The esteemed DEATH TO ALL Tour, celebrating the life and music of DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, will be returning in 2013 for an even larger run of dates. After a successful 2012 run, the tour, now referred to as DTA1, will feature the original lineup of DEATH from Human — guitarist Paul Masvidal, bassist Steve Di Giorgio, and drummer Sean Reinert, with special guest vocalist/guitarist Max Phelps of Cynic/Exist. The band will be playing a selection of songs from the first four DEATH albums including the cream of the Human album.
Once again, the spirit of the tour is to spread the word and raise money for the charity Sweet Relief, while keeping the music and legacy of Chuck Schuldiner alive. A second version of the tour, dubbed DTA2, is planned for North America later this year, and will focus on the final three DEATH albums, plus a one-off European date at Neurotic Deathfest May 3 that will cover the entire DEATH catalog. A complete listing of dates is included below while a limited number of VIP tickets are available HERE.
Additionally, 2013 will continue to see the deluxe reissues of DEATH’s catalog by RelapseRecords. Over the last couple of years, the label has painstakingly reissued and remastered the later albums from the DEATH catalog including The Sound of Perseverance, IndividualThought Patterns, Human, Spiritual Healingand other Chuck Schuldiner related releases. These DEATH titles are currently available for streaming at this LOCATION. Details on the 2013 reissues will be announced shortly.
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DEATH TO ALL Tour Dates:
4/13/2013 House of Blues – W. Hollywood, CA Tickets
WITCH CROSS – Lead vocalist Kev Moore of Metal legends Witch Cross has recently took time out of his unreal busy schedule to do an exclusive interview with Metal Odyssey. A huge Metal thank you to Kev for being so obliging! Below you’ll read about Kev reflecting on the writing of the forthcoming Witch Cross album: Axe To Grind. Kev also speaks with the utmost respect for the Metal legacy in which Witch Cross has earned; as well he speaks the same for his band’s former and current members.
Band chemistry, special (well-known) guest musicians on Axe To Grind, playing the Metal festival circuit and (of course) the fans of Witch Cross, are all touched upon by this talented and charismatic frontman. It’s been many years since the last Witch Cross studio release; that being 1984’s Roadrunner Records release of Fit For Fight. It’s a new Metal era for this Danish rooted Metal band. The fans never went into hiding, Metal never died and now… Witch Cross is back! Here’s what Kev Moore had to say:
Stone: Kev, how excited are you and the entire Witch Cross band & camp to see ‘Axe To Grind’ release?
Kev: We’re totally psyched-up about this release Stone – it’s very, very important to us, as ‘Fit for Fight’ has achieved such a cult status in the Metal world, all these years later we knew it would be a hard act to follow. But we think we’ve stayed true to the ethic of the original, never losing sight that ‘The song is King’.
Stone: Can you tell us Metal faithful how cool it is to have Chris Tsangarides do the mixing for ‘Axe To Grind’?
Kev: To have Chris mix the album is a huge Metal bonus for us. We had him in mind right from the start, and we are great admirers of his work in this genre, his track record speaks for itself! We knew he could help us stay true to the genre and the era from which our music is born.
Stone: Can you elaborate on the flow and chemistry as you and (guitarist/founding member) Mike‘Wlad’ Kock wrote songs for ‘Axe To Grind’? Anyone else contribute to the songwriting?
Kev: Finding a songwriting partner that is easy to work with and complements your own ideas is not an easy task. Primarily, you have to check your ego at the door, and be prepared to have the other guy say ‘I don’t like what you did there’ or ‘that sucks!’ because you need to focus on what is best for the song, nothing else. When Mike sent an idea over for me to look at way before we even got deep into the ‘Axe to Grind’ project, and we started ‘ping-ponging’ the ideas back and forth, I immediately knew we could write together. Mike is prolific and fast, as am I. We worked at a furious pace, honing the material to how we wanted it. I want to give huge credit to Mike, who really kept his eye on the ball regarding his vision for this album, keeping it true to the band and the genre. In addition, we really wanted to make this album very inclusive, and ‘Part of the Machine’ was co-written with our bassist, Jan ‘Little John’ Fields, and ‘Metal Nation’ was co-written with guitarist Paul Martin. To take the ‘inclusive’ vibe further, we have our original drummer from ‘Fit for Fight’, Anders “A.C” Hjort as a guest on several tracks too.
