It was one of the most unique and sought-after concert experiences in MEGADETH fandom – an intimate, scaled-down performance featuring Dave Mustaine & Co. on acoustic guitars stripping down their heavy metal anthems to their primal elements. These special engagements became the stuff of legend over the years and recordings of these performances were made available exclusively through the Megadeth fanclub. But now, the band have partnered with Los Angeles-based indie label Cleopatra Records to make this experience open to all with the first-ever commercial release of Unplugged In Boston, a spectacular acoustic concert recorded in 2001.
Coming just on the heels of the band’s stylishly aggressive album The World Needs A Hero, the set list kicks off with one of that album’s best tracks, the turbulent “Dread And The Fugitive Mind” before launching into a string of older favorites including several from the 1997 album Cryptic Writings as well as an excerpt from “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due.” But Mustaine & gang save the best for last, closing the show with a superb one-two punch of “Moto Psycho,” Hero’s highest charting single, and the unforgettable “Symphony Of Destruction,” Megadeth’s mainstream breakthrough that still manages to get the audience’s blood pumping! All in all, it’s an extraordinary concert that Megadeth fans will not want to miss!
Unplugged In Boston will be available on digital as well as digipak CD and vinyl in an array of color options to choose from.
Legendary Producer Max Norman and Coney Hatch Bassist Andy Curran recently were interviewed live on The Metal Voiceon Part 2 of a continuous Max Norman producer series.
Topics of conversation included Max Norman’s production work on: Coney Hatch Albums, Outa Hand and Friction; Megadeth Rust in Peace (Engineer), Countdown to Extinction and Youthanasia; Loudness Thunder in the East, Lightning Strikes, Soldier of Fortune.
In the interview Max Norman also made a statement in regards to David Ellefson’s recent dismissal by Megadeth. And Andy Curran mentions the upcoming Triumph 40 year anniversary box set of ‘Allied Forces’ that he put together.
Some highlights in the interview
On recording of the solos for Countdown to Extinction and who should play them “This is the responsibility of the producer, it is to maximize what you get. When I did ‘Countdown To Extinction’ I realized that Marty Friedman was such a great soloist so basically I said to Dave ( Mustaine) Marty should be doing pretty much all the solos, Dave (Mustaine) can do a few but Marty should do pretty much all the solos. When you are making a product at the end of the day you want to make it as good as possible. ” Max Norman
Statement in regards to David Ellefson recent incident on parting ways with Megadeth “My girlfriend sent me a link to the video I had no idea and I didn’t know what it was but I can’t unsee it now, that is the problem. I feel sorry for David (Ellefson), he made a mistake, it was a silly thing to do, I feel sorry for him. I also have kind of mixed feelings about this. I understand Mustaine removing him from the band. The one thing that Dave Mustaine will not tolerate is being made fun of because of his upbringing I guess and because of the way he is. I think (Mustaine) thought about this and thought about it. It’s a brand he has to protect. I don’t know this for a fact (just assuming) he was probably thinking I can’t go out on stage with this guy because everybody is going to be pointing at him (making a hand gesture). So I can’t really blame Mustaine but I see both sides of the story. I certainly don’t think that David Ellefson is a pedophile; he is probably guilty of what 90% of the other musicians out there have done at one stage or another. It feels a little weird because he is a pastor and there is this religious thing there as well. I see both sides and I don’t want to be judgmental about it. I feel sorry for David cause it’s going to affect his whole life and he has a whole lot of other stuff going on and it’s going to affect that stuff too, the guy is going to go through a real hard time. The only other thing I would like to say is if David (Ellefson) sees this maybe he will do this. I do think that he (Ellefson) should apologize publicly to his wife and his family for the embarrassment and maybe to Megadeth too I don’t know. But like I said I am not going to judge it. It is very unfortunate and kind of sad. Who knows the whole story, no one knows.” Max Norman
The origins about the Loudness album title Thunder in the East “I distinctly remember at the end of recording the album Friction (Coney Hatch), Max Said to us, so lads what are you going to call the record and I had pages and pages of titles and I was bouncing them off Max. And because we were from Eastern Canada I said what do you think about ‘Thunder in the East’ and Max said can I have that for Loudness? I was like absolutely you can. ” Andy Curran
“I have a totally different recollection of getting that title but Andy Curran might be right? I do remember flying back from Tokyo to New York and I was looking at a newspaper in the racing section because I was bored and I found out there were lots of really good names of horses. I thought this is a good source of album names and I remember seeing ‘Thunder in the East’ as one of the names of one of the horses. That’s my recollection.” Max Norman
Metal Injection has posted the performance video of MEGADETH + CARCASS + TESTAMENT + ABYSMAL DAWN members covering ENTOMBED A.D.‘s “Living Dead”, feat. Steve Di Giorgio, Dirk Verbeuren, Tom Draper and Charles Elliot, taken from Slay At Home – November edition. Powered by Blacklight Media Records Blacklight Media Records in support of Animal Welfare Institute. (Donate: https://awionline.org)
Watch the video here:
Steve stated: “Check out this Entombed A.D. cover jam!!! It was part of the Metal Injection – Slay At Home show. Really cool to jam together with these guys and cover some old school death metal. Entombed was a big influence on me in the early days; the 1st album as well as the Nihilist demo. You can hear that influence in some of the stuff I wrote on Sadus – Swallowed In Black. You probably know by now, the singer of Entombed A.D., Lars Petrov is not doing very well. He’s still in the hospital in Stockholm doing chemotherapy for a brutal cancer. I want to dedicate this video and my performance to LG. One of the nicest guys, and a funny dude. Hoping this tribute can shine a tiny light in a dark place. SDG🤘🏻”
Please Note, STEVE DI GIORGIO is available for studio sessions as well as session bassist for tours. For further information, please contact Alpha Omega Management.
