ARGUS to Perform at Roadburn Festival in 2015

U.S. trad-metallers ARGUS will perform at the 20th Edition of the acclaimed Roadburn Festival on Sunday, April 12, 2015. The fest will be held at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.   

ARGUS will also perform in Dublin, Ireland on April 10, 2015 at the Gypsy Rose Rock and Blues Bar. Details on the event can be viewed here.

Roadburn recently made the following announcement about the ARGUS appearance, which can also be viewed at this location.

It is our pleasure to announce that Cruz Del Sur recording artists ARGUS will perform at the 20th edition of Roadburn Festival on Sunday, April 12 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands."

Hailing from the Western Pennsylvania ARGUS has been building a reputation as one of the finest bands in the metal underground. Forging a potent mix of epic traditional metal, laced with moody passages and doom flourishes ARGUS brings a stunning double guitar attack, a tight and pounding rhythm section and strong, soaring vocals.

Eschewing pure nostalgia for the "old school" ARGUS evokes the spirit of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Candlemass, Dio, et al all the while bringing their own personal, unique flair to their music. Their most recent release, Beyond the Martyrs was met with praise by critics worldwide and was received rabidly by their fanbase. The band has built a reputation as a tremendous live act having toured Europe most recently in the Autumn of 2013. It is a set not to be missed!

2015 looks to be a busy year which will see ARGUS releasing a new 7-inch, 'Let Now Your Heart be Troubled'  / 'Streets of Gold' (to coincide with their appearance at Roadburn 2015) as well as completing their 4th, as yet untitled, album. SaysARGUS "We are honored and humbled to be invited to an event as prestigious as Roadburn and to play alongside so many killer bands. We look forward to meeting you all and to raising the flag of metal over the Green Room!

The 20th edition of Roadburn Festival runs from April 9 to 12, 2015 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands. Get your tickets HERE.

https://www.facebook.com/argusmetal 

www.cruzdelsurmusic.com

EMPIRES OF EDEN reveal first extended track preview video of new upcoming cd

All star metal project EMPIRES OF EDEN led by producer / guitarist Stu "The Hammer" Marshall (DEATH DEALER / DUNGEON) have revealed their first extended track preview video for their new upcoming cd "Architect of Hope".

Empires of Eden - Architect of Hope - Video preview #1

New cd pre-order information, click more information click here:

For the latest Empires of Eden visit the band's official Facebook page::

Empires of Eden official Facebook website:

Deep In Hate added to Hellfest 2015

Kaotoxin Records recording artists DEEP IN HATE have been added to the bill at HellFest 2015, the famed French festival's 10th anniversary. The second Kaotoxin band to play Hellfest (after AD PATRES in 2011), DEEP IN HATE will share the stage with Ace Frehley, Airbourne, Alice Cooper, Anthrax, Arch Enemy, At The Gates, Billy Idol, Biohazard, Bloodbath, Body Count, Cannibal Corpse, Children Of Bodom, Cradle Of Filth, Dead Kennedys, DRI, Envy, Exploited, Faith No More, Five Finger Death Punch, In Extremo, In Flames, Judas Priest, Killing Joke, Korn, Lamb Of God, Limp Bizkit, Madball, Marilyn Manson, Mayhem, Meshuggah, Motörhead, Nightwish, No FX, Red Fang, Rise Against, Satyricon, Scorpions, Slash, Slipknot, St Vitus, Terror, Triptykon, Wampas, Wovenhand, ZZ Top and SO many more!

Called a "bloody good album" by TheLairOfFilth.com, DEEP IN HATE's Chronicles of Oblivion is out now and available in digital and limited-edition digisleeve CD formats.   Digital: listen.kaotoxin.com  CD and merch:  shop.kaotoxin.com www.deepinhate.com www.facebook.com/deepinhate  www.kaotoxin.com

RAVEN Reveals "ExtermiNation" Album Cover

NWOBHM thrash godfathers RAVEN have unveiled the cover to their upcoming studio album "ExtermiNation".  The cover was designed by Jay Sharpe and can be seen above.

Raven is currently running a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign to help fund the recording of "ExtermiNation".  The band is offering Kickstarter backers a full-length cover album entitled "Party Killers".  "Party Killers" is available exclusively through the Kickstarter campaign, and will not be available after the campaign ends on November 28th.  "Party Killers" is available on CD and 12" vinyl.  Other Kickstarter-exclusive items including t-shirts, CDs, a 7" vinyl single, patches, stickers, and more.

