Metallian Heavy

PIG DESTROYER has recruited drummer Adam Jarvis’ cousin, John Jarvis, has joined PIG DESTROYER as the band’s first bass player.

HECATE ENTHRONED recently signed a deal with Crank Music Group for the release of its next album. The follow-up to 2004’s Redimus is entitled Virulent Rapture.

Say ‘hello’ to NSA: Following the departure of Ol Drake EVILE is searching for a new guitarist. Candidates should e-mail evileguitarist@gmail.com.

HATE ETERNAL drummer Jade Simonetto has left in order to continue his education and career.

Polish death metal band DEIVOS has signed a deal with Selfmadegod Records for the upcoming release of its fourth full-length. The band is currently writing new material to be recorded early in the new year at Zed Studio (BLACK RIVER, ROOTWATER, FRONTSIDE). The album is tentatively due for release in mid-2014.

What?? “In honor (sic) of their 20th anniversary second album,” The Sun Of Tiphareth, Denver, Colorado’s Trve Brewing Company has customed four beers inspired by ABSU.

Touring in support of their third LP, Rites Of Separation, which is their first for Southern Lord Recordings Sweden’s AGRIMONIA has confirmed a return to the USA this autumn.

Goliath, the latest demo from New York City black metal band, IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT, is out now.

On October 29th, Crucial Blast released a “cyclone of hyperblast blacknoise musical scum” with the seventy-nine song, 2xCD Noizemongers For Goatserpent, by experimentalist ENBILULUGUGAL. The album first appeared as a limited CDR released by the now-defunct Rusty Axe label.

The fourth issue of Romania-based fanzine Slowly We Rot is now out. It features interviews with CANCER, LIFELESS, BIRTH AD, REPULSION, ANGERSEED, BETHLEHEM, CARNAL GHOUL and Romanian Thrash Metal Club. Slowly We Rot includes a compilation CD. Contact swrzine@yahoo.com.

ILLDISPOSED drummer Thomas Jensen has left the band after twelve years due to demotivation. Kim Langkjaer Jensen (KOLDBORN and ex-DAWN OF DEMISE) who has been working with the band is in.

Los Angeles death metallers, ANNIHILATED, are at Trench Studio in Corona, California to record 13 Steps To Ruination. Set for release through their new label home of Unique Leader Records, 13 Steps To Ruination will be produced by drummer Scott Fuller (ABYSMAL DAWN>). Drums will be recorded by producer/engineer John Haddad (ABYSMAL DAWN, EXHUMED, INTRONAUT).

ANNIHILATOR was involved in an accident while on the road in Spain. The band’s bus and equipment were damaged.

Inspired by KEEL? Singer Ivan ‘The Evil One’ of BLACK MASS, guitarists Kelly McLauchlin (POSSESSED, DIABOLIC, etc.) and William Hayden, bassist Kelly Conlon (MONSTROSITY, DEATH and VITAL REMAINS) and drummer Paul Collier (ANGELCORPSE) have reunited in PESSIMIST. A demo called Keys To The Underworld is being readied.

Guitarist Daniel Dlimi has left AEON. He has cited economic difficulty as the reason for his departure.

Inspired by KEEL? Bay Area thrash metal band TRAUMA, which featured a pre-ROCKETELLICA Cliff Burton, has followed up its reformation and reissue of the Scratch And Scream album with a new recording due in 2014.

White metal act LIVING SACRIFICE will release its next album, Ghost Thief, on November 12th through Solid State Records.

Singer Hernan ‘Eddie’ Hermida has left ALL SHALL PERISH to join SUICIDE SILENCE.

EMBRYONIC DEVOURMENT has recorded a full-length album, Reptilian Agenda, for a late 2013 release through Deepsend Records.

Norway’s MANES has signed a deal with Debemur Morti Productions. The band is preparing two releases for late 2013.

BRUTAL TRUTH and BASTARD NOISE have a split release.

Edmonton, Canada’s death metal band DEATH TOLL RISING has a demo called Infection Legacy.

