Black Cobra on tour w/Slough Feg & Weedeater

Hey south-and-midwest metal fans, ear-sludge candy-machine Black Cobra will be coming your way during the month ahead. Hot off a European tour in support of their spring LP release, Feather and Stone, the snakeheads will be starting on the west coast, flogging their way through Texas and into the Dixie states before circling back around through the northeast into the Rust Belt and ending back up in the Pacific northwest. First leg of the tour is with the ultra-cool band Slough Feg, second leg with nasty face-bashers Weedeater. Tourdates listed below....

Black Cobra w/Slough Feg
07/31 @ Relax Bar, Los Angeles CA
08/01 @ Stray Cat, Tempe AZ - FREE SHOW
08/03 @ Whiskey Dix, Lubbock TX
08/04 @ Rubber Gloves, Denton TX
08/05 @ Club Dada, Dallas TX
08/06 @ Red 7, Austin TX
08/08 @ Bottletree, Birmingham AL

Black Cobra w/Weedeater
08/09 @ Masquerade, Atlanta GA
08/10 @ Volume 11 Tavern, Raleigh, NC
08/12 @ Ottobar, Baltimore MD
08/13 @ Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia PA
08/14 @ Middle East, Cambridge MA
08/17 @ Knitting Factory, New York, NY
09/18 @ Jigsaw Saloon, Cleveland OH
09/19 @ Cafe Bourbon Street, Columbus OH
08/20 @ Mac’s Bar, Lansing MI
08/21 @ Double Door, Chicago IL - FREE SHOW
08/22 @ Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines IA
08/23 @ Turf Club, St. Paul MN
08/24 @ Box Awesome, Lincoln NE
08/25 @ 3 Kings Tavern, Denver CO
08/28 @ Funhouse, Seattle WA
08/29 @ Satyricon, Portland OR

Black Cobra - "Sugar Water"

Black Metal Satanica doc coming to DVD!

The eerie documentary film Black Metal Satanica will be released on DVD by those dark fiends at Music Video Distributors on September 2, 2008. An in-depth look behind the scenes of the Scandinavian black metal scene, this 80-minute documentary film pulls the scab off of the music's mythology of self-mutilation, murder, suicide, church-burning, the desecration of graves and corpses, and all the other gleeful activities engaged in by long-haired, greasepainted Nordic youth.

Beginning with the forebears of the black metal scene, influential bands like Mayhem, Bathory and Immortal, Black Metal Satanica delves into the 11th century Viking lore than informed much of the earliest black metal, bringing the story up to the modern day. The DVD also features music by such eardrum-bashers as Watain, Vreid, Rimsfrost, Mordichrist and others. Take the Reverend's word for it, Black Metal Satanica would make the perfect Christmas give for the grimey little heathen on your gift list!

(Click on the DVD cover to buy Black Metal Satanica from Amazon.com)

Invasion's "Moongazer" video

Hey hey me droogs, check out 'dis uber-cool vid for the tune "Moongazer," sent to us courtesy of British band Invasion. The song is sorta doomy, and kinda spacey, with dashes o' metallic grunge, lysergic psychedelia and plodding Sabbathian death-riffage. Throw in some U.S. taxpayer-funded background imagery of the Milky Way taken by the Hubble telescope, and a lead singer who can flat-out wail, and you have one seriously rockin' good time. "Moongazer" is from Invasion's debut EP of the same name, out now on the Run For Your Lives label.

Zebra - The DVD review

You can’t say that this band is forgotten, because you always hear their songs on various XM Radio and Music Choice channels, VH1 Classic played their videos in rotation (when they were a video channel), and a ‘Best Of’ compilation has been released – and yet it seems now, they are getting more notoriety as the days go by, and it’s well deserved.

