Tag: metallica
0 New RONNIE JAMES DIO Covers Album “This Is Your Life” Celebrates the Life and Legacy of a Legend
New RONNIE JAMES DIO Covers Album “This Is Your Life”
Celebrates the Life and Legacy of a Legend
available April 1, 2014 via Rhino
This Is Your Life Pays Tribute To The Late Singer With Covers Of
His Greatest Songs From Rainbow, Black Sabbath, And Dio
Features Newly Recorded Tracks From Anthrax, Halestorm, Rob Halford, Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Corey Taylor, And Tenacious D, Among Others
To Benefit The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
Ronnie James Dio is one of the most beloved figures in rock history. His gifts, both as a singer and songwriter, are instantly recognizable, whether he was with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, or leading Dio. Sadly, Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2010, but his towering voice and legacy live on.
To celebrate one of rock’s most powerful voices, an all-star group of his friends and fans recorded 13 of their favorite tracks for a tribute album that will raise funds for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (diocancerfund.org). Produced by his longtime manager and wife Wendy Dio, the album includes contributions by such metal heavyweights as Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Anthrax, and Rob Halford, as well as appearances by many of the musicians who performed with Dio over the years.
This Is Your Life will be available from Rhino on April 1, 2014 for a suggested list price of $18.98. A digital version will also be available.
Although the songs featured on the album touch on the different eras of Dio’s career, several spotlight his time with Rainbow, including Metallica’s epic, nine-minute “Ronnie Rising Medley,” which combines the Rainbow songs “A Light In The Black,” “Tarot Woman,” “Stargazer,” and “Kill The King.” Scorpions add a scorching take on “The Temple Of The King” while Motörhead is joined by Biff Byford from Saxon on “Starstruck.” Rob Halford teams with frequent Dio collaborators Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, and Scott Warren for “The Man On The Silver Mountain.” The final line-up of Dio’s solo band – Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo and Scott Warren – are joined by Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) for “Catch The Rainbow,” a track from Rainbow’s 1975 debut.
Anthrax and Adrenaline Mob honor Dio’s memorable stint with Black Sabbath with their takes on “Neon Knights” and “The Mob Rules” respectively, as does a group, led by Oni Logan on vocals along with Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, and Brian Tichy, which performs “I” from Dehumanizer.
This Is Your Life also includes songs from Dio’s back-to-back platinum albums Holy Diver (1983) and The Last In Line (1984), with Doro’s take on “Egypt (The Chains Are On)”, Halestorm tackling “Straight Through The Heart,” Corey Taylor (Stone Sour, Slipknot) covering the classic “Rainbow In The Dark” and Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Glass) putting their signature spin on “The Last In Line.” Killswitch Engage’s cover of “Holy Diver,” a hit in its own right when released in 2006, is also included here.
Fittingly, Ronnie James Dio provides the finale (and the album’s title) with his moving performance of “This Is Your Life.” Originally released on Angry Machines (1996), the song’s lyrics explore mortality and are backed by a stark and beautiful arrangement that features Dio accompanied only by his longtime keyboardist Scott Warren on piano. The song serves as a poignant reminder that we will never hear a voice like Dio’s again.
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, co-founded by Wendy Dio, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable fund dedicated to supporting cancer-prevention research, raising awareness and educating the public about the vital importance of early detection and prevention when dealing with this deadly disease.
RONNIE JAMES DIO: This Is Your Life Track Listing:
- “Neon Knights” – Anthrax*
- “The Last In Line” – Tenacious D*
- “The Mob Rules” – Adrenaline Mob
- “Rainbow In The Dark” – Corey Taylor, Roy Mayorga, Satchel, Christian Martucci, Jason Christopher*
- “Straight Through The Heart” – Halestorm*
- “Starstruck” – Motörhead with Biff Byford*
- “The Temple Of The King” – Scorpions*
- “Egypt (The Chains Are On)” – Doro
- “Holy Diver” – Killswitch Engage
- “Catch The Rainbow” – Glenn Hughes, Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo, Scott Warren*
- “I” – Oni Logan, Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, Brian Tichy*
- “Man On The Silver Mountain” – Rob Halford, Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, Scott Warren*
- “Ronnie Rising Medley (Featuring A Light In The Black, Tarot Woman, Stargazer, Kill The King)” – Metallica*
- “This Is Your Life” – Dio
* Previously unreleased
0 PICTUREHOUSE¹S METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER ROCKS IMAX(R) 3D THEATRES
PICTUREHOUSE’S METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER ROCKS IMAX® 3D THEATRES FOR EXCLUSIVE RUN IN NORTH AMERICA BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 27
IMAX Corporationand Picturehouse today announced that Metallica Through the Never, filmmaker Nimród Antal’s captivating 3D movie featuring one of music’s most enduring and iconic bands, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® 3D format and released wide in North America exclusively into IMAX® theatres for a one-week engagement starting Friday, Sept. 27. The film will expand into additional theatres on Oct. 4.
Starring Metallica, a cast of thousands of their fans and breakout star Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Metallica Through the Never is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Nimród Antal (Predators, Kontroll) and produced by former IMAX film producer Charlotte Huggins (Journey to the Center of the Earth). The film marries groundbreaking footage and editing techniques with a compelling narrative, in which a band crew member (played by DeHaan) is sent out on a mission during Metallica’s roaring live set in front of a sold-out arena. While on this mission, he unexpectedly has his life turned completely upside down.
“IMAX! It doesn’t get bigger or cooler than that!” said Lars Ulrich who formed Metallica in 1981 together with James Hetfield. “For four guys in a rock band of average height, to get a chance to unleash their 3D film on IMAX screens the size of buildings across the country is a mind-blowing thought. ‘Hey look, Mom, I’m 50 feet tall (finally!)’ There is no better way to experience film and when you throw in the spectacle of music and sound this should amount to an unprecedented, unique and truly next level experience.”
“The totally immersive experience of IMAX 3D is the perfect complement to Metallica’s in-your-face, big and loud performance style,” said Bob Berney, CEO of Picturehouse. “The combination of the band’s music and a strong storyline create a unique cinematic experience for die-hard fans and general moviegoers alike.”
“Nimród Antal and Metallica have done a tremendous job capturing the essence of the band’s commanding live performances and have created a visual and aural cinematic spectacle,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Entertainment. “We believe the power of The IMAX Experience® will deliver for Metallica fans and ensure they feel every part of this journey.”
The IMAX 3D release of Metallica Through the Never will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
0 Record Store Day is Saturday, April 21st! Warner Brothers Has Some Cool Hard Rock Releases Coming Your Way!
RECORD STORE DAY is nearly here! Saturday, April 21st Warner Bros. Records will have a special series of vinyl albums and singles available in honor of the 5th annual Record Store Day – a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally. Warner Bros. Records is proud to be an official sponsor of Record Store Day.
