7 sinners
ReVamp on Metal Female Voices Fest 2010
Tonight ReVamp will perform a very unique show with special guest Simone Simons (Epica) and another surprise! Next week ReVamp join's Epica one more time in France and in Italy.
Missed their shows? check out the tour dates for more shows and hopefuly we can rock together soon!!!
First album:
First album 'REVAMP' is out NOW on Nuclear Blast! The golden voice of The Netherlands is back with a varried, catchy and heavy album which won't disappoint any metal fan! The album features 3 guest appearances: Russell Allen (Symphony X), Bjorn 'Speed' Strid (Soilwork) and George Oosthoek (ex-Orphanage).
Available in jewelcase and special edition digi-pack (with bonustrack!)
 |
FIREWIND/OZZY OSBOURNE Guitarist Interviewed On 'Metalheadz'
Peter Bailey of the "Metalheadz" radio show recently conducted an interview with OZZY OSBOURNE/FIREWIND guitarist Gus G. You can now listen to the chat.
"Days Of Defiance", the new album from FIREWIND, will be released in Japan on October 18 through Avalon/Marquee. The Japanese edition of the CD will contain two bonus tracks — "Halcyon Days" and a cover of the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law".
FIREWIND's version of "Breaking The Law" originally appeared on volume 1 of the "Metal Forge" series by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, which saw nine bands covering the nine tracks on PRIEST's "British Steel" album to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
"Days Of Defiance" is scheduled for release in North America on October 26 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD's striking cover artwork was designed by the band's longtime partner in all design matters, Gustavo Sazes, and can be viewed below.
"Days of Defiance" track listing
01. The Ark Of Lies
02. World On Fire
03. Chariot
04. Embrace The Sun
05. The Departure
06. Heading For The Dawn
07. Broken
08. Cold As Ice
09. Kill In The Name Of Love
10. SKG
11. Losing Faith
12. The Yearning
13. When All Is Said And Done
14. Riding On The Wind (iTunes exclusive)
"Days Of Defiance" is described in a press release as "a truly ambitious and dynamic opus featuring some of the most brilliant guitar playing the genre has seen in many years."
The "World On Fire" single was made available for purchase on digital platforms starting on August 17. The video for the track was once again directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among many others. Ullaeus oversaw all of FIREWIND's visuals on the band's last two albums.
FIREWIND's 2010 lineup:
Michael Ehre - Drums
Petros Christo - Bass
Apollo Papathanasio - Vocals
Gus G. - Guitar
Bob Katsionis - Keyboards
Blabbermouth.net
RHAPSODY OF FIRE-New release
Today is the release of »The Cold Embrace Of Fear– A Dark Romantic Symphony« from the italian gods
RHAPSODY OF FIRE.
RHAPSODY OF FIRE.
„For this special CD we composed a unique song of around 35 minutes divided in 7 „acts“. Looking at the title you can easily imagine that such long and epic song will show the most cinematic and orchestral side of our band, all our passion for the world of cinema we love so much and that always represented our main influence while composing the RHAPSODY’s music“, says Luca Turilli and adds: „Essentially it is a long huge song, sounding very symphonic, full of orchestral sections very soundtrack oriented, narrations and spoken parts. More than in other cases we tried to create a real movie atmosphere with very dynamic musical results, also thanks to the help of the English actors that gave voice to different charachters. You will just need to close your eyes and explore those new emotional dimensions we wrote the music for.“.
Also the reactions of medias are overwhelming:
„The Cold Embrace Of Fear« is a diamond in notes“
ROCK IT, Germany
„The Gods of Hollywood Metal are back“
ROCK HARD, Germany
„Theatralic melodic Speed metal… this is cinema for the ears“
METAL HAMMER, Germany
„Majestic, noble and magnificent. A visually stunning storm in seven acts“
POWERMETAL.DE, Germany
Yngwie returns with "Relentless"!
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN RETURNS WITH KILLER NEW 'RELENTLESS' ALBUM, RECENTLY SELECTED AS ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S "TOP TEN GREATEST ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYERS OF ALL TIME
"Shred guitar" and "neo classical metal" are two phrases that have been commonplace in the world of heavy metal for decades by this point, but both can be attributed to the unmistakable work by Yngwie Malmsteen.
