Metallian Heavy

Brazil-based thrash metal band DISTRAUGHT has released a new music video for Dehumanized featuring HIBRIA drummer Eduardo Bald in support of its latest album Locked Forever.

FORMICARIUS’ debut full length album, Black Mass Ritual, is out through the band’s new label Schwarzdorn Production.

NECROMUTILATOR new mini-album, Ripping Blasphemy, is out April 1st through Terror From Hell Records.

Season Of Mist is releasing MERRIMACK’s fifth full-length, which bears the title Omegaphilia on June 9th and NECROWRETCH’s Satanic Slavery, which has been scheduled for release on April 14th.

SONS OF FAMINE’s Alcohol And Razorblades EP is out now through Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. The band is compared to AMON AMARTH.

CORPUS DIAVOLIS’s Atra Lumen album is out this month through ATMF. The band’s style is described as black metal.

Belgian black death metal band INSANITY REIGNS SUPREME has a live video for the track By The Blood Of The Beast, which is taken from the latest studio album Unorthodox, which is out now on Shiver Records!

SIGIL will issue its debut album Kingdom Of The Grave on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions on April 7th.

Grindscene Records is issuing BASEMENT TORTURE KILLINGS’ There’s Something About Beryl album. The band is compared to CANNIBAL CORPSE and AVULSED.

Evil Spell Records has issued QUINTESSENZ’s To the Gallows. The Germany-based band is described as black metal.

Martin Burger King is the new BUFFALO GRILLZ album. It was recorded, mixed and mastered at Kick Recording Studio. The band is compared to NASUM and ROTTEN SOUND. The new album was out on March 3rd through Subsound Records.

Poland-based black metal band MORTE has issued a demo called Death Surrounds Us.

The Spanish band NOCTEM has its first headlining tour in Russia presenting the band’s album Haeresis, which was issued through Art Gates Records, this August. The supporting act will be FROM HELL.

ARCH ENEMY will release a new live DVD, called As The Stages Burn!, on March 31st through Century Media. It was recorded at Wacken last year.

HAVOK has a new album called Conformicide. It was released on March 10 through Century Media Records.

As reported here last month a new death metal project was formed by former members of MALEVOLENT CREATION, SUFFOCATION and more. The project has been named FIRE FOR EFFECT. It involves singer Bret Hoffman (MALEVOLENT CREATION), guitarist and songwriter Gio Geraca (MALEVOLENT CREATION), bassist Tony Choy (PESTILENCE) and drummer Mike Smith (SUFFOCATION).

INVERTED MATTER has announced a demo entitled Detach for April. It features Mike Smith from SUFFOCATION on drums.

Poland-based KILLSORROW has an album called Little Something For You To Choke through Art Of The Nights Productions. The band plays thrash metal.

Founding guitarist Anders Björler has quit AT THE GATES citing a lack of interest in the band’s musical style. The band will carry on and is working on a new record.

LUNATIC HOOKER’s debut album Embracing The Filth will be released on April 17th through Black Bow Records.

CULT OF ERINYES’ new album Tiberivs is out this month through Code666.

DEICIDE is touring the USA in May.

Denmark-based “atmospheric black metallers” SUNKEN shall release an album called Departure through Triton’s Orbit on May 26th.

DESTRUCTION, WARBRINGER and JUNGLE ROT are touring Canada and the USA in May and June.

DEMOLITION HAMMER will commomorate the 25th anniversary of its Epidemic Of Violence album by performing it in its entirety June 24 at the Gramercy Theater in New York City, USA.

France-based death metal band ALTERED SHADE has a video for the song The Dark Gift of Life off The Path Of Souls album, which was out on March the 17th through Wormholedeath/Aural Music.

Ukrainine-based band BALFOR will tour across Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia together with DEGORYEN, RAVENTALE and VRANI VOLOSA in May.

HAIL OF BULLETS has thrown in the towel. Singer Martin Van Drunen threw in his own towel in 2015.

No Colours Records, which is known for releasing racist albums, has issued KLADOVEST’s Ignitiate and THEOSOPHY’s Eastland Tales- Part II. The bands hail from Ukraine and Russia respectively.

EPI-DEMIC is back with a new album called Malformed Conscience. Following up on the 2015 split Passages To Lunacy with fellow Canadians SOLANUM, is out through Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

Chile-based ANIMUS MORTIS’ album The Pilgrimage is out through Behold Barbarity. The band’s style is described as black metal.

TANKARD will release a new album, called One Foot In The Grave, on June 2nd through Nuclear Blast. It is the follow-up to 2014’s R.I.B. (Rest In Beer).

Black/doom metal band THE LOOM OF TIME released an album called NihilReich through ATMF in late 2016.

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante sat on the drum stool on USA late night program Late Night With Seth Meyers from Monday, March 20th to Thursday, March 23rd.

BELPHEGOR has completed work on a new album called Totenritual. It is due on September 15th through Nuclear Blast.

EYEHATEGOD is back playing shows with singer Mike IX Williams who was sidelined due to illness.

