Atomic Fire Records today welcomes German hard rock quartet SINNER to its expanding roster. The band will release a twelve-track full-length, aptly titled Brotherhood, this Summer. Produced by frontman MatSinner and co-produced by guitarist Tom Naumann, Brotherhood was recorded by Basi Roeder at Backyard Studios as well as Mitch Kunz at Apollo 13 Audio, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Denmark.
Vocalist/bassist Mat Sinner comments, “We’re enormously happy to be a new member of the Atomic Fire Records family and to work with many great ex-colleagues. Brotherhood simply is such a strong album that we need their motivated and loyal team to make it a big success.”
Says Atomic Fire Records CEO Markus Wosgien, “We’ve been connected and good friends with Mat Sinner and his band mates for a long time. To welcome SINNER at Atomic Fire Records is nothing but a matter of the heart for us because – like Primal Fear – they’re a very important part of our past but now also of our present and future again; and we’re even prouder and happier about their monstrous new album that was crafted in brilliant teamwork by Mat (mostly) alongside Tom Naumann. Brotherhood is a heavy, straight, and hard-hitting opus, graced with an impressive amount of guests and friends. The album title says it all – it’s definitely another masterful addition to the already long listing of great SINNER records.”
More information on SINNER‘s Brotherhood as well as the first digital single and preordering details will be announced soon.
SINNER: MatSinner – vocals, bass Tom Naumann – guitars AlexScholpp – guitars Markus Kullmann – drums
Recently signed to Crusader Records / Golden Robot Records, South African sleaze rockers L.A. COBRA havereleased their first single for the label, ‘She’s My Prison’, which is available now on all digital platforms.
Formed in November 2005, L.A. COBRA is the only sleaze/glam/hair metal band on the African continent. They are the “sleaze rocking hair metal stars” from Pretoria (home of multi-platinum rock superstars SEETHER), flying the 80’s glam rock flag from the handlebars of their Harley’s whilst making a name for themselves internationally and locally.
‘She’s My Prison’, is an anthemic arena rock single that revolves around the restrictive nature of a failed relationship. The track features screaming guitars, thunderous drums and bass, and a sing-along chorus that fans will distinctly recognize as L.A. COBRA.
L.A. Cobra has been let loose to cause a rebellion amongst the youth with their revival of the 80’s glam era. Largely influenced by 80’s rock bands like Mötley Crüe, Guns & Roses, W.A.S.P. and Skid Row, L.A. COBRA is all about girls, Harley’s, big hair and a good time.
The band is: Don Cobra on vocals and guitar, Spade on lead guitar, Ewil on bass guitar and Callie ‘The Animal’ on drums, bringing back those memorable guitar solos and “balls to the wall” hard rock shows we’re all starved for. With a modern twist from their song-writing as we know them, these guys are the real deal, and live rock and roll!
L.A. Cobra and Crusader Records will have a slew of announcements in 2022 including new music, merchandise, tours and a whole lot more…stay tuned.
OPETH is peerless. Since 1990, the Swedes have eclipsed convention, defiantly crushed the odds, and most importantly, crafted thirteen stunningly beautiful, intrinsically intense albums to become one of the biggest progressive rock/metal bands on the planet… And they’re only getting better, even after selling more than two million records and hitting the #1 in the German album charts with their album Sorceress in 2016. Now readying for a North American tour with Mastodon in April and May of this year, the band around unmatched frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt announces the release of InCaudaVenenum (Extended Edition) for May 13th.
This release, available on digipak, contains the English and Swedish versions of OPETH’s latest album InCaudaVenenum with new illustrations by internationally renowned Travis Smith in the booklet as well as a third CD featuring three unreleased bonus tracks, both in English and Swedish:
“The Mob” / “Pöbeln” “Width Of A Circle” / “Cirkelns Riktning” “Freedom & Tyranny” / “Frihet & Tyranni”
InCaudaVenenum (Extended Edition) is now available for preorder. Additionally, the album’s limited Connoisseur Edition vinyl boxset which includes the same bonus tracks but remastered by Mikael Åkerfeldt specifically for vinyl, will be available in the North American retail stores for the first time on May 13th. Both album editions will also be available at the band’s merch table on the upcoming North American tour.