Check out the teaser video below for Axe To Grind… Whoa!
Stone: How did your guest musicians Marta Gabriel, Graham Oliver and Jax Chambers all come on board for this exciting Metal chapter in Witch Cross history?
Kev: We’re so pleased to have these great Metal mates on board for this album! I’ve known Graham for many years, I sang with Oliver/Dawson Saxon for two tours before Wardi joined them and both Graham and I have guested on each others albums in the past. It was natural to want him to contribute to ‘Ride with the Wind’ which is a motorcycle song in the best Saxon tradition! I also get to play bass on that one, so it’s Graham and I together again like the first tour we did. We worked with the fabulous Crystal Viper at Metal Magic in Denmark last year, and Marta’s amazing vocals just knocked us out! It was an honour to have her take the part of the ‘Bird of Prey’, she just rips it to shreds… fantastic Metal stuff!
We’ve known Girlschool for years, often getting the same flights to and from Germany to shows. Jax was a natural to ask to contribute and she’s great fun! She laid down a great solo for ‘Chelsea 100’. What was also cool was my son Corey did the recording of Graham and Jax over in the UK for us, so we kept it in the family! It’s truly an honour to have these three great artists share this album with us. They rock!
Stone: Which are your favorite songs on ‘Axe To Grind’ or is the entire album a favorite?
Kev: It’s REAL hard to pick a favourite, throughout the process it’s changed…but if I had to pick one, it’s probably ‘The Killing of Chelsea 100’. I love the time signature changes and I’m very proud of the lyrics, which reference much of the history and people who went through that famous New York hotel. That said, the album as a whole is a fine body of work, in my obviously biased opinion!
Kev Moore
Stone: Have you performed any new songs ‘live’ yet? If so, how have the fans responded?
Kev: Yes, we’ve been performing ‘Demon in the Mirror’ and ‘Pandora’s Box’, and I have to say, we were blown away by the fans reaction! When you realize that they also have to deal with me as the ‘new’ vocalist singing the old songs and then hearing new stuff on top, it really gave us a great feeling as we were recording ‘Axe to Grind’.
Stone: Are there songs that didn’t make the cut for ‘Axe To Grind’ that (hopefully) will land on a future EP or studio album?
Kev: Hell yeah! We had so many ideas coming out that we’re well on the way to another album’s worth of material already! We had to think long and hard about what to leave off this one and things are shaping up nicely so that we hope it won’t be another 28 years between releases!
Stone: What can you tell your Metal brethren about the ‘live’ Witch Cross experiences you’ve had thus far?
Kev: You know, playing ‘Keep it True’ in Germany last year was immense for us. It was SO important. We didn’t really know how we’d be received, whether we could recapture any of the magic the band had back in the day, and from a personal perspective, whether I would be accepted as the new frontman, because, and I want to go on record with this: Alex Savage’s vocal performance on ‘Fit for Fight’ was a tour de force – it’s a superb piece of work. I’m no stranger to filling a role though. Going out singing Saxon’s catalogue with Graham Oliver, Nigel Durham and Steve Dawson was a big task too and the experience probably helped me when we resurrected WITCH CROSS.
Kev: The fans reaction was truly amazing. You must remember, as is so often the case with Metal, this music gets ‘handed down’ from older brothers, or indeed through generations and there are many people who know the old songs, who never thought they’d ever hear them performed live. Some of the messages of support we’ve had have been wonderful, and the instances of meeting many of the fans at the great festivals such as Metal Magic and Heavy Metal Maniacs in Holland have been very important to us. It is a symbiotic relationship. The band IS its fans, it is our raison d’etre. Without their enthusiasm, their approval, their support, I doubt this album would have been made.
Stone: What are the release dates for ‘Axe To Grind’ in North America, Europe and the UK?
Kev: We have a tentative worldwide release for the beginning of April, but nothing more definite than that at the time of writing. I DO know that our wonderful label Hells Headbangers, will be issuing it in on both CD and 12″ vinyl. More news as we get it!
