Today, the perpetrators at Revolver are pleased to premiere the lyric video for “Hellbent,” from German Power Metal icons, GAMMA RAY. The new tune comes by way of the band’s long-anticipated new full-length, Empire Of The Undead, set for release this Spring.
A record that almost wasn’t, Empire Of The Undead was composed throughout 2013 with Eike Freese (Dark Age) at the mixing desk alongside bassist/co-writer, Dirk Schlächter, and was nearing completion before Hammer Studios, their home, rehearsal space, and meeting point for many metal bands throughout Germany, had burned down leaving much of its contents in ruins. Fortunately, the Empire Of The Undead masters managed to make it through unscathed. “If this could not stop us, nothing ever will,” joked light-hearted GAMMA RAY vocalist Kai Hansen, adding that, “We got rid of a lot of shit that we gathered there. Unfortunately, a lot of good equipment as well. Anyhow, we look towards the future, we saved the production and we can continue now in this new place.”
Sample triumphant new teaser track, “Hellbent,” now playing at Revolver at THIS LOCATION.
Empire Of The Undead will be released in North America on CD, LP and digitally via Armoury Records in conjunction with earMusic on April 15, 2014.
On April 18th EDGUY’s 10th studio album SPACE POLICE – Defenders Of The Crown will hit the stores worldwide, followed by a world tour starting in September. The band have just released the cover artwork for this upcoming album.
Last Saturday several journalists had the chance to listen to an unmastered version of the new album and the reaction was overwhelming:
“Consistent and yet consistently different – Edguy defend the crown in German Metal with the greatest of ease… and as always: tongue in cheek” – METAL HAMMER
“Amazing, heavy album. Reminds of the first albums with an advanced touch. Very good!” – HARDLINE
The tour management has just confirmed the kick off date for the European “Space Police Tour“ on September 19th. In Hamburg, Germany EDGUY will headline the Hamburg Metal Dayz.
As said the show will mark the kick off to the band‘s first full-fledged headlining European tour after the successful Age Of The Joker Tour 2011.
The Metal Dayz will be the band‘s only festival show in Germany, further tour dates will be announced soon.
Two years after The Landing, Hamburg, Germany Power Metallers IRON SAVIOR return with their brand new studio album Rise Of The Hero, out on February 28th (Europe), March 4th (USA).
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IRON SAVIOR will celebrate the release of their new album with a special LIVE release show on February 26th, in their home town of Hamburg, Germany.
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Listen to Burning Heart, from Rise Of The Hero, below!
If you are in Hamburg, Germany, on the 26th, come over to the Rock Cafe, see the band perform and get the brand new CD “Rise Of The Hero” 2 days before its official release.
* For more info on IRON SAVIOR and Rise Of The Hero, click on the link below! Whoa!
BRAINSTORM – Firesoul cover artwork & track listing revealed! Release date is April 4th (CD, ltd. Digipak, ltd. Special Edition, ltd. Vinyl). Pre-order options will be announced soon.
CRYSTAL BALL – Released on November 29th, via Massacre Records, is the new album, Dawnbreaker, from Lucerne, Switzerland’s CrystalBall.One lead single from this comeback album is Anyone Can Be A Hero. I absolutely love this song and all of its melodic glory! A heightened grand vibe of absolute Heavy Metal power, uncontrollably runs through my veins, as I listen to this song, again and again!
Tremendous musicianship, from top-to-bottom, swirls around the super fabulous vocals of new frontman Steven Mageney. What a Metal ride is this song for me! Original members Scott Leach (lead guitar) and Marcel Sardella (drums) have obviously made it clear; their band Crystal Ball is back and ready to stun the Metal and Hard Rock world with their new album ablaze! Join me, in supporting Crystal Ball and their new-found triumph! Metal be thy name!
CRYSTAL BALL – Anyone Can Be A Hero (Official Video) Is Stone’s METAL Pick Of The Day!
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of PRIMAL FEAR’s new album “Delivering the Black” on January 24th in Europe and January 28th in North America.
PRIMAL FEAR – On the heels of the general consensus met by the previous studio album “Unbreakable” which was the band’s highest chart entry in Germany at Position #31, charting in 7 other countries, PRIMAL FEAR are only getting better with time and metal fans around the world are acknowledging this.
