News from Tobias:
"What do Geoff Tate, Dee Snider, Michael Kiske, Robert Mason, Jorn Lande, Bob Catley, Ronnie Atkins, Olli Hartmann and me have in common with Marco Hietala of Nightwish? Yes, we're all good looking, funny and amazingly talented… AND: we'll be on the new Avantasia album Ghostlights - out in January 2016.

About Marco: It was August 1997 and we were in Helsinki to mix the Vain Glory Opera album of Edguy when someone played the band Tarot to me. That great band seemed to be some sort of a legend in Finland (in Germany Tarot were not really known at the time). A few years later a band called Nightwish had appeared on the map and were about to take the European Metal world upside down. Edguy played a festival in England with Saxon and amongst others: Nightwish! I remember even though they had a great female vocalist how much I loved the rendition of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Crazy Train' that they did - if I remember correctly - which was sung by their bass player. You know, a lot of bass players are bass players because they wanna be in a band too; and there's only so much damage you can do to the sound of a band with just a bass. Sometimes they're only in the band because they talk enough to organize things or they have a day job to finance the first demo recordings, nice stage clothes, or sun glasses, but at the end of the day, most of them aren't taken seriously because… well, because they're bass players.

And they're alway suspicious... Anyway - I don't need a bass player because I play bass myself (not as good as Marco, but I am the cheaper solution for my own project, ha!). AND Marco is more than a bass player, he is a proper musician! I have no clue why it took so long until I eventually asked Marco Hietala (that bass playing vocalist with the two beards and the voice!!) if he could imagine singing a role on an Avantasia album. Now it is happening! And the results kick ass! You will love it! We're putting together an epic Metal record I believe…

Furthermore Robert Mason (Warrant) can been confirmed to sing on the new album as well. Robert first made himself a name back in the early nineties as the lead singer in Lynch Mob. Robert is an amazing singer coming from what some would call a different musical world, and he contributed something very unique to the Avantasia world. He really gave the songs what they needed! You will hear it!

Now go to www.avantasia.net to see details, sign up for the mailing list (and be the first to learn about other shows and guest musicians), get information on the new album or just get a ticket for the tour of tours, the Metal Opera on the road: first show just sold out! Ha!
Cheerz, Tobi"

Here's a nice pic: two singers, three beards, one and a half bass players - Marco and me at Metal Hammer Awards 2013 when we won in the category "World's most beautiful thumbs 2013"!

Serenity doesn’t just simply release an album, the symphonic metal giants invite their audience on truly epic journeys. Codex Atlanticus – their fifth album – boasts with thrilling storytelling about art and science.

Leonardo Da Vinci is the center of attention here, but lovers of conspiracy theories, Illuminati and so forth will also rejoice when mastermind Georg Neuhauser gives free rein to his compositional genius. This album is full of monumental, movie score-ish orchestral arrangements mean riffing and lush melodies.  The album will be released on January 29th via Napalm Records.

The band commented: “After three months of hard work, 150 unhealthy McDonalds meals and 200 bottles of Jägermeister, we're done - Opus finitum est - our 5th fulll length album Codex Atlanticus is ready to conquer the universe! Inspired by the life of Leonardo Da Vinci we created a bombastic album with melodies that can easily fit as a soundtrack for Game of Thrones!”

Tracklisting:

“Codex Atlanticus”
“Follow Me”
“Sprouts Of Terror”
“Iniquity”
“Reason”
“My Final Chapter”
“Caught In A Myth”
“Fate Of Light”
“The Perfect Woman”
“Spirit In The Flesh”
“The Order”

Serenity will also hit the road together with their label mates in Xandria for an extensive tour all over Europe.

Symphonic Metal Nights Part 1 tour dates:

February
2 - Hamburg, Germany - Logo
3 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos Saal
4 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
5 - Linz, Austria - Central
6 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kofmehl
7 - Bosco Marengo, Italy - LIVE23
9 - Paris, France - Divan Du Monde
10 - London, England - The Underworld
11 - Zaandam, Netherlands - De Flux
12 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
13 - Magdeburg, Germany - Factory
14 - Berlin, Germany - K17
16 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters Of Rock Café
17 - Vienna, Austria - Szene
18 - Aalen, Germany - Rock it
19 - Bamberg, Germany - Live-Club
20 - Kaiserslautern, Germany - Kammgarn
21 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob



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Season Of Ghosts, featuring former Blood Stain Child vocalist Sophia Aslanidou, are gearing up for a new EP of remixes featuring tracks taken from their debut album, The Human Paradox. Artists lined up for the album include futurepop band FrozenPlasma, New York Harsh EBM band FGFC820, and German EBM/Industrial band Neuroticfish (DE), 

Sophia: "Life is too short to be lived in a boring way. Dare to be constructively different."

Earlier this year Season Of Ghosts released an official video for the song "Dream; Paralysis" taken from The Human Paradox. The footage was shot at the band's live debut at the Metal Female Voices Festival in Wieze, Belgium, in October 2014.

Sophia recently checked in with the following update:

"There’s been lots of controversy about the distorted vocal parts on my album and I have to correct almost every reviewer who automatically assumes that for some unknown reason Ettore Rigotti does guest screams on The Human Paradox (?). This is incorrect, however I can understand why people get confused, as I’d only ever sung melodic vocals until now.

Well, as I’ve pointed out on previous blogs, all vocals on the album have been performed by me and I didn’t use any effects while recording. The vocals were edited and enhanced normally, just like the rest of the album. I have a pretty low speaking voice, so some people told me they can’t tell if it’s a guy or a girl singing. It’s my first time doing this so I still need to study, but yeah, it’s me on the album.

Here’s a funny clip from the studio for your viewing pleasure (recorded February 2014)."

The Human Paradox was released on December 8th, 2014 via Coroner Records. A full length audio clip of the third song on the album, "Time Travellers", can be heard below:

Season of Ghosts is a groundbreaking music project, dedicated to the love for the unseen and film soundtracks, combining extreme rock and metal sounds, harsh electronics and powerful, compelling vocals, through the eerie spectrum of a Sci-Fi and horror movie.

