Just posted Focus on Metal 213 featuring the Kansas City metal of Alsatia and Vanlade

Episode 213 - Kansas City Metal

I always thought of K.C. as the place where all the styles of American BBQ come together into a stellar taste experience. Who knew that they are also churning out some amazing metal there too. This week we feature two K.C. bands that you need to know about, power metallers  Alsatia and classic metallers Vanlade.

Hook up with Alsatia at https://www.facebook.com/AlsatiaKC

Check in with Vanlade at https://www.facebook.com/vanlade

Grab the latest free compilations that feature both bands here

Our holiday themed track of the week is from our friends Lords of The Trident. Download a free copy of their holiday EP at http://www.lordsofthetrident.com/

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

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

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

LINEUP ANNOUNCED: NAMM Metal Jam 2015 Benefit To Include Members Of Anthrax, Dio, Savatage, Great White, And More

Von Badsville & Neil Turbin Presents NAMM Metal Jam 2015 to benefit  the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund and Dick Wagner’s Rockers for St. Jude.  The 8th annual event will feature current/former members of Anthrax, Dio, DeathRiders, Alcatrazz, Arthemis, Great White, Exciter, Hurricane, Jon Oliva's Pain, Femme Fatale, Leatherwolf, Lizzy Borden, London, Lynch Mob, Nitro, Bleed The Hunger, Obituary, Savatage, Snow, Steel Prophet, Deicide, Talisman, Sabbath Judas Sabbath, The Iron Maidens and more. .NAMM Metal Jam 2015 will be held on January 21, 2015, at The Slidebar Fullerton, only 5 miles from Anaheim Convention Center.  Advance tickets are available for $15 at https://www.purplepass.com/#20089/Von_Badsville_Events-2015_NAMM_Metal_Jam-The_Slidebar-January-21-2015.html. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $20. A NAMM badge is not required for admission. For more information, visit http://www.nammmetaljam.com. NAMM Metal Jam 2015 will feature an outstanding roster of 40+ NAMM Metal All Stars performing classics by Monsters Of Metal. This is the 8th annual event, which started in 2008 as Neil and Michael’s Metal Jam. Very special guest artists will be announced closer to the event date. NAMM Metal Allstars Jam to include: Michael Angelo Batio of Nitro, Holland - Guitar Andy Martongelli of Arthemis - Guitar Howie Simon of Alcatrazz, Talisman - Guitar Thane Farace of Ghost Of War - Guitar Xander Demos of XDB, Sabbath Judas Sabbath - Guitar Mike Hansen of Hurricane, Bouilliet - Drums Michael Olivieri of Leatherwolf - Vocals, Guitar Tony Cavazo of Hurricane, Snow, Dubrow, Aeromyth - Bass Courtney Cox of The Iron Maidens, Femme Fatale - Guitar Jerry Best of Lion, Dio, Freak Of Nature - Bass Robby Lochner of Jack Russell's Great White, Fight - Guitar Eric Ragno of London, Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner, White Sister - Keyboards Carlos Zema of Immortal Guardian, Outworld - Vocals Bill Hudson of Westfield Massacre, Jon Oliva's Pain, Cellador, Vital Remains, Circle II Circle - Guitar Neil Turbin of DeathRiders, Bleed The Hunger, x-Anthrax, x-Onslaught - Vocals Marten Andersson of Lizzy Borden, Lynch Mob – Bass   Gabriel Guardian of Immortal Guardian - Guitar, Keyboards Steve Kachinsky of Steel Prophet - Guitar Ralph Santolla of Obituary, Deicide - Guitar Dean Roberts of Leatherwolf - Drums Jyro Alejo of Immortal Guardian - Guitar Ronnie Peterson of Ghost Of War - Vocals Dan Lauzon of Entropy - Guitar Jack Frost of Seven Witches, Savatage - Guitar Greg Walls of x-Anthrax - Guitar Gary Daniels of Ghost Of War - Bass Clammy Cohen of x-Exciter - Bass Ronny North of Ronny North Band - Guitar Doug Readmond of Ghost Of War - Drums Greg Erba of Leatherwolf - Guitars Rob Math of Leatherwolf - Guitars Pat Guyton of Leatherwolf Bass Cody Gilliand of Immortal Guardian - Drums Thad Stevens of Immortal Guardian - Bass Rik Charron of x-Exciter - Drums Neal Shelton of Pyromania, Aeromyth, Painkiller - Guitar Michael Warren of RockAstra, Michael Warren Band - Guitar Kleber Mandrake of Axehammer - Vocals Dave Keckhut of Made N America, Big Swede - Vocals Mike Kerr of Mike Kerr Band - Guitar More NAMM Metal Allstars to be announced soon!!

