Metallian Heavy

Edmonton, Canada-based death metal duo TALES OF THE TOMB has recruited bassist Jonii Guns. The new bassist is originally from the UK and worked with THE HERO DIES FIRST, FACES OF EVE and L.A. GUNS.

Socially progressive crossover band SANITY CONTROL has an album called War On Life through Selfmadegod on the 7th of August 2020.

STENCH OF PROFIT releases a new full-length album No Place To Hide through Lethal Scissors.

In advance of its Dawn Of The Damned album NECROPHOBIC is uploading a song called Mirror Black.

SODOM is at Woodhouse Studio in Hagen, Germany with producer Siggi Bemm recording an album called Genesis XIX. The record is due in the autumn through SPV.

HEATHEN will release a new album, entitled Empire Of The Blind, through Nuclear Blast Records in September.

Australia-based melodic death metal band MRKILL shall release its second demo, entitled The Day Of Reckoning, on 31 July 2020.

The band calls it an album, but it is really a demo. SERENE DARK (formerly ENDEMISE) has a demo called Enantiodromia.

EN MINOR will release its full-length debut, When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out, through Season Of Mist on September 4th.

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has a VULCAN TYRANT compilation. Following its recent split with ABIGAIL, Vulcanic Collection features material from the group’s various demos.

Chile-based PARKCREST’s …And That Blue Will Turn To Red will be released on Awakening Records on June 6th. The band plays thrash metal.

UK-based DEVASTATOR’s Baptised In Blasphemy is out through Clobber Records on 10.07.2020. The band is compared to SODOM.

Czech Republic-based black metal group SOMNIATE has signed a deal with Lavadome Productions for the release of its debut album The Meyrinkian Slumber this month.

Colombia-based death metallers CASKET GRINDER shall release the Fall into Dementia album on Awakening Records this month.

Finland-based black metal group VÄKI’s Kuolleen Maan Omaksi (‘Succumbed To The Dead Soil’) is out through Saturnal Records on 17.07.2020.

Macedonia-based SLAYING OF DEATH has a demo called Spiritual Orphans.

HIEROS has a demo called Triduum. Mourning Light Records has uploaded it online.

Colorado, USA-based BURIED REALM is melodic modern metal band with a demo called Embodiment Of The Divine. Benjamin Ellis (SCAR SYMMETRY and OMEGA) and guitarist Peter Wichers (ex-SOILWORK) have guest appearances on the demo.

Crossover band UTILITARIAN has an album called Fight War, Not Wars Destroy Power, Not People with all proceeds going to charity.

In advance of OMEGA DIATRIBE’s Metanoia album the Hungary-based band has a single called Parallel through Metal Scrap.

SUNN O)))’s demo material and recordings for the Life Metal and Pyroclasts albums’ sessions are available on Bandcamp. The band will donate much of the proceeds to social justice causes.

Poland-based BLACK ALTAR and Norway-based KIRKEBRANN have a split album called Deus Invenus through Odium Records.

Despite sporadic activity in the past few years, Romania-based grindcore veterans SPIRITUAL RAVISHMENT is back to work on an upcoming new album called Exit Humanity, which is to be released in collaboration with Loud Rage Music.

Rude Awakening Records has issued an album by HERUKA called No Sun Dared Pass Our Windows.

Turkey-based melodic death metal act DESECRATE has signed with Wormholedeath for the release of its Kingdom album. Kingdom will be out on 17.07.2020 worldwide.

The Saudi Arabia-based duo of DEATHNOISEFREQUENCY has a demo called Horrid Dirge.

France-based band ATHANATHEOS has premiered a new track, entitled (R)evolution, Revelation, which is taken from its Prophetic Era (Or How Yahveh Became The One) album. The album is out through Lavadome productions on June 29th.

Seattle, USA-based DRAEMORA’s debut demo Awakening is out through its imprint Ultra Nast Records. The band was founded in 2019.

PUTRID OFFAL’s Sicknesses Obsessions is out through Xenokorp on 11.09.2020.

UK-based PHOBETOR has a debut demo called When Life Falls Silent out on July 17th.

