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26 сен 2016
ICED EARTH Enlists Guitarist JAKE DREYER
 ICED EARTH has announced the addition of guitarist Jake Dreyer (WITHERFALL, WHITE WIZZARD, KOBRA AND THE LOTUS) to the group's ranks. He joins the band as the replacement for Troy Seele, who announced his departure from ICED EARTH in August due to family responsibilities.
ICED EARTH guitarist/founder Jon Schaffer said in a statement: "We're excited for Jake to be a part of the team as he has the talent, drive, and the personality we were looking for.
"Jake joined Stu [Block, vocals] and I last week to do some tracking at Independence Hall and he hammered out some ripping guitar solos on several songs from the new album.
"Jake will play on the upcoming ICED EARTH studio album and will perform his first live show with us in November at Hammerfest in Germany.
"I want to personally thank all of the guitarists who auditioned for the position. It was an overwhelming response, and there are many very talented guys out there. So again, thank you for your passion and interest.
"We are progressing at an excellent rate on the new record and I can say with all sincerity that this will be one of the most significant albums in the ICED EARTH catalog. We are pumped. It's the next level."
Jake began taking lessons at the tender age of eight years old and formed his first band, STEALTH, at the age of 11. By the time he was 13, he had professionally recorded his first album and opened up for Lou Gramm of FOREIGNER and John Waite of THE BABYS.
Dreyer cites his main influences as Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Yngwie J. Malmsteen and Jeff Loomis.
ICED EARTH will headline the "MTV Headbangers Ball" European tour in December. Support on the trek will come from ENSIFERUM, KATAKLYSM and UNEARTH.
ICED EARTH took a break from touring in 2015, primarily due to Schaffer's second cervical fusion surgery.
Fans can expect the next ICED EARTH album, tentatively titled "The Judas Goat", to be released in 2017.
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26 сен 2016
LARS ULRICH Isn't Bothered By 'Ludicrous' Online Criticism Of METALLICA's Music
 METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke to the New York Post about the response to the band's new single, "Hardwired". The song is the first taste of METALLICA's tenth studio album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct", which is due in November.
Lars said: "The response in the inner circle to our album has been very positive, beyond what we expected. But 2016 is like the Wild West in music. What happens when you put out an album is anyone's guess. We have access to all information, and the iPhone 7 will get it to us faster than last week's iPhone. But the downside is that everyone's got an attention span of about nine seconds, and then it's on to the next thing. So who knows how this album will connect?"
Ulrich went on to say that he is not bothered by incessant online criticism of METALLICA's every move. "Occasionally, for comic relief, I'll scroll down to see what ludicrous thing someone has written," he said. "Someone will say, 'Those guys were better when they were fucked up,' or, 'Those guys haven't been any good since before they started.' It's fine. It doesn't make an impact."
Unlike Lars, METALLICA's Kirk Hammett recently told Minneapolis radio station 93X that he is completely staying away from reading comments online about "Hardwired". The guitarist explained: "As soon as I go on to my computer and turn it on, and think to myself, 'Should I read what other people are saying?' or 'Should I read some comments [on whatever web site]?' I instantly say to myself, 'Don't go there,' because I'll just get, first, angry, then frustrated, then confused, and then wanna just write it all off as just fucking useless bullshit, and why did I even waste my time."
Hammett added that the reaction he has gotten has been largely positive so far, saying: "I kind of feel the excitement. I can kind of feel the energy in the air. I mean, we all kind of are picking up on it. I'm getting a tremendous amount of texts from friends, saying, 'Great song. Wonderful song.' I know there's a great buzz out there, and I'm totally, totally thankful that the song is so well received."
"Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" will be released on November 18 on double CD, vinyl and digital download.
METALLICA will begin touring in support of the record in January 2017.
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26 сен 2016
LAMB OF GOD Frontman: 'I Don't Even Know How FACEBOOK Works'
 In a brand new interview with Northern Star, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe was asked how he keeps himself grounded and not let social media distort his view of the world. He responded: "For me, I don't have a Facebook account, and as you get bigger and bigger and more and more people start coming to see your band, there is always the ego monster that can creep in if you don't watch it.
"I think, fortuitously for myself and my band, we were all already in our 30s when we really started gaining some traction as a band. I think we would not have handled it as well had we been younger in our 20s. But we were already firmly grounded as who we were as people.
"I used to have a Twitter [account] where all I would do is wind up arguing with my fans, because it felt like some of them — not all of them; I had a lovely relationship with most of them, but, ah, I didn't like the weird anonymous unaccountability that people had. The way they acted sometimes on Twitter and I am assuming that's the same on Facebook.
"I don't even know how Facebook works. I've never looked at Facebook, thank goodness."
He continued: "For me and social media right now, I really only have an Instagram and I shoot photos and I use it as a tool to share art. I am not putting photos of my lunch or you won't see selfies. If there is a picture of me, it is a self-portrait that I took for a reason, normally for an interview or something. I try put up pictures that have some artistic merit to them and write with them and try and drive some sort of narrative that might encourage people to think about what they are seeing and maybe think about how they view art and the world. I don't put pictures of me up in scenic places. To me, that just reeks of arrogance. Like, 'Look, here we are in Rome at the Parthenon' — this beautiful ancient thing — 'I better insert myself into it.' That seems narcissistic. Why wouldn't you just take a picture of where you are and enjoy the environment. The only time I take selfies is I will take them and send goofy pictures to my wife. But she's the only one that sees them. Me making a funny face at her, that's what they are good for.
"A friend of mine, Bubble, he's in ALL THAT REMAINS, he talks about social media accounts like Instagram: 'I think of it as a person's house. If you walked into someone's house and all you saw was thousands of pictures of them that they had taken of themselves, you would think, 'What a fucking insufferable asshole!'' One or two pictures are okay if it is artistic, but it's not. It is a virtual temple to self.
"For me, with a camera and photography, and even with a freakin' iPhone, I'm much more interested in capturing the world around me rather than trying to interject myself into it. There's enough pictures of me already. [Laughs]"
LAMB OF GOD is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "VII: Sturm Und Drang", which was released in July 2015 via Epic in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Entertainment in all territories outside of North America.
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26 сен 2016
AMORPHIS
 Today we played special acoustic gig in Martinlaakso-Vantaa. Enjoy humppa version from House Of Sleep.
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26 сен 2016
Will Reunited MISFITS Make New Music? GLENN DANZIG Doesn't Know
 Glenn Danzig has told The New York Times that there are no plans for the reunited MISFITS to make new music after completing a two-show reunion run at this year's Riot Fest. "If there's going to be another MISFITS record, I'd probably have to write the stuff," he said. "And I've got a full plate, so I don't know."
Danzig also explained his decision to reunite with the MISFITS after 33 years, saying: "Jerry [Only, MISFITS bassist] and I had solved and resolved all our differences. And I've seen a lot of musicians dying too young recently, like [David] Bowie and Prince. That just got in my head. People had been trying to get us to reunite for a long time, anyway. I said that if we're going to do it, we might as well do it now while we're all in really good shape. It's not easy to be in terrible shape or be a drug addict and perform, you know?"
He added: "Not a lot of people got to see the original MISFITS. Maybe the legends have grown over all these years. And now they got to see it."
The original MISFITS band broke up in 1983, and Only brought forth a new version of the MISFITS in 1995. Various members have come and gone, but Only, along with BLACK FLAG's Dez Cadena, has kept some form of the MISFITS in the recording studio and on the road for most of the last two decades.
After the original MISFITS disbanded, Danzig went on to form SAMHAIN and then the eponymous DANZIG. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Glenn didn't rule out more dates after the Riot Fest shows, telling Rolling Stone: "We'll see how it goes. It may lead to some other work, but who knows how it's going to turn out? I mean, I don't think it's going to be a disaster; I think it's going to be incredible." | |
26 сен 2016
MAX CAVALERA: Playing SEPULTURA's 'Roots' Now Is 'Even Better Than When The Album Came Out'
 Kristyn Clarke of PopCultureMadness.com conducted an interview with former SEPULTURA and current CAVALERA CONSPIRACY members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) at the Rock Allegiance festival, which was held September 17-18 in Chester, Pennsylvania. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On playing SEPULTURA's "Roots" album in its entirety as part of the recently launched "Return To Roots" tour:
Max: "It's great. I love playing the songs and I love playing with Igor. It's fantastic, really. Now it's even better than when the album came out. There's less pressure because the album is a classic now. It's more fun to play the songs and people know the songs now. It's imprinted on their DNA — and ours. It's a lot of fun."
