HAMMERFALL Joined by King Diamond on Powerful New Track ‘Venerate Me’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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[Photo Credit: Tallee Savage]

Today, Swedish Saviours of Heavy Metal HAMMERFALL have released a second single, “Venerate Me”, featuring a special guest appearance by none other than the legendary King Diamond, alongside a new visualizer! The track is cut from their twelfth studio album, Hammer of Dawn, set for release on February 25, 2022 via Napalm Records. 
 
“Venerate Me” continues to clearly show that HAMMERFALL is in top shape by delivering what Rock It! Magazine calls, “their strongest songs in years”. Expectedly, singer Joacim Cans doesn’t fail to leave a mark with his gripping vibrato and ever-powerful vocal projection that – in combination with strong guitar work and on-point drumming – make “Venerate Me” an outstanding yet trademark HAMMERFALL hymn!
 
Founding member and guitarist Oscar Dronjak on “Venerate Me”:
“The second single is here, and I’m very, very proud of it! The music was written during the darkest, most uninspiring days of the pandemic and still came out as one of the strongest on the whole album. Joacim’s fantastic lyric idea makes this track really stand out, and the special guest appearance towards the end really pushes it over the edge!”
 
Singer Joacim Cans adds:
“The song is over loaded with enchanting melodies and a very catchy chorus. Lyrically one of my greatest efforts dealing with the fact that we die twice! 
First when we take our last breath and second when someone says your name for the last time. Say my name and I will never die!”

“Venerate Me” marks a special anniversary – Oscar Dronjak’s 50th birthday! HAMMERFALL’s guitarist has dedicated most of his 50 years to the metal scene, starting as a teenage guitarist in death metal bands and emerging as one of the most known guitarists in the world of heavy metal today with his trademark sound and legendary hammer guitar. After the title track, “Hammer of Dawn”, “Venerate Me” is the second single taken from the new album. 
 
As one of the main forces in heavy metal, HAMMERFALL have dominated not only the Swedish album charts, but album charts across Europe throughout their extensive career, while earning gold status thrice. HAMMERFALL’s previous album, Dominion, charted at #4 in Germany, #2 in Switzerland as well as #2 in Sweden. Faced with the daunting task of following up to Dominion, an album that fans and critics hailed as one of the bands strongest releases, HAMMERFALL collectively met the challenge head-on and have delivered what many early listeners are predicting as the best metal album of 2022 and a high point of the band’s catalogue.

Get your copy of Hammer of Dawn NOW

[Artwork by: Samwise Didier]

HAMMERFALL live

Fans can already look forward to seeing Hammer of Dawn live, as in 2022, HAMMERFALL will go on an extensive co-headlining tour through Europe, together with German metal stars Helloween.

UNITED FORCES TOUR 2022
25.03.22 NO – Oslo / Sentrum Scene
26.03.22 SE – Gothenburg / Partille Arena  
28.03.22 FI – Helsinki / Black Box
29.03.22 EE – Talinn / Noblessneri Valukoda 
01.04.22 DE – Bamberg / Brose Arena
02.04.22 DE – Hamburg / Sporthalle
03.04.22 DE – Berlin / Verti Music Hall
04.04.22 DE – Regensburg / Donau Arena  
08.04.22 ES – Madrid / Wizink Center
09.04.22 ES – Barcelona / St. Jordi Club
11.04.22 IT – Milan / Lorenzini District
12.04.22 DE – Kempten / Black Box
13.04.22 CH – Zürich / Samsung Hall
15.04.22 LU – Luxemburg / Rockhal
16.04.22 NL – Tilburg / 013
18.04.22 PL – Katovice / MCK
20.04.22 BG – Sofia / Arena Armeec
22.04.22 AT – Vienna / Gasometer
23.04.22 CZ – Prague  / O2
24.04.22 SK – Zvolen / Ice Stadium
26.04.22 HU – Budapest / Papp Laszlo Sportarena
29.04.22 DE – Bochum / Ruhrcongress
30.04.22 DE – Stuttgart / Schleyerhalle
01.05.22 DE – Frankfurt / Jahrhunderthalle
04.05.22 UK – Manchester / Manchester Academy
05.05.22 UK – London / Brixton Academy

