RICHARD CHRISTY: ‘I still have my fingers crossed that people will get to hear the last CONTROL DENIED album’
I was fortunate enough to interview legendary drummer Richard Christy for our partner website, Vita In Musica.
Christy is currently prepping for the release of the new CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED album, which features Tim “Ripper” Owens (DIO DISCIPLED, ex-JUDAS PRIEST) on vocals, Jason Suecof on guitar (CAPHARNAUM), and Steve Digiorgio (TESTAMENT, DEATH, SADUS) on bass.
However, we also talked about his time in DEATH, ICED EARTH, and CONTROL DENIED.
In the interview, Christy revealed that the second CONTROL DENIED album, late DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner’s final album, was nearly completed before Schuldiner‘s death in 2001. Christy mentioned some interesting aspects of recording:
I did my drums in December of the year 2000, and I’m really proud of the drums on that, because those I did in one day, and I did every track in one day. The drum sound was amazing, and I really hope that people will get to hear it one day. Chuck did his guitar parts as well, and those are incredible as well… I remember rehearsing that album, and there’s such crazy stuff on that second album. We did this one thing where it didn’t have a time signature. We slowed down just by looking at each other, and then [sped] back up. It’s one really weird riff. I remember when Chuck came up with it and Shannon shouted to me, we were all just laughing because it was so crazy-sounding and so cool.
As for a potential release, nothing is currently set in stone, but Christy is optimistic.
“I don’t have any news on it, unfortunately,” he said. “But I still have my fingers crossed that one day people will get to hear that album.”
He continued: “The thing is, we gotta make sure that it’s something that Chuck would’ve wanted people to hear and that it’s done right. So, I really hope that people get to hear it one day, cause it’s really an amazing album.”
Christy also revealed that the drums for DEATH‘s final album, The Sound of Perseverance, were recorded in 2-3 days at the most, and without a metronome.
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED‘s latest album, Creatures Watching over the Dead, will be released September 23 via Metal Blade Records.
For the full interview, click here.
Interview with DELAIN’S Martijn Westerholt
I had the opportunity to interview symphonic metal mastermind and keyboardist Martijn Westerholt of DELAIN. We discussed the band’s upcoming album, Moonbathers, which is out August 26th via Napalm Records.
Moonbathers features Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY, ex-THE AGONIST) as a guest vocalist on “Hands of Gold,” as well as a cover of QUEEN‘s “Scandal”.
Westerholt also discusses his time in Within Temptation, accusations of “commercialism,” and elitism in metal:
The whole ‘commercial’ argument is total bullshit, because if I want to go commercial, you can not use any guitars whatsoever, and I’m in totally the wrong genre. So, I just make what I love to make… If I want to make money, and if I want to be commercial, first of all, I wouldn’t be into music in general, because the chance that you can earn money with music is REALLY, REALLY small. And second of all, even if I want to do that, then please don’t choose metal, because you will have very limited radio airplay, and metal is not in fashion. But I happen to love metal, and I happen to love hard guitars… I actually really, really dislike–actually, despise–the whole elitism thing. Also, when bands become successful, then it’s suddenly not cool anymore, because ‘your’ band–you have to share them with other people. It’s not your band in the first place… I see the fans as my boss, as my employer, because they spend money on me and I can do this because of them, and I really am grateful for this. But this doesn’t mean they have a say in what kind of music I will make or not, because that’s something that comes from your heart… I make what I want to make.
You can listen to the entire interview at our partner website Vita In Musica.
HANK SHERMANN: DAVE MUSTAINE Did Not Allow Performance With KING DIAMOND, Talks Potential MERCYFUL FATE Reunion, Songwriting
I was fortunate enough to interview the legendary axeman Hank Shermann (Denner/Shermann, Mercyful Fate) for our partner website Vita In Musica. We talked about the upcoming Denner/Shermann album, ‘Masters of Evil,’ a potential Mercyful Fate reunion, and playing guitar with Volbeat in 2012.