SKINLESS has recruited new guitarist Dave Matthews. The new man and guitarist Noah Carpenter were in ARMOR COLUMN.

Tankcrimes has announced the release of a split 12″ between California’s EXHUMED and Virginia crossover band IRON REAGAN, which features Tony Foresta (MUNICIPAL WASTE), LandPhil Hall (MUNICIPAL WASTE/CANNABIS CORPSE), Ryan Parrish (ex- DARKEST HOUR), Mark Bronzino (MAMMOTH GRINDER/ANS) and Rob Skotis (HELLBEAR). The split will offer up a total of eight tracks, two of which find EXHUMED delivering covers of MINOR THREAT’s Seeing Red and NEGATIVE APPROACH’s Ready To Fight. In related news, EXHUMED, who is currently touring alongside Dying Fetus, and IRON REAGAN, who is on tour with GWAR, will join forces for a short run of shows in Canada in December.

Saskatoon, Canada’s thrash metal band UNTIMELY DEMISE will issue its second full-length Systematic Eradication through Punishment 18 Records on October 28th.

Australian death metal band, BEYOND MORTAL DREAMS, will release a new 7″ EP this autumn. The record will include a new track Lamia and a re-recording of Demonsword Infernal, a song from the band’s 2006 Demo. The EP will be released on transparent red wax as a collaboration between Lavadome and Unholy Prophecies Records.

Unique Leader, by way of Ninetone Records, has welcomed death metal band SOREPTION. The Swedish death metal band will issue its Engineering The Void in early 2014 followed by a reissue of Deterioration Of Minds.

Black Metal band ENDSTILLE has a full-length called Kapitulation 2013 out this month through Season Of Mist.

DISBELIEF has recruited guitarist David “Dave” Renner (PAINFUL) and drummer Sandro “Drumster” Schulze. The band’s new line-up will perform at AKK on November 16th in Karlsruhe, Germany.

A new project called ELIMINATE features singer Don Doty (ex-DARK ANGEL), guitarists Scott Owen (ex-HIRAX) and Henry Elizondo (DEVASTATION), bassist John Signorelli (SUBVERSION) and drummer Sasha Horn (FORBIDDEN). Most recently Doty hoped to be in a DARK ANGEL reunion. The band is recording a demo.

Greek thrash metal band SUICIDAL ANGELS will release a new album, called Divide And Conquer, on January 14th through NoiseArt Records.

Drummer Jon “The Charn” Rice has left JOB FOR A COWBOY.

Former ANTHRAX singer Dan Nelson is back in BLACKGATES with Paul Bostaph. The latter man is busy with drumming in SLAYER.

EYEHATEGOD’s new drummer is Aaron Hill. The MISSING MONUMENTS man replaces the dead Joey LaCaze.

A 30-year-old man named Jesus Ortega was arrested for allegedly attacking three people during BROKEN HOPE‘s set opening for DEICIDE at the Tricky Falls club in El Paso, Texas on October 22nd. DEICIDE and BROKEN HOPE had a falling out until the band’s reconciled to keep the tour intact after arguing publicly over a shared bass rig. BROKEN HOPE’s Jeremy Wagner had claimed DEICIDE’s Benton had lost the former band’s bass rig cables and Benton countered that BROKEN HOPE wouldn’t allow him to use the rig anymore. Wagner called Benton “unprofessional” and “egomaniacal” among other things, while Benton claimed the opening band didn’t understand the protocols of being an opening band.


Metallian Hard

Whatever Happened 2 Us is the name of a solo single by EXTREME bassist Pat Badger. It is released through Pledge Music.

Singer Benjamin Nominet has left SYBREED. Consequently, the group has cancelled its opening slot for SOILWORK.

DEATH PENALTY is a new project by ex-CATHEDRAL guitarist Garry "Gaz" Jennings. The band features Belgian singer Michelle Nocon (ex-SERPENTCULT). The band has signed to CATHEDRAL’s Rise Above Records.

LOVE/HATE - now with singer Jizzy Pearl as the sole original member -will release a new demo, called Crucified, in January. A U.K. tour will follow in March.