Photo from Ultraviolet recording sessions at The Jam Room
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“UNSPOKEN” MP3 AVAILABLE NOW
Feb. 26, 2013, Philadelphia – Kylesa is set to release Ultraviolet, one of the most anticipated Hard Rock releases of the year and the follow-up to their critically acclaimed album SpiralShadow, on May 28 via Season of Mist (May 24 in Europe).
“Whereas Spiral Shadow was a warm album suggesting concepts of hope, Ultraviolet is a bit colder and darker,” explains songwriter/guitar player Laura Pleasants. “All of our studio albums have their own unique identity and we’ve always been a band who strives for something different than what current fads suggest. With Ultraviolet, we took a step inward and wrote music that we felt we had to write; this album centers around the multiple themes of loss and you can feel it in the music. Everyone goes through it during their lifetime and this record reflects that experience.”
The Savannah-based quintet recorded Ultraviolet at The Jam Room in Columbia, SC with the band’s guitar player/songwriter, and sought-after producer, Phillip Cope (Baroness, Black Tusk) once again overseeing production.
Kylesa released a rarities collection in November titled From The Vaults, Vol. 1, which featured unreleased, new and alternate versions of songs spanning the band’s catalogue as well as one new song titled End Truth. Cope and Pleasants spent over a year going through their archives preparing the release.
The band’s most recent studio album, Spiral Shadow, had the highest Metal/Hard Rock entry on the Village Voice’s 2010 Pazz & Jop album poll, led Pitchfork to say “Kylesa would be a household name” following the release and landed the band on the cover of Terrorizer as well as album of the month accolades from Metal Hammer, Rock Sound and Visions Magazines. In 2011, Kylesa became the first Metal band to perform on Last Call with Carson Daly.
Kylesa will return to the road in May with more details forthcoming.
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(Source: Speakeasy PR & Marketing)
* For more info on KYLESA, click on the links below!
CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC is pleased and extremely proud to have signed a deal with FATESWARNING’s original guitarist and founding member Victor Arduini for the release of Arduini’s new band FREEDOMS REIGN.
FREEDOMS REIGN marks Arduini’s comeback to the Metal world since he left FATES WARNING after the release of The Spectre Within in 1985.
Keeping his original, charismatic and unmistakable guitar-style untouched, Arduini returns under the spotlights with fresh enthusiasm and dedication, producing a notable effort of true American-styled Heavy Metal with a classic Ozzy/Sabbath’s flavor. FREEDOMS REIGN was introduced to Cruz Del Sur by long-time friend and “occasional A&R” Tom Phillips (While Heaven Wept) who said about F.R.’s music:
“I think Freedoms Reign would be a welcome addition for anyone into classic heavy rock, early Fates fans, those into both the recent Proto-Metal movement, and the wave of Classic Metal bands that evolved on the outer fringes of the Doom scene!”
Besides Arduini (guitar/vocals) , FREEDOMS REIGN also consists of Tommy Vumback (Guitars), Michael Jones (Bass) and Chris Judge (Drums).
The release of FREEDOMS REIGN’s self-titled debut is set for April 30th to celebrate the Walpurgis Night that originally influenced Fates Warning to release their Night on Bröcken debut exactly 29 years ago.
FREEDOMS REIGN has been active in the Connecticut Metal scene since 2011. The idea behind the band’s formation was to simply make some great music that returned the musicians involved to their roots and could deliver on their commitment to making some Old School Metal that would be relevant in today’s scene. Expect nothing less than a true return to heavy, hard and driving Old School Metal. The band’s self-titled debut was produced by Nick Belmore (Toxic Holocaust/Hatebreed) at Dexters Lab in Milford, CT.
Feb. 25, 2013, Los Angeles – TOOL will release a handcrafted, bonus-laden, limited edition package of their original debut EP, Opiate, on Mar. 26 to mark the 21st anniversary of the six-song release.
The anniversary edition is limited to 5,000 copies and features art direction by Adam Jones, illustrations by legendary artist Adi Granov and design packaging by Mackie Osborne, who has collaborated with TOOL on many albums including 10,000 Days, Lateralus and Salival as well as posters and merchandise.
The 5,000 copies will be broken down as 5 x 1,000 runs with each set featuring a variation of the exterior graphics and included bonus items which include a new stereoscopic image for fans to use with their glasses from the 10,000 Days packaging.