Ever since the early 1980's, Yngwie has been pushing the limits of guitar, and influencing countless other players in the process. And he continues to impress to this day, as evidenced by his forthcoming album, 'Relentless,' the highly anticipated follow-up to 2008's critically acclaimed 'Perpetual Flame' (Yngwie's first album for Rising Force Records).
The album is the second to feature ex-Judas Priest and Iced Earth singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, and features over 60 minutes of incredibly complex, kick ass arrangements.
"This title truly is the right one for this album, explains Yngwie. "I mean, after all these years, some kind of force is driving me to create something that totally surpasses everything I've done before. I tried to capture the raw energy of a live performance, yet push myself to the most demanding level of playing and composing to harness that elusive magic that can't just be switched on. All the way out, caution to the wind, but disciplined performances was what I went for. Maybe I did it too, check it out!"
Confirmed song titles for 'Relentless' include "Relentless," "Look At You Now," "Shot Across the Bow," "Adagio B Minor Variation," "Caged Animal," "Critical Mass," "Into Valhalla," "Enemy Within," and "Caprici Di Inferno."
Bursting onto the scene with such classic releases as 1984's 'Rising Force,' 1985's 'Marching Out,' and 1986's 'Trilogy,' Yngwie instantly made a name for himself, by recreating the spirit of celebrated composer/musician Niccolò Paganini, but within the realm of heavy metal guitar.
Soon, countless other guitarists were copying Yngwie's style...but there is simply only one Yngwie. Yngwie's career continued to thrive throughout the world, including such additional triumphs as his totally classical work for orchestra and solo electric guitar, 'Concerto Suite,' which proved once and for all that his classical credentials were genuine.
Yngwie continues to receive accolades worldwide, such as recently being selected as one Time Magazine's "Top Ten Greatest Electric Guitar Players" (amongst the stellar company of Les Paul, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix).
A respected musician among both his peers and his fans, Yngwie continues to play and compose at a level of mastery that many career musicians only dream of.
'Relentless' is a must-have, which will appeal to all Yngwie fans and rock music fans alike.
Prepare yourself for a 'Relentless' classical metal attack!
 |
| Relentless - november 2010 |
Heavy metal guitar enthusiasts rejoice! The world will soon be able to experience the stunning new album from guitar legend and classical metal master Yngwie Malmsteen. "Relentless" will hit streets on November 23 via Malmsteen's own Rising Force Records. The CD contains more than 60 minutes of brand new material and showcases the guitar great at his best with the signature virtuosity and mind-blowing technical speed for which he has come to be known. "Relentless" also features striking vocals from Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH), who first collaborated with Malmsteen on 2008's critically-acclaimed "Perpetual Flame" (Malmsteen's first album for the Rising Force Records label).
Of the new album, Malmsteen commented, "The album title really says it all. The drive to surpass my own accomplishments can best be described with one word — relentless. After all these years of composing and playing music, I still am passionate about pushing myself to the limit — to the highest, most demanding level of playing possible."
"Relentless" track listing:
01. Overture
02. Critical Mass
03. Shot Across The Bow
04. Look At You Now
05. Relentless
06. Enemy Within
07. Knight Of The Vasa Order
08. Caged Animal
09. Into Valhalla
10. Tide Of Desire
11. Adagio B Flat Minor Variation
12. Axe To Grind
13. Blinded
14. Cross To Bear
15. Arpeggios From Hell *
* Bonus track
For nearly three decades, Grammy-nominated Swedish guitar icon Yngwie Malmsteen has been amazing audiences with dazzling technical speed and ability. Malmsteen's signature style of playing, which combines elements of seemingly disparate styles of music — metal and classical, spawned the now commonplace genres of heavy metal known as "shred guitar" and "neo classical" and earned Malmsteen the title "the Paganini of heavy metal." Malmsteen was the first guitarist to have his own Fender signature guitar model (even before Eric Clapton). He has graced the cover of more than 200 magazines worldwide, has won every guitar award imaginable and to date, has sold millions of records. Time recently named Malmsteen one of the "Top Ten Greatest Electric Guitar Players," an honor he shared with the likes of Les Paul, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. "Guitar Hero" enthusiasts know they have arrived when they are bestowed with the Yngwie Malmsteen award in the Xbox 360 version of "Guitar Hero 2". The award signifies a 1000-plus-note streak in succession.
