Best of 2012 – EvilG

#1. Primal Fear – Unbreakable

Some may forget this one for best of 2012 as it came out back in January 2012. For me, no other album has been played as many times this past year. The effortless vocals and range of Ralf Scheepers, and the strong song writing prowess of Mat Sinner and cohorts, meant that we were delivered with another magical metal album from one of the BEST metal bands in the business. It’s really too bad that the band didn’t make it to North America for the UNBREAKABLE tour, hopefully this will corrected in 2013.

 

2. Testament – Dark Roots Of Earth

Jaw-dropping is but one way to describe this release. Four years ago, we were collectively blown away by The Formation of Damnation as it topped the Metal-Rules.com Best of 2008 list. If Dark Roots doesn’t chart really high for 2012, I’ll be shocked because it is even better! Its heavy parts are heavier, and the melodic parts are even more melodic. It’s just such a well-rounded/written/preformed/recorded masterpiece!

3. Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody – Ascending to Infinity

Let’s just overlook all the weirdness with the split of the band into the “LT” and the “of fire” versions. All I care about is that they can both continue to create groundbreaking symphonic metal. With Ascending to Infinity, Luca proves that he still has the magic. New vocalist Alessandro Conti also pushed the operatic elements further with vocals that are some of the best I’ve heard.

4. Kamelot – Silverthorn

Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that new vocalist Tommy Karevik is pretty much a dead ringer for Roy Kahn. From his enunciation of words, range, and even stage crouching moves, he made sure the transition was seamless and for a casual fan, unnoticable. The music of Silverthorn is also top notch. The album drags a little further in with some of the slow ballad styled songs. However, this concept album is amongst the best the band has done.

5. Dragonforce – The Power Within

I was rather surprised with how good this album turned out to be. I’ve always LIKED Dragonforce, but they’ve never cracked into my best album list until now. I think the “over the top-ness” of their music was the main reason why I never completely jumped on board. With new vocalist Marc Hudson and with more songs that are much more calm like the powerful “Cry Thunder” the band covers more bases while still maintaining the frenzy with songs like “Give Me the Night”.

6. Accept – Stalingrad

Another excellent album from masters of classic heavy metal. Coming just two years after the brilliant BLOOD OF THE NATIONS, this proves that their comeback is no stroke of luck.

7. Kreator – Phantom Antichrist

Mille is awesome…his ripping solos continue to provide me with inspiration. His vocals are still insane, and for me, are about the best in “brutal” vocals period. I’ve loved Kreator since the first time I saw the video for “Toxic Trace” on the the Much Music Power Hour way back in the 80′s and the band still maintains the same level of intensity and awesomeness to this day.

8. Vision Divine – Destination Set to Nowhere

Wow…this is Vision Divine’s 7th album, yet it’s the first one I’ve really played the shit out of. Part of me wonders if that’s because of the spaceship on the cover…but that only caught my eye, not my ears. Vocalist Fabio Lione (Rhapsody of Fire) as always sounds fantastic and the prog/power metal songs and riffing were something that I instantly loved.

9. Sabaton – Carolus Rex

This is Sabaton’s last album to be recorded with the line-up we all became familiar with. So it will be interesting to see how the band’s next album sounds. The Art of War (2008) is still my fav Sabaton album, and Carolus Rex sounds quite similar to Coat of Arms (2010)…perhaps too similar in a way. I love it, but hope for something just slightly different next time.

10. Van Halen – A Different Kind Of Truth

I was NOT a believer. I never thought DLR and the Van Halen’s would put aside their egos or tempers or whatever it is that has kept them aprt for an eternity to get this quality album out!  I really thought Eddy was DONE….and I’m very happy to be proven wrong!  I was never into Van Hagar, didn’t like the Extreme fronted VH…for me, the only required VH is their very early stuff. While I wish the album was full of songs like “China Town”, the album is still remarkable for what it represents.

11. Heidevolk – Batavi

Sadly there are not many folk/viking metal bands with melodic clean vocals. Heidevolk  (Dutch for “heath-folk”) has two rich dual vocalists who provide a uniqueness sound that is all their own. The mix of folk and metal riffage is also done expertly.

12. Prong – Carved Into Stone

While many of the bands that claim an influence from Prong suck, Prong themselves were innovators and were one of the cooler bands of the early 90′s. Not since then have they released such a vital and ass kicking album.

13. Seven Kingdoms – The Fire is Mine

Saw these dudes, and gal, open for Blind Guardian in 2010 and was made a fan then. Their new album is stronger again than their previous  with some vicious playing and great songs.

14. Sonata Arctica – Stones Grow Her Name

While this album is a bit puzzling at times with a hillbilly song, a cock rock song, some power metal, some rock, some ballads…but most of the album is really surprisingly good.

15. Striker – Armed to the Teeth

After checking out a bunch of Canadian metal recently, one band really shone through with a pure metal heart, and that band is Striker. Very traditional sounding, and not what you’d expect from a Canadian band…also my top “discovery” for 2012! Excellent band, hope they get heard more!

16. Overkill – The Electric Age

Good ole reliable Overkill. Never a letdown, always a precise thrash attack!

17. Bloodbound – In The Name of Metal

A mix of traditional metal and power metal in line with bands like Dream Evil and HammerFall. Easily one of this band’s best albums!

18. Thy Majestie – ShiHuangDi

Here’s a band I’ve been a fan of since day 1. They’ve had some ups and downs but again deliver a solid release with ShiHuangDi. “Qin Shi Huang was the king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC, during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC. He ruled until his death in 210 BC at the age of 49.” (Wikipedia). The thing that makes this album stand out is new vocalist Alessio Taormina (he’s the best frontman they’ve had to date, so if you didn’t like them before give them another try!).

19. Orden Ogan – To the End

Great band, even though I often misspell their odd band name!

20. Joe Stump – Revenge Of The Shredlord

Man it was hard to narrow down my list to 20 and very hard to knock a few away as I liked them equally. However, since this level of inspired yet melodic shred isn’t often heard, I had to go with the mighty Joe Stump!

