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Manos Spanos

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE: ‘Pathfinder’ Video Released

Manos Spanos
"Pathfinder", the new video from Italian symphonic death metallers FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, can be seen below. Regarding the video shoot, the group stated: "It will definitely stand up from the average as we are going to shoot it in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Sicilia. This region was part of Greece right in the era where the 'Labyrinth Of Knossos' myth is collocated and our philological research led us there. It will be artistically deep and metaphorically intricate, a real reflection on the sense of our lives." "Pathfinder" is taken from FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE's latest album, "Labyrinth", which was released on August 16, 2013 in Europe and August 20, 2013 in North America via Nuclear Blast. The CD was mixed and mastered by Stefano "Saul" Morabito. The cover artwork was once again created by Colin Marks, who was also responsible for several neoclassical pieces of art in the massive inlay.
01 min read

SATYRICON’s SATYR Discusses Winemaking

Manos Spanos
Punch.com journalist, sommelier, and black metal music fan Steven Grubbs recently spoke with SATYRICON founder, frontman, and winemaker Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven and asked whether the musician's friends in the metal scene think it's odd that he makes wine, which is sold under the Wongraven family name. "I think the majority think it's pretty cool, actually," he said. "For them, wine is this thing that is kind of mysterious and unapproachable." When it comes to wine, Satyr is quick to describe himself as a traditionalist, preferring the old Piemonte style (wines of medium weight and stern tannins and acidity). "I like wines that are representative of their places," he said. Satyr has been making and selling a Burgandy Barolo from Castiglione Falletto since 2010. He sources fruit from a monopole cru owned by the Roagna family, a venerable bastion of Piemontese winemaking tradition. Luca Roagna handles the vinification and Satyr assembles the final product. Read the Punch.com feature in its entirety at this location.
01 min read

LAMB OF GOD Bassist JOHN CAMPBELL: ‘We Try To Push Ourselves On Every Record’

Manos Spanos
David Devo Oosthuizen of The Metal Review recently conducted an interview with LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. The Metal Review: In terms of a new album, I think everybody's sort of saying that after such a mammoth album ["Resolution"] that dropped in 2011, when is there a hope of some new material? Have you guys been tossing around some new ideas? John Campbell: We have, and I'm glad that you ask the question on when, and not how we are going to do something better, because that's a question we ask ourselves every time. Well, when we get together to start discussing the record, start working on the actual music, but probably won't be until the middle of this year … I keep forgetting we have a New Year. The Metal Review: Is there anything in terms of the formula you guys use for your records you would want to challenge or change or do differently this time? John Campbell: We try to push ourselves on every record to kind of step outside what we've done before, whilst still maintaining what it is that we do. We're a heavy metal band. We're not going to change that now. We're going to put out music that we feel really good about! The Metal Review: "As The Palaces Burn" [LAMB OF GOD documentary] is obviously going to be a massive event during March. I mean, we've seen on social media it will screen in over 200 locations! That's huge! John Campbell: You tell me! The Metal Review: As a documentary, it is massive exposure, especially for a story that you guys have got to get out there, right? John Campbell: Yeah, and actually it's kind of an odd thing! We started this documentary trying to show our fans and the impact of music, specifically our music on people around the world in these far-off fun places! The story kind of changed in the middle of it and the people making the movie are artists in their own right and they were true to telling the story as it unfolded. This is a tragic story, and I would like people not to think we are commodify the story, but it is a documentary about what happened and we think there are a lot of people that would like to see what happened. The Metal Review: With vinyl making such a huge comeback, what is your view on vinyl as a music format? It is so big again, you would think it is the brand new thing around the block, when,of course, it's been around forever! John Campbell: Vinyl definitely has its place! I have a vinyl collection, but I haven't turned on my record player in a long time, but I have a record player. There are people that absolutely love vinyl and they love a band and they want to see them released on vinyl, so why wouldn't we? The Metal Review: We heard TRIVIUM recently say that there's not enough metal bands, not enough camaraderie between metal bands and youngsters should pick up a guitar and start playing and form metal bands, that there's not enough creativity in metal today. What's your take on all that? John Campbell: I think kids should pick up instruments, regardless of what they play, I think they should pick up pencils, brushes, anything! Be creative and be artistic! Whether it's heavy metal or not! Read the entire interview at The Metal Review.
03 min read