Coined as the band that played ‘Zeppelin better than Zeppelin did,’ Zebra finally has unleashed a DVD that unfolds the mystique that was driven by the dynamic vocals and axe attack of Randy Jackson (man, did he have a falsetto), the bass and keyboards of Felix Hanemann (what a great sense of melody), and the percussive power of Guy Gelso. Featuring a full-length concert with all of the faves, the band plays a set at the House of Blues in their hometown, rocking through cuts such as “Tell Me What You Want,” “Bears,” “Wait Until The Summer’s Gone” and “As I Said Before;” even easing things back for acoustic numbers such as “But No More,” and everybody’s favorite, “Who’s Behind The Door,” covering all the bases – and the guys still hold up; it’s certainly a strong performance.

The one part of this DVD beside the show is the documentary, which is probably the first time we get to actually hear the stories from the band themselves about how all of this came together; the false starts to New York, the sold-out shows in large venues before even having a record deal, and finally being signed with Atlantic – you also hear all this from the people who were there – friends, the road crew, DJs, club owners, and so on…. The thing that really connects with viewers is that the band brings us to the streets of New Orleans where they practiced, and all the humor that goes along with it…you just can’t get more intimate than that.

The DVD almost has a home movie quality to it, shot in digital, but then again, doesn’t every concert and documentary have the same quality in this day and age – the thing about this is not so much any fancy editing or massive bonus features, it’s the whole experience that is captured in the first place, you are there with the band. Proving a fine testament to one of AOR, hard rock, and even metal’s most enticing bands, The DVD is a must for fans and those who seek further into the aura of Zebra’s melodic monstrosity. (Music Video Distributors) - Review by Tommy "Hashman" Hash

(Click on the DVD cover to buy Zebra - The DVD from Amazon.com)

Abigail Williams kicks off tour, new LP impending....

Metal band Abigail Williams will be touring this summer as part of Revolver magazine's "Thrash and Burn Tour," kicking off on July 29th, 2008 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The much anticipated tour also features the bands Darkest Hour, Parkway Drive, Misery Signals, Winds of Plague, Arsis and other choice metallic ear-bashers.

While kicking out the jams on the "Thrash and Burn" Tour, Abigail Williams will be performing tunes from their upcoming Candlelight Records album, In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns. Produced by James Murphy, the album features a guest appearance by drummer Trym Torson (Emperor, Zyklon). Watch for In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns sometime this fall.

Abigail Williams Tourdates
07/29 @ Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque NM
07/30 @ Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City OK
07/31 @ Beaumont Club, Kansas City MO
08/01 @ Attic Club, Dayton OH
08/02 @ Birch Run Expo Center, Birch Run MI
08/03 @ Robot Mosh Fest, Milwaukee MI
08/04 @ Pearl Room, Mokena IL
08/05 @ Headliners Music Hall, Louisville KY
08/06 @ Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland OH
08/07 @ Penny Arcade, Rochester NY
08/08 @ Northern Lights, Clifton Park NY
08/09 @ Webster Theatre, Hartford CT
08/10 @ Crocodile Rock, Allentown PA
08/11 @ Irving Plaza, New York NY
08/12 @ Huntington Music Hall, Huntington WV
08/14 @ Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale NY
08/15 @ Palladium, Worcester MA
08/16 @ Sonar, Baltimore MD
08/17 @ Norva, Norfolk VA
08/18 @ Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh NC
08/19 @ Masquerade, Atlanta GA
08/20 @ State Theatre, St. Petersburg FL
08/22 @ White Rabbit, San Antonio TX
08/23 @ Java Jazz, Houston TX
08/24 @ House of Blues, Dallas TX
08/25 @ Club 101, El Paso TX
08/26 @ Marquee Theatre, Tempe AZ
08/27 @ House of Blues, W. Hollywood CA

Obituary tour dates & new EP release!

Death metal legends Obituary will be returning any day now from their devastation of Europe, including what is certain to be a monster appearance at the famed Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, to kick off an American tour in September.

