Personnel
Former USURPER “vokillist” Dan “Tyrantor” Lawson has joined Brookfield, Illinois. folk metal act Earthen… Sweden’s Memory Garden has announced the addition of bassist Johan Fredreikson… Guitarist Stefan Leibing has departed Primal Fear. with Magnus Karlsson stepping into his role… Due to personal reasons, the UK’s Abgott has parted ways with bassist Azael, with Former Cradle of Filth bassist Robin ‘Graves’ Eaglestone taking over… Guitarist Mike Torrao (formerly Possessed) has joined Inacage from San Francisco… Onstage guitar heathen Jack Frost (Seven Witches) has joined Joey Belladonna (Anthrax)… Human drum machine Derek Roddy (ex-Hate Eternal, Nile) has left Today is the Day due to a financial dispute… Texas-based (Plano) mythological occult metal outfit Absu has announced the addition of guitarist/keyboardist Zawicizuz to the group’s ranks. He replaces Vastator who recently departed due to musical and personal differences. Drummer/vocalist Proscriptor states that Zawicizuz is one of the best-kept secrets in the extreme Texas music environment…
Releases
Opeth’s 1999 CD Still Life receives new life, being released in a new two-disc edition on March 31 via Peaceville Records… Candlelight Records will release former Emperor vocalist/guitarist frontman Ihsahn’s new solo effort angL in North America on May 27…
Prosthetic Records will re-release Testament’s First Strike Still Deadly on March 18… Darkthrone has completed four new songs for their upcoming CD… American-based Sathanas have landed a two-album deal with Pagan Records… Engel’s debut, Absolute Design, will see its American arrival on May 20 through SPV/Steamhammer… Finland’s Psychopathic Terror’s second CD, 230204, is set for this summer on Temple of Darkness Records…
Daylight Dies’ upcoming Lost to the Living is currently being mixed…
Germany’s Fear My Thoughts is putting the final touches on Vulcanus… Abigail Williams has set In the Shadows of a Thousand Suns as the title for their album due this summer through Candlelight… Fairytale Abuse has signed with Massacre Records, with the band’s sophomore effort Perversions of Angel VI set for May 23… Danish black metal act FAIRYTALE ABUSE has inked a deal with Massacre. The group’s second album, Perversions of Angel VI, is scheduled for a May 23 date… Production master/guitarist Andy Sneap and vocalist Martin Walkyier (of British thrashers Sabbat) will contribute to a new CD from the reactivated early UK metal band, HELL… Mega-talented Communic will release their third CD, Payment of Existence, on May 30 through Nuclear Blast… Sweden’s Dark Funeral is set to release second DVD Attera Orbis Terrarum - Part 2. It was recorded during the band’s world tour in support of the Attera Totus Sanctus album… Death Angel’s new one, Killing Machine, moved 2300 copies in America during its first week on the streets…
One Too Many
Hellhammer’s demos collection, Demon Entrails, released through (Century Media) sold 667 copies in its first week…
Shows
A must-see show featuring the classic sound of Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna and his band stop by the Rockstar Sports Bar on April 24… Napalm Death will headline the Sunday show of the Los Angeles Murderfest Version 4.0. Other acts set to appear include Massacre, Entombed and Vital Remains…
Overkill and Warbringer invade the Ridglea Theater on Sept. 27… Harptallica, a classically trained harp duo that specializes in Metallica, will perform at the Curtain Club on May 21… Phobia, Impaled and Maruta will team up for a late summer tour. No dates have been announced… Obituary’s upcoming tour plans have passed away but will be revived for September 2008… Vader, Cryptopsy and many other metal bands team up for the Summer Slaughter Tour slated to begin on June 20… And speaking of Vader, the Polish death metal band will play an exclusive show in Egypt at La Villa Club in Kair on April 11…
Nuking the Charts
For the first time in Nuclear Blast Records’ history, eight of the label’s releases appeared recently in Germany’s album and single charts at the same time. Those were Nightwish (charting three times), Subway to Sally (charting twice), Rage, Avantasia and Eluveitie… SPV Records (where such bands as Motorhead, Heaven and Hell, Whitesnake, Saxon, Helloween, Kamelot and Symphony X, Gamma Ray and Type O Negative reside) has launched a You Tube channel at http://de.youtube.com/spv
Game On Puck Down
Ministry frontman and avid Chicago Blackhawks’ hockey fan, Al Jourgensen, has created a rock anthem for his beloved team. Ttitled “Keys to the City,” it was presented to the team and owners, the Wirtz family, this past December. The team has since embraced the song and views the musical addition as a great opportunity to reach a new generation of Blackhawks’ fans…
