The Metal Hall of Fame is getting ready to rock Anaheim and Southern California once again with the 7th Annual Metal Hall of Fame Gala.
“The Most Important Night In Hard Rock and Heavy Metal!!” will take place January 24, 2024, at the Delta Marriott Garden Grove, Anaheim, CA. Performances just added to the Gala include Kings of Thrash (featuring David Ellefson, Chris Poland, Jeff Young, Chaz Leon, and Fred Aching), along with Held Hostage, Deconstruct, and Hollywood’s favorite band LONDON, among others. Iconic musicians, industry executives, major television and movie producers, and surprise guests will also be in attendance, with All Star Jams taking place throughout the night.
The Gala will be hosted by Legendary Radio/Television Host Eddie Trunk, and Entertainment Personality Cathy Rankin. Top musicians will be performing to honor late Whisky a Go Go and Rainbow Bar & Grill owner Mikeal Maglieri. The Gala will also continue the 40th Anniversary celebration and Induction into the 2024 Metal Hall of Fame for Eddie Trunk, who is celebrating his 40th year in radio.
Blackened, the award winning whiskey from Metallica, will present the 2024 Annual Metal Hall of Fame Gala, and will have a special sampling experience included in the price of admission, for all attendees ages 21 and over.
“As an inducted member of the Metal Hall of Fame myself, it’s an honor to perform with Kings Of Thrash this year, as well as waiting to see so many iconic & longtime friends, artists and establishments. Those who have clearly helped define rock ‘n’ roll to be firmly planted into the history books for their outstanding contributions. This is an event you definitely don’t want to miss!,” says David Ellefson of Kings of Thrash.
“We are excited to have the 7th Annual Metal Hall of Fame Gala back in Anaheim again in 2024!! Not only are we dedicated to helping the fans celebrate Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, we need to honor those musicians and industry executives who work so hard to bring us the music we love so much,” says Pat Gesualdo, President of the Metal Hall of Fame.
The ANNUAL METAL HALL OF FAME GALA Red Carpet Reception: 5:00PM Awards Ceremony / Performances: 8:00PM
2024 METAL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES:
EDDIE TRUNK MICK MARS (Special video induction) SEBASTIAN BACH (Inducted by Wendy Dio) TIM “RIPPER” OWENS (KK’s Priest, Solo Artist) CARLOS CAVAZO (Quiet Riot) PENELOPE SPHEERIS (Producer/Director: Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne’s World) CELOPATRA RECORDS MIKEAL MAGLIERI / WHISKY a Go Go BIOHAZARD
The Metal Hall of Fame is a non profit, volunteer organization dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making Hard Rock and Heavy Metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they continue to inspire fans throughout the world, from generation to generation.
100% of proceeds from Metal Hall of Fame events go to preserving Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Music for future generations, and also bring free music programs to help special needs children and wounded veterans in health facilities and community centers.
CEMETERY OF SCREAM is one of the leading pioneers of atmospheric doom metal in Poland. Formed in 1992, this band has so far recorded eight studio releases and played plenty of big and small concerts, all of which have always received favorable responses from audiences and music critics alike – both in Poland and abroad.
Cemetery of Scream in their works deal with issues such as the apocalypse, depression, melancholy or sadness. Their latest album “Oceans” was released November 3, 2023 by Sleaszy Rider Records and its concept musically combines the best elements of gothic and doom metal together. CD you can buy at Bandcamp and webstore as well as directly from the band.
Music was recorded at FPGS Studio in Cracow except drums which was recorded at Studio 67 in Cracow by Dominik Burzym (Mord’a’Stigmata, Horrorscope). All was engineered by Piotr Łabuzek. Mix and mastering was done by Jarosław Baran (Darzamat, Delight, Paradise Lost, Virgin Snatch). Cover artwork by DIA & Michał Zakrzewski.
New album is available at all majors streaming platforms:
1. Oceans 2. In the Blue 3. Along the Coast 4. Sunken Bells on Num-Yabisc 5. Aquarius 6. House of the Fading Sun 7. Time to Let You Go 8. Full of Stars 9. Opening of the Mouth 10. September Folk 11. I Shine 12. Final Experience 13. Everything Rhymes Goodnight
Line-up:
Katarzyna Rutkowska – keyboard Marcin Piwowarczyk – guitar Grzegorz Królik – bass Olaf Różański – vocals Paweł Gólarczyk – guitars Tomasz Rutkowski – drums & guitar
Additional Musicians Marta Mucha – vocals Piotr Łabuzek – synthesiser & sampling
US heavy metal band, SHADOW EMPIRE, featuring Milan Polak on vocals and guitars (Guns N’ Roses, Billy Sheehan, Marty Friedman) have released their debut album ‘SHADOWS‘, which is out now.
