Lost your password?

News

RHAPSODY OF FIRE: New Song ‘Silver Lake Of Tears’ Available For Streaming

Manos Spanos
Italian symphonic metallers RHAPSODY OF FIRE will release their new studio album, "Dark Wings Of Steel", on November 22 in Europe and December 3 in the USA via AFM Records. The CD was produced by keyboardist Alex Staropoli, with all songs composed by Staropoli and Manuel Staropoli, with assistance from Roby De Micheli. All lyrics were written by singer Fabio Lione. The effort features a full orchestra, a choir and real string instruments, as in the finest RHAPSODY OF FIRE tradition. "Dark Wings Of Steel" will be released on CD, double vinyl and as a digipak. The digipak and vinyl versions will include a bonus track. "Dark Wings Of Steel" track listing: 01. Vis Divina 02. Rising From Tragic Flames 03. Angel Of Light 04. Tears Of Pain 05. Fly To Crystal Skies 06. My Sacrifice 07. Silver Lake Of Tears 08. Custode Di Pace 09. A Tale Of Magic 10. Dark Wings Of Steel 11. Sad Mystic Moon Bonus track on digipak and vinyl: 12. A Candle To Light (extended version) The song "Silver Lake Of Tears" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. RHAPSODY OF FIRE in June "respectfully" parted ways with their American guitarist Tom Hess due to "philosophical differences." RHAPSODY OF FIRE released a new live album, "Live - From Chaos To Eternity", on May 3 in Europe and May 7 in the USA via AFM Records. It was made available as two-CD digipak and as limited three-vinyl set. The material (a mixture of old classics and newer tracks) was recorded on the band’s latest European tour in spring 2012. Staropoli and RHAPSODY OF FIRE guitarist Luca Turilli in 2011 announced their decision to go their separate ways. Due to legal reasons, Staropoli is continuing under the RHAPSODY OF FIRE name. Turilli, on the other hand, is making his efforts available under the RHAPSODY moniker (RHAPSODY OF FIRE's original name), in which he is joined by guitarist Dominique Leurquin, bassist Patrice Guers, singer Alessandro Conti (TRICK OR TREAT) and drummer Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA, STRATOVARIUS). RHAPSODY OF FIRE's latest album, "From Chaos To Eternity", was released in North America on July 12, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. Described by the band as "the natural evolution" from 2010's "The Frozen Tears Of Angels", the CD marks RHAPSODY OF FIRE's final release based on the fantasy saga started in 1997 with the group's debut album, "Legendary Tales".
03 min read

LAMB OF GOD: Entire 10th-Anniversary Edition Of ‘As The Palaces Burn’ Available For Streaming

Manos Spanos
Richmond, Virigina metallers LAMB OF GOD will release a special 10th-anniversary edition of their "As The Palaces Burn" album on November 11. You can now stream the entire CD using the SoundCloud widget below (courtesy of RollingStone.com). After some serious detective work tracking down the original album master tapes, the band went in with producer Josh Wilbur (who also produced LAMB OF GOD's "Wrath" and"Resolution" CDs) and gave "Palaces" a full-on, ass-kicking remix and remaster, front to back, top to bottom. The remixed version of "Palaces" is now how they had originally intended it to be. To go along with the album re-release, LAMB OF GOD also shot a brand new DVD documentary recounting the recording process and the stories behind the music which features new interviews with original producer Devin Townsend, the band members and current producer,Josh Wilbur. LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler comments: "We are lucky to have the opportunity, a decade after our first attempt, to bring what I consider to be our master work up to speed sonically. "Ever since the original release, we've been distraught about the sonic qualities of 'As The Palaces Burn'. "The band had captured lightning in a bottle and the budget limitation of a sophomore album turned our lightning into a firefly in a jar. "The songs are undeniable and we've always been very proud of how this album launched our career. It feels appropriate to revisit now that we can and give this very special album the chance to reach our original hopes and it's true potential." "As The Palaces Burn" 10th-anniversary edition track listing: 01. Ruin 02. As The Palaces Burn 03. Purified 04. 11th Hour 05. For Your Malice 06. Boot Scraper 07. A Devil In God’s Country 08. In Defense Of Our Good Name 09. Blood Junkie 10. Vigil 11. Ruin (previously unreleased demo) 12. As The Palaces Burn (previously unreleased demo) 13. Blood Junkie (previously unreleased demo) To order "As The Palaces Burn" 10th-anniversary edition, go to this location. The "Vigil" video can be seen below. The clip was directed by Don Argott and edited byDemian Fenton, the team responsible for the forthcoming LAMB OF GOD feature film "As The Palaces Burn", which is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release in February 2014.
03 min read

