IRON IMPERIUM is an Alternative – Heavy Metal band from Jyväskylä, Finland, formed in 2012, with music inspired by bands like Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down and ’80’s Heavy Metal. The band’s lyric poetry swims in the dark waters. The band could be described as Modern Metal, among which has a little bit of 80’s Metal, darkness and Grunge, yet it’s still energetic and honest Metal music.
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released VOLBEAT studio album, Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie, is ranked #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Hot damn!
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released HELLYEAH studio album, Unden!able, is ranked at #3, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Hell and Yeah!!
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released DARK FUNERAL studio album, Where Shadows Forever Reign, is ranked at #9, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Freaking cool!!
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released CANDLEMASS studio EP, Death Thy Lover, is ranked at #19, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. CANDLEMASS!!
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released YNGWIE MALMSTEEN studio album, World On Fire, is ranked at #37, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Yngwie!!
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released studio album, Agony, from São Paulo’s NERVOSA, is ranked at #48, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart.
On June 3rd, 2016 – The newly released debut and self-titled studio album from San Diego’s POISON HEADACHE is ranked at #54, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart.
On May 25th, 1969 – THE WHO and LED ZEPPELIN performed on this same day at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, in Columbia, Maryland. I was 3 years and 4 months old when this Rock historic event took place. Unreal.
On May 25th, 1974 – The second studio album from SWEET, Sweet Fanny Adams, was ranked at #27 in the UK. Now, that’s sweet!
On May 25th, 1983 – DIO‘s debut studio album Holy Diver was released. This iconic Metal album has sold one million (plus) copies, just in the United States. Whoa! Rest in peace, Ronnie James Dio.
On May 25th, 2016 – ROB ZOMBIE has his Past, Present & Future compilation album ranked at #15, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. This album was released back in 2003. Dig it.
On May 25th, 2016 – Hellbilly Deluxe, the solo and debut studio album from ROB ZOMBIE is ranked at #31, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Yeah! Hellbilly Deluxe was released back in 1998.
Progressive Death Metal faction, ARKAIK, will embark upon a fifteen-date US headlining tour this Summer. The Make America Shred Again Tour 2016 will run from July 2nd through July 24th. Support will be provided by Vale Of Pnath and Singularity with additional dates to be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are beyond stoked to be hitting this road this July with the incredibly talented Vale Of Pnath and Singularity,” issues guitarist Greg Paulson. “This is a really special package given the technical and progressive nature of the music. All bands are releasing new music and have new albums to promote. We also have our most ambitious set list to date, spanning our previous two records and our newly released album Lucid Dawn.”
In the meantime, check out the band’s video for “The Temple Aflame” at THIS LOCATION or below:
ARKAIK w/ Vale Of Pnath, Singularity:
7/02/2016 Malone’s – Santa Ana, CA
7/04/2016 Club Red – Mesa, AZ
7/06/2016 Blu Phoenix – Albuquerque, NM
7/10/2016 Korova – San Antonio, TX
7/11/2016 House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
7/12/2016 Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX
7/13/2016 Tomcats West – Fortworth, TX
7/15/2016 Sunshine Studios – Colorado Springs, CO
7/16/2016 The Marquis Theatre – Denver, CO
7/17/2016 WhySound – Logan, UT
7/21/2016 Studio 7 – Seattle, WA
7/22/2016 Third Street Pub – Bend, OR
7/23/2016 The Haul – Grants Pass, OR
7/24/2016 Phoenix Theater – Petaluma, CA
ARKAIK released their Lucid Dawn full-length last year via Unique Leader Records. The second installment in a series of concept albums, Lucid Dawn centers itself around Cyrix, a disillusioned character in a dystopian society. In Cyrix’ realm, dreaming is systematically controlled by a tyrannical ruler named Khaal-Li-Phar and his army of dark shamans, where people are forced to build monuments to the tyrant to stifle their imaginations and inhibit their ability to achieve a multi-dimensional existence.
