Years ago, I posted my “Metal Pick Of the Day“ on a frequent schedule. I’ve decided to return with writing for this fun topic again. I’ve chosen the first live album from Slayer, Live Undead, as my Metal Pick Of The Day for February 25th.
Live Undead was released back in 1984, via Metal Blade Records. I was a senior in high school back in 1984. Unreal, I know. I was a first-class smartass back in 1984; I still am, only not first-class. Anyhow, I originally bought Live Undead on cassette. Decades later, I sold that cassette with other vintage 80s Metal cassettes. Ouch. Long story short, I needed the money.
Fast forward to January 2023 and I purchased Live Undead on CD. Finally. I was so elated to own this slice of Slayer history once again! The music critics that have written lousy reviews over the years for Live Undead can simply kiss my ass. The controversy over the years regarding if a true live audience was present for this recording means donkey shit to me. I. Don’t. Care.
Listening to Live Undead is equal to comfort food for me. The early years of Slayer songs brings back such good memories. This album is raw, vicious and showcases how Thrash is supposed to sound like then and even now. An undisputed live Thrash Metal classic is this album, in my opinion. My favorite song on LiveUndead is The Antichrist. Hell, this entire album is an enduring slice of Metal history. Metal be thy name. – Stone.
SLAYER – Tom Araya – lead vocals and bass ~ Jeff Hanneman – guitarist ~ Kerry King – guitarist ~ Dave Lombardo – drums
TOLEDO DEATH FEST is ready to stir up the most extreme mosh pit to ever tornado Ohio and its surrounding states. This year’s event is being hosted on June 3rd in Toledo, OH at Mainstreet Bar and will feature headliners, OCEANO alongside The Convalescence, VCTMS, Incite, and many more (full lineup below).
Since its inception in 2009 by Keith Wampler, the frontman of The Convalescence and owner of The Legend Agency, the festival has showcased the talents of some of the American Midwest’s best up-and-coming metal bands. Past editions have seen past support from well-known artists such as Jungle Rot, Malevolent Creation, The Breathing Process, and Casket Robbery among many more. The festival has been an extreme metal pilgrimage for fans living in the surrounding states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
“I am very happy to be able to bring Toledo Deathfest back in 2023 with one of the most insane lineups we’ve ever had. This festival has come from being local bands at small venues to a two-stage festival featuring bands from around the country thanks to the incredible support of everyone who attends each year. Thank you to everyone who has supported Toledo Deathfest and I look forward to seeing everyone again on June 3rd!” adds festival organizer Keith Wampler.
Highlights of the confirmed bands include headliners Oceano with their blast beats, sonic double bass, slow heavy breakdowns, low death metal growls, and shrieking metalcore vocals ready to annihilate the pit with their discography since 2009.
THE CONVALESCENCE
The Convalescence is one of the USA’s unstoppable tour de force, touring Europe in 2022 with Chelsea Grin, and Carnifex plus an upcoming tour in Japan in 2023 with Exhumed and Defiled along with their latest single “No Survivors” ft. Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex, that has fans demanding more and more.
VCTMS
A versatile metalcore group based out of Illinois, VCTMS employs an ambitious blend of punishing breakdowns, catchy melodies, and crushing riffs that draw from post-hardcore, hip-hop, industrial and alternative metal. They have released three full-length albums to date. Their third album Vol. III Halfway Happy was released on August 31, 2018, and reached #25 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart during its first week of release.
INCITE
Phoenix, AZ’s INCITE, now close to 20 years into a career where everything was earned and nothing was taken for granted, the band bridges the gap between multiple crowds across various metal sub-genres. As renegade disciples of trailblazing architects like Pantera, Slayer, Sepultura, and Machine Head, INCITE raise the torch for trend-killing and hipster-smashing metal. Incite is as much a part of the fabric of the style championed by Lamb Of God as the surge of newer bands like Power Trip. The band’s fifth album, Built to Destroy released in 2019 (Minus Head Records), is a visceral, urgent, voracious distillation of modern metal, with reverence for the past, produced by Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide Silence) and mastered by Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Hatebreed).