DREAM THEATER: ‘On The Backs Of Angels’ Performance Clip From ‘Live At Luna Park’

Manos Spanos
On November 5, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release "Dream Theater: Live At Luna Park"on 2DVD, Blu-ray, visual digital formats and a deluxe edition. The deluxe edition is an 11.5" square 60 page hardback photobook containing the Blu-ray, 2 DVDs and 3 CDs presenting all the key physical formats in one release; the CDs are only available in this deluxe edition. These releases boast the 160 minute main show — accompanied by a wealth of bonus material — and feature many of the band's classic tracks, including "Metropolis Pt. 1", "The Silent Man", "Pull Me Under", "The Root Of All Evil", "The Test That Stumped Them All", "The Spirit Carries On" and the recent "On The Backs Of Angels". DREAM THEATER began their mammoth "A Dramatic Tour Of Events" world trek in July 2011 with the final leg in South America taking place in August 2012. It was here at the Luna Park Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that they decided to film the two nights that make up this DVD release. The "Live At Luna Park" band lineup for this show is James LaBrie (vocals); John Petrucci(guitar); Jordan Rudess (keyboards); John Myung (bass); and Mike Mangini (drums). This was DREAM THEATER's first tour and album with their new drummer and all the tracks from that album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", are included in either the main show or the bonus performances. The bonus features offer live versions of six great tracks: "These Walls"; "Build Me Up, Break Me Down"; "Caught In A Web"; "Wait For Sleep"; "Far From Heaven"; and "Pull Me Under". Also on "Live At Luna Park" is a documentary, the trailer for the cinema release of the film, a "behind-the-scenes" feature and the cartoon intro that ran on big screens prior to the band taking to the stage in Buenos Aires. The Blu-ray additionally features six multi-angle options on "Outcry". The "On The Backs Of Angels" performance clip taken from "Live At Luna Park" can be seen below. Roadrunner Records e-mailed guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess to get their thoughts on these special shows. Roadrunner Records: You played four songs with a string quartet over the two nights. Who did the arrangements? Jordan Rudess: All the string parts were written by Eren Basbug, the young and talented Turkish musician that I discovered online through his beautiful orchestrations of DREAM THEATER's music and then his great work orchestrating and conducting the premiere of my own composition, "Explorations For Keyboard And Orchestra". For two of the songs we did live with the quartet ("Beneath The Surface" and "Far From Heaven") I had originally arranged and recorded quartet-like string parts from my keyboard, and that is what you hear on "A Dramatic Turn Of Events". Eren was able to take those two songs and really make sure what I wrote worked for real players, as well as add some nice touches! For the other two songs, "The Silent Man" and "Wait For Sleep", he created original quartet arrangements. Roadrunner Records: How much rehearsal time did you have with the quartet? John Petrucci: We played through each song with them a couple of times at soundcheck. We probably spent about an hour in total making sure they were comfortable and that they knew certain cues, etc. Jordan Rudess: We had one rehearsal before the first show. I had sent all the music to coordinator Luis Gorelik (who is a well known conductor in South America) and he helped organize the players. Roadrunner Records: How did their presence alter the way you guys in the band played those songs? Obviously they weren't just sawing away in the background; they were integral to the music, so…in what ways? John Petrucci: Honestly, we played the songs just as we have been and they followed us. On"Beneath The Surface" and "Far From Heaven", they basically played the arrangements that are on the album. Original arrangements were created for "The Silent Man" and "Wait For Sleep".
06 min read

