Tax The Heat will release their full length Nuclear Blast Entertainment debut, Fed To The Lions, on April 8th. A new music video for the track “Animals” can be found below.
The album shows why there is so much excitement at the release of this record. Previous singles “Some Sympathy”, “Highway Home” and “Fed To The Lions” sit alongside future classics such as “Caroline”, “Animals” and “Stood On The Platform To Leave”. The driving rhythms of Jack Taylor (drums) and Antonio Angotti (bass) overlaid with the powerful riffs of JP Jacyshyn (guitars) and distinctive melodies of Alex Veale (vocals, guitars). The album is available on CD and vinyl. Pre-order Fed To The Lions here.
Tracklisting:
“Highway Home”
“Animals”
“Under Watchful Eye”
“Fed To The Lions”
“Hit Me Hard”
“Stood On The Platform To Leave”
“Some Sympathy”
“Devil's Daughter”
“Learn To Drown (You're Wrong)”
“Caroline”
“Your Fool”
“Lost Our Way”
Streaming below is rare footage of Ritchie Blackmore with Rainbow at Castle Donington in 1980. It was a massive moment for the band, but incredibly turned out to be Cozy Powell and Graham Bonnet's final performances with Rainbow.
Rainbow will be back to the stages of rock in 2016. Two shows in Germany are confirmed, taking place at the Monsters Of Rock Festival 2016 on June 18th and Loreley, Freilichtbühneon on June 17th. A UK date has also been confirmed. It will take place on Saturday, June 25th at Genting Arena in Birmingham, England.
Blackmore has revealed his band lineup for these exclusive shows, which will include singer Ronnie Romero, keyboardist Jens Johansson (Stratovarius), drummer David Keith (Blackmore’s Night) and bassist Bob Nouveau. The first official band photo can be viewed below:
Blackmore recently spoke with Billboard.com about these special shows:
“I’m now 70, so I just felt like playing some rock ‘n’ roll for a few days. We’re going to do four or five dates of just playing the old rock stuff, Purple stuff and Rainbow. I’m doing it for the fans, for nostalgia, and the singer I found is very exciting; he’s a cross between Dio meets Freddie Mercury. So this will mean exposing a new singer to the masses, and I’m sure he’ll become pretty famous because of his voice.”
Sweden’s Adept have released a music video for "Carry The Weight", a track from their upcoming album, Sleepless, out tomorrow, February 19th, via Napalm Records.
The band on the brand new signing with Napalm Records: "We are happy to announce that we have signed with Austria's finest Napalm Records. We can also reveal that our new album Sleepless will be released on February 19th 2016. Originally planned to be released summer 2015, this album has been an absolute roller coaster to make.
“Recorded in January and then re-recorded in September we can finally shine a light on this album. Through the ups and downs we created something truly beautiful with Sleepless. A melodic hard-hitting album with its roots to our early days. Thanks to Napalm Records we have a new found strength and confidence to push us forward. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on. Bring on February."
Billie Klein - Napalm Records A&R: "We are more than happy to finally have Adept on board. Here is a young band that combines furious metal, uplifting and catchy melodies and post-rock atmospheres and is always ready to step on stage and rock, no matter the situation. Welcome to the Napalm Family!"
Sleepless tracklisting:
"Black Veins"
"Wounds"
"Dark Clouds"
"Carry The Weight"
"Rewind The Tape"
"Down And Out"
"The Choirs Of Absolution"
"Lights"
"The Sickness"
"Sleepless"
Preview:
“Dark Clouds” video:
Adept lineup:
Robert Ljung - vocals
Jerry Repo - guitar
Gustav Lithammer - guitar
Filip Brandelius - bass
Gabriel Hellmark - drums
Seattle-based progressive/death metal band, Rhine, has premiered the music video for “P.R.E.Y.”, a track off their new album, An Outsider, released on February 5th. The clip can be found below.
An Outsider is the follow up to Rhine’s 2011 debut Duality, which was first a solo effort by band founder Gabriel Tachell (guitar and vocals) whom is now joined by Alex Smolin on guitar (ex-Metameric), James Porter on bass (Ideofone), and Carlos Delgado (Inferion, ex-Death Crowned King) to collaborate on this project.
An Outsider tracklisting:
“Dreaming Of Death”
“The Spell Of Dark Water”
“An Outsider”
“Somewhere”
“Paralyzed”
“Dissolved In Fire”
“P.R.E.Y.”
“Into The Unknown”
“Shipwrecked In Stasis”
“Fragments”
Swedish heavy/power metal band, Twins Crew, have released a music video for the song “Veni Vidi Vici”. The band’s new album, Veni Vidi Vici, will be released on February 26th in Europe and North America via Beyond The Storm Productions.
