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MISERY INDEX To Release ‘The Killing Gods’ In May

Manos Spanos
American death metal extremists MISERY INDEX have set "The Killing Gods" as the title of their forthcoming full-length album. The band's fifth studio CD will arrive on May 23 via Season Of Mist. "The Killing Gods" was recorded at Wright Way Studios in Baltimore, Maryland and was engineered by Steve Carr (DYING FETUS, SLIPKNOT, SOILWORK). The drum parts were tracked with Scott Hull (PIG DESTROYER, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, BLACK TUSK, BRUTAL TRUTH) at Visceral Sound in Bethesda, Maryland. Comments MISERY INDEX bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton: "After an extended writing and recording process we have finally completed 'The Killing Gods'. It is the longest, most diverse and most complete album we have ever created, and it represents the blood, sweat and beers of four dudes trying to make the best songs they can. We think we have succeeded and we hope you do as well. Look for this metal beast to drop in May!" Having cemented a reputation as one of the most formidable live bands in the death metal scene, MISERY INDEX has toured the world over numerous times on the backs of four critically acclaimed albums. The Baltimore-based quartet has leveled venues in over 40 countries over 1000-plus live shows. With albums showcasing a disgust for everyday life and the ills of modern society, MISERY INDEX will continue to push its crushing take on pummeling death metal with the release of "The Killing Gods". MISERY INDEX recently announced a special live date as part of this year's Maryland Deathfest pre-show on May 21. MISERY INDEX is: Jason Netherton: Bass, Vocals Mark Kloeppel: Guitar, Vocals Adam Jarvis: Drums Dari
01 min read

SONATA ARCTICA: ‘Cloud Factory’ Lyric Video Released

Manos Spanos
The official lyric video for the song "Cloud Factory" from Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's eighth studio album, "Pariah's Child", which will be released on March 28 via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork for the CD can be seen below. Commented SONATA ARCTICA vocalist/keyboardist Tony Kakko: "It has some kind of an ear-worm factor. It's not a bad thing to have in a single. A story about how dad already sees his young son going to work in the same factory he still goes and where his dad and dad's dad went before him, and how that pleasantly vicious circle never ends." "Pariah's Child" track listing: 01. The Wolves Die Young 02. Running Lights 03. Take One Breath 04. Cloud Factory 05. Blood 06. What Did You Do In The War, Dad? 07. Half A Marathon Man 08. X Marks The Spot 09. Love 10. Larger Than Life "The Wolves Die Young" video can be seen below. The clip was filmed in January at Sibelius House in Lahti, Finland and was produced by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others. Commented Tony Kakko: "There are some instant SONATA 'greatest-hits' songs there, which feels good. "I think we reached the result we had in mind, each of us in our own field. "We went on to create the next SONATA ARCTICA power metalesque album and I think we achieved it adequately. "I have to say that I had drifted pretty far away from those 'days of thunder,' that speedy, happy-go-lucky attitude. "I was happy to notice this style can still make me smile. It's good. Music has to do that to me. It also shows the other older songs in a totally new light for me. "I can now understand and appreciate why the fans enjoy what we did in the early days." Regarding the new CD title and cover artwork, Kakko said: "As always, it's pretty hard coming up with a name for the new baby. I tried to approach it from many angles; how this is our eighth album and how easy it would be to abuse that fact. All the symbolism of figure eight, eternity and so on. But that just did not feel right, as it's been done so many times. Then I started to think how we'd in ways abandoned our 'totem animal,' the wolf and all what comes with the territory. "As the music on the album is bowing more towards the 'old' SONATA, meaning more power metal-style elements and wolves in many of the songs in one form or another, it was clear we need a wolf on the cover. An abandoned wolf. A pariah. Or pariah's child, actually. The new generation to bring the old logo back." SONATA ARCTICA last August parted ways with bassist Marko Paasikoski and replaced him with Pasi Kauppinen (SILENT VOICES, ex-REQUIEM, WINTERBORN). The band will launch a European headlining tour in support of "Pariah's Child" on April 10 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
03 min read