On their personal connection to the songs on "Roots":
Igor: "It's cool because it's an album that through time, it showed there's a lot more than just fashion. It has shown that through the years that the songs are still relevant. For us, it's one of the important things. It's a record we would listen to at home. Twenty years later, you can still put the needle down and go, 'Yeah, sick!' It doesn't lose that feeling. To play those songs live, it's kind of like that. It's like, once we hit the stage, the energy [comes in] and I remember why we went crazy on that record."
Max: "We now see old fans coming back, almost tripping that we're doing this. And young fans who weren't even alive when 'Roots' came out are also rocking out with it, discovering, and seeing it for the first time because they weren't around. There's some people who were around and some who weren't around — they all mix together. We see both of them on the tour, which is really cool. It's good for everybody. I really think it's quite a special record. We tried a lot of different things. Like Igor said, the album has survived the test of time. It sounds as good now as it did 20 years ago, even better because a song like 'Roots Bloody Roots' is a classic in the metal world. There's a lot of feelings and flashbacks, and at the same time, we're doing it right now. Sometimes in your career you have to go back and revisit your old stuff, and to be able to do it like this is very special."
On weathering the changes in the music industry:
Max: "It's a whole different world from when we started. There were demo tapes, and tape trading, and letters. I still go to record stores and buy CDs; I never lost that side of me. I'm glad there's some record stores still open."
Igor: "People who complain about music being shitty nowadays are lazy. It's a different format, but a lot of kids are doing exactly what we did with the fanzines and going to a record store, looking around at the covers. They might be doing it online and you will find good stuff nowadays. It's really important now that there is a new generation of underground music coming up with crazy stuff. Whoever is complaining is because they don't want to search. They go on their computer and they're not doing the right search."
Max: "I find a lot of bands on Spotify and Bandcamp. I love Bandcamp. I think it's cool how metal today is coming from very different parts of the world, like the Middle East, Indonesia, Tasmania. Who would have thought Tasmania? PSYCROPTIC is crazy."
"Roots", along with 1993's "Chaos A.D.", is considered SEPULTURA's most commercially successful release, having been certified gold in 2005 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.
In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as their manager.
Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).
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26 сен 2016
Will POISON Tour With DEF LEPPARD In 2017? BRET MICHAELS Says Yes, PHIL COLLEN Says No
 POISON frontman Bret Michaels has once again claimed his band will tour with DEF LEPPARD in 2017.
Bret broached the subject during his September 1 solo concert at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. As he was performing the encore song "Nothin' But A Good Time", he asked the crowd if they were excited by POISON reuniting in 2017 for an arena tour with DEF LEPPARD.
Bret originally mentioned the tour in a July interview with The Salt Lake Tribune.
One person who appears to know nothing about a POISON/DEF LEPPARD tour in 2017 is LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, who told the 106.9 The Eagle radio station last month: "Yes, there's some dates coming in [for next year]. POISON? You know, I think that was made up — I think it was Bret Michaels's wishful thinking. [That was] first I've heard of it. I actually heard that as well, and it's, like, 'No!' But, yeah, we are gonna be touring, but we haven't got anything set in stone yet at all."
POISON and DEF LEPPARD first hit the road together back in 2009, and then again three years later.
POISON appeared at the 2013 Indy 500 Miller Lite Carb Day, but has otherwise been mostly playing private shows, including one in January 2015.
The band hasn't done any major touring since taking part in the 2012 "Rock Of Ages" trek with DEF LEPPARD and LITA FORD.
DEF LEPPARD is continuing to tour in support of its latest, self-titled album, which came out last year. | |
26 сен 2016
Watch BLACK SABBATH's Entire Performance At OZZFEST MEETS KNOTFEST
 Fan-filmed video footage of BLACK SABBATH's September 24 performance at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest at San Manuel Amphitheater and Festival Grounds in San Bernardino, California can be seen below.
This is the second, and final, leg of the band's "The End" farewell tour. They played across the country earlier this year.
SABBATH's setlist for the Ozzfest Meets Knotfest concert was as follows:
01. Black Sabbath02. Fairies Wear Boots03. After Forever04. Into The Void05. Snowblind06. War Pigs07. Behind The Wall Of Sleep08. N.I.B.09. Hand Of Doom10. Rat Salad11. Iron Man12. Dirty Women13. Children of the Grave
Encore:
14. Paranoid
BLACK SABBATH has announced that it will play its last show ever in the U.S. on November 12 at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The gig will take place nearly five years to the day that the legendary act announced their reunion.
The group has also added two more headlining shows to its North American trek, on November 8 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma and November 10 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
These dates come at the end of the band's North American tour, which kicked off on August 17 in Wantagh, New York.
SABBATH will make their final visits to Mexico and South America at the end of the year as they wind down their farewell tour.
SABBATH will bring its storied career to a close in the band's native England, with seven shows booked there in January and February. The last two, on February 2 and February 4, will take place in SABBATH's hometown of Birmingham and will likely be their final shows.
The original lineup of SABBATH came together in 1969 with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar, Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums. That lineup recorded and toured through 1978, and periodically reformed through the '90s and 2000s for live work.
They regrouped again in late 2011 for a new album and tour, although Ward dropped out after just a few months. The remaining trio issued the "13" album in 2013 and backed it with a successful world tour — despite Iommi being treated for lymphoma since 2012. | |
25 сен 2016
Watch METALLICA's Entire Performance At GLOBAL CITIZEN Festival
 METALLICA played an abbreviated set Saturday (September 24) at the Global Citizen festival in New York City. The free event on the Great Lawn in Central Park aired live on MSNBC.
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. For Whom The Bell Tolls02. Master Of Puppets03. One04. Nothing Else Matters05. Enter Sandman
Check out video footage below.
The multi-hour concert, in its fifth year, encourages people to get involved and tackle global issues pertaining to health, education, hunger and the environment.
"I love my sons. I want them to 'inherit the Earth,'" METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said of the band's participation in the event. "We keep waiting for future generations to solve the problems… I want lawmakers and laws to impose change. Nothing else will keep this world safe for my sons."
Regarding METALLICA's philanthropic work, Ulrich said: "We do as much as we can… The hardest thing about these types of things is just finding the right balances between how vocal you are about it, because sometimes when you're really vocal about it, there could be a fear of … just tooting our own horn."
Asked why METALLICA wanted to perform at Global Citizen, Ulrich told the New York Post: "The festival has been on our radar for a few years. I was watching [Stephen] Colbert last year and Hugh Evans [co-founder of Global Poverty Project] came out. I was super-impressed at how passionate and personable he is. Not to rank do-gooders, but sometimes you wonder if there's an ulterior motive. But he has an earnestness that is very infectious. And there's a politically neutral tone to what he does."
METALLICA's tenth studio album, "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct", is scheduled for a November 18 release via Blackened Recordings. The long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" consists of two discs, containing a dozen songs and nearly 80 minutes of music.
"Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" was produced by Greg Fidelman with frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. The band recorded the disc at its own studio.
METALLICA will next appear at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View, California on October 22 and October 23.
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25 сен 2016
JUDAS PRIEST Unveil Legendary BBC Video Clips
 Let’s go down memory lane with the metal gods! Judas Priest have uploaded their classic '70s/earlu '80s BBC footage on YouTube below. The legendary songs include “Take On The World”, “Living After Midnight”, “United”, “Dreamer Deceiver”/“Deceiver”, “Evening Star” and “Rocka Rolla”.
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25 сен 2016
LED ZEPPELIN Hits Highest Spot On British Albums Chart In 37 Years
 According to Vintage Vinyl News, veteran artists claimed nine of the top twenty albums on the British top twenty this week with a flurry of new releases and a number of holdovers. Of particular note is Led Zeppelin making a debut at #3 with The Complete BBC Sessions. For Zeppelin, it's the highest they have been on the British charts in 37 years going back to 1979's In Through the Out Door, which went to #1. Since that time, their best showings were Coda (1982 / #4), Mothership (2007 / #4) and Celebration Day (2012 / #4).
