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Manos Spanos

Video: METALLICA’s JAMES HETFIELD Performs With Kids At ‘Rockin’ The Bay Benefit’ Event

Manos Spanos
Little Kids Rock, the nation's leading nonprofit provider of music instruction and instruments to public schools, honored METALLICA frontman James Hetfield at the charity's annual "Rockin' The Bay Benefit" on Saturday, November 9 at Facebook's Menlo Park, California headquarters. Hetfield was recognized for his ongoing support for and contributions to the organization and received the inaugural "Livin' The Dream Award," which was created in honor of Josef Desimone, the late executive chef of Facebook who spearheaded this benefit forLittle Kids Rock and who was a huge fan of METALLICA. Video footage of Hetfield performing with kids at the "Rockin' The Bay Benefit" can be seen below. More photos are available at the METALLICA Facebook page. "We're presenting James with this special award as a way to not only recognize his support ofLittle Kids Rock over the years, but also his role as an inspirational presence in a band that has revolutionized and defined a music genre," said David Wish, Little Kids Rock founder and executive director. "Josef was a passionate philanthropist who touched our lives with his generosity and we know he would've been proud to see James honored at the event held in his memory." The benefit assembled a star-studded lineup of musical luminaries to help raise awareness and funds for its mission of revitalizing music programs in school districts whose music programming has been impacted by budget cuts. This year, Jeff Campitelli, most famously known as the drummer on Joe Satriani's various albums, and Marcus Henderson, critically acclaimed heavy metal guitarist known for his role as the lead guitarist for the Guitar Hero series, joined Little Kids Rock in celebrating James Hetfield and eleven years of service to schoolchildren in the Bay Area. "I'm a firm believer in creative expression through music. It is important to have it available from a young age, which is why I support Little Kids Rock's mission to make music education accessible to children," said Hetfield. "I've seen how music changes people's lives for the better and I am honored to have a part in helping the organization enrich young lives through the lifelong gift of music education." Founded in a single classroom in East Palo Alto in 2002, Little Kids Rock currently funds modern music programming for more than 112,000 public school children in 12 states, including over 3,500 in the Bay Area. The "Rockin' The Bay Benefit" is held annually in the Bay Area to support schools in the region in which Little Kids Rock was founded. Each year, the benefit features a fun night of music and live auctions, as well as a number of musical performances from special guests. Last year's guests included Sammy Hagar, BLACK EYED PEAS' Taboo, and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame drummer Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES,VELVET REVOLVER). The event raised enough money to put more than 5,000 rock instruments and educational programming into local public schools, providing free music lessons to tens of thousands of children in the Bay Area.
03 min read

FIREWIND/OZZY OSBOURNE Guitarist GUS G.: Video Footage Of Osaka Clinic

Manos Spanos
Greek guitarist Gus G. (real name: Kostas Karamitroudis; FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE) took part in a clinic on November 8 in Osaka, Japan. You can now watch video footage of his appearance below. In an interview with Music Radar, Gus stated about how he first started playing guitar: "My dad got me a cheap classical when I was 10 years old and I still have it. I didn't get an electric until I was 14, and I still have that too. It was a Fender Strat Classic Floyd Rose Series. It's a kinda like the Richie Sambora model and is a really great guitar… After that, I started practicing 8-11 hours a day for the next three and a half years or so." Gus G. is working on his debut solo album for a 2014 release. He told Full Metal Jackie about the CD: "It's going to be something completely different from what I've been doing withFIREWIND. It'll be more on the classic rock vibe, or straightforward rock and roll. There's going to be some instrumentals with some different singers on it; special guests." FIREWIND celebrated its 10th anniversary by releasing a live album on June 24 via Century Media Records in Europe. Entitled "Apotheosis - Live 2012", the CD contains 17 songs recorded at special anniversary shows in Greece as well as all over Europe during the band's"Few Against Many" tour in 2012. With a playing time of 69 minutes, the effort is a great overview of the band's career so far, which consists of seven studio albums. It also marksFIREWIND's final release with singer Apollo Papathanasio, who decided to leave the group at the end of last year. He has since been replaced by Kelly Sundown Carpenter (ADAGIO,BEYOND TWILIGHT) as session frontman for all 2013 live activities.
02 min read

