Avenged Sevenfold Headline European Tour!

Avenged Sevenfold have announced a string of European headlining dates. The tour promises to be a huge success with their manager Larry Jacobson urging fans to get their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The dates are as follows.

Oct. 20 Barcelona, Spain Razzmatazz 2

Oct. 21 Milan, Italy Alcatraz

Oct. 23 Munich, Germany Theaterfabrik

Oct. 24 Antwerp, Belgium Ancienne Belgique

Nov. 8 Dublin, Ireland Olympia

Nov. 11 Cologne, Germany Live Music Hall

Nov. 12 Luxembourg Rockhal Box

Nov. 14 Paris, France Elysee-Montmartre

Nov. 15 Amsterdam, NL Melkweg

Nov. 16 Hamburg, Germany Markthalle

Nov. 18 Copenhagen, Denmark Amager Bio

Nov. 19 Malmo, Sweden KB

Nov. 20 Stockholm, Sweden Arenan

Nov. 22 Helsinki, Finland Ice Hall

Nov. 24 Oslo, Norway Sentrum Scene

Source Larry Jacobson's twitter.

www.avengedsevenfold.com

Hellyeah to Support Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour

The title says it all really! It has been confirmed that Hellyeah are going to be the support for mega tour of Avenged sevenfold and Stone Sour. Unfortunately if you haven't got a ticket you won't be able to as the whole tour is now sold out! we have our tickets and expect a full review of the concert on 1st November!

Stone Sour live Audio Secrecy party

Dont worry we missed it too! But you can catch Stone Sour's performance here!

Disturbed break out of the Asylum

Asylum – Disturbed

A decade has passed since Disturbed brought you their first album The Sickness and the band have been on a long journey to get the point at which they are at now. The band is now back with its fifth album Asylum and will have many of you breaking out.

The epicness of this album is here from the eerie intro Remnants this opener is cracking and will get you pumped for the live shows to come (Remnants is being used for starting Disturbed’s live shows as well). We are then launched into the familiar territory which is Asylum. The title track lives up to the heavy expectation to deliver with this album. Asylum has the classic Disturbed element but also has a new darker meaning, and of course has the classic David Draiman “YAAH” screams in it. We are then thrown into The Infection which is very melodic and a lot lighter than Asylum but also has a darker lyrical tone to it. Draiman slurs his words in the chorus making it slightly difficult to understand but does not deter you from listening to the song over and over again. The heaviness is brought back in the form of Warrior this is a true Disturbed classic and is sure to be a future live great. The song also features some great lyrics about the story of a warrior hence the title.

Another Way To Die is possibly the most true to life song about the world we live in. The song whilst musically being monstrous follows a deeper lyrical meaning. The song tells of how we are abusing the world and that we are told that it can’t take it much longer yet we carry on in our abusive ways. The monstrosity doesn’t let up as Never Again belts through. This song clearly influenced by Draiman’s Jewish ancestry depicting the troubles that Jews faced under Hitler in the Second World War, that we shouldn’t forget what happened and that it can’t happen again. This song is full of great melodic solos but also some really heavy riffing. The Animal’s slow sci-fi intro spooks you before the powerful bass drum hits. This song is one of the best off the album and mixes melody and heaviness very well. The guitar work in this song is phenomenal with eerie solos and heavy power chords at the start with some very effective drumming from Mike Wengren. Although slower in pace it is a very eerie and still has the power to grab your attention.

Crucified starts of slow like The Animal but is different in many ways. Crucified features some great melodies and some great vocal talent but, then you are suddenly landed in a heavy breakdown before the melody is found again. Speed is once again picked up in Serpentine but then unexpectedly slows. Again this is another song which shows the sheer talent of David Draiman. A baby crying and a heart beat signifies the start of My Child a fast paced melodic song really gets you excited about this song. Some great guitar work adds deep passion to this song. Sacrifice is an odd song but has some great lyrics about Jekyll and Hyde. This is certainly one of the weakest songs on the album yet some great guitar work redeems it slightly. Innocence is a fast paced song with some great vocals on it which is matched by the guitar which follows the vocals perfectly. This final song will certainly have you tapping away, an epic break down solidifies this songs greatness with an almost Mastodon style vocal harmony before rejoining the chorus. And just when you think it’s all over a hidden cover of U2’s I still haven’t found what I’m looking for emerges. Another song which really showcases Draiman’s clean vocals, the guitar is not always close to the original but the vocals are the main focus for this great song.

