Firebrand Rock Radio‘s Metalgoddess Jen has recently conducted an interview with Tuomas and Marko of Nightwish, the interview can be streamed HERE, to stream the whole show, please go HERE. For more information, please visit: http://www.firebrandrockradio.com.
CENTURY MEDIA has issued the following:
In the scope of the release of the new NAGLFAR studio album “Téras” Century Media Records are going to release a 2-track 7inch EP entitled “An Extension Of His Arm And Will” on February 27th, 2012. This EP will be strictly limited to 500 hand-numbered copies and is exclusively available at CM DISTRO. “An Extension Of His Arm And Will” will feature the album track of the same title as well as the exclusive studio bonus track “As Long As They Fear”.The 7inch will be released in a die-cut fold-out cover with lyrics to both songs.
Three different vinyl colors are available:
Black vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
White vinyl (limited to 100 copies, exclusive for North America)
Transparent-red vinyl (limited to 100 copies)
NAGLFAR have just been confirmed for this year’s PartySan Open Air on August 9th – 11th, 2012 along other Century Media bands such as VALLENFYRE, WARBRINGER, INSOMNIUM, DARK FORTRESS and DEICIDE.
CENTURY MEDIA has issued the following:Norway’s ICS Vortex, who released the extremely versatile and highly acclaimed debut album “Storm Seeker” in August 2011 via Century Media Records, has made the band’s live-debut at this weekend’s prestigious Finnish Metal Expo in Helsinki.
The live band’s line-up for the event has now been revealed to be as follows:
ICS Vortex – guitar/vocal
Jens Ryland – guitar
Steinar Gundersen – bass
Baard Kolstad – drums
Former Dimmu Borgir and current Borknagar/Arcturus member ICS Vortex has checked in to comment as follows: “My buddy Asgeir Mickelson recently (and undramatically) handed over the drums to Baard Kolstad. I was not planning on guitar work live, but since Terje Andersen’s duties elsewhere for the second time collided with ICS Vortex, we decided together that it is was best to let go and part as friends.”
ICS Vortex have also taken part of a special signing session at FME (at the Century Media booth) on Friday, February 17th at 6:15 PM. The stage time for their show is 9:15 PM – 10 PM, just before Paradise Lost and Edguy. More details can be found HERE!
Next to this debut gig at FME, ICS Vortex have also confirmed to be appearing as headlining act on the Farmer Fest 2012 in Bigues i Riells / Barcelona on September 1st, 2012, marking the band’s debut show in Spain. Here are the upcoming shows of ICS Vortex:
ICS Vortex – Live 2012:
17.02.2012 Finnish Metal Expo, Helsinki (Finland) / fme.fi
01.09.2012 Farmer Fest 2012, Bigues i Riells / Barcelona (Spain) / farmer-fest.com
More shows are in the works…
Recently, ICS Vortex have launched footage from the band’s studio recording session showing drummer Asgeir Mickelson recording drums for the album track “Flaskeskipper”. Check it out here.
ICS Vortex’s “Storm Seeker” debut album was released worldwide via Century Media Records and is available as limited edition Digipak CD, 180g. LP version (black, grey and blue vinyl) and also as Digital Download. The album entered the charts in the band’s native Norway for 4 consecutive weeks, with a highest position at # 54. “Storm Seeker” received massive press acclaim, amongst others scoring a 10/10 review in Metal Hammer (Norway), 8/10 in Rock Hard (Germany) and 14/15 in Legacy (Germany).
If you haven’t checked out the “Storm Seeker” album yet, follow the links below to listen to some of the tracks included on this extremely versatile record:
“Odin’s Tree”
“The Blackmobile”
ICS Vortex’s debut album is a havoc of varied metal and takes the musical elements from his +10 years experience with Dimmu Borgir as well as the legacy of the classic bands with whom he is still active (Borknagar, Arcturus and Lamented Souls), topping things off with his signature clean vocals in order to make “Storm Seeker” become a perfectly balanced axe, whether a song is cutting fast, or dicing slow. “Storm Seeker” features appearances by Borknagar teammate Asgeir Mickelson on drums and also Terje “Cyrus” Andersen (Susperia, ex Dimmu Borgir) contributing some lead guitars. The album was recorded at Norwegian Toproom Studio (Mayhem, Tristania, Borknagar, etc.) with engineer Børge Finstad and mastered in Sweden by Peter in de Betou at Tailor Maid Studio (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, Dimmu Borgir, etc.).
Van Halen have been in the press a lot over recent months, with tour dates announced then cancelled, dates not announced but cancelled, the whole Download Festival anticipation letting down all the UK fans, and then the widespread disappointment of the release of ‘Tattoo’.
People were saying it was a joke, and die hard fans instantly recognised the striking resemblance to the previously unreleased 1977 track ‘Down In Flames’. In fact, one fan has mashed the two songs together with the video, so you can see just how close it is for yourself.
Was reworking their early songs a big shock to everyone? Quite frankly it was, but the signs were there. Rewind to November 2011 and in an interview with Rolling Stone, on hearing rumours that Van Halen had signed a record deal, Sammy Hagar said: “From what I heard, they aren’t working with new material. Ed and Dave didn’t actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions, and then maybe Dave had to go in and add vocals because they just had scat vocals, or even no vocal part at all.”