Italy-based DODSKAMMER has an album called Terramadre through Sheep United.

INHALEMENT’s Eternally Stoned album is out through Horror Pain Gore Death now. The death metal band is stoned.

NATURA MORTA’s Vile Masters Of Mankind from 2019 is being issued by Metal Scrap this year.

The newly founded all-girl project CRYPTA has signed with Napalm Records.

BRUJERIA has released the COVID-666 digital single through Nuclear Blast Records. BRUJERIA has filmed a socially distanced music video for the track.

New York, USA-based WINTER NIGHTS has a new demo slated for release July 31st. The self-titled release follows the 2014 release An Endless Apocalypse.

Redefining Darkness Records has two imminent releases JESUS WEPT’s Apartheid Redux and ANGEL MORGUE’s In The Morgue Of Angels.

Australia-based melodic death metal band MRKILL has released its first single Annihilation as a lyric video. Annihilation is a taste for the band’s forthcoming debut demo.

Due to the current travel and performance restrictions in Europe, the TAAKE/KAMPFAR co-headliner tour supported by NECROWRETCH has been re-scheduled to January 2021.

HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY will embark on another European headliner tour in January 2021. GAEREA will also present its new album Limbo, which will be released on through Season Of Mist, as openers.

ANGEL RISING signs with Music-Records for the release of its first album Angel Rising, which is due this autumn. It goes without saying that Kevin Talley is on drums.

INCANTATION has a new full-length album, entitled Sect Of Vile Divinities, through Relapse Records on 21.08.2020.

Following the Volume I Horror Pain Gore Death has a sampler of RUIN material called Plague Transmissions Vol: 2.

Metalcore/deathcore band CLOCKWORK SKY has an album called Longinus through One Eyed Toad Records.

WRITHING’s Eternalised In Rot and FLESHDRIVER’s Leech are out through Redefining Darkness Records this month. The former band is compared to GORGUTS while the latter band is compared to ENTOMBED.


Metallian Hard

ANVIL will be performing on the first Canadian heavy metal live stream put on by District 7 Production and L'Anti Bar & Spectacles on July 4th, 2020. Fans can go here for details: http://thepointofsale.com/.

RAGE has parted ways with guitarist Marcos Rodriguez and replaced him with two men, Stefan Weber (ex-AXXIS) and Jean Bormann (ANGELIC and RAGE & RUINS).

Jolly Rogers Records is issuing a number of vinyl re-releases through its BlackBeard imprint. Doctor Butcher’s self-titled album, GRAVE DIGGER’s Symphony Of Death and the first three DEPRESSIVE AGE records are coming this year.

Guitarist Reb Beach, who is a member of WHITENSAKE, is returning to DOKKEN as a guest for a couple of performances this summer. He was booted from DOKKEN despite recording a successful album called Erase The Slate.

Spain-based BRING OUT YOUR DEAD has a self-titled album through Art Gates. The band features former members from UNSOULED and GAUNTLET.

ENSLAVED has announced the Cinematic Summer Tour 2020, which is a series of online broadcasts.

KAMELOT’s I Am The Empire - Live From The 013 is a live album and DVD out through Napalm Records in August. It was recorded in The Netherlands.

Frontiers Music will release Always The Villain, the debut album by MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS, on July 10th. Grant played in L.A. GUNS and the album mixes rock and alternative rock.

Self-cover version: to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of its Clayman album and make money IN FLAMES is re-issuing the album through Nuclear Blast and rerecording several songs.

OXIDIZE has recruited bassist Kaj Leissner of JAGGERNAUT and ARISE. The band’s former bassist was Tommy Larsson. He died earlier this year. The former man was also replaced in JAGGERNAUT by Kaj as well.

ICED EARTH’s Jon Schaffer has a book called Wicked Words And Epic Tales. The book is the debut release by Schaffer's publishing company Wicked Words, LLC.

MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS have postponed their The Stadium Tour of 2020 to 2021.

Australia-based CROSSON has a demo called Rock ‘N Roll Love Affair. The album was mixed by Duane Baron (OZZY OSBOURNE, MOTLEY CRUE, ALICE COOPER and POISON).