Volbeat singer Michael Poulsen had asked Shermann to play guitar during the band’s run on Gigantour in 2012. King Diamond was supposed to perform “Come to the Sabbath” with the band, but Dave Mustaine did not allow it.
“King Diamond also went to Dallas when we did the Gigantour, because he was supposed to play–we did play a Mercyful Fate song–‘Come To The Sabbath’. King Diamond was coming to the show in order to sing it. But apparently, Dave Mustaine didn’t want King to be onstage and do whatever Satanic lyrics, or whatever that was all about… So, King came to the concert and he was given the–he was told that, ‘Hey King, you’re not allowed’ from Mustaine for some reason.”
The band played the intro from “Come to the Sabbath” anyway, as King sang the lyrics from the audience.
Shermann continues, “That was pretty funny. What that was all about, I don’t have a clue. I don’t know if suddenly Mustaine had gotten into God, or you know, for whatever reason [laughs]. That was pretty bizarre you know, because back in the days, they were very good friends… Megadeth were touring with Diamond in the 80s. But there’s a lot of changes in that band. But you know, they’re good guys… and I like them and they have made some really cool records over time.”
He also revealed that he has been in talks with King Diamond over a possible Mercyful Fate reunion, though nothing has been set in stone. There is still an album left on contract with Metal Blade Records.
“Nothing has been talked about, specifics. But I mean, it would be a fascinating thought, and let’s all hope that it would happen, at least for the fans, because we owe everything to the fans, that we are still here to this day.”
Denner/Shermann will also be touring Europe and North America later this year.
For the entire interview, click here.
‘Masters of Evil‘ is due for release on June 24th via Metal Blade Records.
UPDATE (6/9/16 8:27 a.m. PST): YouTube link has been included because the Vita In Musica site is down: https://youtu.be/t5mfMqL7d5I
AVENGED SEVENFOLD Releases Preview of ‘Hail To The King’
Avenged Sevenfold has released a 30-second preview of the title track from their upcoming album, “Hail To The King”. The album is due in stores August 27.
Previously released samples of new Avenged Sevenfold songs can be heard below.
There has also been controversy surrounding the album artwork, drawing comparisons to Lich King’s “World Gone Dead”.
Thoughts?
This Week in Metal: Moshing, Lemmy, Megadeth, and More
These past several days have been interesting ones in the metal community.
In perhaps one of the biggest recent controversies, rumors spread that moshing would be outlawed. This tweet by Oliver Sykes from Bring Me The Horizon fueled the speculation.
Moshing was made illegal in the city of Boston in 2012, and to the best knowledge of TBOS, there hasn’t been any more recent legislation put into action. Kevin Lyman, the promoter of Warped Tour, where BMTH are performing, assured his Twitter followers that moshing has not been outlawed on the tour, but bands are not allowed to encourage it due to possible legal problems.
Motörhead was forced to cancel three shows after singer/bassist Lemmy Kilmister suffered a hematoma. But the band released a statement proclaiming that their frontman was doing well. Motörhead will release their latest album, Aftershock, in September.
Tickets for Iron Maiden’s upcoming London show sold out in a mere 12 minutes. The band have since added a second show. It will be their last show in the UK before they tour the States and headline Rock In Rio and other shows in South America. The band also launched an online store for their Trooper beer this week.
Megadeth announced they will donate the proceeds from their upcoming Gigantour show in Oklahoma City will be donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. According to Loudwire, singer Dave Mustaine said, “Many amazing bands have come forward to aid Oklahomans since the May tornadoes came and tore apart their homes and lives. Now it’s time for Heavy Metal to give to this community!”
A 6-year-old girl wowed audiences on “America’s Got Talent” by singing an original death metal song called “Zombie Skin”. Surprisingly, the kid band (called Murp) progressed to the next level of the show.
Another metal-related video went viral this week. The Badpiper, an Australian street performer, made headlines by performing AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” complete with pyrotechnics.
In other news:
- Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival (a.k.a Mayhem Fest) kicked off Saturday night in San Bernardino, Calif.
- Andrew WK will be opening for Black Sabbath on their upcoming North American tour.
- Avenged Sevenfold announced that their next album, “Hail to the King” will be released August 27.
- Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival will be the subject of a 3D documentary.
- Full Metal Jackie now has her own iHeartRadio station.
Thus concludes TBOS’s “This Week in Metal”.
BLACK SABBATH’s ’13’ Debuts at #1
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler posted the image above on his Facebook page, signaling that the band’s latest album, “13,” has topped the U.S. Billboard Charts.
No, not the Hard Rock or Heatseeker charts, where metal albums often reside. The Billboard Top 200.
According to Noisecreep, 155,000 copies of “13” were sold in its first week. It is the band’s first #1 album in the U.S.
“13” also topped the charts in the U.K., making it the first time in 43 years that Sabbath has a number one album in that country (the last being “Paranoid”). It is the longest time frame on record.
Metal is alive and well, ladies and gentlemen.
MARILYN MANSON to PARIS JACKSON: ‘You Will Be On My Guest List Any Time You Want’
Marilyn Manson has offered to put Paris Jackson on his guest list for a future show after she attempted to commit suicide on Wednesday.
Various sources report that Jackson cut her wrists with a meat cleaver and swallowed pills shortly after she was told she would not be allowed to attend a Marilyn Manson/Alice Cooper concert.
Manson sent the following message to Jackson through TMZ, who broke the story:
“Hope you feel better. You will be on my guest list anytime you want.”
Manson just did an interview with Larry King on his new show, “Larry King Now,” where he talked about being blamed for 36 school shootings, particularly those of Columbine High School, due to his controversial image.
Goes to show that reputations are simply reputations. Good on you, Manson, for proving the naysayers wrong.
Marilyn Manson is currently on tour with Alice Cooper, and they will perform in Tucson, Ariz. tomorrow,
June 7 at the AVA Amphitheater.
Album Review: MEGADETH “Super Collider” Deluxe Edition (2013)
Before I begin this review, let me make my biases known.
I am a major-league Megadeth fan. I am a card-carrying member of the Megadeth Cyber Army. If you look at the “about” page of this blog, you will see me happily nestled between the two MegaDaves, singer/guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson.
Naturally, I was very excited about the release of the band’s latest effort, Super Collider.
With Super Collider, you can’t just say something like, “It’s Cryptic Writings-meets-Th1rt3en” and be accurate. SC is truly a culmination of all things ‘Deth, with some flashbacks to their thrashier days, elements of their more melodic and experimental albums like Risk, and the newer 2000s material. If you were expecting Rust in Peace II, you will be disappointed. But if you approach it with an open mind, you might be pleased.
SC kicks off with “Kingmaker”, which was released as a single approximately two weeks ago. It renewed people’s faith in Super Collider after so many had been disillusioned by the previous single, the 70s-road-trip-rock title track. “Kingmaker” is like a cross between Black Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave” and ‘Deth’s own “Sweating Bullets,” a tribute to the band’s own musical heritage while adding the thrash elements Megadeth have become known for.
Then comes the infamous “Super Collider,” in a very stark contrast to the opening song. For those who haven’t heard it, it sounds more like Foghat than Megadeth. It’s a middle-of-the-road hard rock song that doesn’t really go anywhere. Mustaine revealed that the band filmed a humorous music video to promote the lead single, and perhaps his intention behind the song will be known once the video is released.
The title “Burn!” sounds like Mustaine’s yell in “Take No Prisoners,” but the song itself is an average rocker, with a chorus that feels more at home in a KISS, Motley Crüe, or even a disco song (“Burn, baby burn… ’cause it feels so good”).
“Built For War” is definitely the worst song on the album, maybe even Megadeth’s worst song, period. Meme Theater posted a review of the album right after it leaked, and their critique of this track says it all:
“…it feels like there was Megadeth playing a toned down Megadeth song in one room while Dave Mustaine sings an unrelated melody and lyrical arrangement in another room, while a 2ND DAVE MUSTAINE stood in yet another separate room in said ‘Built for War!’ at random times, as bored as possible…”
“Off the Edge” has a very nice, dark intro and segues into an average metal song but with sub-par lyrics, at least for Megadeth (“Lately, it seems the world is going crazy / It won’t be long till they replace me / And nothing seems to faze me, anymore”). Think of “Fast Lane” from Th1rt3en, but with worse lyrics.