The artwork for Veni Vidi Vici was designed in a Roman Empire theme and was created by Mattias Norén (Kamelot, Sabaton, Lost Horizon, Evergrey) at Progart. The mastering is made by Mike Lind at Masterplant (Body Count, DIO, The Poodles).
Tracklisting:
“Divide Et Impera”
“Veni Vidi Vici”
“Show No Mercy”
“Stand Your Ground”
“Praise Hell”
“Sky Is Falling”
“Burn The Witch”
“Out Of Time”
“Forever Free”
“Under My Command”
“Ghost Of The Seven Seas”
Swedish black/death metallers, Rimfrost, have unleashed a new video for “Witches Hammer”, a track from for their third and self-titled album, which will be released on March 25th via Non Serviam Records.
Formed back in 2002, the three-piece band explores a variety of styles within the genres of black and death metal and delivers a refined blend of dark melodies, crushing riffs and technical percussion.
Rimfrost tracklisting:
“As The Silver Curtain Closes”
“Saga North”
“Beyond The Mountains Of Rime”
“Dark Prophecies”
“Ragnarök”
“Cold”
“Witches Hammer”
“Frostlaid Skies”
The official video for "The Bardcall", a brand new song by German a cappella metal band VAN CANTO — which consists of five singers and one drummer (no guitars, no bass, no keyboards) — can be seen below. The track is taken from the group's new album, "Voices Of Fire", which will be released on March 11 via earMUSIC.
VAN CANTO has teamed up with German bestseller author Christoph Hardebusch ("Die Trolle"; English-language translation: "The Trolls") who is going to release his new fantasy novel, "Feuerstimmen", on March 17 on Piper Verlag. The audio book for which VAN CANTO set the 17 bard songs included in the story to music will be released on the same day.
Working hand in hand on this crossover media project, VAN CANTO and Christoph Hardebusch created a whole new world filled with competing kingdoms, epic battles, dragons, of course, the element fire and bards.
VAN CANTO lead singer Sly, who developed the plot of the novel together with Christoph Hardebusch, explains: "We are barely able to tell what came first: the music as part of the novel or the novel as part of our album. Christoph Hardebusch and we worked hand in hand on this. Our compositions did influence the novel and vice versa. Simply put, we created our own world — a world full of competing kingdoms, epic battles, dragons, fire and bards. Not always deadly serious but full of adventures to set your imagination running wild… like VAN CANTO does."
Adds Hardebusch: "On the one hand, working closely with VAN CANTO was a lot of fun, but on the other hand, it was also very demanding. The great picture can only be achieved when creative minds interact with each other; the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Right from the start, story and music has been a unit which has influenced and fueled each other."
Coinciding with the album release, VAN CANTO is going to tour throughout Europe in March and April.
"The Art Of Loss", the new video from REDEMPTION, the U.S. progressive metal band featuring in its ranks guitarist/songwriter Nick Van Dyk and FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder, can be seen below. The clip, which features a guest appearance by former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland, was directed by Brian Cox of Flarelight Films.
Cox comments: "It's very easy to dwell on the past. To stew in pain, wishing you could get someone or something back that you may have lost. But in the end, you will always have yourself, no matter how much things might change. Nobody can ever take that from you and that's the message I tried to convey with this video."
Van Dyk adds: "We're very excited to have worked with Brian to bring this song to life in this medium. The story of regret, survival, transcendence and the realization that we have the ability to be authors of our own destiny is brought home with the visuals that Brian has directed. Needless to say, it's also surreal to perform with the great Chris Poland. This video is a great representation of what REDEMPTION stands for, musically and thematically."
"The Art Of Loss" is the title track of REDEMPTION's sixth full-length album, which will be released on February 26 via Metal Blade Records.
Containing over 70 minutes of their unique blend of passion, melody, aggression and complexity, "The Art Of Loss" was produced once again by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PAGAN'S MIND, PRETTY MAIDS), who previously worked with REDEMPTION on 2009's "Snowfall On Judgment Day". The cover artwork was created by longtime REDEMPTION collaborator Travis Smith (OPETH, AMORPHIS).
Musically, "The Art Of Loss" follows its predecessor (2011's "This Mortal Coil"), but their newest work finds composition, musicianship and production taken up another notch, with an array of songs ranging from hard-hitting melodic metal to the 23-minute epic "At Day's End" — plus, special guest appearances from Chris Broderick (MEGADETH), John Bush (ARMORED SAINT, ANTHRAX), Marty Friedman, Simone Mularoni and Chris Poland (MEGADETH).