Musically and conceptually, Lucid Dawn is a Death Metal take on American mythologist, writer and lecturer, Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and the beginning of Cyrix’s “Hero’s Journey,” that seamlessly carries its listeners on a visceral expedition through the depths of evil and beyond the threshold of mundane reality.
ARKAIK‘s Lucid Dawn was engineered, mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Fallujah, Wrvth, All Shall Perish et al.) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California and is out now worldwide via Unique Leader Records. Order bundles are currently available at THIS LOCATION.
____________________________
“…a head-spinning display of insectile tech-death frenzy – the kind of performance that somehow feels both machine-tight and berserk.” – No Clean Singing
“As profound and groovy as tech gets…” – Sputnik Music
“A tech-death hurricane of musicianship heroics.” – The Sludgelord
On May 8th, 1993 – The awesome AEROSMITH had their eleventh studio album, Get A Grip, ranked at #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. This was AEROSMITH‘s first #1 album! That’s hard to believe, I know! Get A Grip has gone on to sell 7 million (plus) copies in just the USA alone! Yes, the early 90’s wasn’t all about Grunge. Long Live AEROSMITH.
On May 8th, 2016 – Arizona’s THE WORD ALIVE have their new studio album, Dark Matter (Fearless Records), ranked at #41 on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Yup. Cool band too. Give ’em a listen below. Whoa.
On May 8th, 2016 – The super incredible JUDAS PRIEST have their second studio album, Sad Wings Of Destiny, ranked at #74 on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. By the way, this influential album was released back in 1975. I was 9 years old in 1975. Unreal. Geez.
On May 8th, 2016 – SEPULTURA‘s fourth studio album, Arise, is ranked at #96, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. I LOVE this album! LOVE it. The cover art for Arise is truly second to none! Max and Igor Cavalera made this band freaking scream! I still dig the post Cavalera SEPULTURA, hell and yeah.
SHAI HULUD is currently in Europe on tour in support of their Sincerely Hated EP and most recent full-length, Reach Beyond The Sun. Following their return to the US, they will immediately embark upon a brief run of East Coast dates, with a few stops in Canada.
Elaborates mainman Matt Fox:”Hello friends. Here are a couple of Summer dates in the US and Canada, followed by four dates in Japan with our dear friends in Endzweck. See yous there? Excellent. We’re looking forward to it. Very Mean Pete of Remembering Never/xBishopx will be fronting us because Henry Rollins has called in sick. It happens. If there are any more shows this year, they will be sporadic and most likely in unlikely places so come rage while you can. The rest of the year we will be writing new music so we can attempt to cut our usual time in-between full-length albums by one full year. Exciting, ain’t it? We think so, too. Love. Respect. Hate. Piss. Moan. Sincerely Hated, Your friendly neighborhood SHAI HULUD.”
___________________________
SHAI HULUD w/ Dwell:
5/28/2016 ABC No Rio – New York, NY
6/03/2016 Black Forge Coffee – Pittsburgh, PA
6/04/2016 The Auricle – Canton, OH
6/05/2016 Frankie’s – Toledo, OH
6/06/2016 Nocturne – Toronto, ON
6/07/2016 Mavericks – Ottawa, ON
6/08/2016 Bar Le Ritz – Montreal, QC
6/09/2016 La Martiniere – Quebec City, QC
6/10/2016 The Kave – Bucksport, ME
6/11/2016 Dylan’s Pub – Brockton, MA
6/12/2016 Santo’s Party House – New York, NY
Following a year of silence, Louisville, Kentucky-based black metal legion ANAGNORISIS announces the band’s triumphant return to action over recent months, as the band is currently heavily entrenched in the pre-production of their impending third album, and will be hitting the studio this weekend to begin the bulk of the actual recording stages.
ANAGNORISIS is currently more than two-thirds of the way through the pre-production of the next full-length chapter in their legacy, having finished all of the song structures and laid down most of the keys, guitars, and bass, and currently in the process of recording vocals. Joining the band for the recording sessions is drummer Cody McCody, also of Černá, Boreworm and others, the ANAGNORISIS lineup currently completed with vocalist Zachary Kerr, keyboardist Samuel Hartman, guitarist Zak Denham, and bassist Josh Mumford.
