UK’s heavy rockers I, ASSASSIN have released a new official video “Survival”, feat. the band’s new vocalist Ashley-James Peters, watch the video here:
I, ASSASSIN are a high-energy, dynamic and exciting 4-piece heavy rock weapon forged in the darkest corner of Shropshire, UK. Formed out of the ashes of two ill-fated bands, I, ASSASSIN is a coming together of 4 distinctly different individuals unified under a single vision; – create and perform outstanding and infectious original rock music, playing whenever and wherever they can until the wheels fall off or they achieve world domination. I, ASSASSIN is a sonic juggernaut of sound, with a focus on big riffs, bigger soaring choruses and a fist-pumping drive. With a disciple of old-school classic rock on guitar, a hair-metal bassist, a pop-punk drummer, a metalcore singer, and a collective list of influences so broad and diverse, it’s almost impossible to define their sound…the only guarantee they give is it will be loud, it will be fast, and it will leave you with a grin from ear to ear. After spending almost a year developing their signature sound, they made their live debut in March 2017 to instant praise and acclaim. A strong debut year followed; performing as finalists in both Metallum & Soundwaves music competitions, and unleashing numerous blistering headline shows across the West Midlands.Their self titled EP, is now available on all major music platforms!
On August 17th, Italian Visual gothic act A TEAR BEYOND, alongside their roster mates FALLEN ARISE, joined NIGHTWISH at RomExpo in Bucharest. Today the band releases a video footage “Journey and Live Report” from the show, watch it here:
The band stated: “We are proud to share with you this short video about our gig @ Romexpo in Bucharest last august, with Nightwish and Fallen Arise! Live scenes filmed and edited by Alex Tuturescu. Journey scenes filmed and edited by A Tear Beyond and Hypnoise Recording Studio. Thanks to: ALPHA OMEGA Management, METALHEAD, Olivia Ignatescu & Cavalleria Events”
A TEAR BEYOND – formed in 2008 in Vicenza, Italy – come from the fusion of six elements with more than 15 years of musical experience. In 2012 came out their first studio album “Beyond” followed by a strong live activity. In 2015 the band released the second studio album “Maze of Antipodes”.The album was supported by sequence of live gigs opening for international bands like Moonspell, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Folkstone, Isole, Septicflesh, Dark Lunacy, Jack Frost and Extrema. May 5th 2018 the band unleashed their third studio album “Humanitales”. The band repertoire blend industral electro sounds with gothic metal arrangements and melodies. Key point of the band is the live theatricality when the audience can get involved in a true 360° show by means of scene costumes, Venetian masks, performers and intermission shows. Watch “Frolic”, taken from the new album “Humanitales”:
Two-time Grammy-nominated and millions-selling progressive music titans Dream Theater have released the first song from their recently announced 14th studio album, Distance Over Time. “Untethered Angel” is the first new song from the album slated for worldwide release on 22nd February, 2019. The new single is quintessential Dream Theater and takes the listener on a musical journey that cements the band’s place as the premier progressive metal band around today.
Watch the video for the new single here:
“During the writing and recording process of D/T, ‘Untethered Angel’ was known as ‘Song 4’ to all of us as it was the 4th song written during the sessions. However, there has always been something about this track that just begged for it to be the album opener, even long before all of the songs were written,” explains John Petrucci. “Fear is something that rears it’s ugly head at some point or another in all of our lives. Fear of the unknown, fear of taking chances, fear of making mistakes. If we are not careful, it can be debilitating and sadly prevent us from realizing our true potential. The world we live in can be a scary place and the thought of an uncertain future a terrifying notion, especially for today’s young people. Untethering from that fear and giving yourself up to the future’s countless possibilities is what will ultimately set you free.’”
Distance Over Time showcases a newfound creativity for Dream Theater while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band’s new label InsideOutMusic / Sony Music. The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (Rush, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour). Distance Over Time was produced by John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.
