Fozzy are an American heavy metal band, formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1999. The lead singer of the band is professional wrestler Chris Jericho. He resides in Tampa, Florida, while the rest of the band live in Georgia.
The band is currently signed to Century Media Records. The band also consists of Stuck Mojo including Rich Ward and Frank Fontsere with their additional members being Billy Grey (Dangerous New Machine, Sick Speed) and Paul Di Leo (Adrenaline Mob, Nena). Jericho has characterized the band by saying, “If Metallica and Journey had a bastard child, and it would be Fozzy.” Read the rest of this entry »
Italian power metallers SECRET SPHERE have been confirmed for this year’s edition of the Wacken Open Air Festival, set to take place August 1-3, 2013 in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany.
Finnish shock-rockers Lordi visited London today, to promote their upcoming album ‘To Beast or Not to Beast’. The album comes out in March and the band are getting ready to go on tour across Europe and the UK. After a long day of press we finally got to hang out with two very cheerful members of Lordi – Mr. Lordi (vocals) and Mana (drums)
“The funeral of Cathedral has been a long but gratifying process. Deciding to end the band wasn’t an easy decision to make but we knew deep down in our hearts that it was the right thing to do.” And lo, Lee Dorrian, mouthpiece of Cathedral for 23 years, doth solemnly intone the death rites of this mighty British metal Titan. Born in the dying days of Thatcher’s Britain, bonding over then-unfashionable, obscure names like Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Trouble and Dream Death, Cathedral’s sole ambition was to record a demo tape. In fact they revolutionised doom metal, first pushing their influences into new avenues of grinding extremity, then pioneering groovier forms of ’70s-indebted stoner doom.
They’ve remained a reassuring and singular presence in our lives, building a rabid following worldwide with their wholly distinctive blend of rollicking British heavy metal, true doom, 70s hard rock, psych-folk, mad prog and spiky crust-punk. There was a worrying hiatus between 2005 and 2010 when some dared to wonder if Cathedral were coming back at all – but they re-emerged with ‘The Guessing Game’, an overflowing treasure chest of weird and wonderful goodies exploring new, bold variations on their craft. So when news came that Cathedral really were approaching the Endtyme, it was a shock.
“Announcing that we were splitting way in advance of recording ‘The Last Spire’ gave us time to adjust to the fact that the end really was in sight. This took a lot of the pressure off off us, as it meant that we no longer had anything to prove and could make this album purely on our own terms, especially by releasing it through Rise Above.”
DESCENDING ‘THE LAST SPIRE’
“Personally speaking, this is the album I’ve been waiting to do since the first one, it almost feels like we made our second album last in some respects. We actually recorded a lot more material but decided to sacrifice many of the tracks to make the overall album feel more complete in its nihilism. I don’t like happy endings, I never have. So many good films are ruined by happy endings and I didn’t want that to be the case with Cathedral, it was my dream to bring everything full circle.”Although exploring many twists and tempos, with Hammond, Mellotron and Moog deployed to stunning effect, ‘The Last Spire’ is grounded in a vast, blighted and shuddering doom metal landscape, studded with morosely magnificent career-best epics like ‘Pallbearer’, ‘Infestation Of Grey Death’ and ‘An Observation’. ‘Forest Of Equilibrium’ remains a one-of-a-kind recording, but ‘The Last Spire’ brings the best tricks Cathedral have learnt since to bear on a similarly monumental and obsessive total doom framework, the sound gritty and heavy as hell, musical chemistry at full pelt, each song gradually built and honed into optimum shape.
“Nothing was forced, we just let it happen. We had the luxury of being able to record at certain stages over a period of time, which was great, as we had chance to let the songs sit with us and watch them grow, whilst still allowing for elements of spontaneity. The process was as strange as it was enjoyable, it felt like we were writing out the band’s will.”
