Andromeda

Guitarist and bandleader Johan Reinholdz

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Inner Wound Records for providing

the promotional pictures of the band

The Swedish progressive metal act Andromeda, released their brand new album MANIFEST OF TYRANNY at the end of last year and I got a hold of guitarist and bandleader Johan Reinholdz in order to talk about the bands new fifth album. I thought it would be the perfect time to get an update on what’s been going on in the Andromeda camp since the last time I interviewed them.

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Whether you think of Sabaton as pioneers of modern power metal or a bunch of self-confessed ‘Village People in combats’, the fact is, they’re bloody good fun. Flying high with 2012′s Carolus Rex after a renowned post-recording line-up change, the belligerent Swedes are hitting the HMV Forum tonight in force – and from what I’ve heard, in FLAMES…
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7th November 2012

Much like fellow symphonic metallers Nightwish, Xandria have faced front-woman dramas in recent years, the product of which is latest album Neverworld’s End and a switch to a more operatic style, which is hard to miss!

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Accept

Stalingrad European Tour 2012

Amager Bio

Copenhagen

Denmark

30/10 – 2012

Reviewed an live pictures by: Anders Sandvall

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SUFFOCATION: “Pinnacle of Bedlam”

New York death metal veterans SUFFOCATION have unveiled the track listing for their highly anticipated upcoming release, Pinnacle of Bedlam. The album features 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who played with the band previously on their Despise The Sun EP. Founding member and former drummer Mike Smith also makes a special guest appearance on the re-recorded Breeding the Spawn track, “Beginning of Sorrow.”

Pinnacle of Bedlam Track Listing:
1. Cycles of Suffering
2. Purgatorial Punishment
3. Eminent Wrath
4. As Grace Descends
5. Sullen Days
6. Pinnacle of Bedlam
7. My Demise
8. Inversion
9. Rapture of Revocation
10. Beginning of Sorrow

Pinnacle of Bedlam was produced by the band and tracked at Full Force Studios in New York by longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering was handled this time around by world renowned producer/engineer Zeuss (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE). Cover artwork for Pinnacle of Bedlam was created by artist Raymond Swanland (DEEDS OF FLESH, PSYCROPTIC).

Pinnacle of Bedlam is tentatively scheduled for a February 2013 via Nuclear Blast in North America.

SUFFOCATION were among the inductees for this year’s class of the Long Island Music Hall Of Fame. The event was held on October 18 at The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Pictures from the press conference can be viewed here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151091714073649.445624.41340788648&type=3.

View the video clip for the track “Cataclysmic Purification” at this location http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEYSU4XGLpI. The footage was directed by David Brodsky (ARSIS, GOD FORBID, KATAKLYSM, SWASHBUCKLE) with animation by Tim Kellen.

Blood Oath, the follow-up to 2006′s self-titled record, was recorded by Joe Cincotta (Suffocation and Souls to Deny) and mixed by Zack Ohren (ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH). Cover artwork was once again brought to life by Jon Zig (DEEDS OF FLESH, DISGORGE, GORGASM). The album was released on July 14, 2009.

For more info visit: www.facebook.com/Suffocation | www.nuclearblastusa.com/Suffocation | www.myspace.com/Suffocation

Bandleader/bassist Joakim Hedestedt – Mass Murder Agenda

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Black Lodge for the promo pictures of

the band taken by: Gunnar M. Petersen

From Stockholm Sweden comes a brand new act called Mass Murder Agenda. The band is led by former Face Down member Joakim Hedestedt and the music falls into the industrial metal genre. Their debut album is called BRING THE VIOLENCE and because I have always been a fan of Hedestedt I thought it would be time to check out what he’s been up to and what he has to tell us about the new band, the new album. We couldn’t but slip into some more personal questions and if you’re familiar with the earlier work of Hedestedt be sure to check out the interview.

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Singer Monica Primo – My Black Light

Interviewed by: Anders Sandvall

Thanks to Massacre Records for the promo pictures of the band

My Black Light is a new Italian goth metal act that late last year released their brilliant debut album HUMAN MAZE and because of the great album I felt it was time to hook up with singer Monica Primo in order to get to know the band better. The music of My Black Light isn’t the ordinary Goth music instead they have featured some really interesting progressive influences so if this sounds like something you may like then check out the interview.

