We are pleased to announce that the 5th Pure Rawk Awards will feature some brand new awards specifically designed to salute the grassroots level of unsigned and new music.
The Pure Rawk Awards 2012 initial voting is now open! Vote at:
This voting is the initial stage whereby you can cast an open vote in each category. This stage ends on 30th December 2011 and will open with a shortlist on Monday 2nd January 2012. The final voting for the shortlist will end on Monday 20th February 2012 where the only place you’ll find out the winners first will be the Awards party.
Editor Nix Crichton comments: “It started as a bit of fun when Pure Rawk first turned up on the web. We had a mere 150 votes. In 2011 we had grown to 11,000+ votes. We believe that good new bands should be given praise for their efforts and if they’ve got something special – they get the recognition they deserve.”
We will announce the venue in the coming months, we’d be delighted if you’d join us for an evening of drinking, dancing and cake.
The 2012 awards will be:
Band of the Year
New Band of the Year
Axe Hero of the Year
Frontperson of the Year
Bassist of the Year
Drummer of the Year
EP/Single of the Year
Album of the Year
Promoter of the Year (for dedication to unsigned and new bands)
Video of the Year
New Breed of the Year ** Pure Rawk contributors only
Underground Record Label of the Year
Underground Photographer of the Year
Local Venue of the Year
DJ of the Year (live and radio) ** New for 2012 **
The John Rayner Award (for outstanding contribution to underground music)
AMON AMARTH have announced a six-date tour of the UK and Ireland including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish dates along with confirmation of a Hammerfest appearance.
Unfortunately time restrictions meant AMON AMARTH couldn’t bring their ongoing tour with As I Lay Dying and Septic Flesh, which just stopped off recently in London to all corners of the UK but the band haven’t forgotten their fans and wanted to get back to the North, South, East and West.
Frontman Johan Hegg comments: “We’re excited to be coming back to the UK and Ireland with a proper headlining show. We’ve been looking forward to this since our support tour (with Children Of Bodom) in April, and it feels great that it is finally happening!”
GRAND MAGUS will join them on all dates except Hammerfest.
AMON AMARTH
+ GRAND MAGUS
13/03/12 – UK – Glasgow – ABC
14/03/12 – UK – Belfast – Mandella Hall
15/03/12 – IE – Dublin – Vicar Street
16/03/12 – UK – Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Hall
17/03/12 – UK – Prestatyn – Hammerfest *
18/03/12 – UK – Cardiff – Solus
* without GRAND MAGUS
AMON AMARTH are also confirmed to play the Wacken Open Air on August, 2nd of 2012 in Wacken, Germany!
Check out the video for Destroyer Of The Universe from AMON AMARTH’s massive Surtur Rising album which was shot on the band’s May 6th stop in Philadelphia, PA at the Theatre Of Living Arts by director David Brodsky of MyGoodEye. See it HERE!
Perhaps you know that the Origin of Halloween represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even (“evening”). But of course all of us know what’s happening on Halloween and the meaning of “Trick-or-Treat”. And also Halloween is one of those events that has had much of its imagery and background used through rock and metal history, and some bands and artists such as King Diamond and Impellitteri have used the title of Halloween for their songs. Moreover, we have Helloween, a band whose name and logo represents Halloween.
For many of us Halloween is a reminder of some yummy and funny things such Candies, Chocolates, Pumpkins and some horror symbols like Vampires, Frankenstein and Ghosts. This horror part of Halloween was/is really an interesting issue for RockMetal bands and artists to be creative in writing songs about those topics.
Metal Shock Finland’s Chief Editor asked me to be the DJ of the MSF Halloween party, and select for you 10 best songs as the Top 10 Halloween songs. She left no choice and it has to be done! But forget about the number “10” because It’s Halloween and I want to give you my lucky number “13” and let’s hope we will not be trapped or hunted by some Halloweenish creatures!
13. Helloween – Dr. Stein
One of the Helloween’s most popular songs from the upbeat “Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2” It was written by Michael Weikath and The Dr.Stein single was released in July 1988. It also re-recorded for compilation album “Unarmed – Best of 25th Anniversary“, the new version is in Jazz and Roll though.
I want to put it in the chart and start the party with this song because Helloween and this song are really Halloweenish.
12. Iced Earth – Dracula
From “Horror Show” the sixth studio album of Iced Earth. This time we encounter with horror and a sad story about a Halloweenish demon, the lyrics are lifted straight from the Bram Stoker’s Dracula movie that was one of the best movies in this genre .