After some very intense songwriting sessions and pre-production schedule, the band started to record the new album, “Delivering The Black” in summer 2013 at the House of Music studios in Germany, with producer Mat Sinner and engineer Achim Koehler. The idea was to create the most powerful PRIMAL FEAR album ever! The band then moved to Denmark in September to finish the album with acclaimed producer/engineer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Pretty Maids, Amaranthe) handling the mix.
“Delivering The Black” combines the strongest Primal Fear moments ever, with a well-balanced typical PRIMAL FEAR trademark riff-vibe, crushing songs and some very ambitious musical journeys. The centerpiece of the album is the two epic tracks “When Death Comes Knocking” and the 10 minute opus “One Night In December”, spiced with big orchestral arrangements and complex sound designs.
Classic and ultra-fresh PRIMAL FEAR riff-rockers like the title track, the album opener “King For A Day” or the groove monsters “Alive And On Fire” and “Road To Asylum” hit the bulls-eye just like the untamed speed killer “Rebel Faction”. The outstanding ballad “Born With A Broken Heart” shows a new side of PRIMAL FEAR with an acoustic guitar vibe and the addition of LivKristine (Leaves’ Eyes) on backing vocals.
Singer Ralf Scheepers says: “We worked hard to create our best album ever. I already felt the vibe during the pre-production, that we were working on something very special this time! And now the result is just an amazing Metal album, I’m extremely proud of!”
Producer/bassist Mat Sinner adds: “The songs, the production, the sound – this album is a very special one for me and my career. In my view, everybody in the band just did a killer job and Jacob was fantastic choice to mix the album!”
The release of “Delivering the Black” will be anticipated by the release of the digital only single / video “When Death Comes Knocking” on December 2nd – a song which sets the pace for the outstanding quality of production and songwriting displayed on the full album. You can enjoy a sample of the track below:
“Delivering The Black” will be available in regular cd edition, deluxe edition with 2 bonus tracks and – in cooperation with Soulfood Music – vinyl edition and DVD and limited edition (666 copies only!) of a Super-de-luxe version including a metallic eagle!
“Delivering The Black” Track Listing Includes:
Track Listing: King For a Day; Rebel Faction; When Death Comes Knocking; Alive & On Fire; Delivering the Black; Road to Asylum; One Night In December; Never Pray for Justice; Born with a Broken Heart; Innocent Man (*); Inseminoid; Man Without Shadow (*);When Death Comes Knocking (Single Edit) (*)
(*) Only available on Deluxe edition
DVD (Only available with Deluxe edition) – When Death Comes Knocking (video), King For A Day (video), Making of the Album (video).
Here’s the artwork of the new Primal Fear single! “When Death Comes Knocking” will be released by Frontiers Records on Dec. 03 as the first single/video of the forthcoming Primal Fear album “Delivering The Black”!
The upcoming (and new) HUMAN FORTRESS album, Raided Land, will be released on November 29th in Europe and December 3rd in the USA, via AFM Records. Metal be thy name.
Michael Kiske Returns To PLACE VENDOME With Another Melodic Rock Masterpiece: “Thunder In The Distance” – Due For Release In November, On Frontiers Records.
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Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of the much-anticipated third album from PLACE VENDOME entitled “Thunder in the Distance” on November 1st in Europe and November 5th in North America.
PLACE VENDOME is the Melodic Rock project featuring UNISONIC and former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske on all lead vocals and production from Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69).
PLACE VENDOME started in 2004 when Kiske, following a self-imposed exile from the rock and metal scene which lasted a few years after his departure from HELLOWEEN and solo career, accepted in 2004 to be part of a Melodic Rock oriented concept put together by Frontiers Records’ President Serafino Perugino.
The resulting PLACE VENDOME debut album brought Kiske back to a more straight ahead and Rock sound, still very accessible and melodic and far from the Heavy Metal stereotypes of blood, violence and hate which Kiske never had anything to do with. He collaborated for the first time with PINK CREAM 69’s Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou and Uwe Reitenauer with Gunther Werno (VANDEN PLAS) on keyboards. In a quite ironic twist of fate Michael found himself to work with members of PINK CREAM 69, when the band’s original singer Andy Deris took his place in HELLOWEEN when he left.
