Releases
Dragonforce sold 24,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, debuting at No. 18 on The Billboard 200 chart… Sentenced’s posthumous DVD, Buried Alive, has been certified platinum in the band’s native country, topping the official Finnish chart upon its release in late 2006… Sweden’s Pain will release Cynic Paradise on October 31 via Nuclear Blast Records… The follow-up to Psalms of Extinction, released in 2007 via Roadrunner, offers a vast variety of styles and influences, which are even new for Pain… Nightwish singer, Anette Olzon, makes a guest appearance on “Follow Me” and “Feed Us”…
Germany’s Kreator will release Hordes Of Chaos in Europe on January 19, through SPV Records and in the US sometime around the end of January… Blood Money, the second album from Sweden’s Guillotine thrash metal band, features Nils Eriksson (bass) and Fredrik Mannberg (rhythm guitar) of Nocturnal Rites. It’ll be released October 27 via Pulverised Records... French black metalers Merrimack are hard at work on material for their next album, tentatively due late 2009 via Moribund… Swedish death metal band Diabolical will release their third full-length CD, The Gallery of Bleeding Art, on November 7 through ViciSolum Productions…
Signings
Nuclear Blast Records has landed the legendary Suffocation on the labels’ roster…
Studio
Fast-rising British death bangers Ignominious Incarceration are in the studio working on their debut album, The Legacy… Danish thrashers Artillery are scheduled to enter the studio in February 2009 to begin recording, with a tentative release of late 2009.
Personnel
Vader drummer Dariusz “Daray” Brzozowski and guitarist Maurycy “Mauser” Stefanowicz have left the veteran Polish death metal band… Daray will join Dimmu Borgir, while Mauser will reportedly concentrate on his Unsun project, set to release its debut album, The End Of Life, on September 22 via Century Media. The two members did complete commitments for the band’s 25-year anniversary show on August 30. Vader’s new touring line up consists of Piotr “Peter” Wiwczarek (guitar, vocals), Reyash (bass), Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka (guitar) and Pawel Jaroszewicz (drums)…
Flight of…
Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson (who is also a commercial airline pilot) was at the controls of the Astraeus aircraft which brought home RAF (British Royal Air Force) heroes returning to UK. They returned August 31, after a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan…
Personnel
Sodom’s original drummer, Chris Dudek (a.k.a. Witchhunter), passed away on Sunday, September 7… Bassist Gumby has left Canada’s Joe Thrasher... Florida’s Deicide has recruited Kevin Quirion from Order Ennead as their new touring guitarist. Quiron made his live debut with the band on September 13 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL… Exodus frontman Rob Dukes has launched a brand new rock project tentatively dubbed Dukes…
Strings from Hell
There’s video footage of classical violinist Rachel Barton Pine and cellist Mike Block performing Rachel’s arrangement of Pantera’s “Cowboys From Hell.” It was filmed at a faculty concert at Mark O’Connor’s Strings Conference in San Diego on July 31, and can be viewed on youtube.com It’s a very intense take on the song.
Read the Fine Print
A New Jersey man who killed his mother and then stabbed an 11-year-old boy to death, claimed he was influenced by a Metallica song about a boy who “lost my way this bloody day” when he committed the crime. He’s asking the court to throw out the 2004 guilty plea that sent him to prison for 50 years…
Dates
Kataklysm rips up the Ridglea Theater on October 9…
More Worth Lemmy News
The one and only Lemmy Kilminster of Motorhead served as musical director for “Down And Dirty With Jim Norton,” hosted by outrageous comedy star Jim Norton. It kicks off a four-edition run on October 3 at 12:00 - 12:30 AM. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO…
Suicide Opera — Ridglea Theater, 9/13/08
Suicide Opera had one of the largest audiences this evening, and they commanded it diligently. Nearly every song governed a mosh-pit that resembled a shark-feeding frenzy. “Just for You” and “United” plowed through the Ridglea Theater — testing its stability. The band’s diabolically dark stage show was served with bloody members and ominous cemetery-like fog. If Slipknot and Devil Driver had a love child, the end result would be Suicide Opera. The only foe to the show was the meager thirty-minute time slot in which to play. Nonetheless, the message was received that Suicide Opera can deliver a true metal performance with the best of them. (Misty Johnson)
Obituary at Lola’s
Photo: Travis Tutwiler
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Obituary – Lola’s, 9/18/08
Lola’s provided the perfect place for an intimate night of moshing with Florida’s premier death metal icons – Obituary. The crowd packed in to get up close and personal with John Tardy (vocals), Donald Tardy (drums), Frank Watkins (bass), and guitarists Trevor Peres and Ralph Santolla. The set included songs spanning nearly 20 years as they tore through classics like “Turned Inside Out,” “Slowly We Rot” and “Threatening Skies.” The band’s sound was tight and John’s vocals were ferocious. Ralph Santolla’s lead guitar work was mesmerizing and really shined on “Wicked Ways” and the new track “Forces Realign” from the recently released Left To Die EP. Fans were also treated to a cover of Celtic Frost’s “Dethroned Emperor,” which along with “Left To Die” and a 2008 re-recorded version of “Slowly We Rot” are also included on the EP. It was one hell of show. Hope you didn’t miss it. (Travis Tutwiler)
