Metallian Heavy

Swedish black metal band DARK FUNERAL has set Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus as the title for its upcoming new full-length scheduled for release this November. Said guitarist Lord Ahriman in an update: “Peter Tägtgren of HYPOCRISY is currently mixing our new album at his Abyss Studios. Once we have approved the final mix, Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY) will be mastering it.

Metal Blade Records has signed Los Angeles black metal band LIGHTNING SWORDS OF DEATH. The band’s album for the label is now due in early 2010.

London, Canada’s HEAVEN ABLAZE has recruited drummer Jason Longo (BLOOD OF CHRIST, and BLASTOMYCOSIS) to its ranks.

Swedish thrashers DECADENCE will release a new album, called Chargepoint, in October through Japan’s Spiritual Beast.

After losing drummer Terry Barajas in April and using Ken Bedene of BLOOD OF CAIN on the last two tours, ABYSMAL DAWN is seeking a permanent replacement. The band can be contacted at abysmaldawn@gmail.com. The group’s most recent tour was cut short because SWWAATS and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS had to go home early. ABIGAIL WILLIAMS claimed it was winding down dates for the Conquered & Cursed Tour due to sickness and flu within the band.

In 2006 SINISTER visited Poland to play a concert in Warsaw. The band’s performance that night was captured on film and released as its first DVD, Prophecies Denied. This material is available now on CD through Metal Mind Productions.

My Kingdom Music has signed INFERNAL ANGELS. The black metal band’s Midwinter Blood is its second full-length and will be released at the end of September. The label has also recruited Siberian death metal act DEFECT DESIGNER for the release of its debut album, Wax. The release date is fixed for Sept 7th.

Following three U.S. appearances in August in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York (effectively breaking their streak of visa issues), MARDUK will return for a full North American headlining tour this November. The band will be joined by NACHTMYSTIUM, MANTIC RITUAL, MERRIMACK and BLACK ANVIL (on select dates). Dubbed U.S. Plague Tour 2009, the trek will kick off on November 20th at the Palladium in Worcester, MA and run through 21 more dates before coming to a close in New York City on December 16th at the Gramercy Theater.

Rob Dukes, lead singer for Bay Area thrash band EXODUS and a motorcycle enthusiast, will soon embark on his third cross-country trip by bike. He departed from New York City on Sunday, August 30th. No news whether he considers himself an environmentalist or a compassionate conservative.

Spanish death metal band EXQUISITE PUS has inked a deal with Xtreem Music for the release of its debut album, “Dead [Forgotten]” due for immediate release on September 10th. The band was formed in 2004 as a one-man project. The label has also picked up Spanish black metal band CRYING BLOOD for the imminent release of its third album, Animae Damnatae.

MASTER has entitled its upcoming tenth full-length, The Human Machine. The band is expected to enter the studio in December following a string of Mexican and South American tour dates.

HELLWITCH’s Omnipotent Convocation is finally out through Spain’s Xtreem Music.

A DIFFERENT BREED OF KILLER has announced the band is preparing its second full-length to be entitled The City. The album will be produced by the band’s drummer Nija Walker. This recording is planned to be recorded, mixed and mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. The band states, “to our knowledge this is the first time this process has been applied to a death metal record.” The band has also announced that it has left Rise Records and is in the process of securing a new label for The City.

INSOMNIUM has completed work on Down With the Sun, its new video from the band’s forthcoming fourth album Across The Dark. The video, now available for viewing at the band and Candlelight Records’ American and English sites, was filmed in high-definition and captures the band in a live soundstage setting.

San Francisco Bay Area’s CORMORANT will issue its new demo, Metazoa, this month. The demo will initially be released as a six panel Digipack by Saturnine Media, while a vinyl version will be made available in the coming months.

Guitarist Mike Sifringer of DESTRUCTION broke his middle finger at the Vlamrock festival in Belgium last month. He was hit by a moshing fan of a hardcore act.


Metallian Hard

THRESHOLD is putting together a new fan club album featuring several rarities and demo songs. The album not only features new/old vocalist Damian Wilson, but also older singer Glynn Morgan. Formative days songs included are Shifting Sands and Conceal The Face. THRESHOLD will tour Europe in October and November supported by SERENITY and SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE.

New chapter = metal? Norwegian symphonic band DIMMU BORGIR has issued the following statement: "We regret to inform you that we have parted ways with both I.C.S. Vortex [bassist, clean vocalist] and Mustis [keyboards]. However, we do want to make it perfectly clear that the creative force in the band is highly intact, perhaps even more so than ever. With that being said, we're currently working on our next album and are excited to start a new chapter in the legacy that is DIMMU BORGIR." Mustis had earlir claimed that he had not received adequate credit for his song writing by the band.

The upstart FNA Records is releasing a 1985 album by the band HAWK now entitled Let The Metal Live. The unreleased material from HAWK features such luminaries like BULLET BOYS’ Charlie W. Morrill of BULLET BOYS and KING KOBRA, BULLET BOYS’ Lonnie Vincent, JUDAS PRIEST, FIGHT and RACER X’s drummer Scott Travis and guitarist Doug Marks.