DEE SNIDER Salutes LESLIE WEST

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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Photo by Justin Borucki

Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group present ‘Theme For An Imaginary Western’ in front of March 25th release of LEGACY: A TRIBUTE TO LESLIE WEST, featuring performances from TWISTED SISTER’s Dee Snider on vocals, Eddie Ojeda on guitar, Mike Portnoy on drums and Rudy Sarzo on bass.

Snider was a dear friend of Leslie West for decades, and shares, “Leslie was a hero, friend, amazing guy and a guitar god.  I always wanted to sing this song. It’s my favorite Leslie West guitar solo. It resonates with me, and speaks to me on so many levels. I’m honored to have gotten a chance to do it on this record.”

Watch the video below.

When Leslie West passed away in December of 2020, he left behind a towering legacy of epic recordings that few rock guitarists can match. But there was more to West than great songs (although, to be sure, he created a ton of them); there was his brilliant, idiosyncratic sound, a gargantuan earth-mover that razed arenas and stadiums across the globe. More than just paralyzing tone, though, he also had a touch nobody could beat. Stinging, swooning and sensual melodies leapt from his fingertips – with a deft flick of his wrist, he sounded like a Delta bluesman had picked up a violin. These elements and more helped to make West one of the most significant, influential and irreplaceable guitarists of the rock era.

Friends, and many whom were influenced by the loved West, have contributed to this special release.  Amongst those who performed are Dee Snider and Twisted Sister bandmate Eddie Ojeda, Robby Krieger, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy and Tal Bachman, Jethro Tull’s Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, The Cars’ Elliot Easton, George Lynch, Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Dirty Honey’s Mark Labelle, Mike Portnoy, and West’s band members Bobby Rondinelli and Rev Jones. The release will be available on LP and CD, digitally, and as a web shop exclusive limited LP variation manufactured with digital. The pre-order is live here: www.smarturl.it/LeslieWestMLG.

“We were so blessed to be working with home-run hitters on each song,” says Bob Ringe, “but each one underscores the fact that Leslie is the true MVP. This record really shows that his work stands the test of time. When I listen to the album, it makes me look up to the sky, and I can just see that big mountain of a man, Leslie West, with a smile on his face going, ‘This makes me feel good.’”

For her part, Jenni West sums the album up thusly: “Nobody in this world has ever made me feel loved as much as Leslie, and I feel so honored and grateful that I could give him this gift.” She laughs. “He would often say, ‘If it doesn’t make my balls rumble, it’s not right.’ And I think there’s some balls-rumbling tones on this record! When you’re listening to it, you might even think it’s Leslie playing – and that’s a good thing. He really believed that adage of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.  Even when some of the players do their own twists on the music, they’re still doing it in a way that’s authentic and respectful, and Leslie would have appreciated that.”

Track list
Blood of the Sun (feat. Zakk Wylde)
Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin) (feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Marty Friedman)
Theme for an Imaginary Western (feat. Dee Snider, Mike Portnoy)
For Yasgur’s Farm (feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Martin Barre)
Why Dontcha (feat. Steve Morse, Ronnie Romero)
Sittin’ On a Rainbow (feat. Elliot Easton, Ronnie Romero)
Never in My Life (feat. Dee Snider, George Lynch)
The Doctor (feat. Robby Krieger, Ronnie Romero)
Silver Paper (feat. Charlie Starr)
Money (Whatcha Gonna Do)/By the River – medley (feat. Randy Bachman & Tal Bachman)
Long Red (feat. Yngwie Malmsteen & Teddy Rondinelli)
Mississippi Queen (feat. Slash, Marc Labelle)

MIKKEY DEE Joins as Special Guest Drummer on MAD INVASION’s Next Album

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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Swedish band MAD INVASION combines classic 70’s/80’s hard rock influences with a modern approach and soundscape. The vast experience of the band members as musicians, songwriters and performing artists − includes numerous album releases and tours over the years.