Toledo Death Fest 2023 Full Lineup: Oceano (Chicago, IL) The Convalescence (Toledo, OH) VCTMS (Streamwood, IL) Incite (Phoenix, AZ) Hive (Chicago, IL) Carrion Vael (Richmond, IN) WoR (Raleigh, NC) Within Chaos (Fort Worth, TX) The D.O.O.D (Sarasota, FL) Squidhammer (Watertown, WI) Filth Spewer (South Bend, IN) Ignominious (Norwalk, OH) Cephlic (Toledo, OH) Death Hex (Toledo, OH) Pharohound (Fort Wayne, IN) Extinction Agenda (Ohio)
Sponsors: Fultztron Entertainment, Bloodlust Media, Dedfish Productions, Inverted Realm Designs, and Lost In The Dark Podcast
Vendors Onsite: Peril Hot Sauce, Creature Feature Spoo-Tique, and Hostile Creations
To follow updates for Toledo Death Fest 2023, please visit the following links:
Legendary multinational thrash metallers EXUMER will return to US stages this Spring for four special performances from April 13th through April 16th. The North American Hostilities 2023 run includes shows in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Houston, and finally Lombard, Illinois where the band will play Metal Threat Fest. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
EXUMER – North American Hostilities 2023: 4/13/2023 Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA 4/14/2023 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY 4/15/2023 The White Swan – Houston, TX 4/16/2023 Metal Threat Fest @ Brauer House – Lombard, IL
EXUMER released their fifth full-length, Hostile Defiance, via Metal Blade Records in 2019. The album hit the German album charts on position 42, marking the highest chart entry in the band’s storied history. Hostile Defiance is exactly what its title suggests: a forty-two-minute full-on attack. The thrash faction hold nothing back as they unleash hell as only they can, yet with more variety and dynamics than ever before.
Detroit (MI) – Melodic Power Thrashers AMONG THESE ASHES will release their new single “The Enemy in I” on April 21, packaged with b-side track “Sirens,” a cover of the Savatage classic. Artwork for the new single will be revealed on social media in a series of fragments March 22-27, culminating in the full reveal on March 28, along with the release of a lyric video for “Sirens.”
The band released the following statement concerning the forthcoming single package:
“A year after releasing our debut album, Dominion Enthroned, we return with our newest track, The Enemy in I. This track lyrically chronicles the woes of self-destruction. We worship at the altar of those who paved this musical path for us, and in that spirit, we’ve included a cover of a Savatage classic Sirens, as a B-side track to this release. Both tracks display our signature attributes with pummeling aggression contrasted by thematic melodies and harmony. We cannot wait to bring these cacophonous offerings to the ravenous metal hordes.”
In other news, the band just released a lyric video for a reworked version of”A Veil of Black,” a track from Dominion Enthroned, at youtu.be/Dt8CsNn7QdQ.
The new version of “A Veil of Black” features Brooke Rousseau of Lady Luna and the Devil on vocals with AMONG THESE ASHES lead vocalist, JP Abboud. The video was created by Ross Morgan. The song is included as a bonus track on Alone Records’ February 28 CD reissue of Dominion Enthroned. Pre-orders are available at this location.
Dominion Enthroned, which was released in early 2022, is available to stream in its entirety at the following locations:
BIO: Among These Ashes is a melodic power/thrash metal band hailing from Detroit, MI. The central focus of this band is creating stellar, highly-memorable metal songs. The band’s sound is crushingly heavy and punctuated by cerebral arrangements, thought-provoking lyrics, and dynamic shifts in tempo and aggression. The band’s debut musical offering, Dominion Enthroned, is a conceptual tour de force inspired by modern societal parallels and struggles.
