earth 05 The Watchman (CD-exclusive track) 06 Free Spirit Soar 07 The Bell Tolls 08 Alarm 09 Twin (CD-exclusive track) 10 Revelation XIX
Line Up: Mark Zonder – Drums Philip Bynoe – Bass Eric Juris – Guitars Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards Giles Lavery – Vocals
Watch out for further news such as the album cover, pre-order info as well as a first single very soon!
QUEENSRŸCHE are releasing another thought-provoking video that was created by Above The Void with the help of AI. Check out “Nocturnal Lights”, the 8th video taken from Digital Noise Alliance: https://youtu.be/2eZ9_1l-9R0
The band comments: “This is a song spawned from the truly catastrophic year of 2020. Beginning with Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash to a relentless global pandemic with lockdowns. If that wasn’t enough, we had to endure natural disasters, racial injustices, protesters, a chaotic reality tv presidential election, political division, highest level of unemployment, as well as the postponement of the 2020 summer Olympic games in Japan.”
Nocturnal Light” is taken from their latest album, Digital Noise Alliance, that was released in October of 2022. It is QUEENSRŸCHE’s 16th studio album and it continues their ever-evolving legacy. Once again teaming up with producer Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed), “Digital Noise Alliance” not only refracts QUEENSRŸCHE’s past accomplishments but also pushes into the band’s future. It is the band effortlessly moving from strength to strength: immediate and thought-provoking.
Photo by Silly Robot Studios
QUEENSRŸCHE: Eddie Jackson – bass Michael Wilton – guitar Todd La Torre – vocals Casey Grillo – drums Mike Stone – guitar
Digital Noise Alliance” is quintessentially QUEENSRŸCHE. Track to track it embodies the lush melodies, passion and intelligence that’s been the mark of the band since they first took hold of the flame with their hugely received self-titled 4-song EP in 1984.
Speaking of their legendary self-titled EP: Come March 2024 QUEENSRŸCHE will embark on “The Origins Tour” with Special Guests Armored Saint throughout USA and Canada. It will be the first time in their history that the EP and The Warning will be performed live in their entirety!
Join them for this unique and very special experience, as they celebrate the origins of QUEENSRŸCHE.
QUEENSRYCHE – The Origins Tour PLAYING THE EP & THE WARNING w/ Special Guests ARMORED SAINT Mar 22 Hell’s Heroes Festival * – Houston, TX Mar 23 Tower Theatre * – Oklahoma City, OK Mar 26 Sycuan Casino * – El Cajon, CA Mar 27 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA Mar 28 Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA Mar 31 Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA Apr 2 Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO Apr 3 Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO Apr 5 Ameristar Casino & Hotel * – Kansas City, MO Apr 6 Delmar Hall – St Louis, MO Apr 7 Paramount Theatre – Cedar Rapids, MI Apr 9 Coronado Theatre – Rockford, IL Apr 10 Peoria Civic Center – Peoria, IL Apr 12 The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN Apr 13 State Theatre – Kalamazoo, MI Apr 14 Majestic Theatre – Detroit, MI Apr 16 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH Apr 17 House of Blues – Cleveland, OH Apr 19 (CA) Phoenix Theatre – Toronto Apr 20 (CA) Théâtre Beanfield – Montreal Apr 21 (CA) Elements – Kitchener Apr 24 Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA Apr 26 Empire Live – Albany, NY Apr 27 Palladium – Worcester, MA Apr 28 Toad’s – New Haven, CT Apr 30 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ May 1 Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA May 3 The Paramount – Huntington, NY May 5 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC May 7 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA May 9 Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL May 10 The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL May 11 Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL May 12 The Ranch – Ft. Meyers, FL *no ARMORED SAINT
Clockwise – L-R – Dan Cleary – Vocals, John Simon Fallon – Guitar, Pete Klassen – Bass, Tim Brown – Guitar (Photo Credit: Dana Zuk)
New Music Video “Circle of Evil” From Seventh Studio Album “ULTRAPOWER” Out Feb 2024
Produced by Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah, King 810)
Canadian shredders STRIKER announce they will be joining the Legions of Metal 2024 lineup being hosted in Chicago, IL on May 3rd and 4th at Reggie’s – info. They will be performing alongside Unleash The Archers, WatchTower, Hirax, Mourn The Light, Ice Howl among more to be announced at a later date.