This Friday, ANAGNORISIS will enter The Tracking Room Studios in Nashville (Megadeth, Deep Purple, King Crimson, Taylor Swift) to track the drums for the new album. The rest of the recording will be engineered by Denham at his home studio where the band recorded their acclaimed Beyond All Light LP. The new album will be completed over the next month for Fall 2016 release on LP and CD through Germany-based Vendetta Records, who has been responsible for titles from Thou, Funerary, Usnea, Abstracter, and many others, and on cassette through Yehonala in Europe and Like Young Records in the US.
ANAGNORISIS self-released their second album, Beyond All Light, in mid-2013, the album stampeding its way into top-tier media outlets. Stereogum called the record, “epic, melodic, technically flawless black metal that is somehow also brutal, raw, and kinetic: The whole thing is somehow equal parts Dissection and Nails,” – and even awarded the record the #19 slot in their 50 Best Metal Albums Of 2013 List – and Pitchfork proclaimed, “An album of massive builds, harsh climaxes, and ambitious track lengths, Beyond All Light necessitates a monstrous finale… Where other acts might break the momentum, ANAGNORISIS simply pile layers beneath the musical heap, with the rhythm section somehow growing ever a bit more malevolent.”
After tours with HammerFall and Gamma Ray in 2015 and the release of their highly successful debut album (“As Daylight Breaks”), Melodic Metallers SERIOUS BLACK are busy working on songs for their upcoming sophomore album. The band now also has unveiled the dates for their upcoming first headlining tour (support acts will be Sinbreed and Messerschmitt).
On April 19th, 1980 – The magnificent JUDAS PRIEST had their sixth studio album, British Steel, ranked at #6 in the United Kingdom.
On April 19th, 2016 – The newly released cover song album, Origins, Vol. 1, from the great ACE FREHLEY is ranked at #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Long Live Space Ace!
On April 19th, 2016 – ASKING ALEXANDRIA have their third studio album, The Black, sitting at #4, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Yup.
On April 19th, 2016 – OTEPGeneration Doom (Deluxe Edition) is ranked at #12, on the iTunes Top 100 Rock Albums Chart. Long Live Otep Shamaya!
On April 19th, 2016 – OTEP is scheduled to perform at the Knitting Factory Concert House in Boise, Idaho. This is one of many stops on the Generation Doom Tour for OTEP. Supporting OTEP will be: September Mourning, Doll Skin, Through Fire and Abaasy. Whoa!
The only song missing on this Metallica (gulp) album is: Thanks For The Memory.
OZZY OSBOURNE – Scream
By far, the worstOzzy Osbourne studio album. Ever. If I wrote anything positive about this album in the past, it was because I ate too many wild mushrooms. To this day, I’m embarrassed for Gus G having to play guitar on this record.
PHILM – Harmonic
I got sucked into this album due to the great Dave Lombardo (of Slayer fame) being a founding member and drummer for PHILM. Honestly, it’s one of the worst albums I’ve ever listened to of any genre.
GUNS N’ ROSES – “The Spaghetti Incident?”
This cover song album features a song written by Charles Manson and performed by GNR. Classless. ‘Nuff said.
ICED EARTH – Horror Show
I absolutely love ICED EARTH, still, this album is not their crowning glory. Horror Show goes on and on and on, like a bad dream. I truthfully fell asleep numerous times while trying to listen to this album. It was a grand idea though, with wicked excellent cover art to boot.
On March 25th, 2016 – The mighty AMON AMARTH releases their tenth studio album: Jomsviking. Whoa! I’m buying this CD, my fellow Metal brethren!! Um… Jomsviking is currently ranked at #2, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. HAIL AMON AMARTH!!
On March 25th, 2016 – The Metal warriors aka METAL CHURCH releases their eleventh studio album, via Rat Pak Records, aptly titled: XI. I’m buying this CD too, man!! Hey… XI is currently ranked at #3, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Whoa.