As I said at the beginning this album is great and really does show off the bands talents. The mix for the album is perfect to you can hear everything perfectly. Though lyrically depressing at some points this album is great and you will enjoy listening to it many times over. You will be checking your temperature too as you will be Down With The Sickness!

Disturbed – Asylum 8.5/10

Decade of Disturbed will be reviewed soon but due to technical difficulties we cant bring you that now. It will be up as soon as it can!

Image from www.wikipedia.com

Women and Children Last

Women and Children Last – Murderdolls

And now to review something completely different. The Murderdolls are back with their latest release “Women and Children Last”. The super group made up of Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison have come to shock you again, and it’s exactly what this album does. If the striking artwork isn’t enough to scare little children then the music most certainly will.

Chapel Of Blood Sets the gory scene for the album which the Murderdolls seem to be accustom to with the video of My Dark Place Alone following a similar topic. The punchy riffs from Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison on guitar traps you from the start of this chaotic album, and as the album progresses there seems to be no let up in the power and ferocity of them. Drug Me Baby’s chorus is very catchy and will have you singing it for a while to come. Nowhere surprisingly has a rather upbeat pop metal feel to it which will ensnare many people into the Murderdolls’ trap. There is no doubt that this song will win them a lot of new fans and possibly loose some of the more hardcore fans. Summertime Suicide has a sinister lyrical meaning but yet again a very upbeat rhythm. This oxymoronic song is another one which will have you singing it for a long time to come. Death Valley Superstars is a welcome return for many of the heavier fans with its colossal heavy riffs and epic solo. However the song seems to be a “Fuck” fest as it is featured slightly too many times for many peoples liking My Dark Place Alone is also guilty of this despite this it is a great song which we saw when it was released as a single. Blood Stained Valentine has a very strange choice of lyrics but has the typical Murderdolls feel to it with a great solo to add. Pieces of You is another example of horrific lyrical choice but has a awesome vibe. Homicide Drive is a great but dark song. The guitar work on this song gives the song a really great eerie feel to it. This song is one of the best of the album with some Tom Morrello like work on the solo. It also has a great beat to it which will have your fist pumping or foot tapping. Rock N’ Roll is all I Got has a great “I sold my soul for rock and roll” vibe, this is shown in the Rock N’ Roll breakdown with only the bass, drums and vocal to be heard which emphasises the whole point of the song. Nothing’s Gonna Be Alright is another pop metal vibe song and has a very similar feel to Summertime Suicide with another very poppy solo to it. Whatever You Got, I’m Against It this is a great feeling song with a kind of heavy Airbourne meets Blink-182 feel to it which makes it very Rock N Roll but again very punky this surely is another great from a classic album. The Final song Hello, Goodbye, Die is a fast balls to the wall song with a rock n roll element with a very classic rock solo.

This album is very aggressive but, also has many different vibes to it. In some songs it can be very catchy pop type songs whereas others have a very classic rock feel just with a bit more distortion. The lyrical topics for most of the songs are very gory and has very horrific tale to tell but, is done to reflect the bands image. The only criticism for this album is perhaps a bit too much over the top swearing (again this is to fit in with the bands “we don’t care what people thing of us” image); however this is a great album and will be enjoyed by many metal fans who could lend this to a friend and have them hooked too!

8/10

Image taken from www.wikipedia.com

Sonisphere 1st August Review!