All That Remains – Overcome, Prosthetic Records
The Massachusetts 5-piece is back with the follow up to their break through The Fall Of Ideals. They’ve continued to perfect their sound by delivering a blistering barrage of drums, intricate guitar work and the versatile vocals delivered by frontman Phillip Labonte. Check out “Chiron” as displays his gut wrenching growls, high end screams and his banshee wail. Of course he shows that he can truly sing on the closing track “Believe In Nothing.” Guitarist – Mike Martin and Oli Herbert – shine throughout as they delivering great harmony and lead lines on tracks like “Two Weeks” and “Undone.” Jason Costa (drums) and Jeanne Sagan (bass) are solid and go from subtle on the intro to “A Song For The Hopeless” to down right punishing on “Before The Damned.” Overcome is the total package and proves that ATR truly belong at the forefront of the metal movement.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Meshuggah — Destroy Erase Improve (Re-Loaded), Nuclear Blast
This is one of those timeless albums that doesn’t sound like it originally did 13 years ago. Whether they want to acknowledge it or not, almost every modern metal band has ripped off Destroy Erase Improve in one way or another. “Future Breed Machine” is still as brutal as ever, “Soul Burn” still has that stomp and “Suffer in Truth” will still grind its way into your brain.
As an album, it’s math-metal nirvana, but the Re-Loaded treatment is a little bit of a disappointment. If you shop around, five bonus tracks can be found on previous releases, and three of those are demos of songs on the album. The final track is the somewhat hard to find “Aztec Two Step,” a crushing industrial-style bruiser. No real need to pick this one up unless either you do not own it or your copy is worn out.
(D.J. Ivie)
Brother Von Doom – Relentless, Deathcote Records
One listen to Relentless and you’ll know where it got the name. The band does not let up and delivers a punishing sound that will grab you until you beg for mercy. The drums and bass are furious as Moses Grinder (bass) and Matt Thomas (drums) take their aggressions out on their instruments. Just check out “Judas Kiss” and “Echoes Of The Undead.” Guitars run rampant throughout and show that Brian Baxter and Tate Matthews know their shit. Just check out the twists, turns and harmonies on “Norse Demise” and fretboard display on “Love And Terror Cult.” Chris Elliot (vocals) spews venom with his delivery as if he’s pissed at the world and it owes him something. Check out Relentless and let these 5 guys from Ohio give you a brutal metal beat down.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Bleeding Through – Declaration, Trustkill Records
Throw on Declaration and check out “Beneath The Grey” and you’ll see that Orange County’s Bleeding Through haven’t softened up one bit on their new release. The music is more aggressive and has a lot more attitude. Sure, Brandan Schieppati (vocals) does provide a few melodic vocals here and there but most of the time he’s in your face. The rhythm section of Derek Youngsma (drums) and Ryan Wombacher (bass) are fast and furious while Marta (keys) adding a symphonic backdrop to the thundering wall of sound. Guitarists – Jona Weinhofen and Brian Leppke – fire back and forth between spitfire riffs and brutal breakdowns. Check out “Death Anxiety,” “Germany” and the pounding “Orange County Blonde and Blue.” Bleeding Through has definitely made a statement with Declaration that they’re not slowing down anytime soon. That’s great news for metal fans.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Hackneyed – Death Prevails, Nuclear Blast
Death Prevails offers plenty of rapid fire drums courtesy of Tim, as well as spiraling guitar by Ix and Devin. Phil (vocals) provides a low growl with the occasional pig squeal similar to old Job For A Cowboy. It’s amazing that Hackneyed have an average age of 16 because they possess the skills of a band that have been around that many years. Death Prevails is their debut release and although it provides some great punishing tracks like “Ravenous,” “Worlds Collide” and “Again” there is nothing that really separates them from so many of the other death metal bands out there. But with their talent it won’t be long before that changes.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Artas – The Healing, SPV
Artas have come from Austria to a little more brutality to the metal scene with their debut The Healing. The title track is will bludgeon you with the pounding rhythm provided by Radek (bass) and Chris (drums). Obimahan (vocals) and Hannes (vocals/guitar) hit you screams, growls then come out of no where the clean vocals. So they can do it all. Sid (guitar) and Hannes aren’t fancy when it comes to the guitar parts but they provide what the songs need. Just check out “Rhagenfels” and “Barbossa.” Besides hitting you with shear brutality Artas show their talents by providing lyrics in English, German and Spanish on the disc. Check out other killer tracks like “Bastardo,” “The Butcher’s Guilt” and a kick ass remake of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.” Of course it’s much more brutal than the original.
(Travis Tutwiler)