“Dance in the Rain” is the turning point of this album. David Draiman (Disturbed, Device) lends songwriting and guest vocals to this amazing song, which is one of Megadeth’s best since Youthanasia. The song is about American politicians/government taking advantage of We The People as we struggle to make ends meet. It reminds me why I love Megadeth in the first place: chugging guitar rhythms, Shawn Drover’s fast feet at the double bass drums, Chris Broderick’s wailing leads perfectly complementing Dave Mustaine’s eternally stark lyrics. The song starts off slow and progressively speeds up, eventually ripping into a blazing riff and brutal drums backing Draiman’s powerhouse vocals. It would be right at home on United Abominations or Endgame.
“Beginning of Sorrow” is another good , somewhat slow song with heavy lyrical content, about a neglected child. Mustaine’s daughter Electra contributes some backing vocals.
“The Blackest Crow” is one of the most anticipated songs on this album, since video previews on the band’s website showed instruments like a banjo, fiddle, and slide guitar being used. There were also talks of country legend Willie Nelson guesting on this track. Though Nelson did not appear, the song does its hype justice, serving as a strange but pleasant bridge between bluegrass and heavy metal.
Mustaine wrote “Forget To Remember” about his mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer’s disease. Though it is an upbeat song for Megadeth, the lyrics are some of their most poignant: “If this is living, what the hell is living for? / You’ve boarded up your eyes, your mind has locked the door”. Broderick’s fills and Mustaine’s voice are beautifully in sync, with the fogginess of some of Mustaine’s vocal lines possibly representing the fogginess of the woman’s memory. This is definitely a highlight of the album, though it is more radio-friendly than most Deth fans are used to.
“Don’t Turn Your Back…” starts off with an impressive bluesy guitar solo and progresses into a badass riff, then into a poppy chorus with more cheesy lyrics (“The best advice I can lend is / Don’t ever turn your back on a friend”). Kinda My Little Pony for Megadeth, even though the musical elements are fantastic.
Though “Cold Sweat” is a Thin Lizzy cover, ironically, it is one of the most Megadeth-sounding songs on the album. Great cover that sounds at home on Endgame.
“All I Want”, the first bonus track, has a vibe similar to Th1rt3en’s “Wrecker” and has obvious KISS influences in the lyrics (“We took off on a rocket ride”). Decent medium-tempo metal song.
“A House Divided” should have been released on all versions of the album. It is truly a shame that it is only available on the deluxe edition. It has an interesting trumpet intro by Bob Findley (who played on Megadeth’s “Silent Scorn”), and like “Dance in the Rain,” reminds me why I’m a fan of this band. Once again, Mustaine sings about injustice (“This is a sad day for violence / When speech results in silence”) as gang vocals creepily chant “We all know something’s wrong” in the background. It gave me goosebumps. It is a suiting finale to the new material.
The final track is a live version of “Countdown to Extinction,” recorded in Pomona, Calif. in December of last year. It is a preview of Megadeth’s next CD/DVD release, Countdown to Extinction Live, which should come out this fall.
Super Collider is just one of those albums that is so different, it has to grow on you. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen it called “Risk II”. But the truth is, there are so many different elements on SC, you can’t compare it to one single item in the Megadeth catalogue. It stands alone.
Final verdict: 7/10
Track Listing:
1. Kingmaker
2 .Super Collider
3. Burn!
4. Built For War
5. Off The Edge
6. Dance In The Rain
7. Beginning Of Sorrow
8. The Blackest Crow
9. Forget To Remember
10. Don’t Turn Your Back…
11. Cold Sweat (Thin Lizzy cover)
12. All I Want (Bonus Track)
13. A House Divided (Bonus Track)
14. Countdown To Extinction (Live In Pomona, CA) (Bonus Track)
PAUL BOSTAPH Rejoins SLAYER
It has just been announced that drummer Paul Bostaph will rejoin Slayer. Bostaph played with Slayer from 1992-2001, on the albums “Divine Intervention” (1992), “Undisputed Attitude” (1996), and “God Hates Us All” (2001).