The Complete BBC Sessions is also the top selling Vinyl Album along with Rock & Metal Album this week.
Nearly 20 years ago, Led Zeppelin introduced BBC Sessions, an acclaimed two-disc set of live recordings selected from the band’s appearances on BBC radio between 1969 and 1971. On September 16th the band will unveil The Complete BBC Session, an updated version of the collection that’s been newly remastered with supervision by Jimmy Page and expanded with eight unreleased BBC recordings, including three rescued from a previously “lost” session from 1969. An official music video for "What Is And What Should Never Be" is streaming below:
"What Is And What Should Never Be" video:
Guitarist Jimmy Page tells Rolling Stone “We were totally fearless. You can hear the energy and the attitude – and the fact that we could go in there and make up numbers but not tell the people in the control room. We were testing ourselves as much as anything else, just really going for it.”
DJ John Peel was responsible for getting Zeppelin on the show and Page says, "Peel was great – he obviously did champion us. Because we spent so much time in the States in the beginning, we weren't able to do so much in England. It was slower catching up. And we didn't have radio here like what was called underground radio over there. So we got these little slots on the BBC."
A video trailer for the Super Deluxe edition of The Complete BBC Sessions can be seen below:
The Guardian recently premiered an unreleased version of “Communication Breakdown” which was recorded on April 1st, 1971 at the BBC’s Paris theatre in central London, and broadcast on the BBC’s In Concert programme on April 4th, 1971. This version is two minutes longer than any of the versions that appeared on the original BBC Sessions album. Check it out here (restricted to some territories).
The Complete BBC Session will be available in multiple formats from Atlantic/Swan Song on September 16th:
* Deluxe Edition (3CD) – Remastered original album plus a third disc of unreleased audio.
* Deluxe Edition Vinyl (5LP) – Remastered original album, plus a fifth LP of unreleased audio, on 180-gram vinyl
* Digital Download – Remastered album and unreleased audio will both be available.
* Super Deluxe Boxed Set (3CD/5LP)– This collection includes:
- Remastered album. 2 CDs, each in a replica sleeve.
- Unreleased audio on CD in a separate card sleeve.
- Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl.
- Unreleased audio on 180-gram vinyl.
- High-def audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit.
- 48-page book filled with photos of the band, the recording locations, BBC memorabilia, and session information.
- High-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.
BBC Sessions was originally released in 1997 and has been certified double platinum by the RIAA. The Complete BBC Session builds on that collection with a third disc that boasts eight unreleased performances. In addition, the set includes extensive session-by-session liner notes written by Dave Lewis. For the first time ever, it provides accurate details and notes about all of the band’s BBC sessions.
Musical highlights on this new collection include the debut of a long-lost radio session that has achieved near-mythic status among fans. Originally broadcast in April 1969, the session included three songs: “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” “You Shook Me,” and the only recorded performance of “Sunshine Woman.”
Also included are two unreleased versions of both “Communication Breakdown” and “What Is And What Should Never Be.” Separated by two years, the performances vividly demonstrate the young band’s rapid evolution over a short period of time.
Jimmy Page spoke about the band’s growth in an interview with Guitar World: “The BBC Sessions show in graphic detail just how organic the group was. Led Zeppelin was a band that would change things around substantially each time it played…We were becoming tighter and tighter, to the point of telepathy.”
Speaking with Wall of Sound, John Paul Jones added: “We’d been on the road a lot by the time those sessions were recorded. The albums were always the starting point of the music, and then we’d take it out and expand it on the road. Then we’d come straight off the road into those BBC studios.”
Recalling the BBC experience in an interview with Mojo, Robert Plant said: “The whole thing was very quaint: the politeness of the audience, the technicians fumbling about, proper hallowed low-key introductions. Like there was some sort of holy moment about to occur.”
In 1968, Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential, innovative and successful groups in modern music, having sold more than 300 million albums worldwide. The band rose from the ashes of The Yardbirds, when Page brought in Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones. In 1969, Led Zeppelin released its self-titled debut which was produced by Jimmy Page, as were all the subsequent albums. It marked the beginning of a 12-year reign, during which the group was widely considered to be the biggest and most innovative rock band in the world.
Led Zeppelin continues to be honored for its pivotal role in music history. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and a year later was awarded the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm. Founding members Page, Plant, and Jones, and along with Jason Bonham, the son of John Bonham – took the stage at London’s O2 Arena in 2007 to headline a tribute concert for Ahmet Ertegun, a dear friend and Atlantic Records’ founder. The band was honored for its lifetime contribution to American culture at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. In January of 2014, the band won their first ever Grammy award as Celebration Day, which captured their live performance at the Ertegun tribute concert, was named Best Rock Album. The last two years saw an unprecedented reissue campaign of all nine of the band’s studio albums, which achieved Top 10 chart status around the globe whilst also garnering 5-star reviews and other critical accolades along the way.
The Complete BBC Session CD tracklisting:
Disc One
“You Shook Me”
“I Can’t Quit You Baby”
“Communication Breakdown”
“Dazed And Confused”
“The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair”
“What Is And What Should Never Be”
“Communication Breakdown”
“Travelling Riverside Blues”
“Whole Lotta Love”
“Somethin’ Else”
“Communication Breakdown”
“I Can’t Quit You Baby”
“You Shook Me”
“How Many More Times”
Disc Two
“Immigrant Song”
“Heartbreaker”
“Since I’ve Been Loving You”
“Black Dog”
“Dazed And Confused”
“Stairway To Heaven”
“Going To California”
“That’s The Way”
“Whole Lotta Love” (Medley: Boogie Chillun/Fixin’ To Die/That’s Alright Mama/A Mess of Blues)
“Thank You”
Disc Three
“Communication Breakdown” *
“What Is And What Should Never Be” *
“Dazed And Confused” *
“White Summer”
“What Is And What Should Never Be” *
“Communication Breakdown” *
“I Can’t Quit You Baby” *
“You Shook Me” *
“Sunshine Woman” *
* Previously Unreleased
"Dazed And Confused":
“What Is And What Should Never Be”:
“Sunshine Woman”:
(Photo - Ron Rafaelli) | |
25 сен 2016
DESTINY Debut New “Sabotage” Video
 “Sabotage” is the second digital single and video by Destiny from the upcoming anniversary album Climate Change. The first one being Living Dead released in 2015. The clip was produced by Kalle Johansson and Rynch Asplund for Backstage Productions.
Climate Change will be released on CD by GMR on October 21. Sabotage was recorded at Destiny Recording Studio (DRS) by Henrik Pettersson of Tarmpolin Recordings
Destiny is:
Jonas Heidgert - vocals
Stefan Björnshög - bass
Michael Åberg – guitar
Veith Offenbächer - guitar
Kane Svantesson - drums | |
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25 сен 2016
STRYPER To Go On 'Hiatus' Following 'To Hell With The Devil' 30th-Anniversary Tour
 Veteran rockers STRYPER have announced plans to "take a hiatus" following the completion of their tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of their multi-platinum album "To Hell With The Devil".
Says the band in a statement: "As many of you know, we are preparing a tour to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of 'To Hell With The Devil'. Although we're extremely excited about this tour, our band and ministry is facing a crossroads for a variety of reasons, including some personal matters affecting our bassist, Tim Gaines, that have affected the unity of our band.
"As a result, upon the conclusion of this tour, we have decided to take a hiatus to allow each band member to think and pray about the direction of the band going forward.
"We believe the right thing to do is to be open with all of you so we can continue on with integrity and put to rest any false rumors and accusations. We also believe we must honor our commitments in moving forward with the tour.
"The name STRYPER is very important to us. What (and who) it represents is even more important. We take what we do very seriously as a band and ministry and we believe it's our duty to take this hiatus based on our faith, so we can move forward in the right way.
"We do appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
"God Bless you all."