"Party Killers" track-listing:

  

- "Too Bad Too Sad" (Nazareth)

- "Bad Reputation" (Thin Lizzy)

- "Cockroach" (Sweet)

- "Fireball" (Deep Purple)

- "Hang on to Yourself" (David Bowie)

- "He's a Whore" (Cheap Trick)

- "In For the Kill" (Budgie)

- "Is There a Better Way" (Status Quo)

- "Ogre Battle" (Queen)

- "Queen of My Dreams" (Edgar Winter)

- "Tak Me Bak Ome" (Slade)

Vocalist and bassist John Gallagher comments on the album: "We were writing for the new album at a cool studio in Richmond, VA, and in the middle of jamming asked the engineer there if we could record a few cover tunes just for the hell of it.  The sounds were so good we decided to do something we'd been threatening for many years: "Party Killers" - a collection of cover tunes guaranteed to deafen yer neighbors!! It's basically a peek into the little red 45rpm singles box we used to have at home...songs and bands that were very influential to us as kids, but given the Raven overhaul! I think it gives a nice insight to our roots and will be an excellent companion to the new album!"

RAVEN is currently wrapping up an extensive US tour with support act NIGHT DEMON.

RAVEN “North American Extermination Tour 2014?:

Nov 24th - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter

Nov 25th - Raleigh, NC - The Maywood

Check Raven's official websitefor further details.

Job for a Cowboy 'Sun Eater' debuts at #91 on the Billboard Top 200

"Sun Eater" is the fourth full-length album from Job for a Cowboy, and was released last week via Metal Blade Records worldwide. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with Decibel Magazine conceding and saying "Fuck it, I can admit when I'm wrong… Turns out that, while I was busy pointedly not paying attention to them, these deathcore progenitors actually became a pretty damn good band." Alternative Press Magazine also declared in their 4.5/5 star review that "they've become a full-on progressive death metal band…the songs have progressive sweep and epic power, at times recalling Opeth's heavier work…Sun Eater is one of 2014's best metal albums, period." Praise for "Sun Eater" burned through blogosphere and resonated with fans.

This response has led to a #91 debut on the Billboard Top 200, and a #5 debut on the Billboard Hard Music albums chart! On the day of release, the album was #2 on the iTunes metal charts. In Canada, "Sun Eater" debuted at #125 on the Top 200 chart, #15 on the Hard Chart, and #129 o the Digital Music Chart. On iTunes Canada, the album peaked at #4 on the metal albums chart, #17 on the rock chart, and #88 on the overall Top 200 albums chart. Listen to "Sun of Nihility" and order your copy of Job for a Cowboy's "Sun Eater" now at metalblade.com/jobforacowboy.

Producer Jason Suecof, vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Al Glassman and Tony Sannicandro, bassist Nick Schendzielos, and session drummer Danny Walker have crafted a cerebral and accomplished piece of technical death metal. Job for a Cowboy wrapped up touring in 2013 as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival that summer. Following that performance, the band collectively decided to sharpen their focus and set an intent on cooking up a record that encompassed their full dynamic range of talent. The group had all agreed on the main course being a desire for futuristic tones, a wider spectrum of textures and tempos, and an emphasis on slightly more ancestral song construction. The result, "Sun Eater," does not just sound like a new record, it sounds like an entirely new band.

The disc was also recently reviewed by Focus on Metal's own Wayne Simmons right here on this site.

"Sun Eater" track listing:

1. Eating the Visions of God

2. Sun of Nihility

3. The Stone Cross

4. The Synthetic Sea

5. A Global Shift

6. The Celestial Antidote

7. Encircled by Mirrors

8. Buried Monuments

9. Worming Nightfall

Follow Job for a Cowboy online:

http://www.facebook.com/jobforacowboy

https://twitter.com/jfacmetal 

Cruz Del Sur Music Releasing Debut Album from Hammer King in 2015

CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC will release the debut album from new German epic power metal sensation HAMMER KING! Even though Kingdom of the Hammer King is their debut album, HAMMER KING's members are no novices.  Singer Patrick Fuchs (Titan Fox)  is known for being the lead vocalist of ROSS THE BOSS' solo project (and also IVORY NIGHTS), and drummer Herr Schmitt  is the former drummer of Germany's Top-Ten Rock outfit SALTATIO MORTIS. What emerges from the gathering of these stalwart metal musicians is a slab of traditional, epic power-metal in the best Teutonic tradition! 

Expect an album with plenty of melodies, epic choruses and galloping guitars produced with a clean, brilliant sound  by the excellent Charles Greywolf (of POWERWOLF fame) in his own studio. Kingdom of the Hammer King will see the light in the first half of 2015 in compact disc, vinyl (with one bonus track) and digital editions.  You can get a taste of HAMMER KING by listening to the album's title track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3a0Q7xKoj0

  

"I like to think there is a little bit of Metal in everything Wishbone Ash does. If I were to recommend one Heavy Metal band to listen to, it would be HAMMER KING" - 

Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)

"Hammer King is the real deal. Power Metal at its best!" - Ross the Boss

http://www.hammer-king.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thehammerking 

www.cruzdelsurmusic.com

King Diamond "Dreams of Horror" debuts on Billboard charts

King Diamond's "Dreams of Horror" was released last week and has debuted at #28 on the Billboard Hard Music charts! This is the ONLY "best of" album covering the band's entire career. King Diamond and Andy LaRocque meticulously mastered and enhanced these 23 songs into the ultimate editions, chosen by the band from both the Roadrunner and Metal Blade catalogs. Listen to "The Puppet Master" from disc 2 of "Dreams of Horror" and order a copy now at metalblade.com/kingdiamond.