Among the most anticipated releases this weekend includes a pair of highly sought-after 7″ vinyl limited edition pressings: Mastodon / Feist split 7″, otherwise referred to as FEISTODON and the Mastodon / Flaming Lips Side By Side 2012 series 7″ single. The members of Mastodon, currently in the middle of an extensive US tour, are avid participants of Record Store Day and wanted fans to know: “Mastodon are proud to uphold their long-standing commitment to supporting Independent Record stores on Record Store Day. The vinyl album and single format remains an important part of our culture and heritage as recording artists and we hope you’ll enjoy our interpretations of these songs by artists we admire and respect.”
Once again, these very special releases are as follows:
Disturbed: The Collection (Vinyl Album Box Set)
We are proud to announce the definitive Disturbed vinyl box-set edition, THE COLLECTION. A five-album, six-disc offering of the band’s complete studio album discography featuring The Sickness (2000), Believe (2002), Ten Thousand Fists (2005), Indestructible (2008), and Asylum (2010). A career retrospective spanning ten years and 18 Billboard Top 100 hits of sophisticated and life-altering heavy music. For this box set, each album has been carefully mastered and pressed on 140-gram vinyl for the very best in audio quality. Each album has been meticulously showcased in a stunning art presentation that is unique and exclusive to this release. This is a limited edition box of only 2500 units worldwide.
Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac (Deluxe and Standard vinyl editions)
What can be said about this classic album that has not been said before? Originally released in 1975 and representing not only a rebirth of the band, with the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, but really a second debut for a group firmly rooted in the rock genre, now reinventing themselves into a pop rock force in a way that few other artists can lay claim to. The album includes the iconic songs “Rhiannon,” “Say You Love Me,” and “Over My Head.” Cut for vinyl at Bernie Grundman Mastering from the original analog tapes and pressed in both 33 rpm and 45 rpm for the very best in audio presentation. A collectible and definitive version for any generation.
Mastodon / Feist “A Commotion”/ “Black Tongue” (7″ vinyl single)
In conjunction with Cherrytree/Interscope Records- A very exclusive and highly anticipated RSD pressing features Mastodon covering the Feist song “A Commotion,” (from her album Metals) while Feist covers Mastodon’s “Black Tongue.” A unique and highly buzzed-about Record Store Day prize.
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium (Deluxe 180 Gram vinyl Box Set)
On April 14, 2012, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and to commemorate this historic event, this classic Deluxe box set of the band’s first number one album will be specially priced for Record Store Day. The Deluxe package was mastered for vinyl by Steve Hoffman and includes two 16-page booklets – “Jupiter” and “Mars.” The Red Hot Chili Peppers won four Grammy® Awards for Stadium Arcadium including: Best Rock Album, Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package in addition to Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for their chart-topping, record-breaking single “Dani California.”
Metallica: Beyond Magnetic (12″ color vinyl EP)
Beyond Magnetic consists of four outtakes from the 2008 Death Magnetic sessions and is available for the first time on silver vinyl just for RSD. A potent and exceptionally well-produced example of Metallica’s most recent work, which can hold its own with anything within their vast heavy music cannon. Previously unreleased on vinyl and includes a limited edition Metallica sticker.
T-Rex: The Electric Warrior Singles Box: (Six 7″ vinyl singles)
This RSD exclusive comes housed in a clamshell-box featuring the entire album, plus the non-album b-side “Raw Ramp,” spread across six singles. When combined, the six picture sleeves form an image of T. Rex founder Marc Bolan in his prime. Chris Bellman used the original analog masters to cut each disc at Bernie Grundman Mastering.
Misfits: Walk Among Us (Color vinyl album – 3 different colors)
Rhino will also offer three colored-vinyl versions of the Misfits’ WALK AMONG US to mark the 30-year anniversary of the band’s 1982 full-length debut. It is a faithful reproduction of the original with music cut from the original analog masters and packaging that duplicates details down to the printed inner sleeve. The album will be pressed on red (1,250 pieces), blue (1,250 pieces) and clear (500) vinyl. Color variations will be distributed randomly. There will also be a purple vinyl pressing released internationally that will be limited to 1,500 copies.
Side by Side 2012 Series:
A continuation of the well-received Warner Bros Records “Side by Side” series, which was initially introduced in 2011. All are exclusive for Record Store Day on uniquely colored and extremely limited edition 7″ vinyl singles, featuring Warner artists covering other historic and personally influential iconic artists. This year’s series includes:
The Flaming Lips / Mastodon: “A Spoonful Weighs A Ton” (7″ baby pink vinyl single)
The mighty Mastodon faithfully covers the Lips classic “Spoonful Weighs a Ton,” from The Soft Bulletin album. Ferociously beautiful!
A couple of hard rocking bands will be making special performances on Record Store Day!
Saturday April 21st
Art of Dying – Tunes @1205 Tilton Road Northfield, NJ 08225 – 1:30pm
(609) 241-6917www.tunesonline.net/ – Acoustic Performance + signing
Mastodon – Disc-Go-Round records @ 5734 Mcardle Rd # A Corpus Christi, TX 78412 – 2:00pm (361) 980-0440 http://www.welovecds.com
Signing copies of their two RSD releases: Mastodon / Feist “A Commotion”/ “Black Tongue” (7″ vinyl single) & The Flaming Lips / Mastodon: “A Spoonful Weighs A Ton” (7″ baby pink vinyl single)
4 Metallica – Beyond Magnetic (2012)
In 2011, Metallica did the unthinkable. They released music that nobody on earth (in their right mind) would want to download legally or illegally. That CD was called Lulu, and it is considered by many (self included) one of the worst releases of 2011. So how does Metallica cleanse the palate of their long time listeners? They release four left over tracks from the 2008 Death Magnetic sessions in the form of their new EP, Beyond Magnetic. This EP has been available to folks for download on iTunes for a few weeks, but it received its official release on CD on 1/31/2012.
So how is Beyond Magnetic? The four songs on this EP equates to twenty nine minutes of music. The four songs are heavy, yet very long compositions. The songs are good, but they were probably too long to fit on Death Magnetic or to get radio play. I have listened to this EP several times, and would say that the EP is a bit of a grower. The songs wouldn’t stack up against any of the bands hits, but they are not throw away songs either. It gets better after a few plays. The songs are so long that takes a few extra listens to fully absorb what you are listening to.
My favorite of the four songs is “Hell and Back”. This song has a heavy but infectious riff, which to my ears, is easily as good as anything on Death Magnetic.
I am glad Metallica gave these songs an official release for fans to enjoy. If you are looking for some songs to hold you over until the next Metallica CD, you could do a lot worse than Beyond Magnetic.