Tracklisting:

"Nothing Disappears Without A Trace"
"Genesis - The Phoenix Syndrome"
"Time Travellers"
"Dream; Paralysis"
"The Human Paradox"
"[NE]: MESIS - The Kiss Of Justice"
"Beautiful Eternal Things"
"Dreaming In The Gray Lands"
"The Road To Acheron"
"Quantum - Through The Looking Glass"
"Reincarnation"
"There And Back Again"

Preview:



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Sprung from the fantastic brain of Misfits leader Jerry Only, She Demons is the all-girl band for this generation. Combining old school ‘60s doo-wop and ‘70s power chord rock with classic punk and metal, the band is creating a sound that will attract loud music lovers of all kinds. As the band’s creator and collaborator, Only has a big picture plan for She Demons. “Women are a strong presence in music. When I was a kid I saw Susie Quatro and The Runaways, and the guys loved them but the girls also admired them. Today, young girls will want to be She Demons. I see these very talented girls as the kind kids can look up to. They are so talented and focused.” One of the group’s original songs, “B-Movie,” cleverly incorporates retro references to monster flicks while showing off She Demons’ writing and performing strengths. In addition to other scorching covers of classic Motown songs, She Demons deliver a memorable version of “He’s A Rebel,” showcasing both great guitar work and sweet vocal harmony.

Check out the new She Demons video for "Fresh Blood", directed by Patrick Fogarty, and starring Misfits bassist and vocalist Jerry Only as The Ice Cream Man. 

She Demons is currently on tour across The US, supporting The Misfits; a complete list of dates can be found at this location.

 

 

 



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Destroying The Devoid, the progressive death metal project helmed by Craig Peters (Deeds Of Flesh, ex-Arkaik), will release their Paramnesia debut next year via Unique Leader Records. Destroying The Devoid was forged in 2014 by Peters as an outlet to compose material beyond the traditional confines of technical death metal.

"The song writing started back in the summer of 2012," relays Peters, "At first it just began as a couple of songs that eventually evolved over time. Being a huge fan of orchestral music and film scores I definitely wanted the music to have a deep and emotional impact. These songs are dark, aggressive and very thematic. While at the music's core has a very progressive death metal sound, the songs flow in and out of many stylistic changes ranging from blackened death metal to more melancholic and ethereal passages and some very intense instrumental sections that will leave your head spinning."

"I'm very excited to join forces with Unique Leader Records," Peters continues. "Unique Leader has always been a great label to work with and I am really happy to have the opportunity to release my solo project with them."

Destroying The Devoid's Paramnesia will be mixed and mastered at Castle Ultimate Studios by Zack Ohren (Suffocation, Arkaik, Wrvth, Fallujah) and see release in 2016. Further details to be announced in the coming months.

 



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God Is An Astronaut are a 4-piece band who hail from Glen of the Downs, Ireland. They are currently one of the world’s biggest instrumental bands and they have just announced their worldwide signing with Napalm Records.

Here is what the band has to say about their upcoming plans with Napalm Records: “We are happy to announce that we have signed with Napalm Records.This will help our music to reach a much larger audience worldwide. We will have another busy year of touring in 2016 with our first shows taking place in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in February and a US tour planned for September 2016. We will also begin working in the studio on new songs for our next album.” - Torsten (God Is An Astronaut)

Sebastian Muench - A&R Napalm Records adds: “Napalm Records is proud and honoured to welcome God Is An Astronaut to the Napalm family. Anybody who has had the pleasure of seeing the Irish post rock/space rock band live will understand the brilliant extraterrestrial experience of a God Is An Astronaut concert. All of the previously released albums are true masterpieces and true treasures to any CD or LP collection!”



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Prosthetic Records announce the singing of Tempe, AZ’s diverse black & roll band, Take Over And Destroy. The band is set to enter the studio in early 2016 with a summer release scheduled. Prior to recording their next LP, Take Over And Destroy will hit the road to test out new material to their fans.

The band comments: "We're excited to announce that the take over continues to grow as we join forces with Prosthetic Records. We've finished putting the final touches on the new album and will enter the studio first thing next year. Be ready to spin a new Take Over And Destroy record in 2016! Come see us play this material live for the first time ever as we execute our tour with Lament Cityscape across the southern United States."

Since 2008, Take Over And Destroy has been relentlessly pushing the boundaries of heavy music. With an amalgamation of eclectic tastes: death metal, classic rock, doom, death rock, black metal and horror scores, TOAD has established itself as a truly unique entity, both sonically and aesthetically. The five members’ collective obsession with cinema results in their incorporation of the moody undertones of classic film scores into the raw power and energy of heavy metal and rock and roll.

Tour dates:

November
11 - Mesa, AZ - The Nile Underground (w/Twitching Tongues)
27 - Tempe, AZ - Yucca Room #
28 - Tucson, AZ - Skybar #
29 - El Paso, TX - The Sandbox #
30 - Lubbock, TX - The District #

December
1 - Austin, TX - The Lost Well #
2 - San Antonio, TX - Bottom Bracket #
3 - Houston, TX - Black Barbie #
4 - Lafayette, LA - Heffe’s Saloon #
5 - New Orleans, LA - TBA #
6 - Ocean Spring, MS - The Juke Joint #
7 - Jacksonville, FL - The Birdhouse #
8 - Greenville, SC - TBA #
9 - Atlanta, GA - 529 #
10 - Nashville, TN - East Room #
11 - Little Rock, AR - Vino’s #
12 - Fayetteville, AR - Ryleigh’s #
13 - Tulsa, Ok - Soundpony #
14 - Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad #
15 - Flagstaff, AZ - The Green Room #

# - with Lament Cityscape

Take Over And Destroy is:

Alex Bank Rollins - guitar
Nate Garrett - guitar
Andrew Leemont - vocals/keys
Pete Porter - bass
Jason Tomaszewski - drums

(Photo: Alex Bank Rollins)



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Gruesome, Florida's modern purveyors of old-school death metal, have entered the studio to begin working on a new EP titled Dimensions Of Horror. The band will be recording the new material at New Constellation RMP Studios with engineer Jarrett Pritchard in Orlando, FL. The album will once again feature artwork from the legendary Ed Repka (Death, Megadeth) and will see a release via Relapse in 2016.

Gruesome commented on the stated about the upcoming material: "This fall we'll be heading to Chuck's hometown of Orlando to start working on our upcoming release. For this one, we've dug even deeper into the roots of our favourite Floridians, Death, with some lewd, rude and crude death metal. It's gonna be nasty and raw and I can't wait to see what returning cover artist Ed Repka comes up for this one! This record is designed to be cranked on cassette in your I-ROC Z and totally piss off the PMRC, if those were still things that happened."

Gruesome's return to the studio follows the band's first live performances, including appearances at Full Terror Assault Fest and Obscene Extreme America. The band has also been confirmed for both Maryland Deathfest 2016 and the first-ever Netherlands Deathfest next February in Tilburg.

Gruesome's debut full-length, Savage Land, was released last year via Relapse. Savage Land is available for purchase via Relapse here, and can be streamed in full and purchased digitally via the Bandcamp stream below.

