Original Testament Bassist Greg Christian on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 440 - Dark Roots of Testament

“The Legacy”, “The New Order”, “Practice What You Preach”, “Souls of Black”, “The Ritual”, and “Low”. Original Testament bassist Greg Christian played on all six of these foundational records during his first tenure with the band. He also appears on “The Formation of Damnation” and “Dark Roots of The Earth”. This week Greg appears on a thrash filled Focus on Metal to talk all about the first six albums he did with Testament as well as what he’s up to these days with Trauma and everything else he’s involved with now.

Here's some Trauma for ya off their "As The World Dies" release

Greg kicking off the classic "Souls of Black"

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

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.

Alex Skolnick & Mark Tremonti Guest on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 388 - A Dying Majesty

Once again not one, but two returning guests this week. Alex Skolnick returns to give us the run down on the latest from Metal Allegiance “Volume II, Power Drunk Majesty” as well as some commentary on the 30th anniversary of Testament’s “The New Order”. 

Also this week Mark Tremonti is with us once again, this time to talk about the release of the limited edition book that was written to accompany “A Dying Machine”, the latest from Tremonti. He also gives us some insight on the new Alterbridge release “Live at Royal Albert Hall”.

Point your browser to MetalAllegiance.com/ for links to order your own copy of “Volume II, Power Drunk Majesty” or any of their other music.

Be sure to hit up MarkTremonti.com/  to order one of the limited first edition copies of “A Dying Machine” while they are still available.

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

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, EarPeeler.com or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

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.

METAL ALLEGIANCE - announce new EP scheduled for August 12th!

METAL ALLEGIANCE have announced they will release a special EP, entitled »Fallen Heroes«, on August 12, 2016. The band united to pay homage to the 3 legends -Lemmy Kilmister, David Bowie, and Glenn Frey - who impacted not just their lives but the world as well. 

"The end of 2015 and most of 2016 has been a brutal year with many of our heroes passing," comments Mark Menghi. "When Portnoy called me in January to alert me that Glenn Frey had passed, I literally broke down. That night after having a few Tequila Sunrises in Glenn's honor, a lightbulb went off... We're going to record a few tunes to honor our fallen heroes. I called back Mike that evening and asked him what he thought and the next day we were in the studio recording. By weeks end, all guitars, drums and bass were complete. I can't begin to explain the influence that Glenn Frey, Lemmy, and David Bowie had on me. Each of their music has helped me immensely during some real dark periods of my life and not to mention their influence on me as a musician and songwriter. Lemmy is God, Glenn is King and David is the Architect."

Alex Skolnick comments: "These brilliant artists have an extensive catalogue that is sometimes on the softer side (with the exception of MOTÖRHEAD, of course). So when it came to THE EAGLES & BOWIE, we specifically chose tunes of theirs that are riff-based and translatable to high energy arrangements. For Lemmy, we immediately crossed out 'Ace Of Spades' (great tune but the last thing the world needs is yet another cover version) and chose 'Iron Fist,' which we already had a good handle on from playing live and to us is every bit as much a signature MOTÖRHEAD tune."

"I'm really excited to be a part of the »Fallen Heroes« EP," comments Alissa White-Gluz. "I think we have all felt the weight of losing so many great musicians this year. I think these songs are a cool way to pay tribute to a few people who contributed so much to the world of music and showcase a different side of ourselves."

Recorded at Conclave Studios in New York City, »Fallen Heroes« was produced by Mark Menghi and Alex Skolnick. The album was mixed by Jay Ruston in Los Angeles, CA and mastered at Sterling Sound New York City by Ted Jensen. The initial sketch of the artwork was created by Mark Menghi and Stephen Thompson (ANTHRAX) and was later finalized by Marcelo Vasco (SLAYER).

Track list for »Fallen Heroes«:

01. Iron Fist (feat. Troy Sanders)
02. Suffragette City (feat. Mark Osegueda)
03. Life In The Fast Lane (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)

Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: Mark Menghi
Drums: Mike Portnoy

METAL ALLEGIANCE took the news of Lemmy's passing very hard as the bands very first gig was on MOTÖRHEAD's first Motörboat Cruise. It was on that boat where the idea to write a record together and carry the MA flag as a brand/band rather than a sporadic, special event show... all of us in MA are humbly grateful for the opportunity that team MOTÖRHEAD gave us.