The same day that Obituary launches its tour in Atlanta, Candlelight Records will release the band's four-song Left To Die EP. Following up on the worldwide success of the band's 2007 album Xecutioner's Return, the new EP includes two entirely new songs, a re-recording of the band's classic song "Slowly We Rot," and Obituary's rendering of the Celtic Frost tune "Dethroned Emperor." Left To Die will also include a copy of the band's popular "Evil Ways" video.

Formed in 1984 by brothers John Tardy (on vocals) and Donald Tardy (drums), Obituary has delivered its potent, ear-bashing brand of slash-n-burn metallic overkill for almost a quarter-century. Between 1989 and 2005, the band released six studio albums and a live disc through notable hard rock/heavy metal label Roadrunner Records, signing with Candlelight for the release of the critically-acclaimed Xecutioner's Return LP. The Left To Die EP will be released on September 16, 2008 by Candlelight.

TMQ review of Obituary's Xecutioner's Return CD

Obituary tourdates
09/16 @ The Masquerade, Atlanta GA
09/17 @ House of Blues, New Orleans LA
09/18 @ Ridglea Theater, Ft. Worth TX
09/19 @ Scout Bar, Houston TX
09/20 @ Scout Bar, San Antonio TX
09/22 @ The Metro, Mexicali Mexico
09/24 @ House of Blues, W. Hollywood CA
09/25 @ Slim's, San Francisco CA
09/26 @ The Boardwalk, Orangevale CA
09/27 @ Hawthorne Theater, Portland OR
09/28 @ Studio Seven, Seattle WA
09/30 @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
10/01 @ Beaumont Club, Kansas City MO
10/02 @ Station 4, St. Paul MN
10/03 @ The Pearl Room, Mokena IL
10/04 @ Peabody's Down Under, Cleveland OH
10/05 @ BB King Blues Club, New York NY
10/07 @ Trocadero Theater, Philadephia PA
10/08 @ Rex Theater, Pittsburgh PA
10/10 @ Palladium, Worcester MA
10/11 @ Rams Head Live, Baltimore MD
10/12 @ Uncle Pleasant's, Louisville KY
10/13 @ Amos Soutend, Charlotte NC
10/14 @ Music Farm, Charleston SC

Obituary - "Evil Ways" video

Dimmu Borgir announce "Blackest Of Black" tour, new DVD!

Roaring back after a two-year absence from the heavy metal battlefield, popular Norwegian face-bashers Dimmu Borgir will be hitting the highways and byways of the United States and Canada this fall, headlining the "Blackest of the Black Tour" with the legendary Danzig, Moonspell, Winds Of Plague and Skeletonwitch. At the same time, in October 2008, the band will also be releasing their new concert DVD, The Invaluable Darkness, on Nuclear Blast Records.

The Invaluable Darkness set will include two DVDs and a bonus audio CD. The first DVD disc features performances from the band's 2007 European tour, including stops in Oslo, Norway; Berlin, Germany; and London, England, along with behind-the-scenes footage from the tour. The second DVD disc features the band's 13-song performance from the "Black Metal Stage" at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany from August 2007. Also included on disc 2 are Dimmu Borgir music videos, and studio footage from the P3 sessions held in September 2007 at the NRK Studio 19 in Oslo. The audio CD features a dozen performances from these P3 sessions.

"Let there be no secrecy around the fact that we're really looking forward to the Blackest of The Black tour, finally joining forces with Danzig!" says Dimmu Borgir guitarist and founding member Silenoz. "To get the chance to share the stage with one of the most influential icons in metal and rock history, Glenn Danzig, is of course something we're very proud of! Combined with the other bands, this will be a night to remember – if you're into dark and heavy music, that is. We actually take it for granted that you will be there! This will also be a great opportunity for us to promote our new DVD coming out in October, appropriately entitled The Invaluable Darkness!"