The songs and lyrics are written by Jon Schaffer and the style of singing from Matt Barlow is extremely AWESOME.
11. Wolf – Voodoo
Nothing is scarier than when the Wolf is howling upon the mountain in the dead of the night. It sends a shiver through the whole of your body so you could even feel the sharpness of wolf teeth in your flesh. Now Wolf is singing about one of mankind’s most scary horror stories, Voodoo!
This song is from the treasure of chest, “Ravenous” album, and it ‘s written by Niklas Stalvind. His singing style is really great, reminds me of old school heavy metal. Also Niklas studied psychology and I think that was a good basis to help him write a such a great horror song as Voodoo.
10. Megadeth – She Wolf
It seems tonight we have a great thrash song from a golden album by Megadeth here in our party as well, Both the Music and lyrics to She-Wolf is written by Dave Mustaine and it was released on June 17, 1997 on the “Cryptic Writings” Album.
The song starts with a great thrashy riff and it is completed perfectly by a great solo in the end. I believe She-Wolf is the best choice for having some thrash in our Halloween Party.
9. AC/DC – Highway to Hell
“A fucking highway to hell” Angus said when he was asked to describe what life was like being constantly on tour. By all means it’s time to rock with a gem from the Rock&Roll world, the “Highway to Hell” single by AC/DC spent 45 weeks on the German Singles Chart, even though it peaked at only No. 30, in its 19th week on that chart.
The song was written by Bon Scott, Angus Young and Malcolm Young while the main guitar riff was created by Angus Young and it was released in July 1979. But let’s remember Scott who was found dead, in the back of a friend’s car, just over six months after the song was released. R.I.P. Bon Scott.
8. King Diamond – Bye Bye Missy
Yes, let’s listen to a true Horror Metal song. King Diamond is a legendary Heavy Metal band who focus on horror stories and that’s what we need here. When King starts to sing, the whole of your body will be filled with horror and fear and nobody can do it better than the King!
Bye Bye Missy is written by King Diamond on the “Them” album that was released in 1988. This album is a concept album about a young King and his mentally ill grandmother. One night, King investigates strange voices and discovers his grandmother having a tea party alone, with the teacups and kettles floating in the air ….
7. Judas Priest – Burn In Hell
Time to eat some fire, sent by one of METAL GODS. Tell me what is the most scary thing in this world?! You may agree with my view that it’s doomsday. Jugulator is the 13th studio album by Judas Priest. This album describes for you such a hellish end that you feel those shivers again, yeah, I can hear you whisper!
“Burn in Hell” was released in 1997 as the promo single for their 13th studio album Jugulator and is written by K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. A music video was produced for the song. It was shortened down to a little over four minutes.
Burn In Hell tells us about the evil that we do, As Nostradamus predicted the year 2012 will be the end of the world and it’s coming soon! So we are going to blister, BURN IN HELL!
6. Gamma Ray – Hell Is Thy Home
After the doomsday and after we made Hell as our home, now it’s time to bang your head with some Power Speed elements from Germany. Some people call Kai Hansen a Metal God as well, and as he is one of the creators of Melodic power Metal, why not?!
“Hell Is Thy Home” is written by Kai and was released on the “Majestic” album in 2005. You’ll find it as fast and powerful as a Metal song could be plus it has a very dark lyrical concept. And I believe this song is a great example what the band is capable of.
5. Black Sabbath – Lady Evil
Black Sabbath is another band I can call Halloweenish because of the horror kind of image the name invokes. Many critics and writers mention them as the first Heavy Metal band! They brought some horror elements to Rock music with using some Chromatic and Diminished scales.
“Lady Evil” was released in April 1980 on the golden album of Black Sabbath, “Heaven and Hell”. The exact origins of much of this album’s material is still a topic of debate. And this was the first album after Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band and replaced with the Legendary Ronnie James Dio, R.I.P. The song has a strong Rainbow feel and is filled by a great Heavy rhythm and great guitar solos.
4. Accept – Metal Heart
“We had read an article that someone was working on an artificial heart and that one day everybody is going to have a computerized heart. It talked, in general terms, about how more and more of humanity gets sucked out of the daily life and more and more replaced by machine. It’s not a new thing now, but then it was new. Humans versus machine, was the general vibe of the record.” Wolf Hoffmann explained the concept behind the album and that shows the reason why I chose this one.