Stream unreleased track, “Width Of A Circle,” now available on all streaming platforms, at THIS LOCATION.
OPETH’s co-headlining tour with Mastodon will commence April 21st in Montreal, Quebec and make its way through sixteen US and Canadian cities, coming to a close on May 11th in Riverside, California. Support will be provided by special guests Khemmis. Get your tickets at www.opeth.com/tour-dates. See all confirmed dates below.
OPETH w/ Mastodon, Khemmis: 4/21/2022 Place Bell – Montreal, QC 4/22/2022 Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Toronto, ON 4/23/2022 The Agora Theater & Ballroom – Cleveland, OH 4/24/2022 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA 4/26/2022 The Met – Philadelphia, PA 4/28/2022 Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL 4/29/2022 The Masonic Temple Theatre – Detroit 4/30/2022 The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI 5/01/2022 Myth Live – St. Paul, MN 5/03/2022 TCU Place – Saskatoon, SK 5/04/2022 Grey Eagle Events Centre – Calgary, AB 5/05/2022 EDM Expo Centre – Edmonton, AB 5/07/2022 Thunderbird Sports Centre – Vancouver, BC 5/08/2022 Paramount Theater – Seattle, WA 5/09/2022 Keller Auditorium – Portland, OR 5/11/2022 Municipal Auditorium – Riverside, CA
“Emergency” is the haunting opening track of MSG’s upcoming new studio album, Universal, set for release on May 27th via Atomic Fire Records.
The album’s first single comes along with an official music video, produced by Justin Griffiths. Comments MICHAEL SCHENKER, “‘Emergency’ is quite a complicated song with different rhythms but catchy at the same time. It’s fun to play and to listen to. Enjoy and keep on rocking.”
View MSG’s “Emergency” video at THIS LOCATION or below:
Universal will be available as a CD digipak (including two bonus tracks), Earbook (CD including two bonus tracks), on vinyl, and digitally. Find preordering options at THIS LOCATION.
Few rock guitarists on this planet have had such a lasting influence on so many renowned musicians as MICHAEL SCHENKER. With his outstandingly fluid style, inexhaustible wealth of ideas, and instinctive feel for hooks and melodies, MICHAEL SCHENKER is a living legend who, despite his longstanding and distinguished history, still impresses with his unflagging energy and drive. The blond stringsman from Sarstedt, Germany (near Hanover) began his international career in the early 1970s with the Scorpions, achieved worldwide fame after joining British rock group U.F.O., and then seamlessly continued his exceptional global success story under his own name, as well as with acts such as MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (otherwise known as MSG), Temple Of Rock, and MICHAEL SCHENKER Fest. SCHENKER and his career, which has spanned more than five decades, are absolute exceptions in the otherwise short-lived music industry.
To celebrate his latest MSG album, Universal, scheduled for release on May 27th through Atomic Fire Records, as well as his 50th anniversary of recording, MSG will embark upon an extended US tour this Fall. The trek will run from September 27th through November 6th. See all confirmed dates below.
