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Fan-filmed video footage of CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED — the new project led by acclaimed metal drummer Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, LEASH LAW, CONTROL DENIED, BURNING INSIDE) — performing on July 8, 2010 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City can be viewed below (courtesy of "Pantera42057" and "hornsuprocks").

Fans finally got a chance to watch Christy and vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) perform the songs from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's debut album. They toured from Chicago through Canada and up to Worcester, Massachusetts for a massive show with DREAM THEATER. The trek also featured comedian Don Jamieson from VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show".

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's touring lineup made its live debut on July 1 in Chicago, Illinois. Stepping in for concerts were Cleveland guitarists John Comprix and Matt Sorg. Comprix is Owens' bandmate in several projects, and Sorg plays with Comprix in RINGWORM.

The self-titled debut album from CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at No. 6 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's album contains nine tracks, a bonus DVD ("The Making of Charred Walls of the Damned"), and comes in a digipack.

The recording sessions for the CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED CD took place at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof, who has previously worked with TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, BURY YOUR DEAD, AUGUST BURNS RED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DAATH, CHIMAIRA, DEVILDRIVER and GOD FORBID, among others.

CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED's recording lineup:

* Richard Christy - Drums
* Jason Suecof - Guitar, Producer
* Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH) - Vocals
* Steve DiGiorgio (SADUS, TESTAMENT) - Bass

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/charredwallsofthedamned.

Labels: News

On July 19, Candlelight Records will release a box set from the now-defunct Norwegian extreme metal act ZYKLON, entitled "The Storm Manifesto", featuring all three of the group's full-length albums plus bonus material.

Founded in 1998, it was evident from the start that ZYKLON was to be more than just a "side project" for the then-EMPEROR guitarist and drummer. Teaming with Destructhor (also of MYRKSKOG), the trio's rehearsals ignited a spark that would put them on the fast track. Enter England's Candlelight Records. Already home to EMPEROR, Candlelight was the best and obvious first choice for the band and its recording future.

"The Storm Manifesto" track listing:

Disc 1 - "World ov Worms":

01. Hammer Revelation
02. Deduced To Overkill
03. Chaos Deathcult
04. Storm Detonation
05. Zycloned
06. Terrordome
07. Worm World
08. Transcendental War - The Battle Between Gods
09. Dominate (bonus)
10. Worm World (video)
11. Transcendal War - Battle Between Gods (video)

Disc 2 - "Aeon":

01. Psyklon Aeon
02. Core Solution
03. Two Thousand Years
04. No Names Above The Names
05. The Prophetic Method
06. Specimen Eruption
07. Electric Current
08. An Eclectic Manner
09. Pull the Plug (bonus)
10. Core Solution (video)
11. Psyklon Aeon (video)

Disc 3 - "Disintegrate":

01. In Hindsight
02. Disintegrate
03. Ways of the World
04. Subversive Faith
05. A Cold Grave
06. Vile Ritual
07. Underdog
08. Wrenched
09. Vulture
10. Skinned and Endangered
11. Wrenched (video)
12. Underdog (video)

Check out an e-card for "The Storm Manifesto" at this location.

ZYKLON played its final show in Tokyo, Japan on September 28, 2007.

All members of ZYKLON are still active on various fronts. Guitarist Samoth is in the studio working on the debut album for his new project, THE WRETCHED END. Fellow axeman Destructhor is still touring with MORBID ANGEL, and is still planning to complete a new MYRKSKOG album with bassist/vocalist Secthdamon. Drummer Trym is mainly working in his tattoo shop, but is scheduled to appear in a new music project soon.

ZYKLON's third album, "Disintegrate", was released in 2006 via Candlelight Records. The CD was recorded at Akkerhaugen Lydstudio in Norway and was mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden.

ZYKLON's DVD, titled "Storm Detonation Live", came out in March 2006 via Candlelight. Recorded at Germany's 2004 Party.San Open Air festival, the DVD contained the band's live show plus exclusive on-the-road/backstage footage, an exclusive look into reheasals for "Disintegrate" and both the "Psyklon Aeon" and "Core Solution" videos.

Labels: News

"Cadence", the new studio album from the reunited melodic hard rock band BANGALORE CHOIR, will be released on September 24 via Metal Heaven Records.

It has been 18 years since BANGALORE CHOIR's only release, "On Target", on Giant Records in 1992, which came out on the same day as NIRVANA's "Nevermind". Shortly after, BANGALORE CHOIR disbanded after being released from the label.