The fretless guru, STEVE DI GIORGIO doesn’t need any longer introductions, as he is widely renowned as a pioneer on the fretless bass in heavy metal music, being the bassist of TESTAMENT, DEATH and SADUS, among others. Within his genre, STEVE DI GIORGIO is respected for his playing skills, versatility and incredible technique. He has more than 40 studio album recordings and over 20 years of touring the world.
Watch Steve Di Giorgio LowDown: Bass Playthrough | Terra Odium – Crawling:
Mission Two Entertainment is thrilled to announce the signing of BRAVE THE COLD to its already powerful lineage of artists. Fronted by longtime Napalm Death member Mitch Harris and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren, BRAVE THE COLD is a two-piece formed in 2018 as the two metal conglomerates focus their energies into a new level of aggression. The culmination is Scarcity, an eleven track collection of ferociousness breathing much-needed life into the heavy metal scene of 2020. Produced by the legendary Logan Mader (Machine Head, Soulfly), Scarcity is set for release on October 2nd, 2020.
Harris adds, “Mission Two Entertainment progressed to their next phase in the music world and they have been the most inspiring team I’ve ever worked with! They truly believe with heart and soul to push this to the highest level possible as we forge ahead in our forever altered civilization.”
BRAVE THE COLD’s glitchy, byzantine death metal doesn’t just shift gears – it whips, stutters and jumps sideways into heavyweight dimensions. The entire Scarcity theme is a well-researched, scenic debate combining Dystopian views ranging from Anti-Elite, Anti-Media, Anti-Division, Anti-Oppression, End of Days Philosophies, Post-Apocalyptic Poetry, Mind Control, Economic Instability, Educational Infiltration and Global Political Deceit that compromises our spirituality of ONE COLLECTIVE VOICE. This is a global agenda that was a long time coming. It’s a reflection on how government can create urgency out of necessity.
To celebrate what would have been the start of one of the most highly anticipated tours of the year, showcasing four of the world’s very best metal bands, The Metal Tour Of The Year will be broadcasting a mammoth streaming event this Friday, June 12th beginning at 2pm PST/5pm EST/10pm BST/11pm CEST. The stream will behosted by SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin and will feature full sets from MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD,TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES along with an exclusive interview with each band prior to the broadcast of their set.
MEGADETH will be streaming their 2016 secret show from St Vitus in Brooklyn.
LAMB OF GOD will be streaming their surprise show from House Of Vans in Chicago from February this year.
TRIVIUM will be streaming their 2019 performance from DreamHack Dallas.
IN FLAMES will be streaming their 2019 headline set from their own festival Borgholm Brinner in Sweden.
In addition to the concert streams and exclusive interviews, The Metal Tour Of The Year will also launch a brand new merch store featuring new, exclusive tour items that will only be available for 72 hours. A portion of the proceeds from the merch store will go to Crew Nation, Live Nation’s fund to help support live music crews who have been directly impacted as shows are put on pause due to COVID-19.
The Metal Tour of The Year is also partnering with Spotify and taking over the Kickass Metal playlist beginning on June 12th. Listen to the playlist, exclusively on Spotify, to hear multiple songs from each band plus more of the biggest metal tracks of the moment. Visit each of the bands profiles on Spotify to donate to MusiCares’ COVID-19 Relief Fund which aids the music community during this crisis.
Be sure to tune into http://www.MetalTourOfTheYear.com on Friday June 12th to catch all four performances, exclusive interviews and to get your hands on some limited edition tour merch.
The Metal Tour Of The Year, co-headlined by MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD with TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES, was due to kick off the summer leg of it’s gargantuan, 55-city tour on June 12th in Bristow, VA before being postponed to 2021.The fall leg the trek is currently scheduled to start on October 2nd in West Palm Beach, FL. For full information, head to MetalTourOfTheYear.com
Saturday May 30th, the David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation, the nonprofit charity started by GRAMMY-winning Megadeth co-founder and bassist David Ellefson, in partnership with the GRAMMY Music Education Coalition, is proud to present THE DECADE THAT ROCKED, the third offering in their “OH SAY CAN YOU STREAM” livestream series. Once again, hosted by Ellefson and his partner, co-author, and solo band vocalist, Thom Hazaert, with legendary music photographer Mark “Weissguy” Weiss, THE DECADE THAT ROCKED will be a loving nod to all things Metal and Hard Rock, a decadent celebration of Weiss’ upcoming book, THE DECADE THAT ROCKED: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF MARK “WEISSGUY” WEISS, available June 2nd from Insight Editions.
