Former TURISAS bassist Hannes Horma has joined horror metallers DIRGE ETERNAL as their new guitarist.
DIRGE ETERNAL recently completed work on the “Under The Spell” EP at Sound Supreme Studio in Hämeenlinna, Finland. In addition to playing lead guitar on the CD, Horma served as engineer and producer during the sessions.
Due on May 5, “Under The Spell”‘s release will be celebrated with a performance later that night at Escape in Riihimäki, Finland.
DIRGE ETERNAL‘s second music video, “Slaughterhouse”, will be premiered on May 4 at the Biorex movie theater in Hämeenlinnna.
DIRGE ETERNAL is:
Jani Perta – Vocals Hannes Horma – Guitar Henri Asikainen – Guitar Markus Ylänne – Bass Patrik Albrecht – Drums
Swedish metallers SABATON have released the trailer for their “Swedish Empire Tour 2012”. The five-minute clip, which can be seen below, features the title track of the band’s new album, “Carolus Rex”, playing in the background.
SABATON recently parted ways with guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr. The band’s new touring lineup is as follows:
Joakim Brodén – Vocals Pär Sundström – Bass Chris Rörland (NOCTURNAL RITES) – Guitar Thobbe Englund (WINTERLONG, RAUBTIER) – Guitar Robban Bäck (BALTIMOORE, PREY) – Drums
Commented the group: “At the moment we are still searching for a keyboard player. Until we have found the right guy we will still have Daniel Myhr with us, in digital form, since he has specially recorded all keyboards for us to use on tour. Therefore, we are not cancelling any shows at all — the war machine of SABATON will go on just as planned!”
A four-minute video clip in which the new members of SABATON are introduced can be seen below. Also available are the first two photos of the band’s new lineup.
“Carolus Rex” will be released in Europe on May 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The lyrics for the CD, which will be made available in both English and Swedish, deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721).
The band previously stated about “Carolus Rex”: “For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on ‘Carolus Rex’, and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a heavy metal album should sound like!”
Liljegren‘s published works include acclaimed biographies of Adolf Hitler and Karl XII. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series “Boston Tea Party”.
SABATON will embark on a North American headlining tour this month. The “Swedish Empire Tour 2012” will kick off on April 10 in Tampa, Florida.
“Carolus Rex” – English version track listing:
01. Dominium Maris Baltici
02. The Lion From the North
03. Gott Mit Uns
04. A Lifetime of War
05. 1 6 4 8
06. The Carolean’s Prayer
07. Carolus Rex
08. Killing Ground
09. Poltava
10. Long Live the King
11. Ruina Imperii
“Carolus Rex” – Swedish version track listing:
01. Dominium Maris Baltici
02. Lejonet från Norden
03. Gott Mit Uns
04. En Livstid i Krig
05. 1 6 4 8
06. Karolinens bön
07. Carolus Rex
08. Ett Slag Färgat Rött
09. Poltava
10. Konungens Likfärd
11. Ruina Imperii
For 35 years, KISS fans have reveled in the sounds and images of “Alive II”. To celebrate the anniversary of this masterful live album, Fan Mosaics and KISS are inviting fans to be part of some of the most recognizable rock images of all time.
“Every KISS fan knows and loves these images of the Demon, the Starchild, the Spaceman, and the Catman,” says KISS co-founder and frontman Paul Stanley. “In honor of this big anniversary, we’re giving fans the chance to see these photos in a new way — featuring them in a supporting role.”
Fan Mosaics has combined the larger-than-life images from the “Alive II” cover into a single picture that will be reproduced as an official collector’s item print.
“It’s more than just an amazing print,” says Rob Hixenbaugh, Fan Mosaics‘ director of fan and brand development. “It’s a mosaic that uses fan-submitted photos as its building blocks. The fans’ images will actually make up the big picture, letting them get inside a major part of KISStory.”
The 24-inch by 30-inch prints make great gifts or unique collectibles for everyone who’s ever dreamed of getting up close and personal with the band. Fans can unleash their inner rock star and upload their photo for inclusion in the officially licensed “Alive II Fan Mosaic” at this location.
Northfield, Ohio-based Fan Mosaics, LLC, is the bridge that connects fans and stars. The company’s officially licensed celebrity photo mosaics — made up of fan-submitted images — are a unique and lasting outlet for fans’ enthusiasm and loyalty. Entertainers in all industries choose Fan Mosaics to thank fans for their dedication, and charities partner with Fan Mosaics to raise funds for their worthwhile causes. Source: Blabbermouth.net
Cover artwork and Track list for the GOTTHARD album “Firebirth”, released on 1st June, have been decided
– puzzle the new cover now!: better be skilled if you want to see it fully –
Lugano – Cover artwork and track list have been decided for the new Gotthard album “Firebirth”, release date 1st. June by Nuclear Blast/Warnermusic (in Switzerland Musikvertrieb). A total of 13 songs will be on the CD, among them one with the title “Where are you”, which is dedicated to Steve Lee. In the past few days, in the band-owned Yellow House Studios in Ticino, music journalists from all over Europe were able to listen to the songs for the first time – and are euphoric about them.
“GOTTHARD is recalling their roots”, is the opinion of the German magazine Rock Hard. “Earthy hard rock, heavy on riffs, with first class refrains and only a small amount of keyboards. A strong sign of life from the Swiss.”