And what a bonded unit the band sound as a result. Gaz’s final sally for Cathedral is a copious, triumphant dark labyrinth of monstrous riffs, ripping leads and beguiling melodies, Repulsion’s Scott Carlson drops jaws with his vicious, attacking bass-work, and we’re going to miss the thunderous wallopings of Brian Dixon more than we know. Meanwhile Lee’s voice sounds more impassioned and commanding than ever, his Baudelaire-in-a-Midlands-squat lyrics attaining new heights of solemn, acid majesty. Clearly there was new impetus for reconnecting with that early spirit of doleful abjection, of sinister obsessions and lamented desires; on ‘The Last Spire’ Cathedral are literally doomed. We are commiserating the celebration, and in what thrilling style.
“When the last mix was finally done, there was a massive sense of relief. I think this was partly due to the fact that it meant Cathedral could finally be put to rest but also because we felt we’d done something that we were all very pleased with. I feel comfortable leaving ‘The Last Spire’ as our legacy.”
“Beyond” was just released yesterday in Europe by Lifeforce Records and in Korea by Dope Entertainment Music and the North American release date will be March 5th via Lifeforce Records!
Metal Alliance Tour with Anthrax, Municipal Waste
and more to commence next month
BAY AREA, CA – Bay Area thrash metal icon, Exodus, has announced several headlining shows to commence following the band’s March/April run on “Metal Alliance Tour.” A full list of confirmed “Metal Alliance Tour” and Exodus headlining off-dates can be seen below.
Tickets for all “Metal Alliance Tour” dates – featuring headliner, Anthrax, as well as Municipal Waste, High on Fire and Holy Grail – can be purchased online at: http://www.metalalliancetour.com/tour-dates.html.
A staple of the Bay Area Thrash scene for over 30 years, Exodus released its latest studio album Exhibit B: The Human Condition in 2010 on Nuclear Blast Records.
Stay tuned for more information on Exodus and the band’s upcoming March/April run on “Metal Alliance Tour.”
The below comes from Robb Flynn’s posting (link below for source):
2-11-13.
That is the date we fired Adam Duce. That is the day that I had to tell Adam that after 21 years of being in a band together, I just couldn’t take it anymore.
That is the day I said “My hope is that this can be amicable.”
The words sounded like someone else had spoken them.
It was like being outside of my body watching someone else deliver these painful words.
But, it was me saying it.
And we all said it.
We had our say sitting in our jam room in Oakland. Dave said it. Joseph (our manager) said it. Phil said it. We all said that we couldn’t take being in a band with him anymore. That if this didn’t happen, we were going to break up the band.
It was hard. One of the hardest moments of my life.
Since Dystopia was released in October of 2011, ICED EARTH has been on the attack in a big way, playing more shows in the past year than in the previous ten years…combined!
ICED EARTH main man Jon Schaffer: “I feel this is a testament to a new beginning, a new energy and a rock solid determination that will see us taking the music of ICED EARTH to every corner of the globe; spreading the awareness of our brand of metal in a way that hasn’t been done before. I’ve never been more proud of this band, our crew, and the people behind the scenes that are responsible for much of our success.”
Early on in the World Tour the band decided that they wanted to capture this newfound energy and passion on film. The biggest question was deciding where to film. There were so many great shows and audiences around the world that it was very challenging to decide which city to choose for this special event. When the offer came in to film at the ancient Kourion Theater in Limassol, Cyprus, they were immediately attracted to that idea. The history and culture there, as well as the Cypriot audience, which the band experienced in December 2011, solidified the decision to film the DVD in Cyprus. Filming and recording a 2 1⁄2 hour show in an amphitheater that is 6000 years old and is not set-up for a rock concert, paired with 40-degree Celsius heat, were just some of the obstacles to overcome. But the finished product makes up for any of the challenges that the band and crew faced on that special night.
ICED EARTH’s first officially filmed headline show “Live In Ancient Kourion” will hit stores on April 15th (USA April 16th), 2013! This incredibly powerful package will come to you in various configurations and, a first for CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS, also on Blu-Ray disk! The Limited Edition Deluxe Book features the main show and a plethora of bonus content on DVD and a Blu-Ray Disc, as well as the entire concert on a 2 CD set (4 discs in total!). You can also enjoy the audio version of the full concert in a 3 LP gatefold Vinyl package or as a 2 CD set. A standard DVD and Digital Audio Download will also be available.