Rating:Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Hate Train
02. Just a Bullet Away
03. Hell and Back
04. Rebel of Babylon
Metallica is:
James Hetfield – vocals and guitar
Lars Ulrich – drums
Kirk Hammett – guitars
Robert Trujillo – bass
0 Metallica’s Beyond Magnetic EP (CD Format) To Be Released January 31st
In 2011, Metallica made their mark on the music world, but not in a good way. It is almost guaranteed that every bad album, for many years to come, will be referred to as a LULU. I don’t know if it is their attempt at redemption, but Metallica will soon be releasing their four song Beyond Magnetic EP in CD Format on January 31st. Yes, these are left over songs from the 2008 Death Magnetic Sessions, but unlike the recently LULU album, they are worth a listen! You can get Beyond Magnetic here!
If you prefer to download your music, the EP is available via iTunes at this link.
You can check out the song “Hate Train” and “Hell and Back” below!
0 Enter To Win A Trip To NYC to Hear “Lulu” With Lou Reed & Metallica!
Be among the first to hear the upcoming release “Lulu” at an intimate listening session with Lou Reed and Metallica on Monday, October 24, 2011. Bowers & Wilkins Sound Sessions will be giving away passes and a flyaway to the small private gathering in New York City and you could be there!
Grand prize winner will receive two domestic round trip tickets, two nights hotel, two VIP passes to event and 2 pairs of Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones. 5 runner-ups win tickets and headphones as well!
Bowers & Wilkins Sound Sessions – A series of intimate, VIP-only listening events where renowned artists and small groups of fans come together to experience true sound and celebrate exciting new releases with the leaders in performance audio, Bowers & Wilkins.

- Brandenburg Gate
- The View
- Pumping Blood
- Mistress Dead
- Iced Honey
- Cheat on Me
- Frustration
- Little Dog
- Dragon
- Junior Dad
For more info and sound samples, please visit this website.
0 METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, ANTHRAX COMING TO YANKEE STADIUM!
Following last Saturday’s (April 23) first U.S. “Big Four” concert in Indio, California, the “Big Four” bands of 1980s thrash metal — Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax — have announced that they will perform in the new version of the famed Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York on September 14, 2011. All seats are reserved for this show and tickets go on sale Friday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. via Ticketmaster.com.
0 METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX: ‘Big Four’ U.S. Dates Coming Soon
U.S. dates for Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, collectively known as the “Big Four” of 1980s thrash metal will be announced soon! “The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria” 2-DVD set and Blu-ray containing footage of the June 22nd, 2010 Sonispherecinecast from the Sofia, Bulgaria leg of the touring rock festival featuring the “Big Four” was recently RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) certified Double Platinum in the US for shipments in excess of 100,000 copies. More details regarding the U.S. dates will be announced soon, but in the meantime a Facebook page has been launched here: http://www.facebook.com/TheBig4
3 Metallica – St. Anger (2003)
Back in 2003 when Metallica’s St. Anger was released, I read what other reviewers said about this disc. I can still remember one comment as if it were yesterday “If Metallica continues to release music this bad, they won’t have to worry about people downloading their songs on Napster”. That was enough for me to skip this Metallica CD, until now.
Having a completist mentality, I like to have all of the discographies of the bands that I follow. I decided that if I were to pick up St. Anger, it would have to be really cheap, or someone would have to give it to me.
The other day, I found this CD in my local Half Price Books store for a whopping $2.00. It couldn’t possibly be THAT bad could it? Yes it CAN! After listening to this disc a couple of times, I would have to say that this is the worst $2.00 I have ever spent.
St. Anger has so many issues, I don’t know where to begin. The songs sound like demo tracks. I don’t know if it was too much for Bob Rock to produce and play bass on one project, but in my opinion the production is terrible. The production quality on this CD, sounds as if it was recorded in a garage. If they were trying to do Garage Days Revisited again, they accomplished this task.
The guitar solos are non-existent. Did Kirk Hammett have one arm tied behind his back while this was recorded?
Lars Ulrich sounds like he is playing the drums on a set of garbage cans. In an interview of Lars Ulrich, I read that he turned off his snare drum while recording, St. Anger. For what it is worth, the drum sound on St. Anger is an epic fail. It makes the CD practically unlistenable!
The only song that I found that had mile replay value was “Sweet Amber”, and even that is reaching.
Even if you are a diehard Metallica fan, you are going have a hard time liking this CD.
I classify this disc as the worst Metallica CD, and probably the worst release of 2003. Avoid this one at all costs!
Vodpod videos no longer available.Track Listing
- Frantic
- St. Anger
- Some Kind Of Monster
- Dirty Window
- Invisible Kid
- My World
- Shoot Me Again
- Sweet Amber
- Unnamed Feeling
- Purify
- All Within My Hands
Metallica is:
James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
Lars Ulrich – drums, percussion
Robert Trujillo – bass (Robert did not play on St. Anger)
0 METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX CONFIRMED FOR U.K.’S SONISPHERE
1 Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth And Anthrax Free ‘Am I Evil?’ Video Download
Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax — the “Big Four” of 1980s thrash metal — and iTunes in the U.S. have teamed up to celebrate the upcoming release of the “The Big 4: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria” DVD by offering you a FREE video download of members from all four bands performing a cover version of Diamond Head‘s “Am I Evil?”together that night. Download the video and check out discounts on all four bands’ audio and video releases that are available on iTunes in the United States here. This Heavy Metal treat is only good for one week. Download your free video now!!
1 ‘The Big Four’ Super Deluxe Box Set: First Photo Available
The first photo of the limited-edition “super deluxe” “The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria” box set — including the DVD set, five CDs with ALL the music, a 24-page booklet, a poster, photos of each band, and a “Big Four” guitar pick — can be viewed below.
Universal Music will release “The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria” DVD and Blu-ray containing footage of the June 22, 2010 Sonisphere cinecast from the Sofia, Bulgaria leg of the touring rock festival featuring the “Big Four” of 1980s thrash metal — Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. The DVD hits the streets on October 15 in Northern Europe, October 18 in most of the rest of the world, October 19 in North America.
01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Fuel
04. Harvester Of Sorrow
05. Fade To Black
06. That Was Just Your Life
07. Cyanide
08. Sad But True
09. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
10. All Nightmare Long
11. One
12. Master Of Puppets
13. Blackened
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
Encore:
16. Am I Evil? (with the Big Four)
17. Hit The Lights
18. Seek and Destroy
SLAYER track listing:
01. World Painted Blood
02. Jihad
03. War Ensemble
04. Hate Worldwide
05. Seasons In The Abyss
06. Angel of Death
07. Beauty Through Order
08. Disciple
09. Mandatory Suicide
10. Chemical Warfare
11. South of Heaven
12. Raining Blood
MEGADETH track listing:
01. Holy Wars… The Punishment Due
02. Hangar 18
03. Wake Up Dead
04. Head Crusher
05. In My Darkest Hour
06. Skin O’ My Teeth
07. A Tout Le Monde
08. Hook In Mouth
09. Trust
10. Sweating Bullets
11. Symphony Of Destruction
12. Peace Sells/Holy Wars Reprise
ANTHRAX track listing:
01. Caught In A Mosh
02. Got the Time
03. Madhouse
04. Be All, End All
05. Antisocial
06. Indians/Heaven And Hell
07. Medusa
08. Only
09. Metal Thrashing Mad
10. I Am The Law
2 The Big Four (Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer & Metallica) in My Local Movie Theater
Call me crazy if you will, but Tuesday night I ponied up my $18.00 to see the Big Four ( Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, & Metallica) in my local movie theater. The bands recorded their Sonisphere concert from Sofia, Bulgaria on June 22nd, and broadcast it in movie theaters across the United States. The bands are in talks to play together in the states, but it may not be until 2011 or 2012. Those talks and negotiations could easily stall, and I wanted my shot at seeing the bands play together! Obviously, I wasn’t going to spend the big bucks to fly overseas. After a scorching hot day at M3 on Saturday, getting to see four of the biggest Metal bands of all time in a reclining seat with air conditioning seemed like a pretty cool idea.