FASTER PUSSYCAT’s Front Row For The Donkey Show is now out through Full Effect.

ARAPACIS’ Consequences Of Dreams CD is out independently on October 5, 2009. Head over to www.arapacis.com for more information on the Montreal band.

Drummer Phil Brewis of BLITZKRIEG has joined CHAOS ASYLUM, which features BLITZKRIEG guitarist Guy Laverick.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY singer and guitarist ZAKK WYLDE is recovering following a medical emergency to remove blood clots from his lungs and leg. He was taken to the hospital after a concert in Montana on the 19th of August. The rest of the Pedal To The Metal Tour is cancelled.

After being voted as the top requested city on KISS’ website and seemingly not appearing on the band’s itinerary KISS has now announced Oshawa, Canada as a tour stop on October 7th. The band is claiming the city will see a few surprises at its show.

Eddie Guz, the singer for CHROME DIVISION, has been asked to leave the band. “He’s out, due to lack of dedication and commitment to the band. In February, Shady Blue (Athera of SUSPERIA) stepped in for Eddie on a gig in Germany, and the result was very pleasing for both the band and the fans. So we are happy to announce that Shady Blue has now become a full worthy permanent singer in CHROME DIVISION.” Athera, a.k.a. Pal Mathieson, underwent heart surgery earlier this year and himself was replaced by a substitute within SUSPERIA.

GARY MOORE’s Essential Montreux 5 CD Set is now out through Eagle. Much of the material has been issued in audio or video format previously.

HANOI ROCKS has released a Japanese compilation called Ripped Off: Odd Tracks And Demos featuring 27 tracks of rare B-sides and demo recordings from the band's '80s days.

Swedish melancholic metallers IN MOURNING recently entered Black Lounge Studio with producer Jonas Kjellgren (CARNAL FORGE, CENTINEX etc.) to begin work on the follow-up to the debut release Shrouded Divine.

They are proud! The End Records is proud to announce the signing of DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER. On November 10th 2009, the band will be releasing its latest LP Licht in the USA. The US version will come with six bonus tracks (2 studio and 4 live) and new album art including an alternate cover.

PRIMAL FEAR singer Ralf Scheepers has obtained a deal with Frontiers Records for the release of his solo album, which is due in 2010. PRIMAL FEAR bassist Mat Sinner will be involved as well.

England’s FURNAZE has snatched the opening slot for TARJA’s Final Storm 2009 tour. The band has booked Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER) on drums, as drummer Daniel is booked for studio work.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release Hatefiles, which is FEAR FACTORY's compilation album featuring rare, unreleased and remixed tracks from 2003. The album was notable as it contained Terminate, the last song to be recorded with the original guitarist Dino Cazares.

Coming in 2010 is a southern metal documentary dubbed Slow Southern Steel, which is an 80-minute film executive produced by Karim Khan (I'm Better Than Everyone Records) and directed by RWAKE vocalist CT and David Lipke. Slow Southern Steel “peers into the world of true southern metal/doom through live footage and personal interviews.” More information at http://www.myspace.com/slowsouthernsteel

Following the success of Anvil! The Story Of Anvil SAXON is getting its own documentary. Heavy Metal Thunder - The Movie is expected to be released in November in time for the British group's 30th anniversary. The film will feature appearances by Lemmy of MOTÖRHEAD, Lars of METALLICA and others.

September 21st brings a re-release of ANVIL’s 1989 live album, Past And Present – Live In Concert courtesy of Metal Mind Records of Poland. The re-release follows several re-released album and concert opportunities for the band since the release of the Anvil! The Story Of Anvil film. The album is remastered and limited to 2,000 copies.

AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler broke his shoulder and received stitches on his head this past month after an on-stage accident in South Dakota. The band subsequently postponed its tour with ZZ TOP.

Drummer Tomas Nilsén has left Sweden’s MACHINAE SUPREMACY for the usual "personal reasons." The band is working on a new album.

HANOI ROCKS guitarist Andy McCoy is touring his native Finland in November with his new solo group, THE REAL MCCOY BAND.

MOB RULES will release its newest album, Radical Peace, in November through AFM Records. A single, called Astral Hand, will precede the CD.

Following a trek with the 2009 edition of the Summer Slaughter Tour earlier this year, Finnish Viking metal band ENSIFERUM will return for a full North American headlining tour this November. Support will be provided by HYPOCRISY, EX DEO, BLACKGUARD and SWASHBUCKLE (on select dates). The 26-date excursion, which will begin on November 6th in Springfield, VA and conclude on December 5th at Irving Plaza in New York City, will include a stop at the eclectic Anti*Pop Music Festival in Central Florida which plays host to indie acts from all over the world. The tour will coincide with the release of the ENSIFERUM’s new full-length, From Afar.

Swedish metallers SONIC SYNDICATE have tapped 23-year-old British singer Nathan James Biggs (formerly of THE HOLLOW EARTH THEORY) as the replacement for Roland Johansson. Commented the band: "The search is over and the band is complete once again! Nathan is probably the best thing that ever happened to SONIC SYNDICATE since the discovery of distorted guitars and the work we've done together is by far the best we've achieved to date! He's like the long-lost brother we never had and has also fused the rest of us together more closely than before. The rebellion has begun!"