Distance Over Time will be available as: Standard CD Jewel Case, Special Edition Digipak (incl. 1 bonus track), 180g Gatefold 2LP Edition (incl. 1 bonus track, an 8-page-LP-booklet & the entire album on CD), Ltd. Edition Artbook (incl. 1 bonus track, 5.1 mix with video animations, instrumental mixes & high res files of the album, stems for “Untethered Angel”, extended liner notes, additional artwork incl. photos from the writing session and additional video content), as Deluxe Collector’s Box Set (incl. lenticular cover card, Artbook, 180g 2 LP Gatefold Edition with exclusive artwork and exclusive white vinyl, exclusive picture 7”, 60 x 60 cm poster, 10 art cards, slipmat, patch, pin and a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity) and as Digital Album (incl. 1 bonus track).
The tracklisting for Distance Over Time is as follows:
1. Untethered Angel 06:14
2. Paralyzed 04:17
3. Fall Into The Light 07:04
4. Barstool Warrior 06:43
5. Room 137 04:23
6. S2N 06:21
7. At Wit’s End 09:20
8. Out Of Reach 04:04
9. Pale Blue Dot 08:25
10. Viper King (Bonus Track) 04:00
In June 2018, Dream Theater secluded themselves in a private location in upstate New York to begin writing for the new record. While spending the summer living together in the property’s adjacent residence, the band spent their days and nights crafting the music that would make up the new album in the ‘Yonderbarn’; a beautiful and spacious barn that had been meticulously transformed into a state-of-the art film and recording studio. Following an intense & extremely productive period of group writing sessions and wanting to retain the magic that was captured in this scenic and inspiring location, they decided to record the album in the very room they had all convened to write together in. Living together during the writing and recording for Distance Over Time marked another first for the band’s 33-year career. The result is a heavier collection of songs that showcases the early roots of the band while exploring new territory as musicians and as friends.
Dream Theater is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The Distance Over Time Tour of North America was recently announced and kicks off on March 20, 2019 in San Diego, CA. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found at www.dreamtheater.net.
European Summer festival dates for 2019 have also been announced, and you can find a list of confirmed shows below:
14-16th June – Download Festival, Donington Park, UK
15th June – Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
19th June – Gasklockorna Gavle, Brynäs, Sweden
21st June – Hellfest Open Air Festival, Clisson, France
29th June – Tons Of Rock, Oslo, Norway
5th July – Rock the Castle, Verona, Italy
7th July – Barcelona Rock, Barcelona, Spain
13th July – Prog in Park, Warsaw, Poland
14th July – Masters of Rock, Vizovice, Czech Republic
20th July – Zitadell, Mainz, Germany
21st July – Zeltspektakel, Winterbach, Germany
23rd July – MetalDays, Tolmin, Slovenia
26th-27th July – ARTMania Festival, Sibiu, Romania
Progressive metal pioneers Dream Theater— James LaBrie (Vocals), John Petrucci (Guitars), Jordan Rudess (Keyboards), John Myung (Bass), and Mike Mangini (Drums) — share a unique bond with one of the most passionate fan bases around the globe as evidenced by their two GRAMMY® Award nominations and 15 million records sold worldwide. The 1992 opus Images & Words received a gold certification and landed on Rolling Stone’s coveted “100 Greatest Metal Albums of All-Time.” Guitar World placed the follow-up Awake at #1 on “Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994.” 1996’s A Change of Seasons notably soundtracked NBC’s coverage of Downhill Skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Fans voted the 1999 Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory the “Number One All-Time Progressive Rock Album” in a 2012 Rolling Stone poll. Not to mention, it ranked as the “15th Greatest Concept Album” by Classic Rock. 2009 saw Black Clouds & Silver Linings crash the Billboard Top 200 at #6 as A Dramatic Turn of Events [2011] and Dream Theater [2013] maintained a three-peat in the chart’s Top 10. Consequence of Sound dubbed 2016’s The Astonishing, “An absolutely unique experience.” Beyond three platinum and two gold videos, the group was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2010. On its 14th full-length and first release for InsideOutMusic / Sony Music, Distance Over Time, the band recharge the brotherhood that has kept them creating music together for over 30 years. It’s Dream Theater at their most dynamic, direct, and definitive.
In 2018, InsideOutMusic have been celebrating 25 years as one of the leading labels worldwide for progressive music and is part of the Century Media Label Group, a division of Sony Music.
Tobias Sammet recently announced the release of the upcoming AVANTASIA masterpiece »Moonglow« on February 15th, 2019 through Nuclear Blast.