If you are a death metal fan, GRACELESS shouldn’t need an introduction. Three full lengths and two split EPs have granted the Dutch ensemble a respectable reputation across the globe. Closer to home, the four piece has played countless live shows since their 2016 inception. The rock solid line up -unchanged since day one- has delivered ferocious, high energy live performances at Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Into the Grave, Party San Metal Open Air, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting, Stonehenge, SDF2021 and many more festivals and clubs.
Joining forces with LISTENABLE RECORDS in 2023 is the next thundering milestone for GRACELESS. Tirelessly working on their fourth full-length, the next chapter for GRACELESS will be another step deeper into the abyss that started with Shadowlands (2018), via Where Vultures Know Your Name (2020), to Chants from Purgatory (2022).
The band comments: «The forthcoming album will add yet another layer to what some reviewers have called ‘the Graceless sound’: guiding the listener through ever darker catacombs of doomed melancholia while proudly striking a blunt death metal hammer. We are ready to descend further down. Are you coming with us?”
Listenable records will also reissue the band’s first three albums in all formats!
GRACELESS line up : Remco Kreft: Guitar, Vocals Marc Verhaar: Drums Jasper Aptroot: Bass Björn Brusse: Lead Guitar
ATAVISTIA is a wall of sound that joyously greets the ears and assails the senses. With sweeping instrumentals, grand orchestrations, and guitars heavier than Thor’s hammer, this Canadian epic metal band from Vancouver is preparing to unleash their next odyssey, Cosmic Warfare on April 21, 2023. Pre-orders are available HERE.
The band comments on the new single: “Cosmic Warfare blasts from beginning to end as a Super Nova cleanses what we know. The amalgamation of chaos and anger brought forth during the pandemic was Cosmic Warfare’s inspiration. Such chaos and speed delivers an outlet for those who greatly suffered during these tumultuous times.”
Today the band has revealed the title track, along with a video. Stream it HERE.
What began as a bedroom project in 2016, became a full band in 2018 with Mattias Sippola on vocals and guitar, Dalton Meaden on guitar, D’wayne Murray on bass and Max Sepulveda on drums.
Fans of WINTERSUN, ENSIFERUM, DIMMU BORGIR, and XANTHOCHROID will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.
ATAVISTIA goes beyond merely crafting songs and takes you on a mental journey through vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras and barren permafrost laced landscapes. Beyond the frosty roots of their blackened inspiration, Cosmic Warfare aims for the stars and the vast emptiness of the macrocosm. Bear witness to the destruction of our planet and our cosmos and experience the nothingness of space.
Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, ATAVISTIA’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction as they balance graceful melodies with brutal rhythmic cacophony.
On stage they are a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore, their music washes over audiences leaving them gasping for more. In a niche among metal genres, ATAVISTIA has firmly established its presence.
Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?
Finnish traditional heavy metal / doom metal band WIZARDS OF HAZARDS releases their second album SUPERNATURAL today February 17th 2023. The album is available on music services and as CD.
WIZARDS OF HAZARDS are a heavy metal band from Middle Finland. Sharing the same interest for vintage instruments and heavy music composing, they are doing their own music entirely through full analog signal chain. Their musical influences come from the recordings of the analog aeons, mostly 70’s and 80’s heavy metal, and their lyrics are inspired by bygone times, supernatural phenomenons and old tales & beliefs. After decades of jamming and performing as a trio, they shifted their shapes into a four piece and changed their name to WIZARDS OF HAZARDS.
A debut album END OF TIME came out in 2020. Album consists of doomish, heavy riffed songs from the band’s early years, and three of those were pre-released on the BLIND LEADS THE BLIND EP on that same year – both releases came via Inverse Records. Recordings were made on RTM SM900 magnetic tape within two sessions in january and june 2020 under the brilliant guidance of analog wizard Anssi Kippo at Astia-studios, Lappeenranta Finland.
