2011 is HERE! Metal Odyssey wants to extend a very LOUD: Happy METAL New Year to ALL! A very special THANK YOU goes out to each and every visitor to Metal Odyssey this past year… without the fans of the Metal and music that is covered here, it would not be the same. THANK YOU to all the regular visitors and subscribers to Metal Odyssey… your comments are extremely appreciated!
Another very special THANK YOU goes out to ALL the bands and musicians that are covered here on Metal Odyssey, without them, there is no Metal Odyssey! Every band that I interviewed this past year gets a horns up and a THANK YOU as well! Below is a Thank You list going out to those who made 2010 very memorable, insightful and helpful for me and Metal Odyssey… um, THANK YOU!
THANK YOU:
To my beautiful wife for her graphics and technical support, not to mention ALL of her support for everything!
To my twin daughters for listening to all the Metal in the house and giving their Metal two cents about what they hear! Yes girls, KISS was around when daddy was a little boy.
To Rob Rockitt at HARD ROCK HIDEOUTfor allowing me to interview more Rock ‘N’ Roll stars than I could ever imagine! Whoa… HELL YEAH! Metal be thy name.
To Best Metal Buddy Scott Coverdale, his Hard Rock and Metal research sometimes amazes me… and really plays a key Metal role in getting a story or review straight!
To Sean over at THE METAL FILES, THANK YOU for writing the best damn “personal account” stories of concerts, life as a Metalhead and Rock ‘N’ Roll! Now… keep those forks away from your eyeballs!
To Steve at Heavy Metal Addiction for rallying a bunch of us Hard Rock and Metal lovin’ dudes to post our “Best Of” lists throughout the holiday season!
MISFITS – Currently being sold NOW at MISFITS – Official Website is the clear yellow vinyl edition of the 12″ – LAND OF THE DEAD. Both the red vinyl and green vinyl editions of this unreal MISFITS collectible were released in 2009 on MISFITS Records and are sold out. Anytime a MISFITS 12″ vinyl is released, you have to act fast… they are highly sought after by fellow Fiends the world over! I was lucky (and smart enough) to have ordered the red vinyl edition of LAND OF THE DEAD (back in September of 2009)… and it has served me right.
As stated on the Official MISFITS website: “This clear yellow vinyl edition will be the final color-way pressed before these “Demo of the Dead” recordings are succeeded by new studio versions of both songs on the forthcoming “Twilight Of The Dead” Limited Edition 12-inch”.
The Official MISFITS website also has stated: “Fiends can expect to draw first blood from the ALL-NEW MISFITS ALBUM titled “THE DEVIL’S RAIN” COMING IN 2011!
Now… to say that Stone is psyched-out-of-his-Horror Punk and Metal mind is an amazing understatement! A NEW MISFITS ALBUM IN 2011! Happy Horror Punk days are here again… and the skies above are gray again!
Arrival Records/Scion Music Group – Will release the new soundtrack for the hit SHOWTIME comedy series Californication. Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication will include tracks that play a part in bringing to life many of the storylines of the new season (premiering Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 9pm PT/ET on SHOWTIME).
On Californication, David Duchovny stars in his Golden Globe wining role as TV’s favorite anti-hero, Hank Moody – a hedonistic writer who struggles to raise his teenage daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin) while still carrying a torch for her mother, his ex-girlfriend (Natascha McElhone). This season, Becca joins an all-girl rock band fronted by Pearl, (played by singer and actress Zoë Kravitz) called “Queens of Dogtown” and plots will evolve with an emphasis on music and Rock culture.
Soundtrack exclusives will feature three Rock classics reinvented by Queens Of Dogtown as well as Tommy Lee’s (MotleyCrüe) solo version of Home Sweet Home. Music by Shooter Jennings & Hierophant, Eagles Of Death Metal, Better Than Ezra, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Monster Magnet vs. Adrian Young, Cracker, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Warren Zevon and Gregory Alan Isakov will also set the tone throughout episodes of Season 4 and on Season 4: Music From TheShowtime Series Californication.
Nora Felder and Budd Carr, the series Californication music supervisors and soundtrack co-producers, recently received the HMMA (Hollywood Music in Media Award) for “Outstanding Music Supervision in TV”. Other producers for Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication are Jonathan Platt, Tom Kapinos and label heads: Mark Spier and Rick Rand.
Soundtrack Track Listing As Follows:
F**k You (I’m Famous) – Shooter Jennings & Hierophant
Stuck In The Metal – Eagles Of Death Metal
So Alive – Better Than Ezra
Would? – Queens Of Dogtown
Sex On Wheels – My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
Last Caress – Queens Of Dogtown
Mirror People – Monster Magnet vs. Adrian Young
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me – Cracker
I Remember You – Queens Of Dogtown
Second Life Replay – The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Wanted Dead Or Alive – Warren Zevon
If I Go, I’m Goin – Gregory Alan Isakov
Home Sweet Home – Tommy Lee
Season 4: Music From The Showtime Series Californication will be released online, in stores and digitally on January 11, 2011.
Life is filled with surprises, sometimes good, sometimes lousy. This “thank you” post is about a lousy surprise that came through my email box this past Christmas weekend. My neighborhood f.y.e. store is closing. Closing. Could it be? Is this some sort of vile prank? No, unfortunately, this email came directly from f.y.e.’s online marketing department… just letting me know that there were to be closeout deals to be had, due to the Allentown/South Mall store being eventually closed. Deals. I think it is a RAW deal whenever any store closes, especially a store that is notoriously known for stocking the best assortment of Metal CD’s this side of the Atlantic.
