The darkening stars of black metal, Inquisition have announced the dates of their unholy conquest around the UK and Ireland.The blasphemous conquest around the British Isles will begin on 23th July at The Boston Arms in London before the sinister plague of black metal spreads to Scotland and Ireland before the final battle at Manchester’s Sound Control on 17th July. The full tour schedule is as follows:
13th July – London (UK) Boston Arms
14th July – Glasgow (UK) Audio
15th July – Belfast (UK) Voodoo
16th July – Dublin (IE) Voodoo Lounge
17th July – Manchester (UK) Sound Control
Young psych rockers The Vintage Caravan have begun streaming their new album Voyage at this location. The album will be released this coming Monday (13th January 2014) via Nuclear Blast.
The Vintage Caravan will also be hitting the UK with Grand Magus in March. Tour dates are as follow:
March 12th – Manchester, Sound Control
March 13th – Dublin, Voodoo Lounge
March 15th – Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
March 16th – London, Camden Underworld
Iceland’s answer to the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeplin, The Vintage Caravan, are finally making their way across the oceans to introduce the UK to their own brand of riffs. And bunny-licking. The three Icelandic youngsters, who are aged 19, 19 and 20, will be touring as support to Grand Magus, in March next year. Their debut album Voyage will be released via Nuclear Blast in January 2014. Bassist Alex comments:
We are so incredibly excited to finally be touring the UK with a great band like Grand Magus, meeting British people, drinking British ales. This is going to be one hell of a trip!
There has been a huge resurgence of ‘retro rock’ over the last few years, but these boys have explored a path that no one else has found yet. Youth is on their side, they have drawn musical influences from the greats of our generation and added to them their acid laced, trippy lyrics, relatable to the silly side that’s hopefully still in all of us. If not, these guys will certainly help you find it!
Ahead of their upcoming show in Dublin this weekend on Saturday (30th November), Mourning Beloveth have released their first ever music video to accompany their track Theories of Old Bones. The video can be viewed below.
The video – which lasts fifteen minutes – is a black and white cinematic opus, directed and filmed by Lukasz Jaszak in Poland. Vocalist Darren Moore, talks through the video concepts:
It wasn’t going to be an easy task to shoot a video for one of our songs, in the main due to their length. The story was already there in the lyrics of the song it was a matter of putting visuals to it. The lyrics ask questions on our existence, are we just here to pass time or to use it, is it a mere heavy existence we go through each day counting the days to our death or is there a purpose to all this…or do we have a choice? I read somewhere about Christians in the old days who carried a pouch made of newborn lambskin around their necks to carry the nails for their coffin upon their death and it struck a chord of how fatalistic some people are.
The video itself is perhaps a journey through a half dream, a moment in the pit of existence where life has drifted away to some far off point inside leaving the body to automatic ruin. It is about time slowly gnawing at the entrails and the shadow of a silent death forever lurking through the ether.
The track, Theories of Old Bones, is taken from Mourning Beloveth’s latest piece of musicianship Formless. The album – which clocks in at one hour and twenty five minutes – was recorded in October 2012 at Foel Studio, Wales and was released in February 2013, via Grau Records, to high critical acclaim. The album is available to purchase, along with other Mourning Beloveth merchandise here.
This coming Saturday, 30th November, Mourning Beloveth will play their last gig of the year, in Dublin. Support bands for the show are Dread Sovereign and Nomadic Rituals. Bassist Brendan Roche comments:
Having spent the 10 months since the release of Formless dragging its heart and soul, blood and guts around the stages of Europe, we are delighted that we shall put 2013 to rest with the first Dublin show we have played in nearly 2 years. It’s a headline show, so expect 90+ minutes of the least worst of MB, something from every era, but with a heavy Formless influence. Just like us…
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.
American pharaohs of technical death metal, Nile are coming to British shores for Part II of the At The Gates Of Sethu European Tour next week. Karl and the guys are looking forward to hitting some new cities with their Roman comrades in arms Ex Deo and French black metallers Svart Crown. the band have put together a trailer to encourage fans to come to the shows. The trailer can be viewed below:
Californian rock titans Avenged Sevenfold are fighting tooth and nail to land their first UK number one spot with their new album Hail To The King, which was released earlier this week. As the announcement of this week’s album charts reaches its conclusion, the band are currently just over 3000 copies ahead of their nearest challenger, Naughty Boy – What kind of name is that anyway?