The packages will only be available via TOOL’s website (www.toolband.com) on Mar. 26 and there will be no pre-orders. A limit of three packages from each of the 5 x 1,000 versions will be in place. More details to be announced soon.
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(Source: Speakeasy PR & Marketing)
* For more info on TOOL, click on the links below!
SOEN, the Progressive Metal supergroup featuring drummer Martin Lopez (ex-Opeth, Amon Amarth), bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Sadus, Testament, Death, Iced Earth), vocalist Joel Ekelöf (Willowtree), and guitarist Kim Platbarzdis, are pleased to bring their Cognitive debut stateside this Summer.
Initially released digitally via Spinefarm Records last Winter, Cognitive was mixed by DavidBottrill (Tool, Coheed and Cambria, Silverchair, Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, etc.), mastered by João Carvalho and features ten tracks of what Lopez describes as “melodic, heavy, intricate and different.” View the band’s video for “Delenda,” at THIS LOCATION.
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Cognitive Track Listing:
01. Fraktal
02. Fraccions
03. Delenda
04. Last Light
05. Oscillation
06. Canvas
07. Ideate
08. Purpose
09. Slithering
10. Savia
SOEN – Cognitive
When Lopez joined forces with DiGiorgio, Ekelöf, and Platbarzdis, it was obvious that this collaboration would not be another name-dropping, substance-deprived “super project.” The foursome paint their musical canvas with broad strokes that on first listen may appear gray and sullen, but the true power of the music lies clandestine, just a little below the monochrome surface. More than just a sum of its rather esteemed parts, SOEN weave an intricate network of melody and melancholy. While SOEN may sound Opethian at times, it features none of the guttural vocals and full-on death metal wall of sound of Lopez’ former group. Nothing more is needed however when Ekelöf’s somber voice, Platbarzdis’s transcendent guitar work, Lopez’s trademark drum beats and DiGiorgio’s exquisite bass lines collaborate to build a pensive tide waiting to wash over you.
Cognitive isn’t an instantaneously accessible album but with a bit of listening patience, can prove to be one of the most rewarding pieces of “thinking man’s metal” you will ever come across. In a world full of super-compressed albums waging the loudness war, Cognitive breathes with ease thanks to the warmth of Platbarzdis/Lopez production and the masterful mixing work of. Like rain on a windowpane, translucent and free of form, Cognitive breathes like a living entity. The colors are there, lingering within the grays. It’s just up to you to find them.
Further information on SOEN to be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
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Critical Praise:
“The instrumental prowess of each of the members aside, the thing that ultimately makes Cognitive a success is the high-caliber of songwriting from beginning to end, a triumph in rhythmic and melodic interplay between all instrumentalists and vocalist Joel Ekelof… a brilliantly executed album.. sure to stand up to repeated listening for a long time to come.” – Ultimate-Guitar
“For a debut album, this is really something to behold. The production is even, the music thematic and smart, and the musicians eager to share every second with the other. Most remarkable is that SOEN simply appear to be on the exact same page.” – The Metal Observer
On Thursday, May 2nd, 2013, at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California, the Revolver Golden Gods 5thAnniversary Show will take place! Hosted by Chris Jericho, this fantastic Metal event is also presented by Epiphone. 5FDP, Anthrax, Stonesour, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Halestorm will be performing! Metallica is headlining too! Metal be thy name!
Take a look and listen below to the fun-filled and Metal star-studded TV commercial promoting this night of Metal mayhem:
Philadelphia – ASG, North Carolina’s favorite Psych-Rock quartet, have set a May 28 release date for Blood Drive, their Relapse Records debut.
Blood Drive was produced by Matt Hyde (Slayer, Fu Manchu) in the Fall of 2012. “Days Work,” a new song from the album, was released as a split 7″ with Red Fang on Tuesday (http://www.relapse.com/split-7in-ep-blue.html). The new album will be available on CD/2xLP/Digital.
The band also kicked off a new round of tour dates, including a stop at SXSW, with a Wrightsville Beach performance last evening at Red Dog’s.
Record to See North American Release Next Tuesday!
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In celebration of the upcoming release of their new full-length, Nemesis, Melodic Metal legends STRATOVARIUS are offering up sound/video snippets of its eleven tracks. Produced and mixed by guitarist Matias Kupiainen and mastered by Mika Jussila (Finnvox Studios), Nemesis will be released in North America via earMUSIC in conjunction withArmoury Records next Tuesday, February 26, 2013.