A whole bunch of mallcore guys act as if the microphones shoved in their faces by tattooed girls constitute real interviews.


Metallian Demos

DRUGS OF FAITH – 2008 DEMO
A few months too late Metallian brings our visitors a stopgap demo-CD review by Drugs Of Faith and, despite the short length; you need to somehow get your hands on this. The demo is intended to fill the gap between the band’s albums on Selfmadegod Records, but the three-song short disc showcases a band that has pretty much streamlined the art of grindcore without losing any of its intensity. The holler atop the music is riding a sonic wave of blasting and punching drums (Courtesy of guest man Jake Cregger), Brutal Truth-ish guitars and an inspiring bass guitar assault that takes the cake. Add interesting chord progressions and one cannot wait for the full-length. Hopefully it will come as fast as the songs – Race To The End, Anemic and The Age Of Reason - on the demo. That would mean the album would arrive yesterday then, wouldn’t it? Vrrrooom. More information at www.drugsoffaith.com. – Ali “The Metallian”

ALTERNINE – Same
Alternine has a unique sound that mixes highly melodic and guitar-driven hard rock with a female vocalist. The production would have been flawless were it not for the extremely flat drum sound. The console has treated the singer and the guitar very well though. The band does harmonies with a certain alternative mentality that one does not expect from a young band. The singer though has a limited range. She compensates by screaming a little which makes her limited range become more transparent. She is not bad though. It is just a limitation. The songs could be construed as pop songs but simply have too much ‘song’ and dynamics in them to be accepted by the rap generation. Not really too heavy or anything but Alternine has its own charm channelled through a lot of writing and playing ability. Find them at www.alternine.com or e-mail contact@alternine.com. – Anna Tergel

RAZOR WIRE SHRINE – THE POWER OF NEGATIVE THINKING
What is behind the cool band name and original demo name is a trio of extreme techno-metal mavericks that fused metal with jazz and progressive rock to make Rush sound like easy listening, Cynic commercial and Zero Hour straightforward and mainstream. R.W.S. is not one for time changes galore and silly technicality for technicality sake. The two brothers Rodler and guitar soloist cohort and really good technical players who beat hard at their instruments with runs, shreds, disharmonic riffs and rolls that would make anyone green with envy. That is not to say that the all-instrumental songs Maniac Freak Machine, Klusterphunk and South Of Heavy (very funny) are good songs. For one, they leave the domain of heavy metal too often and for another one too many spasms is one too many. Be that as it may, this is extreme in its own way and clearly the work three dedicated and righteous dudes. Think of these guys as the musical answer to Cambridge and Oxford mathematicians. See the website at www.prm-music.net or write the band at chrisrodler@ahoo.com. - Anna Tergel

MORPHEUS – PROMO 2006
This Greek sextet plays what the bio likes to claim is majestic black metal. Having a keyboard player and using the aforementioned term do not a promising release make, as it were. The opener of this three-song sampler is precisely, or may be almost, what is expected. Screaming vocals and somewhat high paced guitars often interrupted and accompanied by keyboards but ones that are not just the haunting, mood setting or ambient kind but are sometimes down right techno and pop sounding. The second song, Fake Adoration Before Abomination, starts off with a futuristic sounding, soundtrack type keyboard intro before falling into a slower paced and agonized section and then only later speeds up. The song has several breaks possibly in an attempt to sound technical but is more disjointed than anything else. Melancholic Nostalgia In Black follows the same path as the song before it and doesn’t add much. Maybe Dimmu Borgir fans will find this interesting? Contact the band at www.mor-pheus.com. – Anna Tergel

BALISET – A TIME FOR RUST
Baliset is a project of the ex-Maudlin Of The Well guitarist Greg Massi. Baliset’s member list includes a trumpet player and female singer the opener, These Moments Are..., however is more in the shape of an extended intro/instrumental. The first full song is the title track and the vocals of Massi seem rather muted as he is sometimes accompanied by Lauren Flaherty, the aforementioned female singer. Musically this moves from low-key rock to harder rock while retaining bits of catchiness. Machinery Listens To Love is a futuristic sounding intermission. Black Light Moon tries to be Pink Floyd. Melancholic or slow rock is probably a more apt description. The instrumental Art Of Contrition is close to Stream Of Passion in mood. Dreamflesh can be called accessible rock. It has ballad like changes in pace, female vocals and many ingredients to make it a success. Winterlude is yet another intermission type of instrumental but this time guitars are the centerpiece. A Time For Rust closes with The Echo Box, listed at 15 minutes. As expected, there are rock sections, acoustic sections and more. The song seems to end near the six-minute mark, but something, other than idle noise, appears at around the 10-minute mark and the listener is treated to a pseudo-country song with lyrics that go “All I can do to...pass the time”. To indeed pass the time reach the band at www.baliset.net. – Anna Tergel