April | 2013 | Valkyrian Music

Archive for April, 2013

Katatonia return with special triple vinyl release

Posted in Featured, News with tags Anders Nyström, Dance of December Souls, Jonas Renkse, Katatonia, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Peaceville Records, Per Eriksson, Sweden on 30th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Katatonia are set to return with a special triple-LP vinyl release featuring an epic set of classics from the band’s catalogue. Last Fair Day Gone Night features the Swedish darkened metal masters at their glorious best with this electrifying set from London’s esteemed Koko venue during a series of special celebratory shows to mark the band’s 20th anniversary during 2011’s Last Fair Day Gone Night tour.

Released 17^th June on Peaceville Records, Last Fair Day Gone Night is presented on triple heavyweight 180gm vinyl in a deluxe box, with a 12 page 12″ book. Founding members Anders Nyström and Jonas Renkse are joined by long-time drummer Daniel Liljekvist along with recent members – namely guitarist Per Eriksson, plus recently recruited bassist Niklas Sandin – for an exhilarating night fuelled by a rich and extensive set of Katatonia tracks both past and present, including a special performance of the landmark 2001 album Last Fair Deal Gone Down in its entirety.

Katatonia was formed in Sweden in 1991. Their debut album, Dance of December Souls, was released in 1993, gaining the band recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic, doom and death metal. On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound came to the fore, starting with a streamlined and structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became third album Discouraged Ones; the main evolution point for modern day Katatonia, where the band stand at the pinnacle of the dark and progressive metal genre.

Pre-order at this location.

Katatonia online:

http://www.katatonia.com
http://facebook.com/katatonia

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The Mission sign Euro deal with SPV

Posted in News with tags Cure, Depeche Mode, End Records, Germany, Mercy, Mission, SPV GmbH, Ultraviolet on 30th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

SPV have proudly announced that they’ve renewed their contract with UK legends The Mission. Keeping busy with a worldwide tour in 2013, The Mission have sold over 4 million albums worldwide and just celebrated their 25^th anniversary as a band in 2011. Presently, the band is recording their 12^th studio album in a secluded residential studio in the heart of the UK. David M Allen (Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Sisters Of Mercy) is producing the album and comments:

It is a privilege and an honour to be working with The Mission on their new album. I’ve had many dealings with the band over the last 30 years that I have known them, and this chance to record with the original members is very special.

But the most exciting part of these plans – the whole process will be filmed for The Mission’s new documentary, which will be released next year.

The new album by The Mission will be released in September 2013 via Oblivion/SPV in Europe and via The End Records in the US.

The Mission online:

http://www.themissionuk.com
https://www.facebook.com/themissionuk/

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Vektor’s debut album, Black Future, now available on CD and vinyl

Posted in News with tags Black Future, Earache Records, Facebook, iTunes, LP record, Napalm Death, VEKTOR on 29th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Black Future, the debut album from Philadelphia-based sci-fi thrash outfit Vektor, has been re-issued and is out now on CD and limited edition LP.

Originally released in 2009, Black Future saw Vektor emerge as one of the few genuinely innovative young thrash bands around, and with 2011’s Outer Isolation and a recent prestigious US tour with Napalm Death and Municipal Waste also under their belt, the band are fast becoming one of the underground’s hottest names.

Black Future features nine tracks and is available now on CD, as well as on double gatefold vinyl in the following quantities and colours:

^{100 – Oblivion Clear (SOLD OUT)

200 – DNA White

300 – Nebula Purple

400 – Future Black}

Get Black Future now from the Earache Webstore in Europe at this location or in North America here. Black Future is also available now on iTunes here.

Black Future features the following tracks:

^{1. Black Future

2. Oblivion

3. Destroying the Cosmos

4. Forests of Legend

5. Hunger for Violence

6. Deoxyribonucleic Acid

7. Asteroid

8. Dark Nebula

9. Accelerating Universe}

See Vektor live at the following shows:

^{May 24 – Stockton, CA – Plea for Peace (w/ Warbringer)

Jun. 21 – Clisson, France – Hellfest}

Vektor online:

http://facebook.com/VektorOfficial
http://myspace.com/vektor

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Reckless Love release video for latest single Night On Fire, taken from upcoming untitled third album

Posted in News with tags Black Veil Brides, Canary Islands, Def Leppard, Reckless Love, Shakira, Spinefarm Records, Van Halen, War Of The Dead on 29th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

The flamboyant Finnish rockers Reckless Love, who burst spectacularly onto the UK scene in 2010, have released their brand new single and video, Night On Fire, today via Spinefarm Records. The song is taken from their upcoming third studio album (the title is yet to be revealed), which sees the four pushing their signature blend of sleaze-rock riffs and huge commercial choruses to even greater heights. Frontman Olli Herman says:

Night On Fire is the pure essence of Reckless Love; a deceitfully catchy tune with an awesome big sing-along chorus and a fierce guitar solo. It embodies all of our biggest ’80s influences from KISS and Van Halen to Def Leppard and Europe. Night On Fire also has this exotic Shakira-esque groove to it, which’ll make you dance, or if dancing ain’t your cup of tea, nod your head until you break your neck!

The video for Night On Fire was shot over consecutive nights in the Canary Islands following a full week in Las Palmas, “lazing around, taking it easy, enjoying cold beer and hot weather,” according to Olli – it’s alright for some Production credits include award-winning film director Marko Mäkilaakso (known for both his music videos and his feature-length films, such as Deadly Descent, War Of The Dead, etc.), cinematographer Juge Heikkilä, and producer Teemu Virta for Twisted Films Inc. Frontman Olli continues:

We all have active and vivid imaginations, but we wanted to keep things pretty simple for the video – we’re portrayed as a demonic product of Baron Samedi, a spirit god of Haitian Voodoo. This is the ‘dark side’ of Reckless Love… Hahaha.