Savage Land (Deluxe Edition) by Gruesome



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Heavy metal group Them, featuring Symphony X’s Mike Lepond on bass, and Suffocations’s Kevin Talley on drums, are streaming their debut single, “Forever Burns”. A lyric video for the track can be found below.

The band’s debut album, Sweet Hollow, is a chilling concept album that features Mike LePond and Kevin Talley, along with guitarist Markus Ullrich (Lanfear), guitarist Markus Johansson (Sylencer), keyboardist Richie Seibel (Lanfear), and vocalist Troy Norr ("KK Fossor") of Cold Steel. The band will follow the album release with a US/Canadian tour as direct support for the legendary Helloween.

Sweet Hollow chronicles the bizarre journey of a man caught between unfortunate circumstance and unspeakable evil. The album will be released independently on CD and limited edition double gatefold vinyl LP in January 2016 through all major online music outlets, including iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and Spotify.

Tracklisting:

“Rebirth”
“Forever Burns”
“Down The Road To Misery”
“Ghost In The Graveyard”
“The Quiet Room”
“Dead Of Night”
“FestEvil”
“The Crimson Corpse”
“Blood From Blood”
“The Harrowing Road To Hollow”
“Salve”
“When The Clock Struck Twelve”

“Forever Burns” lyric video:

Tour dates with Helloween:

February
28 - Olympia Theater - Montreal, QC
29 - Imperial Theater - Quebec City, QC
 
March
1 - Playstation Theater - New York, NY
3 - Agora Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
4 - Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL
6 - Showbox - Seattle, WA
7 - Avalon - Los Angeles, CA

Them lineup:

Klaus Konig, Fossor - Vocals
Mike Lepond - Bass
Kevin Talley - Drums
Markus Ullrich - Guitars
Markus Johansson - Guitars



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California metallers Saviours will drop the molten fruits of their new full-length tomorrow, October 30th, via a new partnership with France's Listenable Records. Titled Palace Of Vision, their first full-length in four years was captured at Type Foundry in Portland, Oregon with the inimitable Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth, Eyehategod, Taurus, Ommadon etc.) and boasts nine tracks of Saviours' signature brand of towering riffs, colossal rhythms, infectious guitar harmonies and an obsession with the end of times, the occult, psychedelics and the arcane. A full album stream can be found below.

As an added bonus, the record comes sheathed in the fittingly dark, intricately transfixing cover renderings of Derrick Snodgrass (Obliterations, Lecherous Gaze).

Palace Of Vision tracklisting:

“The Mountain”
“Flesh Of Fire”
“Devil's Crown”
“Palace Of Vision”
“Burning Shrine”
“Hell's Floor”
“The Beast Remains”
“Cursed Night”
“The Seeker”

Album stream:

 
Saviours will embark upon a North American fall tour supporting Corrosion Of Conformity and Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band. The trek will commence on November 16th and run through December 10th with additional support provided by Mothership. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18th at all local ticket outlets.

Saviours tour dates:

November
1 - Day Of The Shred Festival @ The Observatory - Santa Ana, CA

November (with Corrosion Of Conformity, Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk Band, Mothership)
16 - Pub Rock - Scottsdale, AZ
17 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
18 - Slim's - San Francisco, CA
20 - Venue Nightclub - Vancouver, BC
21 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA
23 - The Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
24 - The Riot Room - Kansas City, MO
25 - Mill City Nights - Minneapolis, MN
28 - The Odeon - Cleveland, OH
29 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA

December
1 - Opera House - Toronto, ON
3 - Altar Bar - Pittsburgh, PA
7 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
9 - Shaka's Live - Virginia Beach, VA
10 - Lincoln Theatre - Raleigh, NC
 
Saviours lineup:

Austin Barber - guitar, vocals
Sonny Reinhardt - guitar, vocals
Scott Batiste - drums
Andy Anderson - bass



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Canadian symphonic black/death metallers, Erimha, have unveiled the video for “The First Law”, the initial clip from their haunting new album, Thesis Ov Warfare, available everywhere tomorrow.

Says the band: “For this video, we went back to our source and filmed it in a hometown location where we spent many days and nights. Since Thesis Ov Warfare was created through a very organic process, we felt that the video had to follow the same vibe.”

Erimha impacted the metal scene after the release of Reign Through Immortality in 2013, and their participation on the 2014 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Equipped with their evocative and melodious new album, Thesis Ov Warfare, the band transcends previous works to cultivate a grand, gloomy, and dramatic score. The full album is streaming in full below via the YouTube playlist.

On the album’s title, vocalist Gore states, “We’ve always seen life as a war and the writing process for this record was not an exemption. Thesis Ov Warfare is clearly an analysis on how to handle your pain and keep on fighting towards your goals, so you can finally see beyond your pre-set boundaries and reach a new level of freedom.”

Additionally, Erimha have announced their first tour in support of Thesis Ov Warfare, beginning November 18tj in London, Ontario. The tour marches across the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia before ending in New Brunswick on December 7th. More North American dates to be announced soon.

Tour dates:

November
18 - London, ON - Grinning Gator
19 - Windsor, ON - Venue Music Hall
20 - Guelph, ON - District
21 - Hamilton, ON - Underground
22 - Toronto, ON - Nocturne
24 - Bellville, ON - The Belle Pub
25 - Oshawa, ON - The Atria
26 - Ottawa, ON - House Of Targ
27 - Montreal, QC - Les Katacombes
28 - Drummondville, QC - Pub Heriot
29 - Sherbrooke, QC - Le Bar Magog

December
3 - Quebec City, QC - L’Anti
4 - Halifax, NS - Gus’ Pub & Grill
5 - Moncton, NB - The Esquire Tavern
7 - Fredericton, NB - The Capital Bar

Pre-orders for Thesis Ov Warfare (in stores October 30th) are available now at Victory Merch and include an instant download of the track "The First Law" (streaming below). Digital pre-orders are also available at iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify and Google Play with instant track download for “The First Law”.

Thesis Ov Warfare album stream:

"The Mark Of Liberation":



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Ulterium Records will release US heavy metal band Millennial Reign’s new album, Carry The Fire, on October 30th in Europe and North America on CD, LP and digital. The vinyl edition of Carry The Fire is strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide. The new song “Forever Changed” is streaming below.

Millennial Reign was formed as a solo album project by Aska bassist Dave Harvey, and the self-titled debut album was released independently in 2012. After new members joined Millennial Reign the decision was made to make Millennial Reign a full band, rather than just a recording project.

Carry The Fire was mixed and mastered at Nomad Studio (King Diamond, Solitude Aeternus, Absu) and the artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Theocracy).