MSG US Tour 2022 w/ Eric Martin, Images Of Eden: 9/27/2022 The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA 9/28/2022 Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA 9/29/2022 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA 10/01/2022 Saban Theater – Los Angeles, CA 10/02/2022 Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV 10/04/2022 Oriental Theater – Denver, CO 10/06/2022 Pop’s – Sauget, IL 10/07/2022 Des Plaines Theater – Des Plaines, IL 10/08/2022 Arcada Theater – St. Charles, IL 10/09/2022 Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI 10/11/2022 The Art Theater – Hobart, IN 10/12/2022 Piere’s – Ft. Wayne, IN 10/14/2022 The King Of Clubs – Columbus, OH 10/15/2022 Agora Theater – Cleveland, OH 10/16/2022 Harpo’s – Detroit, MI 10/17/2022 Jergels – Pittsburgh, PA 10/19/2022 The Vault – New Bedford, MA * MSG only 10/20/2022 Flying Monkey – Plymouth, NH 10/21/2022 Cabot Theater – Beverly, MA 10/22/2022 Sony Hall – New York, NY 10/23/2022 Newton Theater – Newton, NJ 10/25/2022 Keswick Theater – Glenside, PA 10/26/2022 Tally Ho – Leesburg, VA 10/27/2022 Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA
w/ Damon Johnson & The Get Ready, Images Of Eden: 10/29/2022 Bogarts – Cincinnati, OH 10/30/2022 Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN w/ W.A.S.P., Armored Saint: 11/02/2022 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 11/03/2022 Concrete Street Pavilion – Corpus Christi TX 11/04/2022 Eaton Arena – San Antonio, TX 11/05/2022 Amplified Live – Dallas, TX 11/06/2022 Tulsa Theater – Tulsa, OK
MSG – USTour2022Lineup: Michael Schenker – lead guitar Ronnie Romero – vocals Bodo Schopf – drums Steve Mann – keyboards, guitars BarendCourbois – bass
MSG’s Universal will feature all the strengths of this exceptional musician: first-rate songs with anthemic melodies, catchy guitar riffs, and inspiring solos. As fans have come to expect, SCHENKER has once again enlisted a number of prestigious fellow musicians for the recording of his new studio production, among them, as main vocalist, Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Vandenberg), who will also be MSG’s frontman on their upcoming tour, Michael Kiske (Helloween) and Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), keyboard player Steve Mann (Lionheart), drummers Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Foreigner), Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow), and Bodo Schopf (Eloy), as well as legendary bassists Bob Daisley (Black Sabbath), Barry Sparks (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dokken) and BarendCourbois (Blind Guardian, Zakk Wylde), with Tony Carey as a very special guest.
CREEPINGDEATH will join death metal behemoths Carcass and Immolation for a string of live performances later this Spring. CREEPINGDEATH’s journey runs from May 14th through May 26th. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10:00am local time! Don’t miss it! See all confirmed dates below.
CREEPING DEATH w/ Carcass, Immolation: 5/14/2022 Launch Pad – Albuquerque, NM 5/15/2022 101 Toole – Tucson, AZ 5/16/2022 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA 5/17/2022 Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA 5/20/2022 The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO 5/22/2022 The Majestic – Madison, WI 5/23/2022 Vogue – Indianapolis, IN 5/24/2022 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY 5/25/2022 Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY 5/26/2022 Palladium Upstairs – Worcester, MA
No Immolation
CREEPINGDEATH will be touring in support of their most recent release TheEdge Of Existence EP, unleashed last year via MNRK Heavy. With a nod to crossover masters Iron Age, a bit of the tech-death of Cryptopsy, a foundation of forebearers Death, CREEPINGDEATH summons a vibrant sound somehow both familiar and fresh. The Edge Of ExistenceEP further demonstrates the power, fury, and outright revelry at the heart of the band’s identity.
Captured at Homewrecker Recording Studio in Tucson, Arizona and produced and mixed by Ryan Bram (Gatecreeper, Bitter Rivals, Sex Prisoner), the six-song EP introduces three new certified hellraisers — “Relics From The Past,” “Humanity Transcends,” and the title track — alongside remade and revitalized versions of the three songs from the band’s 2016 debut EP — “Sacrament Of Death,” “Doused In Flames,” and “Skinned Alive.”
TheEdge Of Existence EP is available on CD, cassette, digitally, and now vinyl, at THIS LOCATION.
View the band’s previously released video for the EP’s title track HERE and a visualizer for “Humanity Transcends” HERE.
Originally hailing from Denton, Texas and now situated in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, guitarist Trey Pemberton, vocalist Reese Alavi, bassist Eric “Rico” Mejia, drummer Lincoln Mullins, and guitarist A.J. Ross III comprises the group Revolver called the, “Power Trip-endorsed band leading the next wave of Texas metal.” They refused to let the 2020 pandemic destroy their momentum, even after COVID sidelined two of them for several weeks.
The group emerged from lockdown with a punishing array of their most crushing material yet. Ross (also of Kombat and Torture Tomb, with Cole Crutchfield of Knocked Loose) made his recorded debut with CREEPINGDEATH, adding another heavy dimension to their massive bellow on TheEdge Of Existence.
Ensepulchering Philadelphia beneath the most vile and creative bands in the underground, Death Nexus is preparing to unleash an epic showcase of heavy music. Taking place at the Warehouse on Watts in Philadelphia, PA, on the 30th April -1st May 2022.