Bostaph at the Jeff Hanneman memorial earlier this month. Photo by Stephanie Cabral.
Bostaph will be rejoining the band full-time, beginning June 4, at the start of Slayer’s European tour.
Exodus guitarist Gary Holt will continue to fill in for deceased guitarist Jeff Hanneman.
Source: BLABBERMOUTH.NET
UPDATE: Slayer has also made this Jeff Hanneman Memorial t-shirt available in their web store.
JEFF HANNEMAN Memorial Compilation
Fans and prominent figures in the metal community congregated to celebrate the life of guitarist Jeff Hanneman. The memorial took place yesterday afternoon at the Hollywood Palladium.
Exodus and Slayer guitarist Gary Holt and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. Photo by Stephanie Cabral.
TBOS has compiled coverage of the event from various sources.
Metal Hammer gave an excellent run-down of the event, elaborating on those who were in attendance and the speeches they gave. One of the most memorable passages from the article:
A video montage of Jeff’s life kicks off. Pictures of Jeff as a small child drive more than a few audience members to tears, as Fade to Black accompanies the footage. When the tunes change to South of Heaven, five or six circle pits break out across the main floor. From the balcony it looks like a map of tropical storms forming across the Caribbean. Circle pits at a memorial service. Epic.
Blabbermouth.net posted an elaborate article on Hanneman and his legacy, along with fan-filmed footage of the memorial.
Loudwire also did a recap of the event, with emphasis on the various speeches.
Brian Slagel (Metal Blade Records): (Jeff was) such an unbelievable player. Really, back then, you had the feeling that something special was happening when we made (Show No Mercy), but none of us really realized how special that would become.
Brian Slagel speaking at the memorial. Photo by Kathy Flynn.
Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo on behalf of producer Rick Rubin (who produced Slayer’s most famous album, Reign in Blood): He was an innovator, an original and a creative force who we will all miss everyday going forward. Thankfully he left us with recordings we can listen to anytime we want to feel his presence.
Robert Trujillo speaking at the memorial. Photo by Kathy Flynn.
Slayer guitarist Kerry King insisted that the event was a celebration and told the audience funny stories about the band’s early days.
Though the Westboro Baptist Church had planned to protest at the memorial, the group was nowhere to be seen.
THE DOORS Founding Member and Keyboardist RAY MANZAREK Dies at 74
Legendary Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek lost his battle with cancer this afternoon. He was 74.
There had been rumors circulating that Manzarek’s death was a hoax, but the news was confirmed on The Doors’ official website.
R.I.P. Ray. Thank you for all the fantastic music.
WARHEAD Debut Album Set For Release May 15
Phoenix thrash metal band Warhead will release their debut album, “Death Row,” tomorrow May 15. You can stream three of the tracks from the album here.
Warhead will also tour in support of the album.
Upcoming shows:
May 17 – Maya’s Cafe – Corona, CA
May 18 – Riff Haus – Fullerton, CA
May 22 – Musichead – Medford, OR
June 8 – Rocky Point Cantina – Tempe, AZ
PHIL ANSELMO Debuts Solo Track
Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals will release their debut album, “Walk Through Exits Only,” on July 16.
The track “Usurper Bastard’s Rant” is now available for streaming.
Anselmo revealed that the song was inspired by how predictable and watered down music has become. He told Rolling Stone, “Traditions were meant to be celebrated and/or destroyed. The celebration is worn out in my view. It’s time for more destruction, and this is exactly the point of ‘Usurper Bastard’s Rant.'”
You can hear the song here.
SLAYER’s Jeff Hanneman Passes Away at 49
Two years after contracting a rare skin disease from a spider bite, Slayer guitarist passed away at his home this morning.
How sad. R.I.P. Jeff.
You can read more here.
MEGADETH “Super Collider” Album Cover Revealed
You can also hear a snippet of their new song, “Don’t Turn Your Back,” here.