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The very favorable acceptance of the first PLACE VENDOME album planted the seeds for a second recording entitled “Streets of Fire”, which was produced during 2008. The concept was slightly changed, with some outside writers such as Robert Säll (Work of Art), Ronny Milianowicz (Saint Deamon) and Torsti Spoof (Leverage) handling the bulk of the songwriting, with Dennis Ward still handling the recording and production sessions.
Following his stint with the band UNISONIC, Kiske decided to go back once again to the PLACE VENDOME concept with more melodic rock oriented songs which – once again – have been selected by Frontiers Records President Serafino Perugino from outside writers including: Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear), Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline), Roberto Tiranti and Andrea Cantarelli (Labyrinth, A Perfect Day), Tommy Denander (Radioactive), Sören Kronqvist (Sunstorm, Issa), and Brett Jones.
“I am having a very open mind in terms of music anyway, and the Place Vendome vibe is a pretty different approach than Unisonic” says Kiske. “I like many tracks off the Place Vendome albums, but especially Guardian Angel, Streets Of Fire, I Will Be Waiting, Set Me Free from the previous albums or now Maybe Tomorrow. For me the vocals are the most important part of a song of course”.
Dennis Ward once again produced and mixed the whole affair with such musicians as Dirk Bruineberg (Consortium Project), Gunter Werno (Vandenplas) and Uwe Reitenauer (Pink Cream 69) completing the lineup. Another total masterpiece from Kiske and Place Vendome is about to hit the market. A true must for all Melodic Rock fans !
Track Listing includes: Talk To Me; Power of Music; Broken Wings; Lost in Paradise; It Can’t Rain Forever; Fragile Ground; Hold Your Love; Never Too Late; Heaven Lost; My Heart is Dying; Breakout; Maybe Tomorrow; Thunder in the Distance.
Samples of some of the album songs can be listened to below:
SABATON were supposed to play a show in Russia next weekend. Now political people and organizations are trying to prevent the band from entering Russia due to some uneducated politician who tries to convince the Russian immigration and government that SABATON are nazis.
SABATON now released the following statement:
Did the Nazis win the battle of Stalingrad?
We have been reached by the news that some organizations and political representatives who claims to have studied us has come to the conclusion that Sabaton are a nazi band, and because of that our scheduled appearance at the 70th anniversary of the battle of Stalingrad should be cancelled. This show is to take place in a few weeks in Volgograd.
Further, these people believe that we will desecrate the Russian flag during our concert (which we have never done and of course have no intention of doing) and they are now trying their best to ban Sabaton from all of Russia!!!
We know that the people of Russia is far more intelligent than this and thus we hope that reason will allow us to play this concert in honor of this historical event and the Soviet soldiers who fought for their freedom.
Sabaton is and has always been a NON-POLITICAL and NON-RELIGIOUS band and holds a lot of respect to the veterans of war and the heroic and non-selfish acts that was performed in a time of need.
Ps. It should be noted that Sabaton has been awarded honorary membership of the “Scions of the 17th Airborne Division”, an organization that consists of veterans from the very same airborne division who fought against the nazis in “The battle of the Bulge” and “Operation Varsity”.
Hanover (Germany) based Epic Power Metal band HUMAN FORTRESS has signed with AFM Records.
After a 5-year hiatus the band returns with new vocalist Gus Monsanto (ex-Revolution Renaissance/Adagio) and a clear mission ahead:
“With our upcoming album we musically want to continue in the vein of our first two releases “Lord Of Earth And Heavens Heir” and “Defenders Of The Crown”. We are very happy to start this new endeavour with our fantastic new vocalist Gus Monsanto now”, guitarist Torsten Wolf comments.
Gus explains: “I always wanted to do this kind of music but couldn’t find a band like that in Brazil. These songs are epic, with huge hooklines and I was convinced straight away. I can’t wait to play our songs on stage“.
HUMAN FORTRESS have just finished recordings for their upcoming album which will be released by the end of the year.
Brazilian Heavy/Power metallers HIBRIA will release their fourth studio album Silent Revenge on July 26th via AFM Records.
The band achieved their biggest success so far in Japan, where they not only recorded a live album but were invited to play at the prestigious Loudpark Festival twice.
