Detroit thrashers Battlecorss have announced that they’ll be playing the 2014 edition of Download Festival. They will join Volbeat, SikTh, Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide Silence, Buck Cherry as well as Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park, Aerosmith and Rob Zombie, The Offspring, Status Quo, Trivium, In Flames with many more still to be announced. The band are fired up for it:
Holy Shit we are playing Download. That’s a huge milestone in our career to be part of something so huge, so great, and so fun. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about the festival, what an honor it will be to share the stage with the greatest and hardest bands on Earth. We can’t wait to expose the crowd to some good ol’ American Heavy thrash metal and meet new fans from the UK and across the world. We’re beyond hyped, so bring it in on! Donington Park, here we come!
Download will be held at Donington Park on 13th – 15th June 2014. Keep up to date with the very latest info on Download’s official sites at this location.
Blue collar thrash soliders Battlecross have announced that they’ll be invading the UK in February, next year, with Miss May I, Killswitch Engage and Trivium. The UK and Ireland invasion will start on 29th January in Dublin, before proceeding to the UK on 1st February. This will be the band’s first UK and Ireland outing and they’re pleased to be playing both countries. Guitarist Hiran Deraniyagala comments:
Battlecross is so stoked to hit the UK with Killswitch Engage, Trivium & Miss May I as our first overseas tour ever and thank them for having us on this awesome tour! What an honor it is to share our first UK experience with these bands and we’re ready to thrash with you, our new friends! Thank you all who have been waiting so patiently for Battlecross to come overseas, and we promise that it will be worth the wait!
Expect nothing less than swift hard kick in the arse from our live show and hope you like us enough to have us back very soon. Can’t wait to rage and have a pint or four with our UK fans! Until then, please hit up our website and send us a message with your email address so we can stay in touch and meet up before, during and after the show AND We’ll write you back! Please keep checking the Metal Blade UK page for updates and giveaways until then!!
Tour dates are as follow:
January 2014
29th DUBLIN – The Academy
30th BELFAST – The Limelight
February 2013
1st MANCHESTER – Academy
2nd LONDON – Brixton O2 Academy
3rd NEWCASTLE – O2 Academy
4th GLASGOW – O2 Academy
6th BIRMINGHAM – O2 Academy
7th SOUTHAMPTON – Guildhall
Battlecross triumphantly returned as one of the true champions of American Heavy Metal with their devastating release, War of Will. Co-produced at Audio Hammer Studios by famed producers Mark Lewis and Eyal Levi, the sophomore effort from Detroit’s newest soldiers of steel has proved to be one of the most impressive follow-up releases, destined to become a heavy metal classic for fans of all sub-genres.
Legendary death metal band Deicide are set to release their new album In The Minds Of Evil this coming autumn via Century Media. The album is the eleventh studio album in the band’s illustrious career that spans more than two and a half decades. The album is being produced by Jason Suecoff (All That Remains, Trivium, Death Angel, Battlecross).
Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, the boys of Battlecross have hit major success with the release of their albums Push Pull Destory, Pursuit of Honor, and their newest release War of Will. Playing with major metal acts and being a part of massive tours such as the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival and Orion Music Fest, it’s no wonder that they’re well known and loved by many. They’ve taken influences of upbeat thrash, death and southern metal to create a sound that’s punishing but is also is refreshing for fans of metal. I got the chance to catch up with Battlecross guitarist; Hiran Deraniyagala for a word or two about the new album; War Of Will as well as his musical inspirations and movies.
Lauren: How did you come up with the name Battlecross?
Hiran: Tony came up with it. I remember coming out of one of my classes in college and getting a text from Tony saying “What about Battlecross, as a band name?” I remember it just hit me really well. I loved it but like with all band names we always check the internet to see if anyone already had the name we came up with. No one had the name from what we could find so we both agreed it was an awesome name. It took some convincing to get the other band members to agree with it but eventually they just went with it. “Battlecross” to me represents something powerful, epic and aggressive which I think represents the music. I like the fact that our name can give people different expectations about how we sound versus a typical band name. People have assumed we’re a “Power Metal” band and obviously got something different from what they expected.