A full UK headline tour is scheduled for the autumn of 2013, with selected festival appearances also being discussed. Previously, Reckless Love have appeared at the Download and Firefest events over here in the UK, as well as headlining tours, playing London residencies, touring with Black Veil Brides and releasing such irresistible singles and videos such as Beautiful Bomb, Romance and Hot.

Reckless Love online:

www.recklesslove.com
www.facebook.com/recklesslove

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Burial Vault – Incendium

Posted in Review with tags At The Gates, In Flames, Melodic death metal on 27th April 2013 by izaforestspirit

Burial Vault
Incendium
Released 24th May
Melodic Death Metal
Released via Apostasy Records

Incendium is the second album from the German melodic death metal band Burial Vault. It is the follow up to last year’s debut release ‘Ekpyrosis (Periodic Destruction)’. This album was inspired by Ray Bradbury’s famous book ‘Fahrenheit 451’.

Straight from the off it’s clear that Incendium is true to its namesake. The intro to the opening track The Stench Of Burning Thoughts features what sounds like the striking of a match followed by the sounds of a fire burning. The music itself is fairly standard melodic death metal complete with a mixture of growls, semi-shouts and mid-paced guitar riffs. Then there are thrashy, more melodic guitar patterns which remind me a little of old In Flames with hints of At The Gates. The short instrumental Soil & Green is a good example of this.

Speaking of the guitar styles, these guys like to use the occasional stop-start patterns on tracks such as Peculiar and The Nightly Horror. The aforementioned Peculiar takes a turn for the worse half-way through the track as the vocals suddenly shift from growling to clear. Luckily this change is only temporary. The album also has a few surprises such as the sample-infused, atmospheric Prelude To Peripety sandwiched between two death metal tracks. The rest of the album follows the tried and tested formula of melodic death metal. Other noteworthy tracks include Catharsis which features some thrash metal style guitar riffage giving the song a somewhat catchy feel, and closing song Black Into White which features some catchy guitar solos combined with some acoustic guitar melodies towards the end.

Overall it’s fairly evident that Burial Vault have been influenced by melo-death acts such as In Flames and At The Gates. Having said that, Burial Vault are definitely not a clone of these two bands thanks to the acoustic and atmospheric elements in their music. I’m just not convinced that there’s enough variety here to set this album apart from other melodic-death metal releases out there.

3.5/5

Iza Raittila

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White Wizzard announced for first night of Rock Harvest II

Posted in News with tags Circle II Circle, Earache Records, Fullerton California, House of Rock, Leatherwolf, United States, White Marsh Maryland, White Wizzard on 27th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

White Wizzard have been confirmed for Rock Harvest II, a three-day concert which takes place at the House of Rock in White Marsh, Maryland in November.

The second annual Rock Harvest will be running from Thursday, November 7^th to Saturday, November 9^th in support of the police non-profit organization, Fallen Blue. Other bands performing alongside White Wizzard include Heathen, Raven, Leatherwolf, Reverence, Circle II Circle and Slient Rage. WHITE WIZZARD will be performing on Thursday, November 7^th.

Tickets for Rock Harvest II are available now at this location. For more information about Fallen Blue, go to the official site.

White Wizzard are due to release their new studio album, The Devils Cut, on June 3rd in Europe via Earache Records, and June 25th in the USA via Century Media/Earache Records. The album features artwork by Cameron Davis, who is known for his work as lead character designer and illustrator for the Guitar Hero video game series.

See White Wizzard live at the following shows:
^{May 08 – Fullerton, CA – Slide Bar (w/Cauldron)

Nov. 07 – White Marsh, MD – Rock Harvest II}

Get White Wizzard music and merch from the Earache Webstore in Europe at this location and in North America here.

White Wizzard online:

http://www.whitewizzardofficial.com
http://www.facebook.com/WhiteWizzard

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Rival Sons release video compiled of fan footage

Posted in News with tags Bergen, Castle Donington, Download Festival, iTunes, Norway, Oslo, RivalSons on 27th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Rival Sons have released a video for their latest single, Wild Animal, compiled from footage sent in from their fans.

The band, who recently returned home from a near sell-out European headlining tour, held a competition asking their fans around the world to send in clips of their own creative interpretations of the song. The winning entries were chosen by the band and put together to make the official fan video. Rival Sons drummer Michael Miley comments:

So check it out. Before our recent European tour, we asked our fans to submit 20 sec clips for the song Wild Animal off our latest album Head Down. What a riot it was going through these! Now, we present to you the culmination of our fans’ (all your!) hard work and creativity on the ‘Official Wild Animal Fan Clip’. We’re always interested in encouraging creativity and so many of our fans worldwide totally put real time and effort into these clips; the entries were awesome and far exceeded our expectations! Yo! Rival ‘Sons and Daughters’: you’ve outdone yourselves! We’re gonna have to set the bar higher for the next one haha! We want to thank you all for the entries, and also all your support on our recent European tour – man, you guys are awesome.

See Rival Sons live at the following shows:

^{Jun. 08 – Kivenlahti, Finland – Kivenlahti Rock

Jun. 14 – Bergen, Norway – Bergenfest

Jun. 15 – Oslo, Norway – Norwegian Wood festival

Jun. 16 – Castle Donington, UK – Download festival}

Rival Sons’ new album, Head Down, is out now in Europe on CD and limited edition vinyl at this location and on iTunes here. The album is also available now in the USA via Century Media/Earache Records at this location.

