2010 summary

2010

If you had said to me last year “In a years time you will have set up your own music blog written your own reviews of CD’s/DVD’s/Gigs and been featured on well known music sites” I would have simply laughed. When I thought of becoming a music journalist I had no idea where to start and how I would get there but, with the help of family, friends and musicians I started this blog.

So 2010 in music has had its ups and its downs. We started the year pretty badly after loosing Jimmy Sullivan in December 2009, many thought that that would be the end of one of the best hard rock bands but Avenged Sevenfold came back with Mike Portnoy and released the chart topping album Nightmare. We have seen Megadeth win back David Ellefson and toured their Rust In Peace album on its 20^th Anniversary. Whilst on the topic of Megadeth we have also seen the greatest musical achievement of the past 20 years with the Big Four going out and touring together for the first time. It is a pure miracle that Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax have settled their differences and let the music do the talking by bringing such a spectacle to the European stage. This is set to continue in 2011 with the Big four playing for the first time together in the UK at Sonisphere Knebworth.

At Sonisphere this year we saw the triumphant return of Iron Maiden with their first show on British soil in two years. After a spectacular show the band released their 15^th studio album The Final Frontier which debuted at number one in the UK and many other countries. However with all these great things that have happened sadly worse things have also happened. In May we lost two great musicians Ronnie James Dio and Paul Gray. Firstly Ronnie was seen by many as one of the fathers of heavy metal and his works have influenced many people to become musicians and whose life has touched many others. Secondly Paul who was a part of one of the largest nu-metal bands of the past decade (Slipknot). Both Ronnie and Paul will be sorely missed but their legacies will never be forgotten.

In 2010 we have also enjoyed new releases from Stone Sour, Daath, Murderdolls, Dimmu Borgir, Disturbed as well as the others mentioned above. Apart from the studio we have seen live releases from Slipknot, Megadeth, Heaven and Hell and the Big Four.

2010 has seen lineup changes for Megadeth (as previously mentioned), Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium and Dream Theater. At the end of 2009 we heard that Travis Smith drummer of Trivium would be sitting out their upcoming US tour. As we got into 2010 we began to wonder if Travis would be back in time for the band to go into the studio to record their song for the game God Of War III. A statement was issued saying that Trivium would no longer be performing with Travis and that Nick Augusto would be taking his place. Trivium then went into the studio to record Shattering the Skies above with Nick for the God of War game. The song shows how much energy Nick has brought to the band and how they have developed since 2008’s Shogun.

Dream Theater have also changed drummer with Mike Portnoy leaving the band. Mike asked the band if they could take some time off from touring/ recording and come back to the table fresh for the next album. The rest of the band were not willing to do so, and so Mike saw no other way than to leave. It was recently revealed by Mike that he tried to reconcile with the band after his time was up with Avenged Sevenfold but they would not have him back. This was a very sad end to the year but, we have lots to look forward to next year!

Things to look forward to in 2011:

The return of Slipknot

The Big Four coming to the UK

Iron Maiden’s Final Frontier world tour

New albums from Trivium, Children of Bodom, DevilDriver, Amon Amarth, Megadeth, Anthrax and many more!

Top 5 releases of 2010

1. Nightmare – Avenged Sevenfold CD
2. The Final Frontier – Iron Maiden CD
3. (sic)nesses – Slipknot DVD
4. Audio Secrecy – Stone Sour CD
5. Big Four Live from Sofia – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax DVD

Finally I would like to thank you all for your support, encouragement and help throughout 2010. All that is left to say is Happy Christmas and bring on 2011!

Charlie Day \m/(>_<)\m/

New DevilDriver single to be released 23rd Jan

DevilDriver are going to release the first single from their new album "Beast" on January 23rd 2011! The song "Dead To Rights" will be digitally available from all major online retailers, with the new album "Beast" due out on 21st February.

picture + source www.roadrunnerrecords.co.uk

Megadeth + Slayer co headline "European Carnage" tour

It has just been announced that Megadeth and Slayer will bring their "carnage tour" to Europe. This tour has travelled across North America and now its time to bring the carnage to Europe. The tour goes through many countries ranging from Russia all the way across to Portugal. Full tour dates bellow!

Date		City	Venue	Ages	Tickets
March	13	Kiev, Russia	Expo	TBA	TBA
	15	Moscow, Russia	Olimpiski	TBA	TBA
	16	St Petersburg, Russia	Jubileeny	TBA	TBA
	17	Helsinki, Finland	Ice Hall	TBA	TBA
	19	Stockholm, Sweden	Arenan	TBA	TBA
	20	Oslo, Norway	Sentrum Scene	TBA	TBA
	21	Aarhus, Denmark	SCC	TBA	TBA
	23	Brussels, Belgium	Forest	TBA	TBA
	24	Bamberg, Germany	Stechert Arena	TBA	TBA
	26	Paris, France	Zenith	TBA	TBA
	28	Madrid, Spain	La Riviera	TBA	TBA
	29	La Coruna, Spain	Coliseum	TBA	TBA
	30	Lisbon, Portugal	Pavilhao Atlantico	TBA	TBA
April	1	Barcelona, Spain	St Jordi Club	TBA	TBA
	3	Rome, Italy	Atlantico	TBA	TBA
	4	Padova, Italy	Gran Teatro	TBA	TBA
	6	Zagreb, Croatia	Arena	TBA	TBA
	7	Vienna, Austria	Gasometer	TBA	TBA
	8	Budapest, Hungary	Arena	TBA	TBA
	10	Prague, Czech Republic	O2 Arena	TBA	TBA
	11	Lodz, Poland	Sportshall	TBA	TBA
	13	Basel, Switzerland	St Jakobshalle	TBA	TBA

Source: www.megadeth.com

Mike Portnoy has left Avenged Sevenfold!