Lauren: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
Hiran: In general I would say that we draw a common influence from Pantera, Metallica and Slayer but we each have our own musical influences that we draw influence from. Personally, I draw influence from various metal bands like Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Circle Of Dead Children, Pig Destroyer, Woe Of Tyrants, Goatwhore, Emperor, Meshuggah, Morbid Angel, Mastodon, Black Sabbath, Down, and local metal bands from Michigan like, Enkephalin, Summer Dying and GutRot. I’ve always been intrigued by the technicality and aggressiveness of extreme metal bands but also the groove of doom metal.
Lauren: How would you say your newest album, War of Will, differs from your previous releases?
Hiran: Yes definitely. War of Will is a much more focused and mature album for us. We grew as a band, from touring and also mentally, from being in a different position as a full time touring band on a label. There are expectations that not only come from ourselves but from fans and the industry. We were under pressure to complete the album and had roughly a month or two to finish writing followed by a tour and then right into the studio. We didn’t let the pressure stop or deter us from what we had to do. We knew we had to kick it up a notch to top what we did on the first album but at the same time not lose who we are as a band. I think each song on this record has more of a dynamic. We didn’t want every song to sound the same or just play fast all the time. There’s more melody but still brutality on this record. With tracks like “Flesh and Bone” and “Wage a War” which have a lot of melody to them, then you have “Beast” and “The Will To Overcome” which reflect the brutality of the band and then songs like “Ghost Alive” and “Force Fed Lies” that are thrash style songs.
Lauren: How has touring been this last year?
Hiran: Touring has been great! We’ve had so many great opportunities that we had the pleasure of being a part of. From Trespass America with Five Finger Death Punch and Killswitch Engage, opening for In Flames, then Orion fest with Metallica and of course, Mayhem Festival with Rob Zombie, Mastodon, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Machine Head and Huntress. All these tours have given us a chance to play in front of large crowds and have really helped us gain a quickly growing fan base. There a lot of bands that never get a chance to do these types of tours so we’re really thankful we’ve had the chance to be a part of these. Touring is hard work and a lot of dedication but when you bust ass and do tours like these it really makes the work all worthwhile. We’ve always been a hard working band and we know that this just the beginning to more opportunities. We don’t let these opportunities get to our head and we know that we’re still a young band that has more to prove but we’re ready.
Lauren: Have there been any memorable shows for you this last year?
Hiran: I would say most memorable show for us was Orion Music and More with Metallica. Playing a show with Metallica is a dream come true and we got to play with them in our hometown of Detroit! Not only did we play on the same bill with them but we got to be part of a press conference with the band! Out of all the great bands on the bill we were selected to do this! It was unreal and as a matter of fact I barely said a word at the press conference because I was so nervous! Never thought I would be sitting next to Metallica! To top it all off, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo, came out on stage before we went on and introduced us! They pumped up the crowd and us! We went up there on fire and just burnt the place down with our energy and excitement. Truly a memorable and career highlight for us!
Lauren: If you could replace the soundtrack to any movie with your own music, which one would it be and why?
Hiran: I’m honestly more of a fan of scores when it comes to movies versus putting songs in a movie soundtrack. I really wouldn’t want to change the soundtrack of any particular movie I like because I feel like the music is already fitting for it but if I could I make my own movie with our music I would make an action movie. It’d be like the Expendables battling against the cast of all those dumb reality TV shows.
Lauren: Where would you like to see Battlecross in 5 years?
Hiran: My hope that our career is still thriving and that we will be touring all over the world. That’s all I really want from this band is a solid career and be playing anywhere and everywhere we can.
Lauren: Are there any plans for any upcoming tours or a new album?