King Diamond's massively successful headlining tour wrapped up on November 8th at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX. Photo galleries have sprung up across the web, including one from the Los Angeles gig on Halloween night at the Wiltern on revolvermag.com HERE.

http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com

http://www.metalblade.com/kingdiamond

https://twitter.com/realkingdiamond

https://www.facebook.com/kingdiamondofficial

https://www.facebook.com/kingdiamondmercyfulfateofficial 

Just posted FoM episode 209 featuring Chris Tsangarides

Episode 209 - Tsangarides Pt 1

This week is part one of a two parter featuring longtime hard rock and metal producer Chris Tsangarides. The guy has been involved in the industry since 1975 and has had a huge part in forging the sound of modern metal and classic metal.

That being said you know that this guy has some great stories to share, and share he does right here on Focus on Metal.

Track of the week "The Irish Brigade" is from Pure Legends artist Wolfen from their latest release "Evilution". Get more info at: http://www.wolfen-metal.de/

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Grab it now from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

MAXXXWELL CARLISLE unleashes Kickstarter campaign for new "Thunder Dragon 2155" cd

Solo artist and Hellion lead guitarist Maxxxwell Carlisle has just announced the launch of a Kickstarter campaign for "Thunder Dragon 2155", what he describes as, "an ambitious new power metal concept album...an epic tale of sci-fi triumph and tragedy woven across 10 tracks of pure metal!"

The album is set to feature his established live band lineup consisting of Melody Schoenfeld (Vocals), Dave Chedrick (Drums) and Gene Migaki (Bass).

His Kickstarter rewards include everything from the standard CDs and t-shirts, to more "Maxxxwell style" motivational speaking, Mohawk lessons, guitar lessons, custom diet plans, personal phone calls, private concerts (including fog and lasers) and more! The predictably over-the-top Kickstarter video provides full details.

Thunder Dragon 2155 Kickstarter link

Thunder Dragon 2155 Kickstarter You Tube Video

For the latest Maxxxwell Carlisle news, visit his official Facebook page:

Official Maxxxwell Carlisle Facebook page

Ensiferum announce album title and release date for 2015

Ensiferum has completed work on their upcoming new album, "One Man Army." The band spent the last few weeks at Astia Studio (astiastudio.fi) in Lappeenranta in Finland with producer Anssi Kippo. The album is scheduled for release on February 24 in North America, and February 23/20 in UK/Europe. New music, art, track listing, and video clips from the studio will be online within the next few weeks. Next week, Ensiferum will be filming a brand new music video with Grupa #13 in Poland. Grupa #13 is the production house behind some of the most spectacular music videos in metal, including videos from Behemoth, Amon Amarth, and more.

Vocalist/guitarist Petri Lindroos comments, "We worked hard and long days one after another while Kippo kicked our asses to make us do the very best, and you can hear that in this album. It's a killer album with killer sound. I'm very proud to a part of this masterpiece!" Bassist Sami Hinkka adds: "Hi folks! We are extremely proud to announce that the album is 100% done! The recording session was incredible experience for us. We can't express our gratitude enough for Mr. Anssi Kippo, who never lost his nerves, was full of crazy ideas and worked like a madman for weeks! The shortest working day was 12 hours and the average was around 16 hours! After all "blood, sweat and tears" it feels great to tell you that the result for years of hard composing and weeks of intense recordings is without a doubt the best Ensiferum album song- and soundwise. Material is pretty diverse and each song tells a tale of it's own instead of being a crappy copy of previous song so no fillers included. Next week we go record the new music video, but that's another story… Stay tuned!"

Ensiferum will be on tour this autumn and already has shows and festival appearances confirmed for next year. The band plans to return to North America in May 2015.