Carry The Fire tracklisting:

“Forever Changed”
“Way Up High”
“Millennial Reign”
“Men Stand Alone”
“Save Me”
“This Day”
“Will You”
“Innocent Cry”
“Not On My Own”
“I'll Try”

“Forever Changed”:

“Men Stand Alone” lyric video:

Album teaser:

Carry The Fire (CD/LP) can be pre-ordered at the Ulterium Records Store, here.

Millennial Reign is:

James Guest - Vocals
Dave Harvey - Guitars
Jason Donnelly - Guitars
Daniel Almagro - Bass
Wayne Stokely – Drums



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Over four years have passed since Helheim released their last album, and now the veteran Norwegian Viking metallers are set to release their eighth full-length album on December 4th via Dark Essence Records. Titled raunijaR, the album was recorded at Conclave & Earshot Studio by Vulture Industries’ Bjørnar Nilsen and was mastered by Enslaved’s Herbrand Larsen.
 
In the intervening years between 2011's Heiðindómr ok Mótgangr and the upcoming release of raunijaR, Helheim have been both experimenting with, and building on, their unique take on the Viking metal genre. As well as completing the themes that have woven their way through Helheim's music since the very beginning, it is with raunijaR that the band completes the Åsgards Fall storyline that began with the EP of that name in 2010.
 
Helheim's lineup comprises V'gandr on bass and vocals, H’grimnir on guitar and vocals, Hrymr on drums and Noralf on guitars. V'gandr himself has been expanding and perfecting his clean vocals, and now, when the two vocalists combine to sing clean vocals, new elements are added to the band's sound. Guest vocals on raunijaR come from Alfahanne’s Pehr Skjoldhammer and Norwegian musician William Hut, with additional guests performing on violin, piano and horns to further enhance Helheim's dark and heavy atmospheres and create a truly epic masterpiece.

Artwork is by H'grimnir from coverart.no.

Tracklisting:

“Helheim 9”
“Raunijar”
“Åsgards Fall III”
“Åsgards Fall IV”
“Odr”

Commenting on raunijaR V'gandr had this to say: "The opening track "Helheim 9" is actually the last in the line of the Helheim tracks where Hrymr in particular has been the creative force. He has combined his unique creativity and symbolism in a way that overwhelms everything that came before, and the result is a truly fitting closure.

"The title track "raunijaR" continues on from Helheim's "Heiðindómr ok Mótgangr", and has a relentlessly driving sound that showcases the confrontational, yet familiar, black metal sound in the vein of "Dualitet og Ulver". "Åsgards Fall" Parts 3 and 4 will be the final and vital link in the completion of the theme that was begun in both lyrical and musical terms with the "Åsgards Fall" MCD. Closing the album is "Odr", a solemn track that gives the album an ending full of the grandeur and respect that it deserves."

In November Helheim will make a special appearance at BlekkMetal Festival which runs from the 13th to the 15th November at USF Verftet in Bergen. The one-off event is billed as a tribute to the birth of the Norwegian black metal scene, and will hark back to the atmosphere, bands, art and individuals from the scene pre 1994. Helheim will perform their debut album Jormundgand on Saturday, November 14th to mark the 20th Anniversary of its release. They will also be interviewed live on stage along with Enslaved, and will be discussing how their lyrical narratives and their musical craft have been influenced by their Viking roots and traditions.

Included on the BlekkMetal bill are veteran bands such as Taake, Kampfar, Aeternus, Hades Almighty, Gehenna, Enslaved, and brand new bands such Gaahls Wyrd, and a special onetime only reunion of the legendary Old Funeral. Also appearing will be The C.L.A.S.P. Ritual /Dirge Rep - a tribute band consisting of legendary musicians such as Dirge Rep himself, Skagg, Gaahl, Garm and many more.

Some of the top Norwegian tattoo artists will be present at the event, and will be available for appointments, including, Colin Dale, Kai Uwe Faust and Tor Ola Svennevig, three Viking tattooists who work entirely by hand, without the use of machines. Art exhibitions, movies and guest speakers will also be featured at the event. More information about the BlekkMetal Festival, as well as ticket details can be found at www.blekkmetal.com.

 



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Brazilian legends Rebaelliun are on their way to delivering the death metal highlight of 2016. The Hell Decrees is the name of this beast! Rehearsals have started and the album will be recorded this December, and the release is set for May 2016.

As a build up, Hammerheart Records will release the legendary At War demo/CD-single as a 7” EP in November, followed by reissues of Burn The Promised Land and Annihilation on CD and LP in March/April 2016.

All the people who witnessed Rebaelliun’s first attack on the scene 15 years ago know what to expect: death metal madness, unheard of before and after.



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Khymera have released a lyric video for their new track, “A Night To Remember” featuring Dennis Ward. The track is featured on the band’s new album, The Grand Design, scheduled for release on December 4th. See the new lyric video below.

The Grand Design tracklisting:

“Never Give Up On You”
“Tell Me Something”
“Say What You Want”
“I Believe”
“A Night To Remember”
“She's Got The Love”
“Land Of Golden Dreams”
“The Grand Design”
“Streetlights”
“Who's Fooling Who”
“Finally”
“Where Is The Love”

“A Night To Remember” lyric video:



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San Diego-based metallists Cage have unveiled their official music video for “Across The Sea Of Madness” and BraveWords is hosting the exclusive premiere of the video.

Says vocalist Sean Peck: “We are absolutely so thankful for the director and crew that worked their asses off to create this incredible depiction of this crucial part of the Ancient Evil storyline. With this being our first real music video, I think this perfectly illustrates what Cage is all about for those new to the band, and will make our longtime fans proud to have supported us through all these years.”

Guitarist Dave Garcia adds: ”When I saw what Rich Varville had created with this mini epic, I was blown away. The band was rocking and the story was really compelling and totally metal! I have seen a lot of rock videos over the years and even though it is our baby, to me, this thing is one I think people will want to watch over and over again.”

Cage return this Friday (October 30th), with the release of their latest metallic tour de force, Ancient Evil (via SMG Records). Based on a horror novel written by Sean Peck, Ancient Evil continues the legacy of Cage as a heavy metal innovator. This nearly 80-minute monstrosity has 19 tracks that combine songs and narrated interludes to forge a unique musical journey that rocks!

However, according to Sean, making a concept record work is never an easy task - "With this being our 7th release, we wanted to try our hand at another concept album. We had great success with 'Hell Destroyer,' but doing a scary story type of thing and making the songs catchy and memorable while keeping the listener captivated by the content, is a real challenge."