(Ultra-cool Dimmu Borgir photo by Peter Beste, courtesy Nuclear Blast Records)

"Blackest of the Black Tour" w/Dimmu Borgir, Danzig, Moonspell, Winds of Plague & Skeletonwitch
October 9 @ The Fillmore, Miami Beach FL
October 10 @ Hard Rock Live, Orlando FL
October 11 @ The Tabernacle, Atlanta GA
October 13 @ Toad’s Place, Richmond VA
October 14 @ Electric Factory, Philadelphia PA
October 15 @ Roseland Ballroom, New York NY
October 17 @ The Palladium, Worcester MA
October 18 @ Metropolis, Montreal QC, CANADA
October 19 @ Sound Academy, Toronto ON, CANADA
October 21 @ The Rave, Milwaukee WI
October 22 @ Myth, St. Paul MN
October 24 @ The Fillmore, Detroit MI
October 25 @ Congress Theatre, Chicago IL
October 26 @ The Pageant, St. Louis MO
October 28 @ House Of Blues, Houston TX
October 30 @ The Palladium Ballroom, Dallas TX
October 31 @ Uptown Theater, Kansas City MO
November 1 @ Fillmore Auditorium, Denver CO
November 3 @ Marquee Theatre, Tempe AZ
November 4 @ The Joint, Las Vegas NV
November 5 @ Gibson Amphitheater, Los Angeles CA
November 7 @ Roseland Theatre, Portland OR
November 8 @ Showbox, Seattle WA
November 10 @ The Warfield, San Francisco CA

Indianapolis will rock in September!

The second annual Indianapolis Metal Fest will take place on September 26th & 27th, 2008 at the Madame Walker Theater, located at 617 Indiana Avenue in Indianapolis. This year's festival line-up will feature performances from such metallic faves as Bleed The Sky, Daylight Dies, Kittie, Dew Scented, Into Eternity, Divine Heresy, Psyopus, Black Chapel, Mustasch and Demiricous, among many others; a total of 60 bands will perform across the two-day event.

"In addition to a great American lineup, we're bringing in bands from Sweden, Germany, France, South America, and Canada," says festival promoter Rob Mason. "Mustasch, for example, are huge in Europe. They recently won the Swedish equivalent of a Grammy award, and they're making their U.S. debut at Indianapolis Metal Fest."

Launched to widespread acclaim in 2007, the festival has already outgrown its humble roots, but still provides support for up-and-coming metal bands. "Even though the fest has increased in size, I'm very dedicated to the idea that IMF will be a catalyst to present opportunities to local and regional talent," says Mason. "A band we put on the stage at IMF last year was signed as a direct result of their performance. They weren't a local band, but the opportunity was there."

Tickets to this enormous event are already on sale ($30 advance/$40 at the door for both days) and can be purchased through the Indianapolis Metal Fest website.

Demiricous (photo above, courtesy Metal Blade Records) - "To Serve Is To Destroy"

Sourvein signs with Candlelight, hits the road....

Doom-metal faves Sourvein have signed with noted metal label Candlelight Records, a move that has the band joining a roster of heavyweights that includes folks like Daylight Dies, Crowbar and Obituary, among many others. A five-song, limited edition EP titled Imperial Bastard will be released on September 30th, 2008 to be followed by a full-length album, produced by Billy Anderson, in early 2009.

Formed in 1993 in Wilmington, North Carolina, Sourvein later moved its home base to New Orleans in 1998, releasing a self-titled debut album in 2000, following it up with Will to Mangle in 2002. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the band relocated to Cape Fear, North Carolina. The current Sourvein line-up includes former Buzzov-En vocalist T-Roy Medlin and drummer Ramzi, bassist Bonne Doom, and guitarists Cool Clyde and Sleepy Doom; the band will be on tour through mid-August.

