Metallian Heavy

ASPHYX’s DVD/CD package Live Death Doom will be released this month through Century Media Records.

IMMORTAL’s The Seventh Date Of Blashyrkh is the band’s first official live DVD and live CD. It was recorded at Wacken Open Air in 2007. The package is due through Nuclear Blast Records in September.

Singer Magnus “Masse” Broberg (a.k.a. Emperor Magus Caligula) of DARK FUNERAL is leaving the band. The Summer Breeze festival in Germany on August 21st will be the vocalist’s last show. Magnus is getting married. The band is seeking a replacement and candidates can contact the band at vocalist@darkfuneral.se.

After 18 years in the band, guitarist Jarno Anttila has left IMPALED NAZARENE to concentrate on his career and wife. The band is recording an album called Road To The Octagon with its soundman Tero Kostermaa.

CATARACT has completed its new album, Killing The Eternal, at Antfarm studio in Aarhus, Denmark with producer Tue Madsen. The album will be out on September 27th through Metal Blade Records.

DESTRUCTION has picked Day Of Reckoning as the title for its next album, which is tentatively due in January 2011 through Nuclear Blast Records. The band claims this album will be faster than its predecessor.

A reformed ATHEIST has picked Jupiter as the title for its demo, which is tentatively due in November.

SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — three quarters of the ’90s Clash Of The Titans – will tour together once again on the American Carnage tour. The tour begins September 24th. James Lomenzo who was booted out of MEGADETH to make way for returning bassist Dave Ellefson has joined the touring line-up of LYNCH MOB for the remainder of the band’s summer tour.

GRAVEHILL has recruited Matt Harvey of EXHUMED and CRETIN as its new guitarist.

Mighty Music has signed Danish newcomers, MALRUN and THE NEW LOW. MALRUN is ready to release its debut album Beauty In Chaos, which is produced, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen. THE NEW LOW’s Jacob Bredahl-produced debut Fall Empire is “where the recklessness of hardcore is mixed with the distinct Scandinavian metallic sound,” according to the label’s publicity.

DEATH ANGEL has picked Relentless Retribution as the title for its new album, due on September 3rd in Europe and September 14th in the U.S. through Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Audiohammer Studio in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof.

ENDSTILLE has picked Infektion 181 as the title for its next album, which is due in the autumn.

DEMIURG will release its third album, Slakthus Gamleby, on July 30th through Cyclone Empire Records. The band features former GOREFEST man Ed Warby and EDGE OF SANITY’s Dan Swano.

CEPHALIC CARNAGE has picked Misled By Certainty as the title for its new album, which is due on August 31st through Relapse Records. CEPHALIC CARNAGE has just recruited guitarist Brian Hopp.

Inspired by KEEL? Czech Republic’s MANIAC BUTCHER has reformed after a ten-year absence and has released a new album called Masakr through Negative Existence. Original members Barbarud and Blasphemer are joined by Infernal (ZLO) on guitar, Lord Obst (HELLOCAUSTOR) on bass and Coroner (SOLFERNUS and DESPISE) on drums for European shows.

German Viking metal act VARG has picked Wolfskult as the title for its next album, which is due in early 2011 through Noise Art Records.

Danish death metal band EXMORTEM has thrown in the towel. The band had simply lost its motivation to continue, according to guitarist Martin Thim.

SEPULTURA has picked up a deal with Nuclear Blast Records.

Spanish veteran thrash band TANATOSSIS has reached an agreement with Xtreem Music for the release of its third album The Darkest Reflections.

San Diego-based band PATHOLOGY has released its full-length, Legacy Of The Ancients, on July 6th on Victory Records. The album was mixed and mastered by Erik Rutan.

American band INFERNAEON has picked Genesis To Nemesis as the title for its new album, which is out on August 31st through Prosthetic Records. The album was recorded at Erik Rutan’s Mana Recording Studio with producer Brian Elliott.

After claiming tinnitus has sidelined its drummer, Micke Backelin, in January of 2009 LORD BELIAL has returned and is writing new material.