MIKKEY DEE will be special guest drummer on the next MAD INVASION album – already in production and set for release this Summer. The drums are currently being recorded and the first single and video from the new album will be released in March 2022. The album will be a full concept album, taking the theme of good vs evil to the next level by exploring the deeper layers of darkness even further while continuing to fight the ’good fight’. The working title of the album is ’Crack In the Sky’. Stay tuned for more information on the progress of the album. 

Check out the latest videos from their current album ’Edge Of The World’, three of which feature Mikkey Dee as special guest.

Edge Of The World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PfB6Lrslz4
Crazy And Wild: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy27VkTdvvA
Devil’s Calling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgsifejy7zk
Walking In The Shadows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dIT7M5RUsU&t=50s

MEIN KOPF IST EIN BRUTALER ORT Release New Studio Album “Ton Steine Sterben” on April 22th

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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MEIN KOPF IST EIN BRUTALER ORT present “Ton Steine Sterben”, their first studio album in collaboration with Metalville Records (release 22.04.).

The prophecy of a world heading for an inevitable collapse seems to come true. Much of what seems mundane to everyone no longer works. And although the neck still seems strong – after all, one has worn the crown of creation long enough – it is difficult to face the challenges with one’s head held high. In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, the six musicians from Frankfurt put their finger on the wound with “Ton Steine Sterben” and give things a name. What is still real, what is fiction – the boundaries become blurred.

The songs try to find a lighthouse in the fog of half-truths, in a world that is changing faster and faster and at the same time stands still.

With their third album, the band consolidates its reputation as the German Lamb of God, and has enlisted prominent support in the form of Tue Madsen at the controls. Compared to the previous albums, the result is even harder and more refined and manages to capture the power of their live performance.

MEIN KOPF IST EIN BRUTALER ORT directs one eye on the world and one inwards. The gaze is watchful, the voice strong, the message clear: The world is changing and we are here!

TRACK LISTING
In Wahrheit
Ton Steine Sterben
Die gute Tat
Leuchtturm
Du
Männer in Booten
Schachmatt
Glückseligkeit
Es bricht der Stolz
Affentanz
Selbstzerstörer
Unzusammenhangslos
Zahltag ́21 (feat. Mr. Kew)

LINE UP
Patrick Schuch (vocals)
Anthony Fay (guitar)
Christian Schmidt (vocals)
Jonathan Mehlhart (drums)
Ralf Zimmermann (guitar)
Jürgen Hetz (bass)

RISE OF KRONOS Release “Council Of Prediction” Album on 25 March

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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The new album by Hamburg death metallers RISE OF KRONOS, who after their renaming (formerly Surface) have fully dedicated themselves to Greek mythology, “Council Of Prediction” will be released on 25 March via MDD Records!

The album contains 10 tracks with a playing time of just under 38 minutes, whereby three of the songs were additionally realised with guest musicians. On “Cycles”, “Boiled Alive” and “Divine Betrayel”, Britta Goertz (Hiraes), Thomas Gurrath (Debauchery) and Lukas Swiaczny (Stillbirth) do the honours and round off the longplayer with their performances.

Council Of Prediction was produced at Hamburg’s Chameleon Studios under the direction of Eike Freese and Denny Meißner and will be released as CD Jewelcase, limited DigiPak Boxset and Vinyl. More info soon!

EVIL INVADERS Announce New Album + Reveal New Single + Video ‘In Deepest Black’

Posted by tarjavirmakari on January 20, 2022
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[Photo Credit: Tim Tronckoe]

Belgian extreme heavy metal frontrunners EVIL INVADERS are back and ready to unleash their third album, Shattering Reflection, with full force on April 1, 2022 via Napalm Records! 