I guess they wanted to build up some anticipation for the live show, as the first half hour was taken up with a small round table discussion featuring Lars Ulrich, Scott Ian and Dave Mustaine. A variety of topics were covered but Dave Mustaine said it best that “Tonight we are making music history”!
Anthrax played first, and man they came out firing. I quickly came to realize that I have not ever seen Anthrax with Joey Belladonna. Joey Belladonna still sounds great singing those classic Anthrax tunes. The band covered all of the songs you would expect them to including (in no certain order) “Indians”, “Got the Time”, “Antisocial”, “Madhouse”, “Caught in A Mosh”, “Only”, “Metal Thrashing Mad”, & “I Am The Law”. Anthrax also did a pretty cool tribute to the late great Ronnie James Dio during the show. Joey Belladonna is the ageless wonder. He still pretty much looks exactly the same. Hopefully the band will record some new tunes with Joey. My only disappointment with the Anthrax set is, it was too short. They only played for 45 minutes at best.
Luckily, right after Anthrax was done, they immediately cut to Megadeth. No long delay between sets in this film. (Thank Goodness!)
With Megadeth’s set, the crowd began to swell at Sonisphere. As more and more people were pouring into the stadium, the sky cut loose, and it appeared to have poured a flood during their set. It was awesome to see Dave Ellefson up on the stage with Mustaine once more. I am glad the guys buried the hatchet. Over all Megadeth sounded great, although I thought the sound on Mustaine’s microphone was mixed too low at times. At least to me, it seemed like Dave ‘s vocals were hard to hear. It could have been the rain that was creating some issues. This wasn’t present throughout all of Megadeth’s set by any means, and it was only a small issue. I enjoyed Megadeth’s set quite a bit, and can’t wait to see them play again in the States.
I have to admit that I have never been a big Slayer fan, so seeing the band in a movie theater for the first time was pretty cool. I must admit, Slayer was pretty tight even if I didn’t know many of their songs. Much like Anthrax and Megadeth’s sets before them, Slayer’s set was fairly short, and it seemed like no time before the mighty Met hit the stage.
It hasn’t been that long since I have seen Metallica live. They played in Cincinnati last year, and were pretty awesome then. I don’t know if it was the energy of the packed house in Bulgaria, but Metallica seemed like they were on FIRE for this show. By the time Metallica took the stage, it appeared that there was well over fifty thousand people in the Sonisphere venue. It was a solid sea of metal fans, as far as the eye could see. Metallica had the biggest stage set up, including a huge video wall behind them, and plenty of pyro. None of that really mattered as the band sounded great. I wont even attempt to try to post the set list, but they played a great mix of songs from all stages of their career.
Towards the end of Metallica’s set, the brought out Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer to join them on stage to do their cover of the Diamondhead classic, “Am I Evil”. Man oh Man, even from a movie screen, it was AWESOME. I can’t even begin to say how cool it was to see Dave Mustaine performing on the same stage as Metallica after all of these years. Having all of those incredible guitar players on the stage at the same time was unbelievable. The clip below doesn’t really do it justice..
The entire show was over four hours long, and well worth the price of admission. Hearing this show in my theater’s surround sound and big screen was truly a cool experience. On a side note, my local theater catered to the Metal heads that packed the theater by bringing a portable beer both, to make the concert experience a little more authentic. It made me wonder, could this be a new way to experience concerts in the future? I would gladly pay my 20 bucks in my local theater if it meant getting to see some live shows like the Download festival, Sonisphere, Hard Rock Hell, or some of the bigger music festivals that happen over seas. Food for thought!!
Overall, The Big Four was a great experience even if it was in a movie theater. I hope they do more shows like this in the future!
1 The Big Four – Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax & Megadeth – In Your Local Theater Tonight!!!
Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth – broadcast via satellite to select movie theatres tonight, Tuesday, June 22!!!
For one night only, metalheads around the world can experience history: On Tuesday, June 22, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax perform on one stage together, and through the wonders of satellite technology, you can be part of this historic concert event, broadcast exclusively to select movie theatres around the world. Beyond the limited European festival dates, there are no additional tour dates planned for this extraordinary line-up.
Click on this link to find participating theater locations and tickets.
1 Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, & Megadeth At A Theater Near You!!

If you’re still with us here and want a little more info about the good people helping to make this happen, check out: byexperience.net. They’ve done some awesome events!
1 METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH & ANTHRAX TO PERFORM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
* THE BIG FOUR CONFIRMED FOR SONISPHERE POLAND AND CZECH REPUBLIC *
* MORE BIG FOUR APPEARANCES AT SONISPHERE SHOWS PLANNED *
The world wide web has been abound with speculation on a possible “BIG FOUR” tour for several months. Now, SONISPHERE can exclusively reveal that METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will play together for the first time in history, in a move that will have metalheads across the globe frenzied with excitement.
Says LARS ULRICH/METALLICA of this historic announcement:
“Who would have thought that more than 25 years after its inception, thrash metal’s big 4 would not only still be around and more popular than ever, but will now play together for the first time…what a mindfuck! Bring it on!”
“It’s about fucking time this happened,” said SLAYER’s KERRY KING. “and about time the fans finally get what they want. This is fucking awesome.”
ANTHRAX guitarist SCOTT IAN agrees, commenting on the enormity of the announcement.
“People have been talking about these four bands playing together since 1984. That’s twenty-six years of expectation!!! And the thing is, I believe not only will we live up to the expectations, we will shatter them!! No other four bands as influential as the four of us have ever done this. Imagine if The Beatles, Stones, The Who and Zeppelin had done shows? Or Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Motorhead? Well, I may be getting into some rarified air here but as a fan, that’s how big I feel this is.”
These four legendary acts broke out of the underground thrash movement to dominate the metal world in the 1980s, selling millions of records and packing arenas across the globe. The metal giants have never before all shared the same stage, despite huge demand. But on 16th June 2010, METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX will take to the SONISPHERE stage at Bemowo Airport, Poland, to make the dreams of headbangers the world over become a reality. A second Big Four appearance is planned for SONISPHERE CZECH REPUBLIC three days later, with more SONISPHERE shows featuring the awesome combo to be announced in the coming days and weeks.