STRIKER is preparing to unleash their seventh studio album “ULTRAPOWER” on February 2, 2024. They recently shared their latest single “Circle of Evil” accompanied by a music video. This punishing classic metal track brings STRIKER back to its roots of speed and power.
STRIKER is preparing to unleash their seventh studio album“ULTRAPOWER” on February 2, 2024. They recently shared their latest single “Circle of Evil” accompanied by a music video. This punishing classic metal track brings STRIKER back to its roots of speed and power.
“Secret societies, shape-shifting reptilians, and evil forces? You’d be running for your life too. We’ve got the nuclear codes and we are launching heavy metal nukes directly into your ears.” adds the band.
ULTRAPOWER” follows their Juno Award-winning self-released full-length “Play to Win” (2018) released on their label Record Breaking Records and features the band’s latest lineup addition of long-time friend and guitarist John Simon Fallon (The Order of Chaos). For the band’s seventh full-length, they teamed up with producer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah, King 810), entering the studio this past March. With the band writing material since 2018, “ULTRAPOWER” is a collection of five years of Striker tinkering and exploring new avenues.
“ULTRAPOWER is the Striker’s triumphant return to reality. The reality is that shredding rules and nothing can stand in its way. There are classic banger Striker songs, to dabbling in punk style choruses into full-on concept songs. There’s a lot to sink your teeth into if you’ve got the guts.” adds vocalist Dan Cleary.
STRIKER recently wrapped up their fan-supported Kickstarter campaign with exclusive special edition CDs, Vinyl, and merch to aid them with upcoming physical production, marketing, and artwork. Fans supporting the Kickstarter gave STRIKER the ability to continue as an independent band.
“Seriously… a MASSIVE thank you to everyone for your support! Some of you took us over the finish line at the last minute, breaking into the 30K tier. This means we’ll be crankin’ out some Special Edition CDs with extra bonus tracks! Fire it up!!”
Track listing, Album Artwork, singles, and tour dates will revealed at a later date.
Previous singles “Best of the Best of the Best” (2023),“Strange Love” (2022), and “Death Wish”(2021), which will be featured on the album can be viewed and heard via their music videos below.
Following their Summer run crisscrossing the continent with their metal comrades in Ghost, Swedish heavy metal icons AMONAMARTH will return to US and Canadian stages this Spring on the Metal Crushes All Tour 2024, produced by Live Nation — the band’s biggest North American tour to date!
Set to commence on April 21st and run through May 25th, the twenty-four-date journey includes a raid at the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver as well as arena stops in Portland, Vancouver, Quebec City, Asheville, Tampa, and Anaheim. Support will be provided by special guests Cannibal Corpse along with Obituary and Frozen Soul making for a must-see heavy metal event of the year! See all confirmed dates below.
AMON AMARTH comments, “Heed our warning; we are gearing up for our biggest and most epic raid in North American history! We are bringing a massive show that will leave your cities in ashes. Scorching the Earth with us are our good friends Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, and Frozen Soul. Come out to the shows and party like Vikings and raise your horns with us. METAL CRUSHES ALL!”
Ticket presales for the Metal Crushes All Tour begin Tuesday, December 5th at 11:00am Eastern time and run through Thursday, December 7th at 10:00pm local time. VIP upgrades with the new Viking Valhalla Experience are available Tuesday, December 5th at 12:00pm Eastern time.
General on sales start Friday, December 8th at 10:00am local time atamonamarth.com.
AMON AMARTH: Metal Crushes All Tour 2024 w/ Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Frozen Soul: 4/21/2024 Revel Entertainment Center – Albuquerque, NM 4/22/2024 Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Denver, CO 4/24/2024 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT 4/26/2024 Alaska Airlines’ Theater Of The Clouds – Portland, OR * 4/27/2024 PNE Forum – Vancouver, BC * 4/29/2024 Edmonton Convention Center – Edmonton, AB 4/30/2024 Grey Eagle Event Center – Calgary, AB 5/03/2024 Steelhouse – Omaha, NE 5/04/2024 The Sylvee – Madison, WI 5/05/2024 GLC Live At 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI 5/07/2024 Rose Music Center At The Heights – Huber Heights, OH 5/09/2024 The Wellmont – Montclair, NJ 5/10/2024 Toyota Oakdale Theater – Wallingford, CT 5/11/2024 Videotron Centre – Quebec City * 5/13/2024 The Fillmore Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA 5/14/2024 The Fillmore Silver Spring – Silver Spring, MD 5/16/2024 ExploreAsheville.com Arena – Asheville, NC * 5/17/2024 House Of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC 5/18/2024 Yuengling Center – Tampa, FL * 5/20/2024 Bayou Music Center – Houston, TX 5/21/2024 Boeing Center At Tech Port – San Antonio, TX 5/23/2024 Arizona Financial Theatre – Phoenix, AZ 5/24/2024 Pearl Concert Theater At Palms Casino Resort – Las Vegas, NV 5/25/2024 Honda Center – Anaheim, CA *
arena show
Fans can check out a teaser for the band’s upcoming video for “Saxons and Vikings” HERE and can preview and purchase The Great Heathen Army at: metalblade.com/amonamarth.