GOTTHARD: ‘Feel What I Feel’ Video Released

Manos Spanos
"Feel What I Feel", the new video from veteran Swiss rockers GOTTHARD, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's new album, "BANG!", which will be released on April 7 through PIAS. GOTTHARD has been at home touring the globe for over 20 years throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia on the back of 14 studio and live albums. They have collected multiple gold and platinum awards on the way, selling almost three million records and appearing at the biggest, most important festivals on the map of rock. The dynamic boogie groove of the "BANG!" title track is also new ground for the band, reflecting their unbridled energy and pure confidence. Also worthy of mention is a duet with the unknown (so far) American vocalist Melody Tibbits on a ballad entitled "Maybe". As is the blues excursion the band takes in "Spread Your Wings". The final "Thank You" is a veritable epic complete with orchestra and goosebumps, flowing against radio friendly convention to a length of more than ten minutes. Written as a tribute to the departed mother of guitarist Leo Leoni, it serves as a homage to mothers everywhere. The first single from the new album is "Feel What I Feel", a perfect demonstration of the group's talent for combining melodic vocals with strong guitar hooks. These songs are set against a background of classic GOTTHARD rock tunes like "Get Up 'N' Move On", "Jump The Gun" and "My Belief", which traditionally grace every album by the Swiss combo. All told, "BANG!" presents a compelling mix that is sure to take its rightful place in the proud legend of GOTTHARD. Recorded and produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and GOTTHARD's own Leo Leoni at Yellow House Studios in Lugano in the Swiss canton of Tessin, "BANG!" was then mixed at the Dutch Wisseloord Studios (Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner) by Ronald Prent, who has managed to keep the GOTTHARD sound but transport them into 2014. No wonder, after all Prent has worked in the studio with bands such as the SCORPIONS, 3 DOORS DOWN, DEF LEPPARD and WITHIN TEMPTATION. Apart from a standard jewel case, the album will be available in digipack version, with two bonus tracks and also on vinyl. GOTTHARD's last album, "Firebirth", entered the chart Switzerland at position No. 1 — the 14th time that a GOTTHARD CD has topped the Swiss chart in the group's career so far. In addition, the album landed at No. 9 on the German Media Control chart. "Firebirth" was released in June 2012 via Nuclear Blast/Warner Music. The CD was produced at the band's own Yellow House Studios in Lugano, Switzerland, with guitarist/songwriter Leo Leoni and Paul Lani (who has previously worked with GOTTHARD on several of their earlier albums, including "G-Spot" and "Homerun") at the helm. "Firebirth" marked GOTTHARD's first release with singer Nic Maeder, who was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, lived in Melbourne, Australia and grew up between Switzerland and "Down Under." GOTTHARD's previous vocalist, Steve Lee, was killed on October 5, 2010 in what has been described as a freak road accident in Nevada. gotthardbangcover
03 min read

BEHEMOTH’s NERGAL Is ‘Thinking About’ Recording Solo Album

Manos Spanos
Niclas Müller-Hansen of Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. Metalshrine: With the new album, "The Satanist", you entered the Billboard chart at No 34. Nergal: Yeah, and the previous highest position was 56 or something, I believe, so we got higher up this time around. I actually did some research and I think it's unheard of. I think the title can actually shut some doors for us, because it's so radical and it's really a "fuck off" title. It's like, "Fuck it! This is it!" For me, there are so many layers of it. I guess that when common people hear it for the first time, the first thing they feel is fear. But the western media also somehow feel very attracted to it, which is weird. Metalshrine: It's also weird climbing the charts in a country like the U.S., which is a very religious country. Nergal: They are as fanatical as they are liberal. Europe is way more conservative. The U.S. is extreme in many ways. Metalshrine: You recently said that U.S. death metal bands are boring and generic? Nergal: It's not just the U.S. I really hope my friends in NILE don't think that, because it's not what I meant. The majority of death metal bands are boring to me. It's how it is. This endless strive for perfection and processed recordings. They're so perfect and professional to the point of throwing up. I'm not buying it. I'd rather go for something that is very organic and more human oriented and that has the human factor in it. Metalshrine: What bands do you find exciting then? Nergal: The funny thing is that hardly any of the bands in the darkest niche of the genre offer the most sincere or genuine or best music. I would rather listen to SVARTIDAUDI, KRIEGSMACHINE or ORANSSI PAZUZU than listening to the new MORBID ANGEL or DEICIDE. Their music doesn't do it for me at all, and that's music I grew up with. Metalshrine: Could there ever be a Nergal solo album? Nergal: Yeah, I'm thinking about it. I've been thinking about it for years now. What I need now is to balance myself with something that's gonna be exactly on the opposite side of BEHEMOTH. You would never ever see me doing a black metal, death metal or metal project. I put all my energy into BEHEMOTH, so to balance my life I'd really need to do a really stripped down and primal sound. What I'm thinking about is probably just one or two male vocals, some acoustic guitars and maybe a bass drum only. Metalshrine: Do you already have music like that lying around? Nergal: Yeah, I've been fucking around with stuff. I've done some demos, which I hardly ever play for anybody. It's gonna be dark and sinister, but a bit different. Like 16 HORSEPOWER and WOVENHAND and that kinda stuff. Read the entire inte
03 min read