“Death Nexus fest is dedicated to bringing underground, extreme metal acts from multiple states and generations to Philadelphia, further cementing our city as a nexus for all things deeply creative, genuine, and disturbing. Philadelphia has had a healthy scene for extreme metal for years, but never before has such a geographically diverse group of like minded individuals been allowed to coagulate in our walls and veins. Death Nexus will showcase some of what Philadelphia has to offer along with acts from all around the country in one event that is not to be missed.”
The fest will also be emceed by NECROSEXUAL! Full line-up below.
For over 30 years, J.B.O. are the specialists for vociferous escapism at the highest stage. Gold albums, frenetically acclaimed live appearances and top ten chart positions pave their way. Their new album, PlanetPink, makes no exception. Especially in a world we are currently living in on planet earth, with pandemics, insane dictators, ecological disasters, surging prices for beer. Mankind’s only chance is escapism, so let’s enter the orbital glider and head for the stars when PlanetPink, the upcoming album by iconic J.B.O., starts to make its rounds on April 15, 2022 via the metal powerhouse mothership AFM Records!
After previously-released singles, “Metal Was My First Love”, the album title track and just recently, “Nicht Doof” (“Not Stupid“), today the charismatic German-based collective released a new, official music video for “Einhorn” (in engl: “unicorn”).
Escape to Planet Pink & watch J.B.O.‘s new music video for “Einhorn” HERE:
For obvious reasons, Planet Pink was created under very special circumstances. Usually the band bosses Vito C. and Hannes “G.Laber” Holzmann sit together on a couch and exchange ideas. This time they jammed through the phone. It worked out, because Vito and Hannes know each other better than identical twins.
Planet Pink was recorded with producer Christoph Beyerlein at Sound and Groove studio, Nuremberg. Beyerlein is part of the J.B.O. family since 1994 and the fifth band member in the studio. Supervised by the observing ears of Beyerlein, the rest of the crew sorted and refined a lot of demo recordings for only one reason: in the end there will be just one planet glow in the brassiest colours. “It’s Planet Pink”!
Topeka, Kansas brutal death metal horde UNMERCIFUL will support DECREPITBIRTH and PATHOLOGY on the Uncivilization of Creation US Tour. Death metallers STABBING (July 8 – 14 & July 16 – 26) and CONDEMNED (August 2 – 6) are on the bill for select dates. UNMERCIFUL will be on the tour from July 8 – 31.
UNMERCIFUL bassist/vocalist Jeremy Turner comments, “We’ve wanted to tour with Decrepit Birth again ever since we got to tour Europe with them in 2008. We’ve also been trying to get a tour going with Pathology for a couple of years now, and the sickos in Stabbing are killing it right now! Condemned has always been heavy as fuck. We are so looking forward to one of the sickest tour packages destroying the stage every night!! We will see you all in July!!!”
In 2020, UNMERCIFUL released their third full-length album WrathEncompassed on Willowtip Records. Purchase the album at: Willowtip – https://bit.ly/unmerciful-wrathwt
Platinum selling legendary LA rockers ANGELES have just released their new full-length album “Running like an Outlaw“, available now worldwide via MVD Entertainment and SONY Music and is now available at Walmart, FYE, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all Digital Streaming retailers. And the band just hit #42 on the Billboard Radio Charts.
The band’s latest video ‘Nothing But Love’ from the album hit #42 on the Billboard Radio Charts. In case you missed the video, watch it here: https://youtu.be/si4LtV17bWY
“Running like an Outlaw“ track-listing and the song credits: 1. All Night – Dale Lytle/ Mason Oliver 2. Nothing But Love – Dale Lytle/ Mason Oliver 3. Running Like An Outlaw – Dale Lytle/ Mason Oliver 4. Creatures Of The Night – Dale Lytle/ Mason Oliver 5. Lords Of Thunder – Dale Lytle/ Mason Oliver 6. Witch Hunter – Dale Lytle/ Allan Curtis 7. Magic Touch – Dale Lytle/ Louis Collins 8. She’s On Fire – Dale Lytle/ John Aquino
“Running like an Outlaw“ album produced by Dale Lytle.