Germany-based SARKRISTA’s album Summoners Of The Serpents Wrath is out now through Purity Through Fire.

Sri Lanka-based PLECTO ALIQUEM CAPITE will release its first DVD. Entitled Third World Psychosis, it is set to be released on June 2017 and will include a CD with older material and cover versions.

CAVERNA ABISMAL RECORDS is issuing the next TOD HUETET UEBEL’s EP, N.A.D.A. It is out in May and comprised of two tracks of twenty minutes’ length.

Sweden-based OF FIRE’s Death Do Us All is out April 14th. The band is comprised of five childhood friends, including the Thunell brothers, who were taken under the wings of producer who recorded their debut demo Carnage Fever at Sunlight Studio.

Greece-based SIMPLEFAST has a new demo called Apocalypse. The band plays “modern” and “thrash” metal.

DIGIR GIDIM’s I Thought There Was the Sun Awaiting My Awakening is out now through ATMF. The band is described as occult avantgarde black metal.

RAVEN, KILL RITUAL and HIRAX are touring Europe together in June.

Sweden-based SINIESTRO’s Revelations In Mayhem is out through Bleeding Heart Nihilist Productions. The band is described as a mix of black, thrash and punk.

FORGOTTEN WOODS’ As The Wolves Gather and Sjel Av Natten releases are now out through ATMF. Both were recorded in 1994.

Final Sacrifice Records has issued COLDBORN’s Lingering Voidwards in December. The black metal act is based in Belgium.

FUNERAL BAPTISM, from Bucharest, Romania has reached an agreement with Loud Rage Music regarding the upcoming release of the band’s debut album, which is scheduled for the second part of this year. It follows the release of the Gate demo.


Metallian Hard

Ripping Through Canada Summer 2017 Tour is the monicker for ANNIHILATOR’s trek this year beginning in June. Support comes from MUTANK and MASON.

SAINT VITUS is touring Europe this spring.

AGRESIVA’s Decibel Ritual is out through Minotauro Records. The Spain-based group plays heavy metal.

THRESHOLD has asked vocalist Damian Wilson to leave and brought back singer Glynn Morgan who was in the British band from 1994 to 1995. The group is at Thin Ice Studio recording its next album, Legends Of The Shires, which is due for release in the autumn.

MASTODON will support its Emperor Of Sandby album by appearing on USA network ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! on April 3rd.

METALMORPHOSE recently released a new record called Ação & Reação. The band has a video for the song A Cobra Fumou in tribute to the fighters of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB – Força Expedicionária Brasileira) who fought in the Battle of Monte Castello during World War II.

SELFMACHINE’s new album Societal Arcade is out through Wormholedeath.

DREAM EVIL will issue its first album in almost seven years this May. It is entitled Six and coming through Century Media.

Creepy-greedy news of the year: Following an appearance as a hologram at Wacken Open Air festival in Germany last year through Eyellusion, a corporation lined up by Ronnie James Dio’s former wife, the dead singer’s hologram will now tour around the world.

Ukraine-based X.KERNEL’s Face The Truth album is out this month through Cimmerian Shade Recordings. The band claims to be metal, but has a keyboardist.

KIX guitarist Ronnie Younkins missed the band's concert in Pennsylvania on March 25th after going AWOL. The band played the show without him. Ronnie was later located and was said to not be in a good state.

Original Y&T guitarist Joey Alves has died. He was 63 years old. He suffered from ulcerative colitis, which is a swelling in the intestines and rectum.

EDGUY will release a 2-CD/DVD-package called Monuments through Nuclear Blast this July to commomorate its 25th anniversary. The package includes new material. A tour will follow.

Germany-based LUCIFER has parted ways with guitarist Gary "Gaz" Jennings and drummer Andrew Prestige. Nicke Andersson of ENTOMBED fame is in.

QUIET RIOT has fired singer Seann Nicols (ex-ADLER'S APPETITE) and replaced him with American Idol contestant James Durbin. American Idol is an American karaoke contest. The Nicols fronted Road Rage was initially due this spring, but will be rerecorded with the new vocalist. The singer has joined Bobby Blotzer’s RATT.

In an interview former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has asserted he believes there is a fifty-percent chance he will rejoin the glam rockers. At the same time, the original KISS drummer Peter Criss has announced Australia and USA KISS convention appearances in May that are touted to be his final live performances.

JUDAS PRIEST, who had vowed to retire two years ago, is at the studio recording the follow-up to 2014's Redeemer Of Souls album. The band’s long-time producer Tom Allomand and Andy Sneap (SABBAT) are producing.

DEF LEPPARD will release its first EP with replica art and picture cover on Record Store Day on April 22nd. This is a 12-inch version of the EP playing at 45rpm.

MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP has dubbed its four UK shows in November Michael Schenker Fest.

Sensory Records has issued a new album by the Australian progressive metal outfit, DAMNATIONS DAY. It is called A World Awakens.

PYRAMAZE has a lyric video for the track 20 Second Century from the new album Contingent. The album will be released on April 28th through Inner Wound Recordings.