Sourvein Tourdates
07/17 @ 31st Street Pub, Pittsburgh PA
07/18 @ Annabelle's, Akron OH
07/19 @ Mac’s Bar, Lansing MI
07/20 @ Reggie's Rock Club, Chicago IL
07/21 @ High Noon Saloon, Madison WI
07/22 @ Big V's, St. Paul MN
07/23 @ Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines IA
07/24 @ Jackpot Music Hall, Lawrence KS
07/25 @ Kingdom of Doom, Denver CO
07/27 @ Studio Seven, Seattle WA
07/28 @ Tube, Portland OR
07/30 @ Annie's Social Club, San Francisco CA
07/31 @ Stork Club, Oakland CA
08/01 @ The Relax Bar, Los Angeles CA
08/02 @ The Stray Cat, Tempe AZ
08/05 @ Rubber Gloves, Denton TX
08/06 @ Rock Bottom, San Antonio TX
08/07 @ Red 7, Austin TX
08/08 @ Olive Street Bar, Monroe LA
08/09 @ Checkpoint Charlie's, New Orleans LA
08/10 @ Springwater, Nashville TN
08/11 @ The Earl, Atlanta GA

Ihsahn - angL CD review

As close to real death metal nobility status as one is likely to find, former Emperor singer, songwriter and guitarist Ihsahn (a/k/a Vegard Sverre Tveitan) helped put the Norwegian metal gods on the top of the mid-90s Nordic D-M heap. His later work with the metallic avant-garde outfit Peccatum defined Ihsahn as an artist of unlimited vision who would not be chained by the conventions of traditional death metal.

Ihsahn's first plunge into the solo waters, the critically-acclaimed 2006 album The Adversary, broke the artist free of the expectations of his former band. The release of angL will serve notice that Ihsahn is an artist of uncompromising integrity with a vast reservoir of creative ideas from which to draw. Although Ihsahn continues to work with death metal as his primary inspiration, and he indeed still incorporates the genre's building blocks in his edifice – from the growled demonic vocals to the blastbeaten drum rhythms – angL builds upon this foundation and takes liberties by adding elements of symphonic and power-metal, Gothic melodies, and many more colors other than black from his distinctive palette.

For instance, "Scarab" starts down the path of most death-dealing metal, with sawtooth guitars and relentless rhythms driven by demonic vocals. The song gradually evolves, developing a symphonic undercurrent that defines a true melody. As the repeating guitars chip away in the background, Ihsahn delivers his vocal turbulence. The result is one of the most complex and intriguing songs to spring, fully-formed, like a bounding elk from the dense forest that is Norwegian death metal.

The remainder of angL offers similar surprises for the listener…for instance, the low-key, almost subliminal vocals that kick off "Unhealer," courtesy of Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt, delivered before the song plunges into a Goth-made blast-furnace of jackhammer drumbeats and dangerously surgical fretwork. Akerfeldt also appears later during the dark-hued, six-minute-plus dirge, his clean and considerate vocals an interesting artistic counterpoint to Ihsahn's industrial grind.

But vocals, even words, just don't mean much here…just the pure, raw, unvarnished emotions of hate, anger, fear, and confusion. Death metal has always harnessed these attributes with an intensity that denies it the mainstream audience that the genre's frequent instrumental proficiency and creativity might attract. This shit is just too real for most droogs, and Ihsahn is a master at manipulating that magic combination of unconcealed verbal/lyrical fury and migraine-inducing soundtrack to get a response from the listener, even if said kneejerk reaction is revulsion, or even nausea….

The blistering opening to "Emancipation" is achieved by the multi-level sonic assault of drummer Asgeir Mickelson's incredible exploding kitwork and Ihsahn's underrated and inventive six-string interplay. As the song spirals out of control into a disturbing maelstrom, with nothing but white light glaring out from beneath the player's bruised knuckles, the listener comes to understand that Ihsahn's approach to his guitar play is simply two-fold: bludgeon the fools with wave-upon-brutal-wave of massive, chord-driven riffs and/or slice-and-dice with laser-precise, lightning-quick flurries of razor-wire notes. Both of these traits can be found a plenty within "Emancipation," Ihsahn's fiery axe supported by Mickelson's battle drums, as real and as dangerous as a steel-toed boot to your tenders.