Malmsteen released the "Raw Live" DVD on June 29. According to a press release, the set "provides an unprecedented and unique look at the rise of a guitar god. Spanning from 1981 through 1999 and encompassing extremely rare footage of Yngwie's early years in Sweden, this video displays the infancy of Yngwie's prodigious skills well prior to his first worldwide album and travels through Yngwie's masterful career, including his masterful performances from his first solo albums, 'Rising Force', 'Marching Out', and 'Trilogy'. Also included in this unique video are never-released behind-the-scenes footage of Yngwie and newly shot personal touches of Yngwie which open up the viewer to a side of the guitar maestro which is rarely seen by the public."
Official website
EPICA | First-Ever Visit To Russia
Vocalist Simone Simons of Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA has uploaded a four-minute video clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the band's first-ever visit to Russia. Check it out
below.
"This Is The Time", the new single from EPICA, will be released digitally on October 15. A video for the song, which was written for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), was filmed in March was in Hilversum, The Netherlands.
For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world's leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
Commented EPICA: "The awareness that we should be more careful with the earth, increases every day. We should also try to live in closer harmony with nature. EPICA is lyric-wise strongly connected to these themes and would like to devote themselves to this cause for a better world!"
Added WWF's Jörgen van Beem: "WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of our planet's natural environment, and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. A planet where people and nature can thrive together, in a stable environment, now, and for generations to come. For more than 40 years, WWF has been at the forefront in protecting the Amazon and are therefore enthusiastic that EPICA decided to raise funds for the Brazilian forest programs of WWF, which ensure conservation and sustainable development throughout the world's largest rainforest."
below.
For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world's leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
Commented EPICA: "The awareness that we should be more careful with the earth, increases every day. We should also try to live in closer harmony with nature. EPICA is lyric-wise strongly connected to these themes and would like to devote themselves to this cause for a better world!"
Added WWF's Jörgen van Beem: "WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of our planet's natural environment, and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. A planet where people and nature can thrive together, in a stable environment, now, and for generations to come. For more than 40 years, WWF has been at the forefront in protecting the Amazon and are therefore enthusiastic that EPICA decided to raise funds for the Brazilian forest programs of WWF, which ensure conservation and sustainable development throughout the world's largest rainforest."
OZZY OSBOURNE / SLASH tour dates
OZZY OSBOURNE — who will kick off his fall North American arena tour November 12 in Victoria, B.C--has now announced a second leg of U.S. dates which will get underway January 16, 2011 in Omaha, NE. The six-week 2011 trek, part of the multi-platinum Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s in-progress 18-month world tour, will include a pair of intimate shows: January 26 at the Dodge Theater in Phoenix and Feb 1 at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. OZZY’s longtime friend and musical collaborator Slash will open all the concerts on the second leg. Tickets for the Live Nation-produced tour go on sale beginning Friday, October 15. For the most up-to-date on sale information, please visit Ozzy.com or LiveNation.com.
OSBOURNE recently completed a run of overseas festival appearances and headlining overseas performances including his first-ever concert in Israel: a September 28 OZZFest show at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv.
The Tel Aviv show was described by the www.ynet.co.il as “one of the most important rock events in Israel, if not THE most important…There is no one that can contest Ozzy Osbourne's charisma and madness. Park Hayarkon was awash with energies and foam at the main performance of the Ozzfest…” Elsewhere www.mako.co.il noted: “We have waited for years and finally it happened--Ozzfest arrived to the holy land. And as much as the anticipation was high--it shrinks in comparison to the real thing that happened on stage. Ozzy Osbourne lifted Tel Aviv with a crazy show. Osbourne managed to lift people up as only he can do. With simplicity and (relative) modesty, the prince of darkness gave his heart and soul with big love to the Israeli crowd and managed to jump and touch every single one of the tens of thousands of fans present.” Thewww.mouse.co.il added, “The crowd was versatile and colorful, the other bands on the bill were great, but the real star of Ozzfest was, undoubtedly, Ozzy Osbourne. The metal legend last night at Hayarkon Park gave a show worth living for.”