The story's main character, Elliot Worthington, is played by none other than ex-Iron Maiden frontman Blaze Bayley. "I did not want to do any of the character voices this time, so we got some really great talent to act out the scenes. Blaze did an incredible job. His acting chops were freaking great, I have to say," says Peck. "The writing for this record came together effortlessly even though it was a concept record. It is pretty much just blazing fast the whole way through which is just how I like it!"

 

 

Ancient Evil tracklisting:

"There Were Others"
"Ancient Evil"
"Behind The Walls Of Newgate"
"The Procedure"
"The Appetite"
"Cassandra"
"Blinded By Rage"
"Tell Me Everything"
"The Expedition"
"Beholder"
"I Have Awakened"
"Across The Sea Of Madness"
"To Save Love"
"Christ Protect Me"
"Sinister Six"
"Symphony Of Sin"
"The Antidote"
"Tomorrow Never Came"
"It Can't Be"

"The Procedure” lyric video:

Check out BraveWords’ feature on Ancient Evil at this location.

A little more than a week after the release, the band will be hitting the northeast of the US. Cage's November tour kicks off on the 11th in Williamsburg, NY, and will wrap up on 19th in Patchogue, NY.

"Finally we are getting back to the east coast," explains Peck. "It has been long over due. I can't wait to unleash the new material with this new line up which I feel is by far our strongest yet! Power metal freaks mark the date!! It will be great to see all of our friends and fans again out there. The last tour we had on the east coast was mayhem! I expect it to be even crazier this time! We have prepared an extended set infused with speed and screams from beyond the realm of human comprehension!! Metal!!!"

Tour Dates:

November
11 - Williamsburg, NY - Duff's Brooklyn ***
12 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
13 - Allentown, PA - Jabber Jaws
14 - Elmhurst, NY - Blackthorn
15 - New Castle, DE - JB McGinnes Pub  
16 - New York, NY - Three Of Cups ***
17 - Lidenhurst, NY - Lindenhurst Village Pub ***
18 - Providence, RI - Firehouse 13
19 - Patchogue, NY - 89 North Music Venue

 *** Meet and greet only - no band performance.

 

 



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Although BLACK SABBATH initially announced it would record a follow-up to 2013's No. 1 reunion album "13" — and even hinted at having songs ready — that talk has faded while the band has instead unveiled next year's farewell tour. Singer Ozzy Osbourne confirmed to The Pulse Of Radio that the album plans have been scrapped. "We were gonna do one before the tour, but I'm 67 in December, it would take three or four years to write and record an album," he said. "And so we decided just to do a farewell tour. If we did an album and it went to No. 2, people would go, 'It's over.' There's only one more place you can go after No. 1 and that's No. 2, you know."

"13", the first SABBATH album in 35 years to feature original SABBATH members Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, topped the Billboard album chart when it arrived in June 2013 — giving the band their first U.S. No. 1 album ever.

Ozzy told NOLA.com about the chances of a new studio effort: "I don’t want to say there's going to be another album, because I don't want you to ask me in another year, 'What happened when you said you were going to do another record?'"

SABBATH announced a second North American leg of its "The End" tour earlier this week. The new leg will kick off on August 17 in Wantagh, New York, closing out on September 21 in Phoenix. The first North American leg will start on January 20 in Omaha, Nebraska, ending on February 25 in New York City.

Ozzy also confirmed to NOLA.com that the tour is really the final run for the legendary metal act. He explained: "It's the end of SABBATH, believe me. In December, I'll be 67 and I think it's time to call it the end of the day."

Ozzy will play his first solo show in some time on Halloween (Saturday, October 31) at the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans. Joining Ozzy as guests will be Slash, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello and Ozzy's BLACK SABBATH bandmate Geezer Butler on bass. Ozzy gave The Pulse Of Radio a rundown on the lineup. "I haven't played with Tom Morello but I've met him a couple of times and he seems a nice enough guy and I've heard nothing but great things about him," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing him. And Geezer and Slash — we all know Slash. Slash is an entity on his own, you know. He's a great friend of mine as well. And Geezer Butler, I've known him since we were about 12."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has contributed a brand new track called "Jade Helm" to accompany a portion of the multiplayer soundtrack for Call Of Duty: Black Ops III, the third installment in the Black Ops sub-series developed by Treyarch.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD said in a statement: "On November 6th, you can pick up a copy of the game and check out our instrumental score while you play multiplayer or in your personal bunk inside the Safe House of the Campaign."

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is expected be released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. This upcoming game is a sequel to Call Of Duty: Black Ops II, which came out in 2012.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is no stranger to showing up in video games and singer M. Shadows told The Pulse Of Radio a while back about the experience of being digitally captured for an appearance in Call Of Duty: Black Ops II: "We had two full days of motion capture, so the band went in there, put on silly outfits and we danced around and pretended like we were playing in front of an audience. Hopefully none of those pictures will leak. But we did that, and then we went in there and for vocals I had to sit there and put my head in this vise, and they did motion capture of me singing the words a bunch of times. Between acting and pretending that you're playing onstage when there's nobody there, it was a pretty fun experience."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD recently confirmed that not only does the band have a new drummer, but it has been working with that person for over a year already following the departure of Arin Ilejay.

The band's remarks revealed that Ilejay left the group quite some time ago, although his departure was only announced this past July.

Ilejay was AVENGED SEVENFOLD's drummer for four years, playing on 2013's "Hail To The King" album. In announcing his exit, the band thanked him for his "positive energy" but added that it "needed to move in a different direction."

Ilejay was the second drummer to sit behind the kit for AVENGED SEVENFOLD since the death of founding member James "The Rev" Sullivan in December 2009.

The band recorded its 2010 effort "Nightmare" with ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has reportedly been working on material for its seventh album, but has not revealed any details about the project yet.

The official lyric video for the song "Violent Reckoning" from Australia's incendiary extreme musical export THY ART IS MURDER can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's third album, "Holy War", which entered the official Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) chart at position No. 7 — the highest-ever position for an Australian extreme metal act. The Sydney-based band has generated controversy for the strong anti-religious stance of the title track's video, as well as the album cover which features references to a suicide bomber.

"Holy War" was released in Australia via UNFD and in other parts of the world through Nuclear Blast. Produced and mixed by Will Putney (SUICIDE SILENCE, EXHUMED, THE ACACIA STRAIN), the CD was made available in various formats: digital; limited digipak + bonus track; assorted color vinyl; exclusive mail-order picture disc.