"The Art Of Loss" track listing:
01. The Art of Loss (feat. Simone Mularoni and Chris Poland) 02. Slouching Towards Bethlehem (feat. Simone Mularoni and Chris Poland) 03. Damaged (feat. Marty Friedman) 04. Hope Dies Last (feat. Chris Poland) 05. That Golden Light06. Thirty Silver (feat. Chris Poland, Marty Friedman, and Chris Broderick) 07. The Center Of The Fire (feat. Chris Poland) 08. Love Reign O'er Me (THE WHO cover; feat. John Bush and Chris Poland) 09. At Day's End (feat. Chris Poland and Simone Mularoni)
REDEMPTION's current lineup is rounded out by bassist Sean Andrews, drummer Chris Quirarte and guitarist Bernie Versailles, who is presently on an indefinite medical leave of absence from the band.
"The Winner Has Lost", the new video from Swedish metallers ENTOMBED A.D., can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's second album, "Dead Dawn", which will be released on February 26 via Century Media.
ENTOMBED A.D. comments on the video: "We were about to brew a collaboration beer with Warpigs in Copenhagen. An Imperial Stout that is a mix of Mikkellers 'Beer Geek Breakfast' and 3 Floyds 'Dark Lord'. It will basically taste like we sound. Very heavy stuff. We were looking forward to a day of brewing beer, drinking beer and eating BBQ. Then we were told that we need a new video [as soon as possible]. So we got a great idea and perfect solution: let's just film us brewing, drinking and eating and spending the whole budget on that! And so we did. Best day at work ever."
The "Dead Dawn" cover artwork was created by WATAIN frontman Erik Danielsson. The CD production was handled by a team consisting of Tom Van Heesch and Jacob Hellner of Big Island Sound in Stockholm as well as Nico Elgstrand himself, who produced a majority of the tracks whereas Svante Forsbäck of Chartmakers mastered this new beast.
ENTOMBED A.D. guitarist and co-producer Nico Elgstrand states:: "I think it is safe to say that all of us in the band feel like we just have given birth to one tank each. Meaning, the pregnancy and delivery was everything but pleasant! Still, when watching our newest offspring play with their cannons and bombs, blasting everything around them to bits, we feel, just like any parent, pride and joy and wouldn't have it undone for all the money in the world!"
ENTOMBED A.D. has just completed a European tour with BEHEMOTH, ABBATH and INQUISITION.
In an interview with Revolution-Music.dk, Petrov stated about the band's decision to release change their name to ENTOMBED A.D. in order to avoid a legal battle with ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker: "It had to be done, because without an album you can't tour. I mean, you can tour, but if there's seven years between albums, it's ridiculously long. So we did the right thing, and we did what bands should do, and still do — release an album and go on tour and headbang and have a good time with friends, and that's what it's all about."
He continued: "There was too much bullshit — crying and whining about things. It's just ridiculous.
"[The name] 'ENTOMBED,' nobody can use it right now. But the lust for touring and playing music, it's what we do.
"Some people are comfortable staying at home, but then just step aside and let us do our thing. And sitting here, doing an interview, listening to bands, that's the way it should be.
"We added two letters, but it's still the same band — [only] without people that wanna stay at home, or take millions of years [coming up with] a [new] riff."
Asked if he thinks the ENTOMBED name has been damaged as a result of the drama surrounding the split with Alex Hellid and the decision to release an album as ENTOMBED A.D., Petrov said: "Nah, not really. A thousand people have a thousand different opinions — good and bad. But we do what we felt was right. And we're out here touring, and that's the most important [thing], I think. And leave the childishness aside and play metal, basically."
Buckcherry have released a music/lyric video for the new version of the track “The Feeling Never Dies”, now a duet with Grammy Award-winning country artist Gretchen Wilson, and featured on the deluxe edition of their Rock 'N' Roll album, available digitally via F-Bomb/Caroline.
"There aren't too many duets anymore and we love country music," singer Josh Todd tells Rolling Stone Country. "Gretchen was the perfect fit and we are fired up to get this track out there."
Japanese electro-metal heroes CROSSFAITH have unveiled their new video for the track "Wildfire", from last year's "Xeno" album. Featuring SKINDRED's Benji Webbe, the epic new video captures CROSSFAITH's irresistible energy and insanity of the live performances from last year's SKINDRED/CROSSFAITH tour. "'Wildfire' is the sound of CROSSFAITH live shows," explains frontman Kenta Koie. "It's crazy, heavy and a real party! And this collaboration with the legend Benji from our boys SKINDRED is a proper banger that we just love to play."