LEAVES’ EYES: ‘Hell To The Heavens’ Video Released

Manos Spanos
"Hell To The Heavens", the new video from LEAVES' EYES — the German/Norwegian band formed by ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull and members ofATROCITY — can be seen below. The song comes off LEAVES' EYES' new album,"Symphonies Of The Night", which will be released on November 13 in Spain, Sweden and Norway; November 15 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland and Benelux; November 18 in the rest of Europe; and on November 26 in North America via Napalm Records. The effort was produced by Liv's husband, ATROCITY singer and LEAVES' EYES co-vocalist Alexander Krull, at his Mastersound Studio in Germany. The cover artwork was created by Heile (a.k.a.Stefan Heilemann). "Symphonies Of The Night" track listing: 01. Hell To The Heavens 02. Fading Earth 03. Maid Of Lorraine 04. Galswintha 05. Symphony Of The Night 06. Saint Cecelia 07. Hymn To The Lone Sands 08. Angel And The Ghost 09. Éléonore De Provence 10. Nightshade 11. Ophelia 12. Eileen's Ardency (bonus track)* 13. One Caress (bonus track)** * feat. Carmen Elise Espenæs (MIDNATTSOL, SAVN) ** DEPECHE MODE cover Says LEAVES' EYES: "We couldn't be more proud of the final result. "Expect this album to be the heaviest and most epic LEAVES' EYES experience to date: it will haunt you, even in your dreams." Liv previously stated about the upcoming LEAVES' EYES CD : "We have taken a great inspirational step since the production of 'Meredead', both sound-wise and vocal-wise. "It has been such a pleasure evolving in my singing techniques and knowledge and I thank my band members for giving me an inspirational kick when I needed to gain momentum behind the microphone. "'Symphonies Of The Night' is hauntingly dream-like and heavy to the core!"
02 min read

New Study Paints Psychological Portrait Of Heavy Metal Fans

Manos Spanos
A newly published study has found that fans of heavy metal music tend to have higher openness to experience, more negative attitudes toward authority, lower self-esteem, greater need for uniqueness and lower religiosity than those individuals with a preference for other musical genres. 219 women and 195 men ranging in age from 18 to 57 years participated in the study, which examined associations between individual differences and preferences for a specific subgenre of music, namely, contemporary heavy metal. A research team led by psychologist Viren Swami at University Of Westminster in London, England presented the 414 individuals from Britain with clips of 10 tracks of contemporary heavy metal and asked them to rate each for liking (from "extreme dislike" to "extreme like"). Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality traits, attitudes toward authority, self-esteem, need for uniqueness, and religiosity. The researchers write: "Our results confirm previous reports that openness is associated with a preference for rock and heavy metal, including nonmainstream subgenres. In explanation, it has been suggested that individuals who score highly on openness show a preference for the intensity, variety, complexity, and unconventionality of heavy metal. [It has also been suggested] that individuals who are open-minded and who seek novel experiences may become disinterested in mainstream or conventional musical forms as they grow older. This, in turn, may lead them to seek out musical genres that are unconventional by the standards of mainstream cultures, such as contemporary heavy metal." They add: "Our results also showed that individuals with more negative attitudes toward institutional authority were more likely to show a preference for the heavy metal tracks. In general, this is consistent with [the] description of heavy metal fans as inhabiting a subculture of alienation, which translates into an opposition to authority and mainstream society… It is possible, for example, that heavy metal may conjure referent images that are inherently antiauthority or that signal a revolt against mainstream culture. In this sense, individuals who hold more negative attitudes toward authority may show a preference for heavy metal precisely because it expresses their dissatisfaction with authority. "Respondents who showed a stronger preference for the metal tracks in the present study were also more likely to have lower self-esteem and higher need for uniqueness. In the first instance, it is possible that individuals with relatively low self-esteem are drawn to heavy metal because the style of music allows for a purge of negative feelings. The catharsis afforded by heavy metal may, in turn, help boost self-worth and promote positive self-evaluations among those with otherwise low self-esteem." The entire research paper can be found at the web site of the American Psychological Association.
02 min read