AMON AMARTH continues to tour in support of their critically adored The Great Heathen Army full-length. Recorded with esteemed studio guru Andy Sneap and released in 2022, the record represents another bold leap forward for the band, as their trademark sound undergoes yet another skillful, evolutionary overhaul, both lyrically and musically. From the noisily rabble-rousing “Find A Way Or Make One” and the pummeling, pugilistic “Get In The Ring” to the cinematic squall of the title track, The Great Heathen Army encapsulates the essence of this legendary band, while still allowing acres of space for new ideas.
Formed in Tumba, Sweden in 1992, AMON AMARTH has forged an extraordinary legacy over three decades of thunderous, anthemic metal, all rich in the magical imagery of Viking history, folklore, and culture. With albums like 2008’s widely acclaimed Twilight Of The Thunder God and 2016’s conceptual triumph Jomsviking, the Swedes have been consistent standard bearers for heavy metal as a life-affirming and communal experience, armed with a seemingly endless stream of instant classic songs.
Following their much-acclaimed debut album, Ban The Light ( 2019, AFM Records ) and a series of live tracks, taken off their incredible show in support of JUDAS PRIEST “Live In Dalhalla”, Swedish hard rock trio DEAF RAT has released a brand new single! The song is out now on all digital streaming services via https://deafrat.bfan.link/say-your-lies a lyric video for “Say Your Lies” is below.
“Say Your Lies” tells a story about the mysterious phenomenon of sleep paralysis and the malicious entity nightmare that has been documented to haunt people in their sleep worldwide since the early 1300s. “In six months time, I had three friends tell me about their experiences of waking up in the middle of the night, unable to move or speak”,frontman Frankie reveals. “They all saw a dark diffuse shadow like character in their room, and all felt like if someone was sitting on top of their chest. Now if that is not a good topic for a hard rock song then I don’t know what is!”
“Say Your Lies” shines as an expertly produced rock anthem that showcases the band’s musical prowess.DEAF RAT have again succeeded in merging lyrics and music into a gripping, pulsating high-energy rock track! Get ready to get dragged into the abyss, and watch the band’s new lyric video for “Say Your Lies”HERE.
DEAF RAT hails from Dalarna in Sweden, a small region with long traditions of mining, steel industry, music and a healthy dose of DIY attitude. The broad sound of DEAF RAT is built on a strong foundation of classic 70s, 80s and 90s rock packed with influences of the band members different personal favourites. With their massive guitar riffs and strong melodies, this is the band that fills up the cracks in the ageing concrete between old school and modern hard rock.
With their driving riffs, thundering drum beats, and an electrifying presence, DEAF RAT prove that they are one of the most explosive and dynamic forces in the world of hard rock. The band is currently in the studio, working on the successor album to Ban The Light. Earlier and this recent summer, they have already shared a first track, entitled “Schizophrenic Part Of Me”, which is available on all digital services and on Youtube. Frankie adds: “To be in the studio with the other guys is a dream. I can just sit in the studio and listen to the guys play their guitar parts and enjoy their sheer talent which is over the top!”
Photo collage by Randy Caballero, Doug Julien, and Anthony Lopardo
US heavy metal titans RIOT (V) are finally back with a brand-new studio album titled MeanStreets, set for release February 16th, 2024 through Atomic Fire Records! The record features twelve tracks recorded and mixed by Bruno Ravel and mastered by Bart Gabriel. Artwork was provided by Gyula Havancsák (Accept, Stratovarius, Brainstorm) who captured the galloping style of the new material skillfully without missing the band’s signature seal. In advance of the release today the band unleashes the record’s first single, “High Noon.”
