Metallian Heavy

Dark Descent will release CORPSESSED’s The Dagger And The Chalice on May 12th. The band hails from Finland.

Pride: Pulverised Records is proud to have signed Singaporean band IMPIETY for its upcoming eighth studio album.

More pride: Pulverised Records is proud to sign Swedish death metal band SKINEATER. Formed in late 2008, SKINEATER features scene veterans Håkan Stuvemark (ex-WOMBBATH, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Stefan Westerberg (ex-CARNAL FORGE, ex-IN THY DREAMS, etc.), Thomas Ohlsson (APOSTASY, ex-THE PROJECT HATE MCMXCIX) and Jörgen Ström (THE MARY MAJOR).

Dutch death metal band DETONATION has issued a demo called Reprisal. The band went the independent route once it became clear a label was not in the cards. The band is playing in Italy and The Netherlands next month.

Greyhaze Records will issue an EP and a full-length album by Brazilian grindcore outfit DESALMADO. DESALMADO’s Hereditas 10″ EP is out this summer.

RISING DARK, from Faenza Italy, has signed with SG Records. The debut is called Apocalyptic and was recorded at Fear Studio in 2009. It contains 40 minutes of thrashcore.

LOUDBLAST will release a new album, Frozen Moments Between Life And Death, on April 18th through XIII Bis Records. It was recorded and mixed by producer Peter Tägtgren at Abyss Studio.

Sweden’s PORTRAIT will release a second full-length album, Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae, on May 10th through Metal Blade Records. The album was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, UNANIMATED and DESTRÖYER 666) in Alvik, Sweden.

Due to “circumstances beyond the band’s control,” DESTRUCTION has postponed its previously announced South American dates to August.

BRUTAL TRUTH has completed work on its new full-length album, End Time, with Doug White.

HOD is playing shows with MARDUK, AURA NOIR, BLACK ANVIL and PANZERFAUST this summer and issue an album called Book Of The Worm later in the year.

DARK TRANQUILLITY, ELUVEITIE, DEATH ANGEL and VARG will hit Europe under the monicker of the Neckbreaker’s Ball Tour 2011 in October and November.

HELHEIM’s Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr is out now.

GALLHAMMER will release its third studio album, The End, on May 31st through Peaceville Records. The album was recorded at Void)))Lab in Tokyo in October of 2010 and was mastered in Oslo, Norway in February of 2011.

HATE ETERNAL album Phoenix Amongst The Ashes is out through Metal Blade. The band is touring Canada in June.

Dark Descent Records has announced the signing of American death metal act FATHER BEFOULED for the release of its third album on CD and LP formats. The band will enter the studio in August to record Revulsion Of Seraphic Grace and hopes to shoot for a release late in the year.

ViciSolum Productions has signed the Norwegian thrash metal band EXELOUME and will release its album, Fairytale Of Perversion, on May 13th.

Guitarist Kride Lahti has left DEAD SHAPE FIGURE. The Finns are still scheduled to tour with KATAKLYSM in Europe this month. Lahti was unmotivated by the band.

UNITED’s Tear Of Illusions will be released on April 20th through Spiritual Beast.

The power of loyalty and fidelity. EXHORDER has recruited bassist Jorge Caicedo (THE VOID and BUILT TO DESTROY) for the shows with RIGOR MORTIS. He replaces Frankie Sparcello who died in March.

Ukraine’s APOSTATE is seeking a label.

Inspired by KEEL? The reformed MALICE has recruited HELSTAR singer James Rivera. The band is working on a new album in Los Angeles.

NEVERMORE guitar player Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams have announced their departure from the group. Loomis and Williams had been with NEVERMORE since the band’s first album, 1995’s self-titled, Nevermore. The two refer to “internal struggles and ongoing issues within the band” as a reason for their move. NEVERMORE recently cancelled its tour with SYMPHONY X.

The self-titled debut album from THE KONSORTIUM is ready to launch through Agonia Records, featuring 8 tracks of black/thrash metal. The band features Teloch from MAYHEM/NIDINGR on guitar.

EVOCATION has joined ARCH ENEMY as main support for three tour dates in May and June in Slovakia and Poland. These Tour dates follow EVOCATION’s upcoming European Tour as support for AMON AMARTH.

Italian band KENOS has announced the departure from the band of singer Alex Giudice. Michele Spallieri (GRIVERS and SYMMETRIC DISORDER) will be the new singer of the band.

Gene Hoglan covered drum duties for FORBIDDEN drummer Mark Hernandez at the band’s headlining appearances at Inferno Fest in Norway and at Metropole Ruhr Fest in Germany. Hernandez was busy with a “family obligation.”

The new KRALLICE album Diotima is now available through Profound Lore.