THE HAUNTED’s New Lineup Performs Live For First Time; Video Available

Manos Spanos
The new lineup of Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED made its live debut during the 2014 edition of "The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise" — 70000 Tons Of Metal — which sailed January 27 to January 31 from Miami, Florida to Costa Maya, Mexico and back. Fan-filmed video footage of THE HAUNTED's performances aboard the cruise can be seen below. THE HAUNTED released a new three-song single, "Eye Of The Storm", on January 20 in Europe and January 21 in North America via Century Media Records. "Eye Of The Storm" was made available as limited-edition seven-inch EP (1,000 copies split as follows: 500 on black vinyl, 300 on red vinyl and 200 on white vinyl) and as digital single, featuring the new songs "Eye Of The Storm", "Infiltrator" and "My Enemy". "Eye Of The Storm" track listing: 01. Eye Of The Storm 02. Infiltrator 03. My Enemy The single marks the recording debut of THE HAUNTED's new lineup, which was announced last summer, featuring founding members Patrik Jensen (guitar) and Jonas Björler (bass), returning members Marco Aro (vocals) and Adrian Erlandsson (drums), as well as new guitarist Ola Englund. Commented THE HAUNTED's founding member and guitarist Patrik Jensen: "There aren't superlatives enough to describe how much the band has longed for these three songs to be released. "We are sure fans have been anxious to know what the band sounds like today after all the turmoil and old members leaving and new members joining. "We feel that these three songs represent the band perfectly. "We are currently working on the new album, an album that will be filled to the brim with what we know to be THE HAUNTED. "We'll start doing gigs this spring and we'll do festivals all over the place this summer. "Get in touch with the festivals you visit (and behave like an animal at) and tell them to get us on the bill! "THE HAUNTED is back. "Play it loud. No. Louder." THE HAUNTED's 2014 lineup: * Patrik Jensen - Guitar * Ola Englund (SIX FEET UNDER, FEARED) - Guitar * Marco Aro (THE RESISTANCE, FACE DOWN) - Vocals * Jonas Björler - Bass * Adrian Erlandsson (AT THE GATES, PARADISE LOST) - Drums THE HAUNTED's founding member and guitarist Patrik Jensen stated about the band's new lineup: "THE HAUNTED went through some difficult times last year. Losing three band members is a pretty huge blow to any band. Jonas and I agreed immediately that we wanted to continue with the band, but we wanted to take our time and not rush into anything. "Some of you might recognize a few faces, some of you might not. Adrian Erlandsson is back on drums and Marco Aro is back on vocals. Adrian you might know from playing on our first album and Marco sang on 'The Haunted Made Me Do It', 'Live Rounds In Tokyo' and 'One Kill Wonder'. On guitar we also have Ola Englund bringing some pretty heavy chops to the band. "We're all VERY excited about having THE HAUNTED back in working shape again and we can't wait to get back out on the road to play for our very patient and faithful fans again. A new album is also already in the works and if you are familiar with the individual band members of this new lineup, you can be assured that the new material will grab you by the throat from the get-go!" Vocalist Marco Aro (ex-FACE DOWN, also in THE RESISTANCE) was previously involved with THE HAUNTED for three acclaimed releases between 1999 and 2003 as well as for several worldwide touring campaigns. Drummer Adrian Erlandsson (also in AT THE GATES and PARADISE LOST) belonged to the original lineup of THE HAUNTED together the Björler twins after the demise of their previous legendary group, AT THE GATES. Together with Jensen, they launched THE HAUNTED's self-titled debut in 1998, an album which has been widely considered as the kick-start for a new era in the thrash metal movement and which, despite its initial underground status, climbed to be a massively inspirational record for a whole new generation of musicians and bands in the following decade. Guitarist Ola Englund is a highly talented young player from Sweden, who has recently been active as touring and recording member of U.S. death metal institution SIX FEET UNDER.
05 min read

Former SLAYER Drummer DAVE LOMBARDO: ‘There Is Absolutely No Friends When It Comes To Money’