In late 2015, the band scheduled a West Coast string of intimate club dates with a stop as the world-famousWhisky A Go-Go. The year concluded with the band heartbroken saying goodbye to their beloved friend. They later found out that his funeral and memorial services would be held the day of their performance. The band was asked by their tour agent who is also MOTÖRHEAD's agent, Lemmy's management, close friends of his, and the owner of the Rainbow and Whisky to incorporate a tribute which of course, they obliged. The day of their performance, Sunset Blvd. was shut down and their bus was parked on a street filled with tears, madness, partiers and a sea of mourning metal heads. They said goodbye to their friend that evening with help from MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee amongst a ton of other special guests.

The next day they played their final show at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. Mid-set they were informed that David Bowie had passed. Mark Menghi comments: "I remember coming off stage to trade bass duties with David Ellefson (we would rotate songs) and he stopped me, looked me and Osegueda in the eyes and said "Dude, Bowie just passed away." Literally in mid-set we got that news. I looked at Mark and he was in tears. Not even a minute later, he was on stage telling the Bay Area crowd of the news he just learned. I turned to the side and looked over at Mike Portnoy and he just had his head down with his hands over his head trying to comprehend what Mark was saying. The next few songs was our Lemmy tribute and tears rolled off all of our eyes while paying tribute to one while learning of the passing of another."

METAL ALLEGIANCE live:
11.08. USA Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus
14.08. UK Derby - Bloodstock Open Air

Order METAL ALLEGIANCE's self-titled debut here: http://nblast.de/MetalAllegiance

DOLL SKIN To Support METAL ALLEGIANCE on West Coast Shows In January 2016

Arizona-based all-female rock quartet DOLL SKIN to support METAL ALLEGIANCE, the all-star metal band consisting of a rotating cast of musicians, including members of MEGADETH, TESTAMENT on FOUR intimate West Coast shows w/ CAGE, to start off 2016. The West Coast run starts in San Diego on January 7, hits Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and wraps up in San Francisco on January 10.

DOLL SKIN recently confirmed for the ShipRocked Cruise 2016. DOLL SKIN will be performing onboard the ShipRocked Cruise, sailing January 18-22, 2016, from Miami to Costa Maya, Mexico. Alongside bands like Five Finger Death Punch, Seether, Halestorm, Hellyeah,Helmet, to name a few: www.ShipRocked.com

Their new EP "In Your Face" was released in North America on October 30 and will be out in Europe due on December 18, physical & digital via EMP Label Group/Cargo Records. “In Your Face” was produced by David Ellefson (MEGADETH) and mixed by Ryan Greene (NOFX, CHEAP TRICK, LITA FORD).

DOLL SKIN just released a music video for "Family Of Strangers", which can be seen here: http://vevo.ly/mckyQz

Due on December 18 in Europe, "In Your Face" features the following tracks:

01. Family Of Strangers
02. Wring Me Out
03. Let's Be Honest
04. Blind
05. So Much Nothing
06. Weatherman (live)

DOLL SKIN Tour Dates:

December 11, 2015 | Doll Skin @ Last Exit Live (Phoenix, AZ, USA)
January 07 | Ramona Main Stage - San Diego, CA | w/ METAL ALLEGIANCE, CAGE
January 08 | Count's Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV | w/ METAL ALLEGIANCE, CAGE
January 09 | Whisky A Go Go - West Hollywood, CA | w/ METAL ALLEGIANCE, CAGE
January 10 | The Regency - San Francisco, CA | w/ METAL ALLEGIANCE, CAGE
January 18-22, 2016 | Doll Skin @ ShipRocked Cruise, Miami to Costa Maya, Mexico

www.facebook.com/dollskinband
www.dollskinband.com

Just posted: Alex Skolnick and Shawn Drover on this weeks Focus on Metal.

Episode 249 - Metal Defiance

A packed episode this week. First up we have Alex Skolnick giving us the latest on Metal Allegiance ( http://www.metalallegiance.com/ ) then we have Shawn Drover talking about the debut release from Act Of Defiance "The Birth And The Burial" ( https://www.facebook.com/actofdefiancemusic ).

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us Tuesdays on Platinum Rock Radio and be sure to check their schedule because we usually get a repeat run during the week.

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio, Metal World Radio,  and now on The Indie Authority

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.