ANGELES are: DALELYTLE – Founder and Lead Guitar MASON OLIVER – Vocals STEVENSTIERS – Bass Guitar and backing vocals DANNY BASULTO – Drums
ANGELES’ next 2022 shows: May 21st at Sharkys June 11th at Whiskey Dick’ s
Prepare to be transported to a “New World” with the magical offering from LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT. Featuring a duet with Fabienne Erni of ELUVEITIE and a guitar solo by Jen Majura of EVANESENCE, the new release delivers an epic sound infused with Celtic elements.
Landing just in time for St Patrick’s Day, “New World” is the first heavy driven song to be unleashed since the release of LINDSAY’s full-length album Martyr. Made possible through the Patreon community, a symphonic/ folk version will also be available as a Patreon exclusive. Emerging out of ethereal realms, ghostly Celtic folk instruments perform an alluring backdrop for LINDSAY’s haunting vocals. Melodies soar gracefully seeing a subtle dark undertone weaving throughout. Explosive metal instrumentation thunders into existence elevating the track with an intense manifestation of power.
Fabienne Erni’s dynamic vocals beautifully complement the atmosphere of “New World”; it’s a stunning duet. Enthralling distorted guitars and bass tones provide a grounding contrast to the soaring melodies, and Jen Majura’s solo enhances the sound even further.
Become immersed in a dramatic tale of folklore, an exploration into stunning soundscapes and thrilling composition. “New World” is a truly bewitching release to kick off 2022. LINDSAY is already hard at work on her next release, preparing another heavy composition in collaboration with SARAH JEZEBEL DEVA.
“New World” Guest Appearances: Fabienne Erni – Guest Vocals JenMajura – Guitar Solo Rocky Gray – Guitar, Bass, Drums IVEEN – Folk Instruments and Backing Vocals Christopher Caouette – Orchestration Dagda – Viola
March 11, 2022 – HauntedShores, the duo of Periphery’sMark Holcomb and Misha Mansoor, has released their debut full-length, Void (https://lnk.to/hs-void), today via 3DOTRecordings.
“Misha and I have wanted to do another Haunted Shores album for quite some time, and we finally made the time necessary to focus on these songs,” explains Holcomb. “I have always loved writing Haunted Shores songs, but this one in particular feels special – a little crazier, a little more unhinged, and in my opinion, a step above what we’ve done in the past.”
Photo credit: Ektarina Gorbacheva
The pair have done a series of playthroughs to accompany the release: “OnlyFangs” featuring both Misha and Mark, “Hellfire” with Mark, “Nocturnal Hours” with Misha, and a sax playthrough from JørgenMunkeby (Shining) for “Nocturnal Hours” can also be viewed here.
Void CDs and merch bundles are available now via the 3DOT webstore. Void was co-produced by Holcomb and Mansoor, with Mansoor also tackling mixing duties. The album cover features a Paoli Girardi painting.
Heavy Metal pioneers ANVIL have announced the release of a brand new studio album, entitled ImpactIsImminent, due out on May 20, 2022 via AFM Records!
The Canadian trio belongs to one of the most distinctive bands of their genre, often cited as having influenced notable metal acts such as Slayer, MEGADETH, Metallica and Anthrax. After 40 years in the music industry, touring the world in sold-out venues, and garnering critically acclaim for Anvil! TheStory Of Anvil – the number 1 music documentary of every metalhead – the iconic band returns with their nineteenth album.
On ImpactIsImminent, ANVIL fires off merciless riff attacks, relentlessly driving drums and impressive bass grooves, complemented by vocal melodies and lyrics that inevitably drill themselves into the listener’s aural tract. As always, Kudlow and founding member and drummer Robb Reiner, are at the epicentre of this heavy metal extravaganza. For the past eight years, they have been supported by bassist Chris Robertson, who not only complements the ANVIL fold on a personal level, but also enhances the tracks with his powerful low frequency bass parts and backing vocals.