The song starts with famous classical theme, Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March, and continues with an awesome galloping riff, including Beethoven’s Für Elise in the main solo. Metal Heart was released in March 1985 on the album of the same name.
3. DIO – Night People
It’s still sad and painful, and I’m sure many of us need to wipe away our tears when we listen to our VOICE OF METAL, R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio, one of the most talented musicians in the whole of heavy metal history.
Night People is the first track of the fourth DIO album, Dream Evil. The song starts with awesome heavy riffs that make you bang your head from the first moment and the Ronnie’s voice is as perfect as ever. By continuing with that great solo in the middle of the song, the circle of perfection is completed.
2. Iron Maiden – Transylvania
For understanding why I chose this song as the second one in this list, just close your eyes and imagine yourself walking in Count Dracula land, Transylvania, It’s night and you can sense the smell of blood from everywhere. Yeah the Shivers again and that’s because of you are walking on the land where the most scary Halloween symbol, Dracula, lived his life and maybe he’s still somewhere there hiding. :s
Transylvania was released on 14 April 1980 on the self titled album of METAL GODS, Iron Maiden and composed by founder and bassist Steve Harris, which was later covered by Iced Earth on the album Horror Show. The fast and powerful riffs and solos in this song could show you how it’s dangerous and scary, walking in the land, Transylvania!
1. Helloween – Halloween
Listen… take care … In the streets on Halloween, The spirits will arise….
Now it’s time to go back to our most Halloweenish Metal Band, Helloween. The legendary creators of Melodic Power Metal released this long length song on May 23, 1987 on their most successful album, “Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1”. This album has credits by many to be the birth of Power Metal.
The “Halloween” song is written by Kai Hansen and it is 13 minutes 18 seconds long. The scary and horror style riff, played by the keyboard and guitar in the intro disconcerts you and suddenly starting with a powerful riff, you’ll find out that you are entered to a Halloween party full of Ghosts, Witches, Pumpkinheads, Vampires and … The song keep going and you would like to dance with those creatures but BEWARE … Black is the night full of fright and you’ll be missing the day … And now horror is back again and this is the point that fantasy Rocks horror, you run and scream on Halloween. Now Listen to me again, Keep your praying: “Save me from the evil one Give me strength to carry on I will fight for all mankind’s Deliverance and peace of mind”
At the end of the song you’ll not exist anymore, you’ll find yourself a part of Halloween, singing “IT’S HALLOWEEN, TONIGHT”.
PS: Special thanks to my friend Ali Blackdiamond for help
Metal has always been strongly drawn to the dark side of existence, and that’s reflected in album art every bit as much as in the music itself. In honor of Halloween, we’ve dug through our archives and unearthed 15 of the creepiest, most unsettling album covers ever released—by Roadrunner artists or, frankly, anybody.
Sepultura‘s breakthrough album, 1993’s Chaos A.D., came wrapped in a cover featuring dark sci-fi imagery that was fairly typical of metal at the time, but there’s something about it that’s more disturbing than other similar depictions. Why is that guy all mummified? What’s that machine he’s being fed into? Whose hands are those coming up from the bottom of the image? So many questions…so few happy answers.
Malevolent Creation‘s 1991 debut album, The Ten Commandments, turns the title phrase on its head. Yes, there are commandments being delivered, but they’re the commandments of Satan, being delivered to demons and the damned. And imagining what those commandments might entail is a prospect few would probably like to consider for any length of time.
Gorguts‘ 1991 debut, Considered Dead, was heralded by this sleeve painting of a skeleton either emerging from or sinking into the stone of a long-abandoned tomb…meanwhile, some sort of hideous, vaguely spider-like creature floats in from the side, whether to harvest the remains or just stand watch over them, it’s hard to say. The whole image, from its ancient temple setting to the otherworldly beast itself, is strongly reminiscent of the work of horror pioneer H.P. Lovecraft. Weird, disturbing stuff.
Suffocation‘s 1995 release Pierced From Within displays another dark fantasy setting, not unlike the Sepultura cover above. In this case, the album title is realized through the image of a man hanging suspended from chains in midair, with multiple spears jabbing through his flesh. Not a nice way to spend an afternoon…never mind eternity.
Mercyful Fate‘s debut album, 1983’s Melissa, depicts a howling demon on its cover, charging forward with the fires of Hell roaring from its mouth and eyes. You can practically hear the crackling flames as this monster flies toward its intended victim.