MELECHESH has picked The Epigenesis as the title for its next album, which is due in October through Nuclear Blast Records. The 11-song album was recorded at the newly built Babajim Studio in Istanbul, Turkey.

SADIST, VIRGIN SNATCH, CRIONICS plus two other bands will play a run of dozens concerts across Europe during this autumn. The tour will kick off at the end of September in Poland and will roll over its nine biggest cities, with additional dates in Prague (Czech Republic) and Bratislava (Slovakia). The band will then proceed to Western Europe.

Agonia Records has signed Italian black/doom metal band FORGOTTEN TOMB. The band will begin recording a new full-length album, called Under Saturn Retrograde, at the end of the summer.

MACABRE’s Human Monsters 12 inch EP is the band’s first release in eight years and out now through Obscene Productions. It will be followed by the band’s new full-length album, Grim Scary Tales, which is due out this autumn. The band is touring Australia.

BENEATH THE MASSACRE has picked Marée Noire as the title for its EP, due on September 14th through Prosthetic Records.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, LAWNMOWER DETH, S.S.S., HECATE ENTHRONED and FEN have been confirmed for the sixth instalment of the U.K.’s Damnation Festival, which is taking place on Saturday, November 6th at Leeds University Union in the UK.

JUNGLE ROT has lost drummer Eric Housedue to a personal crisis. The band is working with Tony Ochoa (SINDROME and SPEED\KILL/HATE) as it tours the US.

KEEP OF KALESSIN singer Thebon has also joined Norwegian thrash band HELLISH OUTCAST. He replaces Sjalg Otto Unnison, who is focusing on LEADSLEDGE.

Florida’s THE ABSENCE will release its third album, Enemy Unbound, on September 14th through Metal Blade Records. The album was again taped at Mana Recording Studio with Brian Elliott engineering and Peter Joseph and Patrick Pintavalle producing.


Metallian Hard

The confusion and upheaval in the CLOVEN HOOF camp continues. CLOVEN HOOF was rejoined by singer Derek Hodd for its show at the Rockoff Festival on Saturday, July 17th at the Dome, Tufnell Park in London, England. Derek replaced current CLOVEN HOOF vocalist Matt Moreton who was ill.

AMULANCE has signed with Stormspell Records for the release of an EP entitled Deutschland. The band is singer Rik Baez, guitarists Bob Luman and Pat Cassidy, bassist Thom Braddish and drummer Eddie Foltz.

HALFORD played its first show in more than seven years on Saturday, July 17th, 2010 at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. Metal God Records recently announced the release of Halford - Live In Anaheim, " CD and DVD.

Frontiers Records has picked up BENEDICTUM and will release the band’s next album in early 2011. The band is recording the album with producer Ryan Greene.

Faroe Island-based TÝR will play a U.S. show at Clifton, New Jersey's Clash Bar on Saturday, September 11. Canada’s BATTLESOUL is opening. TÝR will perform at this year's ProgPower USA XI festival, set to take place September 8-11, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ANGRA will release its seventh studio album, Aqua, on September 29th through SPV. Aqua is a concept album.

Guitarist Gus G of FIREWIND and OZZY OSBOURNE is featured in the third issue of the metal comic book series Eternal Descent, which is now available at comic retailers. The issue features a storyline inspired by guitar hero Gus G who helps Eternal Descent characters Lyra and Sirian race against time to save Apollo and the rest of the band from the dissonant call of the Damned.

MARTY FRIEDMAN will release his tenth solo album, Bad D.N.A., on August 25th through Avex.

TOKYO BLADE has lost singer Chris Gillen after a mere eight months and has recruited Nicolaj “Nick” Ruhnow of IRONY, DOMAIN and HELLFORT. The band is still planning on recording a new album this year.

DAGOBA has released Poseidon through XIII Bis Records.

Timo Tolkki’s REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE has called it quits due to a lack of interest. REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE's third album, Trinity, will be released through Napalm Records at the end of summer.

ACCEPT has signed a Japanese deal with Universal for the release of Blood Of The Nations album. It will be released in Japan on September 4th.