Yesterday I bought you the news that Avenged Sevenfold were not performing at Soundwave Festival and that Mike Portnoy's position in the band was debatable. Late last night Mike announced that his time with Avenged Sevenfold had come to an end. He says that the band had decided to carry on into 2011 with out him and that he had had some great times with the band. Mike also looks forward to new musical opportunities that come his way for the future. As for Soundwave festival it appears that the band were unhappy with the time that they were scheduled to play, the festival organisers were unable to change the timings around and therefore the band went back on their contract and cancelled. The Nightmare after Christmas North American tour is still scheduled to go ahead, however no new drummer has yet been announced.

We wish Mike Portnoy the best for the future and hope that Avenged Sevenfold find a new drummer soon!

Avenged Sevenfold Will NOT perform at Soundwave

A shocking announcement has been made which is that Avenged Sevenfold will not be performing at Soundwave festival's in Australia in 2011. In a statement (below) it mentions that they will be performing because they would not deliver a performance which the fans would enjoy. This is strange indeed and comes days after strange tweets from drummer Mike Portnoy. This is purely speculation which leads me to the view that something between Sevenfold and Portnoy is going on. Of course we hope all is well between both parties and hope that they are both ok! Statement and Tweets mentioned follow!

"Avenged Sevenfold regretfully announce they will not be performing at the upcoming Soundwave in Australia. After much effort, the band decided that they could not offer fans the live experience they have come to expect and didn’t want to disappoint them. Avenged Sevenfold will return to Australia soon to headline their own tour."

"There's alot of things going on in my life I wish I could openly & honestly talk about at the moment, but cannot...but when I can, I will..." Mike Portnoy via Twitter

"is sad...... : ( It's been a long, exhausting year (both physically and mentally) with many unexpected ups and downs and I think the most valuable lesson for me has been that the only people you can TRULY count on is FAMILY...thank you Marlene, Melody and Max for ALWAYS being there for me...." Mike Portnoy via Facebook

Judas Priest announce FINAL World tour!

It is with great sadness that I write this post to you. Judas Priest have announced that they are to embark on their last world tour after brining metal to the masses for the past forty years. In a statement released by the band they promise to go out with a bang and to hit all major cities across the globe. The tour starts in Europe in June in Sweden and ending up in Germany in August for the end of the European leg (more dates will be announced soon!). Boys and Girls this is your last chance to see Judas Priest so be sure to get your tickets as you wont get another chance!

Tour dates so far:

9th June Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
11th June Sauna Festival, Finland
17th June Copenhell Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
19th June Hellfest, Nantes, France
22nd June Gods of Metal Festival, Milan, Italy
25th June Graspop Festival, Belgium
23rd July HIgh Voltage Festival, London, UK
5th August Wacken Festival, Germany

Sonisphere 2011 1st Head liner is...

Sonisphere festival have just announced that their first head liner of the 2011 festival will be SLIPKNOT! It will be an exclusive UK performance!

Another announcement will be made on Monday 6th December!

Slipknot will return

Joey Jordison drummer of Slipknot has said that the band will return after the loss of bassist Paul Gray. He also has said that they have started writing for their next studio album and plan to record some time next year. Jordison said they will not replace Gray but will have someone to play bass for them off-stage. This news comes from an interview with Joey by Bilboard.

Iron Maiden to headline Rock Werchter

It has just been announced that Iron Maiden are to headline Rock Werchter festival in Belgium. Maiden are set to play there on Sunday 3rd July 2011 in the middle of their Final Frontier world tour! Tickets go on sale 4th December 2010! For more info on this date go to www.rockwerchter.be and for information about the whole tour go to www.ironmaiden.com then click on the tour tab along the top.

Murderdolls Cancel US tour!

Gory rockers the Murderdolls have been forced to pull out of their upcoming American tour. The Violent Night, Deadly Night tour has been cancelled but in a press release the band stated that they will be back soon. The reason for the cancellation is an "unforeseeable family emergency". We hope this sorts itself out soon so they can get back on the road as soon as possible. Full press release below from www.roadrunnerrecords.com

“Due to an unforeseeable family emergency Murderdolls have been forced to cancel the upcoming Violent Night, Deadly Night tour. These decisions are never easy to make and we did everything we could to keep from having to cancel, but this was unavoidable. We’ll do our best to make up the dates in 2011. For those who bought tickets, refunds are available from point of purchase. Sorry ghoulscouts but we’ll see you all soon!”

Download 2011

Today we got our first snippet of what is to come at Download festival 2011. As rumours started to circulate earlier in the year it turns out that they were true and only fuelled the festival hype. Shortly before 9am this morning it was confirmed that System Of A Down are to reform and are to headline at Download festival in 2011. Also after a colossal tour with Stone Sour earlier in the year, Avenged Sevenfold are also to return to these shores for the Download festival. Although not headlining they will be a band not to be missed! These are the only bands announced so far and makes you wonder what else Andy Copping has up his sleeve.

COB New album details!

Children Of Bodom have shed some new light on their upcomming release. The new album is to be called "Relentless Reckless Forever" and will be released on 08/03/2011. According to Blabbermouth.net a music video has already been shot for one of the songs of the new album. The song is called "Was It Worth It" is will probably be the first single from the album!

source www.blabbermouth.net

Chimaira Bassist Retires!

Chimaira have announced today that bassist Jim LaMarca is to retire. In a statement released by the band his reasons for retiring are that he wishes to settle down and start a family. The statement also says that they wish him all the best for the future! A permanent replacement has not been found but for the remainder of 2010 Emil Werstler of DAATH will be playing bass for the band so no shows will be cancelled! This is very handy as DAATH will be supporting Chimaira on an up comming headliner tour!

