CHARLIE BENANTE – Hey all you Anthrax fans. Charlie Benante wants you to check out his new website http://www.charliebenante.com/Home/. Also, check out his facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/CharlieBenanteFanPage.
LONG LIVE CHARLIE BENANTE.
LONG LIVE ANTHRAX.
Stone.
Portland, Oregon’s Metal-Punk warriors TOXIC HOLOCAUST have teamed up with Cleveland, Ohio’s Midnight for a split 7” to benefit the victims of the Japanese tsunami disaster.
The 7” is limited to a one-time pressing of 1,000 copies on Japanese-flag colored heavy-weight vinyl, and features tracks from both bands (“A.T.O.M.I.C.” by TOXIC HOLOCAUST, “Destroy Tsunami’s Power” by Midnight) exclusive to this release. The split also features exclusive artwork by Daniel “Sawblade” Shaw (TOXIC HOLOCAUST, Insect Warfare, Coffins). All proceeds will go to the Red Cross relief efforts for victims of the tsunami disaster. The 7” can be ordered HERE.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST recently released the first video from their brand new album, Conjure And Command. The video, for the track “Judgment Awaits You,” can be viewed at THIS LOCATION.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
LONG LIVE TOXIC HOLOCAUST.
LONG LIVE MIDNIGHT.
LONG LIVE JAPAN.
Stone.
SPEEDPIG – They’re raw. They’re Metal. They’re Stoner Metal. They’re a bit traditional with their Metal style. They’re underground… and they’re undisputedly on fire! SPEEDPIG is a ‘two man Stoner Metal tour-de-force’ as they call themselves on their website. Gaz and Mungo are their names. Bridgend, South Wales is where this diy Stoner Metal duo calls home and they are looking to invade all shores with their terrificly memorable EP aptly titled: Hog Roast In Hell. Yes, these two lads from the other side of the Atlantic can play some Metal and it sounds like they have a monumental ton of fun with it along the way.
Having SPEEDPIG cross my Metal path is reassuring in a way, that not all bands these days are trying to make a statement as to how clever they really are with “concept albums” or (enough already) deeply enriched themes taken from “reality”. Instead, Gaz and Mungo have created some Metal that you can crank the hell up after you’ve just called in sick and ordered pizza for breakfast. This is Metal you can crank up in the open field with a bonfire and keg of beers aplenty.
You don’t need a Berkley School of Music degree to understand that Metal needs to return to the days when songs were memorable and not boastfully epic length. Making songs that inevitably will have Metalheads playing loud should be the rule and not the exception. SPEEDPIG gets this. I advice my fellow Metalheads to play Hog Roast In Hell very loud, um, Metal be thy name.
This SPEEDPIG EP keeps a constant fired up tempo, while delivering a vibe & soul that is old school denim and leather. Hog Roast In Hell is all about the riff baby… and plenty of impressive shredding abounds too. The vocals of Gaz are a refreshing experience, one that reminds me of maybe how the late and legendary Bon Scott would sound if he decided to go hell-bent for leather on some smokin’ Stoner Metal.
I’ve enjoyed what SPEEDPIG has delivered with Hog Roast In Hell and look forward to their future Metal output. SPEEDPIG qualifies as a candidate for not only Stoner Metal fans to get into, Traditional Metal and Metal fans should find this talented duo just as bad-ass too. Get into the pig now, so you can tell all your friends down the Metal road that you were there when this Hog Roast In Hell started burning up!
* Coming in 2012 from SPEEDPIG: Generation Of Swine (EP) and We Sold Our Soul For A Bacon Roll (LP).
Kill You To Death
Black Acid
Rise Up And Die
Tsunami
Full Hog
S.M.G.
* For more info on SPEEDPIG, click on the links below:
LONG LIVE SPEEDPIG.
Stone Digs The Pig.
Beginning today, Decibelmagazine.com will stream GLORIOR BELLI’s upcoming new full-length, The Great Southern Darkness, in its entirety! The stream will run for one week (September 19 – September 26) before its official North American release through Metal Blade Records on September 27, 2011.
Check the record out in full at THIS LOCATION.