Manos Spanos
Owais "Vitek" Wani of Metal Wani recently conducted an interview with former SLAYER and current PHILM drummer Dave Lombardo. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow. On the status of the second PHILM album: Lombardo: "The second album was being written as we were mixing the first album. So at this point, we already have the second album written, recorded and we're just waiting for a record company. Mike Patton [FAITH NO MORE singer and owner of Ipecac Recordings, which released the first PHILM album, 'Harmonic'], from the record company Ipecac, he's only putting out three albums this year, and it's unfortunate that this one isn't one of them. He just had to scale back. Of course, the music industry isn't what it was anymore, so he had to scale back his [release schedule]. Which is all good; I totally understand. So right now I'm just shopping the record to several other companies and we'll see what happens. Hopefully it can be released as soon as possible. I'm getting really anxious to put this album out, because it's uniquely different than the other one. It's not as experimental as the first one. This particular album, the new one, the songs are a little more concise and straightforward, so there's not a lot of improvisation or a lot of places where the band decides to take off musically and improvise. So we kept it together this time on this record. And right now, as I speak, this album's done and we already have, like, five songs for the [third] record. I've got some really talented musicians, and we could come up with music fairly easy. So I'm excited about this new group." On BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward's recent kind words about Lombardo's playing: Lombardo: "It made me feel really, really good. Bill Ward and I, we've established a very nice relationship. We keep tabs on each other. I always ask him how he's doing, and he's in communication with me as well. So we have a nice little thing going on. He's just a nice friend, and I'm very happy to have met him recently. The first time that I met him was in 2004 on a BLACK SABBATH reunion, JUDAS PRIEST reunion… I think that was the first time… It was, like, a festival that SLAYER played. I met him way back then; it was very brief. And then we re-met about a year ago." On whether he has listened to the new BLACK SABBATH album, "13", and what his thoughts are on it: Lombardo: "No, I haven't. I heard, like, one song. I don't know… I just can't listen to BLACK SABBATH unless it's with Bill… It's one of those things that you wanna hear it, you wanna get into it, but ahhh… it would have been soooo much better if Bill Ward was there. I mean, it's not the first time — I think there was an album Carmine Appice… no, not Carmine… that Vinny Appice played on — and that's a fantastic record, but that hit me at a different time. I was more open to the possible changes within bands. Right now, just knowing a little bit of the SABBATH situation, I just really didn't have the interest to listen to that album. But I will one day, eventually. It's gonna cross my path. I just haven't purchased it." On late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman being excluded from the list of faces and names showcased during Grammy Awards' "In Memoriam" segment this year: Lombardo: "Yeah, that was disappointing. But they're notorious for that. That organization is predominantly rap- and country-driven. And they don't wanna hear rock; they don't care about rock and metal. Metal, I think, is music for misfits, and it's played by misfits. And what do they wanna do with this kind of music? We wanna get recognized? They're not gonna do it. Let it be. Let it be. We don't need a doorstop. Metal doesn't need a doorstop or an organization to recognize who we are. We have our fans. Let the voice of the fans show how big metal is." On the most important lesson he has learned in his three decades as a professional musician: Lombardo: "There is absolutely no friends when it comes to money. That's the number one lesson I've learned."
04 min read

METALLICA’s LARS ULRICH Comments On 3D Movie’s Disappointing U.S. Box Office Run

Manos Spanos
METALLICA's 2013 IMAX 3D concert film, "Metallica Through The Never", arrived on DVD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, video on demand and digital on January 28th through the band's own Blackened Recordings label. The $18 million film, which combined concert footage with a fictional narrative, made less than $4 million in its initial U.S. box office run last fall. Drummer Lars Ulrich admitted he was disappointed that it didn't do better. "Well, I think anytime you do anything, obviously at some point you're disappointed," he told RollingStone.com. "It seemed with [the 2004 METALLICA documentary] 'Some Kind Of Monster', there was a group of people that fell in love the film that that weren't necessarily METALLICA fans. And I think that we were thinking that there was a shot of that happening too [with 'Through The Never'] and that didn't happen. Maybe we were disappointed that that didn't happen." Asked if he is hoping "Through The Never" takes on a new life in the video release, Lars said: "Obviously, every single filmmaker on this planet will say the following sentence: 'My movie should be seen on a big screen, not on an iPod.' [Laughs] But this movie I would like to say in my own selfish way really should be seen on a big screen. If you'll get something out of it on an eight-inch monitor on an airplane, I think that's totally cool — and obviously I want people see it any way they can but, given a preference, I would rather they see it on an IMAX screen rather than an eight-inch monitor on an airplane. But I can't control that. And the minute you let go of it, you let go of it." Ulrich said that making the "Through The Never" movie re-energized METALLICA's creativity, explaining, "[Working on the film] gave us a chance to experience a whole other way of being creative and having a creative outlet. We were very inspired by making that [movie], and now we're energized to make a record. The film was fun, but it's all about the next record." METALLICA will hit the European festival circuit this summer, with the band's set lists comprised of requests made online by fans attending each date. One slot at each night's show will be reserved for a new tune.
02 min read

