18:22 - EMols86 Still, I didn't complain because I already saw them 2 times before that. First two times they did play a lot of their more extreme songs. But it's just a shame they went into this direction (progressive rock that is).
18:12 - EMols86 @drf1223 Seriously? Why the hell don't they play heavier songs with growls anymore? Those are way better anyway. I thought it was a temporary thing, but this way they will again disappoint a lot of fans (first time was Hertitage).
We have been informed that Belphegor have been forced to stop all activities until May 2012. Frontman/guitarist/founding member, Helmuth Lehner went through a serious and difficult operation 16 days ago after the South American tour, and as result of this Belphegor have indeed had to cancel all shows until May next year.
Unisonic - the new metal super group featuring Michael Kiske (vocals, ex-Helloween), Kai Hansen (guitars, Gamma Ray, ex Helloween), Mandy Meyer (guitars, ex-Gotthard, ex-Krokus), Dennis Ward (bass, Pink Cream 69) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums, Pink Cream 69) has signed a record contract with earMUSIC / Edel.
Drummer Kosta Zafiriou: "We had several promising labels being interested in Unisonic, but the enthusiasm of Max Vaccaro and his team convinced us that earMUSIC is the right company for us."
A first EP will be released in January 2012, followed by the band's debut album, which is planned for early spring. After the addition of Gamma Ray's Kai Hansen to the group's line-up early 2011, the band continued and implemented the songwriting process, assembling Kai's talent to write great anthemic rock songs in existing and new material.
Thank you all for your entries to the Onslaught competition. The correct answer to the question was of course the Damnation Festival. Here are the lucky winners:
Paul Bourke (PAUL BOURKE) - Guest list + CD pack
Michael Smyth (mick-metal) - Guest list + CD pack
Krissie Williams (Lemonfresh) - Guest list + CD pack
Sam Marshall (Hopscotch) - Guest list
Ambrish Saxena (Cynic Metalhead) - Guest list
The winners now need to get in touch with their prefered date of the tour, as soon as possible.
After 15 years of friendship, hard work and big passion, fully invested in the creation of symphonic music and an epic saga that will remain in the history of heavy metal, Alex Staropoli and Luca Turilli decided to proceed to a friendly split. "10 albums released and the end of the saga represent, musically and lyrically, an important artistic goal finally reached, underlined by the success of our last release From Chaos To Eternity, for which we want to thank our wonderful fans once again. Now it came the time when new artistic stimulations need to be found, in respect of both parts' visions and perspectives and of our longtime friendship" say Luca and Alex. Due to the latest legal agreements actually in force, Alex Staropoli will go on with Rhapsody Of Fire having, between the others, Fabio Lione as singer, Tom Hess as guitar player and Alex Holzwarth as drummer. For the same agreements and the original name's common ownership, Luca Turilli will release his future works with a new Rhapsody band, including the faithful band members Dominique Leurquin, Patrice Guers and Alex Holzwarth.
The Wacken Open Air website states that Cradle Of Filth will no longer be playing at the festival due to injuries Dani Filth has sustained in France at the Léz' Arts Scéniques festival. Triptykon will replace them.
According to the Léz' Arts Scéniques festival website, security had to be called for Dani Filth as he had become "aggressive and unmanageable" and "dangerous to himself and others".
An image has been posted online which appears to show Dani Filth being restrained on the floor by a security guard. That picture can be found here.
To make up for this, Wacken Open Air have confirmed that Cradle Of Filth are the first band announced to play at the Wacken Open Air in 2012.
In a video message posted today, Joey DeMaio has announced that after 16 years, Manowar will return to the UK later in the year for a full tour up and down the country. The whole of the Battle Hymns album will once again be played at each date on this tour.
If you would like to download the mp3 of the song, then visit this location and enter your email address.
"To all of our friends around the world:
Anthrax fans are the most loyal fans ever. You've been waiting a long, long time for us to release new music. With Joey back in the band, we know that the anticipation is really high, and we love you for that.
So, as a way for us to say THANK YOU, we decided to make our brand-new track, "Fight 'em 'til You Can't," available as a free download, giving all of you a taste of what's to come on our first new studio album in eight years - "Worship Music" that will be out September 13.
Singapore grindcore trio Wormrot have confirmed the first dates for a European headlining tour, which is due to kick off on September the 1st in the UK.
Vocalist Arif Rot commented: "It seems like forever since we grind UK and Europe, although it's only last year. We will be back twice as pissed off. Less talk, more grind! See you grinders real soon - nabey cheebai!!!"
WORMROT
Jun. 11 - Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia - Club Cinta Sayang
Jun. 12 - Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia - Arjuna Studio
Jul. 02 - Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia - Kepura Cave
Jul. 09 - Singapore - Singapore Deathfest (venue TBA)
WORMROT w/ EVISORAX
Sep. 01 - Cardiff, UK - Undertone
Sep. 02 - Nottingham, UK - Old Angel
Oblivion will be the Australian death metal band's third full-length release, expected out later this month. You can listen to the whole album at this location:
Canadian veterans Anvil have made their upcoming album Juggernaut Of Justice available to listen to in its entirety on their Myspace page. The album is due to be released next Tuesday (10th of May).
In reality TV style, Dream Theater have put together a trio of videos documenting their search for their new drummer. The last video of the series shows the last applicants of the seven-man short-list auditioning and jamming with the band in their hope to be selected as the new American Idol. After narrowing the short-list down to two drummers and a long and hard deliberation, the band have chosen Mike Mangini as their new drummer.
The whole series can be found at these locations:
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L609JsPFmmI
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vaDfcKzLbY
Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QHMQjH17aw
Mike Mangini's history includes drumming with Annihilator, Steve Vai and James LaBrie.
Judas Priest have released a letter stating that original guitarist K.K. Downing has formally retired from the band, and will not join the band on the upcoming Epitaph World Tour. The band respect his decision and wish him well.
Replacing K.K. on the tour will be 31 year old British guitar player Richie Faulkner (Lauren Harris, Dirty Deeds), who has apparently blended into the band perfectly and will set the stage on fire.
The upcoming "Epitaph" tour will include songs from every Judas Priest studio album, including some the band have never performed before. It will be "heavy metal at its best complete with lasers, lights, bikes and hellfire!!"
The band also have another album due out next year.
The English death metal three-piece have uploaded two brand new mixed and mastered tracks from their forthcoming album to their myspace page. They can be heard here.
The band are currently forming a live lineup, and searching for a label to release their new album.
Put down your keyboards, the competition is over! The correct answer to the question is of course Andy Sneap, who mastered and produced the album Blood Of The Nations.
The lucky winners are:
Andy Hill
and
Michael Kissane
These two will receive an email with instructions for the day.
Thank you to all who entered, and better luck next time!
Paul Di'Anno, best known for singing on the first two Iron Maiden albums and milking them dry for the last thirty years, has reportedly admitted in court to have falsely claimed a total of £45,000 (53,000€, $72,000) from the British tax-payers money.
He was arrested last year and charged with fraud. In court on the 10th of February 2011, he was told to prepare for a jail sentence after admitting eight counts of benefit fraud. The hearing has been adjourned until March the 11th 2011 for a pre-sentence report, and has bail in the meantime.
For the period between 2002 and 2008, he claimed he had nerve damage in his back, which disabled him from being able to work. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had an anonymous tip-off, and caught Paul out with a YouTube video of him apparently jumping around stage in 2006.