DAVE MUSTAINE: When I Left METALLICA, I Totally Re-Evaluated My Guitar Playing

Manos Spanos
The first episode of "Metalhead To Head", a web-only show where metal masters sit down together for surprisingly candid conversation and plenty of one-time-only music demonstrations and collaborations, can be seen at Fuse.tv. The episode features Dave Mustaine and Ricky Warwick (BLACK STAR RIDERS, THIN LIZZY). New episodes will debut every other Wednesday. Always at 1 p.m. ET. And always on Fuse.tv. Asked by Warwick about his lead-guitar technique, Mustaine said: "When I was in METALLICA, when I would write solos back then, I wrote them out. And then when I left, I totally re-evaluated my guitar playing and went from playing guitar because I loved it to playing guitar because I was pissed." He continued: "Playing, for me, doing solos and stuff like that, there's a lot of technique stuff that people do, they do sweeping and stuff like that and they do a lot of stuff that's real pretty-looking, but you know what?! After a while, someone sweeping through a whole solo, it's, like, enough already. I believe that David Gilmour can do more with one note than half of these kids that are out there now that can just do these mind-blowing solos." Artist pairings for future "Metalhead To Head" episodes include: * Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, THE WINERY DOGS) & Arejay Hale (HALESTORM) * Dave Ellefson (MEGADETH) & Doug Pinnick (KING'S X) * Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE) & Mark Heylmun (SUICIDE SILENCE) * Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE) & Frank Bello (ANTHRAX) * Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) & Ray Luzier (KORN) * Billy Sheehan (THE WINERY DOGS) & Marco Mendoza (BLACK STAR RIDERS, THIN LIZZY) * Eric Choi (WE CAME AS ROMANS) & Alex Lopez (SUICIDE SILENCE) * Michael Sweet (STRYPER) & Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT) * George Lynch (DOKKEN, LYNCH MOB) & Chris Broderick (MEGADETH) * Marty Friedman (MEGADETH) & Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN)
02 min read