"Guitar Wizards Vol. III And IV" Artwork Revealed! Features Members Of Whitesnake, Dio, Poison, More

Yesterday, Versailles Records revealed the artwork for their upcoming Guitar Wizards Vol. III and IV compilation. The cover features artists Bruce Kulick (KISS), Tony Franklin (Whitesnake/The Firm), Jeff Healey, Tracy G (Dio), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Blues Saraceno (Poison), Xander Demos (Sabbath Judas Sabbath/XDB) and other included guitar players. The album is scheduled for digital release before Christmas. Physical copies will have a February 2015 street date.  Guitar Wizards Vol. I and II was released earlier this year.

"We're very honored to have Xander Demos featured on the cover, alongside some of the most incredible guitar players in rock and metal," said Demos' manager, Michael Stover of MTS Management Group.  "This compilation has been a long time in the making, and we're very excited for it to finally be coming out.  It's sure to be a huge success!"

Xander Demos and his band, XDB (renamed Raxus Prime) contributed the track, "Dancing Through Daggers," which was to be the first single from their debut album.  The track was mixed by JK Northrup (King Kobra/XYZ). Xander will also be contributing an all-star track to the Versailles Records Queen tribute album, also scheduled for 2015 release.

Just posted Focus on Metal # 212 featuring author Ian Winwood co-author of Into The Black

Episode 212 - Into The Black

Hot on the heels of "Birth, School, Metallica, Death" the first volume of their Metallica bio Paul Brannigan and Ian Winwood have unleashed "Into The Black" the second volume of the Tallica story. Our guest this week is co author and former Kerrang! and NME writer Ian Winwood. Ian is considered one of the U.K.'s foremost music writers and he agreed to give us the scoop on the next chapter in the Metallica saga.

Connect with Ian on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ian.winwood.3

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

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

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

REMASTERED/EXPANDED VERSION OF JUDAS PRIEST'S CLASSIC 'DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH' ALBUM ANNOUNCED

Coming off an era which saw several Judas Priest albums that have gone down as some of the greatest in the entire history of heavy metal (namely, 1980's 'British Steel' and 1982's 'Screaming for Vengeance'), the band from Birmingham knew that their next release had to 'deliver the goods,' to cement their standing as the leaders of metal. And deliver they did, with their platinum-certified 1984 release, 'Defenders of the Faith,' which spawned such headbanging classics as 'Freewheel Burning,' 'Jawbreaker,' 'The Sentinel,' 'Some Heads Are Gonna Roll,' and 'Love Bites.'  And on March 10, 2015, a newly expanded three-CD version of the album will be unleashed via Columbia/Legacy, which includes the original ten-track album remastered by producer Tom Allom, and a complete live recording from the 'Defenders' tour, recorded at the Long Beach Arena in California, on May 5, 1984.  The 21-track concert (split up over two discs) perfectly balances the then-new material from the group's ninth studio offering overall, including such classics as 'Metal Gods,' 'Breaking the Law,' 'Sinner,' 'Electric Eye,' 'The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown),' 'Victim of Changes,' and 'You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,' among many others. As the band states in the liner notes to the reissue, "It's 30 years since we released 'Defenders of the Faith' - we're very proud to say it has become a classic that's beloved by Priest fans throughout the world" Judas Priest continues to 'defend the faith' to this day, as the group recently issued their seventeenth studio album, 'Redeemer of Souls,' which sees the band's popularity amongst metalheads remain as strong as ever, as it debuted higher than any other previous Priest release (at #6 on the Billboard 200). And on the group's current tour, quite a few classics from 'Defenders' are being performed for the first time in years. And soon, fans will get a chance to re-experience vintage Judas Priest, with the 'Defenders of the Faith' reissue. CD1 'Defenders of the Faith' Re-Mastered  1.   Freewheel Burning 2.   Jawbreaker 3.   Rock Hard Ride Free 4.   The Sentinel 5.   Love Bites 6.   Eat Me Alive 7.   Some Heads Are Gonna Roll 8.   Night Comes Down 9.   Heavy Duty 10. Defenders of the Faith CD2 Live at Long Beach Arena, California 5th May 1984  1.   Love Bites 2.   Jawbreaker 3.   Grinder 4.   Metal Gods 5.   Breaking the Law 6.   Sinner 7.   Desert Plains 8.   Some Heads Are Gonna Roll 9.   The Sentinel  10. Rock Hard Ride Free CD3 Live at Long Beach Arena, California 5th May 1984  1.   Night Comes Down 2.  The Hellion 3.   Electric Eye 4.   Heavy Duty 5.   Defenders of the Faith 6.   Freewheel Burning  7.   Victim of Changes 8.   The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) 9.   Living After Midnight 10. Hell Bent For Leather 11. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming www.judaspriest.com