Funeral For A Friend + Rise To Remain UK tour

Funeral for a friend have announced that they are to embark on a huge UK tour! The tour is 15 dates long so you can be sure that they will be hitting a town/city near you! Full tour dates bellow!

March 16th – Aberystwyth Arts Centre
March 19th – Penrith Eden Arts Centre
March 20th – Glasgow King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
March 22nd – Bury St. Edmonds The Apex
March 23rd – Birmingham O2 Academy 2
March 24th – Manchester Academy 3
March 25th – London Relentless Garage
March 27th – Liverpool O2 Academy
March 28th – Stoke The Sugarmill
March 29th – Wakefield Black Flag
March 30th – Durham Live Lounge
April 1st – Poole Chords
April 2nd – Saltash Livewire
April 3rd – Wycombe Academy Of Music & Art
April 4th – Wrexham Central Station

Source www.metalhammer.co.uk

Iron Maiden European dates

Yes more Iron Maiden tour dates for 2011! The Final Frontier world tour has some more mainland Europe dates. Maiden are to undertake a full arena tour of Germany and select dates in France and the Netherlands! In the press release it states that there are still more dates to come for Europe so if your country hasn't been announced yet DON'T PANIC! Dates are as follows!

MAY
Sat 28 - Frankfurt, GERMANY Festhalle
Sun 29 - Oberhausen, GERMANY Kopi Arena
Tue 31 - Munich, GERMANY Olympiahalle

JUNE
Thur 2 - Hamburg, GERMANY o2 World
Fri 3 - Berlin, GERMANY o2 World
Tue 7 - Stuttgart, GERMANY Schleyerhalle
Wed 8 - Arnhem, THE NETHERLANDS Gerledome
Mon 27 - Paris, FRANCE Bercy

Hatebreed and Rise To Remain to tour the UK

Hatebreed and upcoming melodic metalers Rise To Remain are to tour the UK together. This comes just a day after Rise To Remain were confirmed to be touring with Bullet For My Valentine in Europe. There seems to be some confusion as to where Rise To Remain will be playing due to date and tour clashes. To clear this up THEY WILL NOT BE touring with As I Lay Dying, and instead will be playing in Europe with Bullet. The dates for the Hatebreed - Rise To Remain tour follow!

DECEMBER
06 - BRISTOL Fleece
07 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
08 - GLASGOW Garage
09 - SHEFFIELD Corporation
10 - BIRMINGHAM Academy 2
11 - STOKE Sugarmill
13 - LEEDS Cockpit
14 - MANCHESTER Club Academy
15 - PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
16 - LONDON Garage

source - www.rocksound.tv

Tour news galore!

Well today we have for you: Judas Priest going on a world tour in 2011 announced by KK Downing in a recent blog announcement! Trivium are to support Disturbed on their impending Australian Music as a weapon tour! Finally Amon Amarth and Children of Bodom are to tour the UK together.

Judas Priest: Legendary Axe wielder KK Downing has revealed in a recent blog post that the band are ready "to put the touring wheels in motion" for their 2011 world tour. The bad news is he doesn't say where or when :(. We will keep you posted on that one!

Trivium yesterday announced through RoadRunner records that they are to support Disturbed on their upcoming Australian tour. The tour is reportedly to be the first shows in support of the new album but, they have yet to start recording the album due to Colin Richardson being in the UK finishing the début album for Rise To Remain. Dates follow

Wednesday 20 April - Burswood Dome, Perth
Saturday 23 April - Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
Sunday 24 April - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Monday 25 April - Acer Arena, Sydney
Thursday 28 April - Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle
Saturday 30 April - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane

Amon Amarth and Children Of Bodom are to tour the UK together in April next year. It is expected that both bands will be sporting new releases and will be playing new material from them. Certainly one to watch! Dates follow

Fri 1st April 2011 - Norwich U.E.A., Norwich
Sat 2nd April 2011 - Manchester University, Manchester
Sun 3rd April 2011 - O2 ABC Glasgow, Glasgow
Thu 7th April 2011 - Rock City, Nottingham
Fri 8th April 2011 - O2 Academy Birmingham,, Birmingham
Sat 9th April 2011 - HMV Forum / Relentless Garage, London

Big Four, Sofia DVD Review

THE BIG FOUR, Sofia DVD

Although the concerts happened a couple of month ago now the hype for this tour is still massive with rumours of US and UK repercussions for late 2011. The DVD gives you great insight into the four bands and their experiences of this fantastic and historic metal moment.

Anthrax took to the stage first with the newly rejoined Joey Belladona. Belladona wastes no time in soaking up the atmosphere and celebrating with the fans the amazing spectacle that is taking place. Performance wise a flawless effort from Anthrax with the major highlight being the performance of “Indians” with the cover/tribute of “Heaven and Hell” to the late Ronnie James Dio.

Also buzzing from a recent return to the fold are Megadeth who romp through a soul crushing set. Since David Ellefson has rejoined the band Megadeth have been unstoppable. Pulling out many hits from the “Rust in Peace” album the fans are treated to an amazing set featuring both old and new material. The rain didn’t dampen their spirits and their enthusiasm is hugely admired. The highlight of Megadeth’s set has to be the Performance of the classic “A Tout Le Monde”.

Titans Slayer are up next, pounding onto the stage with the title track of the latest album “World Painted Blood”. Giving it all they have got Slayer drag you into their mesmerizing performance. Sadly this live performance is not one of Slayer’s best, with Tom Araya struggling with vocal issues and Hanneman not pulling off the solo’s he used to. However be wary, their presence is still enough to make you quake in your boots. Highlight of Slayer’s set has to be the last two songs of the set “South Of Heaven” and “Raining Blood”.