In a recent interview with The Swerve Magazine, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet was asked how it has been working with the same guys in the band for most of the group's three-decade-plus-long career. He responded: "Well, I mean, I'll be honest. I'm not going to lie to anybody. It's not easy. We have our issues. There are four strong personalities in this band. I'm the most boisterous. I'm the guy that talks a lot and people hear from the most, but I think if you heard from the other three guys, you would know exactly what I'm talking about. Everybody has opinions, and we're not on the same page many times. We don't see eye to eye. We have our arguments and our times of frustrations with one another."
He continued: "We made a pact to stay together. When we decide that we shouldn't stay together, that's when STRYPER will end, because I don't want to continue on without Robert [Sweet, drums], or without Tim [Gaines, bass], or without Oz [Fox, guitar]. I think that it's important that the four of us stay together, or it's not STRYPER. At that point in time, if we're not getting along we need to call it quits, and not replace each other.
"I hate it when bands start replacing their band members. You know what? It degrades the band and the brand. It's not fair to fans.
"I understand in a situation where, let's say, somebody passes away, and the other three or four guys want to continue, and they had the blessing of that person. That's a different situation, but what I'm referring to is all the bickering. You've got four guys in the band, and they don't get along, so they all go off and do their own version of that band. I mean, I just think that's a joke, a complete joke."
The "To Hell With The Devil" 30th-anniversary tour is scheduled to kick off on September 29 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Released by Enigma Records on October 24, 1986, the Grammy-nominated "To Hell With The Devil" is the band's third studio album and the first Christian metal album to achieve platinum status.
STRYPER's latest album, "Fallen", entered The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 43 with first-week sales of just over 10,000 units — nearly all from pure album sales. The set follows the No. 35-peaking "No More Hell To Pay", which was released in 2013. | |
24 сен 2016
MEGADETH
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24 сен 2016
ILLYRIAN Streaming “Zeta Reticulan” Lyric Video
 Calgary thrashers Illyrian have released their second single and lyric video “Zeta Reticulan” in support of their upcoming album Round 2: Fight! due out on October 7th. The album was co-produced by the band with Casey Lewis at Echo Base Studios plus mastered by Sacha Laskow (Every Hour Kills, ex-Divinity) at Perfect Fifth Studios.
Originally formed in 2011, the Calgary thrashers formerly known as Hellborn Death Engines are beginning their resurgence under the new moniker Illyrian with the recent additions of bassist / vocalist Jeff Perry (Sikarra, ex-Animus Labyrinth) plus British drum sensation Darren May (ex-Deacon Birch) who have brought new and progressive musical mindsets into the band to join original and founding members Scott Onofrychuk (guitars/vocals) and Brandon McNeil (guitar/vocals).
Evolving into a highly technical group playing thrash metal with their erratic and precise on-stage delivery, rapier wit, along with nostalgic charm, Illyrian have removed the constraints of conventional metal sub-genre formula to replace their sound with a melting pot of technical thrash riffs, blistering solos, prog-influenced rhythms along with the band's signature tri-vocal attack all showcased on ten new thrashing tracks on their new album Round 2: Fight!. The album is set to be unleashed on October 7th and was co-produced by the band with Casey Lewis at Echo Base Studios plus mastered by Sacha Laskow (Every Hour Kills, ex-Divinity) at Perfect Fifth Studios.
Tracklisting:
“Walking In Sunshine”
“Round 2: Fight!”
“Opulent & Imperial”
“Chaotic Neutral”
“Zeta Reticulan”
“Mindbender”
“Five By Five (The Dark Slayer Comes)”
“Wings Of Freedom”
“Technodrone”
“Sound Of The Serpent Siren”
"Zeta Reticulan" lyric video:
“Round 2: Fight!” lyric video:
(Photo by: Brad Scott)
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24 сен 2016
ALMAH Release “Pleased To Meet You” Lyric Video
 Brazilian metallers Almah, led by ex-Angra singer Edu Falaschi, have unleashed a lyric video for the song “Pleased To Meet You”, featured on their new album, E.V.O, out today worldwide via Pride & Joy Music (Europe), Test Your Metal (North America) and King Records (Japan).
E.V.O is the fifth studio album from Almah, it was recorded in São Paulo, Brazil at IMF studios by Tito Falaschi and mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud (Fear Factory, Dragonforce) at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California. It is a concept album and the main idea is based on evolution of people’s mind and soul during so-called Age Of Aquarius - the new era that the world is about to live. The author of the concept, Edu Falaschi, touches different subjects connected to the main idea, creating very positive lyrics and the whole album’s atmosphere.
Musically, E.V.O brings a fresh and powerful sound with typical modern and heavy Almah’s touch but this time one will be able to realize that it also has a direct connection with the Angra’s Rebirth (the first Angra’s album with Edu's voice). The compositions are pleasant travel between the modern power metal, contemporary rock and prog metal. The vocal lines on E.V.O are very powerful, classic and the voice has a higher pitch comparing to the previous Almah’s records. It’s very melodic, clean and into the bel canto style.
Tracklisting:
“Age Of Aquarius”
“Speranza”
“The Brotherhood”
“Innocence”
“Higher”
“Infatuated”
“Pleased To Meet You”
“Final Warning”
“Indigo”
“Corporate War”
“Capital Punishment”
“Pleased To Meet You” lyric video:
“Age Of Aquarius” lyric video:
Studio Report videos:
Almah is:
Edu Falaschi - vocals
Marcelo Barbosa - guitars
Raphael Dafras - bass
Diogo Mafra - guitars
Pedro Tinello - drums
(Photo - Danillo Facchini)
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24 сен 2016
VAGUS NERVE Feat. Ex-GOD FORBID Guitarist DOC COYLE: Entire Debut EP Available For Streaming
 "Visceral", the debut EP from VAGUS NERVE, can be streamed in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below.
Starting as a passion project of ex-GOD FORBID guitarist Doc Coyle and PHYLLOTAXIS singer-songwriter Ravi Orr, VAGUS NERVE became fully realized as a band in 2014 when they enlisted the talents of drummer Moe Watson (SHAI HULUD), bassist Aden Oxenreider (COSM) and guitarist Mike Gowen (MOTHER).
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the atmospheric rock band will release "Visceral" on Friday, September 30. Digital and physical pre-orders are available here.
VAGUS NERVE's first music video for the song "Pull Me Out", directed by Douglas Henderson for Bold Creative Media out of York, Pennsylvania, can be seen below. Like the songwriting, music production, and album artwork before it, this video falls in line with the elegance and beauty that characterizes VAGUS NERVE. | |
24 сен 2016
ALCEST Streaming New Track “Kodama”
 Kodama. the fifth album from Alcest, marks the French duo's ferocious return to the stylistic maximalism of its early albums while continuing the band's relentless pursuit for new sounds and fresh ideas. The album’s title track is streaming below.
"Kodama" is the Japanese word for 'tree spirit' and 'echo' and from the album's structure and dynamics to its cinematic sound, Kodama indeed 'echoes' Alcest's 2010 classic, Écailles De Lune. But this is no simple back-to-the-roots album: the band has more punch, rhythm and organic feel than ever before. While clearly influenced by bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Dinosaur Jr, Grimes and The Cure, Kodama ultimately reveals itself as Alcest's 'Japanese album', drawing substantial inspiration from Japanese art and culture.
Originally triggered by Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Princess Mononoke, Kodama picks up on the fate of its protagonist and, at its core, deals with the sensation of not belonging; of living in between worlds, be it city and nature or the physical and spiritual one. Duality is also crucial for the visual approach of the album, realized by French graphic designer duo Førtifem. Paying tribute to Japanese illustrators like Takato Yamamoto, the visuals portray contrasting elements like nature/urbanity, youth/death, femininity/animality and combine poetic elements with darker ones that were not present in Alcest's earlier works.
By giving the album a cultural, stylistic and compositional narrative, Neige and Winterhalter keep Kodama from just being the latest improvement on the Alcest sound and instead make the album a most rare and exciting thing: a vital, relevant record from a pioneer that not only upholds the band's trailblazing legacy but actually makes you want to see where they go next.
The album will be released on September 30th.
Tracklisting:
“Kodama”
“Eclosion”
“Je Suis D'ailleurs”
“Untouched”
“Oiseaux De Proie”
“Onyx”
“Kodama”:
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24 сен 2016
NOCTEM Release Official Video Trailer For Upcoming Haeresis Album
 Iberian extreme metal act Noctem have released an official video trailer for their new album Haeresis, due out September 30th via Prosthetic Records in North America, The UK and Europe, and through Art Gates Records in Spain.