SHADOW EMPIRE have recently released a music video for the song ‘Into The Night‘, which can be viewed on YouTube here:
‘Into The Night‘ is the first song and the single off Shadows. It is the kickstarter for the album setting off the tone with a bang. Into The Night is about venturing off the path into the unknown, and going too far, finding yourself in a dark place, or “the night.”
Tracklist:
1. Into The Night 2. Shattered Pieces 3. Demon World 4. Asylum Of The Dead 5. Shadows 6. Level Zero 7. 33 8. Feeding The Ghost 9. Unholy One 10. Transylvania
SHADOW EMPIRE is a newly formed heavy metal band, created by guitarist and songwriter Mikey Rice. Strongly influenced by 90’s and 00’s metal. SHADOW EMPIRE came together to forge a metal album that brings the raw, classic metal energy, with a modern era shine.
SHADOW EMPIRE is:
Milan Polak – Vocals, Guitars, Co-Producer Mikey Rice – Guitars, Co-Producer Fred Kowalo – Bass Brian Rice – Drums
Milan Polak – throughout an impressive career spanning over 2 decades, vocalist, guitarist, & songwriter Milan Polak has played with members of Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper, Megadeth, Bumblefoot, Billy Sheehan, Paul Gilbert, and many more.
Mikey Rice is an upcoming guitarist/songwriter out of Baltimore, MD. With unique creativity and a clear vision, he wrote the music and lyrics on all 10 songs on Shadows.
Fred Kowalo is a world class guitar technician. Fred Kowalo has worked and toured with major bands such as Ozzy, Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, Shinedown, Limp Bizkit, Black Label Society, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and many more.
Brian Rice, older brother of Mikey, is an established drummer of over 20 years. With high technical skills and a mature feel for the instrument, Brian exceeds a high standard for playing drums and writing.
Shadows is a ten song heavy metal album, with crushing heavy riffs paired with melodic vocals, SHADOW EMPIRE has a unique blend of modern and classic heavy metal that creates a raw, powerful energy. Expect to hear influences of bands such as Slayer, Pantera, Slipknot, Lamb Of God, Alice In Chains, Iron Maiden and many more – used in an authentic way that creates SHADOW EMPIRE’s original sound.
The album Shadows concept is around mental heath battles, being in a dark place, and living through it. In hopes the album can resonate with people, if it can help someone feel less alone or get them through a hard day, that makes it all worth it for us. We welcome all new fans as apart of our Empire.
Italian blackened deathcore band DROWN IN SULPHUR have released a video for ‘Lotus’, third single taken from the new album ‘Dark Secrets of the Soul’ to be released on January 12th via Scarlet Records.
Perfectly balanced between modern, razor-sharp deathcore brutality & bone-chilling 90s black metal atmospheres, the new Drown In Sulphur album is a collection of violent and melodic dark songs that introduces the listener to an esoteric experience, touching the deepest and most controversial aspects of the human soul.
Sharing the stage with genre’s titans like Whitechapel, Carnifex, Rings Of Saturn, Aversion Crown and I Declare War gave Drown In Sulphur the opportunity to become a well-oiled live unit and further develop their own stylistic approach at the same time.
‘Dark Secrets of the Soul’ is an introspective journey in search of man’s spiritual elevation, taking as reference the image of the “vampire communion”, alternating anger, despair and rebellion and moving on to more fragile moments until the very final redemption.
produced, mixed and mastered by Filippo Rambelli; recorded by Filippo Rambelli and Alex Pedrotti
cover & artwork by Alvaro Valverde/Av Art Ilustracion (Unanimated, Wythersake, Night Crowned)
aesthetically inspired by the 90’s most famous vampire-themed books and movies
for fans of Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Septicflesh, Lorna Shore, Thy Art Is Murder, Type O Negative
DROWN IN SULPHUR: Chris Lombardo “Christ” – vocals, guitar Emanuele Corso “Dimitryux” – guitar Daniele Posillipo “Blacklight” – guitar Domenico Francesco Tamilia “Darth” – drums, backing vocals
Album cover photo by Jason Bridges – Single illustration by Troy Redfern
Invocation is the name of the exhilarating and highly anticipated brand-new 11-track album from slide guitar virtuoso Troy Redfern. The album, released by RED7 Records on Friday 17th May 2024, will be available in limited edition coloured vinyl, black vinyl, plus two different CD artwork designs. All formats are available to pre-order fromwww.troyredfern.com.