Best Live Album

Gamma Ray – Skeletons & Majesties Live

For some reason the video (blu-ray/DVD) for this isn’t out in North America yet otherwise it may have also made my selection for best live video. The song selection here isn’t just the typical material as the band digs deep and pulls out some gems that stand up against their most known material. As Gamma Ray is my favorite band, I don’t make the distinction between the two as I listen to the albums in full as they were meant to be heard! Such as great band, and a nice farewell to longtime drummer Daniel Zimmermann, he’ll be missed for sure.

Best DVD / Blu-ray

Stratovarius – Under Flaming Winter Skies – Live In Tampere (Blu-Ray)

Another of my fav bads is saying farewell to their drummer with a live release. The songs in here are more-so the most known ones. The only problem I had with the DVD is the 5.1 audio mix has the vocals way too low! In stereo mix, the vocals sound loud enough though and it’s a great concert from the highly influential melodic Finnish power metal band.

 

Best Remake Album/Compilation

Blind Guardian – Memories of a Time to Come

While this is mostly remixes (which sound awesome), there are also a few glorious re-recordings on this double CD package.

Best (metal-relayed) Movie

Rock of Ages. This is definitely not 100% “metal”. It is mostly hard rock / classic rock, but it does capture some of the 80′s Sunset Strip sound and glam metal bands. Strangely absent is the biggest of them all from this scene and era – Motley Crue. Also puzzling is the absence of Ratt, Dokken, and Van Halen…with the perplexing inclusion of C-level glam and some questionable classic rock.. It’s really too bad no one asked me what bands/songs to include eh? haha!.  Oh and BTW…the live musical for Rock of Ages that I saw in Toronto was better than the movie.

Best Local Metal Band

Again this year, I have to give the nod to Wizards of Kaos. In 2012, they signed with Canadian label Diminished Fifth Records, opened up locally for Black Label Society, and have played live countless times at the only 2 local bars that support original heavy music (Distortion and The Levee).

Best Concert

Nightwish/Kamelot (at the Sound Academy in Toronto, Sept. 20th)

Just days before Annette’s departure from the band I had the pleasure to see them live in Toronto. It was magical. Kamelot’s opening set was also mind-blowing.  It was cool to attend with a fellow Metal Rules writer (Waspman) as well!!

Best Book

While I’ve read a bunch of metal books in 2012, none of them actually came out in 2012. So rather than leave this section empty, I’ll list the metal book that I most enjoyed in 2012: Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006 by Mape Ollila and Olga Pohjola (released in 2008).

Best New Band

Huntress

Huntress was a band that got a lot of exposure in 2012 with the release of their debut full-length, SPELL EATER. It was the song and video for “Eight of Swords” that caught my ear. I really wish the band would lay off the hipster instagram photos though, it’s not 1960 and these photos make you (and the other bands who think they are great) looks like silly hipsters.

Best Discovery

STRIKER

STRIKER,  from Edmonton, Canada, are:

Dan Cleary – Lead Vocals
Ian Sandercock – Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Chris Segger – Lead/Rhythm Guitar
Dave Arnold – Bass Guitar
Adam Brown – Drums

Check out the band here.

Disappointments

Firewind – Few Against Many: Too “rock n’ roll”, too many groove riffs, not heavy enough, etc. I’ve spun this album many times, even enjoyed it on some level, but it has nothing on any of the other recent Firewind albums. Everyone’s performance and playing is solid, it’s just the songs are overall kinda bland. You’d think Gus would of put out a heavier, speedier, more power-thrash laden album after playing Ozzy’s greatest hits for a couple of years. I’m still a big Firewind fan, and I have hope as Gus is one of the better younger shredders. This is a disappointment that was simply born out of very high hopes.

Fear Factory – The Industrialist: Not as good as the previous, just not as many hooks, and therefore kinda forgettable.

Unisonic: The single from this album was fantastic – upbeat, a mix of hard rock and power metal with some soaring vocals and riffing. This song is what I expected from the album as I knew we would not get a bunch of classic Helloween songs – no matter how much I wanted it to be so. Sadly, the rest of the album lost me. The performances are professional, but the songs just didn’t grab me as most are more in the hard rock realm.

Metal Evolution (Banger Films): While I loved a lot of this mini-series and would highly recommend that metalheads check it out, overall it left me feeling a bit empty. My main beefs are the inclusion of grunge and mallcore (incorrectly called “nu-metal” by the mainstream, but it was  neither new nor was it ever metal!). Neither played a role in the evolution of metal, and were put in there perhaps to pander to the masses, VH1, or whatever….I dunno, it just has no bearing on metal so it should of been omitted! Sadly they left out black metal and death metal (an oversight even the creators acknowledge and want to roll into a single episode using pledge music). Also, Sam Dunn’s lack of “understanding” of Power Metal is baffling considering his love of Iron Maiden and other NWOBHM bands and the clear progression from this style that power metal represents. That fact that he felt it necessary to even mention he didn’t “get” power metal kind of made me a little unhappy little…hahah.

 

Metallic Hopes for 2013

• Primal Fear to play in Montreal and Toronto for the UNBREAKABLE tour….they haven’t been over this way in a while now, time to come back!
• Helloween & Gamma Ray Hellish Rock returns to Canada.
• Would also love to see Kamelot and Stratovarius in 2013….
• Albums I’m looking forward to: Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Stratovarius, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Queensryche with new frontman, Riot continus onwards and pays homage to their fallen brother Mark Reale, Jag Panzer reunites to record new material, etc….
• Floor Jansen (perhaps my fav female vocalist!) is a permanent member of Nightwish and the band recorded AND releases a new album in 2013…..wouldn’t that be awesome!
• Savatage anniversary/reunion album featuring both Jon Oliva & Zachary Stevens…one can dream…I’ve had this one listed for what, almost 10 years?
• As I’ve mentioned before…  The demise of all the core bullshit in metal. It’s become almost as bad as “mallcore” and the trend needs to go away…there doesn’t need to be a “trend” just listen to metal already!