ENSIFERUM

+ special guests

11/03/15 DE - Bochum - Zeche

12/03/15 DE - Ludwigsburg - Rockfabrik

13/03/15 DE - München - Backstage

14/03/15 CZ - Zlin - Masters of Rock Café

15/03/15 HU - Budapest - Club 202

16/03/15 AT - Wien - Szene

18/03/15 IT - Milan - Live Club

19/03/15 CH - Lausanne - Les Docks

20/03/15 FR - Strasbourg - La Laiterie

21/03/15 CH - Pratteln - Z7

22/03/15 FR - Lyon - Ninkasi Kao

23/03/15 FR - Paris - Le Bataclan

24/03/15 UK - London - O2 Academy Islington

25/03/15 NL - Haarlem - Patronaat

26/03/15 NL - Zwolle - Hedon

27/03/15 BE - Vosselaar - Biebob

28/03/15 DE - Bremen - Tivoli

29/03/15 DE - Hamburg - Grünspan

30/03/15 DK - Copenhagen - Vega

31/03/15 SE - Stockholm - Göta Källare

01/04/15 SE - Gothenburg - Sticky Fingers

02/04/15 NO - Oslo - Inferno Metal Festival

ENSIFERUM

w/ Orphaned Land

26/11/14 JP - Tokyo - Club Duo Exchange

27/11/14 JP - Osaka - Mamba Rocket

29/11/14 CN - Shanghai - Mao Livehouse

30/11/14 CN - Bejing - Yu Gong Yi Shan

2015 Festival Appearances

13/12/14 NL - Eindhoven - Metal Meeting

22/01-26/01/15 US - Miami - 70,000 Tons Of Metal

13/08/15 RO - Rasnov - Rockstadt Extremefest

13/08-15/08/15 DE - Dinkelsbühl - Summer Breeze Festival

ENSIFERUM is:

Petri Lindroos - Vocals/Guitar

Markus Toivonen - Guitar/Vocals

Sami Hinkka - Bass/Vocals

Janne Parviainen - Drums

Emmi Silvennoinen - Keyboards/Backing vocals

http://www.ensiferum.com

http://twitter.com/EnsiferumMetal

http://www.facebook.com/Ensiferum 

Review - Job For A Cowboy "Sun Eater" (Metal Blade 2014)

Job For a Cowboy is a band known for their itchy feet. Originally a deathcore outfit, these good ol’ boys from Arizona had dropped the ‘core’ by the release of their debut album, Genesis, in 2007, going for straight out death. And with fourth album, SUN EATER, just out this November 2014 from Metal Blade, the boys are on the move again. 

Opening track, Eating the Visions of God, sets the tone well, a plaintive, mid-paced number with brooding guitar and witchy vocals. It’s a dark sound, almost doomy in places, and dangerously bordering on prog with a lengthy 6 minutes running time. Second track, Sun of Nihility, is more of the same, almost a continuation of the opener, while on third track, The Stone Cross, we get our first taste of blast beats. The pace remains frenetic with The Synthetic Sea, Nick Schendzielos’ bass, pounding through the mix from the outset of this album, reaching something of a crescendo here. The guitar here feels Norwegian; a ferocious wall of sound mirroring Davy’s ravenous vocals. This blackened tone seeps through to sixth track, The Celestial Antidote, while Buried Monuments brings something of a NWOBHM flavour in with some melodic lead playing. Closing track, Worming Nightfall, compliments the doomy, mid-paced vibe of the album’s opener to bring us full circle.

It’s plain to see that JFAC have taken a leaf out of Opeth’s book here. Sure, they may not have gone just as far as Mikael & co, ditching the death metal roots altogether, but SUN EATER is definitely a melting pot. This is a band groping around for a new sound; reluctant to settle on anything in particular but seemingly more than happy to have their audience along for the ride while they experiment. And while still death metal at heart, there is certainly more evidence here of a growing trend within contemporary extreme metal to seek out fresh musical pastures.   

Reviewed by Wayne Simmons

www.waynesimmons.org

Manilla Road's classic 'Out of the Abyss' to be reissued via Shadow Kingdom Records

Shadow Kingdom Records will reissue Out of the Abyss, the seventh full-length release from Wichita, KS’ MANILLA ROAD on January 13, 2015. Originally released in 1988, Out of the Abyss is an under-appreciated gem, one that guitarist/founder Mark “The Shark” Shelton describes in the reissue’s liner notes as containing “some of the most brutal material that MR has ever done. Shelton goes on to say that “it was the last album in an epic quest by Randy, Scott and I to be as fast and furious as possible with some of the songs…and most of the topics were quite dark and based on Cthulhun mythos or other horror and mystery directions.”

Shadow Kingdom Records’ Tim McGrogan had this to say about Out of the Abyss:

“Most fans think the golden era is Crystal Logic through Mystification, but we encourage fans to spend more time with this album. The first thing that’s interesting about this album is that it originally contained one of MANILLA ROAD greatest Epic songs ever, “The Book of Skelos.” The song was dropped off of the album for some unknown reason (that would be a good interview question for Mark Shelton), and later appeared on a different pressing of The Courts of Chaosand we’re not entirely sure that song even made it to the first pressing of that album either. Strangely enough if you’re familiar with that song and can imagine that song being a part of this album, Out of the Abysswould arguably be one of the best MANILLA ROAD albums and would have expanded and been part of what’s now considered their classic era. The album is dark, evil, thrash-y heavy metal with some killer KING DIAMOND-esque vocal screams. Without a doubt Out of the Abysshas some of the fastest, most intense Thrash Metal not only on any MANILLA ROAD album, but of any 80’s Thrash Metal album.”

Out of the Abyss will appeal to fans SLAYER, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, and MERCYFUL FATE.