1/8/2010 Sonisphere festival Knebworth UK

Being our first festival experience we didn’t really know what to expect. We arrived on the Sunday morning and trekked across numerous fields and were greated by Iron Maiden’s Killer Krew sound checking and setting up the stage. When we finally reached the main arena Karnivool burst onto the Apollo Stage. The Ozzie experimental group certainly got the crowd hyped for the rest of the day with vocalist Ian Kenny stating “Sonisphere we are your ... Breakfast”. After finishing their set with the classic “Themata” we headed down to the Bohemia stage to check out Rise to Remain who never fail to mesmerise the crowd. Clearly buzzing from their recent Kerrang! award for “Best British Newcomer” the band romped through the set and, also threw a new song “The Serpent” into the mix. Apart from a few problems for bassist Joe Copcutt this will be a performance the band will never forget for all the right reasons. Skindred are not everybody’s cup of tea but certainly struck a chord with their hardcore fans and no doubt will have gained some new ones. As the intro to “South of Heaven” comes through the speakers, all of the Slayer fans suddenly rush to the Apollo stage to catch the iconic thrash legends. Their unstoppable performance brought chaos to the main arena with nothing but “SLAYER” being chanted at the top of hardcore fans voices. As the set closed with “Angel of Death” many now stayed and opted for the long wait until Iron Maiden hit the stage. In the meantime Alice in Chains brought a classic rock/grunge element to the festival by playing classics such as “Them Bones” before the love or loathe moment of the festival as Pendulum took to the stage. Many people were disheartened to find out that Iron Maiden’s special guests were Pendulum when it was announced but, give them some credit as they sure got the younger members of the audience pumped for Maiden. The older members were not happy though by the choice of support and many had just come to see the main act. So after a long wait the fans jump to their feet when they hear UFO’s “Doctor Doctor” as this signifies the onslaught of Iron Maiden is about to take place. The Sci-Fi show starts with Holst’s Mars, The bringer of war which abruptly ends and Adrian Smith jumps out on stage with the opening riff of “The Wickerman” before being joined by the rest of the band. The show belts through at a phenomenal pace even longer songs such as “Dance Of Death” and “The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg” seem to fly by. The show only briefly slows down (but for a good cause) as Bruce Dickinson tributes the song “Blood Brothers” to the late Ronnie James Dio. Before you know it “Iron Maiden” is playing and Alien Eddie is attacking Janick Gers and Dave Murray before getting a guitar of his own. The band leave the stage briefly before coming back to finish up with a few older songs and ending with “Running Free”. As stated in many interviews with the band it is clear they are having fun and they will continue (to play) as long as they can, so this may not yet be The FINAL Frontier!

Sonisphere: 9/10

sources http://uk.sonispherefestivals.com/pics-and-flicks-2/sonisphere-2010-sunday/

Photo credit John McMurtie

Snowy Shaw IS in Dimmu Borgir

Blabbermouth.net has confirmed that Snowy Shaw is to be part of Dimmu Borgir. The band who have a new album out (in September/October depending on where you are) have confirmed that Snowy is to join the band on the album and on their impending world tour!

Sources www.blabbermouth.net

Behemoth frontman has Leukemia

Nergal of Behemoth has Leukemia and is waiting for a crucial bone marrow transfer. According to Metal Underground Nergal's disease can not be treated by chemotherapy and so the only way to treat it is to undertake a bone marrow transfer. This is a long and difficult process and it is uncertain how long it will be before Nergal will find a bone marrow match. Polish artists are banding together to start a gig in aid of Nergal's condition however no bands, dates or venues have been announced. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nergal at this time.

sources www.metalunderground.com

www.metalsucks.net

(sic)nesses Slipknot DVD for release!

Slipknot have recently announced that they are to release a live DVD of their 2009 Download performance. This comes months after the tragic loss of bassist Paul Gray but, the band state that this performance was to be released anyway despite the tragedy. The performance is said to have been caught on 30 cameras so is sure to bring you every angle of the performance, which the band are hailing as one of their best performances in the bands history. The DVD will also include a behind the scenes documentary by the bands "Clown" and will include the music videos for "Psychosocial", "Dead Memories", "Sulfur" and "Snuff" + the making of "Snuff". The setlist from this epic performance is as follows.

1. 
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2. (sic)
3. Eyeless
4. Wait and Bleed
5. Get This
6. Before I Forget
7. Sulfur
8. The Blister Exists
9. Dead Memories
10. Left Behind
11. Disasterpiece
12. Vermilion
13. Everything Ends
14. Psychosocial
15. Duality
16. People=Shit
17. Surfacing
18. Spit it Out

This monstrous DVD will hit the shelves on 28th September 2010.

Source www.slipknot1.com

The Final Frontier... Or is it?

It’s been four years since Iron Maiden’s last new release. Since then, they have toured the world many times and have ventured to places many people didn’t even know existed but, now they are back and have gone where no man has ever gone before in the release of the Final Frontier.

At first listen, you are baffled by a combination of different styles and strange subject titles for songs but, patience and time is needed when listening to this epic album. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier starts the album off with space age sound effects and a tale of a space voyage gone wrong. The song is very catchy and will have you singing “The Final Frontier ... The Final Frontier” for a long time to come. This catchy opener is just the start of the album. We are then launched into El Dorado which has already become a hit at live performances. This song is a powerful punchy song to get you excited for what’s to come. The subject of the song is to do with the economic state of the world over the past few years, and the key lyric to this is, “I’m a clever banker’s face, with just a letter out of place”. Mother of Mercy is a classic Maiden song about the battles fought on the battlefield by soldiers at war. This is a great song with many different flavours, the most distinct of these being from the Dance of Death album, but you can also hear parts from the 1990’s era. Coming Home is a typical ballad style song which has definite echoes of A Matter of Life and Death. This song is slow but tells of the travels that they have been through and that they are pleased to return home; hence the title. The Alchemist is a true gripper of a song and sounds distinctly like The X Factor’s Man on the Edge. The song talks about medieval Alchemists Edward Kelly and John Dee as they try to summon up demons and other things. This is a classic Janick Gers upbeat song which Maiden fans will either love or loathe.

