King Diamond returns to North America and has conjured support from Overkill & Night Demon to bring you a night of unholy apparitions. We have summoned and welcome Myrkur with special guest vocals during the King Diamond set.
We will be playing brand new songs from the upcoming album THE INSTITUTE also known as Saint Lucifer’s Hospital, which you will see on our brand new stage.
Presale begins tomorrow July 31st at 10 am EST. General on sale this Friday August 2nd at 10 am local: kingdiamondcoven.com/tour
Anyone that viewed the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics held in Paris, France knows that there was music performances. One of the featured performers was Frances’ very own Gojira, at the Conciergerie on the banks of the Seine river.
I was surprised as any other metalhead to see Gojira there as well. It’s an extremely rare moment for any Metal band to take the world stage. They did our genre proud. I only tuned in because of hearing via news outlets that Gojira was featured. “Ah! Ça Ira” (a song made prominent during the French Revolution) was what I later found to be the song.
The (now controversial) headless Queen Marie Antoinette theme that segued into Gojiras’ performance took me by surprise as well and its visual shock and special effects made it all the more, well, can I say… Metal. Once Gojira was finished, I turned off the Paris Summer Olympics opening ceremony and went back to my UFO documentaries.
I will add, I later viewed the performance from Celine Dion and she was fabulous. This opening ceremony originally aired on NBC on July 26th and is currently being streamed on Peacock.
FEATURING GUEST PERFORMANCES FROM DUFF MCKAGAN, ROBERT TRUJILLO, MIKE BORDIN AND MORE
July 26, 2024, LOS ANGELES – Jerry Cantrell, one of rock music’s most distinctive musicians, returns with I Want Blood, an album brimming with Cantrell’s signature vocals and guitar-driven melodies, on Oct. 18 via Double J Music.
“This record is a serious piece of work. It’s a motherfucker,” Cantrell says of the infectious collection. “It’s hard, no doubt, and completely unlike Brighten. And that’s what you want, to end up in a different place. There’s a confidence to this album. I think it’s some of my best songwriting and playing, and certainly some of my best singing.”
A preview of I Want Blood comes with today’s release of “Vilified” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tGyIln0-pw). The album opener showcases an energy that rivals any of Cantrell’s previous work – powerful, nuanced, and electric – setting the tone for the 45-minute album.
“Vilified travels a lot of places in just four and a half minutes,” Cantrell continues. “It’s got a ferocity and really aggressive vibe to it.”
I Want Blood, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins), was recorded at Barresi’s JHOC Studio in Pasadena, Calif. The album also features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (Guns N’Roses) and Robert Trujillo (Metallica), drummers Gil Sharone (Team Sleep, Stolen Babies) and Mike Bordin (Faith No More), and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan).
Album pre-orders, which include CD, digital and multiple 2LP variants are available here: https://bio.to/JerryCantrell. Exclusive to the 2LP vinyl versions of I Want Blood are atmospheric, spoken word versions of each song on the album.
Jerry Cantrell kicks off a North American tour this evening, joining Bush for a seven-week trek across the continent. For complete tour dates and info click here: Jerrycantrell.com
Jerry Cantrell is an iconic American troubadour, celebrated for his distinctive guitar playing, soulful vocals and profound songwriting. Known for his work in both Alice in Chains and as a solo artist, the GRAMMY-nominated musician has sold in excess of 30 million albums, has been named one of the greatest guitar players of all time by both Guitar World and Rolling Stone, and has been instrumental in shaping the sound of modern rock music. Over his career, he has released six studio albums with Alice in Chains, three solo full-lengths, has had his music featured in films from Cameron Crowe, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller and made cameos in “Deadwood” and “Jerry Maguire.”
We’ve released an instrumental version of our 2021 album, The Work. Like last month’s release of the instrumentals for Where Owls Know My Name, it’s something our fans have been asking for some time and we hope you enjoy it. It’s available everywhere music is streamed, including on Spotify, Apple and Bandcamp.
We’ve also dropped a limited edition premium merch run of The Work-themed items, including t-shirts, hoodies and tank tops designed by Tim9Min. Grab yours before they’re gone.
Catch us on tour at the dates below. New music soon.