1. Whitechapel

2. Rites of Blood

3. Out of the Abyss

4. Return of the Old Ones

5. Black Cauldron

6. Midnight Meat Train

7. War in Heaven

8. Slaughterhouse

9. Helicon

www.shadowkindomrecords.com

Just posted - John Gallagher from RAVEN guests on this weeks Focus on Metal.

Episode 208 - Raven Nation

We celebrate week two of metal month by having a chat with the one and only John Gallagher of Newcastle metal pioneers Raven. The band is currently on tour in the states while concurrently running a Kickstarter campaign for their new album "ExtermiNation". We were lucky enough to snag a rare on the road interview with John as they were heading from Vancouver to their gig in Seattle. Enjoy the words of metal wisdom from John and be sure to head to up to Kickstarter and support these metal legends.

Check out the ExtermiNation campaign at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1085707767/extermination?ref=nav_search

Check out all the tour dates and Raven news at: http://ravenlunatics.com/

Track of the week is "Queen of The Galaxy" which is the title track from the latest release from Dire Peril. Get more info at: https://www.facebook.com/direperil

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Grab it now from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

German Thrashers First Aid to release "Nursed" via Pure Steel/Iron Shield Records

First Aid was founded in 1999 by five guys who spent their time paying tribute to Thrash Metal. Because of various influences this band from Berlin is going the way of melodic and uncompromising aggressive music, which nevertheless depends on the old Thrash Metal feeling. After some line-up changes, finally a fixed lineup was found and the first record “Prisoner Of Hell” was recorded 2003. After a lot of gigs in Germany, the guys knew that the chemistry was right. As a result more faster, melodic and aggressive songs were written by the band. Finally the second record “Infection” was recorded 2007. New musicians and inspirations made this line-up to a real fuckin' metal inferno. Since november 2010 the split 10"vinyl "Boozing Maniacs" (with Explorer) was available in two different versions. The limited 'Die-hard' Edition with patches and green coloured vinyl was quickly Sold-Out! After 6 years of rehearsals and many FIRST AID concerts (opening Act for Metal Church), the new full length album "Nursed" is ready. 10 powerful titles, pure energy, packed in timeless technical Speed 'n Thrash Metal. Include a great tribute to Chuck Norris (Missing In Action)! Beware, the Nurse will hurt you!

TRACKLIST:

1. Horror Of War

2. Chained To Die

3. Lifetime Torment

4. Fill The Void

5. Hit By Shit

6. Suicide Moshpit

7. Dead Again

8. Grimace Of Lies

9. Missing In Action

10. Rise Of The Dead

Releasedate: November 21st 2014
Label: Iron Shield Records

PRIMORDIAL wins all four magazine soundchecks in Germany

"Where Greater Men Have Fallen" to be released in less than two weeks!

Ireland's PRIMORDIAL have made quite an impact at German press with their latest offering "Where Greater Men Have Fallen"! The album has won the soundchecks in all four major metal magazines: METAL HAMMER, ROCK HARD, DEAF FOREVER and LEGACY! This is the first time this has ever happened, so congrats to PRIMORDIAL!

Comments singer A.A. Nemtheanga: "When you make an album, you try and step outside of the rehearsal and studio world and see if you still have the hunger and the energy. You take nothing for granted and we certainly don't so we are humbled by the critical reaction so far. Four #1s was not what we expected but we accept it graciously and hope the fans feel the same. See you on the field of battle. Vae victis!"

Here's some quotes from the aforementioned magazines:

"When the the guitarists of these Irishmen play their profoundly melancholic, yet gladly non-clichéd Celtic riffs while singer Alan Averill's voice is dripping with pathos, it's goosebumps galore. And since WHERE GREATER MEN HAVE FALLEN is once more an album that works out well, the result cannot be less than six points!" (Robert Müller, Metal Hammer magazine Germany)

"Sublime and tasteful: PRIMORDIAL celebrate on 'Where Greater Men Have Fallen' dark, sinister hymns to die for!" (Boris Kaiser, Rock Hard magazine Germany)

"brutally heavy, yet dramatic and sophisticated - the album of the year!" (Götz Kühnemund, Deaf Forever magazine Germany)

"an album hard to beat in authenticity, emotionality, in heaviness and atmosphere!" (Diana Glöckner, Legacy magazine Germany)

Listen to the new song "Come The Flood" at metal-hammer.de!

Visit metalblade.com/primordial to check out the lyric video for the title track "Where Greater Men Have Fallen" and to pre-order your copy of the album. The album will be available as a limited CD+DVD Digibook (Europe exclusive) as well as jewelcase CD and on different vinyl formats/colors. There will be a limited deluxe edition wooden boxset including the CD+DVD Digibook, an exclusive 7", a leather wristband, a poster and a certificate of authenticity. This boxset will only be on sale via our European ebay store HERE, as well as at the four PRIMORDIAL release shows in Hamburg, Essen (sold out), Berlin and Dublin!