MEGADETH’s DAVID ELLEFSON: ‘My Life With Deth’ EPK Available

Manos Spanos
A two-minute EPK (Electronic Press Kit) on MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson's autobiography, "My Life With Deth", can be seen below. The autobiography of Ellefson, co-founder and bassist of 11-time Grammy-nominated heavy metal titans MEGADETH, was made available on October 29 via Howard Books. Ellefson's memoir, "My Life With Deth", chronicles the story of Ellefson's fall into addiction during the band's early years, followed by his subsequent recovery and the return to faith which championed the band's rise to fame over the past several decades. The book was written withJoel McIver, the bestselling author of 21 books on rock music, and features a foreword byAlice Cooper. World rights to "My Life With Deth" were sold to Philis Boultinghouse atHoward Books by agent Lisa Gallagher at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Since 1983, the celebrated metal band MEGADETH has sold more than 20 million albums, received eleven Grammy nominations, and built a fan base of millions. Still going strong, they recently toured the world with METALLICA, ANTHRAX and SLAYER. Now, in "My Life With Deth", Ellefson tells the whole behind-the-scenes story of the band and his personal journey from suffering to salvation. At first glance, Ellefson's history reads like a how-to manual of excess, from hardcore drugs to X-rated debauchery. But Ellefson goes much deeper, taking us on a gripping journey from his Lutheran upbringing as a Minnesota farm boy, through the culture shock he experienced when he arrived in Los Angeles and entered the music industry, to his drug-fueled MEGADETH days, and finally how he beat his addictions and embarked on a path of sobriety and faith, entering a new life of Christian devotion. Today, studying to become a Lutheran pastor, Ellefson presides over MEGA Life! Ministries, a foundation that reaches hundreds of churchgoers every week. Ellefson says: "My autobiography is not the usual tale of rock 'n' roll woe, but rather something I hope will truly inspire people. I have dedicated my life to my craft, and I wanted to share the story of how a kid with a bass guitar and the dream of rock stardom literally risked it all to move from the farm in Minnesota to Los Angeles, and with a lot of hard work, sacrifice and a little luck along the way, made the dream come true. I think the readers will enjoy the stories, as well as the hardships, of this way of life as a musician and artist. I've been very open about my life's obstacles and the means by which I overcame them. Now, my hope is that this story will inspire others to follow their dreams and really live out the purpose for their lives, too.” The book features contributions from Kerry King (SLAYER), Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Ellefson's current bandmate in MEGADETH Shawn Drover and also former colleagues Chris Poland andMarty Friedman. In addition to numerous gold and platinum records, David is the author of the book "Making Music Your Business" and has two metal bass guitar instructional DVDs through Rock House Method entitled "Metal Bass Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2". He is also a featured bass clinician, keynote speaker and panelist on the subject of music and the music industry.
03 min read