Deals. What about the store employees? Their losing their jobs is no deal… and being notified on the Christmas bulls eye, right during the heart of the Christmas holiday, is no damn deal. Plus, this will now be one less store that record companies can have their CD’s and merchandise stocked at… no deal. Maybe for the “casual” customer, the one who buys two CD’s and/or DVD’s per year at f.y.e. will see this as a “deal”… where they can walk in and stock up on the six CD’s that they would have purchased throughout an entire year… at 30% off. This is NO deal for the customers, like myself, who spends quite an impressive amount of money throughout the entire year, on dozens of CD’s.
Factor in the relationships a customer like myself makes, with the employees of this f.y.e. over the years and this store location closing – is no damn deal. The employees of this f.y.e. store were and still are world class when it comes to professionalism and knowledge in their product. Never did I encounter a situation where any employee at this f.y.e. did not know what I was asking for… or talking about. Besides knowledge of music, these employees I dealt with here, also bestow something else that is not commonly found in retail this day and age… they were all (gasp) friendly.
It is a sign of the times, that CD sales are dipping and the mp3 is celebrating it’s dominance upon music fans. I can’t dispute any corporate entity for having to cut costs and make their bottom line look appealing to investors… it’s a cyclical force of capitalism. What I can point out, however, is the lack of vision that giant retailers have towards the music industry as a whole. There is a product out there to sell, CD’s and DVD’s along with entertainment merchandise will never go away, (unless CD’s and DVD’s are no longer manufactured)… some other retail location “somewhere” will have it for sale. In the meantime, with all of the “shrinking aisles” of CD’s and music store closings happening in realtime, I don’t want to hear anyone balk about Super Walmart carrying the goods… and having CD’s for sale at competitive prices too.
Where I live, there is no abundance of independent CD and record stores. There’s flea markets during the non-winter months. Then, there’s Super Walmart. Sure, Best Buy still carries CD’s and limited vinyl releases… only their aisles are shrinking with this product too. Forget Target… it’s the flavor-of-the-month when it comes to their CD aisles. Super Walmart never had an Extreme Metal selection as an f.y.e. does… and they never will. If there was/is any competition between an f.y.e. and a Super Walmart, it is for the Walmart “only” titles of CD’s and bubble gum Pop Music. When it comes to Metal, forget it… f.y.e. has the biggest selection. Apparently, having the biggest Metal selection is not enough, if your not selling at a level where the corporate profit margin is not making the rich happy… and richer.
I will miss my neighborhood f.y.e. and without question, miss the interaction I continuously had with their employees. Each one of them made Stone feel like he belonged in their store… each one listened to what Stone had to say. I wish I could say that about every store I frequent, only I can’t. I have to grin and shake my head, while realizing that f.y.e. has NO CLUE as to the quality people that have worked very hard for them at this location… working diligently to make f.y.e. rich. So, f.y.e., it’s no deal for me to save 30% on my CD purchases I made today… it is an important and sad deal though, to have to say goodbye to these following exceptional employees:
NATALIE
STACY
JOHN
ERIC
DANNY
Whenever a company or store closes it’s doors, PEOPLE are affected… and employees are people. I wish the above named employees of this f.y.e. store all the very best that life can bring them. They all made my shopping experience at this f.y.e. store worth my time and money, as well as memorable. Thank you, my Metal Buddies at the South Mall f.y.e., YOU ROCK!
AOL Noisecreep is currently streaming “Sacrament Of Buyan,” the eighth track from KHORS’ latest full-length, Return To Abandoned, released last month via Paragon Records. On their fourth long player, the Ukrainian black metal horde yield the harsher, brooding sounds of earlier works whilst mixing in the melancholy and atmosphere of 2008’s unsung blackened gem, “Mysticism”. “Sacrament Of Buyan,” is based in Slavic mythology — Buyan is reportedly the only place where you’ll find “Koschei the Deathless” soul buried inside a needle inserted into an egg that lurks in a magical oak tree.
(Earsplit PR, December 29, 2010)
To check out “Sacrament Of Buyan,” point your browser HERE.
LAZARUS A.D. – The sophomore release from Wisconsin’s very own Thrashin’ and Metal bashin’ LAZARUS A.D. will be released on February 1st, 2011, on the legendary Metal Blade Records. Their new album is titled: Black Rivers Flow and it is destined to be one of the most sought after Metal releases of 2011!
* Black Rivers Flow was recorded during July and August of 2010, at Belle City Sound with Chris Djuricic. James Murphy mixed and mastered Black Rivers Flow at Safehouse Production.
* For more info on LAZARUS A.D., just click on the links below:
LAZARUS A.D. are a supporting Metal force for undisputed legends of Thrash Metal… DEATH ANGEL, on their North American Retribution Tour. Other supporting Thrash Metal warriors for DEATH ANGEL are: EARLY MAN, BONDED BY BLOOD and HEXEN. To view the complete schedule for this North American Retribution Tour, just click on the large header below!
CHILDREN OF BODOM – On March 8, 2011, Children Of Bodom will be releasing their seventh studio album titled: Relentless Reckless Forever, on Spinefarm Records. This new and highly anticipated COB studio album was recorded at Petrax Studios in Finland, under the famed guidance of producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Monster Magnet).
This Finnish Melodic Death Metal meets Power Metal band is led by lead guitarist & vocalist Alexi Laiho. With his patented Death Metal growls and bellowing, along with a unique guitar tone, blistering leads and awe-inspiring solo’s, Alexi has solidified his own right to be labeled legendary among the Metal landscape.
CHILDREN OF BODOM:
Alexi Laiho – lead guitar & vocals
Roope Latvala – guitar
Henkka Seppälä aka Henkka T. Blacksmith – bass
Janne Warman – keyboards
JaskaRaatikainen – drums
Relentless Reckless Forever Track Listing:
Not My Funeral
Shovel Knockout
Roundtrip To Hell And Back
Pussyfoot Miss Suicide
Relentless Reckless Forever
Ugly
Cry Of The Nihilist
Was It Worth It?