Three down one to go. Metallica add to the carnage all ready laid down by the other bands. All though it is called the big four tour you get the impression that Metallica were out to headline no matter what by having double the amount of time on stage. Another standard Metallica performance is really all that can be said. Nothing special, I have seen them perform much better than this. Credit to them for putting together another great set list full of classics and new songs. The performance picks up dramatically for the second half with songs like “One”, “Enter Sandman”, “Hit The Lights” and “Seek and Destroy”. Just three words complete this set “Am I Evil”. Joined by Anthrax, Megadeth and Dave Lombardo of Slayer the big four unite to play this classic “Diamond Head” song. This has to be the highlight of the DVD by far and possibly the whole year! Nobody would have thought this possible 10 years ago but here in 2010 and possibly the future it has become reality.

The overall production of the DVD is very mixed. Whilst the audio quality is pristine the visuals are far from it. Wobbly cameras, dodgy camera angles and numerous objects obstructing the view are this DVD’s downfall. Apart from this the DVD is well worth buying and would advise any metal fan to do so.

Anthrax 8/10

Megadeth 8.5/10

Slayer 7.5/10

Metallica 8/10

Overall 7.5/10

picture from www.jimdunlop.com

Nightmare After Christmas Tour!

Avenged Sevenfold are to return to the US for a headlinning tour with Stone Sour as special guests. After the great success the band had on this years uproar festival tour they just had to return. The tour starts in Reading, PA on 20/1/2011 and ends up in San Jose, CA on 16/2/2011. This tour is not to be missed so be sure to get your tickets quick!

full tour dates are:

Date City Venue Onsale

January 20, 2011 Reading, PA Sovereign Center December 4

January 22, 2011 Lowell, MA Tsongas Center December 3

January 23, 2011 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena December 4

January 25, 2011 Huntington, WV Big Sandy Arena December 10

January 26, 2011 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Coliseum December 10

January 28, 2011 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena December 10

January 29, 2011 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena December 4

January 30, 2011 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium December 4

February 1, 2011 Moline, IL iWireless Center December 3

February 2, 2011 La Crosse, WI La Crosse Center December 3

February 4, 2011 Battlecreek, MI Kellogg Arena December 4

February 5, 2011 Detriot, MI TBD TBD

February 7, 2011 Sioux City, IA Tyson Center December 4

February 8, 2011 Grand Island, NE Heartland Events Center December 3

February 11, 2011 Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena December 3

February 12, 2011 Kennewick, WA Toyota Center December 3

February 14, 2011 Euguen, OR TBD TBD

February 16, 2011 San Jose, CA San Jose Events Center TBD

Source www.avengedsevenfold.com

picture www.myspace.com/avengedsevenfold

Coming Home! IRON MAIDEN's 2011 UK ARENA TOUR

The moment you have all been waiting for has arrived! The legendary metal titans our back to rock our shores but this time they are here for more than one show. Maiden are to embark on a 10 date arena trek around the UK starting in Glasgow at the SECC arena on 20th July and finishing up at London's O2 arena on 5th August. To add a twist to the announcement Maiden have revealed that this leg of the tour will be the last in support of the bands latest album "The Final Frontier and whilst featuring songs from the new album the tour will encompass most of the bands vast catalogue. Tickets for this monumentous tour will go on sale to the public on 20th November BUT if you're a part of the Iron Maiden fan club then the pre sale is on Monday 15th November! Tour dates as follows!

picture from www.ironmaiden.com

JULY Wed 20 Thu 21 Sat 23 Sun 24 Wed 27 Thu 28 Sun 31	Scotland, Glasgow SECC Scotland, Aberdeen AECC P&J Arena England, Newcastle Metro Radio Arena England, Sheffield Motorpoint Arena England, Nottingham Trent FM Arena England, Manchester MEN Arena England, Birmingham NIA
AUGUST Mon 1 Wed 3 Fri 5	Wales, Cardiff CIA Arena Northern Ireland, Belfast Odyssey England, London O2 Arena

Iron Maiden WORLD TOUR 2011

Iron Maiden are to return in 2011 with a full blown world tour! The tour will focus on the bands latest CHART TOPPING release The Final Frontier and will reach many new place which the band have yet to play such as Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea. The tour will start off in Moscow 11/02/11 and then go through South East Asia before Australia, South Korea,Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rico, USA before finishing in St Petersburg in July. Bruce Dickinson mentions in the press release that they will play many songs from the new album and recent material but not forgetting the older songs! This tour IS NOT TO BE MISSED! Full dates below!