The fall dates will coincide with the October 5 release of an expanded two-CD version of the SCREAM album. This “Tour Edition” package will feature seven bonus songs: a mix of previously unreleased tracks and live recordings. Epic Records has also issued a four-sided vinyl edition that includes five bonus tracks: the three aforementioned songs from the SCREAM sessions and the live version of “Let Me Hear You Scream,” along with the single version of “Life Won't Wait” (the second single from SCREAM).
OZZY’s 2010 dates are as follows:
DATE VENUE CITY
- Sat Oct 30 Voodoo Experience (City Park) New Orleans, LA
- Fri Nov 12 Save On Foods Memorial Centre Victoria, BC
- Sun Nov 14 Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC
- Tue Nov 16 Pengrowth Saddledome Calgary, AB
- Thu Nov 18 Rexall Place Edmonton, MB
- Sat Nov 20 MTS Centre Winnipeg, MB
- Tue Nov 23 Bell Centre Montreal, QC
- Thu Nov 25 Scotiabank Place Ottawa, ON
- Sat Nov 27 Air Canada Centre Toronto, ON
- Mon Nov 29 1st Mariner Arena Baltimore, MD
- Wed Dec 01 Madison Square Garden Arena New York, NY
- Fri Dec 03 Izod Center E Rutherford, NJ
- Sun Dec 05 Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH
- Tue Dec 7 Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, MI
- Sun Dec 12 Target Center Minneapolis, MN
OZZY’s 2011 dates are as follows:
DATE VENUE CITY
www.ozzy.com
http://www.myspace.com/ozzyosbourne
http://www.facebook.com/ozzyosbourne
http://twitter.com/OFFICIALOZZY
www.OZZfest.com
- Sun Jan 16 Qwest Center Omaha, NE
- Tue Jan 18 Toyota Center Houston, TX
- Thu Jan 20 American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
- Sat Jan 22 Sprint Center Kansas City, MO
- Mon Jan 24 AT&T Center San Antonio, TX
- Wed Jan 26 Comerica Theatre Phoenix, AZ
- Fri Jan 28 Mandalay Bay Resort Las Vegas, NV
- Tue Feb 01 Gibson Amphitheatre Los Angeles, CA
- Thu Feb 03 HP Pavilion San Jose, CA
- Sat Feb 05 Tacoma Dome Tacoma, WA
- Tue Feb 08 Pepsi Center Denver, CO
- Thu Feb 10 BOK Center Tulsa, OK
- Sat Feb 12 The Palace of Auburn Hills Detroit, MI
- Sun Feb 14 i wireless Center Moline, IL
- Tue Feb 16 Bridgestone Arena Nashville, TN
- Fri Feb 18 St Pete Times Forum Tampa, FL
- Sun Feb 20 BankAtlantic Center Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Tue Feb 22 Jacksonville Veterans Mem. Arena Jacksonville, FL
www.ozzy.com
http://www.myspace.com/ozzyosbourne
http://www.facebook.com/ozzyosbourne
http://twitter.com/OFFICIALOZZY
www.OZZfest.com
Swedish tribute to Ronnie J. Dio
Some of Sweden's finest heavy metal musicians gathered to pay tribute to Ronnie James Dio during this fall's edition of the Sweden Rock Cruise, which sailed on October 7 from Stockholm, Sweden for Åbo, Finland and returned the following day. There was a long tribute concert with a number of guest musicians performing classic songs from Dio's career with a main band consisting of members of LION'S SHARE. The show ended with all artists performing HEAR 'N AID's "Stars" (Dio was behind the HEAR N' AID project, a collection of metal artists who recorded the track "Stars" in 1985 to raise funds for African famine relief.)