“This is a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for Heavy Metal “Fans” to see the four greatest Heavy Metal “Bands” in American History back together on one stage” concludes MEGADETH mainman DAVE MUSTAINE. “If there are any heads left at the end of this Festival that haven’t banged, they don’t belong there.”
Tickets available from www.sonispherefestivals.com
0 Best of Bonnaroo 2008 on Fuse TV Tomorrow Night
In anticipation of Fuse TV’s upcoming Fuse Fest: Bonnaroo 2009 concert special on June 20th, the network will be airing the best performances from Bonnaroo 2008 tomorrow night, Wednesday June 3rd @ 10pm. Included in tomorrow’s special are performances from metal luminaries Metallica and Mastodon.
For more information about tomorrow night’s special as well as the June 20th Bonnaroo 2009 broacast, head here: http://fuse.tv/tours/bonnaroo/
Additionally, Fuse has launched the ultimate online music news source, Tweetaroo – “Mashing Twitter and Music since 2009!” The site let’s you follow the Tweets from all of the artists playing Bonnaroo this year including Nine Inch Nails, the Dillinger Escape Plan and much more..all in one centralized online hub: http://fusefest.fuse.tv
2 It’s Metallica Monday on FUSE from 6PM to 11PM!!!!
FUSE is celebrating Metallica’s induction into the 2009 class of the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame with a monster-sized night of programming. Tune in tonight to
catch the world premiere of the BRAND NEW documentary, Metallica: In Their Own
Words, as the legendary band recounts their 26 year-long career in a revealing
interview special:
Then, catch an encore of The Metallica Chronicles and the premiere of Metallica:
Cunning Stunts for a look at some of the band’s most ground-breaking songs and
videos.
Check out the schedule below for your Metallica fix today:
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster – Premieres Today, Monday, March 30th at 6PM
Metallica: In Their Own Words – Premieres Today, Monday, March 30th at 9PM
The Metallica Chronicles – Premieres Today, Monday, March 30th at 9:30PM
Metallica: Cunning Stunts – Premieres Today, Monday, March 30th at 10PM
All info can be found here: http://fuse.tv/ontv/shows/rock-hall/
1 Family Reunion For Metallica?
Metallica is using its upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction to stage what drummer Lars Ulrich calls “a sort of family reunion.”
“I don’t think there’s a better time to come together than when it’s about celebration,” Ulrich tells Billboard.com. “I think everybody is proud of their association (with Metallica), so we’re reaching out to everybody who’s been a part of this, both inside the band on and on the periphery of the band over the years. And there’s a big group of people coming to Cleveland for the weekend, so I look forward to seeing a lot of people I haven’t seen for a long time.”
The Metallica guest list for the April 4 induction includes staffers from the band’s previous labels, Megaforce and Elektra, journalists and photographers who have been supportive over the group’s career, producers and musician friends. Metallica also invited founding guitarist Dave Mustaine, who is unable to attend, and former bassists Ron McGovney and Jason Newsted, who will. Newsted is also planning to perform with Metallica during the ceremony. Ray Burton, father of the late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, will accept on behalf of his son.
Guitarist Kirk Hammett says Metallica was inspired to be all-inclusive after it witness Blondie’s acrimonious induction during the 2006 Rock Hall ceremony. “There was so much politics and so much drama,” Hammett recalls, “that we collectively said to each other that if that ever happens and we get inducted…we don’t want any of that, because it kind of really puts a whole bad, sour note on the celebration itself. We said to each other, ‘Let’s celebrate the fact and let’s not turn it into something negative.”
Hammett calls Metallica’s induction “pretty huge,” and both he and Ulrich say they’re pleased the group is being honored while it’s “still a vital band, still somewhat relevant and somewhat active in making records and touring,” according to Hammett. “To be in a position where we are simultaneously being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and putting out a video game (“Guitar Hero: Metallica,” coming out Tuesday), it’s a very, very cool thing.”
“Sometimes,” Ulrich adds, “especially with younger people, one has a tendency to quickly, when accolades come your way, kinda go the cool way and say it doesn’t mean that much, ‘Try me again in 10 years, [i]dahling[/i]…I’d much rather be inducted into the Hall of Fame while I’m still conscious enough to experience and enjoy it and certainly more interested than it being 65 years from now or whenever.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea will induct Metallica during the ceremony, which will be broadcast live by Fuse TV. Metallica is taking a break from the European leg of its Death Magnetic tour to attend the ceremony and recently announced a new set of North American dates, starting Sept. 14 in Nashville.
Courtesy of Billboard.com.
0 Metallica Heading Back to North America for Fall ’09
European Summer Vacation, part 2,347 will end on August 2, so that can only mean one thing … more dates in the U.S. and Canada! We just rocked Austin at SXSW and are super psyched that we’ll be back in North America visiting our friends in the Fall as the World Magnetic Tour keeps rolling on. We had an amazing time on the last run in ’08 and early ’09 and we are so ready to do it again!
Tickets go on sale either April 4 or April 11 – please see dates below and keep watching here for more information about on sale times and support acts. Met Clubbers, check http://www.metclub.com for more info on pre-sales.
So here’s how the rest of our 2009 looks:
September 14 Nashville, TN Sommet Center on sale April 4
September 15 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena on sale April 4
September 17 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse on sale April 11
September 19 Montreal, QC Bell Centre on sale April 4
September 28 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center on sale April 4
September 29 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center on sale April 4
October 1 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center on sale April 4
October 3 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum on sale April 4
October 4 Atlanta, GA Phillips Arena on sale April 4
October 12 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre on sale April 4
October 13 Minneapolis, MN Target Center on sale April 4
October 15 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena on sale April 4
October 17 Charlottesville, VA JPJ Arena on sale April 11
October 18 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena on sale April 4
October 26 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre on sale April 4
October 29 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place on sale April 4
October 31 Quebec City, QC Colisee Pepsi on sale April 4
November 9 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena on sale April 4
November 10 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena on sale April 4
November 12 Albany, NY Times Union Center on sale April 4
November 14 New York, NY Madison Square Garden on sale April 11
December 5 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay on sale April 4
December 7 Boise, ID Idaho Center on sale April 4
December 8 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena on sale April 4
December 10 Anaheim, CA Honda Center on sale April 11
December 12 San Jose, CA HP Pavillion on sale April 4
Source: Metallica.com
1 Video – Metallica – Fuel
0 Hard Rock and Metal Playoffs – Heavy Metal Division
The Six Metal Bands below, Trivium, Metallica, Death Angel, Testament, Five Finger Death Punch and Slipknot all released new videos in 2008. Vote for your favorite video, and help send your favorite band to the HRH Bowl next Saturday!!