GEOFF TATE Vs. MICHAEL WILTON: Battle Over QUEENSRŸCHE Name

Manos Spanos
Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit in June 2012 asking the judge to award them the rights to the band's name in exchange for Tate paying Eddie Jackson (bass), Michael Wilton and Scott Rockenfield (drums) the fair market value for their interests in the QUEENSRŸCHE companies. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson filed a countersuit against the Tates in which they accused Geoff of creative obstruction and violent behavior, and Susan Tate of questionable business practices. On Tate's belief that the lawsuit comes down to one thing — money: Tate: "This is all about getting rid of somebody so that there would be more money to split between a fewer amount of people. QUEENSRŸCHE is and was an incredibly successful business entity worldwide. And to completely dismantle it is an act of foolishness." On how the court case will play out in January: Tate: "It's a corporate dispute. And the judge will decide on the value of the brand and the corporation. There's a formula to figure that out. It's not about a moral thing or anything like that. It's just a simple case of dollar exchange." On other members of QUEENSRŸCHE's claim that Tate refused to play much of the band's classic material in concert and was responsible for the ill-fated 2010 Queensrÿche Cabarettour and using outside co-writers, producers and musicians to make the "Operation: Mindcrime II", "American Soldier" and "Dedicated To Chaos" albums: Wilton: "As an artist, as a guitar player, it's not too much fun when your parts are being replaced or you don't even know if they're going to make the CD of the band you've been with for 30 years. It's a little disheartening, to say the least." On Tate's claim that bandmates made little to no effort to participate creatively inQUEENSRŸCHE's projects: Tate: "There was me writing and coming up with directions and ideas and concepts, and then the other guys were contributing performances in the studio. So we had to find other people to work with us in order to make a record and make things happen."
05 min read

THE HAUNTED’s New Lineup To Perform Live For First Time At 70000 TONS OF METAL

Manos Spanos
The new lineup of Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED will make its live debut during the 2014 edition of "The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise" — 70000 Tons Of Metal — which will sail January 27 to January 31 from Miami, Florida to Costa Maya, Mexico and back. THE HAUNTED is finally back in the spotlight after almost a year without public activity and restructuring behind closed doors, following a major switch of lineups around fall of 2012. THE HAUNTED's 2013 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!"
03 min read

Report: Year of the Goat + Support Acts – Athens, Greece

Manos Spanos
Night of the demons yesterday, and the occult rockers Year Of the Goat visited Greece for two concerts, one in Athens and one on Thessaloniki. Their very first destination was Athens and Second Skin, performing along with Aherusia, Mahakala and Speedblow. Speedblow and Mahakala would be the first bands to rock the stage with their doom magisterial acts and then provide the stage to Aherusia, the black metalheads who combined black metal along with elements of traditional Crete music. Afterwards, Year of the Goat would have their chance to drive the night through pagan paths… I arrived on Second Skin while Speedblow was about to open the concert. The crowd was desperately small but the band did their best to entertain those who decided to show up late in the show. Speedblow numbers three releases and their music style is described as a craft of heavy metal and doom metal music. Most of the parts are classic doom metal groovy riffs, although they mix them with heavy metal eruptions of fast riffs and guitar solos. The band with energetic mood performed songs of the past as well as all the songs off their new EP, titled ‘Resurrection’. Their sound was loud and clear and the stage got heavier with all those doomy melodies. Costas Papaspyrou is an excellent guitar player and I loved his energy and his guitar solos on stage. Nick on the vocals was awesome too. His deep, harsh vocals combined with all those sharp melodies were the best beginning we could have for this concert! After Speedblow the stage was warm enough (actually burning-warm), for Mahakala to start their set. Mahakala made quite an impact in the Greek music scene with their latest concept record, ‘Devil’s Music’. The band has been having a busy concert program as they were supporting a numerous of bands this year. But why did Mahakala get so many chances to support great bands? What is so special with this band? Well if you haven’t seen Mahakala live, you won’t get an answer to those questions.. Mahakala were explosive! The band is so much bounded together and they sound great. ‘Devil’s Music’ in my opinion sounds ten times better on stage. With a setlist including most of the songs off ‘Devil’s Music’, the band performed classic hits like ‘The King is Dead’, ‘Evil Man’, Pact with the Devil’ or ‘Promised Land’, with great energy and Jim saluted the audience with his spectacular performance. The crowd was still small in number and numb, but Mahakala tried their best to stir up everyone, leaving behind the best memories. Right after Mahakala, it was time for Aherusia to perform. Aherusia is a unique black metal band, because of their use of Cretan lyra, a traditional music instrument from Crete in their music. I was really curious to watch Aherusia and find out myself how those songs would be performed. With plenty of new songs like ‘Archipelagos’ off their new music record ‘As I Cross the Seas of My Soul’, the band thrilled everyone with their pompous melodies and strong, spiritual black metal. Although I’m not a fan of traditional instruments I must admit that the Cretan lyra completed the music in a creative way, something that I enjoyed very much! All the support bands completed their performances and the pagan rockers from Sweden were about to begin their rituals… With a great sound the band started their show, performing about one hour and five minutes. They performed classic songs like ‘This Will Be Mine’, ‘Thin Lines of Broken Hopes’, ‘ Spirits of Fire’ and many more off their latest full-length record ‘Angels’ Necropolis’ as well as ‘Of Darkness’ and ‘Vermillion Clouds’ off their first EP.
05 min read