Bassist Donnie Van Stavern comments, “We are extremely excited to release our seventeenth RIOT record, Mean Streets, with the mighty Atomic Fire Records label! We went back to the roots a bit on this one with some hard rockers and of course power metal stylings. Our new pre-release lyric video ‘High Noon’ is a song I wrote with [late founding guitarist] Mark Reale in mind; he loved the Old West and wrote songs about it as well (‘Restless Breed,’ ‘Gunfighter’) and the music is a reminiscence of Thundersteel and The Privilege Of Power! Enjoy, metal warriors, more awesomeness is on the way!”
Adds vocalist Todd Michael Hall, “I’m really excited for the people to hear Mean Streets. We are evolving well with one foot rooted in the past and one foot pointing towards the future.”
Watch RIOT (V)’s “High Noon” videoHERE. Stream/purchase the track HERE.
Mean Streets will be available on digipak CD (EU), jewel case CD (US), vinyl in multiple color variants, and digitally.
Preorder the album in the physical format of your choice, pre-save it on your favorite DSP, or preorder it digitally to receive “High Noon” instantly now at: riotv.afr.link/meanstreetsPR.
Mean Streets – Track Listing:
Hail To The Warriors
Feel The Fire
Love Beyond The Grave
High Noon
Before This Time
Higher
Mean Streets
Open Road
Mortal Eyes
Lost Dreams
Lean Into It
No More
RIOT (V): Todd Michael Hall – vocals Mike Flyntz – guitars Nick Lee – guitars Don Van Stavern – bass Frank Gilchriest – drums
Subscribe to Atomic Fire Records on YouTube HERE and listen to “High Noon” as well as other new tracks in the AFR New Releases playlist on Spotify HERE.
Following their recent signing announcement with AFM Records and a first single, “Root Of All Evil”, released on Halloween taken off their upcoming studio album, MISTER MISERY are premiering a new track titled “Boogeyman Boogie”!
The band reveals:“We always enjoy making songs that are purely drawn from our love for Halloween and horror movies, and ‘Boogeyman Boogie’ is just that adrenaline fueled anthem we wanted to include on the album!”
MISTER MISERY is an innovative, modern and ground-breaking metal band from Sweden. Blending clean and gritty vocals along with high-voltage riffs and anthemic choruses, they have developed a unique sound and style, and one that captures the essence of all the sub-genres in modern heavy music.
Since forming back in 2018, MISTER MISERY have released two critically acclaimed studio albums (Unalive and A Brighter Side Of Death) and several highly praised and top-playlisted singles to date. Paired with an obscene and theatrical appearance, they create an experience that speaks to all senses.
MISTER MISERY has become a force that crushes stages on the biggest festival the scene has to offer, such as Wacken Open Air, Master of Rock, Full Metal Cruise, Hills Of Rock to name just a few. MISTER MISERY has played as support of some of the most prestigious bands in metal, such as Nightwish and Dream Theater in front of over 15.000 people. One thing is for certain: They will leave NO survivors!
The band is currently gearing up for an exciting new chapter of their career and has joined forces with renowned label AFM Records, who will proudly release their forthcoming album in 2024!
MISTER MISERY: Harley Vendetta – Vocals/Guitar Alex Nine – Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals Rizzy – Drums/Backup Vocals Alex Alister – Bass/Backup Vocals
Polish heavy metal act CRYSTAL VIPER are releasing music video for “In The Haunted Chapel” single, which came out digitally earlier this year. It’s the first CRYSTAL VIPER video featuring Marta Gabriel on vocals and bass guitar (who played rhythm guitar between 2009 and 2022), and drummer Jakub Galwas, who joined CRYSTAL VIPER last year.
“The music video is one thing, but we have some other cool news to share as well” says CRYSTAL VIPER front woman and founder, Marta Gabriel. “We started to work on a new studio album, which will come out in the Summer of 2024 on Listenable Records. We’re very proud of what we achieved on our latest album, “The Cult”, so from one side you can expect its natural continuation – especially when it comes to lyrics, which once again are inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft – but from the other side, we prepared few surprises and we will explore some new territories. I think all CRYSTAL VIPER fans will be very happy, and I believe the album might be interesting for people who never listened to us” she adds.
Crystal Viper Discography: The Curse of Crystal Viper (Album – 2007) Metal Nation (Album – 2009) Legends (Album – 2010) Crimen Excepta (Album – 2012) Possession (Album – 2013) Queen of the Witches (Album – 2017) Tales of Fire and Ice (Album – 2019) The Cult (LISTENABLE Album – 2021) The Last Axeman (LISTENABLE Album- 2022)
Brooklyn power trio SANHEDRIN will close out the year with their first ever Texas shows! The trio of dates will run through Austin, San Antonio, and Houston with support provided by Temple Of Love.