An eight track, fifty-eight minute magnum opus, "Where Greater Men Have Fallen" was recorded at Grouse Lodge in Dublin with Jaime Gomez (Cathedral, Angelwitch, Grave Miasma) and delivers some of the band's deepest, most methodically arranged, thematically profound and plainly gripping compositions of their winding catalog of sonic enormity.

PRIMORDIAL

+ PORTRAIT

+ BÖLZER

20/11/14 DE - Hamburg - Knust

21/11/14 DE - Essen - Turock (sold out!)

22/11/14 DE - Berlin - Brutz & Brakel Stromgitarrenfest

Redemption Festival

PRIMORDIAL

+ NECROS CHRISTOS

+ DEAD CONGREGATION

+ MALTHUSIAN

28/11/14 IE - Dublin - The Academy

other PRIMORDIAL shows:

12/12/14 NL - Eindhoven - Metal Meeting

24/01/15 BE - Brussels - Magasin4

19/02/15 NO - Bergen - Blastfest 2015

21/02/15 RU - Moscow - Volta Club

05/04/15 DE - München - Dark Easter Metal Meeting

13-14/06/15 RO - Bucharest - Metalhead Meeting 2015

17/07/15 DE - Balingen - Bang Your Head!!!

"Where Greater Men Have Fallen" track listing:

1. Where Greater Men Have Fallen

2. Babel's Tower

3. Come The Flood

4. The Seed Of Tyrants

5. Ghosts Of The Charnel House

6. The Alchemist's Head

7. Born To Night

8. Wield Lightning To Split The Sun

PRIMORDIAL is:

A.A. Nemtheanga - Vocals

Ciaran MacUiliam - Guitar

Michael O'Floinn - Guitar

Paul MacAmlaigh - Bass

Simon O'Laoghaire - Drums

http://www.primordialweb.com

https://www.facebook.com/primordialofficial 

CANNIBAL CORPSE and BEHEMOTH confirm co-headline winter tour 2015

Two of the most prominent bands in the history of death metal are teaming up to take North America in 2015! Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth will join forces beginning on January 28th in New Orleans, LA at the House of Blues. Both bands are touring in support of their most recent and massively successful albums. Cannibal Corpse released their thirteenth album, "A Skeletal Domain," on September 16th and debuted at #32 on the Billboard Top 200. Behemoth's critically-applauded tenth album, "The Satanist," entered the Billboard Top 200 at #34 after its release on February 4th of this year.

Combining both bands' headlining sets into one touring package promises to make this the must see metal tour of 2015. To open the show, two of Sweden's finest metal acts have been enlisted: Aeon and Tribulation. Premium packages for the tour will be available at ticketspin.com/behemoth-cannibalcorpse. The premium packages include: a meet and greet with Cannibal Corpse and Behemoth, an exclusive t-shirt, early entry into the show, an exclusive screen printed poster, and a VIP Laminate.

BEHEMOTH and CANNIBAL CORPSE

Winter Tour 2015

w/ Aeon, Tribulation

01/28 New Orleans, LA House of Blues

01/29 Houston, TX House of Blues

01/30 Austin, TX Mohawk

01/31 Dallas, TX House of Blues

02/02 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater

02/03 Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall

02/05 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex

02/06 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

02/07 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory

02/08 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

02/10 Seattle, WA El Corazon

02/11 Vancouver, BC Comodore Ballroom

02/13 Edmonton, AB Union Hall

02/14 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall

02/16 Winnipeg, MB The Garrick

02/17 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights

02/18 Madison, WI Orpheum Theatre

02/20 Chicago, IL House of Blues

02/21 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room

02/22 Cleveland, OH House of Blues

02/23 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall

02/24 Toronto, ON The Phoenix

02/25 Montreal, QC Metropolis

02/27 Boston, MA House of Blues

02/28 New York, NY Webster Hall

03/01 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts

03/02 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore

03/03 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore

03/05 Atlanta, GA Masquerade

03/06 Tampa, FL Janus Landing

03/07 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution

Sweden's Aeon released "Aeons Black" in 2012 via Metal Blade Records and toured as part of the Summer Slaughter Tour in 2013. This will be the band's first time returning to North America since. Guitarist Zeb Nilsson comments: "We're back again! And this time with the most brutal line up possible. With Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Aeon and Tribulation there is no reason to hesitate if you like death metal. This will probably be the number one death metal show for a long time."

Tribulation, who also hails from Sweden, released the critically acclaimed and lengthy 75-minute "The Formulas of Death," in 2013 on Invictus Productions.

https://www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse

https://www.facebook.com/behemoth

https://www.facebook.com/aeon666

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribulation-Official/169889709720460 

LORDS OF THE TRIDENT release cover / track list for upcoming "Frostburn" cd.

Lords of the Trident are proud to unveil the cover artwork and track listing of their new upcoming album "Frostburn" which is scheduled to be released throughout Europe via German record label "Killer Metal Records" and the rest of the world via "Junko Johnson Records".