After several years under the radar on a ranch in Montana, lead vocalist David Reece (ex-ACCEPT, DAREFORCE) was contacted by Escape Records in 2007 to see what the chances would be for him to go to Sweden to sing on Swedish band GYPSY ROSE's next release. Soon after that David found himself in the studio for the next year recording and writing for the new GYPSY ROSE CD, "Another World", which was released in June 2008.

While touring and doing the Sweden Rock Festival in June 2007 and opening for AEROSMITH in Europe, Reece regained his passion for music, deciding he wanted to put BANGALORE CHOIR back together. Reece reached out to guitarist Curt Mitchell and bassist Danny Greenberg and asked them if they would like to make a new record. Both of them eagerly accepted the challenge. Joining them on the new album are Hans in't Zandt on drums and guitarist Andy Susemihl of U.D.O. fame, who contributed to the songwriting process and did a masterful job on the CD's production.

Commented Reece: "We knew if we were to make a new record that in order for it to be viable we had to keep some of the old formula that worked so well in the past which we have done!

"The new record by BANGALORE CHOIR is called 'Cadence' — continuing with blistering guitars pounding rhythms and big, hooky choruses."

"Cadent" (new song) audio sample:

"Big Deep" (new song) audio sample:



"Living Your Dreams" (new song) audio sample:



BANGALORE CHOIR will go on tour in Europe in early October, playing such shows as the H.E.A.T. Festival as well as the Firefest in England. They also plan to tour the Asian market and are in the process of scheduling U.S. dates.

Labels: News

On July 14, Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal of Metal Assault conducted an interview with vocalist Tony Harnell (TNT, WESTWORLD, STARBREAKER) about his latest project, TONY HARNELL & THE MERCURY TRAIN. You can now listen to the chat in two parts below.

"Northern Lights", the debut video from TONY HARNELL & THE MERCURY TRAIN, can be viewed below. The track comes off the group's debut album, "Round Trip", which was released in Europe on July 2 and will be made available in the USA on July 27 via Frontiers Records.

"Round Trip" is a very special record: a stripped down, reinvented retrospective of Tony Harnell's past classics originally recorded with his previous bands TNT, WESTWORLD and STARBREAKER, with one brand new song, "Anywhere But Here", recorded exclusively for this release.

The idea of re-recording some repertoire classics came about after Tony performed some low-key shows in New York in late 2008, with some talented and accomplished musicians that were not part of the metal/hard rock scene. The desire was to breathe new life into the songs with new arrangements, key changes and added parts; it's like listening to songs you know in a whole new way. Frontiers Records president Serafino Perugino liked the concept, and in Harnell's own words, "The idea was originally based on it being the usual cliché 'acoustic' album. Well, for us hard rockers that usually means simply playing the songs pretty much as they were but with acoustic guitars. That's not exactly what I had in mind. If I was going to do this, I was going to have some fun. I wanted to strip things down and see what would happen when musicians outside the hard rock community played my songs. That intrigued me. So I gave all the guys the original album versions and then pretty much gave them carte blanche to reinterpret the songs. That meant key changes ('cause you can't sing like a banshee when you strip things down, sounds silly), chord changes and even arrangement changes if the mood hit. I also wanted a semi-live vibe. What we ended up with is an album that honors the original songs with a little added spice, color, and above all… fun."

At the end of 2008 Tony and the other musicians entered the studio for a marathon two-day recording session that was supposed to lead into a whirlwind mixing session and an immediate release. But immediately after the session Tony hit some rather intense personal bumps in the road and production stopped. Months later the album was quickly completed.

"Recording this album was an extremely cathartic experience, allowing me to gently close the door to the past with love and gratitude and regain the pride I rightly deserve to have for these songs and for the years of my life I gave to the various periods when they were written," states Tony. "This is in no way meant to erase, dismiss or compete with the incredible original recordings of these songs. This is just a little fun reinvention, a way to leave the past behind on my own terms. These are your songs as much as they are mine, some of you, like me, have all kinds of memories attached to them. My lyrics were, are and always will be filled with my experiences, struggles, hopes and dreams and my observations of the world around me. Hopefully you'll listen to these songs in a new way and hear them with new ears. I know I have."