Guitarist Andy Marsh shared the following about the origins of the new album and its title: "Late last year, we entered the studio in secret to create our follow up to 'Hate', free of expectation and public pressure. What we came out with was a reaction to things going on around the world that crawl under our skin, that make us feel sick to be alive. Musically, it is darker, faster and more technical than anything we've done in the past and it hits hard lyrically. We wrote about concerns of ours, real issues, hardships that people are facing around the world today. Of course, it wouldn't be a THY ART record if a lot of those affairs weren't rooted in religion somehow, and what better way to sum up the state of all things than by entitling our album 'Holy War'. This is our war on racism, homophobia, child abuse, animal cruelty and all evil born of religious immunity, indoctrination, and ignorance. It is ultimately a push for secularism and humanism. Without it, we will be left in the hands of mad men." THY ART IS MURDER has just kicked off a North American tour with PARKWAY DRIVE, MISS MAY I and IN HEARTS WAKE.

Las Vegas Weekly recently caught up with Glenn Danzig to discuss touring, his new covers album Skeletons, and his days with the Misfits. An excerpt is available below:

Q: There are a ton of Misfits and Danzig covers out there. Do you have a favorite interpretation of your work? 

Glenn Danzig: "I like the original Metallica version they did on Garage Days—'Last Caress' and 'Green Hell'. Cradle of Filth did a nice cover of a Misfits track ('Death Comes Ripping'), and I know Behemoth did a Danzig track ('Until You Call on the Dark'). I don’t know if the Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison songs apply here, because I actually wrote those songs for them."

Q: Do you think the Misfits disbanded before you guys really got your due? 

Glenn Danzig: "I don’t think any punk bands really ever got their due (laughs). So many big magazines just dissed the whole punk thing as nothing, but really it was a big thing. It really changed, and that’s what we wanted to do—change the system. We still don’t get the kind of credit that a lot of bands should. There was no glory and money in it back then."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Remaining dates on Danzig's current US tour are as listed:

October
29 - San Jose, CA - City National Civic
31 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theatre

Danzig has signed with Nuclear Blast Entertainment for the North American release of his new Skeletons album on November 27th. Pre-orders can be placed at this location. Check out a video trailer below:

Skeletons tracklisting:

"Devil’s Angels" (Davie Allan & The Arrows cover)
"Satan" (Theme from Satan’s Sadists)
"Let Yourself Go" (Elvis Presley cover)
"N.I.B." (Black Sabbath cover)
"Lord Of The Thighs" (Aerosmith cover)
"Action Woman" (The Litter cover)
"Rough Boy" (ZZ Top cover)
"With A Girl Like You" (The Troggs cover)
"Find Somebody" (The Rascals cover)
"Crying In The Rain" (The Everly Brothers cover)

A labor of love that dates back to 1979, Danzig pulls back the curtain behind his influences on this new album. “These are my skeletons,” he affirms. “You may or may not know that I dig these songs. You could say that some of this music is the actual basis and skeleton of what I listened to growing up - ultimately informing the kind of music I like. It’s the foundation. If you took Elvis and Sabbath out of my life, I probably wouldn’t be the Glenn Danzig you know! I’m glad both sides are represented on this record.”



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MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine was asked in a new interview with U.K.'s The List how the band's new lineup — featuring founding members Mustaine (guitar, vocals) and David Ellefson (bass) alongside LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with ANGRA — is shaping up. He responded: "It's funny when you make a change like this there's a fear of the unknown. So you're kicking the tires and everything looks great then you get ready for the first road trip, that's the moment of truth: did I pick the right guys? Is this a guy who will be my brother out there? Who will be willing to handle the stress and lack of sleep? But it's good, so so good."

Mustaine also talked about MEGADETH's upcoming U.K. tour with LAMB OF GOD, which will see Adler pulling double duty every night. He said: "Chris brings a lot of joy to my life. He's a professional and a wonderful human being. He can drum for a very long time. [Laughs] I'd be lying if I didn't say I wanted him full time in MEGADETH; he's just that good of a player."

Due to his LAMB OF GOD schedule, Adler was unable to play with MEGADETH in China and Japan earlier in the month and was temporarily replaced by Tony Laureano (ex-DIMMU BORGIR, NILE, ANGELCORPSE), a veteran extreme-metal skinsman who has worked as MEGADETH's drum tech since 2011.

Adler made his live debut with MEGADETH in July at the Festival D'été De Québec (also known as by its acronym FEQ, or Quebec City Summer Festival in English), in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

MEGADETH's fifteenth studio album, "Dystopia", will be released on January 22, 2016. The follow-up to 2013's "Super Collider" was recorded earlier in the year in Nashville, Tennessee and was mixed by Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD, ALL THAT REMAINS and GOJIRA.

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen was interviewed on a recent edition of the "Stuck And Gunner" radio show. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On DEF LEPPARD's new, self-titled album:

"This album has been probably the most inspired album we've done since 'Hysteria', I think. It came together… It was amazing how it worked. We did it over three sections over a year and a half. We went off on tour in between [and] we'd done all this stuff. And we actually thought we [were] gonna go in just to write a single, but in the process we actually got twelve songs [done]. So it was pretty amazing, the whole thing."

On the importance of the running order of the songs on an album:

"I think, really, on this record, it's so strong, and in an era where you haven't really gotta make albums… And this is funny you mention that, because we… Our running order [for the new album]... We have this song called 'Blind Faith' that really sounds like the climax or the finale of an album, and because people don't do albums, they don't even worry about stuff like this anymore. We really wanted to make it like an album, so it flowed like a classic album; there's almost like a concept to it. And we put this song at the back. And it's some people's favorite song, and they wanted to put it forward and have it come earlier. But the whole thing flows like a book — you've got a front cover and a back cover and this song, 'Blind Faith', totally bookends the album perfectly, I think. And everyone one who has heard it since is, like, 'Wow, this is… What a great flow the record's got.' And we actually did go out of our way to try and get that stuff together, so that's pretty interesting."

DEF LEPPARD's first new studio album since 2008's "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge" will be released on October 30. The self-titled CD was recorded earlier this year at singer Joe Elliott's studio in Dublin, Ireland.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett has confirmed to HeavyMetalAbout.com that the band is in the process of recording some of its new material for the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" album.

Aside from touring, METALLICA has spent much of the seven years since the release of "Death Magnetic" on several other projects, including launching a music festival, collaborating on an album with the late Lou Reed and making a feature film.

Asked if it's "freeing" for METALLICA to be at the point in its career where the band doesn't have to record new albums and is able to do it when they want and how they want, Hammett responded: "Absolutely. One always wants to work at the pace that they're most comfortable at. It's been about, what, seven or eight years since our last album? It doesn't feel like that to me, but I know it is."