CROSSFAITH will hit the road next month for its most extensive U.K. headline tour yet, with special guests THE QEMISTS in tow.
"Xeno" was released in September 2015 in North America via Razor & Tie. The album has a story of hope, failure, love, betrayal and death woven into its fabric so skillfully it's impossible to tell where truth ends and fiction begins. It's both an escape from and examination of reality that reveals more and more truths the further it delves. Produced by Josh Wilbur (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, LAMB OF GOD, HATEBREED) and mastered by Ted Jensen, "Xeno" takes the groundwork laid by 2013's "Apocalyze" and 2012's "Zion" EP as well as the band's vast touring history and catapults them into a whole new league.
Toronto, ON-based hard rock band, Last Bullet, have released a music video for their new single, "Sin".
Envisioned, edited and co-directed by frontman Bryan Fontez, "Sin" was filmed in the 24th floor attic of Toronto's historical landmark the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (the 1929 built setting for Saw 5). The celebrity destination hotel, where Jim Morrison scratched his name in the same attic wall where the video was filmed, required the band carry all of their equipment up 700+ flights of stairs.
Check out the video and a behind-the-scenes/making of video below:
“In many ways the world has become a dark, cold and detached place to live. Prejudice, ignorance, materialism and a lack of empathy are beginning to divide us and cast a dark cloud over everything. “Sin” was written from a cynical but very realistic point of view, about all that is wrong with modern society. The metaphor and lyrical imagery depict not only a set of misguided values and priorities, but a life that is being manipulated by corporations, products, content and more.” - Bryan Fontez
Finland-based thrashers, Lost Society, released their third record, Braindead, on February 12th via Nuclear Blast. A new music video for the album track “Hangover Activator” can be seen below:
The Braindead artwork was created by Jan Meininghaus (Bolt Thrower, Sick Of It All, UDO, Holy Moses, Debauchery).
Tracklisting:
“I Am The Antidote”
“Riot”
“Mad Torture”
“Hollow Eyes”
“Rage Me Up”
“Hangover Activator”
“Only (My) Death Is Certain”
“P.S.T.88”
Lost Society have announced that they will be playing as main support alongside Exodus on their upcoming 2016 European tour.
Frontman Samy Elbanna on the announcement: "We can't even begin to tell you all how stoked we are to announce that we'll be hitting the road with the almighty Exodus at the end of February! We're so happy to finally return to Europe and hit our favourite countries and cities. We'll be playing some tracks off of Braindead for the first time ever, and of course songs off of the first two records. One thing is for sure, Exodus and Lost Society will tear down every single venue, and we expect you all to go crazy and scream your lungs out! Make sure you get your tickets right away, this is gonna be legendary! Europe BEWARE: Lost Society and Exodus comin' atcha!”
WackenTV has uploaded video of British extreme metallers, Anaal Nathrakh, performing at Wacken Open Air 2015. The band’s complete set performed on July 31st, 2015 can be seen below.
The band performed the following setlist:
“In The Constellation Of The Black Widow”
“Unknown”
“Forging Towards The Sunset”
“Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes”
“Between Shit And Piss We Are Born”
“Of Fire, And Fucking Pigs”
“Idol”
“The Joystream”
“Do Not Speak”
"Bloodthirsty", the new video from THE LAST VEGAS, can be seen below. THE LAST VEGAS guitarist Adam Arling says about the clip: "'Bloodthirsty' is a paranoid romp through Los Angeles's Valley and back-alleys. Shooting the video, Whitewall Jones (director) and the band sought out the darker side of L.A.; Hollywood Boulevard's side streets; and the flipside of your mind where it seems everyone is out to get you; perhaps your lover or even your own band. It's basically about going crazy."
"Bloodthirsty" is taken from THE LAST VEGAS's new album, "Eat Me", which will be released on March 18 via AFM Records. The CD marks the first time THE LAST VEGAS has collaborated with a European production team. Being longtime fans of Scandinavian rock production and influenced by records from THE HELLACOPTERS, TURBONEGRO, NOMADS and more, THE LAST VEGAS were thrilled with a new approach in making an modern-day album; and the results of the inter-continental experiment. "Eat Me" is a mash-up of full-tilt boogie rock, droney LED ZEPPELIN-esque riffs, and alt-psychedelic acoustic ballads. Equal part American bluesy riffs and Swedish production technique, the album balances grit and polish. "There's a lot of feeling in this record," says guitarist Adam Arling. "It's fascinating what you can express musically when you record songs quickly, never second-guessing your gut instinct. We found the soul in rock 'n' roll; from both Chicago and Stockholm. But let's not get too serious. I mean, the album is called 'Eat Me' after all."