Their fourth full-length in a catalog of blackened enormity, The Great Southern Darkness offers up 11 tracks that magnify GLORIOR BELLI‘s finest qualities. Said Revolver in an advance review of the record: “The album combines vicious black-metal riffery with deep New Orleans stoner grooves to create a metal monolith that is equal parts northern blaze and southern trendkill.” Added American Aftermath: “Extraordinary mesmerizing, mind-blowing, use whatever terms you want, this is fantastic.” Sea Of Tranquility agreed calling it: “…a round of French avant-garde Metal, with the same sort of dissonant intensity of Deathspell Omega, but – and this is, the interesting part – with very clear influences from Southern Metal, Sludge Metal and Post-Metal,” while Infernal Masquerade noted simply: “If you are looking for a great BM release that is different and entertaining, be sure to get this album.”
Formed in the suburbs of Paris during the close of 2002, GLORIOR BELLI has garnered a stellar reputation in the extreme music community for mixing desert rock textures with the brutal, ominous, doom-laden vibe typical of Black Metal. The band was recently added to Montreal’s Messe des Morts festival. The festival is set to take place in Saint-Laurent, QC at Coop Katacombes on November 25 and 26. Other bands on the bill include Inquisition, Absu, Forteresse and more! This will mark GLORIOR BELLI‘s first ever North American appearance. For further info, point your browser HERE.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on GLORIOR BELLI, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/gloriorbelli
http://www.myspace.com/gloriorbelli
http://www.metalblade.com/gloriorbelli
LONG LIVE GLORIOR BELLI.
Stone.
Arizona thrashers HEMOPTYSIS have made a trailer for their newest video available online at this location. The video, for the track “M.O.D.”, taken from their album Misanthropic Slaughter was shot earlier this month in an abandon warehouse in Vail, AZ. Production and direction came courtesy of Sean Sinerius and Robert Jaime at Big Shot Studios, who previously worked with HEMOPTYSIS on the “Shadow of Death” video. The band plans to release the video this fall.
In other HEMOPTYSIS news, the band has announced the following live dates:
Wednesday, October 5th at Chasers in Scottsdale, AZ. Tickets are available at this location.
Saturday, November 12th at Boomers in Las Vegas, NV.
For details, visit:
Hemoptysis – M.O.D. Music Video Official Trailer
(Source: Hemoptysis)
LONG LIVE HEMOPTYSIS.
Stone.
A BAND OF ORCS – From Santa Cruz comes the Metal domination of A BAND OF ORCS. Check out their new song below: Wyrd of the Winter Wolf. If you say you’re into Metal and Extreme Metal is your ears favorite delicacy, then a heaping dose of A BAND OF ORCS will serve you right.
* For more info on A BAND OF ORCS, click on the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/teamallaboutthemusic
LONG LIVE A BAND OF ORCS.
Stone.
Los Angeles, California-based extreme Progressive Metal band ANA KEFR (Arabic, meaning “I am Infidel”) have been forced to replace their Tupelo, Mississippi date on their upcoming Zephyr US National Tour due to discrimination. ANA KEFR, whose music is complimented by lyrical themes of militant atheism and humanist philosophy, have been deemed unwelcome by venues local to Tupelo, one of the band’s handful of scheduled dates in the Bible Belt.
Commented ANA KEFR frontman Rhiis D. Lopez: “We’re seriously disappointed that we’ve been forced to re-schedule our October 11 date in Tupelo, and apologize to fans who were planning to attend. This was to be a benefit show, organized by a local non-profit organization to raise relief funds for victims of natural disasters in Mississippi. There were 3 other bands scheduled to support us on the show and now all 4 bands have found themselves shut out from the opportunity. Apparently, to the owner of Good Time Charlie’s and numerous others who flooded the promoter with hate and intolerance on our account, aiding victims of natural disasters is trumped by whether or not one believes in their merciful and benevolent religion. Their vicious stupidity only further strengthens and reinforces the truth of ANA KEFR, and it is a shame that faith must come before charity and philanthropy.”
The October 11th date has been replaced with a scheduled performance at Churchill’s in Miami, Florida on the same date. The official Zephyr US Tour 2011 schedule, in support of ANA KEFR‘s recently released second full-length album The Burial Tree (II), is as follows:
October 5 – Phoenix, AZ – Chaser’s
October 6 – Austin, TX – Headhunter’s
October 7 – Jackson, MS – Sam’s Lounge
October 8 – New Orleans, LA – Checkpoint Charlie
October 9 – Metairie, LA – Babylon
October 11 – Miami, FL – Churchill’s
October 12 – Panama City, FL – C-Level
October 13 – Birmingham, AL – The Nick
October 14 – Atlanta, GA – The Little Tree
October 15 – Columbia, SC – Outt Saloon
October 16 – Charlotte, NC – The Bonu5 Room
October 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Pounder’s
October 21 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt
October 22 – Ithaca, NY – WVBR radio show
October 23 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
October 25 – St. Joseph, MO – Rock n Metal Room
October 26 – Wichita, KS – Kirby’s Beer Room
October 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – 5 Monkeys
October 28 – Seattle, WA – The Backstage Bar
October 29 – Portland, OR – Black Forest
October 30 – Seattle, WA – The Fun-house
November 1 – Portland, OR – Saratoga
November 2 – Fresno, CA – Babylon
November 4 – San Diego, CA – Kensington Club
November 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Whisky A Go-Go
Of the tour, Lopez had the following remarks: “We are looking forward to our first U.S. national tour, and can’t wait to meet and make new fans and friends. To our fans in Tupelo – one way or another, we can and will overcome this. See you all on the road!”