Haeresis consists of ten brutally punishing tracks which conceptually delve into the dark history of Noctem's home country of Spain. Complimenting cover artwork, as seen below, was completed by Seth Siro Anton (Septicflesh, Moonspell, Behemoth) and depicts an epic and grotesque display of obscene torture extracted from the Spanish inquisition (1.500 A.C.).
Haeresis tracklisting:
"Through The Black Temples Of Disaster"
"Auto-Da-Fé"
"The Submission Discipline"
"Blind Devotion"
"The Dark One"
"Haeresis"
"Whispers Of The Ancient Gods"
"Conjuring Degradation And Morbidity"
"The Paths Of The Lustful Abandon"
"Pactum With The Indomitable Darkness"
Trailer:
"Pactum With The Indomitable Darkness”:
“The Submission Discipline” video:
"Through The Black Temples Of Disaster”:
Noctem, consisting of Beleth (vocals), Exo (lead guitars), Ethell (rhythm guitars), Varu (bass) and Voor (drums), self-recorded and produced Haerisis earlier this year at Firework Studios in Valencia before sending it to Sweden's Necromorbus Studio for mixing and mastering by Tore Stjerna (Watain, Valkyrja).
The band collectively proclaimed; "This record is proof that a band like us can keep evolving with time. It looks, sounds, smells and tastes different from anything we've ever done while keeping our original essence in every track. We're sure that any fan of extreme metal will be satisfied with this new opus."
Catch Noctem live:
October
27 - Salamanca, Spain - Nave Bunker (with Negura Bunget, Antagonist Zero)
28 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Silikona (with Negura Bunget, Antagonist Zero)
29 - Zaragoza, Spain - CC Vadefierro (with Negura Bunget, Antagonist Zero)
30 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Monasterio (with Negura Bunget, Antagonist Zero) | |
24 сен 2016
THE AGONIST Preview All Tracks From Upcoming Five Album; Audio
 The Agonist is set to release their new album and Napalm Records debut, Five, on September 30th. Pre-orders for Five, in various formats and exclusive bundle packages, are available now at the Napalm Records webstore. A preview of all tracks on the album can be found below.
"We are so anxious to release this record to our fans and the rest of the world! This album represents another shift in the evolution of The Agonist! Vicky and I went even deeper into what makes a song really connect. I'm very proud of everyone's hard work making this the most diverse and interesting record for us to date! It was a great learning experience working with Mike Plotnikoff and fully immersing ourselves in the recording process 24/7. Just as much as we are excited to release this album we are psyched to get back out on the road and connect directly with our fans! Europe gets the first taste before we unleash on North America this November with Epica,” says guitarist Danny Marino.
Vocalist Vicky Psarkis adds, "Being in The Agonist for over 2 years now and after releasing my debut album with the band and numerous tours, I can say that Five is the record where I believe that we finally found our sound! There's a certain confidence that comes with experience and there's something about being fully comfortable that can take your approach towards songwriting to a whole other level. Working on the lyrics and vocals on this album was an incredibly natural process. Halfway into the pre-production, we realized that a lot of our songs seemed to be telling a story and hearing the album in its entirety is like escaping into our world."
Five tracklisting:
“The Moment”
“The Chain”
“The Anchor And The Sail”
“The Game”
“The Ocean”
“The Hunt”
“The Raven Eyes”
“The Wake”
“The Resurrection”
“The Villain”
“The Pursuit Of Emptiness”
“The Man Who Fell To Earth”
“The Trial”
“Take Me To Church” (Hozier cover) (Bonus Edition Only)
Album preview:
“The Moment” video:
“The Chain” lyric video:
Album teasers:
Part 1:
Part 2:
The Agonist tour dates are listed below.
September
27 - Fryshuset Klubben- Stockholm, Sweden
28 - Sticky Fingers - Gothenburg, Sweden
30 - Tube - Dusseldorf, Germany
October
1 - Epic Metal Fest - Tilburg, Netherlands
2 - De Kreun - Kortrijk, Belgium
4 - Opera Concert Hall - St. Petersburg, Russia
5 - Клуб Театръ - Moscow, Russia
7 - Sala Becool - Barcelona, Spain
8 - Sala la Burbuja - Castellon, Spain
9 - Sala Maladar - Seville, Spain
11 - Sala tbc - Lisboa, Portugal
12 - Sala Lemon - Madrid, Spain
13 - Sala Azkena - Bilbao, Spain
November (with Fleshgod Apocalypse, Xandria, The Agonist)
4 - Imperial Theater - Quebec City, QC
5 - Corona - Montreal, QC
6 - Phoenix Concert Hall - Toronto, ON
November (with Fleshgod Apocalypse, Arkona, The Agonist)
8 - Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL
9 - Cabooze - Minneapolis, MN
11 - Saskatoon Event Center - Saskatoon, SK
12 - Marquee - Calgary, AB
13 - The Ranch - Edmonton, AB
15 - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, BC
16 - Studio 7 - Seattle, WA
18 - Social Hall - San Francisco, CA
19 - The Regent - Los Angeles, CA
20 - Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel - Las Vegas, NV
22 - Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
23 - Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS
25 - Gas Monkey Live - Dallas, TX
26 - Empire Control Room - Austin, TX
28 - State Theater - St Petersburg, FL
29 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
December (with Fleshgod Apocalypse, Arkona, The Agonist)
1 - Soundstage Baltimore, MD
2 - Webster Hall - New York, NY
3 - Palladium - Worcester, MA
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24 сен 2016
SHOTGUN REVOLUTION - “Rise To Power” Music Video Released
 Shotgun Revolution have released a music video for “Rise To Power”, a track from their new album, All This Could Be Yours, available worldwide via Mighty Music. The clip can be found below.
The album was recorded in Copenhagen with Metallica legend Flemming Rasmussen at the wheel, mixed in Los Angeles by Ben Grosse (Slipknot, Depeche Mode, Madonna, Disturbed) and mastered in New York by Ryan Smith (AC/DC).
Tracklisting:
“Don’t Stop That Grind”
“Rise To Power”
“All This Could Be Yours”
“Refugee”
“City Of Fire”
“Dissolve”
“God’s Damned Poetry”
“S.O.B.”
“Suzie”
“River Of Dreams”
“Rise To Power” video:
“City Of Fire” video: | |
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24 сен 2016
DRESCHER Release Official Music Video For “A Bissl Glick”
 Austrian folk metal band, Drescher, will release their new album, Steinfeld, on November 18th via Napalm Records. A music video for the album track “A Bissl Glick” can be found below.
Steinfeld means “field of stones”, but is it as heavy as it sounds? Oh yes, it is! This is something really extraordinary. Ushering in a new kind of music, a new style and a new experience Drescher’s music provides it’s listener with authentic Austrian metal in both language and sound. As long as they’ve been cranking their amplifiers, Drescher has produced genuine tunes driven by the music within.
Steinfeld tracklisting:
“A Bissl Glick”
“Adrenalin”
“Unten”
“Guade Oide Zeit”
“Regen”
“Es Reignt Bluat” (Slayer Cover)
“Olles Ok”
“Endlich Leben”
“I Will Di Ausbliatn Sehn”
“Der Held”
“Die Marie” (Bonus Track)
“Vater Vergib Mir” (Bonus Track)
“A Bissl Glick” video:
Teaser #1:
Teaser #2:
Drescher lineup:
Bernd Wograndl - Vocals & Guitar
Gernot Engel - Guitar (acoustic & electric)
Filip Rado - Accordion
Roland Engel - Bass
Sigi Meier - Drums | |
24 сен 2016
MAIDEN UNITED - “Remember Tomorrow” Live Video Streaming
 Maiden United, the acoustic Iron Maiden tribute project featuring Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace) and Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation), have released a live video for the track “Remember Tomorrow”, which can be found on their Remembrance album, released last year and available via maidenunited.com. The new video can be found below.