Hiran: Definitely upcoming tours, we have a tour with Hatebreed, Shadows Fall and Acacia Strain this fall followed by a tour with Death Angel, 3 Inches Of Blood, Revocation and Diamond Plate! After that not sure what else is in store other than more touring and hopefully heading overseas! Can’t wait to play in Europe, South America, Japan and every where else on the globe! As far as a new album we’re not really focused on that yet other than working on some ideas on our own here and there.
Heavy metallers Battlecross have unveiled a new video for the track ‘Never Coming Back’ taken from their latest album War of Will. The video features an appearance by Kevin Talley, who performed with the band at Orion Music and More, and who is drumming for the band all summer on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The Roy Warner directed clip can be streamed here:
Battlecross have begun streaming their brand new album War of Willat their official Metal Blade landing page. This stream will be up for a limited time only, from now until 8pm GMT tonight. Additionally, the brand new music video for Never Coming Back was recently finished and can be viewed below.
Battlecross triumphantly return as one of the true champions of American Heavy Metal with their devastating sophomore release, War of Will. Co-produced at Audio Hammer Studios by famed producers Mark Lewis and Eyal Levi, the sophomore effort from Detroit’s newest soldiers of steel will soon prove as one of the most impressive follow-up releases, destined to become a heavy metal classic for fans of all sub-genres.
War of Will is now in stores and on-line. The band is on tour now as part of the Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour with Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Mastodon and more. For tickets and details, head to this location.
Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth have been forced to cancel their upcoming appearance on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival due to their drummer Inferno taking ill and requiring surgery. The band’s frontman Nergal comments:
This must have been the most difficult decision we were forced to make in recent years. Behemoth is known for not cancelling any shows or tours. But this is not something we can do when we are missing our driving force, the man behind the drums – Inferno. Unfortunately, he was hospitalised due to appendix surgery and it’s gonna take him few months to fully recover and get back to shape. We are trying to save selected European Festivals with a fill in drummer [Krimh, ex-Decapitated], but we won’t be risking doing a full-on prestigious tour like the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival without Inferno. Behemoth is a solid unit and any part of this unit missing makes us weaker, and that is not how we want to present our new material to our fans. Please, accept our apologies and be patient, we shall return to Europe (this fall) and the US (early 2014) empowered and motivated as never before!
The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is set to kick off on Saturday 29th June in San Bernardino, CA and features bands such as Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon, Amon Amarth, Machine Head, Job For a Cowboy, Battlecross, Children of Bodom, and many more. For tickets, dates, contests, and more, head to the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Official Site and follow the tour on Facebook and Twitter. Behemoth’s recently announced forthcoming full-length album, The Satanist, is scheduled for a fall 2013 release.
Last week, Battlecross unveiled the title, cover art, and first single from their upcoming new album, War of Will. This week, the Battlecross lads have posted the first of two studio videos. The clips were filmed entirely by the band as they were holed-up at Audio Hammer Studios in Florida. In this first instalment, fans will be treated to raw video of session drummer Shannon Lucas tracking songs for the album, as well as other candid clips from throughout their time in the studio. Watch clip #1 at this location. At that page, fans can also stream Force Fed Lies and pre-order the album.
Battlecross triumphantly return as one of the true champions of American Heavy Metal with their devastating sophomore release, War of Will. Co-produced at Audio Hammer Studios by famed producers Mark Lewis and Eyal Levi, the sophomore effort from Detroit’s newest soldiers of steel will soon prove as one of the most impressive follow-up releases, destined to become a heavy metal classic for fans of all sub-genres. Levi comments on the album:
War of Will triggers a strange Déjà Vu while feeling completely brand new.
After a fist-pumping debut, impressive breakout tours in 2012, Battlecross will continue their climb as one of metal’s most impressive new bands with appearances at Orion Music +More with Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Deftones and Suicidal Tendencies in the band’s hometown of Detroit and the 4th Annual Gwar-BQ with Municipal Waste and Corrosion of Conformity.