source and picture www.ironmaiden.com

FEBRUARY Fri 11 Tue 15 Thu 17 Sun 20 Wed 23 Thu 24 Sat 26 Sun 27	Moscow, RUSSIA SINGAPORE Jakarta, INDONESIA Bali, INDONESIA Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Sydney, AUSTRALIA Brisbane, AUSTRALIA Sydney, AUSTRALIA	Olympiski Singapore Indoor Stadium Stadium Utama Gelaro Bung Karno Senayan Garuda Wisnu Kencana Hisense Arena Entertainment Centre Showgrounds (Soundwave Festival) Eastern Creek Raceway (Soundwave Festival)
MARCH Fri 4 Sat 5 Mon 7 Thu 10 Sat 12 Sun 13 Thu 17 Fri 18 Sun 20 Wed 23 Sat 26 Sun 27 Wed 30	Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Adelaide, AUSTRALIA Perth, AUSTRALIA Seoul, KOREA Tokyo, JAPAN Tokyo, JAPAN Monterrey, MEXICO Mexico City, MEXICO Bogota, COLOMBIA Lima, PERU Sao Paulo, BRAZIL Rio De Janeiro, BRAZIL Brasilia, BRAZIL	Showgrounds (Soundwave Festival) Bonython Park (Soundwave Festival) Steel Blue Oval (Soundwave Festival) Chamsil Gymnasium Super Arena Super Arena Banamex Theatre Foro Sol CC Sapo Estadio San Marcos Morumbi Stadium HSBC Arena Nilson Nelson Parking Lot
APRIL Fri 1 Sun 3 Tue 5 Fri 8 Sun 10 Wed 14 Sat 16 Sun 17	Belem, BRAZIL Recife, BRAZIL Curitiba, BRAZIL Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA Santiago, CHILE San Juan, PUERTO RICO Sunrise, Florida, USA Tampa, Florida USA	Parque De Exposicoes Parque De Exposicoes Expotrade Velez Sarsfield Estadio Nacional Coliseo De Puerto Rico Bank Atlantic Center St Pete Times Forum
JULY Jun 30 - Jul 3 Fri 1 Wed 6 Fri 8 Sun 10	Roskilde, DENMARK Gothenburg, SWEDEN Oslo, NORWAY Helsinki, FINLAND St Petersburg, RUSSIA	Roskilde Festival Ullevi Stadium Telenor Olympic Stadium SKK Peterburgskiy

Stone Sour, Avenged Sevenfold, Hellyeah Halloween review!

Hellyeah, Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour: 31/10/2010 Hammersmith Apollo

The anticipation for this gig has been huge and no matter who headlined which night it was bound to be a truly amazing spectacle. With both Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour suffering recent losses (and of course Hellyeah drummer Vinnie Paul loosing his brother Dimebag four years ago) this was sure to be a moving event and a tribute to their fallen brothers. Even waiting outside before the doors opened there was the feeling that everyone was getting along and was there to support each other after the tragic losses with chants for Paul Gray, Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan, Dimebag Darrell and Ronnie James Dio. Once inside the crowd eagerly anticipated the start of Hellyeah, The Texan rockers powered their way through their set which featured greats such as “Hellyeah” “Cowboy Way” and “Alcohaulin’ Ass”. Vinnie Paul’s stage presence is what makes this band, their performance was admirable but not up to the standards of Vinnie’s legendary former band Pantera.

Then came in many peoples view the highlight of the show as Avenged Sevenfold took to the stage. The band arrived on stage with masks on for Halloween and romp into “Nightmare”. Everyone knew this song and was singing along (even the security guards were joining in) and were there to support the band after the tragic loss of The Rev. This certainly became apparent when M. Shadows dedicated the song “So Far Away” to him, the crowd responded by pulling out lighters and mobile phones before giving a “Jimmy” chant. This was a very moving part of the set and brought tears to many peoples eyes (me included). The energy that they bring with them is phenomenal with M., Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance and Johnny Christ tearing round the stage and of course not forgetting Mike Portnoy whos enthusiasm is unbeatable( not to mention toasting marshmallows on the pyros!) . The band ended with “Almost Easy” and stated that they will return in the future. In the spirit of Halloween the band then brought on stage boxes of sweets and each band member threw them into the crowd.

Next up were Stone Sour with a slightly gender confused Corey Taylor. Again with this being Halloween Taylor decided to dress in lingerie and a tutu, despite this and having to follow the astounding act of Avenged, Stone sour really pulled out all the stops. Their performance was impeccable and included a Corey Taylor solo performance of “Bother” which was a real show stopper. The show also featured the UK live debut of “Lets Be Honest” which was another highlight of a fantastic show.

Reflecting on all the bands it was a brilliant show and all performances were of the highest quality (apart from the occasional/unfortunate guitar break down for Synyster Gates). This tour having sold out far in advanced you could see why tickets were selling like hot cakes. If you get the chance to see any of these bands then do not pass up the opportunity as it was a fantastic show and one that you will never forget and not just because of Corey Taylor’s dress sense.

Overall rating 9/10

Murderdolls FULL UK Tour dates!

Yesterday there were two today there are ten! The Murderdolls are out to destroy every city's hearing on there ten date trek around the UK! Tickets go onsale on Friday (29/10/10) at 9 am. Dates are as follows!

February 02 – Portsmouth Pyramids
February 03 – Norwich Waterfront
February 04 – Bristol Academy
February 05 – Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
February 08 – Middlesbrough Empire
February 10 – Glasgow ABC
February 11 – Manchester Academy 2
February 12 – London Forum
February 13 – Nottingham Rock City
February 14 – Exeter Lemon Grove

source www.metalhammer.co.uk

Cradle Of Filth NA Tour!

Just when you though tour announcements were over for the day Cradle Of Filth announce a headlining tour of North America. The tour which has been named FEARnet and Decibel Presents: Creatures from the Black Abyss Tour will hit the US in February 2011 tickets go on sale on Friday but you can preorder them and get a meet and greet with the band from tomorrow through Artist Arena!

Dates are as follows:

Feb. 01 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
Feb. 02 - Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom
Feb. 04 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
Feb. 05 - Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
Feb. 06 - Las Vegas, NV@ House of Blues
Feb. 08 - Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia Live
Feb. 09 - San Francisco, CA@ Regency Ballroom
Feb. 11 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox Theatre
Feb. 12 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
Feb. 13 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Feb. 15 - Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Events Center
Feb. 16 - Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom
Feb. 18 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Feb. 20 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
Feb. 21 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Feb. 23 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Zoo
Feb. 25 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's
Feb. 26 - Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
Feb. 27 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
Feb. 28 - Quebec City, QC @ Imperial de Quebec
Mar. 02 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Mar. 03 - New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
Mar. 04 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
Mar. 05 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Mar. 06 - Baltimore, MD @ Bourbon Street Ballroom
Mar. 08 - Norfolk, VA @ Norva Theatre
Mar. 09 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Mar. 11 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
Mar. 12 - Orlando, FL @ Firestone
Mar. 13 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

source www.blabbermouth.net

DevilDriver new album title and release date!