Silent Revenge – Track Listing:
1. Silent Revenge
2. Lonely Fight
3. Deadly Vengeance
4. Walking To Death
5. Silence Will Make You Suffer
6. Shall I Keep On Burning
7. The Place That You Belong
8. The Scream Of An Angel
9. The Way It Is
10. Shall I Keep On Burning (acoustic) *
* exclusive bonus track (on European edition only)
Massacre Records is preparing to release The Rise Of Resistance, the blazing fourth studio full-length from German Metal warriors CIRCLE OF SILENCE, the label having just confirmed July 2nd as the North American street date.
Since 2005 central Germany-based CIRCLE OF SILENCE has perpetuated their brand of rugged, classic but fresh Traditional/Power Metal with a dark edge, comparable to Iced Earth, Savatage, Brainstorm and Sanctuary, their sound growing more potent and epic with each release. Following their 2006 debut album Your Own Story, followed by 2008’s The Supremacy Of Timeand most recently The Blackened Halo released in 2011, The Rise Of Resistance boasts fifty minutes of the band’s most striking, solid Metal yet.
Once again the band sanctioned producer Vagelis Maranis (ex-Sanvoisen) in his Maranis Studios (Winter’s Verge, Saidian, Suicidal Angels) for the recording sessions, and brought in Vitaly Alexius/Scitart (Evile, Gainward) for the cover design. CIRCLE OF SILENCE’s uncompromising American style of power metal reigns supreme on The Rise Of Resistance.
Check out the official album trailer below, with nearly seven minutes of music from The Rise Of Resistance:
The Rise Of Resistance – Track Listing:
01. Blood Of Enemies
02. Eyes Of Anarchy
03. Nothing Shall Remain
04. One Moment Of Hate
05. An Oncoming Storm
06. Mind Conspiracy
07. In The Absence Of Your God
08. We Rise
09. The Final Chapter
10. Slave To The Greed Machine
11. Reborn From Darkness
12. The Architect Of Immortality
CIRCLE OF SILENCE:
Niklas Keim – vocals
Tobias Pfahl – guitars
Christian Sommerfeld – guitars
Björn Boehm – bass
Peter Suppinger – drums
(Source: Earsplit PR)
* For more info on CIRCLE OF SILENCE, click on the links below!
Evilution, the debut from Sacramento, California-based power metal act DEADLANDS is out now on Massacre Records. Boasting killer hooks, dynamic vocals, aggressive riffing, epic solos, catchy lyrics, driving drums and intricate bass lines that combine heavy, thrash, power, groove, and speed metal with shredding hard rock overtones, this band of seasoned performers delivers a heavy and energetic yet commercial musical approach in its songwriting and execution.
Formed in the summer of 2010 by lead vocalist Brian O’Connor (Consfearacy, ex-Vicious Rumors), lead guitarist Michael J. Gardner (The Council), lead guitarist Kevin Rohr (Spectre), bassist Steve “Dedbass” Northam and drummer Danny Sablan (HateFX, The Council), these longtime friends and experienced musicians had a clear vision of creating a powerful and unique Heavy Metal group. DEADLANDS is quickly establishing a large fan base, being nominated for a 2012 Sacramento Area Music Award (SAMMIES), playing live, and sharing the stage with artists such as Exodus, Anvil, Y&T, Great White, Death Angel and more. They have received great reviews and high praise for their music and live performances from fans, concert promoters and media sources.
DEADLANDS’ debut full-length Evilution bears forty-three minutes of the band’s diehard power metal, and features guest solo appearances by legendary Metal guitarists HankShermann (Mercyful Fate), Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), AndyLaRocque (King Diamond), Claudeous Creamer (Dragonlord), Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond), Glen Alvelais (Forbidden, Testament, HateFX), and Steve Smyth (Nevermore, Forbidden). Evilution was mixed and mastered by DEADLANDS and JuanUrteaga (Machine Head, Testament) at Trident Studios, and bears artwork by Erick Zombie.
Check out DEADLANDS’ killer high-action video for the album’s title track and more RIGHT HERE.
Technical Power/Thrash band Dark Design from Raleigh, North Carolina has recently signed with Heaven & Hell Records for the release of their debut, Prey for the Future.