Northpole Throwdown
* Bonus Track:Party All The Time
Party All The Time (cover song) – This is a cover song of the 1985 Pop “Hit” from… famed comedian and actor… Eddie Murphy. Hey, this is not as shocking as the cover song Children Of Bodom had on their 2009 covers album – Skeletons In The Closet. Which cover song is this you query? Why, none other than Oops!… I Did It Again originally sung by Britney Spears back in 2000.
* For more info on CHILDREN OF BODOM, just click on the link below:
ACHREN – Formed back in 2003, from Glasgow, UK, comes the Extreme driven, Metal force of ACHREN. To take a passage from their bio, which best sums up their sound: “Crushingly heavy and uncompromising metal, filled with raw and razor sharp riffs, Death Metal growls, Black Metal screams and pounding drums, they create a unique sound forged as Blood Metal.” After listening to ACHREN’S streaming Metal on their myspace and Reverbnation sites, (see links below), I couldn’t agree more with this Metal description of their Extreme sound… this previous description took the Metal words right out of my mouth. How could Stone top that description? Eventually though, I will when describing ACHREN in the future.
Metal be thy name, it is always a glorious Metal moment when a band like ACHREN crosses my Metal path… this band embodies all the elements of Extreme Metal, that my ears and senses need to devour for Metalsurvival. After listening to ACHREN’S streaming songs, I didn’t hesitate and went straight to Itunes to purchase their EP and single from 2008, (see info & link below). Here is some very cool information about ACHREN that I’m sure any devout Metal lovin’ maniac will appreciate:
ACHREN is about to release a live DVD from Bloodstock Open Air 2010 and are the winners of the Bloodstock Open Air 2010 Metal 2 The Masses Initiative. ACHREN are now confirmed to play the Metal Battle Stage at Wacken 2011, plus they will be releasing their debut album in the Spring of 2011!
* ACHREN’S spell binding performance of brutal Death Metal proportions captivated the gathered masses in the New Blood Stage at this years festival!
Frontman Scott Anderson: “The Metal 2 The Masses Initiative has given us a great chance to take the band to a different level. The whole team at Bloodstock work so hard to make it the best Metal festival in the UK and we can’t thank everybody enough for providing us with this great opportunity.”
* ACHREN filmed their whole Bloodstock Open Air set, which is scheduled for release in January on DVD in January of 2011. Their yet untitled debut album is now complete and ready for a Spring release in time for further 2011 Summer festivals!
(Source: ACHREN press release, December 26, 2010)
* You can currently purchase the Extreme Metal of ACHREN, (released in 2008), on Itunes. Their 4 song EP Blood Metal and the single Blood Soaked Banner are there! I highly recommend both EP and single… amazingly Extreme and brutally saturated – Blood Metal! I bought these releases by ACHREN… and it served me right.
Metal Odyssey’s Scott Coverdale – Wow, where did 2010 go? A few months ago, Stone asked if I would be interested in doing a list of my personal Top Ten Albums Of 2010 for Metal Odyssey. After giving it some thought, I said, sure, what the hell! I’ll admit, I am not a critic, nor do I review albums. I’m just a dude that gets into listening to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums, along with researching Metal and corresponding live from concerts for Metal Odyssey. Secondly, I do not listen to or know much about the Extreme genres of Metal, with Death and Black Metal not being my forte.
So, while deliberating my list of the Top Ten Albums Of 2010, picking that one standout Hard Rock or Heavy Metal album proved to be quite difficult. I probably have bought and listened to 30+ CD’s that were released over the course of 2010, therefore, I have left a lot of quality music on the table. With that all being said, here is my Top Ten Albums Of 2010…
#10
GAMMA RAY – TO THE METAL!
#9
RATT – INFESTATION
#8
CRAZY LIXX – NEW RELIGION
#7
TADDY PORTER – TADDY PORTER
#6
SISTER SIN – TRUE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
#5
KROKUS – HOODOO
#4
SCORPIONS – STING IN THE TAIL
#3
VOLBEAT – BEYOND HELL ABOVE HEAVEN
#2
ACCEPT – BLOOD OF THE NATIONS
#1
PRETTY MAIDS – PANDEMONIUM
Congratulations PRETTY MAIDSon having your PANDEMONIUM album chosen as Scott Coverdale’s #1 Album Of 2010!
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL AIN’T NOISE POLLUTION.
Scott Coverdale.
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
ESCAPE THE FATE – In support of their critically acclaimed, chart smashing and self-titled, third studio album, Escape The Fate will be headlining The Dead Masquerade – 2011 North American Tour. Along with supporting bands: Alesana, Motionless In White, Get Scared and Drive A, this tour kick starts on January 20, 2011, in Tucson, Arizona. Two concert dates are scheduled for January 14th and 16th, in Islington, Great Britain. Check out the full tour date schedule below for your nearest city and venue!
* Escape The Fate was released on November 2, 2010, on DGC Records/Epitaph.
* Escape The Fate was produced by Don Gilmore, (Linkin Park, Bullet For My Valentine).
* The red cover is the deluxe edition of Escape The Fate, (pictured above), while the black cover is the regular version of Escape The Fate, (pictured below tour dates).
* For those who may not know, Escape The Fate is an American band, that has been labeled as Alternative Metal, Metalcore and Post-Hardcore… to name a few. I prefer to call ’em a damn good Heavy band, their new album is just that – Heavy. Yes, this new Escape The Fate album does have solid Metal momentstoo, Stone can never tell a Metal lie. Zombie Dance has some heavy grooves goin’ on and is a choice cut of mine from this new album. These young dudes of Escape The Fate have put it all together for this new release, making the future of Heavy Musiclook all the more potent and alive for us all.