On March 25th, 2016 – The valiant JUDAS PRIEST releases their live CD/DVD: Battle Cry. Yeah!! I’m gonna buy this Metal prize today!! LONG LIVE JUDAS PRIEST!!
On March 25th, 2016 – Denmark’s Thrash/Speed Metal legion aka ARTILLERY releases their new studio album, via Metal Blade Records: Penalty By Perception. I will buy this CD soon, cuz $$ don’t grow on Metal trees, you know? In other Metal words, Artillery is on my Metal list! Whoa. By the way, Artillery is ranked at #76, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. Dig it.
On March 25th, 2016 – The fourth studio album, The Black, from England’s ASKING ALEXANDRIA is ranked at #1, on the iTunes Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums Chart. This album also releases today, via Sumerian Records. Dig it. I’ll say this much, that is one freaking creepy album cover for The Black. Damn. I’ll probably wait to get this CD at a used price someday.
___________________________
There are loadsmore Metal albums being released today, I just cannot possibly list them all cuz I have to water my daisies, finish knitting an ABBA banner and play checkers with my two cats. You know?
Are you buying one or all of these new Metal releases? Are you taking a pass on one for any reason? Let your Metal voice be heard via comment! Metal Be Thy Name. – Stone
Los Angeles Stoner/Doom Metal band BEHOLD! THE MONOLITH will embark on a European tour with CHRCH. The tour launches at the end of this month and goes through mid-April with dates in Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and The Netherlands. Visit this location for more tour info.
BEHOLD! THE MONOLITH released its third full-length album, Architects of the Void on September 30. Stream the album in its entirety here.
Architects of the Void follows critically acclaimed 2012 release Defender, Redeemist and marks the debut of vocalist Jordan Nalley who took the reigns following the tragic 2013 death of Kevin McDade in a car accident. The album will also be the first for new bassist Jason “Cas” Casanova (SASQUATCH). The album artwork was created by Dusty Peterson (Bloodbath, Six Feet Under, Oceano).
Praise for Architects of the Void:
“Healthy doses of doomy riffage, pummeling heaviness, and expansive/exploratory parts that just might take you on a journey to another planet.” – MetalSucks
“With elements of all good things that are heavy, the new release by Behold! The Monolith is a musical battle hammer shattering the skulls of the weak and feeble. ” – The Ripple Effect
“Behold! The Monolith do not hesitate to blow listener’s eardrums away with their new album…thunderous sounding riffs and crushing Sabbath like jams.” – Rock and Metal Temple
IRON MAIDEN are currently on The Book Of Souls World Tour. IRON MAIDEN perform in San Jose, Costa Rica on March 8th. Watch and listen below. Whoa. ‘Nuff said.
SIX REASONS TO KILL have released a trailer video for upcoming Bastardized Recordings vinyl 7″ EP Rote Erde. Check it out at this location or below:
The video’s band scenes were filmed by Yves Ambitious Film. The trailer was recorded and edited by Daniel Zimmermann from Schrottgrenze.tumblr.com/.
SIX REASONS TO KILL recently revealed the cover artwork and track list for new EP Rote Erde (German for “Red Earth”). The EP will be released March 11 through Bastardized Recordings on 7″ vinyl with three limited-edition vinyl colors available. Rote Erde contains two new songs: the title track and a cover version of DISMEMBER’s “Of Fire.”
Impacted by line-up changes during the last year, SIX REASONS TO KILL became darker and more brutal in their songwriting, lyrics and artwork. The band plays brute Metal with a lot of anger. The new lyrics are written in German and deal with politically and socially critical topics.
The songs were recorded in summer 2015 at the Beast Audio Studios Frankfurt and mixed and mastered by Kohle at Kohlekeller Studio. The artwork was created by Schrottgrenze.