With nearly five years having passed since the band’s last release, rest assured – Shattering Reflection is absolutely worth the wait. EVIL INVADERS deliver a brand-new collection of dynamic, classically inspired but undeniably fresh tracks, focusing on strong choruses, gripping lyrics and even progressive touches that will grab every extreme heavy metal fan by the throat and have them screaming for more! Standing out amid their modern contemporaries, EVIL INVADERS aren’t here to look backward – they practically ooze extreme and thrash/speed metal precision from their very pores, delivering an authentic amalgamation of fresh songs that fast track the genre into the future. 

As a first glimpse of what can be expected, EVIL INVADERS have unveiled the addictive mid-tempo crusher “In Deepest Black”, delivering dramatic, melodic guitar lines topped by a catchy chorus that will never leave the listener’s head! Check out the new track today alongside a chilling music video chock full of instant replay-worthy throwback metal vibes.

Joe (vocalist & guitarist) about “In Deepest Black”:
“‘In Deepest Black’ is definitely one of the best songs we’ve written so far. Despite the fact that it’s something completely different from what we’ve done in the past, it feels very natural to play this song. I’ve always wanted to release some kind of ‘heavy Evil Invaders ballad’ and I think we finally nailed it with this one!”

EVIL INVADERS’s Shattering Reflection promises to be a game-changer for the Belgian four-piece, as the band finds their own formula – twisting heavy metal into yet another extreme direction. The album takes off with speeding banger “Hissing in Crescendo”, followed by the epic anthem “Die For Me”, already destined to become an EVIL INVADERS all-time classic. A calmer side is explored on tracks like mid-tempo opus “Forgotten Memories”, creating a dense, heavy wall of sound with equally piercing vocals and lyrics underlined by guitar solo virtuosity. That thrilling epos stands in line with “In Deepest Black”, further showcasing how the band has managed to craft a pure classic heavy metal anthem with melodic guitar lines and catchy choruses, creeping relentlessly into the listener’s head. It also proves that frontman Joe has undoubtedly matured vocally, as his voice enters a whole new dimension in all facets. On the contrary, “Sledgehammer Justice” is a furious outburst of classic thrash/speed metal in which the Belgian quartet goes full throttle with hammering rhythms and guitar solo madness! Another album highlight is dark opus “The Circle”, creating a horrifying atmosphere with stomping drums and excellent guitar lines. Fans of King Diamond will definitely dig this one! Throughout the album, the band manages to keep the balance between fast extreme heavy metal with sharp shredding and mosh-worthy tracks, as well as melodic, intense and chorus-oriented mid-tempo anthems. 

Shattering Reflection is a monster of an album that indisputably proves that, within in a new generation of metal bands, EVIL INVADERS have developed and matured record after record, just like classic metal bands of yore. Fans will instantly clamor to hear Shattering Reflection in full, and see these sinister tracks performed live on stage!

Joe (vocalist & guitarist) on Shattering Reflection:
“I’m very satisfied with what we achieved on Shattering Reflection. We’ve created a very versatile and surprising album. Because it had been so long since we’ve released anything new, we had a lot of demo material to choose from and I think that’s what made this record so interesting. We had the time to experiment with the songwriting, arrangements and vocal lines. Also the collaboration with Francesco Paoli as a producer was really cool. We managed to truly give the songs a unique vibe.
It feels like we’re at the start of a new chapter for the band and I’m excited to hear people’s reactions to the new stuff! It was a long and heavy process but it was totally worth it!”

Pre-Order Shattering Reflection NOW

Shattering Reflection tracklist:
1. Hissing In Crescendo
2. Die For Me
3. In Deepest Black
4. Sledgehammer Justice
5. Forgotten Memories
6. Realm of Shadows
7. Eternal Darkness
8. My World
9. Aeon
10. The Circle