ESCAPE THE FATE:
Craig Mabbitt – vocals
Monte Money – guitar, backing vocals & keys
Max Green – bass
Robert Ortiz – drums
* Two Concert Dates In Islington, Great Britain:
1/14/11 – Islington, GBR @ 02 Academy Islington
1/16/11 – Islington, GBR @ 02 Academy Islington
The Dead Masquerade 2011 North American Tour Dates:
1/20/11 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater
1/21/11 – Tempe/Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
1/22/11 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
1/24/11 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall
1/25/11 – San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
1/26/11 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
1/28/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Music Park
1/29/11 – Orlando, FL @ Club Firestone
1/30/11 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
2/01/11 – Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
2/02/11 – Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
2/03/11 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live
2/04/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
2/05/11 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
2/08/11 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
2/09/11 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock Cafe
2/11/11 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre
2/12/11 – Worcester, MA @ Palladium
2/13/11 – Montreal, QC, Canada @ Club Soda
2/14/11 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
2/16/11 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
2/17/11 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
2/18/11 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Orbit Room
2/19/11 – Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
2/20/11 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
2/21/11 – East Saint Louis, IL @ Pop’s
2/23/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
2/25/11 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
2/26/11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
2/27/11 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
3/01/11 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
3/02/11 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
3/03/11 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox At The Market
3/05/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Grand Regency Ballroom
3/06/11 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades
3/08/11 – Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory Concert House
3/09/11 – Fresno, CA @ Crest Theatre (Fresno)
3/11/11 – Anaheim, CA @ Grove Of Anaheim
3/12/11 – San Diego, CA @ Soma
(Source for tour dates: Escape The Fate Official Website)
Track Listing For Escape The Fate:
Choose Your Fate
Massacre
Issues
Zombie Dance
Gorgeous Nightmare
City Of Sin
Day Of Wreckoning
Lost In Darkness
Prepare Your Weapon
World Around Me
The Aftermath (G3)
* Bonus Tracks on Deluxe Edition:
Liars And Monsters
The Final Blow
Issues (Ruxpin Remix)
* For more info on ESCAPE THE FATE, just click on the links below:
METAL ODYSSEY’S TOP TEN SONGS OF 2010 – Every year, countless new Metal and Hard Rock albums are released. With an untold number of original songs, as well there being cover songs being released too, it is not humanly possible to hear them all. I have compiled a list of Top Ten Songs Of 2010, that represent THE songs that psyched-me-out of my Metal mind, throughout this past year and will continue to do so for many Metal moons to come. Quality musicianship, songwriting and vocals are all inclusive on these songs listed below, being heard by my attentive Metal ears. These art ten songs from 2010 that I will never forget for the rest of my Metal lovin’ life!
#10
MORPHINE KILLER – Throw It All Away
To listen to Throw It All Away, just click on that magnificent box above. Morphine Killer is Brandon Ortiz aka Eski and Belle Roka. Is it the music that Eski plays or the vocals of Belle that made this song an instantly memorable song for me? It’s BOTH. With a Modern Metal backbone meets Classic Rock accessibility, Throw It All Away is a song I want the world to hear. When a song can float above a variety of Rock genres like this one can and ROCK so damn steady as it does, it makes my Metal Odyssey Top Ten Songs Of 2010 list without a Metal hiccup. Metal Odyssey is handing out a #1 Female Heavy Rock vocal Performance for 2010… it’s Belle Roka with Throw It All Away. Morphine Killer has been my diamond in the rough for 2010.
#9
HIGH ON FIRE – Frost Hammer
On August 29, 2010, I blabbed away about how Metal terrific Frost Hammer is. You can read about it for yourself by clicking on the header below! Matt Pike and his band High On Fire are the epitome of what Metalshould sound like when you are flipping off the music charts. You’ll never find glitz or glam with these guys, just straight up Stoner Metal meets Rock ‘N’ Roll, with potent doses of landscape rippling sound, blasting from this now legendary three piece.
On August 29, 2010, I wrote about how much I really dig Frost Hammer. (I actually really dig the entire Snakes for the Divine album as well). Click the link below to read more about it!
The vocals of M. Shadows are laced with emotional realism that can’t be manufactured. While I listen to this song, the feeling of being overwhelmed by the relentlessly driving up-tempo and power of this A7X band occurs, from the opening note to the very last one. Every time I listen to thisNightmare song, the psyche-me-out meter explodes within my Metal soul. I swear I can hear and feel this band’s courage melting over this entire song and I’m not bashful to admit this. A7X made an incredible song (and album as well) under extreme conditions, after losing their brother and drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, to a tragically untimely passing on December 28, 2009.
What stands out to me, every time I listen to this song, is the transparent mood of victory amongst the overall musicianship, which seems to swirl itself around the more darker vibe of Nightmare’s overall theme. Each member of A7X plays with an inspired emotion on this song that carries on through the entire album. Nightmare is a word that can sum up what A7X has endured as a band of brothers, yet it’s also a magical song that has carried them to the top tier and front row of Modern Metal.
#7
ARMORED SAINT – Chilled
Armored Saint returned in a very fantastic way in 2010. Metal be thy name was I thrilled that Armored Saint did make a comeback… and they did so by making a kick ass album titled: La Raza. On April 19, 2010, I wrote exactly how this Armored Saint song makes me feel. Chilled will always be a lifetime favorite song of mine, it’s lyrical message of chilling out as you get older hits home. Take the Metal plunge and read all about it by clicking on the header below!
