HERMAN RAREBELL

INTERVIEW AND LIVE PHOTOS BY MARKO SYRJALA

Herman ‘Ze German’ Rarebell is a German drummer, best known for his long and successful career with the band Scorpions. Rarebell joined that band in 1977 and played on 8 studio albums including; LOVEDRIVE, BLACKOUT, LOVE AT FIRST STING and CRAZY WORLD. Rarebell was an important composer in the history of the group as he wrote many Scorpions songs like “Another Piece of Meat” and “Passion Rules the Game”. He also wrote the lyrics for some of the Scorpions biggest hit songs like:  ”Rock You Like a Hurricane”, “Blackout” and “Bad Boys Running Wild”.  Rarebell quit the Scorpions in 1995, after 18 years, prior the release of PURE INSTINCT album. Later on he released a few solo albums and toured with his band Herman Ze German. He also participated on the Drum Legends project with Pete York and Charly Antolini and formed Monaco Records together with Prince Albert of Monaco. In 2011 Rarebell released his autobiography AND SPEAKING OF SCORPIONS… and later on the same year he formed a new super group called Strangers in the Night together with Michael Schenker, Michael Voss and Pete Way. In late 2011, Schenker released the album TEMPLE OF ROCK which featured Rarebell, Way, Voss, Wayne Findley and several special guests. In early 2012 Schenker, Rarebell, Findley, vocalist Doogie White and another former Scorpions band mate, Francis Bucholtz, toured under name Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock. The bands highly successful LOVEDRIVE REUNION tour landed finally in Finland on early May. In Helsinki I had a chance to sit down with Mr. Rarebell and here are the results of our interesting discussion. Read on!

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Udo Dirkschneider of U.D.O.

Interviewed by Celtic Bob

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Jeff Hanneman

Kerry King (SLAYER), Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER), Robert Trujillo (METALLICA), Shavo Odadjian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN), Robb Flynn (MACHINE HEAD), Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS), Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT) and John Tempesta (THE CULT, EXODUS, TESTAMENT) are among the musicians who attended the public memorial celebration for SLAYER‘s late guitarist Jeff Hanneman, which was held yesterday afternoon (Thursday, May 23) at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.

High-quality photos of the event from photographer Stephanie Cabral can be found at this location. Fan-filmed video footage is available below.

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Civil War – First to Fight

Civil War, the new symphonic power metal band from ex-Sabaton members, Rikard Sundén, Oskar Montelius, Daniel Mullback and Daniel Myhr, along with frontman, Nils Patrik Johansson (Astral Doors), and bass player, Stefan “Pizza” Eriksson (Volturyon), has posted the new song, “First to Fight,” for streaming on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/jq43IM1DtRg. The track comes from the band’s debut full-length, The Killer Angels, out June 11 on Despotz Records.

According to the band, “First to Fight” is about an elite force that, according to some, even surpasses the U.S. Navy SEALs when it comes to tough recruitment requirements. “GROM,” Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (Operational Maneuver Response Group), is a 350-man strong elite force that was formed on June 13, 1990 to protect Polish citizens from global threats.

1. King of the Sun
2. First to Fight
3. Saint Patrick’s Day
4. Rome is Falling
5. Sons of Avalon
6. I Will Rule the Universe
7. Lucifer’s Court
8. Brother Judas
9. My Own Worst Enemy
10. Gettysburg
11. March across the Belt

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Stratovarius & Amaranthe

Nordic Nexus Of Nemesis Tour 2013

Seven Kingdoms (support)

Kulturbolaget, Malmo, Sweden
April 17th, 2013

Review and live pictures by Anders Sandvall

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Carcass (2013)

Disinterred British extreme metal legends CARCASS have signed to Nuclear Blast Records for the world excluding Japan! Surgical Steel, the band’s first studio release since their 1996 LP Swansong, was produced by Colin Richardson (NAPALM DEATH, BOLT THROWER, GOREFEST, CANNIBAL CORPSE, SINISTER, RODRIGO Y GABRIELA) and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, TESTAMENT). Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in the band’s current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON). Expect some guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen as well, when Surgical Steel is released this Fall world-wide.