Get the first glimpse of this historic ICED EARTH show by checking out the DVD trailer on ICED EARTH’s official YouTube channel:
See ICED EARTH live:
08.06.2013 – Burning Sea Festival – Croatia
20.06.2013 – Metalfest – Germany
21.06.2013 – Dokk’em Open Air Festival – Netherlands
Swedish death metal legends HYPOCRISY have uploaded the video clip to the title-track of their upcoming masterpiece End Of Disclosure here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJsdZ2FR3WM. The video was directed by Ville Lipiainen (AMORPHIS, NIGHTWISH, THE 69 EYES).
“This time I wanted to go back to basics,” commented Tägtgren. “I felt like we lost it for the last couple of albums. This one is straight to the point and more Hypocrisy than ever! Fast, heavy, and epic. Enjoy!”
Being on a par with their 90’s brute yet multifaceted masterpieces, End Of Disclosure leaves no room for breathers. It was produced by mastermind Peter Tägtgren in his Abyss Studios in Sweden, with artwork was done this time by Wes Benscoter (SLAYER, KREATOR, NILE, VADER, BLOODBATH). End Of Disclosure will be released March 22 (Europe) and April 2, 2013 (North America) via Nuclear Blast.
End Of Disclosure North American digipak track listing:
Guitarist / vocalist Alexi Laiho & keyboard player Janne Warman of the world renowned Finnish heavy metal band CHILDREN OF BODOM (aka COB) have issued a second studio update from the bowels of Danger Johnny Studios in Helsinki, where the band began work on their as-yet-untitled eighth studio release last month.
Recording engineer Mikko Karmila (who worked on the Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper, and Hate Crew Deathroll albums) is lending his talents to the new studio effort in addition to producer Peter Tägtgren (Immortal, Marduk, Amon Amarth), who oversaw production for vocals & keyboards earlier this month. The album will be mixed at Finnvox Studios and a summer street date via Nuclear Blast Records is expected.
Working song titles include: “All Twisted,” “Slowdance On Nails,” “Moto GP,” “FC Pettymys,” “Kananmuisti-ilmiö”[Chicken Memory Effect], and “Trondheim.” For the uninitiated:Over the last twenty years, Finland’s CHILDREN OF BODOM have incorporated many different musical styles into their celebrated sound, leading critics and fans to label them as melodic death metal, power metal, thrash metal, symphonic black metal, and neoclassical metal. Their enthralling mix of melodic hooks and instrumental acrobatics have solidified the band as one of the leading voices of music’s new generation. Formed as Inearthed in 1993, the group is led by superstar frontman / guitarist Alexi ‘Wildchild’ Laiho, who was voted “Best Metal Guitarist” by readers of Guitar World magazine. COB albums are no strangers to debut positions on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 chart and with three consecutive albums debuting at number one on Finnish album charts, they are one of their home country’s bestselling artists of all time with more than 250,000 records sold there alone. Their latest studio album, Relentless Reckless Forever,was released in 2011.
CHILDREN OF BODOM are: Alexi Laiho (guitar, vocals); Roope Latvala (guitar); Jaska Raatikainen (drums); Henkka Seppälä (bass); and Janne Warman (keyboards).
Los Angeles heavy metallers WHITE WIZZARD have posted a new video from the studio where they are recording their brand new album, titled The Devil’s Cut. The studio video features clips of the band recording, as well as a track-by-track breakdown from bassist and main-man Jon Leon. Watch the video now here:
WHITE WIZZARD is once again working with producer Ralph Patlan (MEGADETH, UFO, MICHAEL SCHENKER) at Phase Four Studios in Tempe, Arizona to record The Devil’s Cut, the band’s third full-length album that features new vocalist Joseph Michael. WHITE WIZZARD released a demo in 2012 of one of the new tracks, called “Torpedo of Truth”, which was the band’s first recording to feature Michael. Listen to the track now here:
The Devil’s Cut is due to be released later this year via Century Media Records/Earache Records in the USA and via Earache Records in Europe.