"Alchemist" flares up like one of Meshuggah's math-metal laboratory creations before settling down into definite Frankenstein territory. A patchwork monster of epic beauty and dark grandeur, the song changes directions faster and more frequently than a mongoose toying with the cobra…guitars explode, then contract; time signatures run amok; the machined rhythms display the cold, inhuman grasp of elemental forces…and upon this crazy quilt of sound, Ihsahn embroiders his otherworldly vocals.

The nightmarish instrumental opening of "Threnody" (literally, "funeral song") cruises beneath your subconscious, like curtains of fog rolling across a dense landscape. When Ihsahn's (?) gentle vocals come floating into view, they're accompanied by washes of complex instrumentation. From the intricate, wiry threads of guitar woven into the song's fabric, to the masterful drumming that comes out of left field to layer on texture, "Threnody" is about subtlety and patience over power, just as the water eventually wears down the rock. This is as moody and atmospheric a piece of music as you're likely to hear from these quarters, and it is pure genius.

"Monolith" closes out angL with a large-scale explosion of sound-and-fury. Mickelson finally cuts loose with his drumkit, abandoning any semblance of subtlety or sanity as he dots the musical horizon with deadly mortarfire. Ihsahn's guitarwork is equally impressive: coiled, muscular riffs hiding beneath the rhythmic landscape to strike with certainty with a flash of hypodermic fangs and slashing riffs.

The hype and droll that accompanies the release of angL announced that the album deals with personal lyrical themes, but for all I know Ihsahn could be singing about "Muppets on Ice." The truth is, as cathartic as the lyrics may be for the singer/songwriter, they're all but indecipherable to all but the most dedicated listener…and that's pretty much the keystone of the death metal style.

It's the slug that counts here, the raw energy and emotion that is provided each performance, both vocally and instrumentally. These songs are short, sharp symphonies of hyper-expressed rage, and the vocals are just part of the colorful background graffiti. It's what you feel when you listen that counts, and with angL, Ihsahn has delivered a classic expression for our ears, indeed…. (Candlelight Records)

(Click on the CD cover to buy angL from Amazon.com)

Metal Blade to attend Rockstar Mayhem Festival

Through the decade of the '80s, Metal Blade Records helped support and define the era's growing heavy metal sound by discovering, signing and recording some of the seminal bands of the day. Better than a quarter-century later, Metal Blade is still involved in shaping the future of the music. The label will be touring with the first annual Rockstar Mayhem Festival [tour dates link] with its own tent, handing out free sampler CDs featuring Metal Blade's current roster of talent.

The Metal Blade tent will also be selling MB gear like T-shirts, hats and such for the dedicated fan. Want to show your brand loyalty? Visit the booth and have your picture taken, then check out the label's website to see your photo posted along with other metal fans from across the country!

Metal Blade band The Red Chord will be part of the Mayhem Festival, along with other dynamite noisemakers like Disturbed, Slipknot, Mastodon, Dragonforce, Machine Head and a lot more! Check the Rockstar Mayhem Festival website for more details.

Whitechapel's debut album, Summer Slaughter tour

Tennessee's own heavy metal heroes, Whitechapel are about to have the week of their collective lives. The band's debut album, This Is Exile, drops on July 8, 2008 from Metal Blade Records. The band is also currently on the road as part of the "Summer Slaughter Tour" with fellow metallic travelers The Black Dahlia Murder, Kataklysm, Vader, Cryptopsy and others.

Featuring the three-prong axe attack of guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade and Zach Householder, Whitechapel is turning heads with its unique riff-driven sound. Metal Maniacs says, "a noted characteristic is Whitechapel’s three guitar assault; without a doubt an impressive apocalyptic sound. Propelled by the band’s DIY ethics, Whitechapel is a driving force that will continue to grow through hard work and determination." Check 'em out in a venue near you, click on the CD cover to buy This Is Exile from Amazon.com.