AYREON’s ‘The Theory Of Everything’ Cracks Dutch Top 5

Manos Spanos
"The Theory Of Everything", the new album from AYREON — the project led by Dutch guitarist/composer Arjen Lucassen — has entered the official chart in The Netherlands at position No. 3. The CD was released on October 28 via InsideOut Music. The artwork was once again created by Belgian artist Jef Bertels, who has an incredible and distinct fantasy/sci-fi style. The "The Theory Of Everything" title track can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. "The Theory Of Everything" track listing: Disc 1 Phase I: Singularity 01. Prologue: The Blackboard 02. The Theory Of Everything Part 1 03. Patterns 04. The Prodigy's World 05. The Teacher's Discovery 06. Love And Envy 07. Progressive Waves 08. The Gift 09. The Eleventh Dimension 10. Inertia 11. The Theory Of Everything Part 2 Phase II: Symmetry 12. The Consultation 13. Diagnosis 14. The Argument 1 15. The Rival's Dilemma 16. Surface Tension 17. A Reason To Live 18. Potential 19. Quantum Chaos 20. Dark Medicine 21. Alive! 22. The Prediction Disc 2 Phase III: Entanglement 01. Fluctuations 02. Transformation 03. Collision 04. Side Effects 05. Frequency Modulation 06. Magnetism 07. Quid Pro Quo 08. String Theory 09. Fortune? Phase IV: Unification 10. Mirror Of Dreams 11. The Lighthouse 12. The Argument 2 13. The Parting 14. The Visitation 15. The Breakthrough 16. The Note 17. The Uncertainty Principle 18. Dark Energy 19. The Theory Of Everything Part 3 20. The Blackboard (Reprise) "The Theory Of Everything" formats: * Limited deluxe artbook (2CD, DVD + Bonus 2CD) includes a 48-page perfect binding LP-sized book with plenty of artwork, the bonus DVD with a making of feature, full-length interviews and the recording session time lapse footage and in addition all tracks as instrumental versions on 2CDs * Special-edition 2CD+DVD mediabook * Gatefold black 2LP+2CD incl. Booklet with additional artwork * Standard 2CD jewelcase * Digital download "The Theory Of Everything" recording lineup: Vocalists (in order of appearance): * Janne "JB" Christoffersson (GRAND MAGUS) as The Teacher * Sara Squadrani (ANCIENT BARDS) as The Girl * Michael Mills (TOEHIDER) as The Father * Cristina Scabbia (LACUNA COIL) as The Mother * Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT, SEVENTH WONDER) as The Prodigy * Marko Hietala (NIGHTWISH) as The Rival * John Wetton (ASIA, KING CRIMSON) as The Psychiatrist Instrumentalists: * Ed Warby - drums * Rick Wakeman (YES) - keyboards * Keith Emerson (EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER) - keyboards * Jordan Rudess (DREAM THEATER) - keyboards * Steve Hackett (GENESIS) - lead guitar * Troy Donockley (BAD SHEPHERDS, NIGHTWISH) - Uilleann pipes and low flute * Arjen Anthony Lucassen - electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, mandolin and keyboards.
03 min read

PRIMAL FEAR: ‘Delivering The Black’ Album Details Revealed

Manos Spanos
Frontiers Records will release "Delivering The Black", the tenth studio album from German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR, on January 24 in Europe and January 28 in North America. After some very intense songwriting sessions and pre-production schedule, the band started to record the new CD in summer 2013 at the House Of Music studios in Germany, with bassist/producer Mat Sinner and engineer Achim Köhler (EDGUY, MASTERPLAN). The band then moved to Denmark in September to finish the album, with acclaimed producer/engineerJacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, PRETTY MAIDS, AMARANTHE) handling the mix at his Hansenstudio in Ribe. "Delivering The Black" combines the strongest PRIMAL FEAR moments ever, with a well-balanced typical PRIMAL FEAR trademark riff vibe, crushing songs and some very ambitious musical journeys. The centerpiece of the album are two epic tracks, "When Death Comes Knocking" and the 10-minute opus "One Night In December", spiced with big orchestral arrangements and complex sound designs. Classic and ultra-fresh PRIMAL FEAR riff-rockers like the title track, the album opener "King For A Day" or the groove monsters "Alive And On Fire" and "Road To Asylum" hit the bulls-eye just like the untamed speed killer "Rebel Faction". The outstanding ballad "Born With A Broken Heart" shows a new side of PRIMAL FEAR with an acoustic guitar vibe and the addition of Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES) on backing vocals. Says PRIMAL FEAR singer Ralf Scheepers: "We worked hard to create our best album ever. I already felt the vibe during the pre-production that we were working on something very special this time. And now the result is just an amazing metal album I'm extremely proud of!" Sinner adds: "The songs, the production, the sound — this album is a very special one for me and my career. In my view, everybody in the band just did a killer job and Jacob was fantastic choice to mix the album!" The arrival of "Delivering The Black" will be preceded by the release of the digital-only single/video "When Death Comes Knocking" on December 2 — a song which sets the pace for the outstanding quality of production and songwriting displayed on the full album. Check out an audio sample in the YouTube clip below. "Delivering The Black" will be made available in a regular CD edition, deluxe edition with two bonus tracks and — in cooperation with Soulfood Music — vinyl edition and DVD and limited edition (666 copies only!) of a super-deluxe version, including a metallic eagle.
04 min read

