Legendary keyboardist and former of Deep Purple, JON LORD posted this:
“Happy New Year to all of you and thank you so much for your wonderful, kind and inspirational messages over these last few difficult months. I have been mightily sustained by reading them and will continue to be so. You are a very special lot indeed. I am doing well and I will be back with more news and updates in the next week or so. In the meantime, party hearty but look after yourselves. I wish you success and happiness, and above all I wish you health.“
Previously at late this past summer, JON LORD announced that he is fighting cancer and will be taking a break from performing while getting treatment.
* METAL SHOCK FINLAND Wishes JON all the best for 2012 and we hope he get well ASAP!
This month’s edition of Mars Attacks Classic Albums Column focuses on JUDAS PRIEST’s Painkiller Album. As usual, you can find written comments right on MarsAttacksRadio.com from an assortment of people, such as former Judas Priest lead singer Tim “Ripper” Owens, the producer of Painkiller, Chris Tsangarides, Kirk Windstein of CROWBAR and DOWN, Jason Bittner of SHADOWS FALL, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, and a slew of others.
The podcast portion of the column contains comments from DORO PESCH, ICED EARTH’s Jon Schaffer, legendary STRAPPING YOUNG LAD drummer Gene Hoglan, HADE’s lead singer Alan Tecchio, Glen Drover (ex-MEGADETH), Dave Reffett, author Martin Popoff and members of Talking Metal, Metal Assault, and Iron City Rocks.
You can read the written comments, and stream or download the podcast at this location.
Tim Ripper Owens: “Great CD. Really brought the Priest back to form, and that was with a lot of help from Scott Travis. WOW, he was just amazing and gave them the spark they needed! But everyone was on their game. Amazing guitar playing, bass playing and singing! P A I N!”
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal: “I’m a long-time fan of Priest, going back to Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings, they were cool, bluesy, but also melodic and composed, harmonies everywhere, such a great band. From there they got heavier and more intense with each album. They really ripped your head off at moments with Painkiller.”
Fredrik Larsson, bass guitarist of Swedish Power Metal band, HAMMERFALL, was interviewed by DJ Blackdiamond of FIREBRAND ROCK RADIO before their show with Saxon at Sheffield O2 Academy on 19/12/11. You can see some photos of this show below.
Q: What was the reason you didn’t have your mascot Hector on the cover of the latest album?
Fredrik : We started working with a new producer and scaled things down, like having no add on guitars, and went back to our roots, so we thought it was a good idea to show this is something new for us. So we wanted something new for the cover aswell’!
Q:Whats next for Hammerfall?
Fredrik: We’re gonna play Wacken and the Carribean Cruise, 70,000 Tons of Metal and it’s just been confirmed that we’re gonna do 3 shows with Judas Priest in Sweden and Finland, that will be really great!’
In January 2010, FOZZY – the side-project turned full scale war machine featuring STUCK MOJO guitarist/vocalist Rich Ward and vocalist/wrestling star Chris Jericho – released their fourth studio album, Chasing The Grail. Amongst the guest musicians that appeared on the record was ANNIHILATOR guitarist Jeff Waters, who laid down solos for the tracks ‘Martyr No More’ and ‘God Pounds His Nails’. Waters is no stranger to lending out his talents to projects he feels are worthy of time spent, and although it’s a no-brainer finding Ward and Jericho on that list, it’s still a big deal when Waters agrees to enter the picture and add his brand of shred to the canvas.
“That was the coup of ages, man,” laughs Ward. “I asked Chris if he was okay with having a guest guitar player or two on the album. We did it on the previous one (All That Remains from 2005), and it was cool having Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth) and Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society) come in and lay down their stuff. For me as a fan of those guys it was just cool. Chris asked me who I had in mind for Chasing The Grail, and I gave him three or four names. He balked on all of them except for Waters (laughs), and he suggested that instead of having a bunch of guest guitarists, that we have just one killer guitar player come in and tear it up. I’m not lacking confidence in my lead playing, but I know who I am as a lead player, and I ain’t Jeff Waters (laughs).”