Rival Sons online:
http://www.rivalsons.com
http://www.facebook.com/rivalsons
http://twitter.com/rivalsons

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Scorpion Child reveal artwork and tracklisting for self-titled debut album

Posted in News with tags Austin Texas, Chris "Frenchie" Smith, Dax Riggs, iTunes, Orange Goblin, Robert Plant, Scorpion Child, Toadies on 27th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Austin’s hard rock sensation, Scorpion Child have revealed the artwork and tracklist from their forthcoming self-titled debut studio album.

Scorpion Child will be released June 24^th, 2013 via Nuclear Blast. Produced and arranged by Chris “Frenchie” Smith (The Answer, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, The Toadies, Dax Riggs), the self-titled album was recorded using analog recording technology.

Available as a limited CD digipack, vinyl and digital download, the ‘Scorpion Child’ track-list reads as follows:

^{01. Kings Highway

02. Polygon Of Eyes

03. The Secret Spot

04. Salvation Slave

05. Liquor

06. Antioch

07. In The Arms Of Ecstasy

08. Paradigm

09. Red Blood (The River Flows)}
Bonus tracks:
^{10. Keep Goin’ (Lucifer’s Friend cover)

11. Lover’s Leap (iTunes version only)}

Scorpion Child come from lots of different places, not only logistically but musically. Their sound heralds back to early 70’s kraut and psych-rock with a modern twist and lists Pentagram, Hairy Chapter and Lucifer’s Friend as influences. They originally formed in 2006 and have spent the last few years perfecting both their songwriting and stage presence. Aryn Jonathan Black fronts the outfit with a siren-like voice reminiscent of a young Robert Plant. Guitarists Christopher Jay Cowart and Tom Frank layer high-energy twin-guitars over the band’s driving rhythm section fueled by Shaun Avants (bass) and Shawn Alvear (drums). Black comments:

Our influences are diversified as classic 80’s thrash metal to the old school southern blues of Blind Willie Johnson, Lemon Jefferson and Willie McTell. We came to Austin to form a band with a single vision and though we’ve played in different bands with a range of styles, after jamming together, we found our footing in what we do best.

The band have recently finished a lengthy US tour in support for the legendary Clutch and Orange Goblin!

http://scorpionchild.com
http://facebook.com/scorpionchild
http://nuclearblast.de/scorpionchild

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Iced Earth reveal details on new album

Posted in News with tags Babylon, Century Media Records, DVD, Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer, Kourion on 27th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Iced Earth’s band leader Jon Schaffer has revealed the title and more details on the band’s new studio album:

The new Iced Earth studio album is expected to have an late 2013 release date. It will be titled Plagues of Babylon and we are very excited about how killer things are sounding this early in the writing/demo process.

The tracklisting is as follows:
1.) Plagues of Babylon
2.) Democide
3.) Among The Living Dead
4.) The Resistance
5.) If I Could See You
6.) Peacemaker
7.) Cthulhu
8.) Parasite

Schaffer also stated:

I expect this album will be something very special! Stay tuned to this page for breaking news about ICED EARTH’s mega-packed schedule and coming tour dates. You will hear it here first!
Thanks again for your continued support of the band! We love you guys!

Iced Earth summer festivals 2013:
^{20.06.2013 GER Sankt Goarshausen Metalfest

21.06.2013 NED Dokkum Dokkem Open Air

22.06.2013 GER Dischingen Rock am Härtsfeldsee

12.07.2013 GER Ballenstedt Rock Harz Open Air

13.07.2013 GER Balingen Bang Your Head Festival

25.07.2013 SLO Tolmin Metaldays

27.07.2013 GER Obersinn Eisenwahn Festival

08.08.2013 SWE Gävle Getaway Rock Festival

10.08.2013 POR Quinta do Ega, Vagos Vagos Open Air}

Iced Earth European Tour 2014:
^{09.01.2014 GER Saarbrücken Garage

10.01.2014 NED Hengelo Metropol

11.01.2014 BEL Antwerp Trix

12.01.2014 GBR Birmingham O2 Academy

13.01.2014 IRE Dublin Button Factory

14.01.2014 GBR London O2 Academy Islington

15.01.2014 FRA Paris Le Trabendo

17.01.2014 ESP Madrid Sala Caracol

19.01.2014 ESP Valencia Rock City

20.01.2014 ESP Barcelona Razzmatazz 2

22.01.2014 SWI Pratteln Z7

23.01.2014 ITA Romagnano Rock ‘n’ Roll Arena

24.01.2014 SLO Ljubljana Kino Siska

25.01.2014 CRO Zagreb Pogon Jedinstvo

26.01.2014 BIH Sarajevo Club Sloga

28.01.2014 ROM Bucarest Juke Box

29.01.2014 TUR Istanbul Kucukciftlik Park

31.01.2014 GRE Athens Gagarin 205

01.02.2014 GRE Thessaloniki Principal Club

02.02.2014 BUL Sofia Mixtape 5

04.02.2014 SER Belgrade Dom Omladine

05.02.2014 HUN Budapest Club 202

07.02.2014 GER Nürnberg Rockfabrik

08.02.2014 TCH Zlin Masters Of Rock

09.02.2014 GER München Backstage Werk

11.02.2014 GER Berlin Astra

12.02.2014 GER Köln Essigfabrik

13.02.2014 GER Bochum Zeche

14.02.2014 GER Osnabrück Rosenhof

15.02.2014 GER Hamburg Markthalle

16.02.2014 DEN Copenhagen Vega

18.02.2014 SWE Gothenburg Sticky Fingers

19.02.2014 SWE Stockholm Debaser Medis

22.02.2014 ISR Tel Aviv Reading 3}

Iced Earth online:
www.icedearth.com
www.facebook.com/officialIcedearth
www.myspace.com/icedearth