CATHEDRAL is marking its 20th anniversary by performing a one-off show on December 3rd, 2010 at the O2 Academy in Islington, North London. On the night CATHEDRAL will be performing two sets, one featuring the entire debut album, Forest Of Equilibrium, where Lee Dorrian and Garry Jennings will be joined by the recording line-up Mark "Griff" Griffiths, Adam Lehan and Mike Smail. The second will feature the band’s current line-up.

DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse has teamed up with singer/songwriter SARAH SPENCER to release Angelfire, an album of acoustic songs. The two met when Spencer was 16.

Curtis Beeson, former drummer for NASTY SAVAGE, has undergone surgery for a brain tumour. The man had been complaining of headaches prior to the surgery. His brother (Sanford of LOWBROW) and sister had taken him to the hospital prior to the diagnosis.

THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE drummer Snowy Shaw has recorded the drums for the solo album of PRIMAL FEAR frontman Ralf Scheepers. The album has no release date. THERION session singer Snowy Shaw was forced to sit out A June show at RockHarz, Germany due to sickness. The band’s Sitra Ahra is due in September through Nuclear Blast. Bassist Nalley Påhlsson is sitting out the band’s tour to baby sit, study and not be exposed to alcohol as he lacks the discipline to know when enough is enough. Producer Waldemar Sorychta of GRIP INC. and DESPAIR fame is joining THERION for live work.

GLENN HUGHES is touring the UK this September and October.

Inspired by LITA FORD? GHOST MACHINERY will release its album, Out For Blood, this month through Limb Music.

This month, vocalist Dani Filth, guitarists Paul Allender and James McIlroy, bassist David Pybus, drummer Martin Skaroupka and keyboard player Ashley Ellyllon enter Monkey Puzzle Studio near Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England to begin work on the follow-up to 2008’s Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder. CRADLE OF FILTH has signed with Nuclear Blast Records for its next album’s American release.

DIMMU BORGIR has picked Abrahadabra as the title for its ninth studio album, which will be released on September 24th through Nuclear Blast Records. The word ‘Abrahadabra’ was coined by author Aleister Crowley and means ‘I create as I speak.’

LYNCH MOB is on a summer tour in support of its current release Smoke And Mirrors on Frontiers Records. The band’s line-up for the tour consists of George Lynch, singer Oni Logan, bassist Michael Devin and drummer Brian Tichy.

ALCATRAZZ with Graham Bonnet, JOE LYNN TURNER and Doogie White are touring Japan in September as Voices Of Rainbow. The former RAINBOW singers’ bands will perform in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

Candlelight Records has announced September 27th as the release date for ABIGAIL WILLIAMS’ In The Absence Of Light. It was recorded at Conquistador Studio in Cleveland, Ohio and mixed by Peter Tägtgren.

Further blurring of the line between metal and pop! 70,000 TONS OF METAL, a heavy metal themed cruise ship, will sail Monday, January 24th, 2011 aboard the Royal Caribbean from Miami, FL to Cozumel, Mexico and will return on Friday, January 28th, 2011. Several of the bands participating include ICED EARTH, AGENT STEEL, TESTAMENT and TROUBLE.

JACKYL has written a song for an episode of animated show Squidbillies. It aired on the America: Why I Love Her episode in July.

ENSLAVED has picked Axioma Ethica Odini as the title for its new album, which is due on September 27th through Indie Recordings.

Inspired by KEEL? Cadence is the name of the new album from the reunited hard rock band BANGALORE CHOIR. It will be released on September 24th through Metal Heaven Records.

GRAVE DIGGER has picked The Clans Will Rise Again as the title for its next album, which is due in on October 1st through Napalm Records. The album was partly recorded at the Meadow Studio, which is owned by GRAVE DIGGER's new guitarist Axel Ritt. According to the band, "'The Clans Will Rise Again' is a loose sequel of the 'Tunes Of War' album, but this time not a concept album about the Scottish history, rather a work about Scotland, its mysticism and its people."

MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP has booked American 30th anniversary tour dates and is releasing a Live In Tokyo: 30th Anniversary Japan Tour package on DVD, Blu-ray and CD on October 19th. MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP has 28 US tour dates scheduled for July and August. The band features Gary Barden on vocals.

BLACK 'N BLUE will reform for a one-off show with Tommy Thayer, Jaime St. James, Jeff Warner, Pete Holmes and Patrick Young and for the Oregon Music Hall Of Fame. BLACK 'N BLUE is one of the inductees at the 2010 event. The ceremony takes place on October 9th at Roseland Theater in Portland.

HELLOWEEN has picked 7 Sinner as the title for its next album, which is now due in December. The album was recorded at singer Andi Deris' Mi Sueno Studios in Tenerife, Spain. HELLOWEEN and STRATOVARIUS are touring Europe together this autumn.


Metallian Demos

FALLEN ANGEL – CRAWLING OUT OF HELL
Over the last ten years there have been several bands and related releases – demo or album – that have picked up on the style and vibe of the early thrash metal groups and nearly replicated it. The retro-thrash movement has had several good proponents with labels like Century Media, Metal Blade or Osmose even picking up a roster of said bands. What has not been as prevalent is bands like Fallen Angel, which have tuned in perfectly to the heavy/power metal sound of the ‘80s and been able to deliver it to true metal fans. Here to change that is Fallen Angel from New York State. The band’s sound is true to the ideals of authentic metal and no wonder; the band was initially around in the ‘80s and now has made a return to taunt and ravage the modern rock fans and bands with its prowess. One does have to wonder, however, how many of these tracks are older and rescued from vintage tapes. The disc is not only fully professional in graphics, art, storyline and recording quality, but also comprises of twenty tracks if not actual songs. A few of the tracks are interludes which the band dubs “cinematic” to complement its heroic theme.
The album’s opening song proper, Sinners Vengeance, is a true pleasure to absorb. It is as if Agent Steel and John Cyriis are performing. Speed metal with talent and high screams has a few fans among the knights of Metallian Towers and so this song is most welcome. Other stand-outs feature the pounding metal of Blood On My Soul, The Reapers Shall Gather and the Queensrÿche-matching power ballad Leaving It All Behind. This last track is incredible in quality, build-up, and additionally demonstrates the craft of drummer Frankie Quaggs. Speaking of which, not only do the band members disguise themselves in, er, amusing aliases, but the group walks the night in full regalia and face paint. King Diamond would be proud. Incidentally, King Diamond would also be proud of the vocals on show here. Returning to the tracks, the promoted song/ballad The Answer is bland and surprisingly mundane, while Dark Lord suffers from a same-old same-old attitude. Nonetheless, Crawling Out Of Hell is hell of a surprise demo and worth the purchase price whatever that is. Incidentally, the band has an accompanying storybook for the disc, which is available separately. If nothing else, these angels work damn hard. The band has a website at http://www.fallenangelofficialwebsite.com and is reachable throughFallenangeljcrl@hotmail.com. - Ali “The Metallian”

HAIDUK – PLAGUESWEPT
This demo is the work of a lone man named Luka Milojica who performs the vocals and guitars and has had the project since only a year ago. The solo act is hardly essential or superlative in anyway and, as the limitations of the line-up make obvious, Haiduk is limited in what it can become. Having said that, this full-length disc is serious in intent, brutal and fairly competent. At the very least, Haiduk is a showcase for its main man’s candidacy for bigger and more serious things. The vocals are growled and sadistic, while the guitars, though simple in construct, do hit some exciting notes. Grom, which begins the disc, has an oriental pattern, but tracks like Entering The Lair and Siege draw comparisons to Bolt Thrower. That is the best comparison for Haiduk’s Plagueswept. Incidentally, the disc has a haunting and appropriate cover artwork. Imagine such a band from Alberta, the fascist capital of Canada. Visit www.haiduk.ca or write the man at contact@haiduk.ca. The disc is available for sale for a mere $5. - Ali “The Metallian”