He continued: "Our first three albums came out our first three years, and for some reason that boggles my mind nowadays. Back then, it was just what everyone did. New year, new album and tour. Even a generation before that it was every six months a new album and tour. So, having said all that, taking seven or eight years between albums is a lot of time, but we've filled it up with other things, like making a movie, making an album with Lou Reed, going on tour pretty regularly."

Hammett added: "Let me just say that I'm grateful that we're at a point where we can put out an album at our own pace, because there's just so much other stuff that takes up METALLICA time that's maybe not as equally as important, but just as relevant.

"So, the answer to your question is yeah, it's great being able to work at your own pace, and still be able to be a father and be a husband, and everything else that comes in the wake of that. We have songs, and we are recording them, so that's a good sign."

Frontman James Hetfield was the first member of METALLICA to apparently confirm that the band is in the studio recording the follow-up to "Death Magnetic". Hetfield did not clarify whether the group was actually laying down tracks for its tenth studio album, although the band members have said in various interviews that they've been writing for much of the past year. Bassist Robert Trujillo told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago that the band was enjoying the writing process. "We're having a really amazing time," he said. "It's fun, it's a lot of hard work, it's like you're looking at that mountain of ideas and you're like, 'Okay, it's time to climb this beast and do what we've got to do.' I'd say we've pretty much exhausted our touring cycles, so we're really, really excited about nurturing the songs and bringing them to life and that's where we're at right now."

Drummer Lars Ulrich recently told RollingStone.com that METALLICA had written close to 20 new songs for its new album, although he declined to offer a possible release date for the new CD.

He added that the band doesn't want to record in a way that feels "labored over and overthought."

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recently spoke with Music Radar and offered his five tips for guitarists. Following is an excerpt from the article

Mustaine: “A lot of it comes down to the people that you play with. If you’re in a band with your buddies from high school and you’re hoping to make it into the big-time, you’d better hope that all of your friends are as dedicated as you are to making it. You can’t have a Plan B in this business and expect to be successful. People that come into our profession and figure they’ve got another job out there moonlighting at Starbucks or whatever, that’s not somebody who’s going to go to any lengths to make this successful.

I was saying to David Ellefson when we started the band, this is a job where you’re going to have to get used to one thing: eat shit, smile and ask for more. It’s a very tough job. But if being successful came in a bottle, everybody would be successful.”

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Megadeth will kick off 2016 with the release of their 15th studio album Dystopia on Universal Music Enterprises /Tradecraft / T-Boy Records on January 22nd. With musical architect and band visionary Dave Mustaine at the helm, Dystopia was recorded in Nashville, TN, and mixed by Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God, Gojira, Avenged Sevenfold).

The rest of the Megadeth lineup is comprised of David "Junior" Ellefson on bass, new member Kiko Loureiro (Angra) on guitar, and drummer Chris Adler, who took time away from Lamb Of God to record Dystopia. The result marks a true return to form, adding new blood and injecting a new burst of creative energy into the new album.

Featuring 11 brand new tracks, Dystopia will be released on both CD and LP, as well as digitally through all online partners. "Fatal Illusion" is the first track released from the album, which can be heard below.

According to a press release, Dystopia weaves together Dave Mustaine's intricate and unique songwriting style, trademark leads and lightning riffs with harmonious precision, paying homage to Megadeth’s influential roots while continuing to break new and heavy ground.  

Dystopia tracklisting:

“Death From Within”
“Fatal Illusion”
“Conquer... Or Die!"
“Lying In State”
“Me Hate You”
“The Emperor's New Clothes”
“Dystopia”
“Bullet To The Brain”
“Last Dying Wish”
“Post American World”
“Look Who's Talking”
“The Threat Is Real”
“Poisonous Shadows”
“Melt The Ice Away” (Budgie cover)
“Foreign Policy” (Fear cover)



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In a brand new interview with Windsor Star, former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum was asked how important ego management is n keeping a band together. He responded: "From my experience, I mean — it's been a bit of a wild ride. But at the same time, I don't know if I would've wanted it any other way. You know, I see bands with lead singers who are really nice. Squeaky clean. And I really don't feel I'm getting that wild, rock n' roll sensibility that I want."

He continued: "I love Dave Grohl [FOO FIGHTERS frontman], don't get me wrong. But he's a drummer who got out front with a guitar. Is there any danger in it? Not really. If you go to a FOO FIGHTERS show, you're gonna see a band play their set, and everything is gonna go down nice, and he'll thank the crowd, and everyone's gonna go home and go, 'Wow, that was a really nice rock n' roll show.'

"Not everything went perfect in any of the bands I've been in, but I know one thing: People on their way home were going, 'Holy shit, what was that?'"

Sorum also talked about his time with GUNS N' ROSES. He said: "Aw, man. The whole thing was a big blur. I always tell people, my GUNS N' ROSES experience was like watching somebody else's movie. If I was to make that movie myself and watch it — I still wouldn't believe it. [Laughs] Was I really there? Or was it some sort of warped dream? The whole thing was surreal."

He continued: "I felt like I really had no control where I was going. I was being taken on this adventure. It was scary at times. Super highs, super lows. I look at all of that, and I'm just happy we're all still alive."

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

GUNS N' ROSES was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. Adler, Sorum, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello spoke with Maxim.com about his appearance with Ozzy Osbourne at this weekend's Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans, anchoring a supergroup that also features Slash and original BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler. Morello said: "It's a thrill. My first-born son Rhoads Morello is named after the great [OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist] Randy Rhoads. There was a Randy Rhoads poster on my wall when I was practicing guitar eight hours a day, and he was very influential, because, while he was playing big heavy metal songs with Ozzy Osbourne, he was first and foremost a musician, and secondly a rock star, and that always appealed to me. So being able to play with Ozzy on some of Randy's songs is another check off the bucket list."

Asked if he was more into BLACK SABBATH or Ozzy's solo stuff when he was growing up, Morello said: "Both. I grew up as metal as can be in the northern suburbs of Chicago. It was all about hard rock and heavy metal. So Ozzy's solo work and SABBATH were always very high on my list. I was a huge fan of Tony Iommi's riff writing and of Randy Rhoads's extraordinary guitar playing. To be able to dust off a few of those gems and play them in front of 50,000 people is something I'm looking forward to."