Top Metal News of 2012

• Black Sabbath: Live shows without Bill Ward / Tony Iommi’s Lymphoma
• Annette Olzon leaves Nightwish; Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, ReVamp) fills in (hopefully she’ll permanently join).
• RIOT Guitarist Mark Reale Passes.
• New singer for Luca Turilli’s Rhapsosy reveaved and band releases amazing album.
• LORDI Drummer Tonmi Lillman (Otus) Passes Away.
• Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe Arrested in Prague for Manslaughter and the un-going BS.
• Ongoing Queensryche drama surrounding now former vocalist Geoff Tate.
• Guitarist of Ministry and Rigor Mortis Michael “Mike” Scaccia dies.

Best of 2012: Aaron

1. Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity

I know, this one surprised me too.  If you’d asked me about Cattle Decapitation a year ago, I would’ve told you that they were an above average gore metal band with an interesting animal rights shtick.  If you’d asked me about Cattle Decapitation after the release of MONOLITH OF INHUMANITY, I would’ve told you that they were quite possibly one of the most important death metal bands in the scene today.  This album is the perfect culmination of gut wrenching death metal brutality, technical precision, and twisted social commentary; it’s hard to believe that this is the same band that released HUMAN JERKY just a few years ago.  To paraphrase Anchorman’s Champ Kind, MONOLITH OF INHUMANITY will smash your face into a windshield, and then take your mother for a nice seafood dinner and NEVER call her again.  It’s that brutal.

2. Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction

The title of the album says it all.  Easily the best doom metal album of the year, and a very close runner up for my overall top spot.  Pallbearer make you want to curl up into a ball and slip into nothingness, but you don’t, only because you don’t want to miss the next song.

3. Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol

The pioneers of gothic metal return with an album that’s on par with their best, and proves yet again why they are the best at what they do.

4. Napalm Death – Utilitarian

These guys can do no wrong, UTILITARIAN is another jewel in the crown for the kings of grindcore.

5. Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme

REIGN SUPREME finally achieves the ideal blend of groove, grind, and tech that Dying Fetus has been building up to.

6. Prong – Carved Into Stone

A love letter from Tommy Victor to the fans, CARVED INTO STONE is Prong doing what Prong does best.  Almost 20 years since the release of CLEANSING, who could’ve guessed that ol’ Tommy Boy would’ve still had an album this good in him?

7. Nile – At the Gate of Sethu

This record didn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserved, but was so good I bought it twice (f@#! You, iTunes).

8.  Testament – Dark Roots of Earth

Proving that the FORMATION reunion wasn’t just a fluke, DARK ROOTS OF THE EARTH is a darker and heavier Testament album that trumps its predecessor on every level.

9. Saint Vitus – Lillie: F-65

Oh Lillie, your majesty is marred only by your brevity.

10. Pig Destroyer – Book Burner

Don’t listen to the internet trolls, BOOK BURNER may not be as frenzied as PROWLER IN THE YARD, but it’s every bit as good as the hype surrounding it would lead you to believe.

11.   Corrosion of Conformity – Corrosion of Conformity

12.   Christian Mistress – Possession

13    Ihsahn – Eremita

14.   Daylight Dies – A Frail Becoming

15.   My Dying Bride – A Map of All Our Failures

16.   Incantation – Vanquish in Vengeance

17    Six Feet Under – Undead

18.   Kreator – Phantom Antichrist

19.   High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis

20.   Goatwhore – Blood for the Master

 

Best EP

Down – DOWN IV PART I: THE PURPLE EP

“Bless the bravest attempts to tear us down…Good luck and f@#! your retort…”

In all honesty, if we didn’t have to break out EPs from full lengths for our year end lists, THE PURPLE EP would’ve easily been my overall #1.  Crack open a bottle of Abita Purple Haze, light up a big fat J, press play, and accept that your band will never sound as good as what’s coming out of your speakers.

 

Best Live Album

Sacred Reich – Live at Wacken

Classic thrash from one of the greats.  Buy this, you’ll thank me later.

 

Best DVD

Last Days Here

This documentary about Pentagram’s Bobby Liebling had a very limited theater run in 2011 but finally saw its release on DVD this summer. While the subject matter treads the familiar ground of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, it focuses on the ugly realities that come with the lifestyle.  Liebling’s addictions are put on full display, including the gruesome physical ramifications of decades of substance abuse, mental breaks, and the disappointments that come with being so close to success only to see it slip away.

Best Concert

Death to All Tour (Beacham Theater, Orlando, FL)

How fitting that the final stop for this travelling tribute to the music and memory of Chuck Schuldiner wrapped up not only in his hometown, but in the same venue where the “Lack of Comprehension” video was filmed?  Despite missing the first half of Atheist’s opening set due to a ridiculously early 6pm start, seeing members of Cynic, Exhumed, Abysmal Dawn, and a who’s who of the extended Death family share the stage together to celebrate Chuck’s music made this the best live show of the year.

Honorable Mention – Guns N’ Roses (House of Blues, Orlando, FL)

Okay, so GN’R may not technically be a metal band, but everybody reading this right now has probably owned a copy of APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION at some point in their life.  A 3 ½ hour set in a 1,000 seater venue that was most definitely oversold and a stellar performance from Axl’s current lineup earns this gig a place in my all-time top 5.  So what if Axl Rose looks like Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies, his voice still sounds like its svelte 1987 self.  And Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal is one of the most impressive guitar players I’ve ever seen live.

Best Discovery of 2012

Relics of Martyrs

Were it not for one of the most polite emails I’ve ever received with a review submission, chances are I never would’ve been introduced to Relics of Martyrs and their debut album SCENES OF BLOOD AND BETRAYAL.  This young Jordanian outfit cranks a serious blend of death infused thrash that is nothing short of homage to the greatness of metal.  Geography and political climates stack the deck against metal bands from this region of the world, which only makes the level of talent and skill exhibited by these guys that much more impressive.