Vagos Open Air – three more names revealed (valkyrianmusic.com)

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Death metal legends Suffocation set to embark on UK tour next month

Posted in Featured, News with tags Dying Fetus, Frank Mullen, Ireland, John Gallagher, Mullen, New York, Pinnacle Of Bedlam, Suffocation on 26th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

New York’s death metal legends, Suffocation, will be embarking on a series of UK shows running through this coming May. It follows the release of their critically-acclaimed 7^th studio album , Pinnacle Of Bedlam. The band have also have announced that John Gallagher of Dying Fetus will be temporarily taking the place of vocalist Frank Mullen due to his other personal commitments for the UK and Ireland shows. Mullen comments:

John Gallagher from Dying Fetus will be filling in for these UK [and] Ireland shows and I’m sure he will do an awesome job. So please show your support for him and the band! See you soon.

Gallagher added:

I’m stoked to be performing on these shows with longtime friends and my brothers in metal, Suffocation. It’s going to be a blast and since I’ll JUST be singing the vocals, they are going to be super sick and guttural. So make sure to come out and party with us and witness the brutality!

Tour Dates as follows: (Click for tickets)
^{13.05.13 UK London O2 Academy Islington

14.05.13 UK Brighton Audio

15.05.13 UK Manchester NQ Live

16.05.13 Ireland Dublin The Pint

17.05.13 UK Glasgow Classic Grand

18.05.13 UK Plymouth White Rabbit}

Order the CD or deluxe CD/DVD digipak version of Pinnacle of Bedlam:
iTunes
Physical

Suffocation online:

http://facebook.com/Suffocation
http://nuclearblastusa.com/Suffocation
http://myspace.com/Suffocation

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Iwrestledabearonce nearing fully recording third studio album

Posted in News with tags Bungle, Cephalic Carnage, Dredg, Iwrestledabearonce, Los Angeles, Mars Volta, Studio album, Warped Tour on 26th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Experimental-metalcore act Iwrestledabearonce have announced they’re almost finished with tracking their forthcoming, third studio album, which is due out later this year.

Currently held-up in their band-compound and recording studio in Los Angeles, Iwrestledabearonce are pushing themselves musically like never before. While known for their schizophrenic sound and unconventional song structure, Iwrestledabearonce is approaching their next record with a new focus and a determination to deliver an album that will surprise fans and entirely re-define who they are as a band. Guitarist Steven Bradley comments:

Well damn! After another two years of non-stop touring, some unexpected twists, and getting to visit some new and amazing places, we’re finally back in the studio working on full length number three! I’ve 100% NEVER been this excited about an IWABO album, because it feels like we’ve finally reigned in “our sound” even further and really hit a stride in terms of songwriting. We’ve always admired bands like Deftones, Cynic, Thrice, Glassjaw, Mr. Bungle, Dredg, Cephalic Carnage, The Mars Volta, et cetera because they’ve never made the same album twice, and aren’t scared to keep evolving while still maintaining their signature styles. Obviously I’d never compare us to the greatness of those bands, but, in keeping with that mentality, we’ve progressed a bit more and put together our best collection of songs so far.

Bradley who is producing, engineering, mixing and mastering the album himself also adds:

The heavy parts are heavier and more interesting, the choruses are stronger, and the “weird twists” that people have come to expect in our music are way more thought-out than in the past and definitely hit harder than ever. Long story short – we’re very excited about getting this album finished and released, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Thanks for listening, and keep in touch with us on our facebook/twitter/etc where we will be posting frequent updates!

Iwrestledabearonce’s upcoming album will also be the debut of the band’s electrifying new scream-sing queen Courtney LaPlante, who joined the band with only a 24 hour notice in between shows on the band’s run with Warped Tour in 2012. Her contributions to the new music have not only re-energized the band but have also allowed them to explore new growth as a cohesive unit. LaPlante comments:

Since the day I joined this band, I’ve been anticipating this album! I was pushed to the limit creatively and technically, and I’ve never been more proud of myself or my bandmates. We’ve been through alot this year, and this is the pay-off; the result of our experiences. Most importantly, I think IWABO fans both old and new will really enjoy these songs, and we can’t wait to play them live for you this summer!

Keep up with the band’s progress in the studio at this location.

Iwrestledabearonce online:

https://www.facebook.com/iwrestledabearonce
http://www.iwrestledabearonce.com/
https://twitter.com/iwabo

Orphaned Land reveal artwork for sixth studio album, All Is One (valkyrianmusic.com)
Chthonic announce release date for upcoming album, Bú-Tik (valkyrianmusic.com)
Voodoo Six set to release new album via Spinefarm and announced as main support for Iron Maiden (valkyrianmusic.com)

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Evile release official lyric video for Underworld

Posted in Featured, News on 25th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Yorkshire thrash outfit Evile have released an official lyric video for a brand new track, entitled Underworld, ahead of the release of the band’s new album, Skull.

