Metallian Heavy

BELPHEGOR has picked Walpurgis Rites – Hexenwahn as the title for its eighth full-length album, which is due out in October through Nuclear Blast Records.

DESTRUCTION is issuing a live album, called The Curse Of The Antichrist – Live In Agony, in September. This double-CD package was originally due in July. DESTRUCTION just completed a tour of Japan and China.

SLAYER has picked World Painted Blood as the title for its next album, which is due in September through Columbia Records.

The proposed US tour featuring MONSTROSITY and THORNAFIRE we reported on last month has lost the latter act. Apparently, the Chileans were unable to obtain a US working visa. The band’s Vorex Deconstrucción album is being released this summer through Ibex Moon Records however. HOD has been added to the tour, which also features TORN THE FUCK APART.

ARCH ENEMY, SUFFOCATION and WINDS OF PLAGUE are touring Australia this November.

HACKNEYED’s Burn After Reaping album was recorded at Weltraumstudios in Munich, Bavaria with producer Corni Bartels and will be issued on August 14th through Nuclear Blast Records. This album features new guitarist Juan Sierra.

Bay Area thrash metal band FORBIDDEN played its entire 1990 album, Twisted Into Form, on June 1st at the Camden Underworld in central London, England. It was the Americans’ first U.K. appearance in almost twenty years.

Reunion tour 2011 pre-announced? GOREFEST has thrown in the towel again.

Following the release of Agony Of Death in Japan, HOLY MOSES is hitting that country in October and November for a tour.

DYING FETUS has picked Descend Into Depravity as the title for its latest album, which is due on September 15th through Relapse Records. The band is touring this summer.

ATHEIST is issuing a live album, called Unquestionable Presence: Live At Wacken, on July 21st through Relapse Records. The material stems from 2006. The band is now signed to Season Of Mist.

After ceasing all activity last month due to purported illness and reported over-exertion Gord Kirchin has put a new line-up of (THE EXALTED) PILE DRIVER together and will play Canada’s Perth Metal Meltdown and Germany’s Headbangers Open Air after all. Aside from the PILEDRIVER himself the band now includes Rev. Tom Cheapness on guitar, Steele McFearsome on bass and Hank Momscraper on drums.

Inspired by KEEL? HOUWITSER has reformed and recorded a new two-track demo called Sledgehammer Redemption. The band, Stan Blonk – vocals, Richard Gielen and Michel Alderliefsten – guitar, Ramon Ploeg – bass and Marco De Groot – drums, is searching for a label.

HORNA has issued Musta Kaipuu, which is a compilation of ten tracks from the Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne recording sessions.

Canadian underground mayhemsters AETERNAM have signed a deal with Metal Blade Records. Jef Fortin produced the band’s album, Disciples Of The Unseen.

Earache’s crossover band MUNICIPAL WASTE will release its new album, Massive Aggressive, on August 25th.

CRIONICS has a new EP, called N.O.I.R., recorded at Cracow’s Shindler Factory Studio. It has three new songs and two cover versions.

ENTHRONED‘s Nornagest has also joined UNLOCKED, the new project of former PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT guitarist Benny. Dani “Garghuf” Robnik of GORGOROTH and GOD SEED is on drums. The band has signed with Crossfirecult Records.

Lost and Found Records has re-released HERETIC‘s 1988 album Breaking Point as a licensee to Metal Blade Records. HERETIC featured METAL CHURCH singer Mike Howe.

Guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais of KATAKLYSM was recently detained by American customs in Washington D.C. en route back from Russia. Apparently, he was mistakenly detained in lieu of what the agents believed is a criminal.

German metalcore band CALIBAN has signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records. The group’s seventh album, Say Hello To Tragedy, is due for release on August 24th.

ASSASSIN has taken a hit in its rhythm section. Gone are bassist Michael Hambloch and drummer Frank Nellen and replaced by Joachim Kremer and Björn Sondermann (WICKED KEMAO) respectively.

America’s AT WAR will release its reunion album, Infidel, on August 18th through Heavy Artillery Records.