First-Ever MOTÖRHEAD Trivia Game Released

Manos Spanos
Rock Science has joined forces with MOTÖRHEAD to deliver the first MOTÖRHEAD trivia game ever. MOTÖRHEAD is the loudest band of all time, and they are bloody timeless, just like Rock Science. Experience all the riffin', the loudness, the drinks, the girls, the songs, the lyrics, the fights, the fuck-ups and the wins, plus much, much more. Dig deep into the history of this monster and call yourself a Motörhead Scientist. The Rock Science Motörhead Game includes 1600 questions, designed with the Rock Science trademark difficulty levels: Poser, Fan and Scientist. Intense betting also gives the novice a fair chance to beat the hardcore MOTÖRHEAD fan. Then, of course, you have the Rock The Song category where participants hum a given song for the others to guess. This is where the party really starts! Players travel the game board using beautiful Dunlop guitar picks with exclusive MOTÖRHEADdesign. You won't see these picks anywhere else, that's a fact! Also included are card holders, designed as replicas of Lemmy's and Phil Campbell's amplifiers, to help you keep the question cards in place. "I've had a fun life for sure. Playing this will help me remember it!" said Lemmy of theMOTÖRHEAD trivia game. The Rock Science Motörhead Game is the ONLY way to experience MOTÖRHEAD's 30-plus years of rock 'n' roll mayhem. Order yours today.
01 min read

SEPULTURA’s ANDREAS KISSER: Having DAVE LOMBARDO Guest On New Album Was ‘An Honor’

Manos Spanos
The Rock Pit recently conducted an interview with guitarist Andreas Kisser of Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. The Rock Pit: Ross Robinson produced the new album ["The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart"] and the last time you worked with him was on the "Roots"album. How was it working with him again? Andreas: It was amazing! We love Ross. He's a great guy and a great producer. When we worked on "Roots", it was one of the most important albums in our career, not only forSEPULTURA but also for Ross himself. It was great to see him after so many years and when we had the opportunity to work together again, he understands SEPULTURA so much. He's very spiritual, very organic. He didn't want the album to sound like a machine — no click on the drums, none of the Pro Tools. The concept of the album also warranted it in the recording, just to be sure that the balance that we had without being attached to the technical stuff that we have to be. Even on "Roots", we used all that digital equipment but now he brought his own experience and can add different atmospheres and it keeps the music alive. We always try to bring the SEPULTURA sound that we have on stage live into the studio and I think with Ross, we kind of managed to achieve that finally. The Rock Pit: How much of an influence did he have on the album? Was there some "Roots"thing going or any nostalgia? Andreas: No. I mean, Ross worked with us on the last stage. We wrote the music in the studio here in Sao Paulo; me and Eloy [Casagrande, drums] wrote the music together. The drums and the guitars were really the base of everything and then Derrick [Green, vocals] came in and brought vocal lines and Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr., bass] with bass lines and then at the last stage, of course, Ross came. We went into the studio in Venice Beach [California] where we recorded the album and we gave the songs to him and then he came with suggestions and he was crucial. He made a big difference especially on finding the sound and the right atmosphere for the songs. It was really a group effort that you hear on the album and there's something that we respect about that; it's amazing. It's a different process when a new person comes in to complete that. The Rock Pit: For the drumming, you had a new guy Eloy Casagrande, which is his first album with you guys and he did a fantastic job. How was it recording with him? Andreas: He's great, man! Like I said, he has lots of experience, he has a great heart and is dedicated and professional; he was ready. Being in SEPULTURA from his side is a dream and it shows. It's great to have somebody who wants to be there more than anything else. His drumming is fantastic; I think he really stepped up. He never did something like that before, that type of music so extreme. Ross was also great to push ourselves to break that music, to really do like we do in live performing. We really had a great time with Ross. He really understood the way we wanted to record, without the drum click and everything. He was amazing; [he] did an amazing job. The Rock Pit: I noticed that Dave Lombardo does a guest spot on "Obsessed", which is another great song on the album. How did his appearance come about? Andreas: Yeah, that was something really cool. It wasn't planned at all. Ross' studio in Venice Beach is a beautiful place and Dave Lombardo was there on Venice Beach having a good time with his kids and dogs, and he called Ross and said, "Hey, I'm around. What's going on?" andRoss invited him to the studio and said, "SEPULTURA is here. Do you wanna jam?" and he says, "Yeah, why not?" and then he was there. We spent a few hours with that and we put together a two-man drumset and Lombardo was thinking, "OK, let's start jamming," and that was inspired by the song that we wanted to have something special there. Dave is such a great guy; he's one of our biggest idols. SLAYER has been such a big influence on SEPULTURAand to have him on the album is an honor and a privilege. The way it happened was even better. It was not like that kind of bureaucracy and all that kind of crap. It happened so naturally that it's even better. Read the entire interview at The Rock Pit.
05 min read