Avenged Sevenfold will follow the album release with their first UK and Ireland tour since 2011. The dates, listed below, include their largest London show to date at Wembley Arena:
November
30th – Manchester, Arena
December
1st – London, Wembley Arena
3rd – Dublin, The O2
5th – Birmingham, LG Arena
The pharaohs of metal, Nile, have announced the second part of the At The Gates of Sethu European Tour. Karl and the guys are looking forward to play some new cities with metal legionnaires Ex Deo and French band Svart Crown.The UK/IRE Dates of the European tour are listed below:
After the highly-celebrated release of sixth studio album, The Hunt, Swedish gods of the riff Grand Magus are heading back to the UK and Ireland to embark on a 5 date tour in March 2014. The Swedish trio have always stuck to their own path of natural evolution – they’ve never casted off their early days’ groove nor their love for epic doom and extreme metal. These trademarks are now being paired with traditional riffs and melodies that rock in the same qualitative league as Judas Priest or Dio.
With a new album due for release early 2014, this will be a great time to catch these Vikings at their finest! The band had a few words to say about this upcoming tour:
Warriors! When we last ventured across the sea to bring our steel to the UK and Ireland, our hearts were filled with joy from your response. It gave us such a rush that we wanted to come back as soon as possible. Well… We’ll be back in March! Expect the most ferocious viking power shattering the clubs and the, for us, aptly-named Hammerfest! Valhalla awaits!
The tour dates are as follow – Click the links for tickets!
Having kicked off their biggest European headline tour to date on Monday in Dublin, UK post-hardcore outfit Asking Alexandria have announced something special for their London show at London’s O2 Academy Brixton this Saturday 19th January, bringing a full pyro production to their show for the first time.
Guitarist Ben Bruce commented: “Headlining Brixton has been a dream of ours since before we even learned how to wank! It’s such a fucking honour and we couldn’t be more excited. We have the biggest and best stage show of our careers planned for this show and definitely want this occasion to be just as important and memorable to our fans as it is for us. We shall see you all very soon. From all of us in AA, we thank you and we fucking love you. The AA Family has once again proven their dedication and made us all so proud.”
With an incredible line up boasting support from While She Sleeps, Motionless In White and Betraying The Martyrs and less than 100 tickets left for what is set to be one of the band’s most historic shows to date, fans are advised to purchase quickly to avoid disappointment. Asking Alexandria have also confirmed their appearance at this year’s Download Festival, which takes place at Donington Park June 14 – 16th.
ASKING ALEXANDRIA – WHILE SHE SLEEPS – MOTIONLESS IN WHITE – BETRAYING THE MARTYRS JANUARY 2013 17 GLASGOW BARROWLANDS SOLD OUT!
19 LONDON O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON LESS THAN 100 TICKETS REMAINING FEBRUARY 2013 10 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY SOLD OUT!
11 MANCHESTER ACADEMY SOLD OUT!
Evile have confirmed a short string of shows in the UK and Ireland with German thrash metal legends Kreator.
The bands will be teaming up for three shows this April in Dublin, Manchester and London. The shows take place shortly after Evile are scheduled to finish recording their new album, the follow-up to 2011’s Five Serpent’s Teeth. Evile bassist Joel Graham comments “We are really looking forward to playing a few shows with the mighty Kreator this April; we really enjoyed touring the US with them for two months back in 2010. We’ll be fresh out of the studio too around this time, so who knows, it’s possible these shows could see us playing some new stuff for the first time…”
See Evile live with Kreator at the following shows: Apr. 26 – Dublin, Ireland – The Academy
Apr. 27 – Manchester, UK – HMV Ritz
Apr. 28 – London, UK – HMV Forum
Evile‘s latest album, Five Serpent’s Teeth, is available now on CD and limited edition coloured vinyl, and is also available from the Earache Webstore in a range of exclusive “Serpent Cult” fan packs.
Irish blackened folk metalers Celtachor have revealed the title and artwork for their upcoming debut album titled Nine Waves From The Shore.