DevilDriver have announced today the title of their next album Beast. This is the follow up to Pray For Villains which was released in 2009. The album was recorded earlier this year and a total of 14 songs were recorded with an expected 11/12 to make the final version. The album has been produced by Mark Lewis who has worked with bands such as Trivium and All That Remains. Beast is due for release 22/02/11 via Roadrunner records.

source www.roadrunnerrecords.com

Darkest Hour 2011 UK Tour!

Well today has been filled with 2011 tour news and yes as the title says another one is coming to Blighty! Darkest Hour have just announced a short UK tour with dates in London, Nottingham and Manchester! Let the monstrous riffage commence! Dates as follows!

28th January – Manchester Academy
29th January – Nottingham Rock City
30th January – London Garage

source www.metalhammer.co.uk

Murderdolls announce 2 UK shows for 2011

Joey Jordison and the boys are back for another chaotic British rampage. The Murderdolls have just announced two date for 2011 so be sure to get your tickets as soon as they are released for these hell raising events. They are set to play Norwich Waterfront on 03/02/2011 and The Forum in London on 12/02/2011 leaving plenty of time in between the two for some more shows so watch this space!

source www.metalhammer.co.uk

Ozzy Osbourne to Headline Wacken 2011

Wacken Open Air festival have just announced that the Prince Of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne will headline the Thursday night of this spectacular festival. He is going to be headlining the Thursday(04.08.11) night of the festival and it will be his only German Festival of 2011! So if you're in Germany and want to go to a festival in 2011 this is the one to be at!

picture www.wacken.com

Dååth's self titled album reviewed!

When we heard that Dååth were going to release another new album we had to get there first and review it! The synth/black metal group certainly give you all they have to give with this latest effort making you wish for more after the chaos has ended.

Genocidal Maniac sets the scene for this monstrously heavy/quirky album, Squealing guitar solos and odd synth noises are your cue to buckle up as you’re in for a 45 minute roller coaster ride. Thunderous blast beats rain down all over this short but sweet opener. Destruction/Restoration was made available earlier this year on youtube and was given a well earned warm reception. Sweep picked soloing from guitarists Emil Werstler and Eyal Levi really give this song such depth, and catchy chorus also helps this song to stick with you for a long time to come. Indestructible Overdose is a real beast of a song with sheer ferocity and also calm acoustic guitar making it an irresistible concoction.

Since hearing Double Tap Suicide for the first time the song has stuck with me, it has the hallmarks of a classic Dååth song with heavy riffing and constant pounding drum beats provide the song with the attributes of a future favourite for band and fans. There is no decision to be made about The Decider just an outright answer –pure genius. Classic guitar leads, synth in the background and brilliant drum work (once again!) = enough said. A definite favourite of mine! Exit Plan provides no let up from the chaos which has set in. Sound quality on such a heavy album needs to be of high standard otherwise you would just loose the riffs under a blanket of distortion. The effort taken to get the sound right has paid off and makes it really easy to hear all of the heavy riffs on this brutal album. Oxygen Burn’s eerie intro of bassy synth gives the song so much depth even before the drums break through. The chorus just gives the song even more meaning which will provoke thoughts on the listener before ending in synth and whispers. We are jolted back to reality as Accelerant bounds on to the scene. A multi-paced song makes for and interesting mixture of feels and flavours. A huge bass thump jogs your mind to focus you back onto the raw power of the album.

Arch (Enemy) Misanthrope starts slower than the others but don’t be fooled, its only beginning of another beastly song. Again varying tempos and styles make for a brilliant song and will have all the fans begging for more. Manufactured Insomnia is more than enough to keep you awake. Another short but then again vast song making you wonder how they can fit so much into 2:50. Awesome lead guitar work signal the start of A Cold Devotion, a catchy chorus and gripping solo make this song hard to resist. Before you know it we are on to N.A.T.G.O.D. which is an intriguing overload of genres and sounds making it a real pleasure to listen to. A catchy main riff just adds to greatness of this song. Terminal Now is a perfect way to end a brilliant album! This instrumental outro mixed with heavy riffing and brilliant synth work give this song an amazing touch with even a tiny jazz element to it! As previously mentioned a perfect way to end an epic album

Overall this album is just brilliant. The song quality is amazing with every song having it own unique identity and sound quality of the highest standards. Considering it’s been just over a year since their last album came out it just makes the prospect of this album even greater with only taking less than a year to write and record. This album is fantastic and will keep you content no matter how long the wait until the next album!

Dååth – Dååth 9/10

photo- www.centurymedia.com

Disturbed Cancel US tour due to illness!

Disturbed have had to call off their upcoming US tour due to an illness for vocalist David Draiman. Draiman (who's luck seem to just get worse) has picked up a throat condition which means that he cannot sing for a while. The illness is not permanent but Draiman needs to take time off for the illness to heal. Doctors have said that it will take up to four weeks for the vocalists condition to fully heal. If you have bought tickets for the upcoming US tour then refunds are being given from point of purchase.

The band have just released their fifth album "Asylum" (review also on this site!) which went straight to number one in America. We wish David a speedy recovery!