Fan-filmed video footage of the event can be viewed below.
Special guest musicians at the concert:
* Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIOUS, YNGWIE, DIO) - Keyboards
* Rikard Zander (EVERGREY) - Keyboards
* Björn Gelotte (IN FLAMES) - Guitar
* Peter Iwers (IN FLAMES) - Guitar
* Mike Wead (BIBLEBLACK, KING DIAMOND) - Guitar
* Mats Levén (KRUX, CANDLEMASS, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Vocals
* Charles Rytkönen (MORGANA LEFAY) - Vocals
* Messiah Marcolin (CANDLEMASS, MEMENTO MORI) - Vocals
* Joakim "Jocke" Berg (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) - Vocals
* Johan Edlund (TIAMAT) - Vocals
* Johan Hegg (AMON AMARTH) - Vocals
* Magnus "Adde" Andreasson (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) - Drums
The setlist was as follows:
01. E5150
02. Mob Rules (LION'S SHARE)
03. Stand Up And Shout (LION'S SHARE)
04. Holy Diver (LION'S SHARE)
05. Egypt (The Chains Are On) (LION'S SHARE + Johan Edlund)
06. Man On The Silver Mountain (LION'S SHARE + Johan Hegg)
07. Don't Talk To Strangers (LION'S SHARE + Charles Rytkönen)
08. One Night In The City (GOTHENBURG ALLSTARS)
09. Rock 'N' Roll Children (GOTHENBURG ALLSTARS)
10. Stargazer (GOTHENBURG ALLSTARS)
11. Children Of The Sea (LION'S SHARE + Messiah Marcolin, Mike Wead)
12. Sign Of The Southern Cross (LION'S SHARE + Messiah Marcolin, Mike Wead)
13. Tarot Woman (LION'S SHARE + Mats Levén, Jens Johansson)
14. Rainbow In The Dark (LION'S SHARE + Jens Johansson)
15. Heaven And Hell (LION'S SHARE)
16. Stars (everyone)
GOTHENBURG ALLSTARS lineup:
* Björn Gelotte (IN FLAMES) - Guitar
* Peter Iwers (IN FLAMES) - Bass -
* Joakim "Jocke" Berg (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) - Vocals
* Magnus "Adde" Andreasson (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) - Drums
* Rikard Zander (EVERGREY) - Keyboards
SIRENIA: New Album Title Announced
Norwegian/Spanish female-fronted gothic metallers SIRENIA have set "The Enigma Of Life" as the title of their new album, tentatively due in early 2011. According to the band, singer Ailyn is currently in the studio laying down her vocals on the CD.
"The 13th Floor" was released in Europe on January 23, 2009. The CD was tracked at Sound Suite Studios in France and Stargoth Studios in Norway while the mixing and mastering sessions took place at the Antfarm Studios in Denmark with Tue Madsen.
SIRENIA's video for the song "The Path To Decay" was shot in Gothenburg, Sweden with director Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL) of Revolver Film Company.
SIRENIA recruited singer Ailyn (born: Pilar Giménez García) as the replacement for Monika Pedersen, who left the group in 2007 after only one album due to "musical differences."
Ailyn is best known as a member of the young team in the Spanish version of "The X Factor", the biggest television talent competition in Europe.
HELLOWEEN | 'Are You Metal?' Video Released
"Are You Metal?", the new video from German power metallers HELLOWEEN, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed on September 30 in Beelitz, Germany.
"Are You Metal?" comes off HELLOWEEN's 13th studio album, "7 Sinners", which will be released in North America on November 9 via The End Records.
Audio samples of all 13 tracks that are set to appear on the CD can be found on the web site of CeDe, which is said to be the most complete and up-to-date multimedia shop in Switzerland.
If there is a golden thread throughout the more than 25 years of HELLOWEEN's history, 13 studio albums, countless headliner tours around the globe and more than 5 million records sold, then it is their special kind of attitude: don't take yourself too seriously and simply live statements like "just have fun with the shit you're doing." Maybe it is exactly this easiness that allows HELLOWEEN to be one of the most constant bands of the genre while simultaneously being the one band who dares to experiment more than their musical peers.