(Source: Sundisc PR)
* For more info on ANA KEFR, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE ANA KEFR.
LONG LIVE INDEPENDENT THOUGHT.
METAL MUST STAY UNITED.
Stone.
The next step in the ELIMINATOR evolution coming in the form of their latest full length album The One They Were Waiting For can be heard in its entirety for free at MetalUnderground.com. The album is sure to challenge listeners as to what Heavy Metal really is as these pioneers enter untouched waters.
The entire album can be heard via MetalUnderground.com HERE!
The One They Were Waiting For is available through Obskure Sombre Records HERE!
(Source: Team All About The Music – Publicity)
LONG LIVE ELIMINATOR.
Stone.
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS will begin recording their third full-length album today, (September 15, 2011). The process begins in the band’s new home of Southern California as the band enter Keene Machine Studios with The Faceless’ Michael Keene and band frontman Ken Sorceron engineering. Former ABIGAIL WILLIAMS and Black Dahlia Murder drummer Zach Gibson will be playing on the album, as previous band mate Ken Bedene focuses on The Aborted.
“We are very excited to announce the start of drum tracking for our third full-length. Drummer Zach Gibson will be behind the kit on this record, which is exciting for us because we have not recorded with him since the Legend EP,” states Sorceron. Having recently returned from a short ten date regional tour tightening up their new five-piece line-up, the band’s ranks and sound continue to evolve and this third effort is no different. “Expect some interesting twists and turns once again with this album as we plan to double track some of the drums and some of the compositions are quite lengthy, one even reaching the 15-minute plus range. This will prove to be our most epic material to date,” teases Sorceron as to the direction of the new material. “We plan to video our progress and upload video blogs as we go.”
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS will continue recording the new album over the next month, set for completion in late October before embarking on their previously announced North American tour supporting Norway’s legendary Mayhem. The new album has an anticipated January release, followed by additional U.S. tours supporting Dark Funeral and then Deicide.
9/22/2011 Whisky Richards – Santa Barbara, CA
9/23/2011 House of Blues – West Hollywood, CA w/ Morbid Angel
Stay tuned for more updates on ABIGAIL WILLIAMS as the record takes shape and as they hit the road on a massive tour schedule, over the next 6 months and onward.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/abigailwilliamsofficial
http://www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams
http:/www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
LONG LIVE ABIGAIL WILLIAMS.
Stone.
ELIMINATOR – Our friends at www.MetalUnderground.com and www.MetalRecusants.com have teamed up with NJ metal maestros ELIMINATOR for the release of their latest boundary pushing album The One They Were Waiting For. Following the release of their highly acclaimed thrash oriented album Breaking The Wheel, ELIMINATOR have delved into the depths of their creative juices and come out with an album that truly must be heard to be believed.
To get a taste of what their new release has to offer, Metal Underground is exclusively premiering the tracks “Atish” and “Goodness is Dead…Enter The Black Hole, Fucker!”
In addition, Metal Recusants is simultaneously premiering two other new tracks, “Me and The Devil Blues” and “Honey Sacrifice”.
The One They Were Waiting For is being released by Obskure Sombre Records.
(Source: Team All About The Music – Publicity)
LONG LIVE ELIMINATOR.
Stone.
A street side interview in New York with DORO PESCH is available for viewing at THIS LOCATION.
DORO and her band just performed at the Gramercy Theatre in New York last Friday and at Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago on Sunday. The mammoth 25 Years In Rock 2 DVD/CD set is finally available to North American fans today! Point your browser HERE for a brief clip of the German metal queen talking about the DVD from the Chicago show.
Enter a contest to win an autographed copy of 25 Years In Rock HERE.