Since early 2010, Dark Design, comprised of members Ray Lewis (guitar), Mike Joyner (guitar), Andrew Bertrand (vocals), and rhythm section Matt (bass) and Robbie Mercer (drums), have built a strong fan base in their local metal scene. Their technical prowess and progressive song structuring have often been compared to that of Death, Toxik, and Anacrusis. As buzz of the band began to grow they were requested to play the 2012 Warriors of Metal Festival in Ohio.
Meanwhile the band was working on their debut album. The band is currently finishing up the recording with John E Wooten (Widow U.S) and is now in final mix down. Mastering is set to be done by Jamie King at The Basement Studios. Release is set for late Summer / early Fall.
GAMMA RAY – The iconic Kai Hansen and his legendary Power Metal force from Germany, known and celebrated world-wide as GAMMA RAY, will be seeing their Master Of Confusion album release on March 15th, via earMUSIC.
GAMMA RAY are currently on tour with Power Metal pioneers/legends HELLOWEEN, on the Hellish Rock Part II Tour!
Master Of Confusion – Track Listing:
A Side
1. Empire Of The Undead (new studio track)
2. Master Of Confusion (new studio track)
B Side
3. Death Or Glory (Holocaust studio cover version)
4. Lost Angels (Sweet studio cover version)
C Side*
5. The Spirit / 6. Wings Of Destiny / 7. Gamma Ray
8. Farewell / 9. Time To Break Free / 10. Insurrection
*Recorded live in Bochum.
GAMMA RAY:
Kai Hansen – vocals & guitar
Henjo Richter – guitar & keyboards
Dirk Schlächter – bass
Michael Ehré – drums
* For more info on GAMMA RAY, click on the links below!
DRAGONFORCE – After all these years, I’ve come to the conclusion that if Metal wants to mingle and/or partner within the mainstream, the benefit can be that (hopefully) more people will be enticed into our beloved Metal universe. I know I sure would love a payday if Capital One wanted to partner with me! Stone and Capital One… nah, I can’t see it anytime soon.
Now on to this post… the Dragonforce guitar duo of Herman Li and Sam Totman are shredding some serious Metal in the Capital One video below. Whoa.
As reported on the official facebook of Dragonforce: “Finally, the full-length version of the exclusive DragonForce track “Galactic Astro Domination” of the Capital One commercial is out!”
I found this cool message and link for a FREE Dragonforce MP3 on youtube:
For a limited time and while supplies last, an exclusive MP3 of this smoldering, sweltering, and scorching anthem is available as a free download only on http://www.WhileBanking.com
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.”
Long Island-based Heavy Metal powerhouse MAELSTROM has issued an update regarding the enormous reception received by the Halloween 2012 digital reissue of their critically acclaimed EP, It Was Predestined. Widely-praised by critics across the globe in 2009, when the EP was originally self-released, and again last year when Itchy Metal Entertainment(IME) offered the release to Metal fans worldwide, It Was Predestined exploded onto the CMJ Loud Rock charts this month. MAELSTROM vocalist Gary Vosganian had this to say about the accomplishment:
“It is with great pride that I can say – MaelstroM has hit the US radio charts with our EP It Was Predestined – debuting at #20 on the Nationwide CMJ Loud Rock charts and as the 4th most added album in the country. Thank you to all that have helped and have been fans since the start and congrats to my partner in this effort the true guitar virtuoso Mr. Joey Lodes. Our label partners Itchy Metal Entertainment our PR group ClawHammer PR and of course our radio promoter Munsey Ricci and Skateboard Marketing Ltd. without whom this would have never happened, and of course all the fantastic Djs that are supporting us with their spins – it is sincerely appreciated. There is much work to be done as guitar tracking for the balance of the album has begun this week. But I will take a little time to really absorb the news about CMJ and celebrate this victory! Thanks again to all the fans who have stuck by MaelstroM, your unwavering support has been amazing. Keep it Heavy!”
As Vosganian stated, the band is currently at work on new material for the follow-up to It Was Predestined. Details on the next release will be announced as they come. Stay tuned!
It Was Predestined is available at http://www.itchymetal.com. Famed music journalist Martin Popoff called the release “A symphony of progressiveness the likes of which has pretty much never been articulated, invented, or heard, before now,” and world-renowned publications such as Terrorizer, Metal Hammer and MetalSucks.net all sang MAELSTROM’s praises upon the EP’s release.
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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