Report: Suma + Support Acts – Athens, Greece

Manos Spanos
It’s been a long time since I last attended a sludge gig in Greece. The exact music genre does not number a large number of fans here as it does in the north Europe or in the US. However, here we are, on 8th of November, and ‘Smoke the Fuzz’ organizes one of the most anticipated concerts of the year, with headliners the sludge legends from Sweden, Suma! Along with them, two Greek sludge bands support the show. The names are Sadhus and Gomgoma. A little research of their music will reveal why they were chosen and the talent which unfolds through them. I arrived at Six D.O.G.S just in time! With a quite impressive number of fans the show takes off and the first band which opens the show is Gomgoma. The band delivers some hardcore sludge music, with aggressive, breath-taking vocals and slow, dynamic guitar riffs. They do not include a bass player, only two guitars, drums and vocals. In fact, who needs a bass player when the guitars are as heavy as it is needed to complete the rhythm section themselves? I’ve never seen Gomgoma in a gig before and I must say they are absolutely impressive! The band’s sound was excellent even if the vocalist claims he could hear the second guitar loud and clear. From where I was standing, I could hear every detail of their sound. With groovy guitars and a vocalist on fire, the band performed much more than their officially released songs. Miltos was most of the times down with the crowd, headbanging and providing those extreme and submissive and ground-shaking vocals. The gig starts in a perfect way. I’m looking forward to hear some more from Gomgoma and of course another release from them. After Gomgoma, Sadhus are the next to walk on stage. I’ve known Sadhus from a compilation by Spinalonga Records and their songs ‘Foondamentalist’ and ‘Murderer’. The band is known for their slow, doom music along with high-pitched screaming vocals. In their sound, in their music they contain something cult, something spiritual. Sadhus have a large future in front of them. On stage, the band was alive, explosive and very creative. A movie was projected on the background. However some technical issues did not allowed this and crashed the movie after the first minutes. It was really a pity, because I love to hear sludge metal live along with horror movies. Sadhus didn’t care and continued delivering the music of the devil. Their vocalist is really unique and their songs sound even better on stage. The sound was loud and clear again, the guitar was trembling from all those heavy doom riffs and a mystical vibe has spread. When Sadhus ended their set, I was too exhausted from the heavy headbanging already. Suma, the headline act was about to begin and I was looking forward to see what the band will achieve in this concert. When the Swedish started their set, the crowd was numb in the beginning. By the time the music has started, and the drummer of the band, Erik, banged his drums set in groovy rhythms everyone in the room started to headbang along with the music. What can I describe about Suma’s performance? The only fault I did noticed was the low volume on vocals. I needed them to be a bit louder. Besides that, the band was awesome. Their atmospheric sludge metal is ideal for letting your mind travel far away from your body. ‘Let the Churches Burn’, ‘Hypno Assasin’, ‘Dominator’, all the classic songs were here, in front of me. Erik is a hell of a drummer. His hands were banging the drum set with deference, just like hitting a holy grail. Johan and Peter were great too and along with Rick (the guy arranging the samples for the music), they sounded so completed, so dominating.
04 min read

GODSMACK Begins Writing New Material

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The members of GODSMACK have regrouped in Florida to begin writing material for their next album, tentatively due in early 2014. GODSMACK took most of 2013 off. The band spent much of 2012 on the road, both with the Uproar festival tour and Mass Chaos trek, and frontman Sully Erna said that a break was in order. He explained to ARTISTdirect.com, "We're going to take some time away now because we just ran for the last two years. It's time for us to take a break and get away from the markets for a little bit so we don't overplay them." GODSMACK's last studio effort, "The Oracle", came out in 2010. The group issued a concert album in 2012 called "Live And Inspired", which also featured newly recorded studio covers of some of the band's favorite classic rock songs, including JOE WALSH's "Rocky Mountain Way", METALLICA's "Nothing Else Matters", THE BEATLES' "Come Together" and PINK FLOYD's "Time".
01 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.