CARCASS has released the following statement regarding their new found partners in medical deviancy: “We are pleased to announce that we have found the perfect home for Surgical Steel, the first CARCASS album for, what, eighteen years?! We’ve inked a deal with Nuclear Blast for our new baby.

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Hypocrisy – Interview With Peter Tägtgren

By Peter Atkinson

Photos from www.facebook.com/hypocrisy and www.hypocrisy.cc

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German thrash veterans, EXUMER, have confirmed a New York City show on September 21, 2013. The show will be the only U.S. appearance in 2013 for EXUMER and the band’s second visit to the United States. Main support for the evening will be Florida death metal act MALEVELONT CREATION. The show will be at The Paper Box in Brooklyn, NY.

Vocalist Mem V. Stein comments: “We are beyond thrilled to be finally playing in NYC. We haven’t played on North American soils since the THRASHO DE MAYO festival in L.A., four years ago. New York is close to mine and our bassist’s hearts, since both of us live here and we have never brought the band to play in front our home crowd.”

Thrash fans can catch a glimpse of what EXUMER’s live show is like in the band’s music video for “Fire & Damnation” on youtube HERE.

EXUMER
09/21 Brooklyn, NY The Paper Box

http://www.exumer.de
http://www.metalblade.com/exumer

Death Dealer – Interview with Sean Peck

The Metal world is a buzz with talk of a new super-group, DEATH DEALER.   This new international recording and touring act has a ton of Metal firepower in it’s ranks including Sean Peck (Cage, Vocals), Stu Marshall (Empires Of Eden,  Guitar),  Ross The Boss (Ross The Boss, ex-Manowar, Guitar) Mike Davis (Halford, ex-Lizzy Borden, Bass) and Rhino (Angels of Babylon, Ex-Manowar, Drums).  The new album WAR MASTER is slated for release in the summer of 2013 on the Steel Cartel label and promises to rage with Metal power.  We took the chance to talk to Sean Peck about this exciting new band.

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Sirenia – Perils Of The Deep Blue

Norwegian symphonic gothic metallers SIRENIA have released the second studio trailer for their upcoming sixth studio recording entitled, Perils Of The Deep Blue, here http://youtu.be/mI8z1GzI6UA. The album will be released on June 28^th (Europe) and July 9^th (North America) via Nuclear Blast Records.

Part 1: http://youtu.be/leAT0_KMsxQ

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WHITE WIZZARD has launched a new track, “Strike The Iron,” taken from their upcoming third full-length album, The Devils Cut. Due out on June 3rd in Europe via Earache Records and on June 25th in the USA via Century Media/Earache Records, The Devils Cut features artwork by Cameron Davis (http://www.cdavisart.com), who is known for his work as the lead character designer and illustrator for the Guitar Hero video game series.

WHITE WIZZARD bassist and main-man JON LEON comments about “Strike The Iron”:

“‘Strike the Iron’ is my favorite WHITE WIZZARD song I have ever written, along with ‘The Sun Also Rises’, which closes the new record.  I am very proud of the arrangement.  I had the verse melody in my head and chorus line before I even picked up the guitar and started writing it.  It has stunning leads by Jake and Will, and Joseph interpreted the vocal melody fantastically and gave so much character to it.  This song really exemplifies everything this line-up is capable of and everyone’s talents really came through on it.  It never lets up and we are very excited to get this one out there live…I expect it to be our opening song for the next couple of years.”

Listen to “Strike the Iron” here.

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The Italian heavy/power metallers Overtures just published their new videoclip for the song “Savior”

The clip is taken from the DVD contained in the new album “Entering the Maze”, to be released on May 31st by the Greek label Slesazy Rider Records (www.sleaszyrider.com), that already released the previous album “Rebirth”.