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci will release a new solo album, entitled Terminal Velocity, in the autumn.

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT will return with a studio album, called The Symbol Remains, this October. Albert and Joe Bouchard of BLUE OYSTER CULT have launched an imprint called Rockheart Records for their music. It is being distributed by Deko Music. Joe Bouchard will release his new solo album, entitled Strange Legends, on July 31.

SAMAEL has recruited bassist Ales Campanelli (formerly of SYBREED). Ales is the replacement for Pierre "Zorrac" Carroz who had joined the band in July 2018.

Hard rock band SANDNESS has a new single called Alive & Kickin from its Enter Please EP through Rockshots Records in August.

Calgary, Canada-based OSYRON has a new album called Foundations through SAOL/The Orchard this month.

Social justice protestors stole New York City cops’ police radio and played JUDAS PRIEST’s Breaking The Law over the frequency.

Former UFO, WAYSTED and SKID ROW guitarist Paul Chapman has died at age 66.

RAVEN has picked Metal City as the title for its next album, which is due through SPV/Steamhammer on September 18th. The title refers to the band’s hometown of Newcastle.

BRITNY FOX has two albums of demo material stemming from 1990 and 1991. Forbidden Fruits – The Bite Down Hard Demos Volume 1 and Forbidden Fruits – The Bite Down Hard Demos Volume 2 are material that were demoed but did not make the Bite Down Hard album. The albums are out through FnA Records.

Italy-based hard rock band FIVE WAYS TO NOWHERE has released a live video for Over The Line, one of the songs included on the new demo Bite Hard. This video was recorded during their show at Lyon Tattoo Convention on February 9th, 2020.

Inspired by Magic The Gathering card game, PLANESWALKER is the new power metal band founded by HELION PRIME guitarist Jason Ashcraft and former vocalist Sozos Michael. The band has a video for the song The Forever Serpent. A full-length is due in 2021.

WITCHE'S BREW has a new album called Chronicles Of Electric Sorcery through Universal Music Italia in September. The band released a music video for the track Find A Way.

The right-wing media keeps pushing fascist content by the likes of Trump, Hitler and Kim.


Metallian Demos

RADDAR – TRANSMISSION
Transmission is a special CD and one that the band calls its “40th anniversary edition,” but there is more to it than that. The seventeen tracks are material composed and recorded back in the mists of late 1970s under the band’s original moniker, Sanctus. The band was resurrected once one of its old tracks (‘Comin’ Your Way’ if the disc is to be believed or ‘Coming Your Way’ if the biography is correct) was discovered and added to a Texas sampler disc. With the name Sanctus having other takers between the ‘70s and today the name was changed to Raddar.
Transmission is the perfect CD to remind us what the hard rock of the 1970s sounded like and, in fact, what was hard rock back in those days. The members have given the material a facelift otherwise. The music features the original drum tracks by Gary Priest, the vocals sound like a cross between Bon Jovi and ZZ Top. That is they sound like neither Jon Bon Jovi nor Billy Gibbons, but come across as a mixture of the two. There are few leads on this disc whose music harkens back to Trapeze, Uriah Heep and American Ram Jam. Texas does not have a great reputation for anything good anywhere, which makes it mystifying how Texans like to constantly make ‘Texas’ references. In this case, these boys term their music “Texas Powered Melodic hard Rock.” What is much more interesting is Raddar’s claim to be the first melodic hard rock band from the state.
The heavy Ram Jam style drum tracks are the perfect background to songs like For One And For All that is reminiscent of early Judas Priest, Run For Your Life, which has an impressive riff out of the blue in its middle and Writing’s On The Wall with its blistering riff. There are a few guitar flourishes here and there otherwise like on Comin’ Your Way which seems to want to go flamenco for a second before delivering a heartfelt short lead. The organ is there some of the time and with seventeen tracks and captivating artwork Transmission becomes quite a special release. Well, it would be that regardless given its history. Please visit wwww.raddartheband.info or write to info@raddartheband.com. - Ali “The Metallian”