Lords of the Trident vocalist Fang VonWrathenstein has released the following statement about the new album:

"We, your lords, are incredibly excited to announce the release of the best and most metal album ever to be recorded - our next full-length masterpiece "Frostburn".

We have once again teamed up with Plan of Attack's studio master Doug Olson - producer and engineer for bands like Nirvana, Cheap Trick and Smashing Pumpkins - to produce, mold, and craft an album so very metal, the UN has already preemptively classified it as a weapon of mass destruction!

Only the strongest barbarian warriors will survive listening to this entire album.

Are you up for the challenge?"

Lords of the Trident - "Frostburn" track list:

Knights of Dragon's Deep 

The Longest Journey 

Winds of the Storm 

Manly Witness 

Haze of the Battlefield 

Kill to Die 

Den of the Wolf 

Light this City 

The Cloud Kingdom 

Shattered Skies

For the latest band news and show dates, visit their official Facebook page:

Official Lords of the Trident Facebook page:

Killer Metal Records website

War on Music Records to Release A Tapestry of Scabs and Skin Vinyl LP from Vancouver's ASTRAKHAN on December 12

War on Music Records will release A Tapestry of Scabs and Skin from Vancouver sludge/doom dynamos ASTRAKHAN on 45-rpm vinyl 12" LP format on December 12. The album includes two songs from the band's digitally released EP The Pillarist and two brand new tracks recorded at Rain City Studios with Jesse Gander (BISON, ANCIIENTS, 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, JAPANDROIDS). The lavishly colored cover was created by Nick Patterson with inner sleeve design by Dena Lazarenko.

Stream album tracks "The Pillarist" and "Rest in Depths" at this location

Cupid's Fist

Blinded by the Diamond Planet

 Rest in Depths

 The Pillarist

"Western Canada is in the midst of quite a metal boom as of late, especially Vancouver, and Astrakhan is the latest to attract attention. Cut from the same cloth as Kylesa, [they] serve up a confident combination of sludge, prog, and garage rock" - Adrien Begrand (Decibel)

 

 "For a band that has only been together a couple years, the chemistry is incredible. They're already crafting their art in such grand fashion that before long they'll be forcing the bands now considered influences to up their game." - Matt Hinch (Hellbound.ca)

www.waronmusic.com

WWW.ASTRAKHANOFFICIAL.COM

https://astrakhanofficial.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/astrakhanofficial

Just Posted - Bill Hale Gives Us The Scoop on His New Thrash Book on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 207 - Global Metal Hale

Besides a bit of discussion our good friend, photographer Bill Hale returns once again to Focus on Metal. This time Bill is here to tell us all about his new book project "Thrash Metal: The Global Metal Movement!". Unlike his first two books this one is going to be self published and he needs the global metal community to lend a hand. Bill is currently running a campaign on IndieGoGo to raise the needed capital to make this book a reality. 

Check out the campaign at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/thrash-metal-the-global-metal-movement

Track of the week "Megalomaniac" is from Massacre Records artist Helldorados from their second release "Lessons in Decay" which is out this week. Get more info at: http://helldorados.com/

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Grab it now from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

RON KEEL, DAMIEN THORNE, FALLEN ANGEL, ARCHETYPE and others featured on new free download compilation.

ONLINE METAL PROMO and KILLER METAL RECORDS (Germany) are proud to jointly release "I Kill for Metal", a free download compilation featuring a mix of 40 current, advanced and unreleased original songs from established and up and coming OMP and KMR artist roster bands from the United States, UK, Portugal, Australia, Germany, Canada, Sweden and Poland.

International bands featured on the compilation include:

1. Annihilated

2. Archetype

3. Armory

4. Chris Violence

5. Colossus

6. Crimson Reign

7. Cyanide Scream

8. Damien Thorne

9. Dark Mirror

10. Diamond Lane

11. Dire Peril

12. Dragon’s Kiss

13. Dragonsclaw

14. Edge of Thorns

15. Enceladus

16. Fallen Angel

17. Hellscream

18. Hessler

19. Lords of the Trident

20. Maxxxwell Carlisle

21. Metalhead

22. Predatory Violence

23. Ravensthorn

24. Rezinwolf

25. Ritual Steel

26. Ron Keel

27. Seventrain

28. Shallow Ground

29. Skinner

30. Stu “The Hammer” Marshall

31. Taipan

32. Testor

33. The Loving Tongue

34. The Order of Chaos

35. Unity

36. Vanlade

37. Veritate

38. Virus

39. Witchcross

40. Zephaniah

Download the free songs, compilation artwork and track listing at the following location:

OMP / KMR free promotional compilation download link

KIller Metal Records Facebook Page

Job for a Cowboy debut "The Celestial Antidote" on Metal Injection!

Job for a Cowboy have loosed a third cut from their upcoming "Sun Eater" album. "The Celestial Antidote" is #6 in the sequence of nine songs that, front to back, comprise one of the finest technical death metal albums in recent memory. "The Celestial Antidote" is streaming exclusively now on MetalInjection.net HERE.