CANNIBAL CORPSE will kick off 2016 with one of the most bludgeoning Death Metal tour lineups of the year! The over month-long trek, presented by The Noise, will tear across North America beginning on February 12th and run through March 20th. The band will be joined by fellow Floridian Death Metal progenitors, Obituary, as direct support, followed by Canada’s Cryptopsy, and Los Angeles’ Abysmal Dawn. Tickets go on sale this Friday, December 11th, at 10:00am local time through all local and national ticket outlets.
___________________________
The Noise presents CANNIBAL CORPSE w/ Obituary, Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn:
2/12/2016 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
2/13/2016 The Sea – Wilmington, NC
2/14/2016 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
2/15/2016 Theatre Of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
2/16/2016 Irving Plaza – New York, NY
2/18/2016 Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
2/19/2016 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
2/20/2016 Opera House – Toronto, ON
2/21/2016 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
2/23/2016 Turner Hall Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
2/24/2016 The Ready Room – St. Louis, MO [tickets]
2/25/2016 The Granada Theater – Lawrence, KS
2/26/2016 Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN
2/27/2016 Metro – Chicago, IL [tickets]
2/29/2016 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
3/01/2016 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
3/02/2016 Revolution Center – Boise, ID
3/03/2016 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR
3/04/2016 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
3/05/2016 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
3/07/2016 The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
3/08/2016 Avalon Hollywood – Los Angeles, CA
3/09/2016 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
3/10/2016 House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
3/11/2016 Club Red – Phoenix, AZ
3/12/2016 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
3/14/2016 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX
3/15/2016 Gas Monkey Live! – Dallas, TX
3/16/2016 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
3/17/2016 Varsity Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA
3/18/2016 The Side Bar Theatre – Tallahassee, FL
3/19/2016 The Ritz Ybor – Tampa, FL *no Obituary
3/20/2016 Revolution Live – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
___________________________
CANNIBAL CORPSE continues to tour in support of their A Skeletal Domain full-length, released last year via Metal Blade Records. The band’s thirteenth studio offering debuted at an astounding #32 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart upon its first week of release, making it the highest charting record in the band’s storied history! Produced by Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, DevilDriver) at Audio Hammer Studios in Florida, the record boasts twelve ravenous tracks of confrontational, meticulously executed, ill-omened brutality, as only CANNIBAL CORPSE can deliver.
New Jersey’s COGNITIVE will be hitting Full Force Studio to record its second full length album Deformity.
The band will be working with ‘Smoking’ Joe Cincotta who has worked alongside bands such as SUFFOCATION, BODYCOUNT and INTERNAL BLEEDING. Artwork for the album will be created by renowned illustrator Par Olofsson (SPAWN OF POSSESSION, IMMOLATION, ABYSMAL DAWN, JOB FOR A COWBOY). The legendary Alan Douches will master the upcoming album at West West Side (SEPULTURA, CONVERGE, HATEBREED).
Following the addition of new members guitarist Harry Lannon and bassist Ian Bainbridge, COGNITIVE have forged new ground and are eager to unleash the bands new material which will present a more formidable sound and direction. The band is currently seeking a label and aiming to have the album released by March 2016.
Once started in 2004, the popular series of METALMESSAGE PROMOTION SAMPLERS goes on with “VI” since November 5th. Bands worth listening to and cover artists worth seeing will be actively and internationally supported again at the same time.
The detailed and colorful front cover art in the timeless classic Heavy Metal style was created by the Mexican graphic talent Joel Sánchez Rosales:
Cruz Del Sur Music welcomes to its roster Portuguese Epic Metal Heroes RAVENSIRE! The label will release the band’s third album The Cycle Never Ends in early 2016. In the meantime, check out their new song “Temple at the End of the World” (the final installment of The White Pillars trilogy) at this location or below:
Formed in 2010, RAVENSIRE built a strong reputation in the European Underground Metal movement, with their two previous albums Iron Will (2012) and We March Forward (2013). Given that RAVENSIRE‘s sound is genuinely devoted to the likes of OMEN, old MANOWAR, and BROCAS HELM, both albums were highly acclaimed by Epic Metal fans, fueling the band’s songwriting on The Cycle Never Ends.
The album will be available on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.
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"
You must be logged in to post a comment.