Today, ANVIL shared a first single alongside a music video for the full pedal-to-the-metal anthem ‘Ghost Shadow’! Says charismatic frontman Lips: “Ghost Shadow is my 6th sense telling me I’m being watched! Could be internet trolls or paranormal phenomenon! Either way the song is heavy as fuck!!“
“None of our previous albums blends music and lyrics into as tight a unit as ‘Impact Is Imminent’,” enthuses Lips on the fourteen songs on the group’s new album. “Everything comes together homogeneously. As a result, the new material sounds monolithic, right down to the very last details, both in terms of rhythm and harmonies. In the past, our studio sessions were sometimes like a little like jumping in at the deep end, with us having to improvise a lot and making decisions at short notice. Working on ‘Impact Is Imminent’, not only was there plenty of time for the songwriting process in the run-up to the recordings, but I also had the leisure to put all my ideas to the acid test and work on them until they were perfect.”
Like its three predecessors ‘Anvil Is Anvil’ (2016), ‘Pounding The Pavement’ (2018) and ‘Legal At Last’ (2019), ‘Impact Is Imminent’ was produced by Martin ‘Mattes’ Pfeiffer (U.D.O., among others) and Jörg Uken at Uken’s Soundlodge studios, so the successful combination consisting of Anvil/Pfeiffer/Uken has struck again.
The album pre-sale of ImpactIsImminent, available as CD, Vinyl and Digital formats on May 20, 2022, has just started at THIS LOCATION!
Tracklist:
Take A Lesson
Ghost Shadow
Another Gun Fight
Fire Rain
Teabag
Don‘t Look Back
Someone To Hate
Bad Side Of Town
Wizard´s Wand
Lockdown
Explosive Energy
The Rabbit Hole
Shockwave
Gomez
ANVIL: Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow – Vocals/Guitar Robb Reiner – Drums Chris Robertson – Bass/Vocals
May 13th, 2022 will mark the release of DEMIRICOUS‘ third studio album III: ChaoticLethal. After an extended hiatus, the heavy quartet are preparing to unleash a brutal new record.
The band comments: “It’s been 15 years since we’ve released a record. We are so unbelievably proud of this one, and this is the DEMIRICOUS record we’ve always wanted to make. Prepare yourselves. It’s a fucking monster.”
Initially formed in early 2002, DEMIRICOUS released their debut album One (Hellbound) on Metal Blade Records in 2005 pushing them into early success with a global fanbase. Their follow-up album, Two (Poverty) also on Metal Blade Records, was released in 2007. Now, in 2022, DEMIRICOUS are returning even harder and heavier than before.
More information to follow soon.
Line-Up: NateOlp DustinBoltjes Scott Wilson Ben Parrish
This year’s Monsters of Rock Cruise was captained by none other than Alice Cooper. Due to the size, the amount of guests on the cruise and the size of the room in which Alice would be performing, the cruise decided to split guests into two groups. The red group would see Alice perform on the 12th while the blue group would see him on the 13th. The red group’s show started at 7:30 PM and the crowd packed in quickly.
The stage was hidden by a beautiful curtain that would rise revealing a scaled down, yet still highly decorated, version of Alice’s normal stage set up. The crowd roared as the intro of “Feed My Frankenstein” began. Members of the band walked on stage and began to play. Right after the first strum all sound in the house vanished. Fans began pointing at their ears trying to let the band know we could not here them. The band finished the song and they all exited the stage, Alice leaving with noticeable anger.
Ryan Roxie informed a group of fans, who attended an unannounced Rock N’ Roll Parking Lot (on a boat), what had happened that night. According to Roxie, Alice was the first band to use the curtain on this cruise. As the curtain lifted it pulled the main cable to the PA system out completely. The crew worked hard and fast to figure out the issue and sound was restored within five minutes. Roxie also let fans know that because everyone on stage was wearing a monitor and could hear what they were playing, they did not realize what was going on. It was not until the second verse of the song that they noticed something was wrong. Roxie said they all looked out trying to find the devoted fans and did not understand why everyone was not singing along.
Once the technical difficulty was fixed the show continued without a single problem. Even though the stage and set up were smaller than normal, that did not stop Alice from pulling out all the stops. Props were used as normal including crutches, knives, and canes. During “Billion Dollar Babies” a giant baby paraded on stage meeting Alice’s minions who brought out a giant confetti cannon that shot gold, silver, and green pieces of confetti, as well as fake money with Alice’s face on it into the audience.