Deathcore band THE RED CHORD has picked Fed Through The Teeth Machine as the title for its next album, which is due this autumn through Metal Blade Records.

CONSTRUCDEAD will release an album, called Endless Echo, on August 21st through Black Lodge Records. The album was recorded at Not Quite Studio with producers Klas Ideberg and Peter Wildoer of DARKANE at the helm. Chris Barkensjö of FACE DOWN replaced Nicke Karlsson shortly after the recording session.

GLORIA MORTI has recruited drummer Kauko Kuusisalo replacing Jarmo Juurikka.

HATE FOREST from Ukraine has secured a deal with Osmose Productions to re-issue the band’s back catalogue of six records. These will be released from October 2009 to March 2010. The re-issues will come with special packaging Digisleeves and are limited to 1,000 copies each.

DEVOLVED has completed its album, Calculated, which will be released on August 25th through Unique Leader Records. Neil Kernon mixed the record.

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER‘s live CD, Adrenalin, will be enclosed for free with the September 2009 issue of Metal Hammer Magazine in Germany. The album was recorded during the band’s 2008 Reiterfestspiele tour in Germany and Russia.

Inspired by KEEL? CHANNEL ZERO has reformed for three concerts in Brussels, Belgium on January 22, January 23 and January 24th of 2010. The band issued five albums in the ‘90s.

MEGADETH has picked Endgame as the title for its latest album, which is now due in September through Roadrunner Records. Andy Sneap recorded the album at the band’s own studio Vic’s Garage in California.

INSOMNIUM will release its newest album, Across The Dark, on September 7th through Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Fantom studio.

The team, including guitarist Infernus, that won the rights to the GORGOROTH name has spent time at Threeman Recording studio in Stockholm with producer Nico Elgstrand where frontman Pest replaced Gaahl’s vocals on the True Norwegian Black Metal – Live In Grieghallen album, which was originally released in June 2008 through Regain Records.

Inspired by KEEL? A reformed DERANGED will play at this year’s Gothenburg Deathfest, which is set to take place October 3rd at Henriksberg in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Guitarist Enrico is back in HOUR OF PENANCE after returning from living in Norway.

MARDUK has picked Wormwood as the title for its next album, which is tentatively due in December through Regain Records. The album was recorded at Endarker Studios in Sweden with bassist and producer Magnus Devo Andersson.

GRIND MINDED has booted guitarist Mathijs Odding and bassist Gea Mulder due to “musical differences.” The Dutch-based band is seeking new members and can be contacted at grindminded@gmail.com.

My Kingdom Music has signed INFERNAL ANGELS. The Italian black metal band has signed a deal for the release of its new album, Midwinter Blood, that will see the light on September 28th.

In the ‘You Don’t Say’ category: DEICIDE’s tour of Australia and New Zealand was cancelled last month.

ILLDISPOSED has picked To Those Who Walk Behind Us as the title for its new album, which is out on August 28th through its new label, Massacre Records.

Inspired by KEEL? LAWNMOWER DETH, which reunited last year, has just completed an appearance at the UK’s Download Festival and at Pitz in Milton Keynes.

GRAVEWORM has issued its Diabolical Figures album through Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at Stage One studio in Borgentreich, Germany with producer Andy Classen.

IMMOLATION has signed a worldwide contract with Nuclear Blast Records following its work with the likes of Listenable and Roadrunner Records. The band’s next album will be released in early 2010.

Brazilian metallers DARK CELEBRATION will release a new album, Phlegeton: The Transcendence Of Demon Lords, later this summer through Paragon Records.


Metallian Hard

LOUDNESS has issued a live Japanese DVD, called Munetaka Higuchi: Forever Our Hero. The footage was taped at a special tribute show in memory of late drummer Munetaka Higuchi on February 14th, 2009 at C.C. Lemon Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

METALIUM has picked Grounded - Chapter VIII as the title for its newest album, which is out on September 25th through Massacre Records.