Summer Slaughter Tour
w/the Black Dahlia Murder, Kataklysm, Vader & Cryptopsy
07/08 @ Club 101, El Paso TX
07/09 @ Sunshine Theatre, Albuquerque NM
07/10 @ Marquee Theatre, Phoenix AZ
07/11 @ House of Blues, Los Angeles CA
07/12 @ The Dome, Bakersfield CA
07/13 @ Soma, San Diego CA
07/15 @ The Fillmore, San Francisco CA
07/16 @ The New Oasis, Sparks NV
07/17 @ Hawthorne Theater, Portland OR
07/18 @ Studio Seven, Seattle WA
07/19 @ The Big Easy, Spokane WA
07/20 @ The Big Easy, Boise ID
07/21 @ Avalon Theatre, Salt Lake City UT
07/23 @ Cervantes Ballroom, Denver CO
07/24 @ Sokol Underground, Omaha NE
07/25 @ First Avenue, Minneapolis MN
07/26 @ The Rave, Milwaukee WI
07/27 @ Pop's, Sauget IL
07/28 @ House of Blues, Chicago IL

SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR – CANADA
w/ Necrophagist, Dying Fetus & Beneath The Massacre
08/14 @ Imperial Theater, Quebec City QC
08/15 @ Club Soda, Montreal QC
08/16 @ The Opera House, Toronto ON
08/18 @ Kilroy's, Thunder Bay ON
08/19 @ Garrick Centre, Winnipeg MB
08/20 @ Riddell Hall, Regina SK
08/21 @ Warehouse, Calagary AB
08/22 @ The Starlite Room, Edmonton AB
08/23 @ Roll-A-Dome, Prince George BC
08/25 @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC

Classic Slayer albums to be reissued on vinyl!!!

Now this is just too damn cool – four classic Slayer platters will be reissued by Metal Blade Records on August 5, 2008 as special edition, blood-splattered, colored vinyl albums. Originally signed by Metal Blade back in the early days of the band's storied career, these first four Slayer discs consist of some of the band's most electrifying and dangerous work. Here's the 4-1-1 on the availabilities: 1983's Show No Mercy album will feature red vinyl with black splatters; the following year's Haunting The Chapel EP will sport clear vinyl with red splatters; 1985's Hell Awaits will be pressed on gold vinyl with red splatters; while the Live Undead album, from later in '85, will feature ultra-cool silver vinyl with red splatters. Watch for these sure-to-be coveted collector's items at an independent record store near you....

Death Angel Interview, Video

SF Bay metal legends Death Angel recently finished up their first tour in years, working with God Forbid, Soilent Green, Arsis and Light This City as part of the "In Thrash We Trust" roadshow.

Coming off the road after supporting their recently-released Nuclear Blast album, Killing Season, Death Angel guitarists Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar participated in a Q&A session with the folks at MetalKult.com [link]. The two talk about the band and its music, a '80s-era Bay-area scene that included Exodus and Metallica, and the various tragedies that Death Angel has overcome to get to where they are today.

Noted director Robert Sexton (Mondo Generator, Amen) handled this video for the song "Dethroned" from Killing Season. Click on the CD cover to buy Killing Season from Amazon.com.

Controlled Bleeding celebrates 30th anniversary w/FREE music!

We wrote about Controlled Bleeding and the release of the band's Before The Quiet album by MVD Audio a couple of months ago [link]. Collecting the band's first initial recordings, from 1978-1982, as chosen by CB mainman Paul Lemos, the 77-minute CD features better than two-dozen songs dating back to the band's earliest cassette tapes and first EP.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Controlled Bleeding is offering fans a free download of the song "Wall of China Love Letters," taken from Before The Quiet. Displaying the rhythmic qualities that has become a trademark of the pioneering industrial band's sound, you can download the FREE mp3 of "Wall of China Love Letters" right here. If you like the sound, click on the CD cover to your right to buy Before The Quiet from Amazon.com. The band will thank you, MVD Audio will thank you, and the Reverend will thank you!

FREE MP3, courtesy of Controlled Bleeding (right click on the link and choose "save as" to download to your computer):

Controlled Bleeding - "Wall of China Love Letters"