The “Savior” videoclip remarks Overtures’ concept of labyrinth, upon which the whole album is based.

Director: Simone Vrech
Director of photography: Piermaria Agostini
Actors: Daniele Banovaz, Chiara Pasqualini

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nst8bx6MQmE

LEFT TO RIGHT:  Marzi Montazeri (guitar), Philip H. Anselmo,
Jose Manuel “Blue” Gonzalez (drums), Steve Taylor (bass)
Photo Credit:  Danin Drahos

Philip H. Anselmo will take to the road for his first-ever solo tour, “Technicians of Distortion,” which will kick off July 31 in Tulsa, OK.  On this tour, Anselmo will be joined by his back up band The Illegals – guitarist Marzi Montazeri, bassist Steve Taylor, and Jose Manual Gonzalez on drums.  Tickets go on sale this Thursday, May 23 – log onto  http://www.thehousecorerecords.com/ > ARTISTS for ticketing information.

Technicians of Distortion is in support of Anselmo’s upcoming solo release, Walk Through Exits Only, due out July 16 (Housecore Records/Megaforce) and will take the group to a total of sixteen important markets over a three-week period.  Warbeast, who are signed to Anselmo’s Housecore Record label and just released their new album Destroy (produced by Anselmo), along with industrial doom and drone metal one-man band Author and Punisher, will provide support on all dates.

“It is an incredible pleasure to do my first solo tour with my brothers in Warbeast and to introduce the mighty Author and Punisher to the Exrteme Music audience properly,” said Anselmo.  “This is a killer program of insane variety, so come out and support the gigs!!!!”

Fans can expect a hard-core, stripped-down production that is focused on a set list that will include all songs on Walk Through Exits Only as well as lots of extras.

With one additional date to be announced, the confirmed itinerary for the Technicians of Distortion tour is as follows:

JULY
31   Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa, OK

AUGUST
2   Wooly’s, Des Moines, IA
3   First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
4   House of Blues, Chicago, IL
6   House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
7   The Intersection, Grand Rapids, MI
9   Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
10   Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ONT Canada
11   Heavy MTL Festival, Montreal, QC Canada
13   The Palladium, Worcester, MA
14   Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park, NY
16   Best Buy Theatre, New York, NY
17   Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
18   The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
20   The Masquerade – Heaven Stage, Atlanta, GA

LOUDWIRE PREMIERES ANVIL ‘HOPE IN HELL’ FULL ALBUM STREAM
ANNOUNCE RELEASE PARTY AT THE KNITTING FACTORY MAY 30TH

‘HOPE IN HELL’ OUT MAY 28TH ON THE END RECORDS

Listen to Anvil’s highly anticipated 15th studio album in its entirety this week on Loudwire.

‘Hope in Hell’ kicks off with the haunting and sludgy title track before jumping into the speed metal sounds of ‘Eat Your Words.’ It’s nonstop classic metal from that point on, as Anvil stay true to their old-school roots throughout the disc.’ – Loudwire

LISTEN TO ‘HOPE IN HELL’ ON LOUDWIRE

PRE-ORDER ‘HOPE IN HELL’ BUNDLE PACKAGES

In related news, Anvil is set to perform a release party for the release May 30th at Brooklyn’s iconic Knitting Factory. Acrassicuda and Lords Of Mercy will be opening the show. For tickets and more information, please click here

‘HOPE IN HELL’ RELEASE SHOW
THE KNITTING FACTORY
361 Metropolitan Ave  New York, NY 11211
THU 5/30
DOORS: 8:00PM / SHOW: 9:00PM
TICKETS: $15

‘HOPE IN HELL’ TRACKLISTING

01. Hope in Hell
02. Eat Your Words
03. Through with You
04. The Fight is Never Won
05. Pay the Toll
06.Flying
07.Call of Duty
08.Badass Rock n Roll
09.Time Shows No Mercy
10.Mankind Machine
11.Shut the Fuck Up

Bonus tracks
12.Hard Wired
13.Fire at Will