Cannibal Corpse confirms Latin American tour with Testament!

Cannibal Corpse have confirmed that they will be touring Latin America in November and December with thrash legends, Testament! The tour begins November 17th in Brazil, and concludes on December 2nd in Guadalajara, Mexico. The combined weight of these two bands will surely mean these shows will sell fast. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 10 at 10am ET at liberationmc.com/tours!

CANNIBAL CORPSE

TESTAMENT

11/17 Porto Alegre, Brazil Opiniao

11/18 Curitiba, Brazil Vanilla Music Hall

11/20 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Circo Voador

11/21 Sao Paulo, Brazil Carioca Club

11/24 Buenos Aires, Argentina Groove

11/25 Santiago, Chile Teatro Caupolican

11/26 Lima, Peru Embarcadero 41

11/28 Bogota, Colombia Downtown Majestic

11/29 San Jose, Costa Rica Club Peppers

12/01 Mexico City, MX Pabellón Oeste Del Palacio de los Deportes

12/02 Guadalajara, MX Teatro Studio Cavaret

CANNIBAL CORPSE

European Summer Tour

06/10 Paris, FR Petit Bain

06/12 Kristainsand, NO Kick

06/13 Stavanger, NO Folken

06/14 Bergen, NO Hulen

06/15 Drammen, NO Union Scene

06/16 Trondheim, NO Blaest

06/18 Copenhagen, DK Copenhell

06/19 Dessel, BE Graspop

06/20 Rouen, FR 106

06/21 Clission, FR Hellfest

07/10 Paris, FR Le Petit Bain

07/11 Marseille, FR Le Moulin

07/12 Palma De Mallorca, ES Gremi

07/13 Valencia, ES Rock City

07/14 Malga, ES Trinchera

07/16 Viveiro Lugo, ES Resurrection Fest

07/17 Bilbao, ES Santana 27

07/18 Albi, FR Xtreme Fest

07/19 Milan, IT Magnolia

07/20 Bologna, IT Zr

07/21 Tolmin, SI Metaldays

07/22 Budapest, Hu Club 202

07/24 Bucharest, RO Arenele Romane

07/25 Sofia, BG Mixtape 5 Club

07/26 Thessaloniki, GR Principal Club

07/27 Athens, GR Fuzz Club

07/29 Belgrade, CS Dom Omaldine

07/30 Vienna, AT Szene

07/31 Wroclaw, PL Alibi

08/01 Wacken, DW Wacken Open Air

08/02 Malmo, S Kulturbaloget

08/03 Berlin, DE Postbahnhof

08/04 Munster, DE Sputnikhalle

08/06 Jaromer, CZ Brutal Assault Fest

08/07 Schlotheim, DE Party San Open Air

08/08 Leeuwarden, NL Into The Grave

08/11 Trier, DE Ex-Haus

08/12 Luzern, CH Schuur

08/13 Cologne, DE Werkstatt

08/14 Salzburg, AT Rockhouse

08/15 Dinkelsbuhl, DE Summer Breeze

A Skeletal Domain, the latest full-length from American death metal icons, Cannibal Corpse, debuted at an astounding #32 on Billboard's Top 200 chart, making it the highest charting record in the band's storied history! This is the band's thirteenth full-length album. It was produced by Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, DevilDriver) at Audio Hammer Studios in Flordia. The record boasts twelve ravenous tracks of confrontational, meticulously-executed ill-omened brutality as only Cannibal Corpse can deliver.

Watch current and past videos from Cannibal Corpse on the youtube playlist HERE. Also, check out George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher and Orion of Behemoth as they play the new video game Evolve in the recently released video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6nFf2kOq5E

http://www.metalblade.com/cannibalcorpse

http://www.cannibalcorpse.net

http://www.facebook.com/cannibalcorpse 

Alex Skolnick is our guest on this weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 180 - Geek To Guitar Hero

Alex Skolnick is our guest this week. Besides his tenure in Testament and his other musical excursions into the world of jazz Alex also took time to write a very insightful autobiography "Geek To Guitar Hero". We sat down to discuss the book, Testament, and much more on this episode of Focus on Metal

Get insight into all things Alex at: http://alexskolnick.com/ 

Alex is also heavy user of Twitter. Follow him at: http://www.twitter.com/alexskolnick

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

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