SCREAMS OF ANGELS' debut album, Into The Warzone, will be released on December 27th. Jeffrey McCormack of HEIR APPARENT and FIFTH ANGEL, his former HEIR APPARENT colleague Op Sakiya and guitarist Alan Nesbitt are in.

Vocalist Tony Harnell has reunited with TNT. He had a special performance with the band in 2012 to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary. TNT lost British vocalist Tony Mills (ex-SHY) in August.

BURZUM man Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) will go on trial in France on charges of inciting racism and promoting war crimes on the Internet.

Canada’s ALEC MORRISON has a demo called Nowhere Is the Place For Me. A CD release show is planned for Friday the 13th in December in New Liskeard, Canada.

A new NeoClassical rock band from Denmark is SAGES RECITAL. The band is John West (ROYAL HUNT and ARTENSION) vocals, Niels Vejlyt (CONSORTIUM PROJECT and INFINITY OVERTURE) guitars and Jakob Vand (INFINITY OVERTURE) drums. The band has a demo out.

GIGAN's is on the road in the USA in support of its Multi-Dimensional Fractal Sorcery And Super Science full-length, which was released last month through Willowtip Records.

Edmonton, Canada’s had its election on October 21st. An independent candidate Josh Semotiuk had received an endorsement from MOTORHEAD. Josh is a fan who sports a band T-shirt.

MEGADETH's Countdown To Extinction: Live album has sold 3,600 copies in the United States Of America in its first week of release to debut at position No. 119 on The Billboard chart.

Tales of loyalty and fidelity: DIAMOND HEAD singer Nick Tart’s father has died. Tart missed the Canadian and US tour dates. Singer Chas West (JASON BONHAM and LYNCH MOB) has joined the band for the dates.

KING DIAMOND, which was scheduled to perform at Loud Park festival in Japan on Sunday October 20th was forced to pull out after its equipment did not arrive in Japan on time. Band blamed promoter and shipping company. Promoter assigned responsibility to band.

MERCYFUL FATE guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner jammed the band's Melissa album at the latter’s apartment in Copenhagen, Denmark last month. The two were commemorating the album’s thirtieth anniversary on October 30th.

STRANDED GUNS is a rock project from by Thomas "Thomen" Stauch (SAVAGE CIRCUS and, ex-BLIND GUARDIAN) on drums. The band has recorded a debut album called Time Machine.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach is working with producer Bob Marlette for a 2014 album for Frontiers Records. Duff McKagan is playing bass.

ICED EARTH will make a 12-inch EP, called The Plagues, available on its autumn European tour with VOLBEAT.

Gain Music will issue a new album by Sweden’s MUSTASCH called Thank You For The Demon. It will be out in January of 2014.

NIGHTWISH has affirmed the permanent addition of touring members former AFTER FOREVER singer Floor Jansen and Englishman Troy Donockley to the line-up.

GIFT OF GODS is the name of a new heavy metal project by DARKTHRONE’s Nocturno Culto. The man’s Receive album is due next month through Peaceville.

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK's new album, Bridge The Gap, which will be released on December 2nd through In-Akustik. SCORPIONS’ members bassist Francis Buchholz and Hermann Rarebell are on the album.

Following guitarist Peter Falk’s departure ILLNATH has thrown in the towel too. Falk is working on his solo project LEADFREAK, while singer Marika Hyldmar is in MACHIAVELLIAN.

CRADLE OF FILTH has issued a 72-page comic called The Curse Of Venus Aversa.

Rob Halford will be featured in an episode of The Simpsons in 2014.

Former THE RUNAWAYS band-mates Lita Ford and Cherie Currie were performing live together for the first time in 37 years on Saturday, October 19th at the sixth annual Malibu Music Awards at Smothers Theater at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. The song performed was THE RUNAWAYS’ Cherry Bomb.

Original KISS members Ace Frehley (guitar) and Peter Criss (drums) reunited for the first time in 13 years on stage on October 23rd for a jam at the 30th-anniversary party for VH1 Classic That Metal Show co-host Eddie Trunk. The event took place at the Hard Rock Café in New York City.