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Before their performance supporting Kamelot @ London’s HMV Forum we managed to catch up with Marco Heubaum and Manuela Kraller from the German symphonic metallers Xandria, to  discuss their creation process behind latest album ‘Neverworld’s End’ and their eventful and lengthy hunt for a new vocalist, aswell as their love of Newcastle Brown ale…. 

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@ O2 Academy Islington

9th November 2012

Merlin Sutter – Drums

Chrigel Glanzmann – Vocals,

Mandola & Mandolin, Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipes, Bodhràn

Anna Murphy – Hurdygurdy, Vocals, Flute

Meri Tadic – Fiddle, Vocals

Ivo Henzi – Guitars

Simeon Koch – Guitars

Patrick Kistler – Tin & Low Whistles, Bagpipe

Kay Brem – Bass

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LOS ANGELES, CA - The surprise isn’t that Anthrax’s “I’m Alive” received a Grammy nomination last night for Best Rock/Metal Performance; the surprise is that it comes more than a year after the track’s September 13, 2011 release on the band’s critical smash, Worship Music, which was named was of the best metal albums of 2011 by numerous media outlets, and provided the band with the rock’n'roll comeback story of the year.  This is the fourth Grammy nomination for Anthrax - Charlie Benante/drums, Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano/guitars, Frank Bello/bass, Joey Belladonna/vocals.

L-R:  Ian, Benante, Bello, Belladonna, Caggiano

“I was watching The Dave Matthews Band perform when I received a text saying ‘Congrats on the Grammy nomination!’,” said Benante.  ”Huh?  I had lost all hope of ever being nominated for another Grammy, but I guess I was wrong.  We put so much hard work into ‘Worship Music,’ and I am so honored to be nominated with a group of bands that have also sustained the Test of Time like the legendary Maiden and Megadeth.  Heavy Metal is a Force, it has fans that range from six to 66, and I’m so proud to be a part of this Force…it’s in all of us.”

Anthrax fans waited eight long years for Worship Music, the band’s first studio album since 2003′s We’ve Come For You All, that features the return of “classic era” vocalist Belladonna making his first Anthrax album in twenty years.  Since its September 13 release and subsequent debut at #12 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart, Worship Music has received glowing praise from numerous critics and music tastemakers, including That Metal Show’s Eddie Trunk and Alexander Milas, editor of the UK’s Metal Hammer.  Loudwire named it the #1 Metal Album of the Year.

The return of Belladonna and Anthrax’s remarkable renewal began in 2009 in a Cleveland hotel bar. Anthrax’s Benante and Ian, and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich were in town for the Rock’n'Roll Hall of Fame when Lars first brought up the idea of The Big Four – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, the four bands that served as the original architects for the “thrash/speed-metal” scene,” yet had never shared the same stage before.  The first of (so far) fourteen Big Four events took place on June 16, 2010, culminating in what was Anthrax’s New York homecoming concert – The Big Four at Yankee Stadium on September 14, the day after Worship Music hit stores.  ”We came into The Big Four as the underdog,” said Benante.  ”We were the band that had the most to prove, and we’ve worked really, really hard to do that.”

Anthrax continues touring in support of Worship Music having just completed a European tour with Motorhead, and will be announcing North American plans for 2013 shortly.

Black Flames Of Blasphemy

The third traditional Black Mass Of Blasphemy festival was arranged by the KRK organization who struggled with all kinds of unexpected problems. The event received controversial headlines in the local press when it came up that one of the performers represented Nazi ideology. But whatever, the festival consisted of brutal, grim, evil sounding and looking bands and dedicated/passionate extreme fans. As for the bands in general,  the offering would be nothing but an utter wet dream for underground black metal maniacs. Metal-Rules.com was present witnessing the blackest black metal of the underground.

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Great things happened on November the 17th 2012 as Motorhead and Anthrax played a sold-out show at the O2 Academy Brixton. It was an unforgettable night when we saw two legendary bands share the stage and make history together.

But to start such a great night, there was the opening band that no one seemed to have heard of before. Few hours before the show, we met up with Diaries of a Hero – the main support act to follow Anthrax and Motorhead on their UK/European tour. 
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Before playing alongside German thrash metal giants Sodom that night, Ancient Ascendant gave us a few minutes of their time to talk to us about the past events of the year, and what is coming up for them.
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When corpse paint, fake blood and gruesome fancy-dress come up in conversation, two things spring to mind: the set of a Watain gig, or Halloween. But it’s the time of year for the latter, and horn-wielding giants Metal Hammer are throwing all this and more at a sonic carnival of celebration!
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