On November 17, Morello will lead a group of musicians and actors during a unique event honoring the great labor songwriter Joe Hill at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. Additional artists include Joan Baez, Ziggy Marley, Rich Robinson (THE BLACK CROWES), Boots Riley, Tim Armstrong, Wayne Kramer, Van Dyke Parks, Jill Sobule and David Rovics, with more special guests to be announced. THE LAST INTERNATIONALE and BUILT FOR THE SEA, who are both signed to Morello's Firebrand Records, will play as well. Musicians will perform songs from and inspired by Hill's extensive songbook — which features picket line and protest classics "There Is Power In A Union", "The Rebel Girl", "The Preacher And The Slave" and "Casey Jones", among many others. Actors will read from his moving letters and poetry including from a telegram Hill wrote to "Big Bill" Haywood from his jail cell in Utah: "Don't waste time mourning. Organize!" — a line that became a slogan of the U.S. labor movement. Hill was assassinated by a firing squad in the State of Utah a century ago, November 19, 1915.

Progressive instrumental heavy rock band We Lost The Sea will release its new LP, Departure Songs, on November 27th via Translation Loss Records. The Australian sextet, which calls its sound, "an unstoppable force meets an immovable object" and "crushing guitar noise with post-rock atmospherics", recorded the album at Sydney's 301 Studios (Coldplay, Chvrches, Muse) with producer Tim Carr. Departure Songs is the follow-up to We Lost The Sea's 2012 release, The Quietest Place On Earth, a recording that was hailed as "a ride of despair, aggression and melancholy filled to the brim with emotion."

A conceptual album with song titles and themes inspired by actual events, Departure Songs pairs heavy subject matter with the group's depth-filled, melancholic, yet emotionally charged music. "A Gallant Gentleman" is a sound story about Laurence Oats, an English cavalry officer and explorer who, during an expedition to the Antarctic, willingly committed an act of self-sacrifice when aware that his ill health was compromising his companions' chances of survival. "Challenger" pays homage to the Space Shuttle Challenger and its brave crew who perished on January 28, 1986. "Bogatyri" is a tribute to Valeri Bezpalov, Alexie Ananenko and Boris Baranov - aka "the suicide squad" - who gave their lives diving to the depths of the Ukraine's Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in order to open its floodgates, saving much of Europe from deadly nuclear fallout. Finally, "The Last Dive of David Shaw" honours the Australian scuba diver, technical diver - one of only 11 people who have dived below a depth of 240 metres (800 ft) on self-contained underwater breathing apparatus - who gave his life in "Bushman's Hole" (believed to be the sixth-deepest submerged freshwater cave (or sinkhole) in the world) while attempting to recover the body of Deon Dreyer, a South African diver who had died in the same spot ten years previously.

"Departure Songs is about failed journeys and it tells the stories of those who have gone above and beyond their duty as humans and sacrificed themselves for others for honourable reasons," says the band. "It is also a tribute to our late friend and front man, Chris Torpy. It is about those that have left us and moved on. Each song on this album has a themed attached to it; almost like the song’s lyrics, telling a story. All of the stories are from history and about real people. Part of the band’s creative process was and is to find themes that fit the music and tell stories like that. Epic stories for epic songs. It helps give context, narrative and character."

We Lost The Sea creates music that incorporates expression, pensive atmospherics melody, dynamics and crushing heaviness that, while seeming and sounding to be downbeat and somber, is also at once appreciative, commemorative, remembering and celebratory. A cathartic experience of sadness and perseverance encapsulated in five amazing instrumental passages, Departure Songs will come housed in a four panel heavyweight wallet with a 12-page booklet CD. The album will also be released on LP (packaged as a 2xLP gatefold), available in both black and limited coloured vinyl, with accompanying 12-page / 12" booklet.

Tracklisting:

“A Gallant Gentleman”
“Bogatyri”
“The Last Dive Of David Shaw”
“Challenger Part 1: Flight”
“Challenger Part 2: A Swan Song”
 
Departure Songs is available to pre-order now at this location.
 
We Lost The Sea lineup:

Mark Owen (guitar)
Matt Harvey (guitar)
Brendon Warner (guitar)
Kieran Elliott (bass)
Matthew Kelly (piano, keyboards)
Nathaniel D'Ugo (drums)



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"After giving it much thought, Heaven's Basement and Aaron (Buchanan, vocalist) are parting ways. This is a mutual decision. We've all had a fantastic few years touring the world with Filthy Empire but we simply feel that our time together has run its course," says The UK based band.

"We'd like to thank Aaron for being a part of everything we've done over the past few years, it's been an incredible ride and we’ve had some amazing times together (Aaron has a message for you all below).

We’ll be looking for a new singer to move forward with and are excited for this new era. We can’t wait to bring to life all of the new music that we have written and to get back onstage for you as soon as possible!

Our December shows are still going ahead and will be featuring our special guest and long time friend Danny Worsnop on lead vocals. These are gonna be a hell of a lot of fun and a great way for us all to end the year!

We'd like to say a huge thank you to all of you for constantly giving us such amazing support, it really means the world to us. You always will be the heartbeat of this band.

Here’s to the future,

Sid, Chris & Rob

And now a few words from Aaron......

To my friends, our fans, thank you.

It may come as a surprise to some of you, but the band and I have decided to call time on my days in Heaven’s Basement. The success of the band and support of yourselves has sent us to many corners of the earth; America, Canada, Australia, Europe, Scandinavia, and of course, the many cities of the little rock(s) we as a band reside upon, Great Britain.

I’ve met you in pubs and clubs, I’ve met you on dusty fields, I’ve even met you on trains, planes and many other places by sheer luck and accident. We get about us musicians, as do you, our friends and fans, and it’s always been very nice feeling appreciated when we cross paths, so thank you.

The break between the band and myself is quite amicable and simple, we are going in different directions. The main thing I want to say to all of you is thank you for turning up to the many hundreds of gigs we played, and allowing the band and myself to do what we did, go where we went, and meet you all - there were some very good times, I could never deny that, and you have been a very grateful and understanding audience, always.

So that’s it really, the end of this chapter and the beginning of something new. I’d be very pleased to have you on board with the next venture, whatever it may be.

You’re fantastic, we’ll meet again, thank you,

Aaron Buchanan"

 

 

 



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Edge Of Paradise is gearing up for Halloween with vocalist uploading a cover and video of “Sally’s Song” from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. The song is available for free download on Souncloud.

Edge Of Paradise is currently back in the studio recording their next single “Shade Of Crazy”. Catch the band live at the Mesa Music Festival on November 15 in Mesa, AZ.

 



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The composition below is taken from the Rusted Pieces EP by Doralice, featuring instrumental duet re-workings of Megadeth's classic Rust In Peace album. Check out "Hangar 18" below.

Rima Ash - violin
Yates Brown - guitar

Check out the Rusted Pieces EP below. The tracklist is as follows:

"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"
"Hangar 18"
"Five Magics"
"Tornado of Souls"
"Rust In Peace... Polaris"

Rusted Pieces EP by Doralice

Check out the official Doralice Facebook page here.



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