TOKYO BLADE has picked Die By The Sword Tour Live as the title for its new live CD/DVD, which was filmed at 2008’s Keep It True festival in Germany. The release date is September 23rd through Razar Ice Records.

OUTLOUD, featuring singer Chandler Mogel (TALON), Tony Kash and Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) on guitar, Jason Mercury on bass and Mark Cross (FIREWIND, HELLOWEEN, etc.) on drums, is a new project signed to Frontiers Records. The band’s debut and self-titled album is due this August.

HALFORD, PAINMUSEUM, etc. guitarist "Metal" MIKE CHLASCIAK has picked The Metalworker as the title for his upcoming solo record. Several song titles are Don't Shoot The Crown, Sever The Gods and Tonight We Ride.

Perris Records has signed long-time Texas hard rock band SEVENTH RIZE. The band’s album, Full Moon, will be out on July 14th and was produced by Bobby Rock. A tour with MARK SLAUGHTER is to follow.

MERCYFUL FATE will release the new versions of the songs Evil and Curse Of The Pharaohs on iTunes. The band was featured as a playable track on Guitar Hero: Metallica after re-recording these two tracks specifically for the game because the original masters no longer existed. These versions were recorded at Earplug Studio in Copenhagen and Nomad Recording Studio in Dallas, Texas. They were both mastered by Andy LaRocque at his Sonic Train Studio in Sweden.

The 2001 JOSHUA PERAHIA (Joshua/MPire) release Something To Say has been made available on CDBaby.com after being out of print for over five years. Joshua Perahia and Jeff Fenholt are expected to enter the studio by late summer to begin recording a new album tentatively entitled Resurrection.

PARADISE LOST has picked Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us as the title for its new album, which is due in September through Century Media Records. The album was recorded at Fascination Street Studio in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.

Singer Jizzy Pearl will rejoin the Tracii Guns’ version of L.A. GUNS for that band's summer tour. There are again two versions of the band on the road.

HEATHEN’s The Evolution Of Chaos album has been postponed to a November release, delayed from its original July release schedule. According to Mascot Records, the band is putting the finishing touches to the record.

CRASHDÏET has recruited Simme of JAILBAIT to be its new singer. The band and Finnish singer H. Olliver Twisted parted ways a year ago. In the meantime, RECKLESS LOVE, fronted by H. Olliver Twisted, has signed a deal with Universal Music in Finland. The band's first single, One More Time, is out.

JACK STARR’s BURNING STARR album, Defiance, is now out through MANOWAR’s Magic Circle Music. The album was produced by MANOWAR’s Joey DeMaio and will be featured live on MANOWAR’s Magic Circle festival this month in Germany.

Zakk Wylde of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and OZZY OSBOURNE performed the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, on May 29th in Denver, Colorado in the middle of game six of the playoffs game between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY is touring the USA with mallcore bands MUDVAYNE and STATIC-X this summer.

AEROSMITH will perform the entire Toys In The Attic album on its upcoming tour with ZZ TOP. The album was issued in 1975 and features songs like Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion. IRON MAIDEN, FORBIDDEN, THE CULT and JUDAS PRIEST have recently played entire old albums in their entirety. AEROSMITH Brad Whitford is sitting out the tour at least partially in order to recuperate from a recent surgery. Bobby Schneck of WEEZER and SLASH will play with AEROSMITH. In related news, guitarist JOE PERRY is issuing a new solo album this summer. The band’s show at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in July was cancelled due to an injury within the band.

JIMI HENDRIX bassist Billy Cox is one of the artists who will be inducted into the Musicians Hall Of Fame in Nashville this autumn.

CROWBAR has asked guitarist Steve Gibb to leave and immediately replaced him with Matthew Brunson who plays bass for KINGDOM OF SORROW, the project band of CROWBAR’s Kirk Windstein.

On September 3rd, CIRRHA NIVA will release a new demo, For Moments Never Done. The CD will be released through the band’s own independent record label Parnassus Records.

EDGUY, with LUNA MORTIS in tow, is touring North America in September.