As previously reported, Fozzy have re-released their debut live album Remains Alive digitally via Riot Entertainment. Fozzy recorded Remains Alive in Brisbane on their Fozzy In Aussie tour of Australia in 2005 on the back of the All That Remains album.
The line up on that tour was Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitar, vocals), Sean Delson (bass), Mike Martin (guitar), and Frank Fontsere (drums). The album can be purchased now via iTunes.
The tracklisting for Remains Alive is as follows:
‘Nameless Faceless’
‘Don’t You Wish You Were Me’
‘Daze Of The Weak’
‘Wanderlust’
‘Crucify Yourself’
‘End Of Days’
‘Freewheel Burning’
‘Eat The Rich’
‘Ignition’
‘Feel The Burn’
‘With The Fire’
‘To Kill A Stranger’
‘Enemy’
Also, Fozzy have commenced writing for the follow up to Chasing The Grail.
METALFEST OPEN AIRS FESTIVAL announce that the Finnish death/doom metal band SWALLOW THE SUN and Canadian Metallers, SKULL FIST confirmed for METALFEST 2012.
SWALLOW THE SUN have just recorded their fifth studio album, “Emerald Forest And The Blackbird” which will be out in February 2012, featuring Nightwish´s singer Anette Olzon on one song.
SKULL FIST have released their debut on August 26nd via NoiseArt Records, then they hit the road with on the Power of Metal tour with Sabaton, Grave Digger and Powerwolf and they are also confirmed for a tour with Grand Magus in January 2012 plus further support dates with Steelwing.
The bands have been confirmed to play METALFEST 2012:
IN EXTREMO***
BLIND GUARDIAN*
KREATOR – exclusive festival shows 2012!
W.A.S.P. – 30th Anniversary Show!****
BEHEMOTH
HYPOCRISY – exclusive festival shows 2012!
LEGION OF THE DAMNED
DARK TRANQUILLITY
SALTATIO MORTIS**
ENSIFERUM
POWERWOLF
ALESTORM
DEATH ANGEL – “The Ultra Violence” Set!
TRIPTYKON
LAKE OF TEARS
VADER
SWALLOW THE SUN*****
SKULL FIST
HATE
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE
FEUERSCHWANZ**
MYSTIC PROPHECY**
NACHTBLUT**
*Blind Guardian will not play at Metalfest Dessau/Germany!
**Saltatio Mortis, Feuerschwanz, Mystic Prohphecy, Nachtblut will only play Metalfest Germany and Austria!
***In Extremo will not play at Metalfest Switzerland!
**** W.A.S.P. will not play at Metalfest Loreley/Germany!
***** Swallow The Sun will only play Metalfest Germany, Austria and Switzerland!
British Metallers WOLFSBANE have released a video for “Smoke And Red Light” song from their latest album, “Wolfsbane Saves The World”. WOLFSBANE is feuturing legendary vocalist BLAZE BAYLEY (ex-IRON MAIDE). You can watch the video below.
“Finally unveiled!! Its a suitably modest title… self-effacing, not too ambitious! But the world does need saving and we are gonna start doing it with the help of our fantastic Howling Mad Shitheads. So spread the word and lets get this record out there to the people who NEED to hear it! They dont know they need to hear it but they do!! So we can infect and affect the unknowing masses with our Howlingmad optimism and who gives a fuckery! You can order it now! And it’ll be in the post to you as soon as it arrives back from the manufacturers. I can’t wait to hold the actual CD in my hand. Love that bit! Its been a real journey but this is just the start of a new chapter of S’bane.” Jase Edwards recently posted on Facebook.
Wolfsbane Saves The World tracklisting:
‘Blue Sky’
‘Teacher’
Buy My Pain’
‘Starlight’
‘Smoke And Red Light’
‘Illusion Of Love’
‘Live Before I Die’
‘Who Are You Now’
‘Everybody’s Looking For Something Baby’
‘Child Of The Sun’
‘Did It For The Money’
Chief Shock Video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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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
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 