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.
NERVOSA’s Fernanda Lira Discusses ‘Agony’, Being a Woman in Metal, Beyoncé, and More
I had the opportunity to interview Fernanda Lira from Nervosa for our partner website Vita In Musica. We talk about the band’s new album “Agony,” how the band has matured, and being a woman in thrash metal.
During the beginning of the band’s career, people often made up rumors about the band, only because they were women. As the band increased in popularity, the criticism died down and received more support:
“Over time, I think people kinda noticed that we’re not here to show off, you know? We’re just here playing metal because we love metal and we’re metalheads, and that’s it. They have to respect that. It doesn’t matter what our gender is, like if we’re women or men. It just matters that we’re metalheads.”
We also discussed some of her eclectic influences, ranging from Death mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, to Nuclear Assault, to Amy Winehouse, Etta James, and Beyoncé!
“I’m a singer and before I sang in Nervosa–in this raspy, growling way–I started singing in a clean way… I am always learning new techniques and everything. Because of that, I listen to a lot of divas. Like, everyone hates me because of that. My bandmates are like, ‘Awww fuck, you’re listening to Beyoncé?!’ But that’s it. I actually don’t give a fuck. Most metalheads would be like, ‘[groan] she’s not trve enough’.”
She began singing metal doing clean vocals but admits she is still a bit shy about singing clean in public. You can hear her clean vocals in “Wayfarer,” a bonus track from “Agony”.
Nervosa is currently on tour in Europe and will return to North America in the fall.
You can listen to the entire interview here.
‘Agony‘ was recently released on June 3rd via Napalm Records.
Interview with REVOCATION’s David Davidson
I recently interviewed Revocation‘s Dave Davidson for our partner site, Vita in Musica. He talks about the band’s latest album, Great is Our Sin, playing the upcoming Summer Slaughter tour, recording with Aborted, and more.
We also talked about songwriting, his musical background, influences, and his advice for aspiring musicians. He urges new bands to “try to find [their] own voice.”
“If you want to start a band or start creating music, try to get into it for–hopefully–the right reasons. Have something to say. Have this creative spark that you want to share with the world… The competition to be seen and heard is really, really, stiff… In regards to business, try to be smart with your money. Invest in the things that are smart to invest in, like good solid recording… Make sure you think carefully about your aesthetic choices, even like with your artwork. If you’re trying to be a traditional heavy metal band, try to get a logo that reflects that look. If you’re a death metal band, try to have a logo that reflects your sound. Have accompanying artwork that can also add to the music. Try to have a full aesthetic package.
For the whole interview, click here.
‘Great is Our Sin‘ is due for release on July 22nd via Metal Blade Records.
Photos: NERVOSA Live in Phoenix, Ariz.
Here are some photos I took at the Nervosa show in Phoenix on Sunday. I also had the opportunity to interview singer/bassist Fernanda Lira, which can be seen here.
MEGADETH, Suicidal Tendencies, Children of Bodom & Havok Live in Phoenix, Ariz. – 2/27/16
This time last year, the future of Megadeth was uncertain to the public. Guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover had left the band within hours of each other in November. Bandleader, lead singer, and guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson were auditioning replacements.
There were rumors of a Rust in Peace (1990) lineup reunion. It was attempted, but it didn’t happen.
Angra guitarist Kiko Loureiro and Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler were officially announced as Megadeth’s newest members in Spring 2015.
The band’s latest effort, Dystopia, was released this January. Widely acclaimed, it hit #3 on the Billboard Top 200. It beat Adele and Justin Bieber for the #1 iTunes spot in Canada and has been regarded by many as Megadeth’s finest album in decades (or at least since Endgame).
Fresh on the heels of Dystopia‘s success, Megadeth set out on the killing road with a killer set of supporting bands in tow: legendary crossover punks Suicidal Tendencies, Finnish melodeath virtuosos Children of Bodom, and emerging Colorado thrashers, Havok. I am a fan of all the bands on the bill and had seen them all previously, which made me particularly excited for this show.
Havok opened with four songs. Among those were “D.O.A.” and “Give Me Liberty… Or Give Me Death”. On my side of the pit, you couldn’t hear David Sanchez’s vocals very well, but the band put on a hell of a show, as was expected of them. Considering I had seen them play to packed smaller venues, I was surprised that more people in the crowd did not know who they were. I was also slightly disappointed that they only played four songs. But even though most of the crowd seemed unfamiliar with the band at first, Havok was given hearty applause once they finished their set.