Trivium – Down From the Sky
Metallica – All Nightmare Long
Testament – More Than Meets The Eye
Five Finger Death Punch – Never Enough
Slipknot – Psychosocial
1 New Video – Metallica – All Nightmare Long
0 Kip Winger Fires Back At Joe Elliott and Lars Ulrich
In a bizarre interview conducted by a man dressed as a banana, Kip Winger has taken aim and fired at Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot.
In a rather outspoken interview with C.C. Banana (that’s our man in a banana suit), Winger commented thus:
C.C. Banana: Have you ever thrown darts at a photo of Lars Ulrich?
Kip Winger: I’ve never done that. I really never had anything against the guy. In fact, when I first heard Metallica’s “black” album, I thought it was a really cool record… and then they just started taking shots at me, for whatever reason. But it’s okay, Lars is not really that talented. He’s got a lot of fucking money, though, so I’m sure he’s happy. I actually felt sorry for him when I saw that “Some Kind of Monster” documentary. He was sitting there next to his dad, just seething with unmoved emotion over things that were still unresolved. It was really kind of sad to watch. But I do like Metallica, they’re a good band.
C.C. Banana: Do you have any other topics you’d care to address, Kip?
Kip Winger: Yeah, I just want to say that I read what Joe Elliott said, slagging off bands like POISON and WINGER. I’ve gotten used to being the punching bag, I take it all! But Poison is really good live and Bret Michaels’ own response to Joe was awesome. I also love Def Leppard and I think they’re a great band. But if Joe Elliott wants to meet me at an L.A. club of his choice with an acoustic guitar, leave the Pro Tools at home and I’ll open up a can of whoop-ass on him!
The message is clear then: don’t mess with the Wing’ man!
13 Hard Rock Hideout’s Top 15 of 2008
As good as 2007 was for new releases, 2008 blew it away. At the beginning of the year, I don’t think anyone expected to have new releases by AC/DC, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses all in the same year.
This year Rocknrollcoastie joined the HRH team and I asked him to submit his picks for 2008 as well. This way you get a double dose of the The 15 Albums from Hard Rock Hideout.
The following are Rob Rockitt’s Top Picks for 2008!
15. Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy
What’s this? Have I lost my mind? When Chinese Democracy came out, I expected Hell to Freeze over. Much like many of you, I didn’t expect this album to ever see the light of day, much less in 2008. I didn’t give this album the best review when it was released. After the first couple of listens, I didn’t like it very much. Lets face it, this more like the Axl Rose Project than a true Guns N’ Roses CD. There is no Slash, no Izzy, No Duff. The album has very few sounds that resemble the old band that once cranked out some awesome hard rock.
I didn’t give up on this album and kept it in my playlist. After a couple of weeks of repeat plays, I have warmed up to this disc. Sure it doesn’t sound like the old band, but there is some pretty good music to be found if you give this the proper chance.
14. Thunder – Bang!
When Rocknrollcoastie reviewed this CD earlier this year, I previewed all of the clips, then quickly purchased the CD. I have liked Thunder since their Backstreet Symphony CD, and this disc is on par with that one in my opinion. It is a great sounding bluesy hard rock disc Buy it!
13. Jaded Sun – Gypsy Trip
Ireland’s latest rock act delivers the goods with their excellent debut CD, Gypsy Trip. I have been playing this CD a lot as of late. I think you will be hearing a lot more about these guys in 2009.
12. Black Tide – Light From Above
Somebody must have forgotten to give the young men in Black Tide a calendar. These guys rock like is 1988. You have to love it when a new band can reproduce that classic 80’s metal sound. Light From Above is a great debut for these Florida rockers.
11. Shinedown – The Sound of Madness
I have never been a huge Shinedown fan, but this CD changed my mind. “The Sound of Madness” is the first Shinedown CD that I could listen to all the way through without wanting to skip a track or two. I like all of the songs on this disc. This is a very solid record, and one of 2008’s nice surprises.
10. JORN – Lonely Are the Brave
Jorn Lande has been bringing us great new hard rock every year for several years now. Whether it is a solo CD, or another project he is working on, you can always expect Jorn Lande to be fairly consistent. Lonely Are The Brave is a little darker than most JORN CD’s but is a very good disc. Take one listen to the songs “Night City”, “Shadow People” or the very Black Sabbath with Dio like tune, “Soul of the Wind”, and you are bound to love this disc.
9. Metallica – Death Magnetic
This album has divided fans with its sound, but I thought this was a pretty good disc from Metallica. Sure, this disc doesn’t live up to their classic thrash metal from the 80’s, but at least they gave it their best shot. They should take notes from Testament next time around.
8. Testament – The Formation of Damnation
In my opinion, Testament one upped Metallica for best Thrash album of 2008. Heavy and killer! No thrash metal fan should be without this.
7. Motley Crue – Saints of Los Angeles
With S.O.L.A. Motley Crue turned in their best album since Dr. Feelgood. This one is still in heavy rotation in my play list today.
6. Disturbed – Indestructible
From the opening air raid sirens of Indestructible, you can almost tell immediately that you are about to take in one excellent album. In my opinion, this is Disturbed’s best work ever. The songs on this disc have an excellent heavy groove, that will satisfy the majority of headbangers out there. There are a ton of awesome guitar licks on this disc by Disturbed axeman Dan Donegan. Disturbed even got nominated for a Grammy for their song, “Inside The Fire”. Don’t miss this!
5. Alice Cooper – Along Came A Spider
Alice Cooper is an artist that has always been hit or miss with me. When I first read about the new concept album, “Along Came A Spider”, I rolled my eyes and dismissed this disc as another Alice Cooper album that would not deliver. Boy was I wrong! “Along Came A Spider” is one of the better Alice Cooper releases. The story behind this disc is creepy and cool. Slash plays on a track, and this is probably the only place you will hear Ozzy Osbourne playing a harmonica. Cool stuff!
4. Black Stone Cherry – Folklore and Superstition
Black Stone Cherry has been one of my favorite newer hard rock acts, since 2006 or so. Folklore and Superstition wasn’t quite as heavy as their debut, but is still as solid as ever. “Blind Man”, “Soulcreek”, “Please Come In” and “The Bitter End” are as good as it comes.
3. Whitesnake – Good To Be Bad
David Coverdale nearly pulled an Axl Rose, by making us wait so long for this new disc. While Good To Be Bad isn’t as good as ’84’s “Slide It In”, or the fabled self titled album from 1987, it is a return to the sound that Whitesnake fans love, and easily one of the top discs of 2008. Doug Aldrich could be the best guitarist to take the stage with Coverdale since John Sykes. Don’t believe me? Give this one another listen!
2. AC/DC – Black Ice
I am sure a lot of folks will disagree with me, but I think “Black Ice” is the best new AC/DC CD since “The Razor’s Edge”. Some of the songs on this disc may go down as AC/DC classics.