A new SILENT FORCE album is out in December through AFM. It is entitled Rising From Ashes.

BRAINSTORM’s next studio album, Firesoul, is being recorded and due to be released in March of 2014.

PRIMAL FEAR has picked Delivering The Black as the title for its tenth studio album, which is due in January through Frontiers Records. The album was mixed with Jacob Hansen.

VIXEN founder and guitarist, Jan Kuehnemund, died due to cancer on October 10th. She was 51.

FATES WARNING’s Darkness In A Different Light is out now through InsideOut Music.

BASTARDOGS has signed a deal with Street Symphonies Records to release its debut album, No Pain No Gain. The album features ten songs of “old school sleaze metal inspired by great bands such as WRATHCHILD and early MÖTLEY CRÜE. No Pain No Gain will be distributed by Andromeda Dischi.

Metal Mind Productions will re-issue four albums by the American heavy metal band ALCATRAZZ this month. No Parole From Rock'n Roll (1983), Live Sentence – No Parole From Rock’N’Roll (1984), Disturbing The Peace (1985) and Dangerous Games (1986) will all come with bonus tracks.

The UK's CONQUEST OF STEEL is about to unleash its fourth album, Of Fire And Steel. The album is to be released on No Face Records on the 2nd of December 2013 and will be available on CD, limited edition coloured vinyl, cassette and digital download.

Doom metallers EXORCISM have signed a worldwide record deal with Golden Core Records/ZYX Music. EXORCISM is currently recording at TMS Studios in Spain. The multinational band plans to release its debut album in the coming spring.

Metal Mind Productions will re-release three albums by KILLERS, led by IRON MAIDEN’s ex-vocalist – Paul Di’Anno. The band featured members of IRON MAIDEN, TANK, RAVEN and BATTLEZONE. South American Assault, Murder One and Menace To Society will be available in new digipak remastered editions with bonus tracks. The release date is set for November, 11th in Europe and December, 3rd in Canada.

Valery Records has released the album Damaged Pearls by hard rock band OLD MAN'S CELLAR.<


Metallian Demos

KEYDRAGON – MYTHICAL
Quite frankly, it sounds as though the Californian fantasy metal band has good intentions. This is an earnest effort, lyrics are present and focused (on dragons) and an attempt is made at an image.
Mythical (written: mychical) simply does not work. The group does not have songs to back up its efforts. Indeed, intermittently there are no songs. With the semi-growled vocals being replaced with barren female vocals and the appearance of futile keyboards (redundancy) the group descends further into K&F nether realms. Still, the main problem here is the half-hearted attempt at putting together songs – as opposed to a collection of strums and beats. Where is the power? Typhon is likely the standout track seeing as how it generates some pulse.
Keydragon would ostensibly be huge in Greece. The quintet is not as terrible as Cirith Ungol (so won’t be as popular as those deliverers of drivel), but there is a territorial potential there. Keydragon@juno.com or http://www.keydragon.com/. - Ali “The Metallian”



INSURRECTION - PROTOTYPE
Prototype is this Gatineau, Canada quintet's third full-length. This is mostly standard technical death metal. What standard means is perhaps up to the listener. The band doesn’t go crazy as far as the tempo goes or there is little to no sign of blast beats here for example. Just solid sometimes unoriginal death metal with guitar breaks that may give the band the technical tag. This is also reflected in the vocals of Stef Jomphe (ex-Mortor). In a world where metalcore has too much influence it is refreshing and in itself original to listen to a release which features little of it. It is a bit easier to look over any negatives and deficiencies when a band seems less inclined to follow the crowd. The image of the band is that of chopping and cutting in the operating room, again not the most original, but true to the style and not on a bandwagon.
Prototype is ten songs (plus a techno sounding intro) and 40 minutes long. It is produced by Topon Das (Fuck The Facts, etc.) and mixed by scene veteran Pierre Remillard. It is sometimes sung in French. Flood the streets to support the uprising and check insurrectionmetal.com for news. – Anna Tergel