Guitarist Al Glassman discusses the song's significance: "Bobby Thompson, who left us as a full time member in 2010, continues to remain a part of Job for a Cowboy always, and once again contributed an incredible track to the new record. For those who have heard "Tarnished Gluttony" (his contribution to the last record), you will not be disappointed with his latest song. It's moody and heavy as hell, and features some of my favorite guitar work on the record on Tony's end. After years of writing with Bobby, I can honestly say that this is his best work yet with JFAC and I hope you guys dig it too!"

Producer Jason Suecof, vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Al Glassman and Tony Sannicandro, bassist Nick Schendzielos, and session drummer Danny Walker have crafted a cerebral and accomplished piece of technical death metal. Job for a Cowboy wrapped up touring in 2013 as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival that summer. Following that performance, the band collectively decided to sharpen their focus and set an intent on cooking up a record that encompassed their full dynamic range of talent. The group had all agreed on the main course being a desire for futuristic tones, a wider spectrum of textures and tempos, and an emphasis on slightly more ancestral song construction. The result, "Sun Eater," does not just sound like a new record, it sounds like an entirely new band.

Listen to "Sun of Nihility" and pre-order the album now at metalblade.com/jobforacowboy.

"Sun Eater" track listing:

1. Eating the Visions of God

2. Sun of Nihility

3. The Stone Cross

4. The Synthetic Sea

5. A Global Shift

6. The Celestial Antidote

7. Encircled by Mirrors

8. Buried Monuments

9. Worming Nightfall

Audiohammer producer Jason Suecof, whose first bout with the band was 2009's "Ruination," has now worked with the band for over six years. Few are more familiar with how Job for a Cowboy operates in the studio than Suecof, and he was also feeling the "vibe" on "Sun Eater": "This band is composed entirely of top notch musicians all the way around and they are clearly at the top of their game. This new album is a stellar combination of everyone's efforts and what we have now is something that conveys everyone's musicianship without being techy for the sake of being tech. This album has got feeling and it is fucking brutal!"

Sun Eater will be available via Metal Blade Records on November 11th in North America and November 7th/10th in Europe/UK.

Follow Job for a Cowboy online:

http://www.facebook.com/jobforacowboy

https://twitter.com/jfacmetal 

ANTI CLONE To Tour Europe With SKINDRED, New EP Released

UK metallers ANTI CLONE will embark on a European support tour in November with headliner SKINDRED. Pulling from a plethora of areas from Marilyn Manson and Slipknot, to Mudvayne and Tool, ANTI CLONE lay down a captivating blend of hard-hitting cutting metal laced with a biting industrial edge. The stage is now set for ANTI CLONE to truly soar. A video teaser for the tour can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/1P66XdGfzOg

The dates are as follows:

Nov 04 – Covent Garden Studios, Éragny, France
Nov 05 – Grillen, Colmar, France
Nov 07 – Sala Caracol, Madrid, Spain
Nov 08 – El Tren, Granada, Spain
Nov 09 – Razzmatazz 2, Barcelona, Spain
Nov 11 – Schüür, Lucerne, Switzerland
Nov 12 – Rock n Roll Arena, Romagnano Sesia, Italy
Nov 13 – Tvornica Kulture, Zagreb, Croatia
Nov 14 – Akvárium Klub, Budapest, Hungary
Nov 15 – Studio, Krakow, Poland
Nov 16 – Progresja, Warsaw, Poland
Nov 18 – Rosenhof, Osnabruck, Germany
Nov 19 – La BAM Metz, France

The Brit noise chiefs have just released their new EP ‘Hands Sewn Together‘, which already racked up critical support from Metal Hammer, Powerplay Magazine and Big Cheese Magazine. Two video teaser’s for the upcoming video “Take This Pill” can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/NcfZWI-u6a4 & http://youtu.be/r_t44mjKFJU

Tracklisting:

1. Take This Pill

2. Here Comes The Flood

3. 1984

4. System (featuring John Knight)

5. The Usurper

www.facebook.com/AnticloneHQ
www.anticlonehq.com

MAXXXWELL CARLISLE now available for worldwide online guitar lessons

After years of demands from fans and aspiring guitarists, Maxxxwell Carlisle has finally entered the realm of teaching with the announcement that, starting in November 2014, he will begin giving guitar lessons worldwide, via Skype.

Accompanying this announcement, Maxxxwell has released a promotional video describing his style and goals as a teacher with the included message that he, "is not responsible for injuries or legal problems which may result from his advanced teaching techniques".

Maxxxwell Carlisle Lesson Preview

In addition, Maxxxwell has a new solo compilation cd expected to be released worldwide in early 2015, as well as other yet to be unveiled musical projects in the works.

Currently Maxxxwell is on the Hellion North American Tour.

For the latest Maxxxwell Carlisle news, visit his official Facebook page:

Official Maxxxwell Carlisle Facebook page