And on the eighth day, God created Jon Oliva. In all Metal seriousness, Jon Oliva is a man of music and his very own and real nightmare comes to life musically and lyrically, with Death Rides ABlack Horse. Jon Oliva writing about his nightmares makes for incredible songs and Death Rides A Black Horse is as nightmarish as they come, in an epic and sensory stirring way. The keyboards are haunting and the dark mood of this song gives way to my very own, made up scary imagery. I embrace any song that entertains me like a horror novel or gives me the jitters like a nightmare, Death Rides A Black Horse is just that.
#5
KROKUS – Too Hot
The “classic” Krokus lineup from the One Vice At A Time album from 1982, returned in 2010 with a Hard Rockin’ mission statement called Hoodoo. I knew after my very first listen to the Hoodoo album that there were a few potential “Top Ten” song candidates… I dug this album that much. TooHot became just that type of song for me all year, this song is hot from beginning to end. An infectious Hard Rock vibe I feel throughout Too Hot, without an ounce of letup. This Hard Rock vibe jumps straight out of Too Hot, reeling in all of the delectable Old School feelings of good times, partying till dawn and… just free spirited FUN.
#4
GAMMA RAY – To The Metal
HAIL HEAVY METAL! This is the Heavy Metal anthem that will forever remind me that this great genre is bigger than anything anyone could have ever imagined. Years may pass us by, economies shall fall, wars will be waged while we Metalhead’s age… only Metal always stands tall, has stood the test of time and never goes away. This song is about more than Heavy Metal, it’s about the cultural and social impact it has had upon us Metalheads through the decades, an F’n damn Metal phenomenon that can never be stopped, controlled or denied.
When I interviewed Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray’s lead vocalist & guitarist) earlier this year for HARD ROCK HIDEOUT, he likened Heavy Metal to that of a dragon… he explained once you cut the head off a dragon, it keeps on growing more heads. Well put, Kai… and well done with your legendary Power Metal band – Gamma Ray!
On July 19, 2010, I wrote about this powerful Heavy Metal anthem – To The Metal. Read about it if you like, by clicking the header below!
If there is that young band that is going to eventually take over the Rock and Hard Rock world, KOPEK is that band. Metal as my witness, it’s just a matter of time. Don’t say Stone never warned you either. When a three piece can Rock the daylights out of me, while delivering a Hard Rockin’ sound that is as refreshing as an iced pint of beer, that band deserves any and all the accolades I can Metal muster. KOPEK is that band. Take a look and listen to Love Is Dead by clicking that cool box below… you’ll likely understand what I mean.
Oh, while I’m at it, why beat around the Metal bush…
Love Is Dead is Metal Odyssey’s #1 Music Video Of 2010!
#2
SCORPIONS – Raised On Rock
2010 was the year when the unreal legendary Scorpions announced their embarking on a final, three year tour. The Scorpions are retiring. It can’t be! Alas, the Metal truth sometimes is hard to swallow. I, along with Scott Coverdale set forth on our Metal journey this past June, of 2010, to the M3 Rock Festival, (Columbia, Maryland), to see the Scorpions off. On June 27, 2010, I posted about the Scorpions headlining the 2010 M3 Rock Festival. You can read about how I felt, seeing and experiencing the Scorpions at the 2010 M3 Rock Festival by clicking the large header below!
Raised On Rock is not just a song that my 80’s generation can relate to, this is a song that any Rock generation can and should relate to. Admittedly, I am instantly psyched out of my Metal mind, while my face gets flushed and my arms become covered with ostrich bumps each time I listen to Raised On Rock. With these types of emotional and physical reactions I experience from Raised On Rock… there really is nuthin’ else left to say, except…
THANK YOU SCORPIONS!
#1
HALFORD – Thunder And Lightning
Thunder And Lightning from HALFORD is my #1 song of 2010! Music should speak to you and make you feel good… and sometimes invincible. HALFORD makes me feel invincible with Thunder And Lightning, I’m not going to deny it, I will just accept it with Metal glee. Everyone knows, when a song “hits” you that certain way, it just feels like it was written and recorded especially for you. This is exactly how Thunder And Lightning “hits me”.
Everything that I have ever loved about Heavy Metal, seems to be woven into Thunder And Lightning. From the strong vocals of Rob Halford, to the melodic and yet still heavy guitar leads of Roy Z., with Metal Mike Chlasciak unleashing the rhythmic balance from his axe, the tempo never subsides from it’s elevated high. Oh, there is a kick ass guitar solo too from Roy Z. and it gives me the Metal chills. Mike Davis on bass and Bobby Jarzombek on drums make the woofers on my home stereo speakers quake to the Metal limit. The chorus is mind blowing and Metal riveting. Even the fade out on this song is perfect. F’n Old School.
Being track #10 on the new HALFORD album, Made Of Metal is without question worth the wait as I listen to this fabulous album. Then again, I can’t count the number of times I select only this song to listen to, sometimes twenty times in a row! I’m not kidding. Rob Halford, otherwise known as The Metal God, is at his vintage best on vocals, with his band surrounding him with an awesome display of pure Metalpower. When a song puts me on an ultra-maximum Metal high, like Thunder And Lightning does, it gets picked as #1. Metal be thy name.
On October 6, 2010, I posted a complete album review on HALFORD IV Made Of Metal, you can check it out by clicking the header below!
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
TANKARD – For three decades and counting, one constant in Thrash Metal has been the legendary, German Thrash Metal formation known as – TANKARD. On February 22, 2011, TANKARD will be releasing their 14th studio album titled: VO(L)UME 14. This new studio album of ten songs will be released on Germany’s AFM Records. With the likes of ONSLAUGHT and now TANKARD releasing new studio albums in early 2011, this coming year is turning out to be… THRASH and BURN!