In 2008, DORO celebrated her 25th anniversary concert at the ISS Dome in her hometown of Düsseldorf, Germany. With over 8,500 people in attendance, this magical performance featured her long-time band members Nick Douglas (bass), Joe Taylor (guitar), Johnny Dee (drums) and Oliver Palotai (keyboards, guitar). Guest appearances were made by Overkill’s Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, Grave Digger’s Chris Boltendahl, former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen, Scorpions’ Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker, Liv Kristine (Leaves’ Eyes), Floor Jansen (After Forever), Axel Rudi Pell and many others. This once-on-a-lifetime concert set was captured in its entirety and includes out takes from this very special career-affirming evening.
Don’t forget to check out the 25 Years In Rock LANDING PAGE.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on DORO, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/DOROOFFICIAL
http://www.twitter.com/DOROOFFICIAL
http://www.YouTube.com/DOROOFFICIAL
http://www.myspace.com/DOROBAND
LONG LIVE DORO.
Stone.
MORBID ANGEL – Death Metal legends/pioneers Morbid Angel are back and nothing is gonna stand in their way. Morbid Angel has released their first full-length studio album in 8 years with Illud Divinum Insanus, released on June 7th, 2011 on Season of Mist. While this album is an experimental approach musically for Morbid Angel, the impressive constants I hear are the muscularity of Metal and Death Metal roots of this fierce band. This new Morbid Angel album also marks the return of the legendary David Vincent, aka Mr. Vincent on vocals, bass and keyboards.
Mr. Vincent – vocals, bass & keyboards
Trey Azagthoth – guitars
Destructhor – guitars
Tim Yeung – drums
* Check out other kick ass Death Metal and Metal videos by clicking the link below. This is where I found the above album cover video of I Am Morbid. Trust me, it’s worth the Metal trip.
MrDeathmetalruler’s Channel – YouTube
* For more info on MORBID ANGEL, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE MORBID ANGEL.
Stone.
The Italian Dark Metal outfit GRAVEWORM have uploaded the first album trailer for the upcoming record “Fragments Of Death”. Stefano Fiori is talking about the recordings and the cover artwork of this new masterpiece!
Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcypFcy7rnY and stay tuned for more.
The album was recorded in July 2011 at the “Dream Sound Studios” in Munich, and mastered by Jan Vacik. The songs are about the death in its thousand faces, which is also reflected in the album title and cover art. Musically, the album can be seen as a mixture of the best of the last four records, with some old school roots and definitive darker than its predecessors.
“Fragments Of Death” will be out at October, 21, 2011 via Nuclear Blast.
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on GRAVEWORM, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE GRAVEWORM.
Stone.
As reported on Nuclear Blast News: Edguy have just released their new album AGE OF THE JOKER, critically acclaimed as the “Heavy Metal album of the year” and one of the best Edguy albums of all time. We have just received information that the album has entered the German album charts at the highest position an Edguy album has ever reached. AGE OF THE JOKER went from zero to NUMBER THREE in the German Media Control album charts. With this AGE OF THE JOKER is the most successful Edguy album of all time.
Same success in Switzerland (#13) and Austria (#30) – both the highest chart entry of any EDGUY record.
“Thank you all for getting an original copy of AGE OF THE JOKER and making this possible. It might have been the strongest chart week of the year, with seven new albums hitting the album Top 10. There was stiff competition, but YOU were there for us!!! We have given our very best to deliver the best possible album, but YOU, our fans, are responsible for making it such a great success. We are in the middle of our rehearsals for the tour that will kick off on September 23rd and the news hit us in the rehearsing room, where we are sitting right now! Now we’re gonna rehearse so hard, we’ll make sure to blow you all away during the forthcoming live shows and celebrate the biggest Heavy Metal party you won’t be able to imagine… Be prepared for a great set with a lot of specials, and we are looking forward to seeing you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you – and cheerzzz!!! – Edguy”
Robin Hood
Nobody’s Hero
Rock The Cashel
Pandora’s Box
Breathe
Two Out Of Seven
Faces In The Darkness
The Arcane Guild
Fire On The Downline
Behind The Gates To Midnight World
Every Night Without You
* EDGUY – AGE OF THE JOKER releases on September 13th, 2011, in North America on Nuclear Blast America.
* For more info on EDGUY, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE EDGUY.
Stone.
The compilation is available for free download and contains over 20 tracks from 13 unsigned and independent bands. An interactive PDF is also included that can be downloaded along with the compilation artwork. Smartphone users can also stream the entire compilation to their device.