The fun continued all through the show as Alice and his gang of ghouls wowed the audience with their fine-tuned sound and silly stage antics. During “Teenage Frankenstein” Alice chased his band around the stage with arms stretched out in frontof him and knees locked like Frankenstein. It did not stop there. As Alice and his band walked back on stage for the famous encore of “School’s Out” one extra musician joined them. Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat came out to sing and enjoy the pleasure of popping many confetti filled balloons over the crowd with one of Alice’s knives.
Alice has been performing for over 50 years and at the ripe age of 74, is still performing with as much heart and soul as he did when he first began. His voice has not changed and everything you have heard about Alice Cooper you get times 10.
HorrorPainGoreDeathProductions are set to unleash the ripping debut release from Philadelphia/New Jersey’s crossover beasts FRIGHT. Fright is up now for pre-order and will be released April 8th on CD and Digital formats.
Hailing from Philadelphia/New Jersey, Fright was formed as a quartet in the winter of 2020 by current/ex-members of bands that include A.S.D., Citizens Arrest, Das Oath, Down In Flames, Devoid Of Faith, 97A, Söft Dov, and many more. Fright presents six tracks of raw, punk-infused 80’s Speed/Thrash with elements of gritty Japanese hardcore/D-beat and dark 90’s crust.
Fright‘s thrashcore assault showcases vicious guitars, frantic bass/drum assaults and powerful intense vocals, all resulting in absolute audible anarchy and complete controlled chaos! Features artwork by the legendary Sugi and layout design by Mark McCoy (Full Of Hell, Pig Destroyer).
A doctrine of doomsday for fans of Celtic Frost, Corrosion Of Conformity, Death Side, Destruction, English Dogs, Exodus, GISM, Onslaught, Sabbat, Sacrilege, Sepultura, Slayer, Terrorizer, and Tragedy.
There are few rock guitarists on this planet who’ve had such a lasting influence on so many renowned musicians as MICHAEL SCHENKER. With his outstandingly fluid style, inexhaustible wealth of ideas, and instinctive feel for hooks and melodies, MICHAEL SCHENKER is a living legend who, despite his longstanding and distinguished history, still impresses with his unflagging energy and drive.
The blond stringsman from Sarstedt, Germany began his international career in the early 1970s with the Scorpions, achieved worldwide fame after joining British rock group U.F.O., and then seamlessly continued his exceptional global success story under his own name, as well as with acts such as MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (otherwise known as MSG), Temple Of Rock, and MICHAEL SCHENKER Fest. SCHENKER and his career, which has spanned more than five decades, are absolute exceptions in the otherwise short-lived music industry.
Now his latest MSG album is about to be unleashed, scheduled for release on Atomic Fire Records on May 27th under the programmatic moniker of Universal. His latest offering will feature all the strengths of this exceptional musician: first-rate songs with anthemic melodies, catchy guitar riffs, and inspiring solos.
As we have come to expect from him, SCHENKER has once again enlisted a number of prestigious fellow musicians for the recording of his new studio production, among them, as main vocalist, Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Vandenberg), who will also be MSG’s frontman on their upcoming tour, Michael Kiske (Helloween), and Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), keyboard player Steve Mann (Lionheart), drummers Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who), Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Foreigner), Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow), and Bodo Schopf (Eloy), as well as legendary bassists Bob Daisley (Black Sabbath), Barry Sparks (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dokken), and BarendCourbois (Blind Guardian, Zakk Wylde), with Tony Carey as a very special guest. But more about that later.
First, let’s talk about the basic parameters of the new recording: Like its predecessor Immortal (2021) and the MICHAELSCHENKERFest albums Resurrection (2018) and Revelation (2019), Universal was produced by MICHAEL SCHENKER and Michael Voss (Lessmann/Voss, Mad Max) at Voss’s Kidroom Studio, which has become something of a creative home-away-from-home for SCHENKER. “Michael Voss is happy to wait until I have worked out an idea and takes the time to really get to know the song, simultaneously developing ideas for the vocals,” SCHENKER describes of the fruitful collaboration which has one cog intermesh with the other. “Then we work out the drums, bass, and some keyboard parts together. He always has plenty of great ideas up his sleeve.” Compositional highlights abound on Universal, from the haunting opener “Emergency” and the subsequent “Under Attack” with its casually driving groove to “The Universe,” featuring an atmospheric duet by Ronnie Romero and Gary Barden, “Wrecking Ball,” performed as brilliantly as ever by Ralf Scheepers, and “London Calling” with its homage to the British capital’s musical spirit.