Children of Bodom played another short set, which included songs from their newest album, I Worship Chaos (2015), and classic material like “Hate Me” and “Angels Don’t Kill.” The guitars were nearly inaudible on my side, which saddened me, because I really admire Alexi Laiho’s guitar work. The sound levels were fixed about halfway through their set. Regardless, Bodom shredded.
Up to this point, the crowd was mostly calm in my area, with a few people moshing and one girl crowdsurfing during Bodom’s set. But once Suicidal took the stage, all hell broke loose.
Suicidal Tendencies opened with a ripping version of “You Can’t Bring Me Down,” and singer Mike Muir was running and jumping all over the stage throughout their whole set. None other than Slayer’s Dave Lombardo was behind S.T.’s kit. Their dynamic seven-song set was filled with hits like “Institutionalized” and “I Saw Your Mommy”. The crowd was going wild, with plenty of people headbanging, moshing, and crowd-surfing. Even though they had small rigs (the guitarists only had half-stacks), they were the best-sounding band of the night so far, and definitely the most energetic.
Next up was the band everyone was waiting for.
Suicidal quickly tore down their equipment, and a curtain dropped, revealing the massive futuristic apparatus Megadeth would be playing in front of. It was nice surprise to see Mustaine’s guitar tech, Willie Gee, setting up. From what I knew, he had retired last year.
About twenty minutes later, the lights went down. An intro animation of Megadeth’s logo danced on the video screen as “Prince of Darkness” played in the background. Then, the band launched into “The Threat Is Real,” strutting onstage as lights flashed and smoke machines went off.
Dave Mustaine may not be the most flamboyant frontman in metal, but he strode all over the stage throughout the band’s set, bobbing his fiery mane up and down while his fingers danced all over the fretboard. His voice sounded in particularly great condition tonight. Even though the band was tuned down to D to accommodate his vocals, it gave the songs an added darkness.
David Ellefson and Kiko Loureiro also walked up and down the stage as they played, heading back to their microphones in time to sing backing vocals. Even as they sang, they smiled and interacted with the crowd, throwing us picks in between songs. To say Kiko nailed Marty Friedman’s solos would be an understatement.
Chris Adler was situated atop a massive drum riser embedded into their futuristic stage prop. I couldn’t see his face much during the actual show, but the pictures I took show him smiling.
Their setlist spanned 30 years; they played material off most of their albums from Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (1986) to Dystopia (2016). It was awesome to hear some deeper cuts from Rust In Peace like “Dawn Patrol” and “Poison Was The Cure,” as well as their hits like “A Tout Le Monde”.
What struck me as odd was that the Phoenix crowd did not seem to know the “Megadeth, Megadeth, aguante Megadeth” chant that Argentina had pioneered for “Symphony Of Destruction”. Not only do the Argentinian crowds chant it, but so do the crowds in other Latin countries. Fellow Latino Kiko Loureiro came to my side of the venue and saw me mouthing those words, then he smiled at me.
As the four members united at center stage to take their final bow and throw picks and wristbands into the audience, my only thought was, “Why did it have to end?”
I had seen Megadeth before. Not once, but three times, and those three shows paled in comparison to this one. It was like I had seen a different band, and in a sense, I had. All the members seemed legitimately happy to belong to the same group, and you could feel their radiance beaming from the stage.
Catch this tour if you can. You won’t regret it.
Megadeth Setlist:
- The Threat Is Real
- Hangar 18
- Kingmaker
- Wake Up Dead
- In My Darkest Hour
- Sweating Bullets
- Dystopia
- Dawn Patrol
- Poison Was The Cure
- She-Wolf
- Trust
- Skin O’ My Teeth
- Fatal Illusion
- A Tout Le Monde
- Symphony Of Destruction
- Peace Sells
- Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
Other setlists: Suicidal Tendencies, Children of Bodom
EXMORTUS Talks To The Blaze 1330 AM
Check out this interview I did with California metal virtuosos Exmortus! They just signed a 3-album deal with Prosthetic Records, home of Holy Grail and Skeletonwitch. You can hear the full interview here!
SACRED REICH Talks to The Blaze 1330 AM
Check out this interview I did with Jason Rainey from Sacred Reich! He talks about the band’s early days, SR’s reunion, and returning to Metal Blade Records. Sacred Reich plans to tour Europe and South America next year. You can hear the full interview here!
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”.