Spanked Soccer Style
Members of Sepultura (under the “The Brazilians” banner) took part in a football (soccer) match with Iron Maiden recently, losing to Iron Maiden by the score of 8-0…
More Texas Thrash
Corpus Christi thrashers Devastation have reformed and are planning a European Tour…
Every Time I Die guitarist, Andy Williams - high intensity show
Photo: Travis Tutwiler
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Every Time I Die - House Of Blues, 3/5/08
It was a night of blood, sweat, and… flying guitar players? Every Time I Die kick-started the pit and got the crowd surfing with a barrage of heavy hitters like “No Son Of Mine,” “The New Black” and “Pigs Is Pigs.” Guitarist, Andy Williams, showed plenty of love with his one-finger salutes, right before stage-diving into a sea of rabid fans. Jordan Buckley (guitar) also took the plunge, guitar and all, without missing a lick. After belting out “Floater” and “Kill The Music,” Keith Buckley (vocals), invited everyone to keep the party going and was overwhelmed that ETID had “900 friends offering to drive five guys to the Clubhouse” after the show. That could be why the band filmed the party hard video for “We’rewolf” right here in Big D last summer. Even after a high intensity set, Andy and Jordan found the time to hang with fans and probably thank them for not letting them hit the floor. (Travis Tutwiler)
Cubensis - Metaphysical Impact, 666 Productions
Metal is alive and well in Strasburg, France, as Cubensis unleashes a pounding, rock solid release in Metaphysical Impact. Crass (vocals) delivers mostly in-your-face shouting but mixes it up with a deep, bellowing voice, as found on “Light The Wick.” “Mother Break Balls Club” is a fast, punishing track, whereas “Back Off” starts slow, then transforms into an erratic tempo of drums and guitar. “The Greed” and “Uranis Is Mine (Part 2)” are hard-driving tracks that find Benou (guitar), Rena (bass) and David (drums) cranking it to eleven. Metaphysical Impact is well worth checking out and should turn some heads here in the states.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Red I Flight - The Years, Victory Records
What the hell just knocked the wind out of me? Oh, it must have been opening track, “Lesson 34.” Nice building up to the pulverizing drums and guitar, right before John Robinson’s vocals grab you by the throat.
Robinson trades off his guttural roar with a gut-punching scream. Guitarists – Matt Earp and Eric Gerloff – deliver crunching riffs and plenty of lead runs on “The Siege,” “Into The Breach” and “Bullets Over Prayers.” Mike Polec (bass) and Jesse Robinson (drums) inject thunderous rhythms, which help create some of the heaviest breakdowns that rival Unearth. Not a weak song found on this explosive offering. Be careful if you crank this up in the car, because the breakdowns are so brutal they just might deploy the air bag.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Azaghal - Omega, Moribund Records
Hailing from Finland, these black metal demons have broken free of the underground scene and released Omega unto the world. “Taman Maailman Prinssi” brings Nargath’s supersonic guitar, while Varjoherra (vocals) delivers Finnish lyrics with the snarl that beckons Satan himself - or possibly the need to finally hack up that ever-festering hair ball. “Kuolonkaarme” touches on the old school thrash sound, while “Maailman Viimeinen Yo” is a slower, dreary tune that invokes a feeling of helplessness and despair. “Quetzalcoatl” is a sludge-driven track in the vain of Nile that gets the head moving back and forth. Omega is pure evil to which the Dark Lord would gladly give his stamp of approval.
(Travis Tutwiler)
Bury Your Dead - Bury Your Dead, Victory Records
With new singer, Myke Terry, at the helm, BYD have continued their brutal mix of skull crushing riffs and low-end assault. The vocals are rough - yet soar beyond the typical screams of most - with the inclusion of singing not found on prior BYD releases. Joined by Eric Ellis and Brendan MacDonald on guitars, Mark Castillo manning drums and Aaron Patrick on bass, the Massachusetts quintet delivers the goods on “Sympathy Orchestra” the groove-heavy “Fever Dream” and the pounding “Year One.” Bury Your Dead boasts eleven slamming tracks, including some nice fretwork on the solo to “Hands To Hide The Shame.” You may have a tough time getting this one of your cd player.
(Travis Tutwiler)