Weighing in at a hefty 6.1 lbs (and featuring a foreword by the “Metal God” himself Rob Halford), THE DECADE THAT ROCKED features almost 400 pages of Weiss’ iconic images, with over 700 photographs of legendary artists including Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Megadeth, Twisted Sister, Joan Jett, Van Halen, Aerosmith, KISS, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, and many more.
As one of the driving artistic forces of the 80’s, and one of its most notable “go-to” music photographers, Weiss’ resume reads like a who’s who of platinum 80’s Hard Rock, celebrated for his photographic work and creative direction on iconic covers and imaging elements for artists including Bon Jovi, Dokken, Twisted Sister, Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, Skid Row, Raven, W.A.S.P., and more. Mark’s work has endured through subsequent decades as well, including work for Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Osbourne, and exhibitions in the Hard Rock in Vegas and the GRAMMY Museum.
In the spirit of Weiss’ book, we present THE DECADE THAT ROCKED, featuring a studded-leather dais worthy of the Weissguy himself, including Zakk Wylde, Anthrax’s Scott Ian and Charlie Benante, Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Marc Storace (Krokus), Mark Slaughter, JJ French (Twisted Sister), Don Dokken, Taime Downe (Faster Pussycat), Roxy Petrucci (Vixen, Madam X), Dean Davidson (Britny Fox, Blackeyed Susan), PJ Farley (Trixter), Steve Whiteman (KIX), Jack Russell (Great White), Bruce Kulick (KISS), and many more.
With the first two events, “Oh Say Can You Stream” and “The Make-Up Test,” attracting over half a million viewers, across social media and streaming platforms, and TV and Radio simulcast, and a laundry list of some of the most notable rockers of the 80s (and today), THE DECADE THAT ROCKED is sure to live up to its name. The David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation (DEYMF) has also set up an eBay auction in connection with the event, with auctions running all week including signed Mark Weiss prints, a collection of Ellefson’s stage-used clothing and gear, and other donated items. You can find the listings at: https://www.ebay.com/usr/ellefsonyouthmusicfoundation
Says co-host Hazaert, “The first two OH SAY CAN YOU STREAM events were a phenomenal success, really beyond our wildest imaginations, and we were so thrilled with the outpouring of support and excitement that came with it. Since then, David and I have livestreamed several times a week, just, if anything, to try and keep people entertained, and aside from raising awareness, and funds, for the Ellefson Youth Music Foundation, and all of our work there, that’s really what these events are about. And I think, as far as entertainment goes, we are definitely going to outdo ourselves this time around.
“Of course our mission of spreading music and music education is on the agenda, as well as having options for people who want to donate and support the foundation, with some amazing prints and items generously donated by Mark, and some of our other friends, and a ton of David’s stage-worn clothing, and gear, that we will auction off to benefit the DEYMF. Not only is it another chance to spread the word of the foundation, but a celebration of our friend Mark, and his incredible book. There is something so over-the-top iconic about the 80’s, and all the amazing Rock and Metal music that came from it. Personally, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a decade that rocked harder. And we’re truly honored to have many of the guys who made it rock so hard joining us on Saturday.”
Ellefson adds, “We’re so appreciative for all the support from our friends on the first two OH SAY CAN YOU STREAM events, Alice Cooper, Dee Snider, our partners at Cisco, Jackson Guitars, Hartke, Samson, Shure, Peterson Tuners, of course the GRAMMY Music Education Coalition and so many more of our amazing friends who joined, and supported us. It’s always a great time when you can get that many friends together, all with a common goal and purpose. Not only has it given us an incredible platform to support and inspire kids around the World through music, but to bring people together in a time when I think we all so desperately need it.
“And we will continue that with THE DECADE THAT ROCKED, not only paying homage to Mark, his incomparable career, and the incredible book that it has now inspired, but to the decade that spawned not only Megadeth, but, really, all of our contemporaries. And it’s really an amazing event to be able to get so many of us together to talk about it.”
The David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation is an affiliate of the GRAMMY Music Education Coalition, a collaborative movement whose goal is ensuring all students in public schools across America have music education. Lee Whitmore, the Coalition’s executive director, shared, “Our Coalition of supporters of public music education numbers more than 70 organizations, and the David Ellefson Youth Music Foundation joined us early on. David’s enduring support for what music does in students’ lives is unwavering. Oh Say Can You Stream has an amazing lineup. It will be awe-inspiring, supporting kids, music education, and helping provide COVID-19 relief in our communities.”
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 ) 