DEAD EARTH POLITICS Announce "Men Become Gods" EP

Texas scorchers DEAD EARTH POLITICS, who have twice been voted "Best Metal Band" by the Austin Chronicle,  have announced the March 2015 release of Men Become Gods, the second in a three EP series that began with last year's acclaimed The Queen of Steel.  

Defined by a relentless work ethic and loyalty to their rabid and ever-growing fanbase, DEAD EARTH POLITICS have launched a perk-laden IndieGoGo pre-order campaign for the EP. Rooted in the notion that music is an art form meant to be shared between artist and audience, supporters can take part in the perpetual rise of DEAD EARTH POLITICS and secure a copy of Men Become Gods (and much more) at the link below.

www.indiegogo.com/projects/dead-earth-politics-men-become-gods 

Check out the teaser video for Men Become Gods, featuring studio footage and comments from members of the band, at this location.   

The Queen of Steel is available at deadearthpolitics.bandcamp.com. 

Casting Stones  

Men Become Gods  

Ice & Fire  

Crimson Dichotomy

www.deadearthpolitics.com 

www.facebook.com/deadearthpolitics 

www.last.fm/music/Dead+Earth+Politics 

Black Space Riders Release Video for "Stare at the Water" / New Album Coming in 2015

German extraterrestrial heavy rockers BLACK SPACE RIDERS have released a new video for "Stare at the Water," a track from their third album, D:REI, which was released earlier this year. Check out the video at  this location.

The band is currently writing songs for their fourth album, which will be released in 2015.

On D:REI BLACK SPACE RIDERS are even more colorful, louder, softer, harder, atmospheric, gripping, and above all exalted! D:REI is an exciting journey through rock, metal and psychedelia; the soundtrack to your very own sci-fi epic. The riffs are heavy, inspiring and enduring. The songwriting is classic, the arrangements full of devotion. The two lead vocalists play off each other without seam, interlocking and assuring that the music will lodge in your memory. D:REI is groovy! Sometimes slowly dooming, sometimes oppressively rocking, then irresistibly funky...and suddenly you are dancing around the warp core. And it is all wrapped up in a sound that is natural, transparent, open, yet powerful, and elegant, as it timelessly circumnavigates the retro-trap

Is D:REI a concept album? Form your own opinion! Read more about this story of retreat, outbreak, total destruction, escape, transformation and new beginnings at www.blackspaceriders.com/drei.

BLACK SPACE RIDERS have traveled farther than ever before and want you to join the trip! Check out the lyric video for album track "The GOD-Survivor" at this location.

"Black Space Riders always play a mixture of sounds of the 70s, 80s and 90s, but with a view towards the future. A really good album." - Nachtaktiv

"Psychedelic space Witches Kitchen: The doomy heaviness of Black Sabbath covers rocking riffs and swirling structures. Like it very much!" - LIFT Magazine

"The Münster space, psychedelic, doom and stoner rockers Black Space Riders ...in top form, the quintet delivers a philosophically flavored, wonderfully heavy concept album." 