Commented Kosher Metal founder, and on-air personality, ManJewky: “It’s a tough world out there for unsigned and independent Metal bands, but we at Kosher Metal are doing everything we can to help get these bands heard. I have been on both sides of the spectrum. I have been in bands but I’ve also done a lot of work on the business end of things. With all of my knowledge and experience, it would be a shame to let that go to waste. Besides, I want to be able to provide some opportunities that my old bands never had.”
Bands included on the compilation are (in alphabetical order): Ana Kefr, Bloodstream Parade, Genocya, Jahmbi, Jameson, Last Seen Dead, Mine Enemies Fall, Mouth Of The Serpent, A Rare Fiction, Red Giant, Sin Theorem, Swarm Of Eyes & Thyateira.
Kosher Metal is an online radio station that can be heard via the web and most smartphones. It started as a weekly radio program in June 2010 and became a 24 hour operation in April of 2011. Kosher Metal founder and on-air personality, ManJewky, is a recent product of the Music Business Program at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
(Source: Sundisc PR)
KOSHER METAL official website:
KOSHER KOMP VOL 1 download link:
http://koshermetal.com/#/kosher-komp/4553942018
ARTWORK:
Metal Injection is currently hosting an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creation of HULL‘s upcoming “Beyond The Lightless Sky” video, the title track from the band’s new full-length. Set for North American release on October 11, 2011 via The End Records, the follow-up to the band’s critically-acclaimed Sole Lord debut was co-produced by Brett Romnes and mixed by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins, et al).
Check out the “making of” video footage HERE.
Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, New York, HULL has yet again emerged with a creation to outlive the ages with latest saga, Beyond The Lightless Sky. Digging further into the past, the Mayan epic takes the listener through a division of two brothers and the struggles that they are faced with. One finds salvation amongst the stars and the wisdom of a stranger, while the other is mesmerized with the bloodthirsty belief of sacrifice and self-mutilation. In silence lies a realm that exists outside the plane of fear.
Beyond The Lightless Sky features guest appearances by vocalist Jarboe, keys/ambiance by Fade Kainer (Batillus/Jarboe/Inswarm ) and cello by Joe Merolla with artwork by Tamara Waite-Santibanez (http://nogutsandnoglory.blogspot.com).
Pre-order Beyond The Lightless Sky HERE.
LONG LIVE HULL.
Stone.
It comes with absolute honor to finally announce the meeting of marvelous minds, as Italian masters of thunderous Psychedelic Doom UFOMAMMUT sign to Neurot Recordings for their next album. Their last album, Eve, was met with great critical acclaim worldwide, and judging by the studio updates we are receiving, their next opus will be even more epic in its proportions and probably their heaviest and most cacophonous record to date.
This is what Neurot owner Steve Von Till had to say about the signing: “Welcome UFOMAMMUT to the Neurot family. UFOMAMMUT is our kind of band. These sonic brothers from Italy are heavy, psychedelic, and driven. We couldn’t be happier than to have them working with Neurot Recordings for their next full-length album. Though we have been fans of their music for a while, being able to meet them and share the stage with them on our recent trip to Europe was awesome. We formed a great and meaningful bond, which of course is the most important aspect of what we do. We admire their prolific nature as visionary musicians, as members of the Malleus art collective, and as owners of their own label, Supernatural Cat. They truly embody the same spirit of music and art that we all strive for. UFOMAMMUT is in the studio at this very moment working on their next epic.”
UFOMAMMUT also commented…”Working with Neurot signals an evolutionary change for UFOMAMMUT. In the last years we’ve built up our own music world, doing everything by ourselves, working on our own art and recordings, creating a label, and taking care of every aspect of our projects.
We feel very excited by this change because this confirms that we did a good job, especially coming from these guys who we have always considered a great inspiration.
We’re sure this Neurot and UFOMAMMUT friendship will open new perspectives and directions in our sonic adventure, because we feel we have the same vision and attitude about what music should be. In few words we feel totally honored and proud to become a part of the Neurot Family.”
This news really does mark the alliance of almighty talent and we hope that you will follow this story as it unfolds in the coming weeks, more news as and when we can bring it. In the meantime, European fans can catch UFOMAMMUT on tour beginning next week and into October. See the full tour routing at this location.
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on UFOMAMMUT, click on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/UFOMAMMUT/83336386071
http://www.neurotrecordings.com
LONG LIVE UFOMAMMUT
Stone.