I have to say he’s right, but to be honest with you, I would rather hear rehashed late 70s work, than some attempt at becoming a band of this era. Let’s face it, there aren’t that many bands that can take the leap from century to century after such a long absence, so I’m thankful that they have so much stuff to work with from their early days.
I almost skipped ‘Tattoo’, the first track on ‘A Different Kind Of Truth’, after not being overly impressed at launch, but listening to it on a stereo vs. YouTube gave it justice and I’m glad I didn’t press that button. Then when ‘She’s A Women’ kicked in I couldn’t help but smile. It’s the Van Halen I know and love and instantly made me want to be out dancing to it with the groove laden sound, and a chorus paying homage to the soundtrack of my favourite TV show from my youth.
‘Stay Frosty’ is to this album what ‘Ice Cream Man’ was to their debut album ‘Van Halen’, ‘China Town’ showcases Eddie Van Halen’s widely respected fret-work and ‘Blood And Fire’ is the kind of track that will see your fist pumping the air, regardless of whether you want it to or not. ‘Outta Space’ is by far the heaviest track on the album, and ‘Big River’ has a very similar feel to ‘Runnin’ With The Devil’.
Michael Anthony wasn’t invited to the party, well he was ejected back in 2006 to be replaced by Eddie’s son Wolfgang, which is a real shame as his backing vocals are definitely missed, but that’s my only criticism with this album.
‘Tattoo’ is the weakest track of them all, so I find it an odd choice that they released it as the debut single. Maybe they knew it, so wanted to spark discussion and get the buzz and anticipation going for what was to come?
Who knows, but more importantly who cares? This album is a pleasure to listen to, featuring all the things you would expect with a Van Halen album, and should be on your list of must haves if it’s not already in your stereo. It may take a couple of listens for you to fully appreciate it, if your expectation was initially soured by the first video, but stick with it.
Now come on Van Halen, let’s get that extensive tour over to Europe please, to see how this truth translates to the big stage.
Finland’s Voice.fi conducted an interview with former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. frontman Udo Dirkschneider when U.D.O. played a headlining show at DOM in Helsinki on September 30, 2011. You can now watch the chat below.
The band’s setlist was as follows:
01. Rev-Raptor
02. Dominator
03. Thunderball
04. Leatherhead
05. Independence Day
06. Break The Rules
07. Screaming For A Love-Bite (ACCEPT cover)
08. Heart Of Gold
09. Vendetta
10. Princess Of The Dawn (ACCEPT cover)
11. I Give As Good As I Get
12. Neon Nights (Accept cover)
13. Man And Machine
14. Living On A Frontline
15. Up To The Limit (ACCEPT cover)
16. Two Faced Woman
Encore:
17. The Bogeyman
18. Metal Heart (ACCEPT cover)
19. Balls To The Wall (ACCEPT cover)
U.D.O. will release a “rare-tracks” album with some very special gems for the fans. Entitled “Celebrator”, the effort will be made available on April 20 via AFM Records. The group is currently finalizing the track listing for the CD, the details of which will be announced later this month.
U.D.O.‘s November 16, 2011 perormance at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria was professionally filmed for the band’s next official live DVD, tentatively titled “Rev-Raptor Tour – Live From Sofia”, for an August/September release. The group says, “Stefan [Kaufmann, guitar] is working on the DVD. It’s a lot of work for him to do since the band played nearly 150 minutes and we want to show you every single second.”
U.D.O.‘s latest album, “Rev-Raptor”, was released on May 20, 2011 via AFM Records. The recordings for the CD took place between June 2010 and February 2011 at Roxx studios (owned by U.D.O. guitarist and ex-ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann) in Pulheim, Germany. The effort was mastered by Manfred Melchior at MM Sound Digital studios in Steinhagen, Germany. The album’s cover artwork is once again a comic-like motif: but the “Dominator” character is this time “a lot more effectual and colorful,” according to a press release.
U.D.O. is:
Udo Dirkschneider – Lead Vocals
Stefan Kaufmann – Guitar, Vocals
Igor Gianola – Guitar
Fitty Wienhold – Bass, Vocals
Francesco Jovino – Drums
Interview:
Performance:
Source: Blabbermouth
Swedish heavy powerful metal singer NIKLAS STALVIND who fronts and leads heavy metal band WOLF and bassist ANDERS MODD will feature on a special show entitled “LEGIONS OF BASTARDS SHOW” on Tuesday February 21st. The show will be presented by Metal Shock Finland and Firebrand Rock Radio.
More details about the “LEGIONS OF BASTARDS SHOW“:
And if you would like to win a pic signed by Viper and Tornado from WOLF, answer the question on this location by Tuesday 21/02/12 3pm GMT and the 3 winners will be revealed on the show!
WOLF have recently announced that the Heaven and Hell festival is cancelled. The band state: “We´re sorry to say that the Swedish festival that WOLF were supposed to headline on one of the evenings is cancelled.
See you some other time. some other place…but still banging and ripping like never before!”
As previously announced, WOLF are confirmed for 2 shows in Sweden together with Tank. The shows are scheduled to take place on Friday March 2 in Jönköping and Saturday March 3 in Sala.
Check the show dates below:
March 02 – Zaragon Rock Club – Jönköping.
March 03 – Rockland – Sala.
“We are really looking forward to get our metal asses out on the road again. This is where we belong, this is where we deliver!! It will be 2 great shows together with Tank. See you front row!” band posted on their official website.
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 