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From the signature power of “Abandon,” and the aggressively energetic “Stand My Ground,” to the folkish elements of “Out Of The Fog,” and the title track “Nemesis,” which boasts medieval melodies and double bass drumming, Nemesis delivers new elements fused with the traditional melodic power metal for which STRATOVARIUS is known.
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In an early review of the record, Metal Underground dubs Nemesis, “one of the finest releases in the band’s history,” while Metal Reviews gushes, “… Nemesis is pure epic! It is grandiose, majestic, melodic yet heavy when it needs to be. It’s an unexpected return to form for STRATOVARIUS. It’s what power metal should sound like, period! It is without the shadow of a doubt STRATOVARIUS‘ best album in ages… Album of the year award? You betchya! If you are a fan of this band, you can’t afford to miss this incredible album.”
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Metalholic, in a perfect 10/10 rating, notes, “Nemesis has a lot of the traditional STRATOVARIUS power metal edge, but they’ve managed to evolve and develop their sound to a much more rounded, matured, and polished heavy metal… This album hit the very depths of my core, my will, my heart, and my soul… This is more than music, it’s a masterpiece and should go down in the book of heavy metal as one of the best heavy metal albums of all time,” while About.com adds, “Nemesis finds the band recapturing the magic of their glory days. Most importantly, the songwriting is excellent as the band seems determined to capture memorable songs that sit alongside the best of their catalog.”
After the tragic loss of their bassist, Markus Berger, in early January, DANTE are now looking for a talented bassist with studio/live experience, who is able to join the band as soon as possible.
DANTE have recently released their new album November Red on Massacre Records and offer an own recording studio, a huge rehearsal room, a creative work environment and much more.
They expect their bassist to be enthusiastic about the band, have knowledge about their music’s genre (progressive metal), be passionate and to be reliable.
If you think you’re the right man or woman, feel free to contact the band via info@danteband.de
I (first) found this breaking news (this morning) regarding Dave Lombardo being dismissed as Slayer’s drummer for the Australian tour on the very cool and informative: MELODYOFTHESOUL. All I can say, is Dave Lombardo is THElegendary and original Slayer drummer and Slayer is the crème de la crèmeofThrash Metal history.I just wish they could all get along… then again… we’re all human. Read on, cause this is one jaw-dropping story! Metal be thy name.
Statement From Dave Lombardo Regarding Slayer Australian Tour 2013
I want to personally apologize to all of our fans in Australia who have bought tickets for the tour expecting to see me in my usual place on the drums.
So that you all know the truth, as of the end of the business day on February 14th, I was notified that I would not be drumming for the tour in Australia. I’m saddened, and to be honest I am shocked by the situation.
Last year, I discovered 90% of Slayer’s tour income was being deducted as expenses including the professional fees paid to management, costing the band millions of dollars and leaving 10% or less to split amongst the four of us. In my opinion, this is not the way a band’s business should operate. I tried rectifying it by letting my band mates know, and Tom and I hired auditors to figure out what happened, but I was denied access to detailed information and the necessary back up documents.
I spent the Christmas and New Year holidays realizing I had toured all over the world in 2012, but yet, had not been paid (except a small advance) or provided a proper accounting for a full year’s sweat and blood. On top of this, I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a long form contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order.
Last Monday, I sat down with Kerry and Tom to rehearse for Australia and to propose a new business model that I felt was the best way forward for Slayer to confidently protect itself so we could do what we do best . . . play for the fans. Kerry made it clear he wasn’t interested in making changes and said if I wanted to argue the point, he would find another drummer. On Thursday, I arrived at rehearsals at 1 pm as scheduled, but Kerry did not show. Rather, at 6:24 pm I received an email from the lawyers saying I was being replaced for the Australian dates.
I remain hopeful that we can resolve our issues. But once again, I sincerely apologize to all of our fans in Australia who spent their money expecting to see the 3 of us original Slayer members.
I look forward to seeing you in the future.
AZURE EMOTE, the avant-garde Death Metal entity envisioned and created by Mike Hrubovcak (Monstrosity, Vile, Divine Rapture, Abraxas), will release its second full-length work, The Gravity OfImpermanence, worldwide on April 3rd via Selfmadegod Records.