Per Schelander has left ROYAL HUNT after four years in order to concentrate on PAIN OF SALVATION. His replacement is ROB ROCK and NARNIA’s Andreas Passmark.

Brazilian group HAZY HAMLET, which has been active since 1999, has released its debut demo, Forging Metal.

GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell was forced to miss the band's show at the My Waterloo Days festival in Waterloo, Iowa on May 30th due to illness or injury. His stand-in was Terry Ilous of XYZ.

After 5 years of computer failure, illness, line-up changes and countless other obstacles, Sweden’s SKYFIRE will return to with an album called Esoteric this September 8th in North America, 14th in the UK and 18th in Europe through Pivotal Rockordings.

The Peter Baltes (ACCEPT) and Dan Spitz (ex-ANTHRAX) white metal project band has a name. DEUXMONKEY features KING DIAMOND’s Matt Thompson on drums. In related news, One-time ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz underwent emergency open-heart surgery on June 5th. Apparently, the main artery to his heart was almost blocked. He is recuperating.

After several years of silence, CROMM CRUAC is busy with the recording of a new CD, which will possibly be released at the end of 2009. It will be recorded at guitarist Reinout's home studio RK-studio and will not feature any grunting or growls.

MY DYING BRIDE has parted ways with keyboardist and violinist Katie Stone and replaced her with a Shaun Macgowan. Stone wished to concentrate on her studies.

SHEAVY is working on an album called The Golden Age Of Daredevils. The Canadian doom metal band has lost guitarist Dan Moore.

Quebec City-based HANKER has picked Conspiracy Of Mass Extinction as the title for its next album, which is due in the autumn or as soon as a label is found. The album will be the first with bassist Laurent Imbeau and drummer Sylvain Trembley.

CLOUDSCAPE, which lost bassist Haynes Pherson, has already replaced him with Håkan Nyander from SUPREME MAJESTY.

JADED HEART has picked Perfect Insanity as the title for its new album, which will be released later this year through Frontiers Records. Guitarist Vinnie Moore guests on the record.

A legal battle has ensued for the rights to the name FEAR FACTORY. The reconciled Burton C. Bell and Dino Cazares have squared off against Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers. In the meantime the latter two are busy with their Century Media-signed band ARKAEA. The other two have just cancelled a proposed Europe, Australia and New Zealand tour it would seem to record an album.

KEEL’s Streets Of Rock 'N' Roll album will be co-produced and mixed by Pat Regan who has worked with WARRANT in the past. The vocals will be produced by Paul Shortino of ROUGH CUTT fame. Chavis Records expects to release the album in the autumn.

Inspired by KEEL? The living BAD COMPANY members, singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke have reformed for a 10-city tour of the USA this last month. Rhino Records has issued a MP3-only album of BAD COMPANY's records.

In the business is business and loyalty is nothing department: TANK is touring Europe without its ill singer Algy Ward. RAINBOW/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN singer Doogie White is fronting the band. TANK is still hoping to record if the members can reconcile with the disappointed Ward.

Following the success of its documentary ANVIL! The Story Of ANVIL! And a change of management ANVIL is opening three shows in the USA and Canada for AC/DC.

THIN LIZZY has parted ways with guitarist John Sykes. Drummer Tommy Aldridge was recently injured having broken his collarbone and ground the band to a halt. The band was replaced by JACKYL at this year’s Rocklahoma festival.

Metallic Arch Angel Records is releasing a LIZZY BORDEN covers album this autumn. It features bands like LIGEIA and TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK.

Inspired by KEEL? Texas-based band GALACTIC COWBOYS has reunited for three concerts this August in Houston, Dallas, and Austin.

HEAVEN & HELL cancelled its show Sunday June 21st at the Metalway Festival in Zaragoza, Spain due to some back pain suffered by guitarist Tony Iommi.

Every second new ‘metal’ band either plays something called ‘melodic death metal’ or has a girl crooning opera upfront.