The Isle of Avalon marks a turn in tack for the album as the songs get longer and more technical. The Isle of Avalon is both epic in proportion and in the song itself. The song is set to the theme of a mysterious place called Avalon, (in today’s terms Glastonbury) where the dead beckon people into Annwyn (The Otherworld). The song is very eerie but is reflective of songs like the Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg from the A Matter of Life and Death album. Starblind is another song which has a familiar feel too, coming from A Matter of Life and Death. The song has a great feel to it but is possibly not up to the standards of the other songs. The Talisman is a great song with a mission feel to it. This song makes you feel like you’re there on the high seas and features some great vocals from Bruce. This song promises to be a hit with Maiden fans as it ticks all the boxes with it being both lengthy and goes from clean to overdrive excellently. The Man Who Would Be King is a song about a man’s journey and how he has regrets in his life but, in this song it is not the lyrical journey we are interested in as the song changes so rapidly you could get lost with the amount of styles in the song as it has nearly every Maiden style from every period in it. This is a strange song but, it will take you on both a lyrical and harmonic journey. When the Wild Wind Blows is an eerie song based on the cartoon film by Raymond Briggs about the end of the world by nuclear attack. The song, like the past three, follows the trademark Maiden clean to overdrive and lulls you into a falls sense of security before all the action kicks off. This song is a true classic and will stick with you for a long time.

In general, the album is great, it just needs time for you to get used to the styles but the song quality is Maiden’s standard brilliance. The mix by producer Kevin Shirley can leave you wondering sometimes, “Shouldn’t the guitar be up a bit?” or “I can’t hear Bruce very well” but, apart from a few minor quibbles all is good and you will fall in love with it after one or two more listens.

9/10

DAATH's 3rd album details revealed

Daath has revealed details for their third album. The album is to be self titled and is due for release on 26th October 2010. The album has been produced by Mark Lewis who has worked with many bands including Trivium.

Avenged Sevenfold going to Iraq

M.Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold has been quoted as saying that the band are going to play some shows in Iraq and Kuwait. The band who often pay homage to the job soldiers do for their country will get the chance to actually play to their heroes. The quote from M.Shadows comes from the bands appearance on Loveline (as quoted by Deathbat News) “We’re actually going to Iraq to play 3 shows pretty soon. We’re playing for the military, and we’re playing 3 shows in Iraq and 1 in Kuwait. And its funny cause they’re saying, “Yeah you’re playing for the soldiers” and I’m like, “Hey, I want to play for everybody.”

Iron Maiden for Soundwave Festival 2011

Iron Maiden fresh from their stunning performance at Sonisphere festival have just announced that they are to headline Australia's Soundwave festival! Also on the line up are Slayer, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, DevilDriver, Rise To Remain and many others. As well as these performances at the Soundwave festival the band will also play two arena shows prior to the festival in Sydney and Melbourne. The dates are:

23 Feb 2011 - Melbourne, Hisense Arena
24 Feb 2011 - Sydney, Entertainment Centre

26 Feb 2011 - Brisbane, Showgrounds
27 Feb 2011 - Sydney, Eastern Creek Raceway
4 Mar 2011 - Melbourne, Showgrounds
5 Mar 2011 - Adelaide, Bonython Park
7 Mar 2011 - Perth, Steel Blue Oval

Congratulations Avenged Sevenfold!

YES Avenged Sevenfold have done it! The band's new album Nightmare has beaten the likes of Eminem to the top spot of the Billboard chart in America. The official figures are that Avenged Sevenfold sold 162,505 copies whereas second place Eminem only sold 158,658! The band would like to thank anybody who bought the album and that they have achieved what they set out to do which is to tell Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan's story to as many people as possible. This is fantastic news and comes just as the band have announced a South American date for their tour this year at the SWU festival Sao Paulo Brazil on October 11th. Im sure this isn't the last we will hear of this album! Congratulations Avenged Sevenfold!