Under Hrubovcak’s direction, songwriting and full-on participation in its creation, The Gravity Of Impermanence was executed utilizing musicians from Death, Fear Factory, Yakuza, Monstrosity, Tristania, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder and more. With over an hour of material displayed through fourteen tracks, the album is fueled by pummeling blast beats, electronic programming, a mixture of both guttural and haunting vocal styles, violins, saxophone, harmonica and a barrage of other instruments coalescing in a melting pot of misanthropic darkness that defines the AZURE EMOTE ethos, recorded, mixed and mastered by Ron Vento of Aurora Borealis at Nightsky Studios.
The cover art was once again done by AZURE EMOTE’s creator and frontman Mike Hrubovcak, his Visual Darkness works well-known in the death/grind communities for illustrating covers for Sinister, Grave, Cattle Decapitation, Hate Eternal, Mortician, and many others.
Venerable scene news outlet/community Lambgoat.com is hosting an exclusive stream of the opening track to The Gravity Of Impermanence. Unleash the brilliantly unique destruction of “Epoch Of De-Evolution” AT THIS LOCATION.
Experience the epic closing track to the album “Puppet Deities” and more on AZURE EMOTE RIGHT HERE.
In a statement from Dave Briggs, the band have confirmed that Waylander will not be performing at this years Heathen Crusade Festival which is scheduled to take place later this year in St Paul, USA. The band had refused to make a public announcement about their participation until certain terms of the agreement between the band and festival promoters were met. The festival organisers made a premature announcement that Waylander would be headlining, however the terms were yet to be met. The band have given ample time for the festival promoters to meet the terms but it’s came to a point were discussions have now ended and the band have now been forced to make a public statement that they will not be performing at Heathen Crusade.
“It is with great regret that we are forced to announce that Waylander will not be playing the Heathen Crusade Festival. The Heathen Crusade promoters have repeatedly promised but never provided us any funds to arrange transport to the USA. Although we are available, and nothing would make us happier than to play for some of our American fans, Heathen Crusades inability to meet the terms that they had agreed to makes it impossible for us.
We make this announcement now so that fans are aware of the situation and do not make any plans around the assumption that we are playing. We had refused to confirm that we were playing until it was certain, but Heathen Crusade announced it very prematurely. We can only say that we are very sorry to any fans who were looking forward to seeing us live, and that we are as disappointed as you are.”
The band recently announced a string of European dates including an appearance at the annual ‘Cerninnos Paganfest’ in Paris, France which takes place in just a few days.
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Tour Dates:
24/02/13 – Cerninnos Paganfest – La Machine du Moulin Rouge – Paris, France
06/03/13 – Seachtain Na Gaeilge – Kellys – Galway, Ireland
Okay, so there are worse things in life to worry about. I know that. I am thankful my family and I are all alive and healthy after our big relocation to Ohio; via Pennsylvania. Still, I am floored by how messed up my CD collection has become, since the unpacking commenced! I, like so many of my fellow Metal brethren, have always strived for some sort of “system” to the way I group my CD collection. I’m far from being a perfectionist, however, I’ve come close to it, when it comes to my CD organization skills.
Part of my CD collection used to be in alphabetical order. Other parts of my CD collection used to be divided up into bands and genres. Now my CD’s are just divided up into a where is it? collection! You see, I was told not to pack my CD’s by the moving company; they were hired to do all the packing of all our possessions for us. I should have packed my own CD’s. Glory be to the Metal Gods, I should have!
Eventually, I’ll have my “systems” all back into place and my CD collection will be back to normal. For now, I’ll just get by with having my Hatebreed and Electric Light Orchestra CD’s next to each other. I’ll ignore that my Venom CD’s are on top of my Santana CD’s too. I’m certain that these CD’s will all get along with each other; unless the Venom CD’s have something to say about it! Metal be thy name.
South American Black Metal horde Patria have recently unleashed a new album teaser for ‘Nihil EstMonastica’. The trailer was created by Swedish producer Håkan Sjodin, who previously worked for Marduk on their latest official video for ‘Souls For Belial’. The album is set to be released on 13th March 2013 via cult French label Drakkar Productions in Digipack, Vinyl and Cassette formats. Artwork for the album was undertaken by Costin Chioreanu who has worked with bands such as Darkthrone, Ulver, Aura Noir, etc.