Report: Iced Earth + Support Acts – Athens, Greece

Manos Spanos
It's Friday night in Athens and on this last night of January everybody was waiting for one of the Greek audiences' most beloved bands: Iced Earth with classic metal newcomers Elm Street and the already established Thrashers of the new breed, Warbringer. One hell of a package for a Heavy/Thrash fan! First one on the billing was Elm Street who seemed very energetic and whipped the Athenian crowd into a frenzy with their Heavy metal stuff influenced by Accept, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden (they were even playing "Metal Heart" during the soundcheck) and created even the first moshpit of the evening. They thanked Iced Earth for taking them on tour as well as the audience for being so intense from the very beginning of the show. They played some songs off their debut album "Barbed Wire Metal". A solid support act who are given the chance to make something better in the future. Coming up next we have the crazy Thrashers from California, Warbringer! With one of the genres' most passionate frontmen according to the writer, John Kevill, they hit the stage with stuff off their brand new kick ass record "IV: Empires Collapse" called "Scars Remain" opening up the first big moshpits of the night as well as with the next one called "Iron City". Things got out of hand with "Total War", "The Turning Of The Gears", "Living In A Whirlwind" and "Severed Reality" which set the pit on fire and caused the first crowd surfs as well (including one from the writer). The band was in an amazing mood and everyone could tell, on the final track "Hunter-Seeker", John even crowd surfed with the audience going nuts about it. He didn't forget to thank us all as well as feeling honoured to play "in the land of the ancient gods". We just got a glimpse of what this band is about during live shows. Let's hope they'll visit our country again as a headlining act so that we can enjoy more of them! Time now for the headliners of the evening, Iced Earth. In with the heavy title track off their latest strong album "Plagues Of Babylon" whipping the crowd into a headbanging frenzy, singing and chanting along with Stu Block and Jon Schaffers' riffage. Up next the fast track on "Plagues" called "Democide" brought back the moshpits in the show. We heard songs off the "Plagues Of Babylon" ("Cthulhu", "The End?", "If I Could See You", "Amongst The Living Dead") "Dystopia" (the ripping title track already a classic amongst fans and "V") "The Glorious Burden" ("Red Baron/Blue Max" never thought they'd play stuff off that record) "Something Wicked This Way Comes" ("Burning Times", "Watching Over Me" with a amazing sing along part towards the end, one of the most heartfelt ballads for Jon, "Disciples Of The Lie", "Blessed Are You" dedicated to us, "My Own Saviour") "Dark Saga" ("Dark Saga", "Vengeance Is Mine", "A Question Of Heaven"). Stu didn't forget to thank us for the amazing energy and passion towards the band that night and ended their show with "Iced Earth" off the self titled first record in cheering and applause from a crazy Greek audience, showing its unconditional love for the band. Jon Dette behind the skins was the best guy they could pick for the tour. After an hour and 40 minutes, everybody was happy and feeling full with pure Heavy metal. Wish them well on the tour as well as every contributor of the night and hope to see such well organized events in the future.
04 min read

PAUL STANLEY To Sign Copies Of His Memoir In Los Angeles

Manos Spanos
KISS frontman Paul Stanley will sign copies of his memoir, "Face The Music: A Life Exposed", on April 16 at Barnes & Noble at The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, California beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more information, go to this location. "Face The Music: A Life Exposed" will be released on April 8 via HarperOne The 432-page hardcover will feature rare photographs of the legendary rocker and detail his hard-partying lifestyle as one of the co-founders of the heavy rock band who has sold over eighty million albums and performed more than two thousand shows around the world. Stanley explained to The Pulse Of Radio that if his book was going to follow the pattern of some of the other books he's read, he would've passed on writing it all together. "I think I took a tact different than a lot of these books," he said. "Y'know, rock n' roll autobiographies tend to be a love letter — to the author. And they tend to be about how smart and creative and how this person was responsible for the creation of the world. And if that were the tact for the book, I never would've written the book." In "Face The Music", Stanley talks frankly about his early struggles with hearing — he was born with Level 3 Microtia and is deaf in his right ear. Microtia is a congenital deformity of the cartilage of the outer ear that can affect normal hearing. Stanley, who grew up half-deaf and scarred with a deformed right ear, explained to The Pulse Of Radio that by touching upon the more difficult episodes in his life, he's not seeking sympathy from the reader, but simply highlighting the path into who he became. "Y'know, my book is about my life starting from the very beginning and certainly a certain amount of adversity and having a birth defect and being deaf on one side and the family that I came from," he said. "Certainly people have had more adversity in their lives — and some less — but I, I would think some people would get a certain amount of inspiration and a sense that positivity and belief in yourself will ultimately lead you to a great place." During an appearance on the "Sixx Sense" radio show hosted by MÖTLEY CRÜE/SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx in November 2012, Stanley, was asked how his book will be different from the other rock and roll autobiographies and whether his book will be "a history lesson in music," Stanley said, "Well, everybody will tell you the same thing: 'Well, my book is brutally honest.' It's a history lesson in music, but it's also a history lesson in somebody taking themselves and making themselves into something they weren't — taking a not-so-great deck of cards and winning at poker. So it's good. I think it's terrific. Especially, it's funny, at this point, with the three other guys from the original lineup having written books. It’s kind of like, 'OK, have you all said your piece? OK? Now let me tell you what happened.'" Original KISS drummer Peter Criss' memoir, "Makeup To Breakup: My Life In And Out Of Kiss", landed at position No. 7 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best-sellers list. The book arrived in October 2012 via the Simon & Schuster imprint Scribner. Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley's book, "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir", debuted on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list at No. 10. The book, which was described as a look back at Ace's "life of sex, drugs, and rock and roll," arrived on November 1, 2011 via Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
04 min read