Remembrance tracklisting:
“Strange World”
“Charlotte The Harlot”
“Killers”
“Remember Tomorrow”
“Burning Ambition”
“Futureal” (ft. Blaze Bayley)
“Aces High”
“Prowler” (ft. Paul Di’Anno)
“Still Life '15”
“Remember Tomorrow” live video:
Album trailer:
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24 сен 2016
SEVEN: 'Fight' Video Released
 "Fight", the new video from U.K./Swedish melodic rockers SEVEN, can be seen below. The song, which was co-written by well-known songwriter Jeff Paris (MR. BIG, VIXEN, Y&T, Paul Stanley), is taken from SEVEN's new album, "Shattered", which was released on September 23 by U.K. label Escape Music Ltd..
The roots of SEVEN can be traced back to the late '80s/early '90s in South Africa, of all places. At the time, Keith McFarlane and the brothers Simon and John LeFevre were in a band called FACE TO FACE, while Mick Devine was drummer in another band, called UC27. After releasing several singles and one album in a period of 18 months, FACE TO FACE split and the brothers LeFevre returned to the U.K. After a few months, they decided to reform the band and Mick was asked to join them in the U.K. as their drummer. It wasn't before long that the brothers discovered that Mick was actually a better singer than drummer, and so Mick became the band's lead vocalist. A couple of years later, they were joined by Pat Davey on bass and Austin Lane on drums and the band name was changed to SEVEN.
The AOR scene in the late '80s was a thriving hive of activity. At the turn of the new decade, the likes of Mitch Malloy, Paul Laine, FIREHOUSE, TYKETTO and TALISMAN were all signed up and ready to make an impact on the genre. Everybody wanted an AOR band, and Polydor Records was no exception. Having been fairly successful in the U.K with the likes of MAGNUM and LITTLE ANGELS, the label had set their sights on SEVEN, which at the time was a relatively unknown act from Bournemouth.
SEVEN toured extensively supporting an eclectic variety of acts that included the likes of Jason Donovan, Richard Marx, THE MONKEES and BROTHER BEYOND. It's a time period that Mick Devine is keen to reminisce about. "Even though they were out and out pop gigs, we loved the crowds and the noise," he says. "We went from pubs to opening to 3000 screaming fans in Southampton. It is a very addictive adrenaline rush. We got to play all the top venues, which were fantastic — including Wembley Arena, the NEC, BIC, SEC and even the Royal Albert Hall. The Richard Marx tour was definitely the best for us with a more grown up audience we were able to rock it up and truly be ourselves. It went down really well!"
With John Parr as producer, they recorded two very strong singles in the shape of "Inside Love" and "Man With A Vision", both of which achieved moderate success in the U.K. In 2014, the original bass player Pat Davey was working alongside Robert Hart on an Escape Music album when the name SEVEN cropped up in the conversation. It would seem that Khalil Turk was a big fan, as Devine explains. "Yeah, back in the day, Khalil had really loved the band and he got in touch to see if we would be interested in finally releasing an album," he says. Without too much convincing, the project was born.
The production talents of Lars Chriss (the LION'S SHARE guitarist whose repertoire includes albums with Steve Overland, Chris Ousey, LUGNET and RADIOACTIVE) were enlisted to produce the band's debut album, called "7", which was released to critical acclaim and was held up as one of the "albums of the year" on many lists. Following the success of the first album, a passion was rekindled within Devine and McFarlane, who began work on new material, and along with the writing talents of Lars Chriss, Fredrik Bergh (BLOODBOUND, ROB MORATTI, STREET TALK), Andy Loos (LION'S SHARE, GLORY, CHRIS OUSEY), Kay Backlund (LION'S SHARE, NIVA) and Jeff Paris, that passion was given focus and a place to come to life. What they discovered was a well of untapped creativity that had been hidden for far too long and the songs poured out.
SEVEN's "Shattered" is a collection of wonderfully catchy songs that rely on clean and memorable melodies that allow Devine's distinctive voice to shine through. It was Devine who took the lead in writing the lyrics on this album, matching the intensity and feel of the music to deliver a modern melodic rock album with influences ranging from hints of FOREIGNER in "A Better Life" and "Broken Dream", JOURNEY in "High Hopes" and even traces of MAGNUM in "Light Of 1000 Eyes" and "Last Illusion". The lyrical themes are drawn from a depth of life experience and observations and are heartfelt and real. The production talents of Chriss and the lineup of truly great musicians, deliver an album of depth and variation which ranges from driving guitar-led tracks with memorable riffs to melodic anthems, all backed by stunning keys, bass and standout solos. It is an album that is a worthy follow-up to the critically acclaimed "7".
"Shattered" track listing:
01. Light Of 1000 Eyes02. A Better Life03. Fight04. Shattered05. Live This Life06. Pieces Of You07. Broken Dream08. High Hopes09. I Needed Time10. Taking Over11. Last Illusion12. World Of Make Believe (bonus track)
SEVEN is:
Mick Devine: VocalsLars Chriss: Guitars, DrumsAndy Loos: BassFredrik Bergh: KeyboardsKay Backlund: Keyboards
Produced and mixed by: Lars ChrissMastered by: Mike LindExecutive producer: Khalil Turk | |
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24 сен 2016
Video Premiere: SONATA ARCTICA's 'Life'
 "Life", the new Ville Juurikkala-directed video from Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new studio album, "The Ninth Hour", which will be released on October 7 through Nuclear Blast.
Commented SONATA ARCTICA frontman Tony Kakko: "I tried desperately to have at least one positive, uplifting song on this album and maybe this is it.
"I always struggle writing positive lyrics; that's the thing.
"We've been called 'happy metal' many times because of the melodies and so on, but lyrics are usually something that do not walk the sunny side of the road. They contrast the music.
"'Life', anyway, is telling people to find good things in life, find the things hurting and causing harm and replacing them with positive things with help of friends.
"Go out and be together with people, share experiences, live. I know it's a dumb thing to say, but life is better alive."
"The Ninth Hour" was produced by SONATA ARCTICA themselves and mixed by Pasi Kauppinen to create a typical yet refreshing sound that defines the spirit of the band in the year 2016.
"The Ninth Hour" track listing:
01. Closer To An Animal02. Life03. Fairytale04. We Are What We Are05. Till Death's Done Us Apart06. Among The Shooting Stars07. Rise A Night08. Fly, Navigate, Communicate09. Candle Lawns10. White Pearl, Black Oceans Part II – "By The Grace Of The Ocean"11. On The Faultline (Closure To An Animal)
After a North American tour with their friends from NIGHTWISH plus many headline shows around the globe, the band was once again able to take a look at the entire world as it is at the moment — on the edge of a possible armageddon. This spirit is reflected in the artwork of "The Ninth Hour". "The artwork of our ninth studio album, 'The Ninth Hour', depicts a future utopian landscape on the background," Tony said. "Nature and human technologies are in balance. In the middle we have an hour glass contraption with a knob for us to meddle with. The right-hand side cup represents the nature side with no humans left, on the left we have the human dystopia after we have destroyed Nature. The idea I had was, that turning the knob will tilt the hour glass in one direction or another, and the other cup will slowly empty and that future will be erased. Biblically we are expected to repent and sacrifice on 'The Ninth Hour'… to dive right back to a more mundane reality, it's a fact that we are currently living in critical, historical times. Our decisions will define the future. Not only ours as a race, but the future of this entire planet. We need to make sacrifices and in many cases we will repent our already made choices."
Right after the summer festival season and the release of "The Ninth Hour", the band will embark on a European tour together with their labelmates TWILIGHT FORCE to present the new songs to their fans.
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24 сен 2016
BOBBY BLOTZER's RATT: First Official Photo Of New Lineup
 The first official photo of the new lineup of Bobby Blotzer's RATT can be seen below.
Blotzer's RATT recently announced the addition of Mitch Perry (TALAS, HEAVEN, STEELER, MSG, LITA FORD) and Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) on guitar and Brad Lang (Y&T) on bass. They joined the band as the replacements for Nicholas "Blaze" Baum, Michael "Doc" Ellis (Jizzy Pearl's LOVE/HATE) and Robbie Crane, who left Blotzer in early August.