Metallian Demos

SNEW – SNEW YOU
Snew’s biography states that this type of music has its own sex appeal, which is so damn right. It helps that the guys look good and have such beautiful and wild long hair round them but for lack of a better expression this is genuinely pleasurable hard rocking music. The ten songs on this disc rock so damn fine, are so professional and sound so good that the group sounds as if it’s from a better era. Putting real emotion into his throaty and gritty delivery is singer Curtis Don Vito. Andy Lux makes his guitar scream and wail. Bassist Cat Tate is solid and drummer Ohrenberger just bangs away all steady and with backbone. The biography mentions AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and The Ramones. Thankfully, the last one is misplaced. These guys smoke outright and are right at home on the road with Rhino Bucket and Jackyl. Guns ‘N Roses and AC/DC would be proud of some of these songs. Head Trauma is a slow bruiser with all the bluesy guitarring one would want, but this demo isn’t about to slow down towards the end just because it has ten songs. Get It To Go is in position eight and slams as much as opening cut Stand Up High or the third one Snew You!! Nickelback and Beyonce have failed. Corporations don’t rule everybody. Music lives on. Love it. Email snew@snewyou.com or visit www.snewyou.com. - Sheila Wes Det

DARK VISION – BESTIAL REMEDY
The band’s name and demo title really says it all. The group hails from Greece and titillates between death and doom metal. There is a strong underground and uncompromising yearning within this act that manifests itself in extreme riffs, howling growls and odes to the darker side. The songs feature both slower and speedy cuts, but the title track degenerates into a doom metal segment that is best left alone on future recordings. Dark Vision has a knack for obscure compositions with the benefit of actual riffs. Were it not for the irony and disgrace prevalent on the heavy metal scene Dark Vision would occupy the cover of ragazines like Metal (yeah right) Hammer instead of jokes pop insults like Korpiklaani or whatever the name of the latest female-fronted opera pop group from Finland or Albania is. For information head over to www.darkvision.tk or email thedarkvisionband@hotmail.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

AEONS OF ECLIPSE – THE HOUR OF DESOLATION
Another nail in the coffin of record companies! The demo CD of Kentucky’s (more on that in a moment) Aeons Of Eclipse is a full-fledged professional release inclusive of apropos artwork, brilliant production and, most importantly, musicianship to rival Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Brutality and Hate Eternal. What the band lacks in diversity it compensates with its sheer face-ripping brutality, blasting, gargling, vomiting death! With speed rightly dominant and blasts spewed on every song, The Hour Of Desolation is just that. Simply turn up the volume. The group insists on a technical approach, which is fine in its own right, especially if the shredding guitars are this good, but unfortunately there are moments where the synthesized backgrounds dilute the offering. Furthermore, as indicated, there is little variety between songs making them somewhat indistinguishable from one another. The haunting background chant that appears in the middle of the album is a nice touch though. This band hails from Kentucky (somewhere called Cave City no less), where death metal is as scarce as truth in advertising so the band deserves double the kudos. Get in touch with drummer Scott Briggs through velocity.recordings@gmail.com or visit www.aeonsofeclipse.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

GROUND OF RUIN – CLOAKED IN DOCTRINE
Ground Of Ruin hails from Ireland and… no, no do not stop reading the band neither sucks nor is a fat case of jingoistic baloney singing about lost Irish kingdoms while incorporating Celtic vomit… Ground Of Ruin is actually metal. What’s more, the band is quite good. No, seriously, no Gaelic get-up or kilts or leprechauns or folk influences, this is death brutal metal with a nod towards early Dissection’s notes and emphasis on sound and the vocals of Unleashed et al. The demo features three proper tracks and an acoustic and atmospheric intro, but owing to the longer than average lengths is a fairly long demo. The cover artwork is reminiscent of the early ‘90s and the Turbo/Osmose/Ibex Moon jobs in splendid black and white. The band’s image supports this. Ground Of Ruin is vicious, serious and crude and will never appear in Metal Hamster. Reason enough to contact them through their press liaison at info@luggamusic or groundofruin@gmail.com. Now if only they would shut down their stupid myspace.com page where wimps and posers gather. – Ali “The Metallian”