More to follow soon!

source: www.blabbermouth.net

The Boston Globe

(sic)nesses Slipknot Review

(sic)nesses – Slipknot live at Download

Ever since the sudden and tragic death of Paul Gray the future of Slipknot has been in much doubt. According to Slipknot they were going to release this DVD even if Paul hadn’t passed away and from watching this epic concert it is very clear why. Great clear audio quality and mesmerising visual content combined; make this a live concert you will appreciate for a long time to come. This being one of the last concerts that Paul played in gives this DVD huge sentimental value. Numerous camera angles lands you right in the heart of the concert and grips you from the moment that (sic) starts. Fast paced songs means you charge through the set at breakneck speed. The atmosphere of this DVD makes it feel like the 80,000 festival goers are with you in your house. Slipknot has always been renowned for their visual interaction with immense light + pyrotechnic displays and of course not forgetting the signature drumming upside down of Joey Jordison in Spit it out. The sheer scale of this live DVD is phenomenal whether or not you are familiar with all of Slipknot’s work it doesn’t matter as the Slipknot family embrace you in this live extravaganza. There are a few minor issues with flags being in the way of cameras + slight jitteriness of the panning cameras. Apart from that this is truly an epic experience and IF, we don’t get to experience another Slipknot live concert then this is testament to their whole catalogue and what the band is all about.

(sic)nesses - 8.5/10 definitely worth buying.

Rust In Peace 20th Anniversary Blu Ray

So its been twenty years since Rust In Peace was released and Megadeth have decided to release a blu ray/CD+DVD of a concert from the anniversary tour to commemorate this occasion. The concert was filmed at the Hollywood Palladium on 31st March 2010 and features the whole of the Rust In Peace album and some other great Megadeth tracks! The concert is full of energy and of course the classic album. The vibe from this blu ray is great you get the feel that this Megadeth once again. The performance is awesome but the quality however is somewhat lacking. The sound quality is very thick and at points it is very hard to distinguish the higher parts. Chris Broderick also cannot be heard very well at some points. The camera work too is slightly dodgy with some of the concert not focussing on the person in the limelight or it is off-centre. Apart from that this blu ray is a classic and is one for the old and new Megadeth fans.

Rust In Peace 20th Anv. Blu Ray 7/10

picture from www.amazon.co.uk

Iron Maiden Nordic Tour 2011

Today (21st September) Iron Maiden announced that they would be resuming The Final Frontier world tour in Europe 2011. The metal titans announced four shows in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. These shows will see them once again return to the Ullevi Stadium in Sweden which has become renowned for Iron Maiden concerts. Also the Denmark appearance will be at the Rosklide Festival which they have also previously performed at. The press release by the band states that more shows are to be announced in the next few weeks and months so watch this space!

Friday July 1st - Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, SWEDEN
Wednesday July 6th - Oslo Telenor, NORWAY
Friday July 8th - Helsinki Olympic Stadium, FINLAND

PLUS June 30 - July 3 -Roskilde Festival, DENMARK

Source www.ironmaiden.com

Daath Artwork Revealed

Daath have revealed the artwork for their upcoming album. The album is due for release on 26th October and was produced by Mark Lewis who also produced the stunning "Shattering the Skies Above" by Trivium. The album promises to a great follow up to the bands last album "The Concealers" and is comprised of 13 track one of which has been released on YouTube and the bands myspace (Destruction/Restoration). Full track list follows.

1.Genocidal Maniac

2.Destruction/Restoration

3.Indestructible Overdose

4.Double Tap Suicide

5.The Decider

6.Exit Plan

7.Oxygen Burn

8.Accelerant

9. Arch {Enemy} Misanthrope

10.Manufactured Insomnia

11.A Cold Devotion

12.N.A.T.G.O.D

13.Terminal Now

Source www.blabbermouth.net

Mike Portnoy has left Dream Theater

Mike Portnoy has sadly made the decision to leave the band he created Dream Theater. He states in a press release that he was about to burn out and wished to have a break for a while. The fellow members of Dream Theater did not wish to wait for him and have decided to continue without him. Portnoy says that he had to leave to save his relationships with the other band members. Mike has also said that he has been having more fun with his side projects Hail, Avenged Sevenfold and Transatlantic. Could this mean that Mike will now become the permanent drummer of Avenged Sevenfold? We are saddened by this news but it could also be a blessing for the other acts mentioned. Full Statement below

"I am about to write something I never imagined I'd ever write:

After 25 years, I have decided to leave Dream Theater....the band I founded, led and truly loved for a quarter of a century.

To many people this will come as a complete shock, and will also likely be misunderstood by some, but please believe me that it is not a hasty decision...it is something I have struggled with for the last year or so....

After having had such amazing experiences playing with Hail, Transatlantic and Avenged Sevenfold this past year, I have sadly come to the conclusion that I have recently had more fun and better personal relations with these other projects than I have for a while now in Dream Theater...

Please don't misinterpret me, I love the DT guys dearly and have a long history, friendship and bond that runs incredibly deep with them...it's just that I think we are in serious need of a little break...

Dream Theater was always my baby...and I nurtured that baby every single day and waking moment of my life since 1985...24/7, 365...never taking time off from DT's never-ending responsibilites (even when the band was "off" between cycles)...working overtime and way beyond the call of duty that most sane people ever would do for a band...

But I've come to the conclusion that the DT machine was starting to burn me out...and I really needed a break from the band in order to save my relationship with the other members and keep my DT spirit hungry and inspired.

We have been on an endless write/record/tour cycle for almost 20 years now (of which I have overseen EVERY aspect without a break) and while a few months apart from each other here & there over the years has been much needed and helpful, I honestly hoped the band could simply agree with me to taking a bit of a "hiatus" to recharge our batteries and "save me from ourselves"...

Sadly, in discussing this with the guys, they determined they do not share my feelings and have decided to continue without me rather than take a breather...I even offered to do some occasional work throughout 2011 against my initial wishes, but it was not to be...