Disappointments of 2012

The Black Sabbath/Bill Ward reunion soap opera – I love, LOVE, Black Sabbath, down to the core of my being, but drama like this is enough to sour the best of relationships.  Couldn’t we have discussed this like gentlemen outside of the public eye, especially as this album will likely be the band’s epitaph?  As much as I want a new Black Sabbath album, I don’t want it to happen this way.  And oh yeah, Tony Iommi has cancer – Seriously God?  It wasn’t enough for you to take Ronnie from us, but you’ve got to yank our chains with Tony as well?  WTF man?  Despite his apparent recovery, a scare like this only emphasizes how fragile life is, and that second (or third) chances should be embraced for the gift that they are.

Randy Blythe may spend a decade in a Czech prison because some dumbass kid made the mistake of trying to get on stage and died as a result.  That’s not a crime, it’s natural selection.  I’m not even remotely a Lamb of God fan, but Randy is one of us, and if this can happen to the frontman of one of the biggest bands in metal, it can happen to anyone.

The state of the music industry is so craptastic that Frank Mullen may not be able to tour with Suffocation to support the new album?  This is the unfortunate economics of being a 40-year-old man fronting a death metal band.  Keep metal alive – buy a t-shirt, pay for a legit streaming service, or just buy the goddamn album already.  Enough is enough.

Hopes for 2013

NEW CARCASS ALBUM!!!!!!  Seriously, how did this manage to stay under the radar for so long?  AND Bill Steer is returning to the mic?  I’m as giddy as a school girl on prom night.  I’m well aware of the potential for disappointment, but if anybody can pull this off, it’s Carcass.

King Diamond may be ready to hit the road again. Holy crap, how about that stage at Helfest?  While I’m skeptical that King would be able to support that level of production on a North American run, the fact that he’s put so much emphasis in the press on recent deals with booking agencies and the ink still being fresh on a new contract with Metal Blade gives me some hope that we’ll at least get a taste.  Now about those DVDs you’ve been promising…

For Metal Blade Records and Spotify to work out a licensing agreement.  C’mon Slagel, Century Media finally got on board, you’re the last holdout.  I can’t begin to express how much it irks me that I can’t add albums like HELL AWAITS, PSALM 9, SYMBOL OF SALVATION, and a slew of past and present artists from your roster to my high quality streaming audio playlists.

Top 20

1. Testament – Dark Roots Of Earth

2. Devin Townsend Project – Epicloud

3. Enslaved – Riitiir

4. Enthroned – Obsidium

5. Winterfylleth – The Threnody of Triumph

 

6. Lamb Of God – Resolution

7. Gojira – L’Enfant Sauvage

8. Sabaton – Carolus Rex

9. Cattle Decapitation – Monolith Of Tyrants

10. Gorath – The Chronicles of Khiliasmos

11. Anathema – Weather Systems

12. Ahab – The Giant

13. Cauldron – Tomorrows Love

14. Eluveitie – Helvetios

15. Napalm Death – Utilitarian

16. Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol

17. Wintersun – Time I

18. Savage Messiah – Plague Of Conscience

19. Ensiferum – Unsung Heroes

20. Marduk – Serpent Sermon

 

Best Live Album

Machine Head – Machine F**king Head Live

Having been around for many years, this band are still proving to be going strong and making more & more fans every year!

 

Best EP

Ancient Ascendant – Into the Dark

This band are a hybrid of genres mixed together and spitting out something truly spectacular. With Into the Dark, these guys have really found their sound, moving away from their death-thrash sound and adding a healthy dose of black into the mix, somehow still managing to avoid the technical route, keeping strong rhythmic grooves throughout the EP. On the surface, catchy and enjoyable, but with so much more going on underneath it keeps you listening again and again. Only one downside, where’s the rest of it?

Best Covers Album

Darkthrone – Holy Darkthrone

I’ve never been a big fan of cover albums, they always seem to be a number of bands attempting a song in a style that doesn’t suit them, producing mediocre results. This album, however, is one of the only cover albums I can honestly say I like every track on the album. Perhaps it’s the careful selection of artists of the fact that each band brings something new to each song while staying true to the old sound but these set of covers are really not to be missed by any black metal fan.

Best Book

Black Metal: Beyond the Darkness: The best place to start with this book is the very striking cover. With it’s black and white colour scheme, inverted forest picture and simple font, it is a clever nod to the black metal aesthetics and fundamental ideals. The contents of the book are equally as exciting, covering all areas of the genre, from a brief overview of the events that started the movement, right up to the modern day bands, lifestyle and aesthetics. The thing I enjoy most about this book is the distinct lack of focus on the Scandinavian scene, which, although interesting and majorly influential, is starting to become a little over published in music literature. This book has something to offer both the avid black metal listener and the person only just starting out. A must read for anyone interested in the genre.

 

Best Concert

Behemoth @ Bloodstock Open Air: After waiting a year to see Behemoth after they pulled out of Bloodstock 2011 due to illness, I had very high expectations for them. From the very first song, they were everything I could have hoped for and more. Skull crushingly heavy, exceptionally tight and flanked with a pair of burning inverted crosses, they secured themselves as both the highlight of bloodstock and of the year for me.

Best local band

Craven Idol: London based band dishing out their own brand of blackened-thrash, bathed in reverb and packed with atmosphere. These guys are a little quiet when it comes to social media, making it a little hard to know what and when things are happening with them but when it does happen, it’s definitely worth the wait. With the release of their EP Etherial Alters in 2010, it’s been a long wait for the followup album, although there are hints it may be out next year.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Craven-Idol/158945044134965

Best new band

Saturnian With their first album being released this year and opening up Bloodstock Open Air this year, this band are quickly asserting themselves as a major player in the British metal scene. With their own brand of extreme symphonic metal, this band are a must for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh and Cradle of Filth’s early work.