ARCANE MALEVOLENCE – Yes, Extreme Metal is the cup of Metal tea for Connecticut’s Arcane Malevolence and they aren’t about to be pigeonholed into any particular Extreme sub-genre anytime soon. You see, what I’ve heard after several near hallucinatory listens of Wicked Turn of the Vine is an Extreme Metal bag of tricks that equates to one damn terrific Extreme delicacy upon my eardrums. This diy Metal militia is making some hefty noize in the Nutmeg State, so be prepared and have your survival shelter stocked and ready.
What exactly does Arcane Malevolence sound like? Imagine this, for a Metal second my fine Extreme Metal buddies out there… take a pissed off underground vibe and combine it with some Extreme, Blackened, Death Metal grooves, then add some Extreme Metal boogie and ballistic vocals, with some legendary MACABRE influence for good Metal measure. This all sounds Progressively Extreme, doesn’t it?
No, there is no nursery rhyme spoofing going on with Wicked Turn of the Vine, just a blend of Metal extremities that flexes a Murder Metal muscle or two. Where some Extreme Metal bands take their heaviness to a blueprint level of seriousness, leaving no room for experimentation, it’s Arcane Malevolence that seems to enjoy their fondness for Extreme musical exploration. I can’t imagine this band not having fun recording this album and playing live. Even with a vibe of letting it loose, the evilness of this bands lyrics and atmosphere comes across quite nicely throughout this album.
All the key Extreme Metal ingredients are heard on Wicked Turn of the Vine, in nailing down the clear Metal fact that my brain and ears have taken quite the Extreme wallop from Arcane Malevolence. There is never a boring twist or turn in the arrangements of the songs on this album, with plenty of tempo shifts and vocals that change like an extreme chameleon. There are times when Wicked Turn of the Vine sounds dastardly doomy and borderline stoner-psychedelic on guitar parts and this is the Metal personality of Arcane Malevolence, never really knowing what lurks around the corner is not such a terrible thing in Metal.
I’m impressed by the interchanging melodies and super speedy rhythm section of this band as well. Taking in Arcane Malevolence is like putting my ears up to an Extremely Progressive Metal kaleidoscope of sound. Wicked Turn of the Vine is equivalent to that horror movie you must watch again and again, just to take it all in. This is an album that can serve as both a Metal companion to Armageddon and that long drive to the dreaded in-laws, either way their both the same. Or to curb your underground Metal longing, you can choose to have Wicked Turn of the Vine as your Extreme Metal dietary supplement of choice, one that is a surefire means to serve you right… as it did for me.
Hey… this Wicked Turn of the Vine review is over. I said it’s over. Now go out and get your ears scorched by some Arcane Malevolence, buy their CD (or download from iTunes) and show some damn couth. Metal be thy name.
Chris Baldwin – vocals
Mike Devaney – guitar, vocals
Johnny Pluckman – bass
Chris Anderson – drums
Of Biblical Proportions
Haxan
Flesh Explosion
Infernal Phantasm
Bloodlust Psychosis
Wicked Turn of the Vine
I Am the Emperor’s Jester
* For more info on ARCANE MALEVOLENCE, click on the links below:
ARCANE MALEVOLENCE – Official facebook
LONG LIVE ARCANE MALEVOLENCE.
Stone.
GRAVEWORM are back – and almost back to the roots! The Italian dark metal outfit delivers once again a melodic, mystic and dark masterpiece. The sequel to the successful “Diabolical Figures” album from 2009 will be called: “Fragments of Death”.
Now, the band announced the tracklist and the artwork of the upcoming album:
01. Insomnia
02. Only Death In Our Wake
03. Absence Of Faith
04. Living Nightmare
05. The World Will Die In Flames
06. 不安の中で (Anxiety)
07. See No Future
08. The Prophecy
09. Remembrance
10. Old Forgotten Song
11. Where Angels Do Not Fly
BONUS TRACK:
12. Awake
Stephano Fiori (vocalist) commended the new album:
“For me, the cover artwork reflects exactly the lyrics. The album generally deals with the topic of death. So the fragments are pieces of the puzzle of death. Each one of the songs represents a way to die. For example, song 6 is about the happenings in Japan. Other songs are about war, which sadly still exists in this world these days. We’re all influenced by all of these proceedings. Be it that you’re confronted with them yourself, you know someone who is, or you see it in the media. The angel of death on the cover is made of pieces of the puzzle, the so-called elements of death…”
Cover artist Daniel Hofer states:
“When the band presented the new album’s title and the contentual orientation to me, a concrete picture came to my mind quite quickly. An angel of death, rising from one dimension and returning to his former strength. The ´fragments´of this angel of death are both depicted as shards and pieces of a puzzle – this image can be found throughout the whole booklet. The basic idea for the cover can be transferred to the band’s musical return to their roots and can be compared to the quite well-behaved angel that could be seen on the (N)Utopia cover who returns now as a corrupted messenger of death. After “Diabolical Figures”, it was a very nice and productive cooperation again and I’m happy that the band agreed on me as the designer once more.”