Asked why his version of RATT has already undergone so many lineup changes in the past year, Bobby told the SiriusXM satellite radio show "Eddie Trunk Live": "[It's] hard to say. I think it started way back when we first came from [Las] Vegas with those guys, and we had this very unsavory guy that kind of corralled them, in my opinion… Some of these guys are really young; the lead guitarist was really young and impressionable. And there was colluding going on, a lot of colluding, and there was a lot of politicking. And I don't wanna name any names, but there was things of that nature going on."
He continued: "We've never had a fight in this band, we never have ever had an argument; we don't even disagree. So for me to find out, while we had a four-show run that started out in Louisville, then Cincinnati, then Wabash, Indiana, and then finishing the week in Detroit, I find out after the Cincinnati show that the lead guitar player is quitting; he's joining a country band and he's just out. And I'm, like, 'Ooookay.' And in the next week coming up, obviously, there [were] some giant shows…. I had to scramble, with a two-day notice, to either get somebody — which I didn't know who it was gonna be… I was pretty freaked out that out of the blue this guy is just quitting without telling me. And we finished the shows and subsequently got Stacey. He learned the set, an eighteen-song set, in two days, and came out in front of 35,000 and ripped it up. And we had Todd Kerns, who was filling in for Robbie Crane. And we knew that Todd was only out there for those specific shows.
"One of the guys in the band said from the get-go he doesn't wanna be on the road, even though he was having a great time. Even though I have texts from these guys saying, 'Thank you for bringing me aboard here,' and these are recent texts. And I respect a couple of these guys at this point. And when they're thanking me, I'm, like, 'Thank you for playing up there. You have helped build this thing, like we're building it right now. You're doing your job.' But the lead player split after Detroit. Stacey came in and did the gigs, like I said, and right now… I had so much e-mails and phone calls from guitar players and singers and bass players, it was insane. I'm, like, 'Fuck! How am I gonna get through all this?' So I just started thinking about personal friends. Mitch Perry and I go way back. Him and Sean McNabb and I had a band with Ralph from STEEL PANTHER back around '90, '92, something like that. So I called Mitch — great guitarist — and I said, 'Here's the deal.' And he's, like, 'Great! I'm in.' And then we were thinking, 'Okay. Bass player. Who? This person, that person.' And he came up with Brad Lang, who's a friend of his, and I had jammed with Brad at New Year's Eve in San Francisco for Phil Kennemore's memorial show that they did up there. And he's a great player and a great guy, he's got stage presence. And you know what? These guys are seasoned pros. I'll miss one of the guys that were in this band, but, you know, the knives that were just thrown into my back, dude, I'm just never gonna get over; they're never gonna stop bleeding."
Blotzer defended his decision to go out on tour as RATT without any other original members of the band, explaining that fans just want to hear the music performed the way it was recorded on the group's albums.
"No matter what, this band plays so good and does such great integrity to the music of RATT," he told ClassX Radio. "That's why everybody's been hired. The singer [Josh Alan] just blows Stephen Pearcy out of the water at this day and age. And frankly, [he sounds better than Stephen did] even when we started out."
Blotzer is involved in a legal battle with Warren DeMartini over the rights to the RATT name, with the guitarist filing a lawsuit last fall claiming that the drummer was falsely advertising his "tribute band" as the real thing. That dispute is still pending in California state court.
Fan-filmed video footage of the new lineup of Bobby Blotzer's RATT performing on September 4 at Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio can be seen below.
Posted by RATT on Friday, September 23, 2016
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24 сен 2016
SUPERJOINT Feat. PHILIP ANSELMO: New Song 'Sociopathic Herd Delusion' Available For Streaming
 "Sociopathic Herd Delusion", a brand new song from former PANTERA and current DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo's SUPERJOINT RITUAL project — now known simply as SUPERJOINT for legal reasons — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Caught Up In The Gears Of Application", which will be released on November 11 via Anselmo's Housecore record label. The disc was recorded at Philip's New Orleans-area studio, Nodferatu's Lair and was produced by Anselmo and Stephen Berrigan. The effort was mastered by Scott Hull (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, PIG DESTROYER) at Visceral Sounds.
SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD), drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).
"The minute we started writing, I knew this record would be brutal," reflects Bower.
"Sticking to our true hardcore roots and signature SUPERJOINT sound, we accomplished a record that needed to happen in today's underground. It's pissed off!
"After being on hiatus for eleven-plus years, the chance at a new SUPERJOINT record wasn't something we took lightly.
"With newcomers Steven and Joey, we were psyched and eager to get in the Lair and start writing and after two tours with the new lineup, we were able to hit the writing hard! Didn't take long to accomplish, and we stood and smirked at the playback of what would be the new SUPERJOINT record.
"With songs like 'Receiving No Answer To The Knock' and 'Sociopathic Herd Delusion', we had everything to smirk about!
"This record brings our viscous style of hardcore back to life.
"Pissed off with everything to prove, SUPERJOINT is back!"
Adds Anselmo: "The overall theme [of the album] means many things, or no things, but there is an underlying message regardless, about how modern technology — computers and all that comes with them, mainly — has affected our lives. As a musician, it has affected my life both negatively (music being stolen) and positively (being in touch with fellow musicians around the world and staying visible). But when looking at the broader spectrum, computer-land has given everyday people a platform in which to bellow like carnival barkers about anything and everything, humdrum or political, whether qualified or not, some with good intentions, some with disingenuous intentions, and some with ideas that lay somewhere in the middle, creating a mishmash of results."
"Caught Up In The Gears Of Application" track listing:
01. Today And Tomorrow02. Burning The Blanket03. Ruin You04. Caught Up In The Gears Of The Application05. Sociopathic Herd Delusion06. Circling The Drain07. Clickbait08. Asshole09. Mutts Bite Too10. Rigging The Fight11. Receiving No Answer To The Knock
According to Anselmo, the direction of SUPERJOINT's new material is very similar to that one the band's first two albums, 2002's "Use Once And Destroy" and 2003's "A Lethal Dose Of American Hatred". "It won't sound any different, because myself, Jimmy and Kevin have always been the main writers in SUPERJOINT anyway, so, really — for the most part, really, me and Jimmy. So it shouldn't sound much different at all," he told Full Metal Jackie back in July 2015.
In a separate interview with the Phoenix New Times, Anselmo was asked why he feels that SUPERJOINT's current live shows are so much better than those that he played with the band more than a decade ago when the group was known as SUPERJOINT RITUAL. He responded: "So-briety! [Laughs] Simply put. Sobriety."
He continued: "You know, originally we were plugging along with SUPERJOINT, truth is, and I'm not a bit embarrassed or ashamed to admit it at all, I really don't remember much about SUPERJOINT from back then except for little pieces. I was fucked up out of my fucking mind on heavy drugs … and the overindulgence of booze. These days, don't get me wrong, I like my suds and I like a bit of the white grape…. But I think every damn one of us has a much clearer mind. A much more stable support system within that realm. And we're all veterans now, man. We've been through the lowest of times together, and this group of people — specifically, Jimmy Bower and Kevin Bond — when it was time to say 'fuck this road to destruction,' we all kind of did that together. We all came off of heavy drugs at the same time. So I think there's this strength with knowledge there about what not to do. So really it just happened from our clear minds and fresh blood there. It's a positive thing. It feels like it's fun again, and isn't that the point? If you're going to make music and you're having fun while you're doing it, nothing in this world cane deter from that."
Anselmo also talked about how SUPERJOINT approaches its live performances. He said: "I would just say, as far as energy goes, we know from being in the scene for 20, 30 years that we don't have to get up there and jump around and dance around for the kids anymore. All we need to do is throw our amps and drums up on stage… And play the music as tight as possible with no bullshit, man. Just lay it on them."
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24 сен 2016
Video: Ex-METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED Performs With CHOPHOUSE BAND In Sebastopol, California
 Fan-filmed video footage of former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted and his THE CHOPHOUSE BAND (named after his four recording studio facilities around the U.S. and featuring a fluid roster of players) performing on September 15 at Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol, California can be seen below.
THE CHOPHOUSE BAND began in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco.
Following the success of METALLICA's 1991 Black Album, The Chophouse Records Studio was conceived by Newsted to assemble friends and comrades from other established acts and groups, to have a special place to enjoy chasing ideas and sounds, having fun playing pure and wild music on breaks and downtime, mixing up wicked musical soup away from rigorous touring schedules and agendas.