Best Discovery

Wodensthrone Discovering this band while browsing through the Damnation Festival line-up this year, its hard to see how I missed this band. Black metal from the frozen north lands of… well England, these guys have risen fast, signing a contract with candlelight records to release both their albums.

 

Major events in the Metal world

Tony Iommi being diagnosed with lymphoma.  One of the founders of Heavy Metal and Black Sabbath guitarist, Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma early this year, a type of blood cancer. One of my personal heroes and an influence sited by just about every metal band ever, the decline in his health is a sad day for all in metal.

Randy Blythe was arrested on manslaughter charges Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe was arrested on June 28 by police in the Czech Republic accused of manslaughter. Everyone has already made their own mind up on the charges, however a guilty charge could leave many bands defenceless against fans that insist on climbing onstage.   Hydra Head Records closes its doors. American record label Hydra head records closed its doors this year due to financial difficulties. Able to boast signings such as Sunn O))), Cult of Luna and Isis, its a shame this label never gained the recognition they deserved.

Jim Marshall died at 88 Founder of Marshall Amps, Jim Marshall, dies at 88. Perhaps not directly metal, he created an amp used by so many in the scene, influencing the sound of so many major metal artists.    Roadrunner shut down their UK and Canadian offices Due to a merger between Roadrunner and Warner Brothers, the decision was made to shut down both the Canadian and Uk offices. A lot of good people lost their jobs that day and good artists lost their contracts.

Nergal charged with offending religious feelings Behemoth frontman Nergal has been arrested for a second time for offending religious feelings after he ripped up a Bible onstage. This charge is a violation of freedom of speech and artistic licence and a threat to extreme metal in Poland and other religiously dominated countries.. Lets hope he gets off with a light sentence.

Biggest Disappointments 2012

Sonisphere being cancelled in the UK

Disbanding of Cathedral I never really appreciated Cathedral for a long time, until my recent discovery of how brilliant doom metal is. So when I finally begin to explore the works of this great band, I was devastated to hear a few months later that they are calling it quits after 23 years.

Predictions for 2013

Finntroll’s new album will be incredible These scandinavian folk-metal gods have returned to the studio to followup 2010′s  Nifelvind. I’m hoping this album will be just as good as every other album they’ve done. Fingers crossed for a UK tour so I can see them for the millionth time.   Charges will be dropped against Randy Blythe I may not be a Lamb of God fan, but I don’t want to see the man go down on such ridiculous charges. Free Randy Blythe!

People will stop complaining about Bloodstock Because they’re probably going to do what they do every year and announce loads of amazing bands on the Sophie Lancaster stage!

 

Norwegian legends Darkthrone have completed work on their latest album ‘The Underground Resistance’, which is set for release on Peaceville Records on February 25th.

‘The Underground Resistance’ is Darkthrone’s latest venture through the metal cosmos, & first new album since the 2010 opus ‘Circle the Wagons’. A continuation of the free-spirited metallic lands the duo of Fenriz & Nocturno Culto have been roaming for a long time, ‘The Underground Resistance’ contains Darkthrone’s trademark masterful riffing in a broad range of styles, effortlessly bounding through the annals of classic metal, taking in thrash, speed & black metal, & not forgetting a dose of Punk. All in all a ferocious & dynamic set of tracks drenched in Fenriz’s & Nocturno’s rich & diverse tastes in all things metal, primarily those rooted firmly in the spirit of the 80’s. 6 tracks long, & every one an epic in itself, this is undoubtedly Darkthrone’s strongest outing of late.

‘The Underground Resistance’ was written & recorded spring 2010 to summer 2012 at Necrohell 2 studios by the band themselves. The album was mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, Texas USA. Cover artwork also comes courtesy of the iconic & celebrated artist Jim Fitzpatrick.

“3 songs each, Ted’s are flown from the universe of metal with his strongest voice ever so far. Songs of mine are torn from the wombs of the riders of rohan of metal; safely cradled in 1985 style” – Fenriz, December 2012

Darkthrone began life in the late 80’s as a thrash/death metal act & progressed through technical death/doom metal experimentation to become legends of the black metal world & one of the original leading bands of the Norwegian scene, as well as inspiring a whole generation of metal bands.

http://www.darkthrone.no

Philadelphia-based sci-fi thrashers VEKTOR have confirmed a short US tour, which is due to kick off on February 14th in New York City.

The band recently performed a blistering set at Earache’s 25th Anniversary showcase in Los Angeles, following the re-release of their 2011 album, OUTER ISOLATION.

VEKTOR bassist FRANK CHIN comments:

“We’re stoked to once again hit the road and jam, especially since the majority of cities will be firsts for us.  We hope to see as many of you as possible!  This will be a great start to an even greater year.  You’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more of us whether you want to or not!  Sci-fi or die!”

See VEKTOR live on tour at the following shows:

Feb. 14 – New York, NY – Saint Vitus Bar
Feb. 15 – TBA
Feb. 16 – Wallingford, CT – Cherry Street Station
Feb. 17 – Keene, NH – Railroad Tavern
Feb. 18 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
Feb. 19 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
Feb. 20 – Providence, RI – Dusk
Feb. 21 – TBA
Feb. 22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Winter’s Wake Festival

View the tour flyer at http://earacherecords.com/myspace/vektor_feb13.jpg

OUTER ISOLATION is available now on CD and limited edition coloured vinyl in Europe at http://bit.ly/125iakS or get the European import editions in North America at http://bit.ly/YWFa6T

OUTER ISOLATION is also available now on iTunes at http://bit.ly/MmRF4M

Listen to the track “Tetrastructural Minds” at http://youtu.be/TjV9xe1QEME

Get more VEKTOR news and info at:

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/VektorOfficial
MySpace – http://www.myspace.com/vektor

Anthrax has just made available a taste of the band’s upcoming EP Anthems, due out March 19 (Megaforce).  ”Anthem,” the band’s cover of the classic Rush song, can be heard here.