The third single from the album “The Strange” is released Thursday 4 January 2024 and is available to stream HERE.
“It’s a hell of a ride and, if it doesn’t get the adrenaline flowing, you may want to check your pulse.” – Sonic Abuse
“Troy at his rockiest yet, the pace leaving you breathless, as the sheer energy blows you away.” – Metal Planet Music
“Redfern mixes the spirit of T. Rex’s Get It On with dirty, ZZ Top-esque blues rock – all of it nicely roughened, like something cooked up in a shack in rural Texas…” – Classic Rock
“With a classic rock vibe, Redfern owns this blues-infused rocker with gritty vocals. A rockstar in the making, he burns up the fretboard with fiery slide guitar chops.” – Rock and Blues Muse
Says Troy, “The Strange is about the realisation that a relationship is falling apart in slow motion. Despite how difficult it may seem to break away, it’s about the sense that life is slipping by is an ever-present feeling.”
“The Strange” explodes with bold, powerful guitars and a slide guitar melody that suggests we’re not in Kansas anymore. This is blues rock, but not as we know it. Troy is known for taking his disparate array of influences and throwing them into his fiery musical furnace to forge something that is both authentic and unique. “The Strange” is no exception! Sure, there are elements of blues, glam, and hard rock but the result is a sound that is unmistakeably his own. Everything recorded is organic. No drum samples or studio trickery, just pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll.
Troy has proved time and time again that his cup of inspiration is not only full, but runneth over, writing and release albums at an unprecedented pace and judging by the strength of “The Strange” and the two previous singles “Getaway” and “The Fever,” the new album Invocation, promises to be his best yet.
Over the course of last two albums The Fire Cosmic (2021) and Wings of Salvation (2022) Troy found his true voice stylistically in terms of writing and playing, but with Invocation he created a collection of outstanding new songs that carves out his own identity as to who he really is an artist.
Troy head to the west Wales coast with his trusty 1929 National Triolian resonator guitar for a week of solitude in a remote Sheppard’s hut to sketch the initial song ideas for the new album.
“It was important for me to really clear my mind of all distractions so I could really focus on what I wanted to write on this album and the direction I wanted to take it in.” says Troy.
“I tried some unorthodox approaches to song writing that included meditation where I would imagine hearing a song in my mind, as complete as possible including visualising the performance live. Next, I would pick up the guitar and capture the idea on my phone. That way I wasn’t led by what I would usually do when I pick up the guitar. It was a very freeing, powerful experience, and a discipline that I’ll use again to write more songs in the future.
For the new album, Troy decided that he’d bring back the production team that worked on The Wings of Salvation. Dave Marks was brought back again for production duties, along with Jo Webb for mixing and mastering. Lee Russel’s Dulcitone Studios in Kettering was again the logical choice to record Paul Stewart’s (The Feeling) drum tracks as the converted chapel has the perfect ambience for huge sounding rock drums.
Due to the streamlined process that Troy and producer Dave Marks employed on the previous album, Invocation was written, recorded, and mixed in just under six weeks.
“It really was great to be able to realise and bring to fruition these songs as quickly as we did,” recalls Troy. “It kept the ideas fresh and stopped them from becoming overworked and tired.”
With ‘Invocation’ Troy explores fresh musical territory, from the heavy, bone crushing slide riffs and big sing along choruses on “Van Helsing” and “Getaway” to the evocative, wind-swept western landscapes of “The Native” and “Blind Me.” After three albums in three years Troy continues to expand his musical horizons and keep his creative fire burning.
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK THE STRANGE The opening tune on the record explodes with a soaring slide motif that conjures up elements of 70’s glam, blues but with a unique melodic spin. I wanted to make a bold musical statement with this song. I condensed a lot of ideas that I had for this one down to simple, memorable lines to make it as strong as I could. This song really is a melting pot of a lot of my influences from the past forged into something new.