Now, after 25 years of playing host to a diverse array of talent from varying genres, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is finally offering a sampling of the musical flavors that have been cooking in these exclusive sessions and personal projects.
THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is led by Newsted, playing acoustic guitars and performing lead vocal, accompanied by
close friends/musicians of all walks and styles, sharing some great American songs from familiar and unfamiliar heroes.
The members of THE CHOPHOUSE BAND reside from coast to coast, including Chris Barnett, Mike Hughes, Tom Jordan, Joe Ledesma, David Lopez, Jesus Mendez, G.E. Perez, Mike Ramos, Brian Sagrafena, Angeline Saris, Chris Scianni, Amir Tal and Rob Tucker.
During an appearance on the August 29 edition of the SiriusXM satellite radio show "Eddie Trunk Live", Newsted explained how his mother's illness and eventual passing in March of this year inspired his current acoustic-based projects. He said: "What transpired was I had to keep playing, and she knows I had to keep playing. So I picked up the acoustic and started doing what I was able to do when I was just hanging around her, and started learning my cowboy chords and started collecting my songs. This was about the beginning of summer of 2014. So I would play certain songs for her, kind of choking through 'em — a bass player playing heavy handed on the acoustic guitar and just banging these cowboy chords out and learning Johnny Cash and Neil Young and George Jones and some more popular things like that. And by now, a couple of years later, I've dug in a lot deeper than that, but it was originally inspired by that thing, where I'd play mom songs. And she wouldn't necessarily remember, the next day or the next couple of days, which ones I'd played for her, and so she would react to certain songs the same way each time she heard them as if she was hearing them the first time. And so that kind of showed me which ones to chase, that showed me which ones had the groove, which ones my voice fit with, and all that. That's how I started collecting my songs. I had to keep playing music, of course, but the way and the form that it had to take was me with an acoustic, one voice, working through those songs as I had to put everything else on hold."
Asked how the CHOPHOUSE BAND grew into a live concept, Newsted told For Bass Players Only: "We'd all play together and do all these crazy songs — 'John Henry', CARTER FAMILY songs, Neil Young songs — and we'd do private keg parties with our buddies up the street. We'd take our Fender amps and load up the trucks and hack through the songs. Whoever wanted to be included could be included. We'd take hand drums, and people who weren't even necessarily musicians could be included. It was like a porch jam. And we did that for years, just our friends, and finally this year I decided we were going to start sharing it with more people — if they gave a crap. But we've been talking about it for a long time."
Regarding whether the CHOPHOUSE BAND will be a recording endeavor at some point, Newsted said: "I really haven't thought very seriously about it since most of the stuff is songs a lot of other people have [on] recording. There's a handful of originals, maybe a dozen, I've got together in this style. But I'm not ready to do any kind of recording with it. I'm kind of digging the idea that I just play it as much as I can and share it with people. The shows so far have only been 70 people or a couple hundred people, and it's people who want to be there. That's what I want. It's a grassroots vibe. We've been offered bigger shows for this from the agency; the initial offers were 700 people in a room, 900 people. That's not okay. We haven't earned that yet with this outfit. I want to build up the right way and earn it. I'm not in a hurry that way. I'm going to cherish every minute I do it, but I'm not going to hurry it up and ruin it."
Jason left METALLICA back in 2001 but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Ulrich, guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.
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24 сен 2016
CRADLE OF FILTH Frontman's DEVILMENT: Lyric Video For New Song 'Under The Thunder'
 DEVILMENT — the British band led by vehement frontman Dani Filth of CRADLE OF FILTH, will release its new album, "II: The Mephisto Waltzes", on November 18 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.
The official lyric video for the song "Under The Thunder", taken from "II: The Mephisto Waltzes", can be seen below.
Dani had this to say about the follow-up to 2014's "The Great And Secret Show": "Everybody in DEVILMENT is very excited about the prospect of releasing our latest album, 'II: The Mephisto Waltzes', which we have worked extremely hard on.
"The album is definitely a step up from our debut, featuring a more mature, dissonant presence coupled with a darker edge, yet at the same time utilizing our better musical assets to deliver a unique metal hybrid. I don't even know what to classify it!" Dani's crew has meticulously pieced together a second blood-spattered batch of deranged anthems that brings vastly more color, intensity and lyrical versatility to this band's spectral palate. The second DEVILMENT record makes no splintered bones about its nefarious intent, offering a bewildering torrent of disparate and demented ideas and delivering them with refined, ultra-gothic panache and several jolting doses of Dani's trademark verbal subterfuge. Assisted by longtime collaborators Lauren Francis (keys and vocals), Colin Parks (guitar), Nick Johnson (bass) and new drummer Matt Alston, Dani has arrived at the telling moment where DEVILMENT become a genuine force to be reckoned with.
Regarding the album's artwork, Dani revealed: "Winner of many international awards, the artist for the new DEVILMENT album is Elena Vizerskayaaka Kassandra, whose photography and photo-manipulation perfectly complements the mysterious and magical world of DEVILMENT.
"Elena's work is sometimes compared to Dali and Magritte due to the complexity of artistic figures and the perceptible amount of layers, something to be felt and not necessarily understood, exotic dreams filled with reflections and allusion.
"I have been a fan of Elena's work for a long while now and had originally wanted to utilize it for the CRADLE OF FILTH album 'The Manticore And Other Horrors' as far back as 2011, which only fell through when band politics intervened and an in-house label artist was used instead.
"In conjunction with Elena, the booklet was compiled and further augmented with illustration by Dan Goldsworthy, who has also undertaken album artwork for the likes of ACCEPT, HELL, XENTRIX, GLORYHAMMER and SYLOSIS, amongst others. His contribution to the album has provided it with a minimalist dark uniformity, punctuated by slick and classically macabre imagery, the perfect balance to Elena's gorgeously vibrant photography." "II: The Mephisto Waltzes" was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered at Grindstone Studios by close friend and long-term collaborator Scott Atkins (CRADLE OF FILTH, BEHEMOTH, SYLOSIS, SAVAGE MESSIAH) between March and July of this year. Dani added: "Scott has worked very closely with the band to share our vision and we are very proud of the finished result, especially the megalithic production values and the hammered-home emphasis on songwriting." DEVILMENT recently announced an extensive U.K. tour which will commence this December. The run will kick off on December 6 in Colchester, taking the band through eleven U.K. cities — before wrapping up at eminent Southampton venue, the Engine Rooms on December 19.
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23 сен 2016
Video Premiere: HAMMERFALL's 'Hammer High'
 "Hammer High", the new video from Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Built To Last", which will be released on November 4 via Napalm Records.
The track listing for the CD is as follows:
01. Bring It!02. Hammer High03. The Sacred Vow04. Dethrone And Defy05. Twilight Princess06. Stormbreaker07. Built To Last08. The Star Of Home09. New Breed10. Second To None
Asked what the most difficult song was to sing on "Built To Last", vocalist Joacim Cans told Spark TV: "It's 'The Sacred Vow', the lyric video that we released. Because the chorus was not supposed to be sung by me; we decided only to do it with a choir because it's so damn high, you can't really sing up there. But in the studio, I was in such great shape that day; it felt like I was breathing helium and I was on cocaine and crystal meth and everything at the same time."
He continued: "I always try to renew myself when it comes to composing the vocal melodies. 'Okay, how should I approach this part? Ah, maybe I should actually go up even higher this time,' which I did in a couple of songs; I never sang as high as I did on this album.
"I think there are a lot of new elements [on this new record]. But the most important thing of all [is that there] is still a lot of energy, and even though we are [in our] mid-40s, it sounds like a young, hungry band."
HAMMERFALL will embark on a European tour in early 2017. The trek, dubbed "Built To Tour", will kick off on January 12 in Bremen, Germany.
"It's been a hectic time juggling the remaining shows of the tour with songwriting and, ultimately, recording, so the name of this venture feels very fitting," said guitarist Oscar Dronjak. "The 'World Wide (r)Evolution' was a resounding success on every level with half of the shows sold out, and we can't wait to get back on stage again to have a gigantic heavy metal party every night with all our Templar friends!"
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Iced Earth