9/19/2024 Empire Underground — Albany, NY
9/20/2024 New England Metal And Hardcore Fest Pre-Party @ The Palladium Upstairs – Worcester, MA
Iconic heavy metallers ARMORED SAINT will reissue their Revelation and LaRaza full-lengths on vinyl August 16th via Metal Blade Records.
Revelation is the fifth studio album from the band, originally released in 2000 on Metal Blade Records, and now available for the first time on vinyl in the US. The song “The Pillar” was originally written for the 1992 horror film Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth where the band makes a cameo appearance as a bar band performing the song “Hanging Judge” at the Boiler Room club.
Recalls bassist Joey Vera, “The story for ‘The Pillar’ was that sometime in 1991 we were approached by the producers for Hellraiser to write a song for the end credits of the movie. They had already agreed to give us the song ‘Hanging Judge’ and a part in the film. So we wrote ‘The Pillar’ which later they passed on and instead they decided to go with ‘Hell On Earth’ by Motörhead. If we’re gonna lose out, better that it’s by Motörhead!”
ARMORED SAINT’s Revelation was produced by Vera with executive producer Brian Slagel, mixed by Bill Metoyer, mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in March 2024. The record will be released on double LP, featuring the bonus track “No Me Digas,” in the following color variants:
La Raza is the sixth studio album from ARMORED SAINT, originally released in 2010 on Metal Blade Records. La Raza was previously unavailable on vinyl outside of a limited 2010 UK release, and the album’s inclusion in the limited edition VMP Anthology: The Story Of Metal Blade eight-LP box set released in 2021.
La Raza was produced by Joey Vera, engineered by Bryan Carlstrom, mixed by Bryan Carlstrom and Vera and mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in March 2024. The record will be released in the following color variants:
Long-running heavy metal icons, SATAN, will spend September roadbound on a nearly month-long European tour. The journey begins with seven dates through the UK and Ireland with special guests, Seven Sisters followed by a stop at Pyrenean Warriors Open Air Fest in Torreilles, France. From there, the band will wind their way through sixteen more cities throughout Europe alongside Haunt and Hellfire. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
SATAN will be touring in support of their forthcoming new full-length, Songs In Crimson, set for release on September 13th via Metal Blade Records. Further details on the record will be revealed on July 24th. Stay alert.
SATAN: Brian Ross – vocals Russ Tippins – guitars Steve Ramsey – guitars Graeme English – bass Sean Taylor – drums
SIX FEET UNDER will join Nile for a US co-headlining tour this Winter! The Revenge Of The Underground Tour 2025 begins January 7th in Nashville, Tennessee and runs through February 22nd in Houston, Texas. Support will be provided by Psycroptic and Embryonic Autopsy. Additionally, the tour will include several SIX FEETUNDER one-off shows scattered throughout.
Comments SIX FEET UNDER vocalist Chris Barnes, “After more than a decade long hiatus of SIX FEET UNDER touring the States, I’m super excited and very much looking forward to our upcoming co-headlining tour with our old friends, Nile! It’s gonna be a motherfucking ripper!”
Tickets are on sale now at THIS LOCATION. See all confirmed dates below.
SIX FEET UNDER will be touring in support of their fiery fourteenth studio album, Killing For Revenge, released earlier this year via Metal Blade Records!Killing For Revengefeatures a guest appearance by guitarist Jason Suecof on “Neanderthal” and was mixed and mastered by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado.
A gnarly beast of a record that’s not for the faint-hearted, Killing For Revenge dishes up nightmare-inducing imagery courtesy of Barnes via the vocalist’s trademark guttural vocals. Both the album title and darkly detailed red-hued album cover by artist Vince Locke are perfect containers for the brutality within.