The new song, titled Underworld, is the first official track from Skull, which is due to be released in Europe on May 27^th via Earache Records, and in the USA on June 11^th via Century Media/Earache Records. Evile frontman Matt Drake comments:

We are proud to release the first full track from our upcoming album Skull for you to wrap your ears around. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of what’s in store for you all come May 27th. Underworld is a title I’ve wanted to use for a very long time but hadn’t found the right song for it; it’s named after the venue in London of the same name as it’s been one of my favourite places to play for years now. The song itself isn’t directly about the venue but it’s definitely dedicated to it. The song is inspired by a short sci-fi story I read about the earth’s surface becoming uninhabitable and people being forced to live deep underground. It ties in to one of the overall themes of the album which is about things being hidden, be it thoughts, feelings, motivations or truths. At the same time it’s about something else but I don’t want to give everything away all at once; it’s better if you make up your own mind! Hope you enjoy what you hear and we will see you in a few days time with the mighty Kreator where we will be playing new songs for the first time. See you there!!

Skull was recorded with producer Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England. The artwork for the album was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (Testament, Sodom, Hatebreed). Skull is available to pre-order now in a huge selection of formats and bundles from the Earache Webstore in Europe here and in North America at here.

SKull is also available on iTunes, including an instant grat track which you receive as soon as you pre-order the album. Pre-order Skull now on iTunes at this location.

Evile are due to kick off a mini tour with German thrash legends Kreator this Friday, April 26th in Dublin. See Evile live at the following shows:

^{Apr. 26 – Dublin, Ireland – The Academy (w/ Kreator)

Apr. 27 – Manchester, UK – HMV Ritz (w/ Kreator)

Apr. 28 – London, UK – HMV Forum (w/ Kreator)

Jun. 14 – Wervik, Belgium – SkullFest

Jun. 28 – Lesmahagow, UK – Les Fest

Aug. 24 – Werrington, UK – Scar Fest}

Evile online:

http://www.evile.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/evileuk
http://www.myspace.com/evileuk
http://twitter.com/evileuk
http://evile.tumblr.com

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Delain announced as support on Within Temptation 2014 tour

Posted in Featured, News with tags Belgium, Delain, France, Germany, Glasgow, Napalm Records, Netherlands, Wolverhampton on 25th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Dutch symphonic metallers Delain, who have become one of the biggest sensations on the symphonic scene, have been announced as the support act on Within Temptation’s 2014 world tour. Delain will open up for Within Temptation at their shows in France, Germany, the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Tour dates are as follow:

January
^{16 – Lyon, France – Radiant

17 – Paris, France – Zenith

20 – Toulouse, France – Bikini

21 – Nantes, France – Zenith

22 – Lille, France – L’Aéronef

24 – Birmingham, UK – Academy

25 – London, UK – Wembley Arena

27 – Manchester, UK – Apollo

28 – Glasgow, Scotland – Academy

29 – Newcastle, UK – Academy}
February
^{1 – Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle

2 – Hamburg, Germany – Sporthalle

3 – Köln, Germany – Palladium

5 – Ludwigsburg, Germany – Arena

6 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle

7 – München, Germany – Tonhalle

11 – Antwerp, Belgium – Lotto Arena

14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Heineken Music Hall}

Delain online:

http://delain.nl
https://www.facebook.com/delainmusic

Within Temptation online:

http://www.within-temptation.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wtofficial

Delain will also be headlining the Dames of Darkness Festival next month in Bilston, near Wolverhampton. Further details can be found here. Delain’s next album, Interlude, featuring remixes of classic Delain tracks as well as new and exclusive tracks and DVD footage will be released through Napalm Records next month and can be pre-ordered here.

Delain announce US tour dates with Kamelot (valkyrianmusic.com)
Delain confirmed for MFVF in Belgium (valkyrianmusic.com)
Belgium’s MFVF announce Dalriada for 2013 line-up (valkyrianmusic.com)
Serenity – War of Ages (valkyrianmusic.com)
Crimfall and Cadaveria announced as latest additions to MFVF (valkyrianmusic.com)

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Turbogeist release video for new single, Mermaid’s Revenge

Posted in News with tags Backstreet Boys, Britpop, Don Broco, London, Southampton University, Spinefarm Records, Wipers, Zane Lowe on 25th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

London-based rockers, Turbogeist, have released the video for current single, Mermaid’s Revenge – a number from their 5-track EP, Ancient Secrets, available now via Spinefarm Records. Having already received airplay from Radio One’s Dan P. Carter and Zane Lowe, as well as XFM DJ Ian Camfield, Turbogeist are causing a well-deserved stir within the underground. The video can be viewed below.

Turbogeist guitarist and vocalist, Luis Felber comments:

Being a youth in the ’90s, with Brit Pop, Grunge, Hip Hop and great rock bands emerging on the radio and music television, we were spoilt for choice. Nowadays, everything seems too polished. However, if you look beyond the void of Mercury Awards and Coldplay B-sides, there are great underground scenes/bands emerging…

The video for Mermaid’s Revenge, filmed in London, was directed by Michael McCool and animated by Nicos Livesey and Nick Dunn of the This Is It collective. Nick Dunn worked his wizardry on the previous Turbogiest video, Alien Girl. Luis also stated:

In this new video, we had a lot more fun. We got super-involved in the whole development process… It’s really more like a mini-movie. I mean, it’s no Scorsese’s ‘Bad’, but Michael McCool is seriously on his way to being one of the greats… The ’90s and the noughties brought us Britney in school uniform and Backstreet Boys in space. The art of the video needs to be taken back to the ’80s, to raw creativity and fun.