DREAM THEATER: ‘The Looking Glass’ Video To Premiere Next Week

Manos Spanos
Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have released the video below to promote their current tour and self-titled 12th studio album. The clip also includes footage from DREAM THEATER's video for the song "The Looking Glass", which will premiere on Monday, February 3. DREAM THEATER has invited the esteemed Berklee College Of Music to join them for a one-of-a-kind show on the band's upcoming "Along For The Ride" North American tour when they visit the Boston Opera House on Tuesday, March 25. DREAM THEATER was founded in 1985 when founding members — guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and former drummer Mike Portnoy — attended the Berklee College of Music. Also adding to the significance of this collaboration, Mike Mangini (drums), who joined the band in 2010, is a former faculty member of the Berklee College of Music. DREAM THEATER will be joined by special guest ensembles the Berklee World Strings and the Berklee Concert Choir for the second half of the set. The ensembles will layer distinct dramatic elements to DREAM THEATER's production. The World Strings are an international group of creative improvisers who play with rhythmic qualities seldom heard from string instruments. The Concert Choir stretches its repertoire from traditional and contemporary music through a wide range of genres. This special homecoming will be captured and recorded for a later release. DREAM THEATER's "Along For The Ride" tour will pick up on March 20 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada following the band's European tour and then continues through the end of April where it will eventually wrap up in Guadalajara, Mexico. DREAM THEATER's spirit of adventure and fearless musical virtuosity continues to reap dividends for the progressive metal titans who've just earned their second Grammy nomination, this time for "Best Metal Performance" for their single "The Enemy Inside" from their current self-titled album on Roadrunner Records. The band — John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards & continuum) and Mike Mangini (drums) — received its first-ever Grammy nomination in 2012 for "On The Backs Of Angels" (from their "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album) in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category.
02 min read

ANNIHILATOR’s ‘Feast’ To Be Re-Released With Bonus DVD

Manos Spanos
ANNIHILATOR's latest album, "Feast", will be re-released as a limited edition featuring re-recorded ANNIHILATOR classics on CD and the full Wacken Open Air festival show on DVD, all in a special Ecolbook version with a new 3D cover! This edition contains: * The new album "Feast" in a CD-sized book with extra pages in the booklet * The 15-song bonus CD "Re-Kill" with newly recorded ANNIHILATOR classics * Plus a never-seen-before live DVD filmed at last year‘s Wacken Open Air, when the band opened the festival relentlessly regardless of the blistering heat! * Not to mention a brand new 3D cover taking over where the original "Feast" cover left us. Which means: More zombies, and they are coming closer! The "Feast" Ecolbook version will be available in U.S. on March 11. ANIHILATOR's 14th studio album, "Feast", was released in August 2013 to critical acclaim and reached the charts in several countries, among them Germany (#20), Finland (#17), Switzerland (#36) and France (#76). "Feast" track listing: 01. Deadlock 02. No Way Out 03. Smear Campaign 04. No Surrender 05. Wrapped 06. Perfect Angel Eyes 07. Demon Code 08. Fight The World 09. One Falls, Two Rise Bonus disc "Re-Kill" (best-of, re-recorded in 2012)" 01. Fun Palace 02. Alison Hell 03. King Of The Kill 04. Never, Neverland 05. Set The World On Fire 06. Welcome To Your Death W.T.Y.D. 07. No Zone 08. Bloodbath 09. 21 10. Stonewall 11. Ultra Motion 12. Time Bomb 13. Refresh The Demon 14. Word Salad 15. Brain Dance Bonus DVD filmed live at Wacken Open Air 2013: 01. Smear Campaign
03 min read

Manos Spanos

Manos Spanos (Metalpaths' co-editor-in-chief), eight years in this site but still can't be characterised as a metalhead.