Interview with Holy Grail for KASC The Blaze 1330 AM
Alec Damiano (me) with James Paul Luna, singer of Holy Grail.
Last night, I interviewed up-and-coming metal band Holy Grail before their show in Mesa, Ariz.
It’s pretty funny. They open up about Metal Alliance Tour and their drunken adventures with Exodus, their musical guilty pleasures, and how they might tour Europe in the fall.
You can check it out here.
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.
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
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.
Interview with Warhead
Warhead is a Phoenix-based classic thrash metal band who pull influence from the likes of Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden. Over the past few weeks, TBOS has been collaborating with them on a set of videos, chronicling the history of the band up to the release of their debut album, “Death Row”.
Here are some excerpts from the interview.
Sam Bollard, bass guitarist. Photo by Alec Damiano.
The Blog of Shredding: What inspired you to pursue music in the speed metal genre?
Sam Bollard (bass guitar): It’s what we write. It’s just what we write. We don’t write anything else.
Nolan Castles (lead vocals & guitar): Like yeah, it’s totally natural. It’s not like we’re going like for speed metal, or thrash, death, whatever. You know what I mean? It was just like, we got together, wrote some songs, and that’s what it came out to be.
Cody Bailey, lead guitarist. Photo by Alec Damiano.
TBOS: What moment made you realize, “I wanna pursue music for the rest of my life?”
Cody Bailey (lead guitar): Definitely watching a lot of live videos of just bands that I liked.
Dane White (drums): Metallica.
Cody Bailey: Yeah, I definitely just wanted to be in their position and get them the hell off the stage and put me there.
Drummer Dane White. Photo by Alec Damiano
TBOS: What differentiates you from the rest of the Phoenix metal scene?
Dane White: Our stage show is probably one of the (things). I mean, music is one thing for us, but we have electricity when we play that I don’t really see in a lot of other bands when I look at other local bands. No offense to any of them, but I feel there’s definitely a stronger performance chemistry we have when we play together, and I think the audience notices that too. So I think that’s one of the things that sets us off from the others.
Nolan Castles, lead vocalist and guitarist. Photo by Alec Damiano.
TBOS: How do you get your hair to be so fabulous?
Nolan Castles: To be honest, my hair is all-natural.
Sam Bollard: Head and Shoulders.
Nolan Castles: I wash my hair with dirt, shampoo. Hopefully someone leaves some regurgitation in the sink here.
Dane White: Oh God! (laughs)
Sam Bollard: We wash our hair with brew, take showers with dirt. (others laugh) And that’s about it. We’re thrash. We eat pizza. We drink. We f——- party and we get 45 seconds of sleep and we do it all over again!
Dane White: We literally do none of those things! (laughs)
Nolan Castles: Yes, we party hard. And then when we’re all done, we all go home for dinner.
Sam Bollard: We have a curfew.
Nolan Castles: “Two minutes to midnight” (in reference to the Iron Maiden song of the same name).
Sam Bollard: The f—— thrash curfew!… (laughs) Then we have to “hit the lights” (in reference to the Metallica song).
Warhead will perform at the Nile Theater in Mesa, Ariz. on April 18. Their debut album, “Death Row,” will be released May 16. They will also be interviewed on RockDefRadio Friday, April 5 at 8 p.m. ET.
You can hear their cover of Megadeth’s “Take No Prisoners” below.
Welcome to Warhead
Warhead is a speed/thrash metal band based out of Phoenix, Ariz. Their songs are written in the vein of the Big Four of Thrash Metal (Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer). They look like they got time-warped into 2013 straight from the 80s, and they sound like it too.
TBOS got the opportunity to interview Warhead and film them as they were rehearsing for their upcoming show. You can also hear their song, “Death Row,” in the video below.
Tomorrow March 15, they will perform at the Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe, Ariz. Other bands on the bill include: Hemoptysis, Scattered Guts, Existence AD, and Fail to Reason. The show is all ages and tickets are $5. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Warhead will be touring in May in support of their debut album, “Death Row”. The full-length interview and more concert footage will be posted on TBOS closer to the album’s release date.
Warhead “Death Row” West Coast Tour 2013:
May 16 – Phoenix
May 17 – San Diego
May 18 – Los Angeles
May 19 – San Francisco
May 21 – Sacramento
May 22 – Eugene
May 23 – Portland
May 25 – Seattle
May 26 – Boise
May 27 – Salt Lake City
May 28 – Las Vegas
For more updates, visit their Facebook page.
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