The BLACK WIZARD EP was released on december 2021 by Inverse Records, and it was a hats off to their roots with ep given the band’s former name. Those three, very old songs came from the same session at the Astia-studio november 2021 as all the songs of the second album SUPERNATURAL. Although most of the songs of their second long play were made long ago, the lyrics of the album are unfortunately valid and sadly true today also. The cover art presents stunning sculptures of Vilde Hage Aune, and all the songs were recorded again on magnetic tapes with help of Mr. Kippo in that doomy & riff-based, vintage sounding way of the WIZARDS OF HAZARDS.
Bay Area death metallers NECROT will return to stages this May on a Western US headlining tour! The journey begins May 12th in Los Angeles, California and runs through May 20th in Oakland, California. Support will be provided by Mortiferum and labelmates Deathgrave. On May 26th, the band will make an appearance at this year’s Northwest Terror Fest.
Comments NECROT bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio, “We are excited to be hitting the road again with a bunch of friends like Mortiferum and Deathgrave. I know people have been waiting to hear us play the songs from Mortal live and it’s time for that wait to be over. We have been working on a new album that is being recorded very soon so it feels good to be back both in the studio and back on stage playing live shows. We hope to see lots of people attending. We are going to to do our best to make every night of this tour a night to remember. So make sure you don’t miss it and to come prepared for one of the deadliest, heaviest nights of your miserable existence. See you there!”
See all confirmed dates below.
NECROT w/ Mortiferum, Deathgrave: 5/12/2023 Teregram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA 5/13/2023 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 5/14/2023 Nile Underground – Mesa, AZ 5/15/2023 Sister – Albuquerque, NM 5/16/2023 Hi Dive – Denver, CO 5/17/2023 Ace’s High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT 5/19/2023 Cafe Colonial – Sacramento, CA 5/20/2023 Eli’s Mile High Club – Oakland, CA 5/26/2023 Northwest Terror Fest @ Neumos – Seattle, WA. * NECROT only
NECROT released their Mortal full-length in 2020 via Tankcrimes. The crushing output earned the #2 spot on Billboard’s Top New Artist chart, #30 on the Top Current Albums chart, #4 on the Current Hard Music, and #10 on the Heatseeker Albums chart upon its first week of release.
Mortal was recorded by Grammy-award-winning engineer Greg Wilkinson (High On Fire, Autopsy) and mastered by Alan Douches (Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, Mastodon) at West West Side. The record features cover art by Marald Van Haasteren (Baroness, Mortuous) and is available on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats.
For physical orders, visit the Tankcrimes Merch Table at THIS LOCATION. Visit the NECROT Bandcamp page HERE for digital orders and more.
Swedish/Norwegian melodic power metal band SAINTDEAMON has announced to return with a brand new studio album, entitled “League Of The Serpent”, about three and a half years after their quasi-“comeback” album “Ghost”.
Known for their high-quality sound and an individual touch (which is often hard to find in the power metal genre), also “League Of The Serpent” clearly shows the great quality of vocal wonder Jan-Thore Grefstad, guitarist Toya Johansson, bass player Nobby Noberg (ex-Dionysus) and new drummer Alfred Fridhagen (Gaia Epicus).
Tracks such as the upbeat first single “At Break Of Dawn” showcase the typical SAINT DEAMON compositions, in addition the band skillfully incorporates progressive nuances and makes “League Of The Serpent” an album that will be most likely one of the genre highlights in 2023! Due out April 21, 2023 as Digipak CD and limited (500 units) colored vinyl edition via AFM Records. The album pre-sale is now available at THIS LOCATION.
Watch the brand new lyric video for first single, the album opening track “At Break Of Dawn”, now streaming HERE:
“At break of dawn is the 4th song about Captain Saint Deamon and his crew. This time while they were out pirating“, the band reveals. “A rival or enemy if you will – came to the captains home island to rob and destroy the captains town and the captain goes for revenge. The fights are happening while the town is on fire. In the end our captain takes back what was his.”
“Bring Out Your Dead“ release in US on April 7th / EU on March 17th via Massacre Records!