On the live front, Turbogeist will be appearing at this year’s Takedown Festival alongside acts such as Don Broco, While She Sleeps and The Blackout; the festival takes place at Southampton University on May 1^st. They have also been confirmed to play London’s Camden Rocks Festival on June 1^st, which will see over 100 bands playing across 12 venues in the capital’s home of rock ‘n’ roll.

Tickets are available at the following locations:

Takedown Festival

Camden Rocks

The ‘Ancient Secrets’ EP features 4 brand new Turbogeist tracks, as well as a cover of ‘Up Front’ by influential US punk band, The Wipers. Sleeve art was provided by British artist Nicholas Rea and depicts a man in ‘supernatural woods’, originally hand-painted on ceramic tiles. The debut Turbogeist album is already in the can, and will follow later in 2013, once again through Spinefarm.

http://turbogeist.com/
http://facebook.com/turbogeist
http://turbogeist.tumblr.com/

Turbogeist stream new EP via SoundCloud (valkyrianmusic.com)
Voodoo Six set to release new album via Spinefarm and announced as main support for Iron Maiden (valkyrianmusic.com)
Chthonic announce release date for upcoming album, Bú-Tik (valkyrianmusic.com)

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Ensiferum sign record deal with Metal Blade

Posted in Featured, News with tags Brian Slagel, Ensiferum, Metal Blade, Metal Blade Records, Sami Hinkka, Spinefarm Records on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Finnish heroic metallers Ensiferum have spent the past eighteen years honing the steel of their folk-infused battle metal auditory attack. Their albums are further bolstered by a live show that has become one of the most entertaining in all of metal. Proof of Ensiferum‘s status as one of the most vital bands in modern metal was made apparent through their headlining slot on this year’s Paganfest USA tour. To further spread the band’s music to a worldwide audience, Ensiferum has forged an alliance of epic proportions with Metal Blade Records. The band inked the deal with Metal Blade CEO Brian Slagel during the Paganfest USA tour, and all parties are enthusiastic about new music and new possibilities.

Bassist and backing vocalist Sami Hinkka comments:

We are really looking forward to our co-operation with such a great and legendary label as Metal Blade. The next full length album should be out in early 2015. We have already started working with the new songs and it’s obvious that the next album will be another step ahead for Ensiferum. And now that we have united forces with mighty Metal Blade nothing can stop us! The next album is going to be something that will rock the very foundations of folk metal genre. We also would like to thank Spinefarm Records for all these 13 years, it’s been as blast but now it is time for us to move on and head bravely towards new challenges. The future looks bright for Sword Bearers!

Ensiferum will be touring throughout Europe and South America this summer as they continue their live campaign in support of their most recent album, Unsung Heroes, which was released last year through Spinefarm Records. Confirmed dates can be seen below. Ensiferum merch is also available now at this location.

Ensiferum European Festivals dates:

^{04/26 Oulu , FI Teatria

04/27 Helsinki, FI Virgin Oil

04/28 Losheim Am See, DE Hexentanz Festival

05/05 Istanbul, TR Headbangers Weekend Istanbul

05/18 Gelsenkirchen, DE Rock Hard Festival

05/20 Leipzig, DE Wave Gothic Treffen

06/07 Espoo, FI Kivenlahti Rock

06/20-22 Nummijärvi, FI Nummirock

06/26-30 Tokaj-Rakamaz, HU Hegyalka Festival

07/11-13 Ballenstedt, DE Rockharz Open Air

07/22-26 Tolmin, SL Metaldays

08/07-10 Jaromer, CZ Brutal Assault

08/09-10 Villena, ES Leyendas del Rock Festival

08/15-17 Dinkelsbühl, DE Summer Breeze

08/15-17 Falun, SE Rockstad Falun

South American Tour

05/28 Bogota, CO Teatro Las Vegas Nevada

05/30 Santiago, CL Blondie Club

05/31 Buenos Aires, AR Teatro Vorterix

06/01 Sao Paulo, BR Carioca Club

06/02 Rio De Janeiro, BR Teatro Odisséia}

Ensiferum online:

http://ensiferum.com.
http://twitter.com/EnsiferumMetal
http://www.facebook.com/Ensiferum

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Orphaned Land reveal artwork for sixth studio album, All Is One

Posted in News with tags Compact Disc, DVD, Folk Metal, Gatefold, List of French artists, Optical disc packaging, Orphaned Land, Watain on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Oriental metal pioneers and warriors of light, Orphaned Land, will be releasing their long awaited new album All Is One on June 24^th 2013. This release will be the band’s 6^th full length and marks a huge step forward. Today, the band revealed the incredible cover artwork for All Is One created by the French artist Metastazis (Paradise Lost, As I Lay Dying, Sonne Adam, Watain), incorporating perfectly the three signs of the biggest religions as one. The artwork can be viewed below.

The album will be available as Limited Deluxe Book Edition including three bonus songs and a bonus DVD, as well as Limited double Gatefold LP including the three bonus songs and in different vinyl colors. A standard Jewelcase CD format and digital download will also be available.

All Is One tracklist:
^{1 All Is One

2 The Simple Man

3 Brother

4 Let The Truce Be Known

5 Through Fire And Water

6 Fail

7 Freedom

8 Shama’im

9 Ya Benaye

10 Our Own Messiah

11 Children}

Orphaned Land online:

www.orphaned-land.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Orphaned-Land/8776213035
www.youtube.com/user/OrphanedLandTV
http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Orphaned+Land
http://www.myspace.com/orphanedmyspace

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Thanatos ink world wide deal with Century Media

Posted in News with tags Asphyx, Century Media Records, Dark Angel, Darkness Descends, Death Metal, Netherlands, Realm Of Ecstasy, Thanatos on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Century Media have proudly announced the signing of the Dutch death metal dominators, Thanatos.