In addition to the EP’s cover art, each of the cover songs will have its own special artwork, each one based on the tracks’ original album cover art, but subtly “reimagined” by Anthrax’s Charlie Benante and artist Stephen Thompson.

The eight-track Anthems EP pays tribute to the classic songs by some of Anthrax’s favorite bands from the 1970s.  In addition to Rush’s “Anthem,” the track listing includes Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak,” “TNT” by AC/DC, Boston’s “Smokin’,” “Big Eyes” by Cheap Trick, Journey’s “Keep on Runnin,” as well as the album version and a special remix of Anthrax’s “Crawl” from the band’s critically-acclaimed 2011 album Worship Music.

Anthems was produced by Anthrax, Jay Ruston and Rob Caggiano, and recorded for the most part throughout 2012 literally all over the world:  at Benante’s home studio, in Ruston’s New York studio, on the band’s tour bus while on last summer’s Mayhem Tour, in hotel rooms, and backstage at their Berlin show last December.

ERIC DOVER

INTERVIEW AND PICTURES BY MARKO SYRJALA

Eric Dover is an American vocalist and guitarist, most notably working with Alice Cooper, Slash’s Snakepit and Jellyfish. Dover joined Jellyfish in 1993 but the band disbanded just one year and he then formed a new band called Doverman with Roger Manning. In 1995 Dover joined Slash’s short lived Slash’s Snakepit and recorded album IT’S FIVE O CLOCK SOMEWHERE with the band. Manning and Dover re-grouped in late 1995 and formed another band called Imperial Drag. The band released its self-titled debut in 1996 but broke up one year later. In late 90’s he did join Alice Cooper’s band. Dover stayed altogether over four years in the band and recorded album THE EYES OF ALICE COOPER in 2003. After quitting with Cooper, Dover has been working on various studio sessions, project bands like Starfuckers and his own band Sextus which has released two albums to date. However, it was band Lost Angels which finally bring the man back in Finland, for the first time since 2004. The band is a kind of all-star band featuring past and current members of Cinderella, White Lion and of course Alice Cooper. The band landed in Helsinki on early January and then we had a pleasure to sit down with Eric and discuss about the past, present and future as well.

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German heavy metal brigade SACRED STEEL has posted another track off their forthcoming album, The Bloodshed Summoning.

This newest song to be offered off of the album is titled “When the Siren Calls” and can be heard at cruzdelsurmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-bloodshed-summoning-2.

The Bloodshed Summoning comes out on February 16th via Cruz Del Sur Music. The record will be offered as a compact disc with three bonus tracks (including one Misfits cover), as well as on limited edition vinyl and digital formats.

For a complete history on SACRED STEEL visit www.sacredsteel.eu/html/history.html

 

www.sacredsteel.eu

www.facebook.com/sacredsteelofficial

www.cruzdelsurmusic.com

www.facebook.com/cruzdelsurmusic

Finnish masters of melancholic dark metal, AMORPHIS, have dubbed their 11^th full length studio album release ‘Circle’. The album is set to be released on April 22nd 2013 via Nuclear Blast records. In the game now successfully for over 20 years, this sextet still manage to surprise, delight and step up their efforts with every record they create. Recently confirmed to play this year on Sunday 13th August on the Ronnie James Dio stage at Bloodstock, alongside a momentous line-up of incredible bands, 2013 is looking set to be a pivotal year for AMORPHIS!

Circle, the follow-up to 2011’s highly successful masterpiece The Beginning Of Time (Finnish charts: #1, German charts: #16) was produced and mixed by HYPOCRISY and PAIN mastermind Peter Tägtgren (CHILDREN OF BODOM, IMMORTAL, DIMMU BORGIR). Tracking was done at Petrax Studio in Hollola (NIGHTWISH, CHILDREN OF BODOM, KORPIKLAANI) and at 5K Studios in Helsinki, Finland.

A short summary of the album’s concept/story written by Pekka Kainulainen, who wrote the lyrics for the album, can be read below:

“The protagonist has been dealt a bad hand at birth. He’s always felt himself an outsider with strong potential to become marginalized. Through an accident, after a crisis, he finds a connection with his inner powers. A guide is sent to him, from some other time and place. He gets a chance to take hold of his own life and change his destiny. From the past of Carelian Finland he finds his own spiritual tribe and the power to turn the course of his doomed life. This is a story of survival.”

Singer Tomi Joutsen added about the album’s title:

“Circle represents integrity. Back in the days, when there was something special to talk about, wise men used to sit in circle. Not everyone was invited to join them. But in this story, the protagonist was invited among the wise men’s circle.”

Studio reports:

Part 1 http://youtu.be/fLdUj7wm2PM
Part 2 http://youtu.be/VTHcE6Z4lPM
Part 3 http://youtu.be/hLbHuMS_IkQ

Check out ‘You I Need from ‘The Beginning Of Times’

Artwork and track-listing will soon be announced, so keep your eyes peeled for more news heading your way soon!
www.amorphis.net | www.facebook.com/amorphis | www.nuclearblast.de/amorphis

His Masters Noise and Century Media are proud to announce the beginning of a new chapter of the WATAIN epos! The band comments: “Since the harvest, we have been occupied with preparations for a long and hard journey. Seeds have been sown, blades have been sharpened and new fires have been lit to illuminate the untrodden tunnels that lay before us as we descend further down the maze…”

And so it was that on the 3rd of January, 3 years to the day the recording of “Lawless Darkness” commenced, WATAIN returned to Necromorbus Studio and began working on what is to become the 5th full-length album. The release is tentatively set for August 2013. More details will be unveiled soon.

ICED EARTH

@ The Underworld, Camden

Support from Dead shape figure, Steel Engraved, Evergrey

20th December 2012

Review by Ashlinn Nash

Photography by Graham Hilling 

 

On another grey and miserable December day which hosts the weather that has sparked inspiration for many power metal songs, making it the perfect scenario for tonight’s gig in the intimate Camden Underworld. Tonight hosting a global invasion of the genres finest the scene has to offer.
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Fear Factory @ Koko, Camden

18th December 2012

Review by Caitlin Smith

Photos by Michelle Murphy

With the release of the new album The Industrialist this summer, Industrial metal titans, Fear Factory, return to London for the final show in their European tour.