April’s Most Anticipated Albums – Device, Rob Zombie, Volbeat and More
Despite March being hailed by record stores as “Metal Month,” there are plenty of highly-anticipated albums that will be released in April.
The Blog of Shredding brings you the guide to what albums you should buy and where you can hear them (or at least some of the tracks) before they hit stores.
All release dates are U.S. release dates.
Device – “Device”
Release Date: April 9
Device’s self-titled debut album (2013). Photo from Noisecreep.
Device is the side project of Disturbed frontman David Draiman. The entire self-titled effort is now available for streaming on Noisecreep.
The lineup also includes Evanescence drummer Will Hunt, Dope guitarist Vitus and former Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo. M. Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold and Lzzy Hale from Halestorm make guest appearances.
Stone Sour – “House of Gold and Bones Part 2”
Release Date: April 9
Stone Sour’s “House of Gold And Bones Part 2” (2013). Photo from Stone Sour’s official website.
“House of Gold and Bones Part 2” is the sequel to Stone Sour’s 2012 chart-topper, “House of Gold and Bones Part 1”. HOGAB is singer Corey Taylor’s project that includes the double album and a comic book series. HOGAB Part 2 also features Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan taking up bass duties.
TBOS previously reviewed this album. It is available for streaming on Stone Sour’s official website.
Volbeat – “Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies”
Release Date: April 9
“Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies” (2013). Photo from Volbeat’s official website.
Volbeat’s first album to feature former Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano drops Tuesday. Legendary singer King Diamond (Mercyful Fate) is featured on the track “Room 24”. “Room 24” is available for free on King Diamond’s website, as a gift to the fans.
Ghost B.C. – “Infestissumam”
Release Date: April 9 April 16
Ghost B.C.’s sophomore release. Photo from Ghost B.C.’s official website.
The release of Ghost B.C.’s sophomore album was delayed by a week due to controversy surrounding the artwork of “Infestissumam”. (The questionable artwork was not even on the album cover, but on the physical CD and would not have been visible to customers unless they purchased the album.)
Several of the songs from “Infestissumam” have already leaked online. The video for “Year Zero” can be seen below.
Skid Row – “United World Rebellion – Chapter One” (EP)
Release Date: April 16
“United World Rebellion” (2013), Skid Row’s first record in seven years. Photo from BLABBERMOUTH.NET
“United World Rebellion – Chapter One” is the first in a series of EPs that Skid Row plans to release in the near future. It is their third record to feature singer Johnny Solinger, who replaced Sebastian Bach in 1999.
The official lyric video for “Kings of Demolition” can be seen below.
Geoff Tate’s Queensryche – “Frequency Unknown”
Release Date: April 23
Geoff Tate’s first album with his incarnation of Queensryche. Photo from BLABBERMOUTH.NET
After a nasty split-up between singer Geoff Tate and his band Queensryche in late 2012, two versions of the band emerged: Geoff Tate’s Queensryche and simply, Queensryche.
The lineup of Tate’s version includes bassist Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, Dio). Guest musicians on “Frequency Unknown” include K.K. Downing (Judas Priest), Chris Poland (Megadeth) and Lita Ford.
The single “Cold” is available for streaming below.
Rob Zombie – “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor”
Release Date: April 23
Rob Zombie, this year’s Mayhem Fest headliner, will release his new album later this month. Photo from Rob Zombie’s official website.
2013 is turning out to be the year of the Zombie.
Rob Zombie is headlining this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. His film, “The Lords of Salem,” hits theaters April 19.
On top of that, his new album “Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor” has been highly acclaimed by various critics.
You can listen to the single, “Dead City Radio” here. The official music video will be released on VEVO on Monday.
More of April’s Most Anticipated Albums:
Flotsam and Jetsam – “Ugly Noise”
Release Date: April 16
Deep Purple – “NOW What?!”
Release Date: April 26
HIM – “Tears on Tape”
Release Date: April 26
Cathedral – “The Last Spire”
Release Date: April 29
For a more comprehensive list of upcoming metal releases, visit Metal Storm.
The Blog of Shredding 