Finnish winter metal monolith WOLFHEART has released a ferocious new single, “Evenfall”, off their highly-anticipated album Draconian Darkness, to be released on September 6th, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Hard-charging, memorable riffs lead into a soaring, strikingly melodic chorus, with clean vocals layered under roaring harshes. The song recalls the band’s more stripped-down roots, but with renewed energy that propels the band forward into a new era. You can listen to the track now here: https://wolfheart.rpm.link/evenfallPR
The band comments on the single, “‘Evenfall’ is the most guitar/riff driven and also least symphonic song on the album and creates a perfect link to the old school Wolfheart material from the first 2 albums. With all this energy compressed into 4 minutes it is a guaranteed addition to our setlist on our Euro tour in November.“
Pre-order Draconian Darkness in the physical format of your choice (CD digipak, colored vinyl), pre-save the album on your favorite DSP, or pre-order the album digitally HERE: https://wolfheart.rpm.link/draconiandarknessPR
Budderside released their newest album, WhiteFlame, on July 10th 2024. The minute the album dropped fans immediately shared their love on social media, calling it “top notch” and stating it left them speechless.
White Flame as an album has a wonderful variety of intensities throughout the songs. “Ghostlighting” and “Good For Nothing” are perfect examples of their fast paced, in your face, kick down a door energy, while songs like “Joker” and the title track slow it down, still holding onto the power that Budderside keep consistent throughout the whole album.
Lyrically, Budderside goes hard. It’s poetry and it’s relatable. There is no getting past how deep down they go to write these songs. They don’t just write what comes to mind, they draw from experiences and their own feelings. “The Truth” and “Too Far” are prime examples of them working in emotions that might otherwise be overlooked. Lyrics like “Can’t trust myself to be alone, no telling what I’ll do” from “The Truth” and “You feel disconnected, I tell you I’ve been there” from “Too Far” hit on such a relatable topic that’s it’s almost relieving to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. They might have written from a place of darkness but it will soothe people just like music is supposed to.
Lead singer Patrick Stone has such a unique voice. It not only amplifies the meaning and emotional strength of the lyrics, but his wide vocal range pairs perfectly with any speed or forcefulness of the 2 guitar geniuses behind Budderside, Sam Koltun and Logan Nikolic. Koltun stated in an interview with Guitar World that writing songs like “Good for Nothing” “capture my intensity.” The two power house guitarists work together to finish off the full weight of the song.
Overall, Budderside hit it out of the park (and then some) with this new album. Even as this is written fans continue to praise their work. It’s not gonna be long before fans start begging for a tour to hear these masterpieces live. – Tanis Enos
Track List: Good for Nothing Voices A Thousand Teardrops Never Worth It The Truth Evol Joker Ghostlighting Black River Too Far Ain’t Alright Black Flame
Hellwitch begin their US Tour with Exciter, Midnight, and Wraith on July 18th! See the dates below:
07/18 – Morro Bay, CA @ The Siren 07/19 – Santa Ana, CA @ La Santa 07/20 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick 07/21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Nile 07/22 – Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 07/24 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall 07/25 – San Antonio, TX @ The Rock Box 07/26 – Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live 07/27 – Dallas, TX @ Echo Lounge 07/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club 07/30 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies 07/31 – Cincinnati, OH @ Legends 08/01 – Brooklyn, NY @ Meadows 08/02 – Boston, MA @ Middle East 08/03 – West Seneca, NY @ Rockin Buffalo* 08/04 – York, PA @ Skid Row Garage* 08/05 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Baltimore* 08/06 – Washington, DC @ The Pie Shop* 08/17 – Atlanta, GA @ TBA
HELLWITCH: Pat Ranieri – Guitars, Vocals J.P. Brown – Guitars Brian Wilson – Drums
INFO: Originally formed in 1984, Old school Florida Death Metal Absolute Legends HELLWITCH are back and their unique brand of highly energetic, incisive, Thrashing Death Metal. The band has always sounded insanely catchy, always balancing technicality to a great measure, HELLWITCH have drafted some genuine classic songs over the years and their new album is a culmination of all such works and experience.