GETAWAY This song is straight up rock ‘n’ roll. I’d just bought a 60’s Teisco guitar, I restrung it, plugged it in and this was the first riff that came out of it.’ Continues Troy ‘It’s strange how different instruments almost have songs in them, there to be revealed when the time is right. Getaway deals with themes of starting over, being reborn after going through the trials of life.
VAN HELSING The deceptively quiet resonator intro soon gives way to one of the biggest guitar riffs on the record. Van Helsing is a powerhouse of a song, dark and brooding until the chorus breaks through to reveal one of the biggest choruses on the album. With Van Helsing I wanted to explore a heavier, darker aspect of my writing. I’ve always loved the vibe of heavy riffs, and this certainly is that. To me the chorus is one of the strongest choruses that I’ve written, I worked hard on the harmonies to nail the vibe I was looking for.
THE CALLING I’ve always wanted to write a slow motion, epic kind of a tune. The Calling was a song that was born out of that desire. This song is about escaping the technological net we all live in, and to get out into the wilderness to reset and get perspective on what’s important in life.
NATIVE This track fades into a western post-apocalyptic western audio landscape, with tribal drums and tremolo guitar setting the scene. This song was another that seem to just fall out. I plugged in the ’62 Silvertone Jupiter guitar and started playing and the idea formed completely organically in the moment. It feels very special when that happens, and now that it’s been road tested, I know that audiences are picking up on the vibe of this track.’
THE FEVER This is a slide guitar blues barn-buster with subtle nuances of rock, glam and psychedelia. Lyrically, itdeals with themes of emancipation and breaking out. It’s Troy Redfern full-circle blues rock and roll! The Fever is about pushing back and breaking through all the obstacles when you’re feeling held down. It’s about feeling as if it’s you against the world. ALL NIGHT LONG Coming out of the gates hard and fast like a Dodge Charger, All Night Long combines hard rock ‘n’ roll with slide guitar fury! When I wrote this song, I always imagined it a set opener. It’s got power and edge, but also a big sing along chorus’ states Troy. ‘For this track I decided to my trusty Fender Strat which has a different texture to my other guitars, it gave the song a unique sound.
BLIND ME Blind Me is a song about the dark side of love. It’s about finding out things aren’t what they seemed, and the brutal reality of finding out the truth. This is the first time that I’ve strayed into ‘country’ territory, I usually like to leave it well alone, but again this song came to me with its style locked in. Once I’d recorded the initial idea, I knew what this song was asking to be.
VOODOO PRIESTESS A voodoo hellraiser of a blues boogie coated in Tiki/psychobilly paraphernalia. Voodoo Priestess is a tale of coming under the spell of a temptress who uses otherworldly powers to ensnare her victim. Resistance is futile, because as we know, the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
TAKE ME HIGH This straight ahead, upbeat rocker celebrates the power of the endorphin rush of new love. Muscular slide riffs syncopate the verses adding to the intensity of the delivery but also contrasting the uplifting openness of the chorus. The verse on this song came first, initially as a nod to Bo Diddley, but soon morphed into its own thing. I’d had the chorus melody floating around for some time and it seemed just to snap into place with this one.
THE LAST STAND The closing tracking track on the album was originally written to a drum loop to create a hypnotic groove which is re-enforced by the repeating guitar line played on the ’64 Teisco guitar. The song deals in themes of revenge and vengeance and plays out like an old western movie. There’s a slightly mysterious vibe on this track, a sense of uneasiness which is echoed in the eastern style slide solo.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Dave Marks at Two Wolves Studios Mixed and mastered by Jo Webb at XXX Studios Drums recorded at Dulcitone Studios by Lee Russel
Troy Redfern – Vocals/Guitars Dave Marks – Bass, Keys, Percussion Paul Stewart – Drums
Nova Scotian rock band DALI VAN GOGH pays heartfelt homage to the legendary Myles Goodwyn with a heartfelt rendition of the timeless April Wine classic, “Roller.” The band’s musical tribute stands as a testament to Goodwyn’s enduring legacy and the profound influence he had on the Canadian music landscape.
In a gesture of shared compassion, Dali Van Gogh invites friends, fans, and the wider community to join them in supporting a cause that holds personal significance to Goodwyn family—Juvenile Diabetes Research. Encouraging donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the band hopes to amplify awareness for juvenile diabetes and contribute to ongoing efforts to find a cure.
To contribute to this cause or for more information, please visit the JDRF website – www.jdrf.ca.
The video, which includes biographical information about the late Goodwyn, is available below:
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
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 