Comments guitarist Jeremy Sosville, “In our nine years as a band, we have travelled many times across America and across the Atlantic. Somehow, we’ve never been able to make it to Texas… until now! This November 30th, December 1st, and 2nd as we finally make our way to the Lone Star state. We know that Texas has some of the most dedicated rock and metal fans in the world, and we are psyched to finally make this trek south. These shows will be the final shows of 2024 for us, as we will be hunkering down this winter to work on our next album. Speaking of, we will be sharing a few of these new songs for the first time ever during these shows. We look forward to seeing you there!”
Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
SANHEDRIN w/ Temple Of Love: 11/30/2023 The Lost Well – Austin, TX w/ Ungrieved, Monte Luna 12/01/2023 The Mix – San Antonio, TX w/ ManEaters Of Tsavo 12/02/2023 Black Magic Social Club – Houston, TX w/ Doomstress
SANHEDRIN does metal the old-school way, channeling the greats that preceded them to create something that is instantly familiar yet with a new, modern energy to it. The band released their Lights On full-length last year via Metal Blade Records.
Tracked, mixed, and co-produced by Colin Marston at his studio Menegroth, The Thousand Caves in Queens, New York, Lights On refers to the many events of the last few years that have exposed larger societal issues long hidden or ignored. Notes the band, “In a time where the world around you feels like it’s aflame, when our heavy metal heroes are beginning to disappear to failing health or changing social norms, we, stand here as a shining light through the dark. We are prepared to fly the flag of heavy metal in these trying and uncertain times and have only begun to show the world what we are capable of.”
The Iron Maidens made their Tennessee debut in Knoxville on Nov. 11th. The world’s only female tribute to Iron Maiden brought the beast to The Concourse along with openers Kamenar and Skyway 61. A crowd of Maiden shirts waited as the doors to the venue opened.
Kamenar hit the stage first, hyping the crowd up right away. Kamenar is made up of twin brothers Sean (vocals,guitar,andbass) and John Kamenar (drums). The two young boys from Florida put the duo in dynamic duo and prove that the younger generation will not let the sound of the 80’s die. With obvious influences from many of the bands they have opened for like Warrant, LA Guns, and Bret Michaels, the Kamenar twins show passion for their music. Playing originals and covers, both boys shined, but what really set them apart was something not many can say they can do, a twin drum solo. The Kamenar twins destroyed the drum kit together and defiantly gained some new fans that night.
Skyway 61 took to the stage next decorating it in a way that could only be best described as Steven Tyler’s closet. While setting up, the whole band was engaging with the audience making sure that when the first note hit the crowd would already be screaming. Lead singer Alden Duren had more energy than most bands on the rise. With nonstop movement, he excited every inch of the venue. Vocally Duren has his own unique style but with hints of Axl Rose and Robert Plant especially with the higher notes. The whole band fed off the cheers of the crowd but Duren ate it up the most. Towards the end of the show Duren had let both the music and the cheers from the crowd power him and ended up not only taking off his shirt but also his shoes and throwing them side stage. It takes more than just looking the part to be a rockstar and together Skyway 61 has created their own upbeat sound that everyone could feel.
As Skyway 61 left the stage, the crew began to set up for the Maidens. The little details that the girls add to their performance, like Nicko’s friend Sooty proudly displayed on Linda Mcdonald’s drum set and Eddie’s head mounted on a street sign depicting Transylvania and Acacia Ave, really heightened the experience. The show started as many Iron Maiden shows have with Churchill’s Speech and leader Kirsten Rosenberg taking the stage to the high powered intro of Aces High. Rosenberg lives up to her stage name, Bruce Chickinson, in both appearance and her exceptional vocals. Not only did she take on the vocals styling of Dickinson but also of Paul Di’Anno. Rosenberg could easily add Paula Di’Anno to her list of nicknames. From Dickinson’s high end screams to DiAnnos’ punk low end Rosenberg hit it all, while still adding her own twist.
