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

Decade Of Disturbed review

Decade Of Disturbed

After many technical hitches it is finally here! This DVD is available with every copy of Disturbed’s new album.

The DVD walks you through the history of the band and how they have reached the status at which they are now. We start in the early club days, to getting signed, life on the road, problems in life and the band to multiple recording processes +touring cycles. The DVD certainly takes you on adventure from the days of Brawl to Indestructible. Decade of Disturbed is a true in depth representation of band life and certainly doesn’t hold back. You find yourself engrossed in band life by becoming attached to the band and the journey that they have undergone. The making of the DVD however is not always perfect as some transitions could have happened better, however the content is what matters and certainly delivers. Decade of Disturbed also hits on some touchy subjects such as the near dissolving of the band and personal issues such as alcohol abuse. As I have said before Decade of Disturbed features everything you need to know about Disturbed and we mean EVERYTHING! Apart from a few problems with production and transitions, the content of Decade of Disturbed is really good quality and has great subjects in it which even the hard core fans don’t know about. If you want an in-depth look at one of the greatest new bands of the past decade then this is for you!

Decade Of Disturbed: 7/10