Recorded between 2011 and2012 in the bands own studio in Dublin, it will be self released by the band on November 25th. The concept for the album deals with the Landing of the Gael and the main heroes and characters as part of that saga. The artwork was painted by the band’s drummer Anais Chareyre. It depicts the Battle of Tailtin, the armies of the Men of Dea against the Men of the Gael being over watched by the goddess Danu rising from the hills and mountains of Eire.The band have been working hard since 2010 melding the influences of black, doom, folk metal into one unified force. Inspired by Irish Mythology and its sagas, Celtachor hope to cover new ground in 2013 and spread their message to Europe and beyond reciting the ancient tales of Ireland in their own voice and way.
Celtachor also discussed some of the concepts on the new album with Nico last month in York. The interview can be seen here. Celtachor will also be joining Cryptic Age next year at the Jorvik Viking Festival to support Heidevolk – Details can be found here.
Tracklisting for Nine Waves From The Shore is as follows:
The Landing: Amergin’s Conquest The Battle Of Tailtin The Kingship Of Bodb Dearg Sorrow Of The Dagda Tar éis an Sidhe Conn Of The Hundred Battles Anann : Ermne’s Daughter
Darkest Era has announced a very special late night performance at Ireland’s biggest metal club night, Dublin’s Club Poison, on Thursday September 20, 2012. The show is as a warm-up for the band’s 16 date European tour with Russian Folk Metal titans Arkona which kicks off at the end of this month.
Darkest Era guitarist Ade Mulgrew said: “This is going to be a really killer show and a great way to warm-up for the tour. We’re doing an Axl Rose and not hitting the stage until well after midnight, by which time the Poison faithful should rearing to go and ready to help us tear the place apart. There’s such a great vibe around Dublin right now about Club Poison and we’re really excited about hitting the place while it’s so hot.”
Darkest Era’s first ever European Tour (supporting Arkona) kicks off in the Czech Republic on September 27, 2012 and will see the band play 16 shows in 10 countries.
Club Poison is Ireland’s Biggest Metal night and takes place every Thursday at Andrew’s Lane Theatre, Dublin 2, between 10pm and 3am. Entry on September 10th is €5 before 11 and €7 after. Check Club Poison’s Facebook page for more info.
Night By Night – the five-piece hard rock band from London – will be guest support for Jettblack’s debut UK headline tour, set to take place in October of this year.
“This run of dates is something we’re 100% geared up for, as it’s our first ‘proper’ headline tour of the UK; meaning we can deliver a set which represents both albums, ‘Get Your Hands Dirty’ [2010] and ‘Raining Rock’ [2012]. We’ve got more flexibility to put on a show, and not fire through the set at 100mph! It’s all about entertaining and leaving (hopefully) with a smile ear to ear, sweaty locks, and a stiff head-bangin neck! The last London date was a sell-out, so get in there quick! Hands shall be Dirtied & Rock will Rain! Can’t wait to see ya!” comments Matt Oliver, drummer of Jettblack.
Night By Night guitarist Ben Christo adds “We’re absolutely thrilled to be hitting the road with the mighty Jettblack. It’s gonna be a challenge to match their super-polished, high-octane melodic metal, but we’re ready to rise to it!”
East Coast doom metallers Hour of 13 have been confirmed for this year’s edition of the Dublin Doom Days festival in Ireland.
The fourth edition of the festival takes place over two days, September 28th and 29th, at The Pint in Dublin. Also included on the bill are the likes of Urfaust, Tome, Weed Priest, The Veil, Weeping Ulcer and more.
Hour of 13 guitarist Chad Davis comments: “Hour of 13 are pleased to be a part of the 2012 instalment of Dublin Doom Days. A little over 2 years to the date, it will be great to play our second-only European appearance in the birthplace of our first ever live show. The people in the Irish scene are extremely amazing, and we would like nothing more than to bring our music back to them for round two.”
Hour of 13 vocalist Phil Swanson adds: “It’s very last minute with not much time for preparation. I’d never consider this for anyone but Mark and nowhere else but Dublin.”
For more information about the Dublin Doom Days festival, join the official event page on Facebook.