Today, AVANTASIA reveal the first song trailer to give you an initial taste of the album. Watch the clip here:
The band have also started the pre-order and revealed the formats in which »Moonglow« will be published:
– CD
– Digibook (36 pages)
– 2CD-Artbook (64 pages)
– 2LP (different colours) in gatefold
– BOX (Digibook + CD in Sleeve + 2LP (ice blue + dark blue marble) in gatefold + bonus 10″ (black) im sleeve + signed photo card + certificate + poster) * NB-Mailorder exclusive
Comments Tobias Sammet, “I really can’t wait to unleash „Moonglow“. First reactions by press and friends are the most enthusiastic comments I have ever gotten in my whole career of 27 years. No bullshit, it’s the truth, Sascha and I are overwhelmed! In order to avoid boredom, in the middle of promotion and tour preparations I was getting myself involved in every detail of the album sleeves, booklets and packaging, to make sure the album drags the listener into a different world. I wanted „Moonglow“ to be an overall experience for escapists like myself. My favourite edition is the giant super strictly limited art book edition with bonus track and a bonus CD. A massive coffee table book with photos, interview, liner notes and illustrations of Victorian painter Grimshaw who has been very inspirational to me. This book edition is everything it takes to invite the listener into the world of „Moonglow“ and its productional process. There is also a smaller digibook version that features one bonus track and that is limited and beautiful as well. And of course there are also vinyl editions to hug, feel, watch, smell and caress. I am extremely proud of all these little treasures and can’t wait to unleash them!”
Comprising 11 tracks, the new opus once again features several guest vocalists. This time round, Tobias worked not only with well-known faces such as Ronnie Atkins, Jørn Lande, Eric Martin, Geoff Tate, Michael Kiske or Bob Catley but also with new singers like Candice Night, Hansi Kürsch as well as Mille Petrozza who help to vitalize the new AVANTASIA record. Its cover artwork was created by Alexander Jansson.
»Moonglow« – Track Listing:
01. Ghost In The Moon
02. Book Of Shallows
03. Moonglow
04. The Raven Child
05. Starlight
06. Invincible
07. Alchemy
08. The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
09. Lavender
10. Requiem For A Dream
11. Maniac
Bonus Track
12. Heart
Tobias Sammet, hailing from Fulda, created the rock event AVANTASIA in 1999 and celebrated its live premiere in 2008. With over 3,5 million records sold, he is one of the most successful musicians from Germany and has worked with Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (THE SCORPIONS), Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer (KISS), Eric Martin (MR. BIG) as well as many other stars from the international music business. For a long time Tobias Sammet’s AVANTASIA has been considered an insider tip. But after countless headline performances at some of the world’s largest rock festivals (Sweden Rock Festival, Québec Music Festival, Barcelona Rock Fest etc.), gold awards and several top 10 positions in the world charts, the upcoming AVANTASIA – Moonglow World Tour 2019 can only be considered the biggest rock event of the year!
ALPHA OMEGA Management is extremely thrilled to announce two more bands from its roster to play Metaldays 2019, taking place on July 21st – 27th, 2019 in Tolmin (Slovenia)! Alongside the previously confirmed W.E.B. and FALLEN ARISE, the two new adds are: SISKA and ANIMAE SILENTES!
On January 25th, KING DIAMOND will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, Songs For The Dead Live, via Metal Blade Records.
There is only one King Diamond, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn’t want to hear 1987′s seminal Abigail in its entirety, and Songs For The Dead Live captures this, twice, and in very different locales. Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows – Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia’s Fillmore in November 2015 – feature a brace of classic King Diamond and Mercyful Fate tracks including “Welcome Home,” “Halloween,” and “Eye Of The Witch” before launching into Abigail. The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.
For a preview of Songs For The Dead Live, a video for “Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)” can be viewed at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond – where you can also pre-order the release.
Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Studios, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to “Out From The Asylum” at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of Abigail opener “Funeral”, which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with King Diamond is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.
While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the King Diamond devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame. Songs For The Dead Live gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.
Graspop Metal Meeting track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Halloween
05. Eye of the Witch
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them
09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
The Fillmore track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Eye of the Witch
05. Halloween
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them
09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