While it truly hurts for me to even think of a Dream Theater without Mike Portnoy (hell, my father named the band!!), I do not want to stand in their way...so I have decided to sacrifice myself and simply leave the band so as to not hold them back against their wishes....

Strangely enough, I just read an interview that I recently did that asked me about the future of DT and I talked about "always following your heart and being true to yourself"...sadly I must say that at this particular moment, my heart is not with Dream Theater...and I would simply be "going through the motions", and would honestly NOT be true to myself if I stayed for the sake of obligation without taking the break I felt I needed.

I wish the guys the best and hope the music and legacy we created together is enjoyed by fans for decades to come...I am proud of every album we made, every song we wrote and every show we played....

I'm sorry to all the disappointed DT fans around the world...I really tried to salvage the situation and make it work...I honestly just wanted a break (not a split)...but happiness cannot be forced, it needs to come from within....

You DT fans are the greatest fans in the world and as you all know, I have always busted my ass for you guys and I hope that you will stay with me on my future musical journey, wherever it may lead me....(and as you all know my work ethic, there will surely be no shortage of future MP projects!)

Sadly...
Your fearless ex-leader and drummer,
MP


"Move on be brave, don't weep at my grave, because I am no longer here...
But please never let your memory of me disappear...."
--- The Spirit Carries On"

From www.mikeportnoy.com

Robb Flynn has guitars stolen!

Yesterday while Machine Head frontman was out picking his son up from school his house was broken into. Robb has stated that many items were stolen including a guitar which was given to him by the late Dimebag Darrell. If anyone knows anything about this then you should contact mike@machinehead1.com also if you come across the guitars Robb is offering a reward for their safe return. Full Statement from Robb Flynn below

"Today, Sept 7th, between the hours of 1:15 PM and 3:15 PM while I was picking my son up from school, my house (which is located in the Martinez/Virginia Hills area of California) was broken into and many priceless items were stolen. Items include my wife's jewelry, laptops, wakeboards, cash, and most importantly 4 of my guitars including the guitar that I recorded my first album Burn My Eyes with. Also stolen was a guitar that is priceless to me, that was a gift from Dimebag Darrell. The cock suckers even stole my son Zander's mini Flying V I got him for Christmas.

I am offering a $1,000 reward for the return of the Black Ibanez strat along with many stickers, a "Designated Drinker" sticker. Additionally I am also offering a $2,000 reward for the safe return of the blue Washburn Dimebolt prototype.

An APB has been put out to every Guitar Center in Northern California and the Police were able to get several fingerprints off of the 2 acoustics that the thieves handled, yet bizarrely left behind. Sightings of two suspicious vehicles have been reported, one a green/teal U.S.-make pickup truck, the other a white full-size work van.

If anyone sees or hears of anything on Craigslist, eBay, at their guitar shop... anything, anywhere! Please contact us at mike@machinehead1.com immediately.

-Robb"

source www.machinehead1.com

Audio Secrecy

Stone Sour – Audio Secrecy

Stone Sour are back with new release Audio Secrecy. This album is a really difficult call, not really metal but then not really anything else. One thing is for sure that Slipknot fans will want this album not to be successful so that hopefully Slipknot will reunite.

Audio Secrecy is the piano intro which is most familiar from the Say You’ll Haunt Me video. Without much explanation we are suddenly thrown into Mission Statement. This is probably the one of heaviest song on the album which is slightly disheartening. Digital (Did You Tell) is probably one of the best on the album. The catchy chorus will have you singing it no mater where you are. This song is however indicative of the rest of the album in terms that it is rather repetitive. Say You’ll Haunt Me follows the repetitive trend and is a very commercial song but then again most of the album is like this. Dying lowers the tempo with an acoustic vibe from the beginning. Dying has a very surreal 90’s rock vibe to it. The song picks up for a great solo before coming back to its rocky feel. Lets Be Honest carries on the 90’s rock vibe but with a very subtle hint of Mastodon guitar techniques. The song had a lot going for it but Corey pulls out some Slipknot vocals which doesn’t match the vibe of the song and feels out of place. Unfinished is a mixture of Mission Statement and Say You’ll Haunt Me. The song engages you making you want to listen to it. Hesitate is a bit of a joke really, you wouldn’t have thought this song could have come from some of the members of Slipknot. This has a very pop ballad feel to it and is quite frankly one of the worst songs on the album. We are then launched into quite the opposite with a Slipknot scream to welcome us to Nylon 6/6. This is a great song and has a very Stone Sour element to it. This is relieving to listen to after Hesitate. Miracles starts with a very bluesy guitar line and a very commercial chorus but the verse is great. Pieces has a metal Genesis feel which is great and reminds me of their song “Congo” and again has that rocky feel. The Bitter End has a heavy start to it and also a very cool riff and some very interesting wah effect. This is a more Slipknot song and could have easily come off “All Hope Is Gone”. Imperfect has a very country start but is a great showcase of Corey Taylor’s voice. However some shocking lyrical choice is this songs downfall. Threadbare is an extremely odd song but this is not bad and has an amazing chorus which has great passion behind it (like the rest of the album).

All together we can safely say that this is not a metal album. If we put metal aside then this is a great rock/pop/alternative album. The album does have great soft metal songs like Mission Statement, Digital (Did You Tell) and The Bitter End. However seeing as we are a metal based website this is not metal. A Slipknot fan trying to see what some of the members do when they're not in Slipknot will not enjoy most of the album. The mix on the album is great however some of the placing of the song is to question. So if you like lighter metal/rock and Corey Taylor then this is for you. If you’re into heavier stuff then its not.

6/10