Maiden is known for having one of the most iconic guitar duos in metal and the Maidens kept that legacy alive. Nikki Stringfield takes on the role of Dave Murrary while newest addition Shani Kimelman fills the role of Adrian Smith. Both guitarists played with such ease like they were a born to do this. While talking with a fan, Kimelman stated that her guitar is an extension of her hand. She also mentioned that she keeps her setup as close to Smith’s to get the authentic sound. It is safe say that she succeeded. Stringfield dominates every one of Murray’s solos. Her hand moves up and down the neck of her very own signature guitar with such grace; almost like a flutter but never missing a note.
Bass player Wanda Ortiz had big burgundy and blue wrist bands to fill but from the first strum it was apparent she was the right woman to represent founding member Steve Harris. Standing firm up front proudly displaying the West Ham logo on her bass, Ortiz perfected the 3 finger gallop that Maiden fans have come to love. While each song shows off the bass in its own way, Ortiz truly shined during Wrathchild and Phantom of the Opera. Drummer Linda Mcdonald is basically the female Nicko McBrain. She is nothing but smiles as she attacks the drum set. Mcbrain has a much larger kit but Mcdonald was able to get the point across with her own setup. Ortiz and Mcdonald make up the perfect rhythm section.
A few surprise guests also took the stage with the Maidens. Kinelman defeated A Stranger in a Strange Land (Cyborg Eddie) and his ray gun with her epic shredding. Rosenberg went face to face with the devil himself and Ortiz defended the stage from Eddie the Head. Eddie, while not a musician, still has a vital role in Maiden history. Keeping him in the show is extremely important to have a true Maiden moment, and they go above and beyond with multiple versions of the beloved mascot.
The Iron Maidens are a must see for every Maiden fan and are a great way to hold you over till your next Iron Maiden show. Whether it’s Maidens alum Nita Strauss or new comer Shani Kimelman, every woman to step on that stage under the Maidens name knows and understands the importance of Iron Maiden to everyone in their crowd. – Tanis Enos
Heavy metal icons PANTERA will return to the stage this February on the second leg of their North American headlining tour. The journey follows the band’s massively successful twenty-city run this past Summer, a tour which stood as one of the most anticipated tours of 2023, as well as their dates supporting Metallica. Featuring classic members, vocalist Philip H.Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, alongside guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante, the latest stretch of live dates continues the celebration of the lives of late founding members, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell.
The trek, which will commence on February 3rd in Sunrise, Florida, runs through fourteen cities, coming to a close on February 27th in Quebec City, Quebec. The band will again be joined by special guest, acclaimed metal powerhouse Lamb Of God, with additional support acts to be announced in the weeks to come.
Comments Anselmo, “Looking forward to jamming with everybody! These shows mean a lot and we aim to kick ass! Love y’all!”
Adds Brown, “We’re really excited to announce new dates in 2024. Looking forward to bringing the show to some cities we missed in 2023. Come jam!”
Ticket presales and VIP upgrades begin Tuesday, November 14th at 10:00am local time. General on sale date is Friday, November 17th at 10:00am local time at Pantera.com.
PANTERA was recently confirmed to play the 2024 edition of Download Festival. The performance will mark the band’s first UK appearance in three decades! Additionally, fans can catch PANTERA supporting Metallica on the remaining dates of their North American stadium tour this August. See all confirmed dates below.
PANTERA w/ Special Guest Lamb Of God: 2/03/2024 Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, FL 2/05/2024 Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL 2/07/2024 Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY 2/09/2024 Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN 2/10/2024 FedEx Forum – Memphis, TN 2/13/2024 T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO 2/14/2024 Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, NE 2/16/2024 Canada Life Centre – Winnipeg, MB 2/18/2024 Resch Center – Green Bay, WI 2/20/2024 Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI 2/22/2024 Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 2/24/2024 CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore, MD 2/26/2024 Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON 2/27/2024 Centre Vidéotron – Québec City, QC End Tour 6/14-16/2024 Download Fest @ Donington Park – Derby, UK #festival 8/02/2024 Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, MA ** 8/09/2024 Soldier Field – Chicago, IL ** 8/16/2024 US Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN ** 8/23/2024 Commonwealth Stadium – Edmonton, AB ** 8/30/2024 Lumen Field – Seattle, WA **
** PANTERA supporting Metallica
Creators of the “power groove,” PANTERA got their start in Arlington, Texas with its best-known lineup, consisting of founding members and brothers, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell, with bassist Rex Brown and vocalist Philip H. Anselmo. The group would become one the most successful and influential bands in heavy metal history. To date, PANTERA has sold 20 million records worldwide and has received four Grammy nominations along with sold out arena tours across the globe.
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.
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
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.
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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