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‘Nihil Est Monastica’ Tracklisting is as follows: –
Mantus comments on the release as a definite step forward for Patria, adding that “‘Nihil Est Monastica’ is an album going through a bit fresh musical conception if compared to our previous releases. There’s no walls at all concerning our creativity on this record. We just decided to do what we had to do, naturally, without any worries about labels or rules. Something that would pleasure our own ears as real Black Metal fans, you know. We’re also mixing different influences and elements. It also has a little better production, but even still keeping that necro and lowfi characteristics of the early Black Metal sound. The cover art was designed by the great artist Costin Chioreanu (Darkthrone, Ulver, Aura Noir, Absu, etc.)”
Legendary Metal Queen DORO PESCH is currently finishing up the Raise Your Fist North American Tour which commenced with a fiery appearance on the 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise late last month! Touring in support of the anthemic Raise Your Fist full-length,released worldwide via Nuclear Blast late last year, the iconic songstress continues to enthrall the masses with her permeating voice, metallic grace and infectious, onstage charm.
Comments the perpetually upbeat DORO: “So far the tour has been so amazing! It’s the best North American tour we’ve ever done. The venues have been packed and so many have sold out. The fans have been truly amazing and so supportive, it’s been overwhelming! The Joliet, Illinois show was so intense, we’re saving some of the live footage for an upcoming DVD. Some shows have been very long — everyone wants to hear so many songs; so many encores! We are so looking forward to playing the rest of these shows, especially Hollywood! The old Warlock members, our label and so many friends are coming out. I truly thank all the fans who’ve made these shows so amazing and possible.”
Additionally, DORO devotees in Tempe, Arizona will have the opportunity to meet Pesch and her bandmates at a special in-store meet & greet on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Naked Dave’s Music located at 2155 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ. The signing session will run from 5:00pm – 6:30pm. For more info, go to THIS LOCATION.
DORO North American Headlining Tour 2013 [remaining dates]: 2/19/2013 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 2/20/2013 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR 2/21/2013 Thee Parkside – San Francisco, CA 2/22/2013 House Of Blues – West Hollywood, CA 2/23/2013 Rocky Point Cantina – Tempe, AZ
Raise Your Fist features guest appearances by Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister and Ozzy/Firewind guitarist Gus G, with artwork by British artist and longtime DORO collaborator Geoffrey Gillespie. The offering debuted at #65 on the American Billboard Heatseekers chart upon its first week of release and was commended by Outburn in an 8/10 rating for delivering “50 minutes of expertly crafted Teutonic metal.”
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Critical Praise For Raise Your Fist:
“…probably the classiest lady in metal.” – Outburn
“Raise Your Fist is a solid outing for DORO PESCH and at this stage in the game, would expect nothing less from her. She still manages to savor that hard rock image and make it work for her and I hope she never stops doing this. I say raise your fist in the air babe, and never let it go.” – Blistering
“On her 12th solo album, German metal maiden DORO PESCH sounds more assured than ever, particularly as a songwriter on these 13 taut, Teutonic tunes.” – Revolver
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* Read how meeting DORO on this Raise Your Fist North American Tour was Stone’s Metal Dream ComeTrue by clicking the link below!
It was sometime back in 2006 and I saw a contest ad in Revolver Magazine; with the prize being a CD single of Always The Pretenders by EUROPE. I forget what the actual questions(s) I had to answer were, to win this CD single. I believe the contest was run by Sanctuary (Records), then again my memory is vague on it. I guess that stuff doesn’t really matter anymore!
All I do know: I still own this CD single (that I won) and I recently stumbled upon it while rummaging through some CD’s I haven’t listened to in years. This (lead) single Always The Pretenders was used to promote the seventh EUROPE studio album released back in 2006: Secret Society (Sanctuary). This CD single was released via T&T / Sanctuary.
The song Always The Pretenders and album Secret Society is not the Glam/Arena/Hair Metal version of EUROPE from the 80’s; instead, this is a much more Modern and Hard Rockin’ version of the latter. Honestly, the sound that EUROPE tapped into back in 2004 with Start From The Dark married well with their sound on Secret Society from 2006. Relevancy is key here, my Metal brethren.