The USA-based progressive power metal band MINDMAZE has released a music video for Sign Of Life, the first single from the new album Resolve. The album will be released on April 28th in Europe and North America through Inner Wound Recordings. The band is supporting ARKONA and SIRENIA in Canada and USA next month.

METAL CHURCH will release an album called Classic Live through its Rat Pak Records on April 28th. It was produced by guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof and recorded during 2016. Drummer Jeff Plate, however, has left the act.

MY DYING BRIDE has signed a deal with Nuclear Blast. A new album is due this year.

MOONSPELL has picked 1755 as the title for its Portuguese-language album, which is about that year’s earthquake in Portugal.

ICED EARTH’s next album, now called Incorruptible after initially being dubbed The Judas Goat, will be out through Century Media this June.

CAGE is touring the Middle East and Europe venturing to Cyprus, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and France.

THE RODS has signed a deal with Steamhammer/SPV and will issue an album called Louder Than Loud this year. The line-up remains David "Rock" Feinstein (guitar and vocals), Garry Bordonaro (bass) and Carl Canedy (drums).

MEGADETH is opening for SCORPIONS in the USA this autumn. The tour is called Crazy World, which is the name of SCORPIONS’ 1991 album. The band is also playing two shows in Canada.

RESURRECT THE MACHINE’s Uncover The Truth is out through Minotauro Records. The band features vocalist Dean Ortega, guitarist Andrré Makina, bassist Kurt Barabas (ROSWELL SIX, AMARANS PLIGHT, etc.) and Joey Cotero on drums. The label has also issued CRAVING ANGEL’s Redemption album. The band was formed as early as 1984.

To commomorate the thirtieth anniversary of the Awaken The Guardian album and make some money, FATES WARNING’s Awaken The Guardian line-up played shows at the Keep It True XIX in Germany and Prog Power USA XVII in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The shows were recorded and are being issued as CD and DVD this month through Metal Blade.

Italy-based AVELION has an album called Illusion Of Transparency through Revalve Records. The band is described as progressive metal, but has a synthesizing playing member.

Preparing for the second annual Metalocalypstick, the outdoor festival for women in metal, the organizers have announced the following bands: TESSITURA, KÖRPERLOSE STIMME, METEOR TREE, SCYTHIA, HEDKS, FORSAKEN RITE and REMNANTS. Metalocalypstick is being held during Canada Day weekend on July 1st and 2nd in Valemount, in Western Canada. The festival was founded by Kaija Kinney of Vancouver’s ANARCHEON.

BARDSPEC is an ambient project by ENSLAVED guitarist Ivar Bjørnson, which shall release its debut album Hydrogen this June through By Norse. ENSLAVED has an album called Roadburn Live for Record Store Day.

Pomp band KALEDON has a new demo called Carnagus - Emperor Of The Darkness.

ADRENALINE MOB has recruited drummer Jordan Cannata. The band has a new album this year through Century Media Records.

Alternative band ANATHEMA will issue an album called The Optimist through Kscope on June 9th.

GUNPOWDER GRAY will release Premonition on cassette through Boris Records.

Sweden-based METHANE has recently released its debut album The Devil's Own through Dark Star Records. The band, which was founded by two American brothers who live in Sweden, has announced Olle Ekman (DEALS DEATH singer and touring with AMARANTHE) as their new drummer after Andreas Strom gave notice in late 2016. Tim Scott (bass and vocals for METHANE) and Ekman both played in death metal band VOLTURYON, only not at the same time. Ekman sang on the first 2 albums from 2008-2011 and Scott played bass a short time in 2014 on the Human Demolition EP.

SLAUGHTER frontman Mark Slaughter will release a new solo album Halfway There in Japan through Universal Music on May 10th and in Europe and the USA through EMP Label Group on May 26th.

Guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, who left U.D.O. in February for personal reasons, has been replaced by CIRCLE II CIRCLE’s Bill Hudson.

Show me a classy Trump supporter and I will show you a heavy metal keyboardist.


Metallian Demos

ALL ELSE FAILS - THE FOREVER LIE
The Forever Lie is this Edmonton, Canada quartet's third EP to go along with two full lengths. The production was funded by a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2016 and billed as the band's 10th anniversary album. The band occupy the same space as bands that use downtrodden type clean vocals and intersperse them with catchy and angry vocals and sounds. The sound-alikes mentioned are Killswitch Engage and Of Mice And Men and perhaps one can add Five Finger Death Punch to the list. The list of bands doing this style is not exactly short and the six songs don't offer anything overly new and unheard of. The music might appeal to In Flames fans too. Twice Broken and Bones have intense sections that exude more anger and heaviness. The closer, the nearly eight minutes long Terracide, switches in and out of ballad type sections and includes a solo too. It highlights the lyrical theme of The Forever Lie, one of a world in ruins, however that mood is interrupted at around its five minute mark and a joke of sorts ends the song! Experience the lies at https://www.facebook.com/AllElseFailsCanada/ – Anna Tergel