BATTLECROSS confirmed to perform at Metallica’s Orion Fest 2013
It’s official! Orion is back and in 2013 they’re bringing the weekend-long Metallica music + more experience to Detroit, Michigan on June 8-9, 2013. Joining the Orion Music & More festival is Detroit’s very own BATTLRCROSS who will be playing with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Deftones, the Dropkick Murphys, Tomahawk, Death, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and of course, the mighty Metallica.
“Truly literally a dream come true. All of our lives we have been inspired by Metallica and nothing will ever top this. We are so thankful to all of the people who have gotten us to this point and we are even more honored that this year’s Orion Music & More will be played this year in our hometown of Detroit. Thank you to everyone who has supported us. Detroit is going to rage this soon and we can’t wait to see everyone come and see what Detroit is all about.” comments guitarist Tony Asta.
Check out the full lineup HERE and stay tuned to Orion’s official website or sign up for the newsletter for ticket on-sale date and more! Orion Music & More will also include a custom car & motorcycle show, Hit the Lights films, Kirk’s Crypt, Vans half pipe, and a Metallica Museum.
And in case you missed it, check out the video announcing the lineup HERE.
Death metal behemoths SIX FEET UNDER are back, and with the seething Unborn, the tenth full-length of their imposing career, they are out for blood. Led by the inimitable Chris Barnes, owner of one of the most powerful and instantly recognizable voices in the genre, the band are returning with an overhauled line up that sees them reinvigorated and churning out some of the most visceral music they have ever put their name to.
Head over to Metal Hammer Germany at metal-hammer.de for the exclusive world premiere of Prophecy!
The lyric video for Zombie Blood Curse, the first track to be loosed from Unborn, is streaming now at metalblade.com/sixfeetunder. While there, fans can also pre-order their copies.
In other news, Metal Blade Europe has announced that Unbornwill now be released as an exclusive European box set edition which will include the limited Digipak of Unborn and a bonus track entitled Illusions. Additionally the box will feature a poster, a patch, two pins and a sticker plus enough space for last year’s Undead album! The bonus track will be featured on the vinyl version of the album as well.
In November of 2010 when vocalist and founding member Chris Barnes first started to get the idea of working with new writers for SIX FEET UNDER’s next release, he contacted Rob Arnold, Jari Laine, and Ben Savage to share in the writing process. After just two years of writing and recording 20 plus tracks, and releasing Undead in May of 2012, SIX FEET UNDER are now proud to unveil Undead’s demented fraternal twin…
“The journey to create, write, and record Undead and Unborn has been the most challenging and exciting musical endeavor and process I have ever been involved with,” expresses vocalist and founder Chris Barnes. “Working with all these amazing writers and musicians like Ben Savage (Whitechapel) on songs like Neuro Osmosis and Fragment are some of the most dynamic, beautiful, and brutal songs I’ve ever had the pleasure of putting lyrics to.” Barnes continues, “I believe Ben is a true innovator of the death metal genre. It was also a lot of fun working Jari Laine from Torture Killer again. We wrote a great album together a few years back called Swarm! –one of my favorite releases I’ve been involved with– and Jari is someone who I have really wanted to work with again ever since. I wanted to revisit collaborating with Jari because of how well we work together; proof of that on Unborn are the hook heavy sounds of songs like Zombie Blood Curse and Incision.”
Undead proved to be one of SIX FEET UNDER’s most critically acclaimed albums to date, and with a revamped and tour-hardened lineup rounded out by: guitarist Ola Englund, drummer Kevin Talley, bassist Jeff Hughell, and long-time guitarist Steve Swanson, Unborn promises to elevate the band to even loftier heights.
The reigning kings of technical, historically-themed brutality, NILE, have uploaded a making-of “Enduring The Eternal Molestation Of Flame” video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7bbqUs2_mI. Watch as the group provides a behind-the-scenes impression of last year’s intense video shoot in Greece. The clip was directed by Jon Simvonis (SEPTIC FLESH, DEVIL’S TRAIN – www.jonsimvonis.com) and the track is taken from NILE’s latest release At The Gate Of Sethu.Read the rest of this entry »