AVENGED SEVENFOLD Singer: ‘We Have So Many Eerie Similarities To METALLICA’

Manos Spanos
Radio.com recently conducted an interview with AVENGED SEVENFOLD vocalist M. Shadows and bassist Johnny Christ. You can now watch the chat below. Asked how it feels to be compared to METALLICA, M. Shadows said: "To me, we have so many eerie similarities to METALLICA, it's ridiculous. We lost a member during one of our most important times. We have an album now which is being compared to the 'black' album [byMETALLICA], which is very… For us, we kneel at the throne. We're very much big fans ofMETALLICA. At the same time, we're just doing our thing, we're trying to create our own legacy." AVENGED SEVENFOLD recently filmed a video for the song "Shepherd Of Fire" with directorWayne Isham, who has helmed clips for such artists as METALLICA, PANTERA, GODSMACK,DEF LEPPARD and BON JOVI. Isham previously worked with AVENGED SEVENFOLD on the "Seize The Day", "Afterlife","Nightmare" and "So Far Away" videos. AVENGED SEVENFOLD's sixth studio album, "Hail To The King", sold 159,000 copies in its first week of release, giving the California band their second straight chart-topper after 2010's"Nightmare". AVENGED SEVENFOLD kicked off its first major tour in support of the new CD on October 3 in Chicago.
01 min read

BLINK-182 Drummer Goes ‘Black Metal’ For Halloween

Manos Spanos
BLINK-182 drummer Travis Barker dressed up as former GORGOROTH and current GOD SEEDbassist King Ov Hell (real name: Tom Cato Visnes) this past Halloween. Barker's Instagram photo of his Halloween getup — complete with black metal-style makeup — can be seen below. Back in 2002, Barker revealed to Sweden's Close-Up magazine that he once turned down an opportunity to join SLAYER. "I've never revealed this before, but a few months ago, I was offered the position as the replacement for Dave Lombardo in SLAYER," he told the magazine. "It would have been fun — they're my childhood idols, but I don't know… I'm happy with what I've got going right now." Barker's lengthy resume also includes stints in TRANSPLANTS and BOX CAR RACER. In an interview with MTV conducted in October 2002, Barker expressed his appreciation for extreme metal music, stating that "I grew up on WHODINI and RUN-D.M.C. and SLAYER andKING DIAMOND and THE CLASH. We've always loved all these types of music." An article published in Teen Music listed SLAYER's "Reign In Blood" as one of Barker's top two CDs of all time, an honor it shared with THE POLICE's "Live".
01 min read