TANKARD has stood the test of Metal time with their beer soakin’, mind splittin’, amplifier burnin’ and decades scorchin’ Thrash Metal brand. Not backing down to any corporate oil fool, TANKARD have taken their disgust for the BP Gulf Coast oil spill and turned it into a Thrash Metal headline with Black Plague (BP). Taking a Thrashin’ stand against BP is what I call Thrash Metal justice… smacking down the Thrash Metal gavel… that’s TANKARD.
It is a blue collar, Old School, party fueled, 100% proof, (gasp) fun and stick-it-to-the-man Thrash Metal band like TANKARD that supplements Stone’s Metal lovin’ life. Metal be thy name.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on TANKARD, just click on the links below:
ICED EARTH – Century Media will be releasing in 2011, a brand new concert & documentary DVD saluting a tried and true, legendary Heavy Metal band, America’s very own… ICED EARTH. This new DVD is titled: Festivals Of The Wicked and contains nearly six hours of content!
Three full headliner concerts are showcased on Festivals Of The Wicked, they are: Wacken Open Air 2007, Rock Hard Festival 2008 and Metal Camp 2008. A 90 minute documentary of ICED EARTH is also featured! Plus, a photo gallery shot by famed Rock photographers Ross Halfin and Rudy De Doncker is included! Festivals Of The Wicked is certainly a DVD to seek out in 2011!
* As of December 22, 2010, no official release date has been released, other than “2011”.
* The cover artwork for Festivals Of The Wicked is Metal intense! This is an instant visual classic of ICED EARTH’S mascot – Set Abominae.
Watch the Century Media trailer below for the Festivals Of The Wicked DVD!
ICED EARTH:
Jon Schaffer – rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals
Matt Barlow – lead and backing vocals
Brent Smedley – drums
Troy Seele – lead guitar
Freddie Vidales – bass guitar
ICED EARTH – 2011 FESTIVAL NEWS:
ICED EARTH will be performing at the 22nd Annual, 2011 Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany! The Wacken Open Air Festival will be held August 4th through August 6th, 2011. Performing at the 2011 Wacken Open Air Festival as well are: Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead and Blind Guardian! F’n Whoa! That is an ultra-legendary Metal lineup! (Source: ICED EARTH Official Website)
ONSLAUGHT – England’s legendary Thrash Metal ambassadors are back again! ONSLAUGHT will be having their new studio album Sounds Of Violence released in North America on February 8th, 2011! Sounds Of Violence will be released on Germany’s AFM Records. This new ONSLAUGHT album was recorded and produced in the renowned Hansen-Studios in Ribe, Denmark (Destruction, Heathen, Mercenary). ONSLAUGHT have already confirmed a headlining European tour, joined by Suidakra and Debauchery in April of 2011. Appearances on some of the biggest European Festivals throughout 2011 have also been confirmed.
* ONSLAUGHT released their first studio album, Power From Hell, back in 1985. Other ONSLAUGHT studio albums: The Force (1986), In Search Of Sanity (1989) and Killing Peace (2007).
ONSLAUGHT:
Sy Keeler – vocals
Nige Rockett – guitar
Andy Rosser-Davies – lead guitar
Jeff Williams – bass
Steve Grice – drums
* International release dates for Sounds Of Violence:
Japan – January 12th, 2011
Europe – January 28th, 2011
USA/North America – February 8th, 2011
(Sources: Earsplit PR and Onslaught myspace music)
* Bomber is a cover song of the Motörheadclassic, which features guest appearances by Phil Campbell (Motörhead) and Tom Angelripper (Sodom).
* This cover song of Bomber, was released on December 17, 2010. It can be purchased at Itunes, Amazon and HMV Digital. * On the ONSLAUGHT myspace page, it states: “All profits from this single release are to be donated to the Help For Heroes charity.” A gigantic Metal kudos goes out to ONSLAUGHT and AFM Records for this act of charity! Help For Heroes is an incredibly reputable charity that raises funds to help support wounded British Armed Forces veterans.
* To learn more about Help For Heroes, click here: Help For Heroes
(New York, NY) – CROWBAR have released another brand new song, “Let Me Mourn” from their upcoming release “Sever The Wicked Hand”, due out in the U.S. on February 8th, 2011, on eOneMusic. “This is one of my personal favorites on the record. Haunting vocals and melodies. Low tuned doom at it’s finest”, says front man Kirk Windstein.
The band will release their crushing, long-awaited new studio album, “Sever The Wicked Hand” on Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 via eOne Music. The full album is available now for pre-order on iTunes. Just go here to get it: http://bit.ly/faUOCI
The new album, produced by Kirk Windstein and mixed by Zeuss, is the band’s first new album of all new original studio material since 2005’s “Lifesblood For The Downtrodden”. Windstein recently told Decibel Magazine, “This is probably the most important record of Crowbar’s career”.
NOISECREEP.COM is debuting a the first new track called “The Cemetery Angels” recently which can be heard here: NOISECREEP
(Source: eOne Music press release, December 20, 2010)
* For more info on CROWBAR, just click on the links below:
Top Six Unsigned Metal Bands of 2010: There are countless unsigned bands in the world today, representing every genre of music. Metal Odyssey receives a fine share of demos and fully produced CD’s from unsigned bands. Many of these bands have potential to take their music to the next level, where there are those bands that should consider other career options. Then, there are the bands that are ready NOW for a major independent or major label to grasp onto what they are creating and playing. These are the unsigned bands that NEED to be signed NOW, to a major independent or major label.
I have chosen my favorite six unsigned bands of this past year and want to share them with the world, as a special edition of Metal Odyssey’s “Best Of” lists for 2010. A few of these bands I had the Metal pleasure to interview during 2010, while the other bands I’m sure I’ll cross Metal paths with one day soon. At the end of the Metal day, these six Metal bands are my favorites from the unsigned crowd of 2010. Here’s hoping that maybe one of these bands, if not all, will spark your Metal curiosity like they did mine!
Metal Odyssey’s Top Six Unsigned Metal Bands Of 2010:
MORPHINE KILLER
(Photo by: Stephanie Grant – imsteph.com)
From Southern California, there is the dynamic Metal duo of Brandon Ortiz, aka Eski and Belle Roka that make Morphine Killer… so damn killer to listen to.
What makes Morphine Killer such a tremendousMetal band is their quality songs, filled with quality vocals, lyrics and musicianship… the entire 100 yards of Metal. I reviewed their Nightmares EP with a posting back on April 23, 2010. Check it out for yourself by clicking that unreal looking header below!
Back on May 16, 2010, Eski and Belle Roka took the time to answer some questions I threw at them. You can read this very cool interview by clicking on the very loud header below!
Throw It All Away is the new single that Morphine Killer released earlier this year, it will be on their forthcoming full-length album – Sickening. You can purchase this fantastic song on itunes, along with Morphine Killer’s two raging EP’s: Unapologetic and Nightmares. For now, take a listen to Throw It All Away by clicking on that cool box below! I hope you dig this song as much as I have been!
* For more info on Morphine Killer, click on the links below:
Out of the Great White North… comes a Traditional Metal Band that brings Old School back with their very own supercharged Metal vibe and eye popping Metal skills… thank you Calgary, Alberta, Canada for – DERAILED. Led by founding member Dean Boland, the lead guitarist and a man of many Metal hats, Derailed is a big Metal deal to my ears. If you haven’t heard of Derailed just yet… your gonna.
On June 26, 2010, I posted the album review for the Derailed debut album Judgement Day. You can read all about it by clicking the huge header below!
On August 4, 2010, my interview with Derailed’s Dean Boland was posted. Check it out by clicking the gigantic header below… it will serve youMetal justice.
On both sides of the Atlantic, there is Metal aplenty. Metal is a worldwide phenomenon that will never say die. Austria can very well boast, they are the home country for – Sergeant Steel. Every neighborhood in every country should have a band like Sergeant Steel, their brand of Hard Rock colliding with Old School Heavy Metal is so damn contagious.
On July 1, 2010, I posted the album review for Sergeant Steel’s debut – Lovers & Maniacs. You can read about this Hard Rockin’ & Metal Thumpin’ album by clicking on the bloated header below!
Back on July 14, 2010, my interview with Phil Vanderkill, the flamboyant front man for Sergeant Steel, was posted. If you want to get an “inside” track on just what Sergeant Steel is all about, click on the hefty header below!
From Mammoth Lakes, California, VALDUR caught my Metal attention with a fiery blast of Black Metal whoop ass. Metal be thy name… VALDUR is for real.
On November 18, 2010, I posted the album review for VALDUR’S blackened Metal triumph which is called – Raven God Amongst Us. I highly recommend you take the time to check it out, by clicking that rotund header below!
NeuTrad Archon released their full-length album this past year, titled – Overture. With ten songs that more than smoke the Metal meter to a melting point. These songs on Overture have undeniable substance, both lyrically and musically, with an unrelenting ability to satisfy my Extreme Metal hunger.
Their progressive, blackened, momentarily Folk Metal and downright darkened with MetalExtremity. This band knows how to incorporate a melodic drive to their sound as well, utilizing the keyboards throughout Overture and on one track violins are introduced, which makes NeuTrad Archon not just ultra-diverse in their Metal style, it makes them a band to latch onto and brag about to your Metal peers. This band has all the right ingredients to be huge in the Metal world one day.
* Look for a complete album review of Overture in early 2011, right here at Metal Odyssey!
* For more info on NeuTrad Archon, click on the link below:
With New Jersey as their home base, the trio of M. Gonçalves (vocals, guitars, bass), Valcek (Violin) and JP Andrade on drums have created an album that mesmerizes my Metal senses with their full-length, eight song, album debut – Tribus. Windfaerer is such a band of Metal talent, it’s unquestionably scary. This is blackened Folk Metal at it’s underground finest, making me want to leap through the dark and foreboding fields of my neighborhood at night, in euphoric Metal glee, while raising the horns to the moonlit sky.
* Look for a complete album review of Tribus in early 2011, right here at Metal Odyssey!
* For more info on Windfaerer, click on the link below:
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
JOE ELLIOTT’S DOWN ‘N’ OUTZ – Cover song albums can either catch me by surprise or bore me to pieces. Other times, a cover song album can be 50/50 with it’s quality of content. Therefore, making a cover song album is always a risky business, when attempting to make songs already known and revered by Rock fans. A band has to really add something to a cover song and make it memorable, let alone an entire album of them. An album of covers most often gets ignored and swept under cases of empty beer bottles anyways. Creating an album of cover songs is not always the “in” thing to do either. So, with all of the negatives attached to tackling a covers album, the likelihood of messing up by releasing such an album is apparently in the Rock ‘N’ Roll cards… unless you are Joe Elliott and your band is named Down ‘n’ Outz.
My ReGeneration was released on July 13, 2010, on Mailboat Records. Joe Elliott’s Down ‘n’ Outz covered Rock classics from the Mott The Hoople family: Mott, Ian Hunter and British Lions. Joe Elliott’s Down ‘n’ Outz not only captured the essence of Classic Rock on this album, they carried it off on their own Rockin’ vibe and did add that extra ingredient of relevance to songs that should never be forgotten. As a bonus, this album does take Joe Elliott away from the Def Leppard comfort zone and showcases him as a vocalist who once again, never over stretches his boundaries by singing within the songs and not over them.