See HOUR OF 13 live at the following shows:
Sep. 29, 2012 – Dublin, Ireland – The Pint
Oct. 26, 2012 – New York, NY – Saint Vitus
Apr. 18, 2013 – Tilburg, Netherlands – Roadburn Festival
HOUR OF 13’s new album, 333, is available now worldwide. Get the CD in Europe here or in North America here.
Posted in News with tags Dublin, Dublin City, Ireland on 7th June 2012 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet
Darkest Era have rescheduled their Dublin co-headliner, at The Pint, with Mael Morda which was postponed from April 27th. The show is now scheduled for 28th July.
Scottish pirate quartet Alestorm will join Dragonforce on a string of dates in the UK and Ireland kicking off in Dublin on September 25, 2012.
They’ll be joined by The Defiled and Cavorts.
The dates are as follows:
September 25 – Dublin, Academy
September 27 – Belfast, Mandela Hall
September 28 – Glasgow, ABC
September 29 – Newcastle, Academy
September 30 – Wolverhampton, Wulfren Hall
October 1 – Bristol, Academy
October 3 – Nottingham, Rock City
October 4 – Norwich, UEA
October 5 – Manchester, Academy
October 6 – London, Shepherd’s Bush Empire
October 7 – Portsmouth, Pyramids
Bands: Amon Amarth, Grand Magus, In Solitude
Location: Vicar Street Date: 15th April 2012
Epic night of metal right here and my first assignment for Valkyrian Music so I was very excited about this! The night was not just anticipated by me but the entire Dublin metal scene as it was Amon Amarth’s first time to bring their stage show with them. I had never heard Grand Magus or In Solitude before the night and I was very surprised by both bands they both had some seriously good tunes and they put on a great show. It was the second night of the tour and the bands seemed very confident on stage as the first date jitters had worn off it seems.
In Solitude were the opening act and they really played a blinder, they’re blend of black and old school metal was really interesting and they set the stage for a really good night. They could come off a little cheesy at times though and the vocals were far too low in the mix and that is one of their selling points I feel cause the style of vocals are very alluring. Also, what was with the dead fox? But quality songs and great stage presence combined made for an awesome set!
Grand Magus were on next and they’re something else! Soaring, powerful vocals with epic sounding songs without even a hint of power metal except some song titles, “Hammer of The North” for one, just good old Heavy Metal! They started a little shakey but pulled it together very quickly and delivered a very entertaining set and they truly looked like they were having the time of their lives! They did get a little samey over the course of the set though.
And the headliners, Amon Amarth, they have made quite a name for themselves over the years so we all really knew what to expect from them. They played the best part of an hour and a half which consisted of old faithfuls (The Pursuit of Vikings) and some newer tracks (Death In Fire) but they never relented and even the slower tunes never dropped the intensity. Any issues with the levels or sound were gone now and it was now crystal clear. I don’t think they made one mistake all night, and it being very close to St Patrick’s day in Dublin any crowd interaction went down really well. They had their stage complete with glowing ruins and the drum riser was massive and they had some pretty epic set pieces on it. A lot of Amon Amarth songs recently have guest guitarists playing solos and here is what annoyed me, they can’t do them live. They give them their best shot but never seem to pull them off convincingly. Other than that minor problem they really gave a 110% and it looked like they really had a blast. Epic gig, epic bands great night!
As well as being part of Alestorm’s Useless Drunken Bastards UK tour in February; Celtic metallers Darkest Era have also announced two shows for Ireland. The two dates, both in April, will take place in Dublin and Belfast on the 27th and 28th. Darkest Era will be joined by Irish Doom outfit Mael Mórdha.
For tickets and information please visit Darkest Era’s official website – For ticket details and other information visit http://www.darkestera.com
Useless Drunken Bastards Tour Dates are as followed:
February 2012
4th Plymouth – White Rabbit
5th Stoke On Trent – Green Star
6th Sheffield – Corporation
7th Bristol – The Fleece
8th Southampton – Talking Heads
9th Manchester – Moho Live
10th Glasgow – Garage
13th Leciester – Sub 91
14th Brighton – The Haunt
15th Wrexham – Central Station
16th Leeds – The Well
18th London – Islington Academy
19th Norwich – Waterfront