- EMP

www.blackspaceriders.com

www.facebook.com/BlackSpaceRiders

www.youtube.com/user/blackspaceriders

Just posted episode 211 of Focus on Metal featuring Joe Lynn Turner

Episode 211 - Joe Lynn Turner

Joe Lynn Turner has gone Rated X. That's right JLT has a brand new band with Carmine Appice, Tony Franklin and Karl Cochran called Rated X and their debut release is out now on Frontiers. We gave Joe a call to discuss the new album and the new band and the results are what's on tap for this week.

Keep up with Rated X at: https://www.facebook.com/RatedXRocks

Stay in touch with Joe at: http://www.joelynnturner.com/

Help Karl on the road to recovery at: http://rocknrecovery.net/

Track of the week is from Frontiers artists Allen-Lande. "Down From the Mountain" is a track off their fourth release The Great Divide" Get more info at: http://www.frontiers.it

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

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

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

SHADOWBANE "Facing The Fallout" - to be released Jan 16th on PURE STEEL Records

Their Demo EP from the beginning of this decade already made some experts on German underground heavy metal prick their ears. The specialized press recently called them „promising Newcomer“ and now finally the Hamburgians release their long awaited debut. Musically SHADOWBANE’s „Post Apocalyptic Power Metal“ is positioned between melodic US power metal and raw teutonic steel with dystopic lyrics. Definitely outgrown the demo sound, the mostly fast songs profit from a contemporary production – without leaving any doubt in the musical rootage within the power metal of the 80s and 90s. Besides the powerful yet melodic vocals the sound is dominated by two notable and equally shaping guitarists with a lot of thrashy riffs and harmonic melodies. With their debut SHADOWBANE clearly stake their claim: The power metal newcomers from the Hanseatic city are inevitable to any Underground maniac in 2015.

TRACKLIST: 1. Red Alert 2. Beyond The Winds Of War 3. Traitor 4. Under Bleeding Skies 5. After The Fallout 6. Dystopia 7. Tear Down The Wall 8. Badlands Law 9. Last Division 10. Source Of Grief

THIRD ION Sign to Glasstone Records / Reveal Album Artwork for 13/8Bit

Prog metal outfit THIRD ION, featuring former members of THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND and INTO ETERNITY, have signed with the UK's  Glasstone Records for the release of debut album 13/8Bit. Album artwork (below) comes courtesy of Harley K at Necrographix. A winter/spring 2015 release date will be announced in the near future.

Glasstone Records stated "We are very excited to be working with THIRD ION and to be releasing their debut album!"  THIRD ION issued the following statement regarding the signing and upcoming release:

"We are beyond stoked to announce our partnership with Glasstone Records, who approached us several months ago about releasing our debut record, 13/8Bit. They have been great to deal with this whole time, and have a very artist friendly approach - a refreshing change with the times. The album is 99% finished, and same with the artwork, and once it's all in we will pin down a release date and let you all know! Our hope in working with Glasstone is that it will help us reach a European audience, and result in performing over there as well. 

 

In the mean time, we have decided to share the album cover with you guys, drawn by our friend Harley K at Necrographix - we have been sitting on this for a while, and can't wait to unveil it. Even if people only collect music digitally, we are nerds and this album cover is important to us! We are also having a CD Listening Party in Regina, SK (Canada) at the Exchange on December 18th at 8PM, so if you're in our neck of the woods come and hear an early preview of the entire record, and maybe some other surprises."

THIRD ION has posted a full studio performance video of the song "Zero Mass." Watch the video at www.bit.ly/zeromass.  Lead single "Capitol Spill" can be streamed at this location.

THIRD ION is the product of a mutual love of prog, video games, and science. The debut album will contain eight to ten songs, including the title track which is written entirely in 13/8 time signature. 8-Bit musical renditions of every song will be released as well, to pay homage to their 1980s classic gaming inspirations.

www.thirdion.com   www.facebook.com/thirdion www.youtube.com/3rdion

CORNERS OF SANCTUARY release free "Merry Metal Xmas 2" ep

To celebrate this holiday season, Corners of Sanctuary have announced that they have put together a six-pack track Holiday EP titled "Merry Metal Xmas 2" which will be available as a free download during the entire month of December.