Already overwhelmed with emotions and melodies to share, the unexpected pandemic adds a veil of darkness to everyone’s view of the world today. This could not leave ELYSION untouched either, as it influenced their new album when it comes to symbolism and atmosphere used on the record. Taking a few steps back and contemplating everything, it becomes clear that we are miserably failing as humanity.
Their new offering will be available as CD Digipak, a limited LP Vinyl edition and Digital formats. The album title is a metaphor, suggesting that extreme times are requiring extreme measures to get rid of everything rotten inside us and let the healing begin.
Today, the band has shared a video for first single ‘Crossing Over’, as the band reveals: “There was no doubt we’d choose this song to be ELYSION’s very first official video clip ever, as the song represents our distinctive musical identity 100%. “Crossing Over” is a sound statement for our band, one that anyone who has been following us through the years will probably relate to. This song is quite personal too, as it praises the crossover one has to make in order to break away from your personal demons, to prevail over your self-destructive alter ego, and to find hope in life.“
Watch the new ELYSION clip for ‘Crossing Over‘ now streaming HERE:
Despite not being considered a concept album, “Bring Out Your Dead” indicates a crossover from darkness towards light; with “light being our better version, our pure nature, one that hasn’t been poisoned by the corruption of mankind“. The ten new album tracks consist of a lot of different compositions, thus letting many different shades of their musical character show. Apart from ELYSION’s distinctive own identity being prominent throughout the songs, it gave them great excitement to experiment with heavier sounds, a more alternative atmosphere and dynamics that led to an evolved sound compared to their previous releases.
As the first single proves, it’s immediate evident thattheir third studio album seems to be ELYSION‘s most mature and well thought of work so far, which has been continuously created with a lot of love and care. “Bring Out Your Dead“ was recorded and mixed by Mark Adrian, and was mastered by Nasos Nomikos at VU Productions. The pre-sale has just started at THIS LOCATION!
ELYSION; Christianna – Vocals Johnny Zero – Guitar Nid – Guitar FXF – Bass Ilias Laitsas – Drums
For the first time in more than 23 years, Megadeth alumni Marty Friedman will join Megadeth on stage as the special guest for our one-off global livestream from the legendary Budokan Arena in Tokyo, Japan on February 27!
“Marty and I have remained friends over 23 years, since we last played together. However, I hear his music every night, and he still is among the top guitar players I’ve ever heard. This is an amazing treat for the fans, as well as myself. To be honest, I may drift off while listening to Kiko and Marty play together!” -Dave Mustaine
Texas death bringers CREEPING DEATH will support extreme metal legends Carcass on their upcoming North American Spring tour. The journey kicks off on March 31st in Santa Ana, California and winds its way through two dozen cities, closing on April 30th in Los Angeles, California. Additional support will be provided by Municipal Waste and Sacred Reich. Tickets are on sale now! See all confirmed dates below.
CREEPING DEATH w/ Carcass, Municipal Waste, Sacred Reich: 3/31/2023 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA 4/01/2023 The Nile – Mesa, AZ 4/03/2023 The Mohawk – Austin, TX 4/04/2023 Grenada Theater – Dallas, TX 4/05/2023 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 4/07/2023 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA 4/08/2023 The Orpheum – Tampa, FL 4/11/2023 The Ritz – Raleigh, NC 4/12/2023 Baltimore Sound Stage – Baltimore, MD 4/13/2023 Irving Plaza – New York, NY 4/14/2023 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 4/15/2023 Corona – Montreal, QC 4/16/2023 Phoenix – Toronto, ON 4/18/2023 Metro – Chicago, IL 4/19/2023 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN 4/20/2023 The Granada – Lawrence, KS 4/21/2023 The Gothic – Denver, CO 4/22/2023 The Depot – Salt Lake City, UT 4/24/2023 The Crocodile – Seattle, WA 4/25/2023 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC 4/26/2023 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR 4/28/2023 The UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA 4/29/2023 The Observatory – San Diego, CA 4/30/2023 The Belasco – Los Angeles, CA
CREEPING DEATH continues to tour in support of their most recent release The Edge Of Existence EP, out now on MNRK Heavy. With a nod to crossover masters Iron Age, a bit of the tech-death of Cryptopsy, a foundation of forebearers Death, CREEPING DEATH summons a vibrant sound somehow both familiar and fresh. The Edge Of Existence EP further demonstrates the power, fury, and outright revelry at the heart of the band’s identity.