The rock anthem “A King Has Gone” and its intro “Calling Baal” both have a special significance: The track, sung by Helloween frontman Michael Kiske, is a tribute to the immortal Ronnie James Dio, in particular to his performance on the 1976 hard rock classic RainbowRising. For this reason, SCHENKER has brought together an original Rainbow rhythm section consisting of Bobby Rondinelli and Bob Daisley, additionally enlisting keyboardist Tony Carey, who also played on Rainbow Rising, for a terrific Moog synth intro – a direct reference to the iconic intro of the 1976 album opener “Tarot Woman.” The impressive result “Calling Baal / A King Has Gone” is already considered to be one of the most important and successful songs in SCHENKER’s career to date, both musically and lyrically.
In line with all these highlights, the spectacular MSG album cover designed by ZsofiaDankova (Powerwolf, among others) features SCHENKER in a futuristic spaceship, floating high up in orbit. The artwork is based on the guitarist’s own visions, “I had the original idea for the album cover a few years ago, but only now does it seem to fit perfectly. So, I sent some older sketches to my label Atomic Fire Records and based on this the final artwork and album title were created.”
No doubt about it: The title, artwork, and new songs suit MSG as perfectly as his characteristic Flying V suits MICHAEL SCHENKER! Stand by for more from MSG in the weeks to come.
MNRVA venture further into the descending darkness with their debut full-length, Hollow which will be released on may 20th via BlackDoombaRecords. Conjuring gloomy atmospheres with funeral doom and fuzz tones, the heavy trio are unafraid to unveil what’s lurking in the shadows.
Forming in 2018, MNRVA made their debut with the EP Black Sky giving fans a tantalizing taste of their unconventional sludge fueled doom sound. Hollow builds further on their exploration of heavy music with groove-laden riffs, mid-slow tempo tracks and vocals which range between soaring melodies and those of guttural demons.
“Not the One” introduces the new album with ludicrously overdriven instruments, impactful percussion and vocals that appear to be reaching out of the abyss. The title track falls further into the gloom evoking an intense dark mood. Melodic motifs and riffs punctuate the black with an experimental twist, adding something extra to the sound without breaking the nightmarish illusion. “The Way” concludes the album with the wrath of the void, fusing the sinister and sombre.
Hollow is a melting pot of sludge drawing upon the guitar grind of MELVINS, the vocal interplay of MASTODON, and the post-doom heaviness of Wisconsin’s BEREFT. Embracing their influences while cultivating their own distinctive edge, MNRVA manipulate these dynamic musical elements to manifest an enticing atmosphere.
DRAGONFORCE will kick off their long-awaited North American trek tonight, March 7th. The Extreme Power Metal tour will commence in Santa Ana, California and run through April 23rd in Berkeley, California. Support will be provided by Firewind, Visions Of Atlantis, and SevenSpires. Tickets and extremely limited pre-show VIP upgrades are available at: www.dragonforce.com. See all confirmed dates below.
Known as the fastest band in the world, Grammy-nominated extreme power metal band DRAGONFORCE is based in London, England. Their platinum-selling record, ThroughTheFireAndFlames, brought them international acclaim and was featured as the most-challenging song on GuitarHeroIII. Their energetic and humorous live performances have won them fans on every continent.
DRAGONFORCE‘s latest album, ExtremePowerMetal, released via Metal Blade Records in the US, features uplifting choruses, catchy melodies, and mind-bending guitar solos. After playing just a few shows in 2020, DRAGONFORCE is finally returning to the USA and Canada to complete their Extreme Power Metal World Tour. To preview and purchase ExtremePowerMetal, go to THIS LOCATION.
Time To Kill Records have announced the re-release of MAYHEM’s modern masterpiece “Esoteric Warfare”, due out on March 1st 2022 in MC format under exclusive license from Season Of Mist.
Originally released in 2014, with “Esoteric Warfare”, the band’s first album with Teloch on guitar since Blasphemer‘s departure from the band in 2008, the long running Norwegian black metallers have created an intense journey in which angular riffs are being alternated with subtle melodies until they intertwine into an enormous soundscape.
These new tape editions are currently available via the below links:
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.