While some copycats would rather stick with the same old patterns, Andi Deris, Michael Weikath, Sascha Gerstner, Markus Großkopf and Dani Löble aren't afraid of taking risks — and are rightfully rewarded with success.
"7 Sinners" is definitively one of the fastest and hardest albums in the HELLOWEEN's history and it bursts with vitality. That might partly be due to the versatility of the various songwriters within the band, who over time have become so homogenous, that the 13 songs formed a unity on their own in the studio , but it may also be due to the fact that the album was recorded completely without a click track, which, considering the extreme speed of the songs is an impressive feat. Especially drummer Löble, who proves that his technique is at a world-class-level. Following his excellent inner clock, bass and drums drive tracks like "Are You Metal?", "Long Live The King" and "Who Is Mr. Madman?" to dizzying tempos. "7 Sinners", with its typically strong melodies and the tangible joy of playing, is a true metal album whose range reaches astonishing dimensions.
It has become a cliche for metal band's to tout their newest opus as their "fastest" or "heaviest" album ever made, but in HELLOWEEN's case, "7 Sinners" is truly a return to form and is indeed their fastest and heaviest release in years. HELLOWEEN bass player Markus Grosskopf stated about the band's new material: "For all those out there who found our special best-of [CD] 'Unarmed' to be too smooth and calm, I have great news: The new album will hit you right in the face! It's gonna be very heavy and contain all [the classic] HELLOWEEN trademarks! Some songs are very powerful and hymnic, others contain the fastest bass-drum patterns our drummer Dani ever played, and this means a lot!"
"7 Sinners" track listing:
- 01. Where The Sinners Go
- 02. Are You Metal?
- 03. Who is Mr. Madman?
- 04. Raise The Noise
- 05. World Of Fantasy
- 06. Long Live The King
- 07. The Smile Of The Sun
- 08. You Stupid Mankind
- 09. If A Mountain Could Talk
- 10. The Sage, The Fool, The Sinner
- 11. My Sacrifice
- 12. Not Yet Today
- 13. Far In The Future
DREAM THEATER Singer Talks About Drummer Search: Audio Of 'Metal Messiah' Interview Available
When asked about the way DREAM THEATER is approaching the issue of finding Portnoy's replacement, LaBrie said, "We're not rushing into it. Because it's a big move for us; it's unprecedented within the band. This is our first time coming up against finding a drummer for DREAM THEATER. We do have everything in place. We don't have a drummer yet, but we have auditions for drummers all set up, and it's all ready to go within two weeks. So in two weeks we will start auditioning drummers. We already have seven guys lined up that are gonna come into the studio and they are going to play through some songs and so on and so forth.”
Regarding which qualifications are desired in a potential new drummer for DREAM THEATER, LaBrie stated, "We are looking for the right chemistry, the right vibe, the right attitude, the right personality, the right look — somebody that we feel really will embellish upon what DREAM THEATER has stood for and what we plan on standing for in the future. So it's pretty exciting. We have everything in line, we have everything set up, so it's just a matter, within a couple of weeks, to start the auditions and then to eventually make the announcement who the new drummer is."
According to LaBrie, the caliber of candidates that are lined up to audition for DREAM THEATER is second to none. "There's seven drummers that are coming in, and out of those seven, we will definitely have our drummer," he said. "They're all world-class drummers. I can't tell you who — I'd love to tell you, but I can't. I can't divulge or disclose that information. Not at this point. It's too sensitive at this point. But it will be a very intense week for us while we're jamming and playing with these drummers."
FIREWIND: 'Days Of Defiance' Track By Track
Video footage of Apollo Papathanasio (vocals) and Gus G. (guitar) of Greek melodic metallers FIREWIND offering a track-by-track breakdown of the band's new album, "Days Of Defiance", can be viewed
below.
"Days Of Defiance" is scheduled for release on October 26 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD's striking cover artwork was designed by the band's longtime partner in all design matters, Gustavo Sazes, and can be viewed below.