Thanatos is not only the name of the Greek God of Death, but one of the oldest (if not the oldest) and longest running extreme metal bands from the Netherlands. Founded in 1984, Thanatos have released numerous highly acclaimed albums during their career. Be it their infamous debut album Emerging From The Netherworlds, the equally great second output Realm Of Ecstasy (both of which were re-released on Century Media Records on CD and LP in 2012) or the band’s last studio work Justified Genocide, Thanatos have always managed to deliver high-class death metal laced with a lethal dose of thrash.

Already being in close connection with Thanatos’ long time guitarist Paul Baayens due to his involvement in Asphyx, Century Media got in touch with Thanatos in early 2012. Philipp Schulte, A&R and product manager at Century Media, comments:

I remember talking with Stephan of Thanatos about the band’s back catalogue. Back then we simply wanted to work with the band on their previous albums, not really knowing they intended to record a new studio album. When Stephan and Paul visited the CM headquarters in Dortmund in autumn last year, they told us about their plans to record a new album which they’d like to release in 2014, the year of Thanatos’ 30^th anniversary. Of course we wanted them to release it on Century Media. Thanatos is without a doubt of the most legendary bands from the heydays of the death metal scene and we strongly believe their sixth studio album will bolt you down with pure withering death/thrash metal violence.

When asked about the signing of the deal, Thanatos’ vocalist and guitarist Stephan Gebédi answered:

Even after being in ‘the business’ for so many years, we’re really excited to become part of the Century Media family, which is without any doubt one of the best and most important labels for metal today. We can’t wait to start working on new material and it’s our intention to record anabsolute death/thrash metal monster to coincide with our 30th anniversary in 2014! We come from an era when there was no strict boundaries between thrash and death metal which resulted in masterpieces like Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends and Possessed’s Seven Churches and it’s our mission to transport the legacy of those albums to 2014 and beyond…

So await with fear the coming of the God of Death as 2014 marks the return of Thanatos!

Thanatos online:
www.thanatos.info
www.facebook.com/thanatos333
www.myspace.com/thanatos666

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Black Star Riders, featuring Thin Lizzy members, announce UK tour dates

Posted in Featured, News with tags Alice Cooper, Black Star Riders, Damon Johnson, Jimmy DeGrasso, Lizzy, Marco Mendoza, Ricky Warwick, Scott Gorham on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Black Star Riders, the new and exciting band featuring Thin Lizzy members Ricky Warwick, Damon Johnson, Scott Gorham and Marco Mendoza together with drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Alice Cooper, Megadeth), have announced their first UK headline tour. The tour will support the release of their debut album All Hell Breaks Loose which will be released in the UK through on Nuclear Blast on the 27^th May 2013.

The band already released their debut single Bound For Glory, which was premiered on BBC Radio 2 and can be listened to below.

The band are set to take the UK and Ireland by storm on their 2013 tour, playing most of the debut album and some Thin Lizzy classics. Confirmed headline and festival appearances for Black Star Riders in 2013 include the below dates (with loads more to be announced):

^{Friday 22nd Nov             O2 Academy, Bournemouth

Saturday 23rd Nov          O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

Monday 25th Nov           O2 Academy, Bristol

Tuesday 26th Nov           Junction, Cambridge

Wednesday 27th Nov      UEA, Norwich

Friday 29th Nov              Hard Rock Hell 6, Wales – FESTIVAL CO-HEADLINE

Saturday 30th Nov          Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton

Sunday 1st Dec              Solus/University, Cardiff

Monday 2nd Dec            O2 Academy, Oxford

Thursday 5th Dec           Ironworks, Inverness

Friday 6th Dec                Picturehouse, Edinburgh

Saturday 7th Dec            O2 Academy, Newcastle

Sunday 8th Dec              O2 Academy, Leeds

Tuesday 10th Dec           The Assembly Rooms, Leamington Spa

Thursday 12th Dec          Rock City, Nottingham

Friday 13th Dec              Ritz, Manchester

Saturday 14th Dec          Academy, Dublin, EIRE}

Tickets for headline shows are priced from £22.50 to £25.00 London (subject to booking fees) and Dublin is priced at 25 euros. Tickets go on general sale at 9am on Thursday 2^nd May, with tickets for the London show available from Live Nation or Ticket Master.

VIP Packages available for all shows – including meet and greet and special acoustic performance – available from April 29th via the VIP package link at the band’s official website. Special Guests will be announced at a later date. The album will be released as a standard CD and also as a special edition digi-pak featuring a bonus track Right To Be Wrong and a Making of DVD.

A 24-minute compilation of behind-the-scenes video reports from the band’s studio time in Los Angeles can be viewed on below:

Black Star Riders online:

www.facebook.com/BLACKSTARRIDERSOFFICIAL
www.BLACKSTARRIDERS.com
Twitter.com/BLACKSTARRIDERS

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Voodoo Six set to release new album via Spinefarm and announced as main support for Iron Maiden

Posted in News with tags Adrenaline Mob, Download Festival, Iron Maiden, Maiden, Sonisphere, Sonisphere Festival, Spinefarm Records, Steve Harris on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

British modern hard rockers Voodoo Six are now set to release new studio album, Songs To Invade Countries To, having penned a worldwide deal with Spinefarm Records.

