Posted in Press Releases

Progressive hardcore band SPEAKING THE KING’S from Orange County, California, have signed a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Records!

STK’s vocalist Bobby Burap comments on the new partnership:

“Very few bands get the opportunity to take their act to an international level. That being said… we are extremely excited to announce that SPEAKING THE KING’S have signed to Nuclear Blast Records. It’s an absolute honour to be able to work with such a juggernaut in the current music scene. Having so many prominent bands on their roster, we’re striving to carry on this tradition of excellence with our desire to work hard and produce the best product possible. Thank you to everyone who has supported us from day one. This is only the beginning.”

Formed during the winter of 2011, SPEAKING TH...

Posted in Press Releases

International grindcore ’Supergroup’ LOCK UP, featuring Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, DISFEAR), Anton Reisenegger (PENTAGRAM CHILE,CRIMINAL), Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH,BRUJERIA,VENOMOUS CONCEPT) and Nick Barker (ex-CRADLE OF FILTH, ex-DIMMU BORGIR) will undergo a brief European club tour in Febuary 2013 in support of their lastest album ’Necropolis Transparent’ on Nuclear Blast Records.

The tour, tentatively named ’Infiltrate And Destroy Europe 2013’ will see LOCK UP – primarily an open air festival band not really known for participating in usual touring cycles due to the individual band members main commitments – will play a 10 date up-close-and-personal club tour which takes the band through such territories as U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republik, Austria and Belgium.

Dr...

Posted in Press Releases

Legendary British progressive metal maestros THRESHOLD, proclaim the MARCH of progress!

Matching the title of their highly successful new masterpiece “March Of Progress” (out via Nuclear Blast since August 24, 2012), the band will finally return to the European stages in March, 2013.

Guitarist Karl Groom states enthusiastically: “It will be great to be back on the road with THRESHOLD – and in particular to play songs from our latest album!”

Make sure to be there when the magic happens on March 1st, 2013 – London, Underworld.

To purchase tickets please head over to:

http://www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk/gigs/eventdetails/1-mar-13-threshold-underworld/

www.thresh.net | www.facebook.com/threshold | www.nuclearblast.de/threshold

Posted in Press Releases

BACK TO THE BLACK TOUR 2013

February 2013 will be bringing Polish death-metal legends, VADER, to the UK and IRE for the first leg of their 2013 part of the Back To The Black tour.

During the tour VADER will play a special set based on their classic albums ”Black To The Blind” and ”Sothis” –over 70 minutes of total death metal massacre each evening.

Comments the band: ”The guests we invited to join the tour are: ABORTED, BONDED BY BLOOD and ADIMIRON and we welcome all VADERmaniacs to our shows!”

Check out the European Tour Trailer here.

Line Up:
Peter I Vocals
Spider | Guitar
Hal | Bass
Paul | Drums

TOUR DATES // TICKET LINKS:

03.02.2013 (UK) Plymouth / White Rabbit
http://www.ents24.com/web/event/Vader-The-White-Rabbit-Plymouth-3206938.html

05.02.2013 (UK) Glasgow / Ivory Blacks
http://...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Just in time for Christmas, Saxon have released ”Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie” on DVD. FOr anyone who hasn’t heard anything about the movie yet, it’s a documentary charting the history of Saxon right from the very beginning up to almost the present day (obviously it has to end a year or so before the release to give them time to edit the footage together and get it released).

Given the bad blood between Saxon’s current lineup and the version fronted by former members Oliver & Dawson, it’s very nice to see that both Oliver and Dawson have contributed fully to the making of the movie, so you really do get a very comprehensive picture of the history of the band – there’s no attempt to gloss over any problems, they cover the good and the bad.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this release...

Posted in Interviews

Catching them after the soundcheck for their first show at the King’s Arms Tavern on Wednesday 19th of December, the Hurricane Kids sit down and talk about how they all came together, their views on the NZ music industry, and their undying love for Taylor Swift.

–

Hey guys! Before we start, could you go through your names and what you play in the band?

Olly: Hey, I’m Olly and I do vocals.

Cam: I’m Cam, I play bass.

Rich: My name’s Rich, I play guitar.

Willy: I’m Willy and I do synths and keyboards.

Jared: I’m Jared, I play drums.

As I understand it, you all come from different musical backgrounds. Can you tell me about how you guys all came together in the end to be the Hurricane Kids?

Olly: Cam’s been on my ass for a couple of years to do something...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

For a band that had a 50 person crowd and a keyboardist with a broken left hand, the Hurricane Kids were surprisingly relaxed for their first ever show. Friends in the crowd were given waves and smiles were exchanged between the band. The vibes onstage were calm and carefree as they prepared their equipment before their set, suggesting that the members are all experienced and natural performers.

And what performers they were. After leaving Jared and Willy to settle onstage for some time, the speakers erupted with thunderous bass. The band walked over to their instruments one­-by-­one to a beautiful and ambient version of a familiar tune that’s eventually recognized as their debut single Tonight­ and by some miracle of fantastically rehearsed timing ­ they burst straight into the song...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

From humble beginnings as YESTERDAY & TODAY back in 1974 Dave Meniketti has always fronted the band we now know as Y&T. This live concert, captured for posterity, is actually a celebration of the 30th Anniversary of “Earthshaker”, their finest hour according to many. Or their, the band consists of Dave on guitars and lead vocals as always, backed by guitarist/vocalist John Nymann, bassist/vocalist Brad Lang (who replaced longstanding bass man Phil Kennemore when he succumbed to lung cancer in 2011), and drummer Mike Vanderhule. Anyway…on with the show.

To their credit the revamped Y&T perform no less than seven tracks off their latest effort “Facemelter”, including the rather nondescript opener “Prelude”...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Limb Music/Sound Pollution

Having been around since 2006 CIVILIZATION ONE, formed by vocalist Chitral “Chity” Somapala, have just gotten round to releasing their second album. Belated by membership changes this album sports the lineup of Chity and original bassist Pierre-Emmanuel Pélisson, plus new recruits guitarists Nicklaus Bergen and Oliver Marmann and RED CIRCUIT drummer Michael Stein. Their aim is to put out melodic power metal that can compete with anyone, and, albeit in their own way, I believe they can achieve that.

The intro “Aazis” is an opener among many, but the title track hints at bigger things. Among their influences is something from the jungle, which is augmented by a fine arrangement and a sensible force...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

One of Americas top vocalists of all time, or maybe in the past tense after the barren album made with Bobby Kimbal of TOTO fame about a year ago, returns to form in 2012. A very active player on the scene Jimi has been with everyone from his old bands TARGET, COBRA and SURVIVOR to the likes of ZZ TOP and JOE WALSH. This time around he has opted for a band consisting of Frontiers stalwart Erik Mårtensson (W.E.T., ECLIPSE etc.), everything but drums, Jonas Öijvall, Hammond B3, piano and analog synthesizers, Magnus Ulfstedt, drums and Magnus Henriksson, lead guitars on “Street Survivor” and “Heaven Call Your Name”. An all Swedish backing ensemble and an all-American vocalist, is that the way to go?

Opener “Everybodys´s Got a Broken Heart” almost hit the spot...