Commented Gus: "I'm very excited and cannot wait for our fans to listen to our new album! We feel we've captured great performances and took our songwriting to the next level on this one. There's tons of cool guitar on there and I believe Bob [Katsionis] has finally managed to reach warp-speed with his keyboard solos! Even more seriously, I highly recommend that you listen to this album at a very loud volume.
"As for the artwork, it was once again done by our visual wizard and webmaster extraordinaire, Gustavo Sazes. This time we asked Gustavo to come up with a great landscape scenery, with a more traditional approach and even get the 'pencil' style of artwork on there, but also combine it with more modern stuff. So, he gave us that… with a slight futuristic, sci-fi element and I think the end result is stunning!"
"Days of Defiance" track listing
01. The Ark Of Lies
02. World On Fire
03. Chariot
04. Embrace The Sun
05. The Departure
06. Heading For The Dawn
07. Broken
08. Cold As Ice
09. Kill In The Name Of Love
10. SKG
11. Losing Faith
12. The Yearning
13. When All Is Said And Done
14. Riding On The Wind (iTunes exclusive)
"Days Of Defiance" is described in a press release as "a truly ambitious and dynamic opus featuring some of the most brilliant guitar playing the genre has seen in many years."
The "World On Fire" single was made available for purchase on digital platforms starting on August 17.
Commented Gus G.: "Usually when we write an album we let the music come to us and go with the flow. Maybe that's why our albums have variety and you can hear everything from super-heavy songs to speed-metal shredding to rock anthems and ballads. 'Days Of Defiance' wasn't much different in the making, but this time we recorded almost all of it in our home studios, which allowed us to be more relaxed. That's why I feel the new album features the best performances by all of us. One of our main goals, though, was to get a bit more of an 'unpolished' sound and be more raw. I think we achieved it and that gives an extra heaviness to the overall sound."
FIREWIND's 2010 lineup (from left to right in photo below):
Michael Ehre - Drums
Petros Christo - Bass
Apollo Papathanasio - Vocals
Gus G. - Guitar
Bob Katsionis - Keyboards
"The Premonition", the latest album from FIREWIND, was released on vinyl on March 8 via Century Media Records. The band's first-ever vinyl release contains one bonus track.
FIREWIND recently parted ways with drummer Mark Cross (ex-HELLOWEEN, METALIUM) due to personal differences.
Official Website
Helloween | 7 sinners tour
7 sinners tour
26.11.2010 Szene - Vienna, AUSTRIA 27.11.2010 Winter Masters of Rock' - Zlin, CZECH REPUBLIC 28.11.2010 Petöfi Hall - Budapest, HUNGARY 01.12.2010 Neue Stadthalle - Langen, GERMANY 02.12.2010 Hof Ter Lo - Antwerp, BELGIUM 04.12.2010 Hardrock Hell Festival - Prestatyn, UNITED KINGDOM 05.12.2010 The HMV Forum - London, UNITED KINGDOM 06.12.2010 Effenaar - Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS 08.12.2010 Mejeriet - Lund, SWEDEN 09.12.2010 Rockefeller - Oslo, NORWAY 10.12.2010 Lisebergshallen - Gothenburg, SWEDEN 11.12.2010 Arenan - Stockholm, SWEDEN 13.12.2010 Rock Cafe - Tallin, ESTONIA 14.12.2010 Pakkahuone - Tampere, FINLAND 15.12.2010 House Of Culture - Helsinki, FINLAND 17.12.2010 Stodola - Stodola, POLAND 18.12.2010 Studio - Cracow, POLAND 19.12.2010 Mala Sportovni Hala - Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC 02.01.2011 Brückenforum - Bonn, GERMANY 11.01.2011 Elysee Montmatre - Paris, FRANCE 12.01.2011 Le Transbordeur - Lyon, FRANCE 14.01.2011 Rockstar Live - Bilbao, SPAIN 16.01.2011 Razzmatazz I - Barcelona, SPAIN 18.01.2011 Alcatraz - Milan, Lombardy, ITALY 19.01.2011 Atlantico Live - Roma, Lazio, ITALY 21.01.2011 Fuzz Live Music Club - Athens, GREECE 22.01.2011 Principal Club Theatre - Thessaloniki, GREECE 23.01.2011 Hristo Botev Hall - Sofia, BULGARIA 24.01.2011 Hristo Botev Hall - Sofia, BULGARIA 26.01.2011 Boogaloo Club - Zagreb, CROATIA 27.01.2011 Kino Siska Club - Ljubljana, SLOVENIA 28.01.2011 Sports Hall - Hlohovec, SLOVAKIA