“Fragments Of Death” will be out at October, 21, 2011 via Nuclear Blast.
(Source: Nuclear Blast News)
* For more info on GRAVEWORM, click on the link below:
LONG LIVE GRAVEWORM.
Stone.
(All band photos and logo provided courtesy of John Gaffney/Sinister Realm)
SINISTER REALM – Traditional Heavy Metal, aka Classic Metal, reigns supreme in 2011. With hordes of legendary Traditional Metal bands leading the never-ending charge, to this very moment as you read this, there are a good many new, hungry and talented Metal bands out there that revere Metal’s history of tradition. Sinister Realm is one such Metal band. Led by founding member and bass guitarist John Gaffney, Sinister Realm is a band that I have admired and loudly recommended, since my first thorough listen of their second studio album The Crystal Eye (Shadow Kingdom Records) which was released this Summer.
Calling Allentown, Pennsylvania their Metal home, Sinister Realm is a band amassing a loyal following of Metal fans from Trexlertown, Pennsylvania to points worldwide. Sinister Realm has created some incredible Traditional Metal that MUST be heard to understand my Metal point. It’s not everyday that I bellow with such Metal pride about a rising Metal band such as Sinister Realm. Alex Kristoff (vocals), John Risko (guitar), John Kantner (guitar), Chris Metzger (drums) and John Gaffney’s bass illuminates my eardrums with their utmost Metal talent and respect for the Metal they play.
Traditional Metal goes much farther than “the look” of denim and leather. The sound, lyrics, vibes and attitude I hear on The Crystal Eye are all-encompassing of what Traditional Metal is all about in my Metal world. Overall, Sinister Realm represents where Metal was so many years ago and where it is today, in all of its powerful glory. Sinister Realm is the real Metal deal here, fellow Metalheads.
Taking a time out from playing live gigs amid a busy schedule, John Gaffney was courteous to answer ten questions for Metal Odyssey. Covering topics ranging from the new album to respecting the history of Metal, here is what John Gaffney had to say:
John Gaffney, bass guitarist, songwriter and founder of Sinister Realm.
Stone: Can you share the goals and mindset of the band as a whole, while recording “The Crystal Eye”?
John Gaffney: With the new album our goal was pretty simple, to take a step forward from our first album. I think my mindset when I started writing the music was to just make sure that every song was as good as I could make it. I wanted to make sure there was a good amount of variety also, some fast songs, some slow and mid tempos one. I know all the other guys really wanted to make this one a good follow-up to our debut record. The goals of our band in general are to always get better and keep pushing forward, to play and perform better, to get our music out to as many metal heads as possible and in general to just keep growing as a band.
Stone: How is the songwriting and lyrics shared among the band?
John Gaffney: All the music and lyrics are written by me but the other guys definitely add their personalities to the songs. I demo everything out in a very rough format with a drum machine and me singing and the other guys take that and add their own thing to it. When I write I really think about the guys and their personalities on their instruments and I write to their strengths so that the songs feel natural to them and not like I’m asking them to play or sing things that don’t fit who they are as musicians. Even though I write the music, the strength and identity of Sinister Realm is really in the collection of all the individual players, we work and sound really good together in my humble opinion.
Stone: Just how important is the history of Metal to Sinister Realm?
John Gaffney: Very important, especially the early years of metal, I’m very much a Heavy Metal scholar. I’m always reading about heavy metal and searching out old classic bands that I may not have heard of yet. I’m a very big fan of the “golden” years of classic metal as I like to call it, 1980 to about 1984. The albums that Priest, Maiden, Dio, Sabbath, Ozzy, Mercyful Fate and many others released during those years are some of my absolute favorite heavy metal albums of all time. With the band we really try to pay our respects to those great metal classics, when we perform or work on new music all those bands are in the back of our mind, they are our benchmarks if you will, we really want to do this music justice and we consider it a great honor to be called a traditional metal band.
Stone: How did Sinister Realm and Shadow Kingdom Records find each other?