Captured at Homewrecker Recording Studio in Tucson, Arizona and produced and mixed by Ryan Bram (Gatecreeper, Bitter Rivals, Sex Prisoner), the six-song EP introduces three new certified hellraisers — “Relics From The Past,” “Humanity Transcends,” and the title track — alongside remade and revitalized versions of the three songs from the band’s 2016 debut EP — “Sacrament Of Death,” “Doused In Flames,” and “Skinned Alive.”
The Edge Of Existence EP is available on CD, cassette, digital, and vinyl formats at THIS LOCATION.
View the band’s video for the EP’s title track HERE and a visualizer for “Humanity Transcends” HERE.
After twelve years of band history by now, it’s time to take the power metal hope WINTERSTORM to a new level. The band‘s fifth studio album, entitled “Everfrost”, will be their first offering since 2016 and their debut on AFM Records.
“Winter” stands for nordic viking and folk metal, “Storm” for fast-paced power metal, combined with epic and orchestral metal facettes, WINTERSTORM shines in a new splendor as the brand new album single, “To The End Of All Known” proves.
The band comments: “While our new Single “To The End Of All Known” is about uncertain future times driven by technical progress, we as a band are looking forward positively to play our next shows for our fans and hope they enjoy the newest Song and our upcoming album.”
Watch WINTERSTORM’s new video for “To The End Of All Known” HERE
It’s the melodic grandeur, that clearly marks the foreground of WINTERSTORM, reflected in heavily catchy choruses and colossal, polyphonic vocals. Striking elements of different metal styles merge with each other and get a completely new impression, that WINTERSTORM’s forthcoming record may be their most versatile and powerful album to date; one that does not have to hide behind proved genre colleagues such as Blind Guardian or Rhapsody Of Fire.
“Everfrost” will be available as CD Digipak, limited clear blue Vinyl and Boxset on July 14, 2023 through AFM Records, the pre-sale is now online at THIS LOCATION!
PYRAMAZE are an exceptional phenomenon in the international prog- and power metal scene. Their sound brings along numerous traditional melodic and progressive metal trademarks, but gets an immensely high recognition value by their unique feeling for great melodies – in connection with a certain open-mindedness for contemporary arrangements and further development.
It’s no secret that the band is currently working on a new album – and already the first single “Broken Arrow” stands as the epitome of what PYRAMAZE is about. Cast in a first-class production by PYRAMAZE guitarist and renowned producer Jacob Hansen, the track is elevated to highest quality realms not least by the fabulous organ of singer Terje Harøy.
Says keyboardist Jonah Weingarten: “Broken Arrow represents the perfect mixture of Disciples of the Sun- Pyramaze era with a splash of our modern Epitaph sound. It has the big chorus, huge strings, big powerful vocals, and catchy melodies that we are known for. It was an easy choice for our first single for our upcoming album!”
Watch the brand new video for “Broken Arrow”, now streaming below, and stay tuned for many more album news and details to follow soon.
German metal commandos PRIMALFEAR celebrated their twenty-fifth band anniversary with select events last year, including live shows and reissuing their iconic self-titled debut album. The time was also spent preparing the huge sonic assault named Code Red, set to be unleashed on September 1st through Atomic Fire!