NOCTEM’s new album is entitled Oblivion and out through Rising Records. The second part of the trilogy that started with the Divinity album is going to be “the hardest, fastest and darkest opus from the band until the date.”

LOCK UP has picked Necropolis Transparent as the title for its upcoming album. Necropolis Transparent will be released on July 1st (Europe) and July 12th (North America).

Pivotal Rockordings has signed NOCICEPTOR and ANNEX THEORY.

ALL SHALL PERISH has announced This Is Where It Ends as the title for its fourth full-length record and follow-up to its 2008 release Awaken The Dreamers. The majority of This Is Where It Ends was recorded and mixed once again at Castle Ultimate Studio in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren (LIGHT THIS CITY, DECREPIT BIRTH and SUFFOCATION).

Michigan black metal act WINTERUS is going to release In Carbon Mysticism on April 26th (North America)/May 16th (Europe) on Lifeforce Records.

DEEDS OF FLESH has parted ways with guitarist Sean Southern due to “personal reasons” and have replaced him with Craig Peters of ARKAIK.


Metallian Hard

My Kingdom has signed Italy’s DRAKKAR. The label will release an album entitled When Lightning Strikes on October 10th.

LANFEAR has picked This Harmonic Consonance as the title for its sixth album, which is due later in the year through a new label.

Metal On Metal Records has signed MELIAH RAGE. The band is completing its seventh studio album, entitled Dead To The World, which is due in July in time for the act’s first visit in 21 years to Europe.

Following his 2010 burnout Roy Khan has definitively left KAMELOT. The band is searching for a permanent new singer. He had originally offered his resignation last autumn, but was given time to possibly rethink by the band and label.

I.C.S Vortex has now officially returned to BORKNAGAR. He will play bass and co-sing with Vintersorg. BORKNAGAR will headline the 2012 edition of Inferno Festival with both vocalists on stage.

Another tale of loyalty! Following the announcement of the retirement that wasn’t, JUDAS PRIEST has announced that guitarist K.K. Downing has retired from the band and will therefore not be joining them on the forthcoming Epitaph tour. The band has "unanimously agreed" that they should go ahead with the tour" and "not let the fans down all around the world." JUDAS PRIEST has recruited 31-year old British guitar player Richie Faulkner. The Epitaph tour will include songs from every Priest studio album and also tracks they have never before performed on stage. A new album is due to be released next year however. K.K. Downing had originally quit the band in the autumn timeframe. It is now revealed that he left due to conflict within the band and with the management.

Bassist Hal Patino, formerly of KING DIAMOND, has announced his departure from PRETTY MAIDS after only a year and will busy himself with KING DIAMOND cover band THEM.

CHROME DIVISION’s third album Round Knockout is out this month through Nuclear Blast Records.

DEF LEPPARD's new live album (including a bonus DVD), Mirrorball, will be released through Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat Records in June.

VIOLENT STORM has a new single called Back Against The Wall and is currently warming-up with live performances in the Dallas Texas area, in preparation for its upcoming world tour in late 2011. The band’s touring line-up includes: Mick Cervino – Bass (RITCHIE BLACKMORE and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), George Call – Vocals (ASKA and OMEN), John "Wolf" Covington – Drums (SOLITUDE AETURNUS and CONCEPT OF GOD) and Steve Moseley – Guitar (SOLITUDE AETURNUS and CONCEPT OF GOD).

Lion Music celebrates its 300th release with a new offering from LARS ERIC MATTSSON called Aurora Borealis. It is an instrumental album.

Drummer Andrea "Mario" Baldi has left RAIN.

AMORPHIS’ The Beginning Of Times is due on May 27th through Nuclear Blast Records. You I Need is the name of the album’s single.

Vocalist Wade Black (CRIMSON GLORY, SEVEN WITCHES, LEATHERWOLF, etc.) has now officially left DEUXMONKEY, the project of former ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz, claiming he has not been with the act for a year and Spitz is lying about his involvement. Black has asked his vocals and lyrics not be used and announced that he is now in BLACK REIGN.

IN FLAMES’ upcoming album Sounds Of A Playground Fading will be out in North America on Tuesday, June 21 through new label, Century Media.

TWISTED TOWER DIRE has completed its fifth full-length album, Make It Dark, which is set for release by Italy's Cruz Del Sur Music on May 3rd.

The 6th of June will bring the release of the new album by KRUK, a Polish Hard Rock band, formed in 2001 by Piotr Brzychcy and Krzysztof Walczyk. The album is entitled It will Not Come Back.

TANK — now featuring ex-RAINBOW and ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN singer Doogie White — has announced drummer Mark Cross (FIREWIND and HELLOWEEN).