Merry Metal Xmas 2 - Free Download Link

The release includes several classic Christmas favorites but with a C.O.S. Heavy Metal makeover, including "Jingle Bells", "Silent Night", "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Joy to the World".

The EP is topped off with two all original C.O.S. Holiday tracks, "December Wind" and "Get Your Jollies".

All tracks are in MP3 format and the EP's artwork is included as part of the free download.

Have a Merry Metal Xmas - COSnROLL!

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

Official Corners of Sanctuary Facebook page:

Between the Buried and Me confirm shows in Mexico

Between the Buried and Me has confirmed two headlining shows in Mexico for next year. The band will be heading to Guadalajara and Mexico City on the 20th and 21st, respectively. This will be the band's first time back in Mexico since 2008! Fans south of the border might recall BTBAM's show that year in Mexico City with Dream Theater in front of a crowd 10,000 strong. Tickets for February's shows are on sale now at local ticket outlets.

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME

Mexican Tour 2015

2/20/15 - Guadalajara, Mexico - C3 Stage

2/21/15 - Mexico City, Mexico - Lunario

Between the Buried and Me's first ever blu-ray release, "Future Sequence: Live at the Fidelitorium" was released in September and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top Music Video chart. The first week success vaulted BTBAM ahead of the likes of Dream Theater and YES on the video chart, further firming the band's position as one of the world's top progressive acts. A sample of the video, "Extremophile Elite", in its 10:03 entirety can be seen now on youtube HERE.

"Future Sequence: Live at Fidelitorium" was recorded at Fidelitorium Recordings outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The video was directed and edited by Justin Reich, with director of photography Ismail Abdelkhalek, and audio engineers Jamie King and Kris Hilbert. Audio mixing and mastering was completed by Jamie King. Guest musicians include: Walter Fancourt (tenor saxophone, flute), Julian Hinshaw (Tuba), Will Goodyear (marimba, glockenspiel), Taya Ricker (violin), David Parks (violin), Leigh Dixon (viola), and Socrates Razo (cello). Artwork and layout were completed by Owen Chandler, along with band photos by Chuck Johnson.

Order "Future Sequence: Live at Fidelitorium" online:

Video: https://itunes.apple.com/movie/id911720640

Audio: https://itunes.apple.com/album/id918199355

US / worldwide:

http://www.merchconnectioninc.com

http://www.amazon.com

http://www.bestbuy.com

Europe:

http://www.emp.de

UK:

http://www.omerch.eu

Australia:

http://www.nervegas.com.au

Follow Between the Buried and Me online:

http://www.betweentheburiedandme.com

http://www.facebook.com/BTBAMofficial

http://twitter.com/btbamofficial

http://instagram.com/btbamofficial

http://www.youtube.com/btbamofficial 

LORDS OF THE TRIDENT release free "A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas" ep.

Lords of the Trident have announced that they are giving away for free their holiday ep "A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas" to the worldwide metal masses.

A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas - Free Download Link

Lords of the Trident vocalist Fang VonWrathenstein has released the following statement about the christmas ep:

"In the giving spirit of this Holiday time, we've decided as a band that it's time to give back. In light of the fact that many families this season will go without a warm fire to gather around, we would like to present a solution. Download our Christmas album "A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas" for FREE, and point your stereo at the hearth in your home. Literally anything placed in front of it should instantly set ablaze, filling your home with warmth, and your hearts with METAL holiday joy.

Oh, by the way, the big guy in the red suit requests that you do NOT play the album while he is attempting to go down the chimney. Last year's 4th degree burns were no laughing matter."

Lords of the Trident - "A Very Lords of the Trident Christmas" track list:

1. Angels We Have Heard on High

2. O Come O Come Emmanuel

3. What Child is This?

4. Slutty Santa

5. Huey Lewis and the News (Government Zero Cover)

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

Official Lords of the Trident Facebook page: