Archive for metal music 2010

DISTURBED – COVERS JUDAS PRIEST “LIVING AFTER MIDNIGHT” ON “ANOTHER WAY TO DIE” CD SINGLE!

Posted in Hard Rock, hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music news with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 9, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

DISTURBED – On June 8, 2010, Disturbed released the Another Way To Die CD single, (on Reprise Records), as a heavy duty prelude to their forthcoming studio album – Asylum. The title song Another Way To Die is also on the Asylum album, while the “B side” to this CD single is a Judas Priest classic… Living After Midnight. The inclusion of this cover song onto this CD single, makes it a must own for fans… for Living After Midnight is not included on the track listing of Asylum! The price for this CD single is dirt cheap everywhere I’ve seen it… from 99 cents to the $1.88 price I paid at my local Super Walmart. (in U.S. funds).

Judas Priest will forever be Metal elite, pioneering a NWOBHM sound with such iconic albums as Stained Class, Hell Bent For Leather, British Steel, Point Of Entry and Screaming For Vengeance. There have been Judas Priest albums before and after these albums I’ve just mentioned… only these are the Judas Priest albums that I truly sank my Metal ears into a long time ago. These were the Judas Priest albums, that recruited me into being a fan of this amazing band for life.

It’s never a surprise to me whenever any Hard Rock or Heavy Metal band covers a Judas Priest song/classic, how do you honestly measure the influence and importance of Judas Priest? I have to put Judas Priest into that “immeasurable worth and influence” class of bands. You know those bands… do I really need to list ’em?

Disturbed does a hell of job at covering Living After Midnight! Upon my first few listens to this cover song, It hit me immediately that Disturbed served Judas Priest and this iconic song Metal justice. Yes, it’s Disturbed at their Hardest Rockin’ finest… and still, this song can never shake away that Judas Priest aura, no matter how Hard or Heavy this band covers it. It’s Priest… and it’s Disturbed… and the combination of the two makes it a Metal winner for Stone’s ears.

David Draiman sounds like no other on lead vocals, in my opinion he gives Disturbed it’s unique identity. I’m in no way taking away any glory from the rest of this Disturbed band, it’s just that David’s vocal identity stands out so profoundly, within the overall landscape of their fabulous sound. David can make any cover song that Disturbed has done thus far sound so brazenly bad-ass… Land Of Confusion and Shout 2000 are past covers that just ignite the psyche-out meter in my Heavy Music soul.

The opening drum beat that Mike Wengren hammers down on Living After Midnight is new, then the vintage drum beat we all know so well kicks in. As for keeping the original structure of this song intact, Disturbed does just that, until the song begins to subside with a fade out that’s new. Disturbed keeps the original heaviness and Old School vibe alive, with their cover version. Dan Donegan may not be Glen Tipton or K.K. Downing… still he keeps the guitar blazing, adding his heavy signature throughout this song. Dan Donegan has formulated his style and tone over the years and he makes this Living After Midnight cover scorch.

Hey… ‘nuthin beats an original, only Disturbed jams the crap out of Living After Midnight. Classic Metal is to be celebrated and exposed for it’s greatness and that is exactly what Disturbed has done. ‘Nuff said.

Another Way To Die is an undisputed Hard & Heavy gem of a song from Disturbed. David Draiman and Co. tantalize with a toned down intro to this song, both vocally and musically. Then… brace yourself… for Disturbed let’s it all fire up and the grooves are aplenty. This song is where I really point the Metal finger at John Moyer… he adds the bass groovin’ thump that should make your car or house exterior rattle to submission when played very F’n LOUD.

* For more cool info on DISTURBED, just click on the link below:

DISTURBED1.COM

DISTURBED ARE:

David Draiman – vocalist

Dan Donegan – guitarist

John Moyer – bass guitarist

Mike Wengren – drummer, percussionist

* Living After Midnight is on the Judas Priest album – British Steel, released in 1980 on Columbia Records.

* Asylum will be released on August 31, 2010, on Reprise Records!

* Here is the DISTURBED – ASYLUM album cover artwork:

Here is the Track Listing for Asylum:

Remnants

Asylum

The Infection

Warrior

Another Way To Die

Never Again

The Animal

Crucified

Serpentine

My Child

Sacrifice

Innocence

LONG LIVE DISTURBED!

Stone.

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2CENTS – “DRESS TO KILL” DELIVERS RAW, HARDCORE, ATTITUDE LACED METAL!

Posted in hard rock albums, hard rock bands, hard rock music, hardcore metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, nu metal music, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 2, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

2CENTS – Originating from Los Angeles, California, 2Cents have blended together a Metal meets Hardcore Punk sound and have done so in a raucous and raw manner, which makes them all the more favorable to my Metal ears. April 20, 2010, is when 2Cents released their 13 song studio album, Dress To Kill, on Eight O Five Records and Fontana Distribution. After just my first listen through of Dress To Kill, I realize 2Cents is like the very rowdy dude that shows up at every keg and house party… and only makes the party better.

If you are to listen to Dress To Kill the way it was meant to be… it really should be listened to F’n LOUD. When played LOUD in the car, passerby’s wearing turtlenecks may find the heavy totality of Dress To Kill, coupled with it’s lyrics, to be rather disruptive. Excellent! 2Cents are double loaded with attitude, with many hints of Punk attitude just for good measure. Excellent! There are always going to be those Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Extreme Bands that won’t give a damn about using profanity in their songs lyrics, 2Cents is just that band. Excellent! Let Metal freedom ring!

Whoever said Rock ‘N’ Roll was supposed to be squeaky clean anyway? Oh, it was probably ABBA. Anyways, 2Cents has one hell of a song that kick starts Dress To Kill off into high F’n gear – Dressed To Kill. It’s the frenetic drumming that opens Dressed To Kill that gets my Metal adrenaline on high, giving way to the Nu Metal meets Rapcore with Hardcore tendencies in-between. Deeply Madly is an extremely heavy song, with Adam O’ Rourke’s shouts overpowering an already powerful rhythm section and blistering guitars.. a thunder stomp, monster of a song.

Wicked By Design is Metal angst all coiled up and bound, then suddenly cut loose to infiltrate and destroy all eardrums, that dare to wear a headset while listening to this song’s extremely heavy outpouring of Metal. The real 2Cents party just gets started with the song Get What?. It’s all about the sheer blitz of heaviness and Hardcore vocals that Get What? translates. Even within all of this song’s extremities, I can still call out this song as standout and most likely a live favorite for 2Cents fans for many years to come.

Choose Your Illusion is so damned heavy and brutal that it probably could tear through a steel door that’s a foot thick. Tear Down Your Reasons is a union of Hardcore and Metal joining forces, creating a blend of Extreme that gets tempered by the memorable and harmonious chorus. This song boasts a powerful and contagious rhythm and tempo that doesn’t let up on it’s fiery attack. The Hollow is an out of control juggernaut in flames that cannot be contained nor controlled… only enjoyed on an almost bizarre level of Metal lovin’ madness. 2Cents knew how to bring Dress To Kill to a close, with The Hollow, it’s Hardcore bursting out at the Metal seams with vicious and extreme muscularity.

Any fan of Metal or even Hard Rock that is looking for a new album release that explodes with ultra revved up heaviness, both in music and vocals, should take a keen Metal liking to 2Cents – Dress To Kill. Some may find listening to Dress To Kill equivalent to opening a six-pack of Metal Music whoop ass… I feel that way. 2Cents incorporates a few Heavy Music genres within it’s core sound, however, they are best summed up as an F’n Heavy Duty, Metal Band. This band is damn good at what they write and play, in my Metal opinion. Add the fact they obviously don’t give a crap about mainstream acceptance only makes 2Cents that much more legit in my Metal mind.

* 2Cents – Dress To Kill receives 4.5 out of 5 Metal Fists rating from Metal Odyssey!

2Cents Are:

Adam O’Rourke – lead vocals & drums

Adair Cobley – guitar

Jason Wendell – bass

Dave O’Rourke – guitar & vocals

Track Listing For Dress To Kill:

Dressed To Kill

Love Like A Riot

Come And Get It

Deeply Madly

Wicked By Design

Now You Know

The Distance Travelled

Get What?

Shes Gone

Choose Your Illusion

Tear Down Your Reasons

Death Vegas

The Hollow

* For more info on 2Cents, just click the link below!

2Cents – MySpace Music Page

* 2Cents has played on the 2010 Jagermeister Music Tour with headliner and the ever legendary – KORN. This tour started on May 2, 2010, with dates through June 2, 2010.

Stone.

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FREYA – HARDCORE METAL BAND PUMMELS AND PUNISHES MY METAL SENSES!

Posted in extreme metal music, hardcore metal music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal songs, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 20, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

FREYA – Released their studio album – All Hail The End on January 19, 2010, on Victory Records. Hailing from Syracuse, New York, Freya is one extreme outfit I’m keeping an eye on… while their Metal fries my eardrums. One standout song from this blistering Metal album is The Wanderers. This is a Metal song and Freya is a Metal band that pummels and punishes my Metal senses. I am not kidding around here. Freya is a Metal band that is as heavy, lean and mean as they come and obviously hell bent on making their Metal presence known to all mankind. Hardcore not to be denied here, Freya means serious business. With force driven riffs and vocals that could rip a NYC phone book in half, Freya is handing down the Metal whoop ass in pile driving form. The drumming is a relentless and fortified attack as well, with the bass only adding more fuel to this out of control Metal fire storm heard on The Wanderers.

All Hail The End is Freya throwing their Metal torch into the arena of concept albums. To directly quote a line from their bio, found on their MySpace Music page: “examining humanities constant struggle for power throughout the ages”. Songs like The Guardian and Human Demons ignites All Hail The End into a forceful ball of vicious Metal, that uncoils it’s wrath upon my ears. Metal be thy name. Freya delivers one mighty blow of overpowering Metal with the humanity power struggle theme, making All Hail The End an enormous album to seek out… and let pummel your Metal senses into oblivion in 2010 and beyond.

* Check out all Metal happenings of FREYA by clicking the link below:

FREYA – MySpace Music Page

HEAVY, HARDCORE AND EXTREME… CRANK THE WANDERERS UP LOUD!!

FREYA are:

Karl Buechner – vocals

Brandon Flynn – guitar

John Sullivan – guitar

Mike Lagrow – bass

Joseph Murphy – drums

Stone.

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MORPHINE KILLER – A Metal Odyssey Interview!

Posted in extreme metal music, gothic metal music, hard rock bands, hard rock music, Heavy Metal, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal music, heavy metal news, interviews, metal music, metal odyssey, Music, rock music, rock music interviews with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

MORPHINE KILLER – Belle Roka is a singer and plays keyboards. Eski, he too is a singer and also plays bass, guitar and drums. These two talents combined have created what I consider to be one dynamic Metal Band… Morphine Killer. If diversity is the key to success, Morphine Killer is on the fast track. From Extreme Metal to Rock, this Stanton, California Metal Band is making some serious Heavy Music, so good in fact they caught my Metal attention with ease. Add in the pluses of contagious enthusiasm for music, a deep respect for Classic Rock and the roots of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Belle and Eski have the discipline, skills and foresight to make Morphine Killer soar.

With their 2009 EP releases of Unapologetic and Nightmares, a brand new single Throw It All Away released in March of 2010 and a new album to be released towards the end of this year, Morphine Killer is steadily building a credible catalog of Heavy Music. I caught up to Eski and Belle recently, as they took the time out of their hectic schedule to chat to Metal Odyssey. Here is what they had to say:

Metal Odyssey: Where and how did Belle and Eski cross musical paths?

Belle: We met through mutual friends. It was right away, that we began talking about music, Eski said he could record me and I said great!

Eski: Both of our musical projects were coming to an end, so it just made sense and felt right that we should make music together.

Metal Odyssey Note: Eski’s two previous bands were Reckoning Day and Honor The Fallen. Belle’s previous music project was Xob.

Metal Odyssey: Your band name Morphine Killer just screams Metal, how did this name come about?

Eski: Originally, when there was no name for our band, I was looking at song titles, like Nightmare and In Silent Agony. Then we went with Morphine Killer. In Silent Agony was just too depressing!

Metal Odyssey: Is your new single “Throw It All Away”, which Rocks the hell out me by the way, a prelude to an upcoming album or EP?

Eski: We’re finishing up on a full length album now, with a release date towards the end of the year. There will be ten or eleven new songs on this album and Throw It All Away is included on it. We never considered putting any of the songs from our two EP’s on this upcoming album, it just would not sit right with us.

Metal Odyssey: Yeah, I’ve seen so many bands over the years do just that, put a previously released EP on a future album. It’s like paying for the songs twice if your a fan.

Eski: I agree.

Metal Odyssey: Does Eski and Bell agree to disagree?

Belle: We don’t always agree, most of the time it all gels together and in the name of music it’s totally worth it.

Eski: We have a song that is slower than anything that we have ever done, more of a ballad, that’s on our upcoming album. The slow ones, those are the songs you really have to work on.

Belle: To the benefit of the song, we work things out.

Metal Odyssey: Morphine Killer has fused together, rather seamlessly, two separate worlds of vocals. The dark and extreme can really coexist with soothing harmony, can’t it?

Belle: Yeah!

Eski: Definitely.

Belle: We have been exposed to an underground L.A. Metal scene that has beautiful sounds of screaming and harmony together.

Eski: Out in Europe, I like looking at what Epica and After Forever have done with vocals.

Belle: We really love bringing something different to music. We wouldn’t be pushing the boundaries of music if we both sounded the same.

Metal Odyssey: “Clutching Defeat” from the “Nightmares” EP seems to be the heaviest and angriest Morphine Killer song. Where did you draw the extreme inspirtation for this intensely great Metal song?

Eski: “Clutching Defeat” has an Old School, Thrash vibe, with a Metallica like riff. It’s a song I took on all myself. It’s a song about knowing you get defeated all the time and you are always being close to winning, then something takes it away.

Metal Odyssey: How supportive has Final Breath Records been to Morphine Killer?

Eski: That’s our company!

Metal Odyssey: Hey, great for you guys! That’s very cool.

Eski: We started this label to back our own stuff.

Belle: It’s being entrepreneurs and we really enjoy knowing we can do this.

Eski: To be taken seriously as musicians, we have to do this and have control of our music.

Metal Odyssey: A rising band like Morphine Killer can utilize a vast array of internet platforms to gain exposure. Does utilizing the internet for promotion take away some of the stress of needing to get your name and music out to the world?

Eski: Sometimes, only there are a lot of other people using the same platforms as us. Interviews and reviews do help of course!

Belle: There is always going to be equal stress, we still have to be going to places for promoting ourselves. The internet is a fantastic gateway of course, the best gateway right now is selling on itunes. It’s the way of the future and we use the technology to our most advantage. Eski is in charge of our marketing and promotion, he’s our publicist as well. Eski is the one behind our website and Myspace Music Page. The amount of exposure Morphine Killer has generated in just two years, is remarkable.

Metal Odyssey: No one can say the two of you are lazy, that’s for sure! I give both of you enormous credit for taking charge and making it happen.

Eski and Belle: Thanks!

Metal Odyssey: “She’s Slipping Away” just resonates with emotion in both Belle’s vocals and the lyrics. Is this song about a personal experience?

Belle: Yes it is. This is a song I wrote about my Mom. She passed away a couple of years ago from cancer. It was a terrible experience, to watch someone I love so much suffer and die this way.

Metal Odyssey: I’m very sorry to hear that Belle. I’m sorry for your loss.

Belle: I wanted to really put my emotions in song for others to hear it, so people could relate. Instead of sitting around at home and doing nothing about what I was feeling and going through, I wrote this song, both the music and lyrics. I do want people to take away whatever inspiration they want from this song, fans don’t have to relate it to my personal loss.

Metal Odyssey: Eski, you and Belle are without question, multi-talented musically, the “Nightmares” and “Unapologetic” EP’s prove this. With that said, would you ever consider adding musicians to Morphine Killer?

Eski: I would like to. It would be a different vibe, as opposed to playing instruments back to you vs. a live environment.

Metal Odyssey: Eski, what is your favorite instrument to play?

Eski: I’m trying to make the bass more fun. I’m more inclined to play the bass live.

Metal Odyssey: You have posted many of your music influences on the Morphine Killer Myspace Music Page. Which band or what musician is your most personal influence?

Eski: Metallica! I especially like “Master Of Puppets”, it’s just awesome! Avenged Sevenfold as well.

Belle: I like Classic Rock. Heart and more recently, Gwen Stefani. Vocally, it’s Ann Wilson and Gwen Stefani, I love those two women! I was raised on Classic Rock because of my parents. Classic Rock was imbedded in our minds, it was the music our parents played in the car and at home.

Eski: As a kid growing up, I knew about bands like Boston and Deep Purple before I knew of Metal!

Metal Odyssey: What band or bands are you aspiring to tour with down the Metal road?

Belle: Good question!

Eski: Metallica, someday!

Metal Odyssey: Hey, there’s nothing wrong with aiming high!

Belle: Avenged Sevenfold is what Eski always says as well. Nine Inch Nails would be great!

Eski: Deathklok, just because of the way their assembled. I really admire what Brendon Small has accomplished with Deathklok, just the way he built that band.

Metal Odyssey: Where will Morphine Killer be in ten years?

Eski: Hopefully on the radio!

Belle: Oh yeah!

Metal Odyssey: Well, something tells me you will be. Especially with the talent and attitude you both have.

Stone.

* You can check out more Morphine Killer by clicking onto their official website and Myspace Music Page links below!

MORPHINE KILLER – Official Website

MORPHINE KILLER – Myspace music

LONG LIVE MORPHINE KILLER!

Stone.

 

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KITTIE AND GOD FORBID – 2010 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES!

Posted in concerts, cool album covers, current heavy metal bands, current heavy metal music, Extreme Metal, extreme metal bands, extreme metal music, extreme music, heavy metal albums 2009, heavy metal bands, heavy metal bands 2010, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, heavy metal tours, metal music, metal odyssey, Music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 9, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

KITTIE and GOD FORBID – TOUR DATE SCHEDULE – NORTH AMERICA!

3/3/10 – Toronto, ON. Opera House
3/4/10 – Mar Montreal, QC. Underworld
3/6/10 – Sayreville, NJ. Starland Ballroom
3/7/10 – Raleigh, NC. Volume 11
3/8/10 – Allentown, PA. Crocodile Rock
3/10/10 – Huntington, WV. V Club
3/11/10 – Covington, KY. Mad Hatter
3/14/10 – Milwaukee, WI. The Rave
3/16/10 – Waterloo, IA. Spicoli’s Rock Garden
3/19/10 – Columbus, OH. Al Rosa Villa
3/20/10 – Flint, MI. Machine Shop
3/21/10 – Cleveland, OH. Peabodys
3/23/10 – New York, NY. BB Kings
3/24/10 – Foxborough, MA. Showcase Live
3/25/10 – Nashua, NH. Amber Room
3/26/10 – Orono, ME. Ultra Lounge
3/27/10 – Poughkeepsie, NY. The Chance

Two unreal great Metal Bands… together… this shall make for one HELL of a show!

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EXODUS – “SHOVEL HEADED TOUR MACHINE” DVD/CD RELEASES U.S. JANUARY 12, 2009!

Posted in 1980's thrash metal bands, 1980's thrash metal music, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's thrash metal, 1990's thrash metal bands, 1990's thrash metal music, current thrash metal, current thrash metal albums, current thrash metal bands, current thrash metal music, heavy metal albums, heavy metal bands, heavy metal festivals, heavy metal history, heavy metal music, heavy metal music 2010, live thrash metal music, metal odyssey, Music, new thrash metal albums, old school thrash metal bands, old school thrash metal music, thrash metal albums, thrash metal bands, thrash metal bands 2010, thrash metal guitarists, thrash metal legends, thrash metal music, thrash metal music 2010 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 7, 2010 by Metal Odyssey

Look out. Gary Holt and Tom Hunting mean Metal business… their legendary Thrash Band – Exodus is going to make another Thrash Metal thunder strike again in 2010. Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken And Other Assorted Atrocities, (on Nuclear Blast), hits the U.S. Metal Market on January 12, 2009 and the European Metal Market on January 15, 2009! That is this coming Tuesday, my fellow U.S. Metalheads. When I stop to think about it, there is nothing more Metal enlightening than having so many Old School Thrash Bands still creating albums, DVD’s and touring up to this point in Metal time, Exodus is just one great example.

This NEW Exodus release will be a 2 DVD and 1 CD package – U.S. The double DVD is live concert footage of Exodus at the Wacken Open Air Festival. The CD is live Exodus playing at the Waken Open Air Festival… we are going to get the best of both Thrash Metal worlds here, both audio and visual! This release features Exodus at the 2008 Wacken Open Air Festival. Also included on the DVD: Exodus documentary, never before seen footage, photo gallery and music videos.

Exodus Is:

Rob Dukes – vocals

Gary Holt – guitar

Lee Altus – guitar

Jack Gibson – bass

Tom Hunting – drums

The Wacken Open Air Heavy Metal Festival is annually held in Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany. The Wacken Festival was first held in 1990, as a small concert promoting and showcasing local German bands. The Wacken Open Air Festival is now the major Heavy Metal festival held in Europe today.

To find out more about the Wacken Open Air Festival history and up to the minute news on the 2010 edition of this Heavy Metal celebration, click here: Wacken Open Air Festival

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