The much-anticipated release will be available from May 27^th, coinciding with the first date of the band’s European tour with UK metal legends Iron Maiden. The tour will include major festival appearances, including Download Festival, Graspop, SeeRock and TopFest, plus several Sonispheres (Barcelona, Madrid, Milan and Amneville).

The new album consists of 11 studio tracks produced by Tony Newton, mixed by Tony Newton &Pedro Ferreira (The Darkness, Enter Shikari, Therapy?) and mastered by Ade Emsley (Iron Maiden, British Lion). It follows Voodoo Six’s 2010 Fluke? outing, which was released through Classic Rock’s Powerage label and mixed by renowned studio engineer Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica). At some point, Fluke? will see an enhanced re-issue via Spinefarm

Songs To Invade Countries To track list is as follows:

^{1.Falling Knives

2.All That Glitters

3.Lead Me On

4.Sink Or Swim

5.You Don’t Know

6.Your Way

7.Sharp Sand

8.Stop

9.Brick Wall

10.Waiting In Line

11.Higher Ground}

The band have gained a loyal following from their impressive portfolio of live activity, which has included several performances at Download, Sonisphere and Bloodstock, as well as touring with Adrenaline Mob, Edguy, Extreme, Michael Monroe and the legendary UFO.

Voodoo Six guitarist Chris Jones comments:

The album title was something that came about ages ago, but took on another dimension when we heard the news that we’d be going out with Iron Maiden on the ‘Maiden England’ tour. It’s about taking our music further afield, and into new territories. We can’t wait to play to overseas audiences on this tour!

Iron Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris adds:

I’ve been keeping an eye on Voodoo Six for a while now, and they’ve produced a cracking new album with real promise. It’s great to support true British up ‘n’ coming talent such as theirs, and it will be a pleasure to have them out with us on tour.

Steve Harris isn’t the only advocate of the band. After touring with Adrenaline Mob last summer, V6 caught the attention of original Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, who has stated:

Voodoo Six are a great band with a bright future – cool guys, great players!

Songs To Invade Countries To is released worldwide via Spinefarm Records on May 27.

Voodoo Six tour dates w/Iron Maiden

^{27 May Bilbao BEC Bilbao, Spain}^{29 May Atlantic Pavilion Lisbon, Portugal}^{31 May Sonisphere Madrid, Spain}^{01 Jun Sonisphere Barcelona, Spain}^{05 Jun The Bercy Paris, France}^{08 Jun Sonisphere Milan, Italy}^{09 Jun Sonisphere Amneville, France}^{11 Jun Frankfurt Festhalle, Germany}^{12 Jun Frankfurt Festhalle, Germany}^{15 Jun Download Festival Donington Park, UK}^{18 Jun Berlin O2 World, Germany}^{19 Jun Hamburg O2, Germany}^{21 Jun Graz Seerock Festival Graz, Austria}^{22 Jun Zurich Hallenstadion Zurich, Switzerland}^{25 Jun Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, Holland}^{29 Jun Singen-Aach Open Air Arena, Germany}^{30 Jun Graspop Festival Dessel, Belgium}^{03 Jul Atlas Arena Lodz, Poland}^{04 Jul Ergo Arena Gdansk, Poland}^{06 Jul Open Air an der KoPi-Arena Oberhausen, Germany}^{10 Jul Malmo Stadium, Sweden}^{13 Jul Friends Arena Stockholm, Sweden}^{24 Jul Piata Constitutiei Bucharest, Romania}^{26 Jul BJK Inonu Stadium Istanbul, Turkey}^{27 Jul Topfest Piestany, Slovakia}^{29 Jul Synot Tip Arena Prague, Czech Rep}^{31 Jul Zagreb Arena, Croatia}

The band are also streaming a new taster track; Waiting In Line, at this location.

Voodoo Six online:

http://www.voodoosix.com
https://www.facebook.com/VoodooSixBand/

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Satan – Life Sentence

Posted in Review with tags England, Life Sentence, Listenable Records, New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Newcastle, NWOBHM, Satan, Tears of Blood on 24th April 2013 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Satan
Life Sentence
Released 29^th April 2013 (Europe)
NWOBHM
Released via Listenable Records

Hailing from the city of Newcastle, in the north of England, come NWOBHM outfit Satan. Whilst staying near enough obscure throughout their career, the band are noted as being influential for playing a form of proto-thrash metal that was advanced by the standards of the early 80s. Following several European festival performances in 2011 and 2012, Satan are officially back, with their new album Life Sentence to be released in less than a week.

Straying from the usual sound of the NWOBHM, Satan shred through each track on the album with an unrelenting and unbridled fury that can only be found in the metal of the north, and a few subtler pieces of musicianship thrown in for good measure. The solos are memorable, much like the somewhat melodic guitar passages. The elements of thrash are noticeable, helping create an NWOBHM sound that’s morphed into something more sinister and packed with more bite. The vocal work is astounding, adding a different edge to the album. The guitars take on a quite primal form during the track, Testimony, before the catchier anthem known as Tears of Blood kicks in. The title track, Life Sentence, is a stand-out track due its poignant lyrics and staunch riffs. The album has what is made out to be a calmer, more dreary finale, compared to how it began but Another Universe soon changes gear and gets a bit more hard hitting.

With gritty but soaring vocals and thrashtastic (Is that even a word? No? Well, it is now) riffs, Life Sentence embodies all that’s good about the UK’s NWOBHM and thrash scenes, whilst displaying the brilliant musicianship of Satan.

4/5

Nico Davidson