29.11.2011 Sports Hall - Presov, SLOVAKIA 31.01.2011 Z7 - Pratteln, SWITZERLAND 01.02.2011 Garage - Saarbrücken, GERMANY 04.02.2011 Capitol - Hannover, GERMANY 05.02.2011 Turbinenhalle - Oberhausen, GERMANY 06.02.2011 Halle Gartlage - Osnabrück, GERMANY 09.02.2011 Docks - Hamburg, GERMANY 10.02.2011 Jako Arena - Bamberg, GERMANY 11.02.2011 All-Kart-Halle - Kaufbeuren, GERMANY 12.02.2011 Volksbankmesse - Balingen, GERMANY
update
MIKE PORTNOY: I Will Remain With AVENGED SEVENFOLD For The Full 'Nightmare' Album Cycle
Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy, who is currently on the road as the touring drummer for AVENGED SEVENFOLD, was interviewed by Sabian's Chris Stankee at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California on September 17, 2010 during the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar tour. The four-minute clip, which includes performance footage, can be viewed below.
On how he became involved with AVENGED SEVENFOLD:
Portnoy: "The relationship with AVENGED SEVENFOLD started as just a tribute for [late AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan] and filling in for Jimmy. And then, as a result of the musical and personal chemistry we had making the record, it's kind of blossomed into now being on the road with them. And originally that was only gonna be a couple of months [so I could go] back to DREAM THEATER and now with the way that the DREAM THEATER story has unfolded, I will now remain out with AVENGED SEVENFOLD into 2011 and stay on the road with them for the full album cycle."
On how he fits into AVENGED SEVENFOLD's current live show:
Portnoy: "Although I'm not a bandmember, I am definitely part of the onstage presentation and chemistry. They don't want me to just sit in the background playing drums; I mean, they want me to be myself. The first couple of shows I played with them, I was trying to lay back and be conservative and be respectful — 'This is The Rev's drum throne; this is his spot.' But those guys were, like, 'No! Be yourself. Do your thing.' After a couple of shows, I immediately came out of my shell and now I'm totally at home with these guys and we have a great, great chemistry on stage together — musically and personally."
"Nightmare", the fifth album from AVENGED SEVENFOLD, sold 162,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at the top of The Billboard 200 chart.
Portnoy made his concert debut with the band on July 25 as they played live for the first time since Sullivan's death at the Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
On how he became involved with AVENGED SEVENFOLD:
Portnoy: "The relationship with AVENGED SEVENFOLD started as just a tribute for [late AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan] and filling in for Jimmy. And then, as a result of the musical and personal chemistry we had making the record, it's kind of blossomed into now being on the road with them. And originally that was only gonna be a couple of months [so I could go] back to DREAM THEATER and now with the way that the DREAM THEATER story has unfolded, I will now remain out with AVENGED SEVENFOLD into 2011 and stay on the road with them for the full album cycle."
On how he fits into AVENGED SEVENFOLD's current live show:
Portnoy: "Although I'm not a bandmember, I am definitely part of the onstage presentation and chemistry. They don't want me to just sit in the background playing drums; I mean, they want me to be myself. The first couple of shows I played with them, I was trying to lay back and be conservative and be respectful — 'This is The Rev's drum throne; this is his spot.' But those guys were, like, 'No! Be yourself. Do your thing.' After a couple of shows, I immediately came out of my shell and now I'm totally at home with these guys and we have a great, great chemistry on stage together — musically and personally."
"Nightmare", the fifth album from AVENGED SEVENFOLD, sold 162,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at the top of The Billboard 200 chart.
Portnoy made his concert debut with the band on July 25 as they played live for the first time since Sullivan's death at the Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)