1. Tesla – Forever More
Tesla is a band that rarely disappoints me. If you have ever seen my Last FM playlist, you know I play the hell out of this band. Tesla’s 2004 CD “Into The Now” was probably my least favorite out of all of Tesla’s releases. With that being said, it made Tesla’s CD Forever More sound that much better. I like every song on this disc, and I never grow tired of listening to it. This is easily one of the best discs that the band has releases to date. For my ears, it was the highlight of 2008!
RocknRoll Coastie’s Top 15 of 2008!
Man! What an amazing year both musically and personally. With releases from bands like Motley Crue, White Lion, Dokken, Alice Cooper, & Whitesnake, just to name a few, it felt more like 1988 than 2008. So much great music came out this year and it showed me more than any other year that hard rock is very much alive and well.
Personally it was a great year because I happened to not only stumble across HardRockHideout, which I happen to think is the best hard rock site on the internet. I harassed Rob Rockitt a few times and of all things he invited me to jump on this train that HardRockHideout has become and come along for the journey. Damn what a wild ride it has been so far not only have I made a good friend, I have been introduced to so much new music it is not even funny and let’s face it, it isn’t everyday a person pisses off a whole country but somehow I managed to do just that by giving a Hungarian band a bad review. As wild and crazy as it has been this year I have the feeling it is only going to get better.
When Rob asked me if I wanted to put together my top 15 albums I thought there is no way because there has been so much great music come out in the past year. Then I was faced with do I go with the popular choices loved by the masses or do I stick to my guns and go with the bands and albums that I loved? I decided to go with the bands and albums that I loved this year, I guess I should warn everyone not to expect a lot of big name bands on my list. NOBODY forced me to choose these albums, I chose them of my own free will so love’em or hate’em here they are:
15. The Wildhearts – Stop Us If You’ve Heard This One Before Vol 1
Yeah I know it is a covers album which has almost become a cliche in itself. But this isn’t your everyday run of the mill covers album with songs from Warren Zevon to the Toadies to Fugazi it is a pretty eclectic choice of songs here. To be honest the Wildhearts are probably one of the few bands that could get me to listen to the 90’s alternative music on here.
14. Theory of a Deadman – Scars & Souvenirs
I pretty much spent most of the summer cranking the third release from this Canadian band. Finally out of the shadow of Nickelback the guys really stepped out on their own with Bad Girlfriend, I Hate My Life, & Little Smirk just to name a few.
13. From The Inside – Visions
The second release from Danny Vaughn’s Journey inspired project. Tons of great music here including Light Years, Making Waves, Listen To Your Heart, and 21st Century.
12. Big Cock – Motherload
Taking sexual innuedos to a new level Robert Mason and the guys 3rd release simply rocks. I wish these guys would take themselves seriously and go on tour I could guarantee they would be one of the best shows out there. If you haven’t heard Breaking My Balls, Bump and Grind, or M.I.L.F. you are missing out.
11. Hinder – Take It To The Limit
I can see most people rolling their eyes at this pick and to be honest when I heard Hinder had a new album coming out I wasn’t expecting much. But the guys put out an album filled with good time party anthems and let’s be honest it is going to be bands like Hinder, Buckcherry, and Nickelback that are going to keep straight up rock in the limelight in the 21st century. Besides what man can resist a video filled with hot Playboy cybergirls??
10. Talon – Fallen Angels
This California band came out of nowhere and completely blew me away. Melodic rock at it’s finest, Chandler Mogel is a monster singer with a great voice and Jim Kee is a phenomenal guitarist. Burn, Baby Jane, What About Me, and Always Be My Baby are all great songs.
9. 7th Heaven – U.S.A-U.K.
This is another band that came from out of nowhere and blew me away. From what I understand these Chicago natives have been around for a while but replaced their former singer with Kevin Semple before recording this album and he is an awesome singer. If you are a fan of “Hysteria” era Def Leppard you have to get this album you would be hard pressed to tell the bands apart if you didn’t know the songs.
8. Marcello/Vestry – Self Titled
Another slab of melodic rock, this time it comes from Danger Danger axeman Rob Marcello and vocalist Frank Vestry, with a little help from Danger Danger’s Bruno Ravel who played bass and produced the record. Great catchy sing along songs like Fireworks, All I Wanna Do Is U, and Gone fill this record. It is exactly what you would expect from members of Danger Danger and I for one am not complaining at all.
7. House of Lords – Come To My Kingdom
After the fiasco that was the Power & the Myth, James Christian started pretty much from scratch with House of Lords and released World Upside Down in 06. In ’08 the band came back even stronger with Come To My Kingdom dare I say the best HoL album to date. James’ voice still sounds great and Jimi Bell, B.J. Zampa, and Matt McKenna have made the band even stronger. I don’t think there is a weak song on this album.
5. Extreme – Saudades de Rock –
One of the first albums I reviewed for HRH. 13 years is a long time to wait between albums but honestly I think it was a good thing for the guys in Extreme. They came back stronger than ever with some strong kick ass songs and the addition of Kevin Figueiredo was an awesome decision. I liked this album when it was released but the more I listened to it the more I loved it.
5. Tesla – Forever More
Four years between new albums also did Tesla a world of good. Forever More is head and shoulders above 04’s Into The Now and like Extreme the addition of guitarist Dave Rude did wonders for the band. I Wanna Live, Just In Case, All of Me, and Pvt Ledbetter are just a few of the stand out tracks on Forever More.
4. There is no number 4 because of a tie for third.
3. The Quireboys – Homewreckers & Heartbreakers (Tie)
One of my all time favorite bands returned in ’08 with a new album their first in 4 years and all I can say is Wow! Homewreckers & Heartbreakers is the best Quireboys album since A Bit of What You Fancy. Bluesy Faces inspired rock at it very best, Spike has never sounded better than he does on this album. Mona Lisa Smiled, I Love This Dirty Town, Louder, and One For The Road are a few of the highlights on this album. In case you didn’t know Spike also released a great solo album titled So Called Friends around the same time definitely worth checking out.
3. Badmouth – S/T (Tie)
If I had a song of the year hands down it would be Rivethead by these Swedish ass kickers. Just that one song makes Badmouth’s debut worth the money but on top of Rivethead this album is filled with straight up rock n roll anthems like Pedal to the Metal, Kick It Up, and Cocaine Girl. Throw in a couple of songs like Last Train and Take Your Toothbrush With You that remind me of one of my favorite bands Backyard Babies you have a can’t miss album.
2. Backyard Babies – S/T
This album was my choice for my number 1 for the longest time but it was dethroned when the band at number 1 now released their new album. But this album from Sweden’s finest has everything a great rock record should great sing a long in your face songs, great solos, a hell of a lot of attitude. Degenerated, Come Undone, Nomadic, Abandon, and Back on the Juice are just a few of the ass kickings you have in store when listening to this album.