"Round Trip" track listing:

01. Somebody Told You
02. Intuition
03. Month Of Sundays
04. Lonely Nights
05. Shame
06. Northern Lights
07. Down To The River To Pray
08. Satellite
09. 10K Lovers
10. Uninvited
11. Ready To Fly
12. When I'm Away *
13. Song For Dianne
14. Anywhere But Here

* Bonus track

"Intuition" audio sample:

"Shame" audio sample:



"Northern Lights" audio sample:



"Uninvited" audio sample:



THE MERCURY TRAIN is:

Jason Hagen - Acoustic guitar and ukulele
Chris Foley - Electric guitar
Brandon Wilde - Bass and vocals
Brad Gunyon - Drums and percussion
Amy Harnell - Vocals and descant recorder

Special guest: Sandi Saraya on "Shame"

Interview Part 1:



Interview Part 2:

Labels: News

Finnish extreme metallers IMPALED NAZARENE have issued the following update:

"First things first: After 18 years, [Jarno] Anttila (guitar) has stepped aside from IMPALED NAZARENE.

"There is no drama or bullshit involved. Jarno is simply too busy with his work and family.

"Cheers and beers to Jarno for sticking with us that long!!!!

"Jarno's departure does not affect our plans. We will continue as a four-piece.

"As we previously reported, we will enter Hellhole studio [in Helsinki] this month with our very own soundman Tero Kostermaa to record our 11th full-length album.

"Writing has has been going very well. We have 12 finished songs so far.

"We will record also a song made by Jarno for us as it is a kick-ass tune and he gave us permission to use it.

"'Road To The Octagon' is the album title. We can reveal some songs titles:

* Under Attack
* Tentacles Of The Octagon
* Silent, Violent Type
* Execute Tapeworm Extermination
* Gag Reflex
* Tremble, Man Of God

"'Road To The Octagon' will be released by Osmose Productions in the beginning of November 2010. Album shall be mastered by Mika Jussila and artwork is handled by Darkgrove Design. We can also confirm that we have been booked to play Maryland Deathfest 28th of May 2011. This will be exclusive show for USA in 2011!"

Video footage of IMPALED NAZARENE performing the song "Ghettoblaster" on April 10, 2010 at the "Black Curse Over Hellsinki II" festival at Gloria in Helsinki, Finland can be viewed below (courtesy of Filmokratik).

IMPALED NAZARENE's 20th anniversary show at Henry's Pub club in Kuopio, Finland on November 20, 2010 will be filmed for a forthcoming concert DVD.

Commented the band: "We chose Kuopio and Henry's Pub simply because Kuopio has the best audience in Finland and Henry's Pub is the best club in Finland. Yes, it is small, but perfect for live DVD recording."

IMPALED NAZARENE's latest album, "Manifest", was released in October 2007. The CD was recorded and mixed at Sonic Pump studio by Tapio Pennanen, and was mastered at Finnvox studio by Mika Jussila. The cover artwork and layout was handlded by Ritual.

Labels: News

On March 13, 2010, Jason Saulnier of the "Good Time Metal Oldies" radio show conducted an interview with original JUDAS PRIEST and current HOLY RAGE vocalist Al Atkins. You can now listen to the chat in two parts below.

"Good Time Metal Oldies" airs Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. EST on CIFA 104.1 FM in Nova Scotia and Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. EST on Pure Rock Radio.

Interview Part 1:

Interview Part 2:



HOLY RAGE recently announced the addition of guitarist Vince O'Regan (ex-BOB CATLEY, EDEN) and bassist/vocalist Steve Mercy (ex-ABIGAIL'S MERCY) to the group's ranks.

HOLY RAGE's current lineup:

* Al Atkins (vocals)
* Chris Johnson (guitar)
* Mick Hales (drums)
* Vince O'Regan (ex-BOB CATLEY, EDEN) (guitar)
* Steve Mercy (ex-ABIGAIL'S MERCY) (bass, vocals)

Atkins is the co-writer of several PRIEST songs which are included on the band's first two albums "Rocka Rolla" and "Sad Wings of Destiny", both of which eventually went gold. Atkins co-penned the heavy metal classic "Victim of Changes", which was a combination of Rob Halford's song "Red Light Lady" and Atkins' own "Whiskey Woman". He also co-wrote "Winter", "Never Satisfied", "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Caviar and Meths".

In 1989 Atkins released his debut solo album, "Judgement Day", to great acclaim. But it was "Heavy Thoughts" and "Victim of Changes" (the latter being his collaborative album with ex-JUDAS PRIEST drummer Dave Holland) that brought him strong sales and critical acclaim around the world. Recently Atkins formed HOLY RAGE and has shared the bill with ex-RAINBOW/MSG singer Graham Bonnet in California.

JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to Al Atkins's autobiography, titled "Dawn of the Metal Gods: My Life in Judas Priest and Heavy Metal". The book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil's book "The Story of Judas Priest: Defenders of the Faith" (Omnibus Press) — was released last spring via Iron Pages.

Labels: News

Labels: News