And the Italian Rock Hard supplements: “GOTTHARD is going back to their roots and at the same time looking to the future. The entire album makes you tap your feet to the rhythm and your heart beat loudly.” The German Rock It magazine says: “More screaming guitars, less keyboard – the hard gods have returned “Back to the Roots”.
In actual fact, the album – earthy, rocking and played with a great deal of enjoyment – goes back to the old strengths of the band. “We have remembered our roots and deliberately given the album the pure straightforward Gotthard sound. Our goal was to concentrate on the most important thing – the songs,” explained Leo Leoni, who produced the album together with Paul Lani.
As well as in the regular CD, “FIREBIRTH” will feature in a specially presented limited edition. The album cover depicts the firebird Phoenix, which symbolically rises “from the ashes to the sky” – this line expresses what each Gotthard fan feels and underlines the turbulent time that Gotthard has gone through in the past months. Everybody wanting to see the coverartwork as soon as possible has to proof some skills for that: from now on you can puzzle together the artwork under http://media.nuclearblast.de/download/puzzle.html
As firebird Phoenix coming out of the ashes has surely been an event with a certain impact, this coverartwork cannot just be presented to you normally.
It will be in Latin America that Gotthard experiences their baptism of fire – the world tour starts there in May, before the band headlines several important European festivals. The band starts the German live premiere as co-headliner at the “Bang Your Head” festival in Balingen. An important headline tour round the halls of Europe is already planned for autumn.
The track list:
1. STARLIGHT
2. GIVE ME REAL
3. REMEMBER IT’S ME
4. FIGHT
5. YIPPIE AYE YAY
6. TELL ME
7. SHINE
8. THE STORY IS OVER
9. RIGHT ON
10. S.O.S.
11. TAKE IT ALL BACK
12. I CAN
13. WHERE ARE YOU
Aspiring Finnish heavy metal newcomers BATTLE BEAST just uploaded the pilot episode of a tour blog. The band will sharing their impressions of their upcoming tour with NIGHTWISH.
Check it out:
and be prepared for more.
Make sure to catch BATTLE BEAST live:
10.04.12. S Göteborg – Lisebergshallen
11.04.12 DK Copenhagen – Falconer Theater
13.04.12 NL Amsterdam – Heineken Music Hall
14.04.12 D Düsseldorf – ISS Dome
16.04.12 B Brussels – Forest National
17.04.12 F Paris – Bercy
18.04.12 F Nantes – Zenith
20.04.12 F Lyon – Halle Tony Garnier
21.04.12 LU Luxembourg – Rockhal
23.04.12 D Frankfurt – Jahrhunderthalle
24.04.12 CH Zurich – Hallenstadion
25.04.12 IT Milano – Forum
27.04.12 AT Vienna – Gasometer
29.04.12 HU Budapest – Budapest Arena
30.04.12 CZ Prague – Tesla (T-Mobile Arena)
01.05.12 D Leipzig – Arena
03.05.12 D Hamburg – o2 World
05.05.12 D Nürnberg – Arena
06.05.12 D Stuttgart – Schleyerhalle
Artist – Zenith Reunion Album – Utopia Label – Violent Journey Records Release Date – April 25, 2012
1. Can’t feel the pain
2. Naked boy
3. Dust
4. Gone forever
5. FF
6. Victim of time
7. Truth inside
8. Darkness fall
9. Utopia
Northern Finland band Zenith Reunion will be hitting our streets and ears hard come April 25th, with their metal combining heavy influences like that of: Stone, Tarot, Zero Nine, Accept, Dream Theater. The exceptionally beautifully pieced together guitar progressions and the overwhelming bass and drums creating itself a fort of sheer magnitudes has this band making an impression not only vocally but also musically.
With high octane progressions in ‘Can’t feel the Pain’ you are led into an almost ‘Joe Satriani’ feel and movement where the music carries these anthems deep to the point of destruction. As soon as ‘Jouni Juurikka’ starts his vocals everything changes, add to this the mixture between the backing vocals you have yourself a very catchy song. Solos beyond the average metal band putting them in lines with that of ‘Marty Friedman, Jason Becker’. ‘Naked Boy’ has a start almost too gentle with that ‘Steve Vai – Celluloid Heroes’ feel to it, with the gentle progressions of drums and bass riding this atmospheric song into its own dimension. Again the contrast between the vocalists and the music keeps you hooked to the music, and this is only song 2!
As you progress through the album you will eventually make your way to the very emotional ‘FF’ where all things that could be possible in one song become alive. With the Tapping sequence in ‘Darkness Fall’ to the standards of ‘Cacophony’ and the mixture of riffs between hard rock, metal, and blues, this has everything I could ever wish for.
Between the Blues and metal there are so many things going for this band, including the fast power-based riffs, drums to keep the body moving, high octane and beautifully played solo’s, the bass driven articulations and the overall shout out to the music world this album is ideal for those that like great rock/heavy metal.
Jouni Juurikka: Lead vocals
Jukka Uusi-Illikainen: Guitar & backing vocals
Jukka Ihme: Guitar & backing vocals
Jukka Jokikokko: Bass & backing vocals (BURNING POINT, STARGAZERY)
Ville Hanhisuanto: Drums & backing vocals
Mastered by Minerva Pappi at Finnvox
9/10
Reviewed by Dylan Raine
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
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Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 