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Rotting Slow In Europe 2012

OBITUARY Support Macabre – Psycroptic

@ The Garage Relentless -London

5th December 2012

Review by Sabrina Dersel

Photography by Graham Hilling

This has to be the best gig for 2012!

Tonight; at The Garage in London we are treated to the best pre-xmas gift any metal-head could ask for!

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Erich’s Top 20 Metal Albums of 2012 & Other Lists

1. Kreator – PHANTOM ANTICHRIST

When 2011 ended I never would have predicted that Kreator would be my number one album at the end of 2012.  I have always enjoyed the band, but have never been a diehard fan. PHANTOM ANTICHRIST is the masterwork of a band that still sounds hungry and angry. The melodic pieces interspersed with the heavy riffs have finally been perfectly blended, and whether it is advancing age or a conscious decision to reign in the croaking vocals, Mille has never sounded better.  The highest compliment I can give this album though is that it found its way into the three main phases that I consume high grade music: in the car, working out, and drinking.

2. Knight Fury – TIME TO ROCK

Released without a label at the end of 2011, TIME TO ROCK was picked up by Pure Steel in 2012 and thus qualifies as a 2012 release.   Guitarist Chris Sanders enlisted Dave Ellefson, Ken Mary, and William King to bring to fruition his vision of a classic example of early Power Metal with plenty of modern inflections and interpretations.  The result is an incredibly unexpected and under-appreciated album that positions Sanders for great things in the future.

3. Testament – DARK ROOTS OF EARTH

Attention to detail and a sense of purpose all permeate DARK ROOTS OF THE EARTH, as the eye-catching cover art immediately attests. This is 9 songs of metal perfection, Chuck Billy managing to just about steal the show.  This is an instant classic and certainly one of the band’s top 3 or 4 albums, period.

4. Trixter – NEW AUDIO MACHINE

Once again, another album that I never would have guessed would end up in my top 5, being less of a Trixter fan than Kreator.  But here it is and as improbable as it seems, NEW AUDIO MACHINE is a focused and balanced album of melodic hair metal brimming with enthusiasm and a solid production job. Perfect for sticking in the car and just driving.

5. Paradise Lost – TRAGIC IDOL

While not the return to DRACONIAN TIMES that the band and label asserted, TRAGIC IDOL is still a finely crafted album, bearing all the signature marks of the band.  TRAGIC IDOL is the third stylistically consistent album in a row for the band, and while I can do without the new affinity for down tuned guitars, the band still has that weeping and doomy quality that made them a fan favorite.

6. Van Halen – A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH

Considering the hype and anticipation for this album, A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH has to be considered one of the great comeback albums of all time.  It is Van Halen picking up as if Roth had never.  Much like Kreator, Van Halen found hunger and creative inspiration drawn from the wells of the past and expertly mixed with the present to create an astonishing album.

7. The Mystery – APOCALYPSE 666

The album title is nothing original, but the music on APOCALYPSE 666 is just fine thanks, in the style of traditional and straight-up metal.  Catchy melodies, chugging riffs, and powerful vocals from a female singer that sounds like a man and you have the makings for some mighty fine classic metal.

8. Million Dollar Reload – A SINNER’S SAINT

Looking for straight forward rocking metal, look no further.  A SINNERS SAINT is a fantastic album, and a reminder that good metal need not be complex to be compelling.

9. Prong – CARVED INTO STONE

Prong has admittedly had an inconsistent run, with great albums followed by mediocre ones but CARVED INTO STONE kicks ass.  “Revenge..Served Cold” belongs in the same league as “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” and “Whose Fist Is This Anyway?”. Yes, it is that good.

10.  Crazy Lixx –RIOT AVENUE

RIOT AVENUE continues Crazy Lixx’s run of no bad albums.  How these guys are not huge is beyond me, but RIOT AVENUE is a monster hair/sleaze metal album that boasts booming production to propel catchy songs as evidenced by the bands patented anthemic choruses and backing vocals.

11.   Overkill – THE ELECTRIC AGE

12.   3 Inches of Blood- LONG LIVE HEAVY METAL

13.   Orden Ogan – TO THE END

14.   Fullforce – NEXT LEVEL

15.   Bakken – DEATH OF A HERO

16.   Accept – STALINGRAD

17.   Secret Sphere – PORTRAIT OF A DYING HEART

18.   Dark Nightmare – BENEATH THE VEILS OF WINTER

19.   Mystic Prophecy – RAVENLORD

20.   Primal Fear – UNBREAKABLE

Best Not Quite Heavy Enough Albums

When I compiled my original top 50 for the year to whittle down, these albums ranked highly, but after much hand wringing, I determined they did not have the requisite amount of “crunch” to make the list. Here are still, some very fine borderline metal albums:

The Cult – CHOICE OF WEAPON

Tyketto – DIG IN DEEP

House of Shakira – HOS

77 – HIGH DECIBELS

Hardline- DANGER ZONE

 

Best New Band

Bakken – DEATH OF A HERO

Bakken is Irish traditional metal band, evoking the finest qualities of Iron Maiden, Metallica and other classic metal bands.

Simon Pickett (vocals, guitar)

Mark-Anthony McGinnis (guitar)

Niall McGrotty (drums, backing vocals)

Brian O’Kane (bass guitar)

Best Live Album (Tie)

Iron Maiden – EN VIVO

Pretty Maids – IT COMES ALIVE

BEST EP

Heartache – APOPHIS

 

BEST DVD

Iron Maiden – EN VIVO

 

Best TV/Movie

ROCK OF AGES

Best Discovery

Ghost – OPUS EPONYMOUS

Not sure how I missed these guys and really it is unfathomable. However, the amount of listens I have given it in the last 6 months is making up for lost time.