Produced by bass player Mat Sinner and co-produced by vocalist Ralf Scheepers as well as guitarist Tom Naumann, the record will once again be mixed and mastered by long-time PRIMAL FEAR companion Jacob Hansen at his own Hansen Studios in Denmark. To give fans a first impression of the album, which is still in its recording stages, the group has unveiled its cover artwork, designed by Stan W. Decker who created previous works for the band including 2017’s Angels Of Mercy – Live In Germany, 2018’s Apocalypse, and 2021’s I Will Be Gone.
And PRIMAL FEAR wouldn’t be PRIMAL FEAR if they didn’t announce the first leg of their upcoming European tour as well. Kicking off with a hometown show at Stuttgart’s Im Wizemann venue, the run will also lead the “eagles” to many other countries beyond Germany and Switzerland. Special guests on this run will be power metallers The Unity featuring members of Gamma Ray, Edguy, Primal Fear, and more. Additional dates will be announced in the weeks to come. Find tickets at metaltix.com before they’re gone!
CommentsMat Sinner, “The world is in a state of emergency, one catastrophe follows another. Code Red is our statement about the present and the title of our upcoming fourteenth studio album, which will be released directly at the tour start on September 1st. According to its title, it will be a heavy, powerful, and uncompromising record – 110% PRIMAL FEAR!”
PRIMAL FEAR: 6/24/2023 Koba Live – Abadiño, ES w/ The Unity – Code Red European Tour – Part 1: 9/01/2023 Im Wizemann (Halle) – Stuttgart, DE 9/02/2023 Kaminwerk – Memmingen, DE 9/03/2023 Frankenhalle – Naila , DE 9/05/2023 Backstage (Werk) – Munich, DE 9/06/2023 Zeche – Bochum, DE 9/07/2023 Batschkapp – Frankfurt, DE 9/09/2023 Le Port Franc – Sion, CH 9/10/2023 Z7 – Pratteln, CH To be continued…
Order/stream the band’s reissued debut album, Primal Fear [Deluxe Edition; Remastered], released on July 15th, 2022, at THIS LOCATION.
View PRIMAL FEAR’s previously released videos for “Chainbreaker,” “Running In The Dust,” and so much more at the Atomic Fire Youtube channel at THIS LOCATION.
PRIMAL FEAR: Ralf Scheepers – vocals Mat Sinner – bass, vocals Tom Naumann – guitars Alexander Beyrodt – guitars Magnus Karlsson – guitars Michael Ehré – drums
MEGADETH announce ‘They Only Come Out at Night’ – Live at Budokan – A Global Livestream Event on February 27, 2023 + on-demand for 2 days!
Metal icons MEGADETH will perform live at the legendary Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan for a special global livestream event on 27th February.
Fans will be treated to virtual VIP access to the band pre-show, with an exclusive behind-the-scenes video capturing their trip through Japan. All leading into the band’s first-ever live performance at the world-famous Budokan where they will be performing classic tracks, as well as tracks from their current album, The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead!, including the GRAMMY® nominated single “We’ll Be Back”.
EUROPE… 2023! Most dates on sale now. Poland, Estonia, Sweden & Czech Republic on-sale Friday, 3 February. France on-sale Thursday, 2 February. Tickets & info at megadeth.com/tour
Promo pic by Sami Hinkkanen. (From left to right: Rasmus Raassina, Harri Annala, Marko Loukamaa, Miika Erkkilä, Ari Lempinen, Esa Lempinen
Finnish progressive metal band Sum of Seven released a new single and music video ”The Monster…The King’. The track is released in collaboration with Inverse Records.
Ari Lempinen comments: “In the song The Monster…The King we wanted to give more room to the instruments to tell the story supporting the vocals. The song flows with tasty solos and tight riffs in synergy with Marko’s vocals and dances between succulent blasting and a relaxing respite. The music reflects the atmosphere of the lyrics, which dive deep into a dreamlike space where the monsters and kings within us are in juxtaposition. The music video features the skilled breakdancer Jose Granados aka Bboy Kalaco who interprets the mood and the message of the song with his skillful moves.“
Single cover by Ari Lempinen
The Monster…The King (single 2023)
Composed by Ari Lempinen Lyrics by Ari Lempinen, Esa Lempinen & Marko Loukamaa
Line-up: Ari Lempinen: Guitar, backing vocals Esa Lempinen: Keyborads Rasmus Raassina: Drums Harri Annala: Guitar Miika Erkkilä: Bass Marko Loukamaa: Vocals
Italy’s ADVERSOR will release their new studio album “Portrait Of A Wasteland” February 24th 2023 via Time To Kill Records, today unveiling the record’s cover art, track listing and stunning first single.
Portrait Of A Wasteland” represents a journey through some of the darkest moments a person can ever experience: suffering, anxiety, grief, frustration, barren dreams, denied future without forgetting a ferocious critic to a rotten society, clearly drowning into a spiral of extremisms. Ten raging tracks of pure metal that define a new chapter for the band, displaying a more mature sound mixing Thrash, Death, Black and classic Heavy. Vitriolic lyrics, razor-sharp riffs, neckwrecking parts are what “Portrait Of A Wasteland” is made of.
Formed in 2015, ADVERSOR released a demo and two full-length albums, “Rise to Survive” and “The End of Mankind”, in quick succession. Both records allowed them to play everywhere in Italy and Europe alongside acts such as Exciter, Protector, Nifelheim, Gama Bomb and many others.
Discography:
Beware of the Soothsayer (demo) – 2016 Rise to Survive – 2016 The End of Mankind – 2018
Line-up:
Dado – Vocals/Guitar Phil – Guitar Ale – Bass Ja – Drums
New Album, “I Am The Storm”, Out On March 17, 2023 Via AFM Records!
Following the band’s recent announcement, to release their forthcoming, eighth studio offering IAm The Storm on March 17, 2023 through AFM Records, today, Los Angeles-based progressive metal masters Redemption have unleashed a brand new single! By the end of 2022, the band already shared a first album foretaste with a music video for the colossal album title track I Am The Storm.
Band mastermind Nicolas van Dyk reveals: “If I Am The Storm showcases the heaviest aspect of Redemption, Seven Minutes From Sunset showcases a more melodic metal current of prog metal, as Someone Else’s Problem did on our last CD. As for the lyrics…they’re a metaphor. For the listener to decipher.”
Listen to “Seven Minutes From Sunset”, now streaming HERE
Redemption belongs to one of the leading progressive metal bands in the heavy music world today. Formed in Los Angeles, California in 2000 by guitarist / keyboardist / songwriter Nicolas van Dyk, the band features iconic vocalist Thomas England of Evergrey, the rhythm section of Chris Quirarte (drums) and bassist Sean Andrews, as well as keyboard phenom Vikram Shankar.
As the album title already promises, I Am The Storm is a gripping, stirring, overwhelming and dramatic, new record by the power prog metal act. Combining unapologetic melodies and hooks with technicality, complexity and thundering riffs, Redemption once again occupies a unique place with its powerful, heavy, intelligent and deeply emotional music.
I Am The Storm was produced by van Dyk, Vikram Shankar and sound engineer/guitarist Simone Mularoni (DGM), who – alongside Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth) and Henrik Danhage (Evergrey) – will be also featured as a guest musician on the album. The new Redemption record also contains two cover songs, ‘Turn It On Again’ by Genesis and ‘Red Rain’ by Peter Gabriel.
Set to be released on March 17, 2023 via AFM Records, the album pre-sale has just started at THIS LOCATION!
I Am The Storm – track listing:
I Am The Storm
Seven Minutes From Sunset
Remember The Dawn
The Emotional Depiction Of Light
Resilience
Action At A Distance
Turn It On Again
All This Time (And Not Enough)
The Emotional Depiction Of Light (Remix)
Red Rain
Vinyl Bonus Tracks: The Pearl Clutchers (feat. Chris Poland) The Far Side Of The Clouds (feat. Henrik Danhage)
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 
You must be logged in to post a comment.