So much for retiring! SCORPIONS will enter the studio in the autumn to re-record a collection of SCORPIONS songs. The covers album is due early next year.

Y&T has recruited bassist Brad Lang as the replacement for Phil Kennemore who died last year.

GARY MOORE died in February of a reported heart attack in Spain. Moore was buried near Brighton, England where he lived.

IRON MAIDEN will headline the Turkish version of the Sonisphere festival, which will take place on Sunday, June 19th at Kucukciftlik Park in Istanbul.

Former MANOWAR drummer Scott Columbus died on Monday, April 4th at the age of 54. He was asked to leave MANOWAR in 2008.

Germany’s EMERGENCY GATE has recruited Raphael Saini (CHAOSWAVE and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS) as its new drummer. The band is working on a new album which it will record later in the year for an early 2012 release.

The Australian band PEGAZUS has announced that "due to circumstances beyond the band's control" it has had to postpone its In Metal We Trust Tour until later in the year.

ICED EARTH has a new singer.

WARRANT will release a new album, Rockaholic, on May 17th through Frontiers Records. The CD was produced by Keith Olsen.

Lemmy Kilmister of MOTÖRHEAD, Slim Jim Phantom (THE STRAY CATS) and Danny B. Harvey (ROCKATS, 13 CATS and LONESOME SPURS) have joined forces in HEADCAT (formerly THE HEAD CAT) to play rockabilly. HEADCAT's album, Walk The Walk...Talk The Talk, will be released on June 21st through Niji Entertainment Group.

CYANIDE SERENITY has recruited Travis Neal (DIVINE HERESY) as its new singer. CYANIDE SERENITY is re-recording its 2011 album, Consume Me, with Travis. The band is touring Sri Lanka and India.

For the second year in a row ST. MADNESS is the recipient of the Phoenix Music Awards’ Rock Artist Of The Year award. The Phoenix Music Awards were held on April 30th at The Salt Mine Studio. The band is working on its eighth full-length, entitled Canonizing Carnage.

TWISTED TOWER DIRE's upcoming fifth full-length release, Make It Dark, is set for North American release by Italy's Cruz Del Sur Music on May 3rd.

Portuguese heavy rock band MISS LAVA has entered Panavideo Studio, in Lisbon, Portugal to record its upcoming full-length album, the follow-up to its debut Blues For The Dangerous Miles (2009 - Raging Planet Records), under the supervision of producer/bassist Samuel Rebelo. The record will be mixed and mastered in August or September by a famous North-American producer soon to be announced.

VOIVOD to release live album in the USA through Sonic Unyon Metal. The band performed in front of a sold-out crowd on December 12th, 2009 at Club Soda in its adopted hometown of Montreal, Canada. Warriors Of Ice is out in June.

RUNNING WILD played its farewell show at the 2009 Wacken Open Air festival, which was held July 30th and August 1st The band's performance was filmed and recorded for a DVD and CD. The Final Jolly Roger will released on June 24th through Golden Core/ZYX and will be made available as a double CD or separate DVD.

AC/DC’s Live At River Plate is a live DVD from the Black Ice world tour. It was shot in December 2009.

WARREN APPLEBY has a new demo called Appleby Castle. It is available through CD Baby.

HONEY FOR CHRIST’s debut album, The Cruelty Of Great Expectations, is available at the Rundown Records webstore.

Former HELLOWEEN and current UNISONIC singer Michael Kiske joined his UNISONIC band-mate and current GAMMA RAY frontman Kai Hansen at GAMMA RAY's concert on April 28th at the Zeche club in Bochum, Germany and performed three songs, Future World, A While In Dreamland and Time To Break Free.

DREAM THEATER has recruited 48-year old Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME and JAMES LABRIE) as the replacement for Mike Portnoy.


Metallian Demos

SCYTHIA - …OF WAR
Here at Metallian Towers the rule of the land is heavy metal that flows pure and powerful. Ensembles like Scythia with their watered down metal riffs, flute, cello, synthesizer and an image straight out of the promotional material of Medieval Times dinner and tournament is considered dismal and contradictory. This applies for any fifth column act, but the presence of a trendy folk/Viking band hailing from Vancouver on Canada’s West Coast adds further fuel to the fire. Where the band found its customs and a little patch of olden ruins is a brainteaser onto itself. Just because a bunch of Euro-trash with names like Korpiklaani and Finntroll exist does not mean Canadians need to clone them.
Either way, Scythia’s thematic full-length demo has a good clear sound and the harmonies and arrangement on the full-length are professional and tight. The guitarist, especially, can play in Yngwie-esque proportions. It is just that a bow, hood, staff and a sword a whack of non-metal instruments makes no sense – no good sense anyway. Contact the band through the publicity services of ashermedia@gmail.com or directly at ancientscythia@gmail.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