Disappointments of 2012

No New Fates Warning Album:

Despite loud proclamations of a new album in 2012, it did not happen and while the re-mastered stop gap of INSIDE OUT was appreciated, 8 years is the longest stretch between studio albums for the band in their career.

Geoff Tate – KINGS AND THIEVES:

Queensryche had sucked for quite some time, so splitting with the band held the potential of a blessing in disguise. Truth be told, I had almost zero expectations for KINGS AND THIEVES but even that low threshold was trodden upon, as it is now clear that Tate has nothing left to say.  Why I even care eludes me, since it is obvious Tate does not.

Loudness – EVE TO DAWN:

The years have not been kind to Nahira’s voice and the songs are mediocre.

Lacuna Coil – DARK ADRENALINE:

I realize I am in the minority here and might ruffle some feathers, but I do not think this band has released a good album since COMALIES. Andrea Ferro continues to be a liability, but the band’s love affair with Linkin Park and Evanescence is still evident on “Losing My Religion”.  Yeah, I understand embracing success over poverty, and I realize that Cristina does not want to go back to waitressing. But man, I miss the band that gave me IN A REVERIE and COMALIES.

Manowar – LORD OF STEEL:

Eric’s voice is shot and somehow Joey has made his bass clackier and louder than on any previous albums.

Greatest Hopes For 2013

Reformation of Savatage: Sure it is not going to happen but I can wish can’t I?

New Judas Priest and Black Sabbath Albums: Hopefully both of these will live up to the hype especially Priest, with KK gone.

Continued Decline and Eradication of Metal Core: Sam Dunn’s documentary on Metal Evolution re-emphasized for me how essential that the death of this non-metal genre really is.

Best of 2012 – Peter Atkinson

 

1. CATTLE DECAPITATION –  Monolith of Inhumanity

Death-grind perfection from a band who for much of their career were little more than a sick joke. But they really got their shit together on this their seventh album, combining savage brutality, gruesomely effective and deceptively intelligent lyrics, epic arrangements and some of the most insidiously catchy melodies you’ll ever find in music this harsh. Speaking of which, the video for “Forced Gender Reassignment” will make you hurl.

2. NAPALM DEATH – Utilitarian

The godfathers of grind keep chugging along, showing as much savvy and smarts as ever and proving an old dog can do new tricks. John Zorn’s careening saxophone on “Everyday Pox” is genius and guitarist Mitch Harris’ more prominent vocal presence feels natural and adds texture to the band’s still punishing fare.

3. CANNIBAL CORPSE – Torture

See Napalm Death, above –  only substitute “death metal” for “grind.” While there are no saxophones here, a more even split in the songwriting among bassist Alex Webster and guitarists Rob Barrett and Pat O’Brien made for greater variety and the usual dose of creative killings. “Encased in Concrete” was, in my book, the death metal song of the year.

4. MARDUK – Serpent Sermon

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more feral frontman in black metal than Marduk’s Mortuus. His clenched-teeth, low-register snarl makes what he does with the already evil-sounding Marduk all the more convincing. Even the mid-tempo, anthemic “Temple of Decay” from the Swedish band’s 12th album — and fourth with Mortuus — sounds like a veritable death march as he barks the orders and cracks the whip.

5. KILLING JOKE – MMXII

Long-running English heavyweights Killing Joke remain as biting, relevant and apocalyptic as ever. MMXII pulses with anti-government/corporate rage and end of the world prophesizing, and though we seem to have dodged the doomsday bullet the Mayans supposedly predicted, “Rapture” and “Colony Collapse” resonate nonetheless. So, too, the climate-change harangue “Pole Shift” and the harrowing “FEMA Camp,” where disaster-relief housing is likened to concentration camps. Not a comforting thought for those who lost just everything in Superstorm Sandy.

6. HOUR OF PENANCE – Sedition

Italy’s Hour of Penance produced one of the most stupefyingly fast death metal albums of the year with Sedition. Simply unrelenting. Ironically, drummer Simon Pras, who provided the light-speed battery here, was later replaced. Guess one can only keep up this pace for so long.

7. GORY BLISTER – Earth-Sick

Score another one for Italian death metal. Hardly the splat-metal act the band’s name implies, Gory Blister’s technical death metal weaves in ample off-kilter arrangements and melodic splashes, along with thought-provoking lyrics dealing with mad science. A far wiser, craftier band than one might expect.

8. PRONG – Carved Into Stone

Prong mainman Tommy Victor finally gets things going in the right direction again after a couple pretty awful albums that followed the band’s reformation. Carved Into Stone goes back to the basics of the Beg To Differ era, ditching the industrialisms that came later and sticking to a power trio sound that is spot on.

9. CIRCUS MAXIMUS – Nine

I’m hardly the biggest prog-metal fan, but the third album from Norwegian quintet Circus Maximus — and first in five years — is just awesome. Sort of a mix of Dream Theater — sans all the wank and drama — and Opeth — sans all the hippie bullshit — Nine is awash in instrumental prowess, crunch and grandiosity. Yet the band are careful not to crawl up their own asses trying to show off or string together a billion parts just because they can. That Nine ended up as ninth on the list here was pure coincidence, by the way.

10. GOJIRA – L’Enfant Sauvage

More “mature sounding” usually equals boring or less adventurous – Metallica, cough! But France’s Gojira manage to prove that they’ve grown up while still retaining the power, punch and progressive bent that have carved a unique niche for them over the course of five albums. Though perhaps showing a bit more brains than brawn here, Gojira still do things with death metal that other bands can hardly even imagine.

11. ENSLAVED – RIITIIR 

12. AEON – Aeons Black  

13. MESHUGGAH – Koloss  

14. JOB FOR A COWBOY – Demonocracy  

15. BLACK BREATH – Sentenced To Life  

16. KREATOR – Phantom Antichrist  

17. ALLEGAEON – Formshifter  

18. PERIPHERY – Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal  

19. PIG DESTROYER –  Book Burner  

20. THE WRETCHED END – Inroads