1. D-A-D (Disneyland After Dark) – Monster Philosophy
Is it just me or did Scandinavian bands kick a lot of rock n roll ass this year? Another of my all time favorite bands and I know there may be only one person in the states that agrees with me here but hands down Monster Philosophy is the best album of the year. 22 years and 10 studio albums and still most rock fans in America have no clue who D-A-D are. In one word LEGENDS, this album is filled not only with great songs but great vocals from Jesper Binzer and the sounds Jacob “Cobber” Binzer gets from his guitar are unbelievable. I can’t forget Stig Pedersn on bass or drums by Laust Sonne. While there are albums that may have three great songs and the rest of the album are good songs, on Monster Philosophy there are 13 great songs and each one sounds completely different from the others. Maybe some person at an American record company will pull their head out of the sand and sign D-A-D and get their albums released and re-released here in the states but if they don’t I will keep paying the import price because every one of their albums are worth the money.
I hope you enjoyed our top picks for 2008. If you would like to see what other hard rock and metal writers have picked as their top albums of 2008, check out the following links below:
Heavy Metal Addiction — http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/
Heavy Metal Time Machine — http://metalmark.blogspot.com/
Bring Back Glam — http://bringbackglam.squarespace.com/
Rock And Roll and Meandering Nonsense — http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/
All Metal Resource — http://allmetalresource.com/
Imagine Echoes — http://www.imagineechoes.com/
Metal Excess — http://metalexcess.wordpress.com/
The Ripple Effect — http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/
Rock Of Ages — http://rockofages.wordpress.com/
Layla’s Classic Rock — http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/
Hair Metal Mansion — http://hairbangersradio.ning.com/
The Metal Minute — http://rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com/
0 Did You Get A New Game System For Christmas?
0 Guitar Hero Metallica Coming in 2009!
Metallica has finally confirmed “the worst-kept secret in rock’n’roll” and unveiled details of the upcoming “Guitar Hero” game devoted to the band.
According to Metallica’s Web site, the game “allows you to play as us in either single instrument or band career game modes” and will likely be released in the first half of next year.
Adding to the atmosphere will be famous setting associated with the band’s career, including Moscow’s Tushino Airfield, the site of the 1991 Monsters of Rock concert, and “new venues with in-the-round staging.”
There will be 28 Metallica songs in all, although the full list has not yet been announced. Songs from Alice In Chains, Foo Fighters, Slayer, Machine Head and Queen can also be played.
Lastly, in a feature sure to thrill Lars Ulrich devotees, “Guitar Hero: Metallica” will boast an “expert” difficulty level that employs two bass drum kick pedals. The Metallica edition follows an Aerosmith-dedicated “Guitar Hero,” which was released in June.
0 METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, MÖTLEY CRÜE, SLIPKNOT, DISTURBED Among GRAMMY Nominees
METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, MÖTLEY CRÜE, SLIPKNOT and DISTURBEDare among the nominees for the 51th annual Grammy Awards, which will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2009 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The nominees in the “Hard Rock”, “Metal”, “Rock Instrumental” and “Rock” categories are as follows:
Best Hard Rock Performance:
DISTURBED – “Inside The Fire”
JUDAS PRIEST – “Visions”
THE MARS VOLTA – “Wax Simulacra”
MÖTLEY CRÜE – “Saints Of Los Angeles”
ROB ZOMBIE> – “Lords Of Salem”
Best Metal Performance:
DRAGONFORCE – “Heroes Of Our Time”
JUDAS PRIEST – “Nostradamus”
METALLICA – “My Apocalypse”
MINISTRY – “Under My Thumb”
SLIPKNOT – “Psychosocial”
Best Rock Instrumental Performance:
DAVID GILMOUR – Castellorizon
METALLICA – Suicide & Redemption
NINE INCH NAILS – 34 Ghosts I-IV
RUSH – Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace)
ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA – Peaches En Regalia
Best Rock Album:
COLDPLAY – Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
KID ROCK – Rock N Roll Jesus
KINGS OF LEON – Only By The Night
METALLICA – Death Magnetic
THE RACONTEURS – Consolers Of The Lonely
For the first time, nominations were announced on prime-time television as part of “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! – Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night”. The one-hour special — broadcast live on CBSfrom Nokia Theatre L.A Live — featured past Grammy winners and nominees reading nominations in several categories, as well as performing songs from the Grammy Hall Of Fame in celebration of the grand opening of the Grammy Museum.
Grammy ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on December 17 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm Deloitte by January 14, 2009, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the telecast.
The 51st annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 to 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Source: blabbermouth.net
0 Free of Record Contract, Lars Ulrich Considers Internet Album Release
Nearly a decade after suing Napster for posting their music online, Metallica are contemplating the possibility of an Internet release for their next album. “We’re free of our record contract,” Lars Ulrich tells Rolling Stone. “We have that element of complete freedom with the next record, so we can do whatever we want. We could do an Internet thing or even put it on Andy Greene’s record label.” (I, for one, think that’s a great idea). They’re in no rush to head back into the studio however. “I wouldn’t hold my breath for another Metallica record,” Ulrich says. “I’m still decompressing and coming down from the whole experience of the last one, but if we spit one out every four or five years that’s not so bad.” In the meantime, Lars and the band are reveling in the reaction to Death Magnetic and their ongoing American arena tour. “There’s a tremendous amount of goodwill for Metallica right now,” Ulrich says. “Not only from the fans, but from our peers and from the critics and from everybody, so it’s just a good time to be out amongst it.”
From Rolling Stone.com
4 Skratch N’ Sniff Radio Teams Up With Rock Legends METALLICA for “METALLICA MONSTER MASH on Halloween Weekend
In order to help celebrate the darkest of holidays along with the new CD release “Death Magnetic” from legendary rockers Metallica, SKRATCH N SNIFF Radio is doing a special themed 2 hour mixs how and offering listeners a chance to win an ESP guitar autographed by all the members of Metallica. “SKRATCH N SNIFF’s METALLICA MONSTER MASH” will feature custom Metallica remixes done by DJ Mike Czech and Malcolm from SKRATCH N SNIFF and guest hosting spots from Metallica band members, mixed along with lots of other ghostly and ghoulish songs and sounds to create a perfect Halloween party mix.
“To have Metallica endore this Halloween mix is a huge honor for us,” says Skratch N’ Sniff host Malcom Ryker. “We have mashed-up tracks from as far back as ‘Kill Em’ All’ and ‘Master of Puppets’ to new stuff from ‘Death Magnetic’and mashed in hip-hop icons like NWA and Kanye West. There is gauranteed to be some sick tricks and treats for everyone in this show.”
Since its inception, the Skratch N’ Sniff radio program has taken terrestrial radio by storm. Conceived by on air host Malcolm, the program takes some of the biggest songs from rock and hip-hop and blends them together to make an unbelievable mix show that fans of both genres are tuning into in droves. Since its debut on 91X in San Diego, the show has become a smash radio success with syndication to nearly 35 affiliates throughout the U.S. including New York, Boston, Tampa, Dallas and Atlanta. For a list of stations please go to http://www.snsmix.com.
Thanks to Metallica for the opportunity to rock out and win!