A very addicting album MyReGeneration has been for me, while reminding me of the importance that Mott The Hoople and their spinoffs had on Rock Music history. I highly recommend this album to anyone who digs Classic Rock and Old School Hard Rock like I do. Take a listen and watch the video for England Rocks below, a song from the My ReGeneration album… it will serve you right!
On September 16, 2010, I wrote a more comprehensive review on My ReGeneration. Just click on the huge header below to read all about it!
* Below is a list of other great sites/bloggers that cover Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and will be sharing their “Best Of 2010” lists and thoughts as well. It is well worth the trip to any and/or all of them!
ALICE COOPER – Metal Odyssey gives a Metal Congratulations to Alice Cooper and each original member of Alice Cooper (The Band) for their induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, class of 2011. Metal accolades go out to the original lineup of Alice Cooper (The Band): Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith and the late Glen Buxton.
Regardless of the bonehead maneuvers and clique driven approach that the “Rock scholars” at this institution have bestowed over the years, it is a fine feeling to have such an iconic band and powerful figure as Alice Cooper as a member there. Alice Cooper represents Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Just exactly where Shock/Horror Rock would be today, without Alice Cooper leading the way, is a scary Metal thought to ponder. Influential, groundbreaking, legendary… how many more ways can I explain the impact that Alice Cooper has had upon Rock Music across the genres?
At the end of my Metal day, it’s not about Rock genres… it’s about music. Alice Cooper has created music that will live on for untold generations, long after my stay on Earth is over.
Metal Odyssey’s Metal Gripes:
* Alice Cooper belongs inducted as a solo artist as well. Alice Cooper’s solo career began in 1975 with the studio album Welcome To My Nightmare and continues to the present day. Alas, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s Rock scholars probably don’t know that.
Let’s just hope the trend of inducting the musicians and bands that belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame continues. My criticism of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame shall continue, until there are real knowledgeable and non-political Rock minds in place at the helm. Without the likes of KISS, Cheap Trick, The Moody Blues, Heart, Motorhead, Slayer, The Doobie Brothers, The Electric Light Orchestra and Mott The Hoople, to name a many few, (there are many more), it shall remain one big Hall Of Shame. Remember: ABBA is already inducted (?)… the bands previously mentioned, sadly, are overlooked. Bizarre.
LONG LIVE ALICE COOPER.
LONG LIVE THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL OF ALICE COOPER (THE BAND)
(New York, NY) — ANEW REVOLUTION will continue their trek in support of their record iMERICA early in 2011. Today the band announced they’d be supporting ILL NINO along side Ekotren and Fashion Bomb on the “Restore The Insanity Tour.” “What a year 2010 has been! We’re excited to announce that we will be heading out with Ill Nino. We’re going to spice up the live show and fans should expect some new songs in the set as well. Happy Holidays and see you all soon,” says Bassist Frank Salvaggio. Dates are below; more dates will be announced soon.
1/20 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
1/21 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
1/25 Denver, CO @ Marquis
1/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Key Club
2/1 San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
2/2 Beaumont, TX @ The Gig
2/3 Dallas, TX @ Trees
2/4 Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
2/5 Houma, LA @ The City Club
2/7 Atlantta, GA @ Masquerade
2/13 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
2/15 Worcester, MA @ Palladium
2/19 Allentown, PA @ Crock Rock
ANEW REVOLUTION just finished up a tour with HELLYEAH after completing the highly successful “HARD DRIVE LIVE TOUR” alongside SEVENDUST and 10 YEARS.
The band saw the release of their sophomore eOne release “iMerica” in 2010 along with non stop touring. They shot a video for their popular single “Head Against The Wall” which can be seen here [http://bit.ly/i0IV8S].
Formed in Austin, Texas by singer/guitarist Joey Duenas, bassist Frank Salvaggio, drummer Rob Urbani in 2004, and later rounded out by shredder Jay Frederick on lead guitar, ANEW REVOLUTION stand by the promise in their name. Though they’ll happily recall the milestones set by their former bands – Duenas’ Ünloco, Urbani and Salvaggio’s Slaves on Dope, they’ll also be the first to remind you of just what ANEW REVOLUTION means.
(Source: eOne Music press release, December 15, 2010)
TIMES OF GRACE – Adam Dutkiewicz, (guitarist, producer, recording engineer and founding member of Killswitch Engage), has joined up with former Killswitch Engage vocalist/founding member Jesse Leach to create Times Of Grace. Releasing on RoadRunner Records, on January 18, 2011, The Hymns Of A Broken Man will be the melodically heavy, debut offering, from these two veterans of New England’s famously historic Metalcore scene. From the teaser videos and songs from The Hymns Of A Broken Man that I’ve heard… Stone does likey. I’m very much looking forward to hearing this album, from Times Of Grace, in it’s entirety.
* A CD/DVD release of The Hymns Of A Broken Man is slated for a January 18, 2011 release as well. The DVD contains videos for each album track, along with a commercial video for Strength In Numbers.
Complete Track Listing For: The Hymns Of A Broken Man:
Strength In Numbers
Fight For Life
* Willing
Where The Spirit Leads Me
Until The End Of Days
Live In Love
In The Arms Of Mercy
Hymn Of A Broken Man
The Forgotten One
Hope Remains
The End Of Eternity
Worlds Apart
Fall From Grace
* Willing is the bonus track on the CD/DVD enhanced version.
* For more info on Times Of Grace, just click on the links below:
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"
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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