EUROPE – 2006
What makes this CD single extra cool is there are 4 songs on it. Here’s the track listing: Always ThePretenders (Radio Edit), 2. Always The Pretenders (Album Version), 3. Flames (Live) and 4. Superstitious (Live). The 2 live songs were previously unreleased. Both live songs were recorded at B.B.King in New York.
Superstitious originally appeared on Out Of This World; the fourth studio album from EUROPE released back in 1988. Flames originally appeared on Start From The Dark; the sixth studio album from EUROPE, released back in 2004. Both live songs are solid listens from EUROPE, with some top-tier sound quality happening.
I surely recommend this CD single from EUROPE to all Classic Rock and 80’s Hard Rock/Arena Rock fans. As for this EUROPE CD single being a collectible one day, who knows? I’ve seen this CD single selling between $4 and $10 (U.S.) around the internet, both used and new.
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Here’s what the album cover of EUROPE – Secret Society looks like:
Released back in 2006 via Sanctuary Records, this Secret Society CD doesn’t come cheap! I’ve seen “used” CD prices range from $22 to $75+ (U.S.) around the internet. Granted, some used copies are imports and command import prices, nonetheless, this EUROPE CD has become collectible. Metal be thy name!
April 30th, 2013 will see the release of Inner Harbor, the newest album from long-running Prog Rock/Doom outfit REVELATION.
In existence since the mid-80’s REVELATION has earned the respect of many bands and fans from all around the world and are often credited with creating the Progressive Doom Metal genre. They’ve taken the very best sounds of Rush, Black Sabbath, and early Heavy Metal to create yet another masterpiece amongst a catalog of many with Inner Harbor. This is quite possibly the band’s most fluid and laid-back release to date. While the sound is difficult to pinpoint, one can hear classic REVELATION mixed in with a dash of 70’s Italian Progressive Rock. The music flows through you so smoothly and freely, that you’re going to feel like you’re in a state of deep relaxed meditation.
The combined creative forces of drummer Steve Branagan, guitarist/vocalist John Brenner and bassist Bert Hall Jr. are responsible for over twenty full-length releases – split between REVELATION and their eclectic alter-ego AGAINST NATURE – and countless demos and EPs. Inner Harbor was made available as a digital release last year by the band’s own Bland Hand Records (www.againstnature.us/BH/) and will see worldwide distribution on CD format by Shadow Kingdom Records in April. Pre-orders are being taken at the newly revamped Shadow Kingdom Records Webstore at http://shadowkingdomrecords.com.
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CRITICAL PRAISE:
“Inner Harbor is a deft blend of the classic doom and progressive rock you expect from this trio…” – Terrible Certainty ‘Zine
“Inner Harbor finds Revelation as productive and relevant as ever. Long gone is the echo-y crunch of 20 years ago, and in its place is a record proudly recorded in a basement and challenging the very meaning of doom as many people claim to understand it.” -Stereokiller.com
EVILYN STRANGE – It’s grand Metal news! The UK’s very own and Heavy Rockin’ EVILYN STRANGE has burst upon the Amazon UK Hard Rock/Metal Chart with Love Finds You, right at #5!
A METAL HAILS TO PHIL, AL AND MIKE OF EVILYN STRANGE!
Take a Metal look for yourself by clicking that ultra cool link below!
As reported on the official facebook of SIX FEET UNDER:
“The journey to create, write, and record UNDEAD and UNBORN has been the most challenging and exciting musical endeavor and process I have ever been involved with,” expresses vocalist and founder Chris Barnes. “Working with all these amazing writers and musicians like Ben Savage (Whitechapel) on songs like Neuro Osmosis and Fragment are some of the most dynamic, beautiful, and brutal songs I’ve ever had the pleasure of putting lyrics to. I believe Ben is a true innovator of the death metal genre. It was also a lot of fun working Jari Laine from Torture Killer again. We wrote a great album together a few years back called SWARM! –one of my favorite releases I’ve been involved with– and Jari is someone who I have really wanted to work with again ever since. I wanted to revisit collaborating with Jari because of how well we work together; proof of that on UNBORN are the hook heavy sounds of songs like ZombieBlood Curse and Incision.” – Chris Barnes
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Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
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