Deicide‘s third album, 1995’s Once Upon the Cross, comes shrouded (pun intended) in a surprisingly subtle image—not a painting of Jesus being actively tormented, but of his corpse after it had been taken down from the cross and was lying on the ground. Still every bit as anti-Christian as the rest of Glen Benton‘s monomaniacal discography, but oddly emotionally affecting at the same time.
Sepultura appears on this list a second time with the surreal monster from the cover of 1991’s Arise. Am I the only one who looks at this creature and thinks of John Carpenter‘s 1982 remake of The Thing?
1-800-Vindication, the 2004 release by Dutch death metallers Illdisposed, offered a cover image that looked like a scene from one of the Saw movies. Is this one guy freaking out in a chair? Or is he Siamese twins attempting to tear loose of each other? It’s an unpleasant image either way.
The covers to the single- and double-disc versions of Jerry Cantrell‘s Degradation Trip were different, but equally disturbing. Each version offers imagery reminiscent of the “body horror” of filmmaker David Cronenberg. You really don’t want to picture Cantrell (that’s his arm on the single-disc cover) yanking those strings out of his skin…but when you see the double-disc cover, you really wish he would pull his hand out from under the skin of his back. Yeesh.
Mercyful Fate returns to our list with the cover of 1984’s Don’t Break the Oath, in which Satan himself rises out of the flames of Hell to point the finger directly at the viewer. The album title is a command, it seems—one the Fate fan would do well to obey.
Not all horror is in the realm of fantasy. Nailbomb, the short-lived collaboration between Sepultura‘s Max Cavalera and Fudge Tunnel‘s Alex Newport, chose to depict real-world nightmares on their album covers, beginning with a soldier’s rifle pressed to a Vietnamese woman’s head on 1994’s Point Blank and following that up with an image of corpses from the mass suicide at Jonestown, Guyana on the 1995 live disc Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide.
Proving that grotesque and horrifying album art wasn’t left behind in the 1980s and 1990s, Machine Head upped the stakes this very year, at least for those of us with a thing about bugs. The half-man/half-insect monstrosity on the cover of Unto the Locust almost certainly made some fans recoil.
There could be only one champion all-time creepy album cover to end this list…and it’s Brujeria‘s 1993 debut, Matando Güeros (translation: “Killing White People”). That’s a real severed head, held by a Latin American drug gangster. Again, as with Nailbomb, sometimes real life is more horrifying than any fantasy.
Nathan Scott of FinlandCalling.com recently interviewed Nightwish mainman Tuomas Holopainen at the Gibson Guitars offices in London. The two discussed the band’s upcoming album Imaginaerum (out January 10 in the US), the accompanying film, their live plans and more.
Holopainen explains that the band has only minimal roles in the film, saying, “The most important thing is that we are trying to make a believable movie that will actually tell the story and be emotional to people. And we wouldn’t have been believable actors. I think people might have preconceptions about us. It’s the same thing you know, I don’t care how good of an actor Justin Timberlake is, but whenever I see him in a movie I’m a bit ‘ookaay’. He’s very good, but he’s still Justin Timberlake. So that’s the symptom that we’re trying to avoid. The director also originally wanted us to have bigger parts, but we told him ‘Please don’t make us say a single line.'”
Because of the filmmaking process, the band has spent quite a bit of time away from the stage, and Holopainen described his excitement at the resumption of rehearsals, saying, “It feels really good that the wait is over, there was a lot of waiting involved. The album was ready in June, and we’ve been just waiting for the movie thing to go on to get to the rehearsals, so yeah… We had the first rehearsal about three weeks ago, just before I came on this promo tour, it was a lot of fun playing together. It had been like a year and a half. It was a lot of fun. I just love the way this whole business cycles: being on a tour, that’s fanstastic stuff, but after a year or two if I feel like I can go back to my house and start writing songs. Then I write the songs for a year and it’s like ‘OK, I had enough of this, I want to get this done with’, and then you go to the studio and after a year you’re all ‘Ah, I hate the studio’, and then back on tour. It’s all that, that I enjoy, the variety.”
Opeth guitarists Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson appeared at Experience PRS 2011, sponsored by Paul Reed Smith, on September 24; we previously showed you video of the two men being interviewed backstage at the event. In the clip below, the two men take questions from the audience.
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
AMON AMARTH have announced a six-date tour of the UK and Ireland including English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish dates along with confirmation of a Hammerfest appearance.
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 