BABYLON MYSTERY ORCHESTRA – Same
“Warning” the sticker on the Babylon Mystery Orchestra CD proclaims with obvious pride, “Repeated exposure to politically incorrect, insensitive and undiluted truths may lead to clear and rational thinking…” It sounds good. After all, heavy metal is based on a foundation of defiance and protest. Metal’s fountainhead is nonconformity and standing up for the suffering and powerless.
Except… there are several cracks in the connection between the Alabaman Sidney Allen Johnson and sagacity.
Where does one start? Anywhere, actually. Examples of contradiction are not the exception or the majority; they are everything on this disc. The one-man act being called an ‘Orchestra’ is just the beginning. Yet, to keep things in perspective let us deal with the music first should the dear reader wants to drop off early. Babylon Mystery Orchestra’s music is superfluous and strictly secondary to the man’s wanna-be philosophical rants of incoherence and incongruity. A one-man band with a drum machine, voice-over and synthesized sounds a good demo does not make. In fact, the man himself, sensing his quasi-music’s lack of worth, calls his music ‘Gothic’ – in addition to the misleading ‘heavy metal.’ The music clearly is not germane here.
Not sure if the circular logo of the band is meant to be a frightened man’s swastika, but either way there is more than enough to deride, mock, scorn, and most of all, laugh at with the man and his ‘band.’ Again, where to start? Johnson claims and heralds his nonconformity, but in fact, the oodles of ignorance and nonsense spewed by him indiscriminately are the hallmarks of everything that has gone wrong with the Disunited States Of America in recent years. His ‘beliefs’ are probably standard-issue nonsense in his neck of the woods: where Fox News, birthers, kooks and conspiracy theory websites co-exist with mega churches of bullshittery supreme.
He claims “truth” repeatedly and scorns Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but believes in the bible and its ultimate fantasy figure, Jesus Christus (his) Super Star, who was ripped off from ancient Egyptian mythology. The man who conveniently died for my sins so he wouldn’t have to leave any proof of his existence behind is used as a prop to push anti-human inanity. Odd, I was sure I read somewhere Jesus liked to hang out with poor people and insisted men are equal before god. Isn’t that the opposite of Capitalism? Wearing a confederate style hat – the same slouch used by soldiers fighting for slavery – the man holds his fantasy book in one hand and acting like Iced Earth Tea Partier on steroids as he watches Fox Snooze attacks other religions, as stupid as his, waves the birther flag, supports anti-abortion/anti-choice/government intrusion tactics into women’s bodies and humans right to choose a mate and, of course, proclaims with as much authority as a CNN pundit that there is no life anywhere else in the universe! Seriously, Mr. 2,000 BC says that. If this guy had any imagination or sense he would know the new world government is corporatism and it is corporations that disseminate global warming denying lies in order to perpetuate their free ride. But no, obviously, that doesn’t figure into Johnson’s corporate-lead puppetry either. The guys from Saint Vitus might have wished they were born 20 years earlier, but Johnson wishes he was born in 1599 so he could hang with his intellectual idol Pope Paul V to high five each other as they insist and affirm that the earth is the centre of the universe with the sun and the galaxy orbiting the Earth! From there Johnson spews additional standard-issue, conformist, me-tooistic, regular nonsense. What a sheep. Barrack’s middle name might be ‘Hussein,’ as Sidney constantly reminds the reader/listener, but that clearly is superior to ‘Walker’ who is responsible for the deaths and torture of how many innocents, civilians, children and women upon last count? Being stupid and bigoted is fine, but then being a Christian with its love of starting wars, genocide, discrimination, intruding into personal affairs, genocide and responsibility for AIDS and STDs by denying education and birth control to millions is something else. Funny how right-wing states are last in everything that matters: education, income, infant mortality, longevity, environmental record and so forth. Of course, one of the magics of the fascist conservatives is making people vote against their own interests and benefits. No one has told these people that the top of a pyramid, by definition, is a solitary spot with room only for one. The people be damned.
Bottom-line, stupidity is standard with this man and his spewed knack. How can one argue with a man whose CD bears an image of his prophet floating amidst galactic vapours? Then again, people like this are the hope and joy all who fight against injustice, malevolence, tyranny and the imperial US Army the world over. For it is people and notions like Johnson’s that destroy America from within and kill the last vestiges of respect the US of A has left anywhere. In that context, go right-wing Americans go! Check it all out at http://www.babylonmysteryorchestra.com or e-mail allenjohnson@centurytel.net and set him up with The Great Kat. It would a match made in ‘heaven.’ – Ali “The Metallian”