THE LAST VEGAS tracked "Eat Me" at Johnny K's hit-making Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, a spot familiar to the band where they recorded critically acclaimed "Bad Decisions" and 2013's "Sweet Salvation".
The fast pace worked to the band's favor; as they adopted a "first-thought, best-thought, only-thought" approach.
"We gathered some favorite demos lying around, added a few fresh ideas and rehearsed the hell out of the songs for about eight days," says singer Chad Cherry. "We were tracking vocals up through the night I left for L.A. We recorded, like, twelve songs in about eleven hours at Groovemaster, and it felt like we were making our first album again. It was awesome."
THE LAST VEGAS initially decided to self-produce "Eat Me" after working with some industry heavyweights (2010's "Whatever Gets You Off" with Nikki Sixx; 2012's "Bad Decisions" with Johnny K; 2013's "Sweet Salvation" with Roy Z). And, luckily, their vision was perfectly complemented by a musical contact Nathan Arling came across while in Sweden filming the "Allt For Sverige" TV series. Engineer/producer Chris Laney mixed the album in Stockholm, Sweden, song by song, as THE LAST VEGAS fed him sessions built in Chicago at the THE LAST VEGAS studio space.
Bay Area thrashers, Hatchet, have released an official music video for “In Fear We Trust”, a track from their latest album, Fear Beyond Lunacy.
Far Beyond Lunacy was released last October via The End Records/ADA. Details below.
Tracklisting:
“Where Time Cannot Exist”
“Living In Extinction”
“Lethal Injustice”
“In Fear We Trust”
“Killing Indulgence”
“Dead And Gone”
“Tearing Into Hell”
“Prophet Of Delusion”
“The World Beyond”
“Frozen Hell” (bonus track)
“Awaiting Evil (bonus track, only available on vinyl edition)
Two album tracks, "Tearing Into Hell" and "Prophet Of Delusion”, are streaming below:
UK rock legends, Thunder, will be blowing the roof off arenas around the UK this month, with Terrorvision and King King in support, including a date at London’s SSE Arena, Wembley.
In support of the upcoming shows, the band have released a new video. Watch them perform “Wonder Days” live from The 100 Club in London below:
Tour dates
February
15 - Nottingham, England - Royal Concert Hall
16 - Bristol, England - Colston Hall
18 - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC Clyde Auditorium
19 - Sheffield, England - Sheffield Arena
20 - London, England - SSE Arena Wembley
Thunder, who had a Top 10 UK album earlier this year, continues into 2016 with a three-disc set documenting the story of the band’s latest album, Wonder Days, plus a Limited Edition 12“ vinyl album of the band’s fulminant show at Loud Park Festival 2014.
Entitled All You Can Eat, it documents the story of Wonder Days, Thunder’s first studio album for six years, and includes a live album, an in-the-studio session, and a documentary film. As a special treat, Live At Loud Park is released as a limited edition 12” single vinyl album.
All You Can Eat is available on earMUSIC as 2CD+DVD, Blu-ray+2CD and download.
Disc 1 - Starter – Live At RAK Studio 1
The band was asked by their record label to record some live B-Sides and extra tracks for formats. The session took place at the famous RAK Studio 1 on November 4th and 5th 2014, during the two days preceding the band’s show at Brooklyn Bowl in the O2 in London. The band set up in the studio to record 100% live, and as quickly as possible. They played fourteen songs one after another, with no breaks, no stops, overdubs or fix ups. The end result is astonishing. There was also a live acoustic session the next day, which is currently being considered for possible release later next year (the tracks didn’t fit on the CD).
Disc 2 – Main Course - Live At The Brooklyn Bowl
The Brooklyn Bowl show on November 6th 2014 was offered free to fans, in association with Classic Rock Magazine. There was no fee for tickets, and fans applied online in their thousands for the chance to hear the band play brand new songs from ‘Wonder Days’, three months ahead of the release, alongside Thunder classics, and some never played before covers. The rules were pretty simple - no cameras, no video, no social media updates, just word of mouth. Thunder fans duly obliged, and the evening was stunning. The show was captured; audio and video, and eight of the songs were given away on the cover of Classic Rock Magazine in January 2015. The rest have stayed in the filing cabinet, until now…
Disc 3 - Dessert - Wonder Days The Film
A documentary made by Tim Sidwell from Toward Infinity, this film details the story behind the making of the Wonder Days album, and features extensive band interviews, along with studio footage from the WD session, clips from the live session at RAK Studio 1, the Brooklyn Bowl live show, the triumphant March 2015 UK shows, and the Loud Park show, filmed for TV in Tokyo (Oct 2014). 60 minutes of pure Thunder fan joy…