DOWN: ‘IV – Part Two’ EP Details Revealed

Manos Spanos
DOWN will release a new EP, "Down IV - Part Two", on May 13 via Down Records/ADA Music. Tracked at Nodferatu's Lair — iconic vocalist Philip H. Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson, Anselmo and DOWN, the new EP is the eagerly anticipated sequel to "Down IV - Part One". The new offering from DOWN is packed with the quintet's signature gargantuan riffs, swamp blues leads, crashing drums and hypnotic howls, upholding a certain tradition that countless fans celebrate, expanding their own musical mythos as they leave its pillars intact and untouched. In support of the upcoming record, DOWN will take their renowned live show on the road this spring, joining BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and DEVIL YOU KNOW on a North American tour. The tour, which also includes DOWN headlining shows and festival appearances, begins at Iron City in Birmingham, Alabama on May 2, and ends at Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma on May 25. The run also includes an appearance on May 24 at Emo's in Austin at the "Rock the Heart" concert, a benefit for the late Mike Scaccia's (RIGOR MORTIS, MINISTRY) "Heart Rock" foundation, with the goal of raising awareness about heart disease. When Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Jimmy Bower, Pat Bruders, and Bobby Landgraf retreated to Nodferatu's Lair at Anselmo's Lousiana home in the fall of 2013, things had changed a bit. For the first time in the band's storied career, Kirk Windstein wouldn't be handling guitar duties alongside Keenan. Instead, longtime "family" member, stage manager, and HONKY guitarist Landgraf took the reins. "He was immediately at home," affirms Anselmo. "Bobby had always been that guy in case of anything. Knowing his personality, he really locked in with what we do and took it to heart. He made himself belong. Honestly, the first day he came down he contributed a very strong riff to a key song. There's that Southern element, which is imperative. I also catch a real old heavy metal vibe from this record. I can't stress this enough. He took it all on, and he did a fucking awesome job." Keenan adds, "Even with the lineup differences, it's interesting how the songs still sound very DOWN. Bobby and I have always locked in. It's not just physically either, but mentally as well. We see eye-to-eye, and he's been watching for a long time." "It was a big deal for me," beams Landgraf. "I drove ten hours up from Texas that first day, cracked a beer, and plugged in. We jumped right into the room, and I played this part. They all smiled. That was the moment for me. I'm a longtime fan, and I knew we were friends, but being a part of the writing and working towards something together was just incredible. As a guitar player, one of my goals was to be in a group like this. I want to make everyone proud." The fans will undoubtedly take pride in this collection as well. Making good on DOWN's promise of a series of EPs, the second installment sees a pronounced progression amongst the individuals themselves as well. "We wanted to back up our word as far as releasing these EPs," Anselmo goes on. "Everybody was fixated on that. This is the shortest period of time between our releases, and every one stepped it up and upped his game. Keenan, Bower, Bruders and Landgraf all contributed some excellent riffs. Having all of this fresh input makes for a different listen and a new perspective on what DOWN should and does sound like. All of that yields a unique record off the bat." For the future, DOWN's sights are set on endless touring. Landgraf made his formal stage debut when the band headlined Anselmo's first annual Housecore Horror Film Festival in front of a packed audience of the faithful in October 2013. Now, it's just about bringing that inimitable sound everywhere possible. "Down IV - Part Two" track listing: 01. Steeple 02. We Knew Him Well 03. Hogshead/Dogshead 04. Conjure 05. Sufferer's Years 06. Bacchanalia downivpart2
04 min read

Reunited DARK ANGEL: New Rehearsal Footage Posted Online

Manos Spanos
Video footage of reunited thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL rehearsing the song "Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)" earlier this month at a Southern California studio can be seen below. As previously reported, DARK ANGEL will reform for a limited number of appearances in 2014 in the U.S. and select festivals in Europe. The confirmed lineup for these rare and unique, select 2014 shows will be: * Gene Hoglan (drums) * Eric Meyer (guitar) * Jim Durkin (guitar) * Ron Rinehart (vocals) * Michael Gonzalez (bass) Comments Hoglan: "DARK fuckin ANGEL has been working real hard behind the scenes, and I can't tell you enough how happy we are to bring this beast back to the fans. "I'll admit before the rehearsals I really didn't know what to expect, but let me tell you, you to will be as stoked as I am. "We have returned!" During an appearance on this on the September 8, 2013 edition of the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" radio show, Hoglan spoke about the DARK ANGEL reunion, saying: "The most important thing for, I think, any of us, and especially me, and I know a couple of the other guys that are involved that the legacy of the band is very important. And if the band has attained some of kind of underground legendary status over the years, then if we do wanna return, a lot of people have great expecations of us, we'd better exceed those expectations. "Like Ron Rinehart said, the definition of 'good' is 'not bad.' [laughs] We don't wanna come out and even be great; we wanna be No. 1. And that's a very heartening attitude. "If some of the people that might wanna get involved with this… You've gotta do it for the right reasons. This is for the fans. And we're gonna come out and disappoint the fans, don't do it. If we're gonna come out and make the fans go, 'Yes, I expected something great and I got godly.' Then there's a reason for doing it." DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — 1984's "We Have Arrived" and 1986's "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — 1989's "Leave Scars" and 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992. Rinehart, Hoglan and Meyer reassembled DARK ANGEL more than a decade ago but were forced to abandon their reunion plans after health issues reportedly put an end to Rinehart's singing career.
02 min read

ROB ZOMBIE: New Concert DVD Track Listing Unveiled

Panagiotis Karagiannidis
Rob Zombie will release a new concert DVD and Blu-ray, apparently titled "The Zombie Horror Picture Show", in May. The cover artwork for the set can be seen below. The disc will feature footage filmed during stops on last year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Mayhem Festival tour in Houston on August 3, 2013 and Dallas on August 4.
02 min read