L-R – Live Lineup – Luke Veranth – Bass, Bernardo Mendia – Drums, Brian Gulliford – Vocals, Alex Rausa – Guitar, Jake Falk – Guitar
Debut Album Out On WormHoleDeath Records
Ancient Entities, coming from Milwaukee, USA, are pleased to announce the release of their debut album Echoes Of Annihilation on WormHolDeath Records. The nine-track album is a mythical sonic odyssey with each song offering a unique glimpse into the past. From the burning of Rome in “Empire In Ashes” to the creation of the human race in “Creatures Of the Sand”, Ancient Entities masterfully capture the essence of ancient history through sound. They comment on the recording process:
“The album took 6 months to produce, mix, and master. The legendary Wjotec Wieslawski from Hertz Recording made sure we got our best work on track and did not compromise when it came to making a perfect album. We recorded here in the States at multiple studios and Hertz mixed and mastered the album. We wanted to work with Wjotec ‘cause he produced some of our favorite bands growing up such as Behemoth, Decapitated, and Hate. In our opinion, he helped create a masterpiece of an album and we hope everyone else thinks so too.”
The album artwork was made by Burns who handles most of the artwork for the band. It combines different pyramids that are cinematic, but still very obvious that this is a death metal; album. Listeners who dig into the album will find there is a refreshing mix of styles of death metal – modern, old school, and some sounds in between genres. Over the last two years of playing and testing out local markets, Ancient Entities is confident that their massive sound will be well received by all fans of metal old and new. They are recommended listening for fans of Blood Red Throne, Nile, and Aeon.
As of June 21, 2024, Echoes of Annihilation is available at the following links:
Track Listing: 1. Cenote Sagrado (1:21) 2. Empire In Ashes (4:19) 3. Creatures From The Sand (3:42) 4. Blood Upon Stone (3:16) 5. Ritual Autopsy (4:43) 6. Hidden (3:53) 7. Pierced by Obsidian (4:08) 8. Wall of War (4:28) 9. Damnatio Ad Flammas (3:24) Album Length: 32:18
Ontario death metal unit TOMB MOLD launches their massive North American tour this Thursday.
Following festival performances at the Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, the inaugural Austin Deathfest, the inaugural Prepare The Ground Fest, and the annual Sled Island gathering, TOMBMOLD now begins their most extensive tour in the band’s history on the Enraptured By Fate’s Tangled Thread Tour. Joined by their allies in Horrendous, the three-week trek begins in TOMB MOLD’s hometown of Toronto this Thursday, July 4th, and ends in Brooklyn on July 27th. See all confirmed dates below.
The album’s artwork was handled by Jesse Jacobi who was also responsible for the Planetary Clairvoyance artwork, with additional artwork by Karmazid, layout and design by Chimère Noire, and photography by Colin Medley.
Stream TOMB MOLD’s The Enduring Spirit everywhere including YouTube HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
The Enduring Spirit is now available on CD, MC, and both LP and the label’s first picture disc LP ever – both vinyl versions including a four-panel insert and huge 36×24-inch poster – at the label webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
September 13, 2024 will see hard rock titans VICTORY strike back with their brand new studio album, entitled Circle Of Life, slated for a release on AFM Records. The album pre-sale is available at: https://victory.bfan.link/circle-of-life
Circle Of Life sees the five-piece surrounding founder and iconic guitarist Herman Frank not only effortlessly build on earlier feats, but also sounds stronger than ever. Frank describes the release with its first-rate production as “even more grown-up and mature than its predecessor, we’ve taken the new songs to a whole new level in every respect.” He knows what this optimised performance is due to: “The group operates as a tight unit, based on the experience of the many live shows we’ve played together. ‘Circle Of Life’ brings together what has grown together and belongs together.”
Naturally, the excellent reputation of a successful hard rock act such as VICTORY is based, among other things, on the superb achievements of their long-standing career. The early days of the Hanover-based group date back to the 1980s and include immortal album classics and successful tours around the globe. However, none of this would account for much or would indeed be classed as anything but nostalgia if their present accomplishments weren’t on a par with the band’s impressive past.
All of the ten new album tracks were recorded by Herman Frank together with vocalist Gianni Pontillo, rhythm guitarist Mike Pesin, bassist Malte Frederik Burkert and drummer Michael Stein at Hanover’s famous Horus Sound Studios, featuring a mix courtesy of sound engineer Arne Neurand.
Circle Of Life Tracklist: 01.Tonight We Rock 02. American Girl 03. Count On Me 04. Surrender My Heart 05. Unbelievable World 06. Moonlit Sky 07. Falling 08. Money 09. Reason To Love 10. Virtual Sin
Mexican post-black metal act THE DEPRESSICK are finally back with their brand new, second full-length album titled Faded.exe, a gut-wrenching musical journey. The album will be released on July 19th 2024 via Tragedy Productions/End My Life Records.