War of Will will be released on 8th July 2013 via Metal Blade just as the band head out for the summer on the Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour with Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Behemoth, Mastodon and more. For tickets and details, head to the official Rock Star Mayhem website.
Band: Battlecross
Album: Pursuit Of Honor
Release year: 2011
Genre: Blue Collar Thrash Metal
The true formation of Battlecross came about in 2007. With a mixture of mature and technical riffs and energetic live shows, Battlecross’ music was soon described as “Blue Collar Thrash Metal” due to their hard working attitude. They have toured with bands such as GWAR and DevilDriver, as well as being featured on local, national and global metal radios, amongst other feats. Following the release of their recent album, “Pursuit Of Honor”, it seems nothing is going to stop Battlecross.
The title track, “Pursuit Of Honor”, leaves the listener thinking ‘what the f**k is this?’ as it entirely composed of a short acoustic guitar medley. Fortunately, the next song “Push Pull Destroy” shreds its way next with a violent intro riff. The drum work is terrifyingly brutal, whilst the vocals are raw, angsty and bloodthirsty. The riffs are slightly technical in their playing and composition, however they favour a straight forward metal assault over the fancy technicalities – Until the song nears it end anyway. The guitar solo is a true display of talent and fits in nicely with the rest of the song. “Kaleb” starts with a slight death metal element to it, boosting the levels of brutality slightly more. The music, does however, show influences of thrash metal. The melodic sections work well with the savagery of the vocals and the barbaric sound of the drums.
”Deception” is another track with a brutalising and heavy introduction, though this one seems to favour its punch over its melodic riffs. Double bass is used heavily throughout the song, being used in every section of the track. There is use of melodic riffs in the second half of the track though not as heavily used as the other riffs. The solo-like introduction of “Man Of Stone” comes next before a thrash-death metal assault begins. The track becomes more thrashy as it progresses, increasing in violence as well. The vocals are full of raw aggression and power, bordering on the line of being psychotic sounding. “Breaking You” as a not so enjoyable introduction, though the vocals soon make up for it. The drums are full of violence but intelligently played as well, making the track sound ever more murderous. The riffs, for the most part, are well composed and played.
Following after is “Rupture” with an intro slightly familiar to that of “Breaking You” but it soon changes as the riffs turn slightly more melodic. The lyrics are grim and vicious, which is to be expected – Though the lyrics don’t sound to be for the faint of heart. Nor do the guitar riffs for that matter. “Leech”, though being heavy, seems laid back compared to the previous tracks. The track seems to be lacking energy and a bit of passion. “Better Off Dead” comes shredding its way next, bringing back the brutal riffs, energy and passion. The vocals are bloodthirsty and immense sounding, dominating the track massively. The riffs are masterfully played and the drums keep the track together.
“Misery” is more slow paced yet more passionate and aggressive compared to some of the previous tracks. The tempo does increase however before the vocals make themselves heard. The riffs are face-meltingly good and the drums are savage and barbaric. The album finishes with “Foreshadowing” which sounds oddly Gothic, which is a strange way to end the album. Even the solo sounds somewhat Gothic.
It’s no wonder Battlecross have done so well in their career. The band is made up for musicial genius’ and talented musicians. “Pursuit Of Honor” is perhaps one of the best albums on the modern thrash metal scene. Battlecross could easily replace one of the top 4 of thrash metal if they keep producing albums like this one.
Last week, Battlecross unveiled the title, cover art, and first single from their upcoming new album, War of Will. This week, the Battlecross lads have posted the first of two studio videos. The clips were filmed entirely by the band as they were holed-up at Audio Hammer Studios in Florida. In this first instalment, fans will be treated to raw video of session drummer Shannon Lucas tracking songs for the album, as well as other candid clips from throughout their time in the studio. Watch clip #1 at 
Valkyrian Music 