John Gaffney: Well…a bit of history on the band I guess is in order here. I used to be in a band called Pale Divine, when I left the drummer Darin McCloskey called me and said he wanted to work on some of the ideas I had that were never used in Pale Divine. As things progressed it started sounding really good and we decided to get a proper singer and record a demo, so into the picture came Alex. I played guitar and bass on the original demo, Darin played drums and Alex sang. Darin knew Tim from Shadow Kingdom Records and ran into him when Pale Divine was playing in Pittsburgh, he passed our demo on to him and he really liked it. At the time the demo was really making the rounds on the internet and we got a few offers from other labels but we really liked where Shadow Kingdom was at the time and the other types of bands they had so we went with them. After we got signed we added our current guitar player John Kantner and a lead player and quickly recorded our self titled full length. Right after that Darin had to leave for personal reasons and our original lead player was asked to leave so we brought Chris Metzger in on drums and John Risko on lead guitar. Lots of gigs followed and we’ve just released our second album “The Crystal Eye”. That’s our history in a nutshell.
Stone: What venue that Sinister Realm has played to date exhibited the most rabid Metal fans?
John Gaffney: We played a Doom Metal festival in Wisconsin this Summer that was really cool, we have a lot of great local fans who really support us also so it’s hard to pick one venue, we have fun where ever we play.
Stone: What is the biggest hurdle that confronts a Metal band in 2011?
John Gaffney: Trying to stand out above the bottomless sea of bands that are out there right now. The Internet is a great thing because anybody can get a band together, put something out and promote it. The Internet is also a bad thing because anybody can get a band together, put something out and promote it..haha. It works both ways. There are just so many bands out there now and the playing field is so so crowded that it’s really difficult to get yourself to stand out of the pack. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication and sticking to and believing in what you’re doing. Selling CDs is very difficult nowadays because there is a lot of illegal downloading and not many people are even into buying CD’s anymore. I’m old-fashioned and still listen to vinyl, in fact I have a rather large Metal vinyl collection and consider that to be one of my hobbies.
Sinister Realm – The Crystal Eye (Shadow Kingdom Records/2011)
Stone: My favorite song on “The Crystal Eye” is the title track. That song just psyches me out blindly! Which one is yours and why?
John Gaffney: I like “The Crystal Eye” also. I think I like it because it’s a great title track and has a really good “epic” feel to it. All the guys sound great on it, I especially like John Risko’s lead solo on that one, just super cool! I love the way that guy plays. It’s just a song that came together really nicely if you know what I mean. If I had to pick a close second I would say “Signal the Earth”. I like the feel and groove of the song and I was proud of my lyrics on that one, it’s about a guy sent on a mission in space, now’s he’s trapped in his space ship alone, seeing and hearing things and trying to signal the earth that he needs help. Plus there’s a bass solo in that song… ha ha.
Stone: Is there a “dream band” Sinister Realm wants to be contacted by to support on a major tour?
John Gaffney: Any of the big classic bands like Priest, Maiden, Sabbath would be a dream. I’m also a big fan of Candlemass so I would love to be able to play in Europe or Scandinavia with them.
Stone: How many guitars do you own and which one is your favorite?
John Gaffney: Bass is my main instrument but I do own an early 80s gibson flying V guitar and a Fender telecaster guitar. As for basses, I have three. A 1978 Fender jazz bass, a 1984 Fender precision and a Geddy Lee model Jazz bass. For Sinister Realm I use the Geddy Lee bass, it has a great aggressive grinding growling sound. I use an Ampeg Svt-Pro 2 and Ampeg 4-10 cabinet live for amplification.
Stone: The talents and musical skills of Sinister Realm are obviously heard by my ears on “The Crystal Eye”. What are the other intangibles required to create such a powerful album of Traditional Heavy Metal? What is Sinister Realms “Metal X-Factor”?
John Gaffney: There’s a lot of X factors, I really couldn’t pin it down to one thing. I tell the guys all the time that it’s the little things that make a great band. Playing in tune, having good equipment, having good players and a good singer. If I had to point to one thing though I would say at the end of the day it’s songs and how their delivered. The average listener is not a musician, they are just fans of the music, so the only thing that is really important to them is if they like the songs or not. There are plenty of bands through history who had great players that never went anywhere because their songs just weren’t that good. It’s why the Beatles have lasted forever, they had great songs! So for Sinister Realm I think the X-factor is a combination of everyone’s professionalism and individual personalities wrapped around the songs, that is our “X-Factor”.
* For more Metal info on SINISTER REALM, click on the links below:
LONG LIVE SINISTER REALM.
Stone.
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