The record shows a broadening in the scope in their sound, packing in even more brooding melodies, eerie howls, whirlwind drumming, and a tightening of the band’s signature songwriting chops. Constantly maintaining the subtle balance between light and melancholy, soaring atmospherics and granite riffs, THE DESPRESSICK deliver their sonic rebirth in fifty minutes of a grippingly emotional experience.
The first single “Greywave” is now streaming HERE.
Faded.exe definitely marks another step forward for the band, incorporating new suggestions into their visceral sound that bleeds raw emotion.
THE DEPRESSICK is a Mexican Post-DSBM band formed in 2013. Based in Nezahualcoyotl a densely populated and historically impoverished suburb of Mexico City with considerable stigma attached to it. The “negativity, misery, poverty, sickness and filth” of their environment contributes to their music’s bleakness. For fans of: Lantlos, Lifelover, Amesoeurs and White Ward.
Legendary, long-running metal band STRYPER are setting the stage for a great year with a new single entitled “End of Days.” Accompanied by a new lyric video, the track also helps announce the band’s 40th Anniversary Tour dates which begin this fall. After an appearance at the Alive Music Festival in July, tour dates kick off September 11th in Greenville, TN, and conclude November 16th in North Myrtle Beach, SC. A full list of dates is below.
About the new track, the band shared this:
“’End of Days‘ is a heavy track musically and lyrically. It has a classic sound with a few modern twists and turns along the way. Lyrically, it’s probably the most fitting message according to the times we are living in. It really does feel like the ‘End of Days‘ in many ways. We’re not only a divided nation, we’re a divided world. It’s time to make things right.”
Looking ahead, STRYPER has completed recording a new studio album set for release in fall 2024, which they hope will continue their trend of improving with each release. The band is also working on a Kickstarter-funded documentary film directed by Chris Atkins. With career album sales exceeding 10 million worldwide and a history of Billboard Top 40 hits, STRYPER continues to record, tour, and perform for devoted fans globally.
The current lineup includes original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, and Oz Fox, along with bassist Perry Richardson, as they create what they consider their finest and most powerful music yet.
“It is with heavy hearts we have to inform you that all scheduled Dokken European Summer dates need to be postponed. Due to ongoing complications after extensive neck surgery and a recently fractured ankle, Don will not be able to stand for prolonged periods of time nor travel overseas at this time.
Don believes the European fans deserve the best possible farewell.
With this in mind, he will do his best to make good in 2025. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.” #Dokken
Midwest death machine CASKETROBBERY has posted the official music video for their newest single, “The Lacryphagist.” The song marks the band’s first new material since their 2022 album, Rituals of Death.
Vocalist Megan Orvold–Scheider comments on the song, “I had so much fun writing for ‘The Lacryphagist’. When we decided it was finally time to sit down and begin writing for the next release, we came up with a really awesome concept and this is a really cool piece of the puzzle. Initially, I got inspired by the stories of Victorian tear vials and I loved the idea of this creature that feeds off of human tears and collects them in various states of emotion. We were able to put in some really grotesque imagery into both the lyrics and the video we shot. I think this single shows our natural next progression as a band and our writing; lyrically getting darker while staying true to our tongue-in-cheek horror vibes that we have so much fun with. We cannot wait to hear what you all think of ‘The Lacryphagist.’”
CASKET ROBBERY is celebrating the release of “The Lacryphagist” with an exclusive giveaway for their legions of fans. To enter the “Take Their Eyes” giveaway, fans need to submit a photo of their eyeballs, which will be used in the next CASKETROBBERY video. The winner will receive a Lacryphagist T-shirt, a signed flag, and the prop eyeballs used in “The Lacryphagist” music video, along with two tickets and meet & greet passes to an upcoming CASKET ROBBERY show.
Excited to announce I’ll be embarking on a new USA tour celebrating forty years of my solo career. Can’t wait to see you all on the road – you’re not going to want to miss this.
Tour dates in the tour flyer image above. Tickets will go on sale at: yngwiemalmsteen.com/tour
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"
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