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Sonata Arctica Announces New Tour Dates

Sonata Arctica is currently about to finalize the recordings for an upcoming, yet-untitled new studio album, which is scheduled to be released in March of 2014. This new full-length follows previous album "Stones Grow Her Name" (reviewed here).

Right after the release, Sonata Artctica will start touring again. Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg comments:

“Hello out there. It’s been a while since we last toured Europe, so I’m very happy that we can announce our first tour with our new album. Since the album will be out in March 2014, we don’t want to waste any time but will head out for a full European Tour.

"Our tour will start in Eindhoven, NL on April 10th, 2014. The whole band is really looking forward to play some new songs for you and introduce our new bass player, Pasi, for all our fans. He’s a monster live, you’ll see. Check below for the tour dates and we’ll see you in a few months!” More...

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A Breach Of Silence Posts Making-Of Footage

A Breach Of Silence has released a making-of video clip for the soon to be released "Night Rider" music video. Check it out below.

The music video pays homage to the 1966 classic western "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," and the popular western-themed videogame "Red Dead Redemption" – two of the band’s favorite pastimes. It was directed by Steven Caldwell of Caldwell Entertainment, features gun slinging bandits, a cast of more than sixty actors, and an undead outlaw known as The Night Rider.

“For the Night Rider video, we wanted to do a really cool story line about a character we created called The Night Rider” states guitarist Mat Cosgrove. “He’s an undead cowboy whose mission is to take anyone bad or evil back to the deep dark fiery pit where he came from. We as a band use this character as a medium to tell our stories, experiences, and learning’s of life. The true meaning of the song is that, you can make mistakes, and fail at things, but it’s the mistakes and failings that make you who you are. The Night Rider is a vigilante of sorts, he is initially arrested by the law, but when some local bad guys shoot up the town and gun down the sheriff and his deputies, he’s released from prison to take care of them and uphold the law.”

“Every so often as a filmmaker you get an opportunity to work with an amazing team and create something really special” says director Steven Caldwell. “… and I knew this was one of those rare opportunities straight away. The band wanted something very ambitious; a western movie/videogame style with a large number of extras (all in costume), along with an old-looking town and great effects. What I did was guide the ship and give the video that epic feel. With about 60 people all in period costume, real guns (many of them), an incredible 1st Assistant Director in Darwin Brooks (The Great Gatsby, Australia, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time), and beautiful looking shots thanks to Dave Wayland (Director of Photography), I think we achieved that!” More...

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Vesperia Offering Single For Download

Canadian epic metallers Vesperia have released the first single off of their new record "An Olden Tale." The single, entitled "The Swordsman," features the tracks "The Swordsman" and a cover of fellow Canadian band Spirit of the West's song "Home for A Rest."

The band is currently giving the single away as a free download at the Vesperia official website here.

In addition to the new single, Vesperia has also released a music video for "Home For A Rest," which is comprised of various tour and live videos from the bands recent Western Crusade tour.

Comments the band: "To keep your appetites for new Vesperia sated, and along with recording our album An Oldten Tale, we decided (after many years of talking about it) to record a cover of one of our most beloved Canadian folk songs by Spirit of the West! We couldn't just put it out on it's own of course, so we had to include clips of our Canadian tour during the summer of 2013, including guest appearances by our brothers in Crimson Shadows, Unleash the Archers, Xul & Entity!" More...

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Rotting Christ Announces New Tour Dates

Greek metal act Rotting Christ has announced an international winter tour. The tour starts on January 16th in Brisbane, Australia and will also see the band make stops in Sydney and Melbourne before heading out to Japan.

Additionally, the band has recently announced its inclusion in next year's Summer Breeze Festival. A full list of tour dates can be found below.

Rotting Christ is touring in support of latest record, "Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy" (reviewed here). More...

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Dark Fortress Finishes New Album

V. Santura of German outfit Dark Fortress has checked in with the following update about working on a new album:

"The recording sessions for the upcoming (still untitled) new album are finished successfully! I would dare to say that these were the most intense recording sessions in the history of Dark Fortress.

"We put weeks of extremely hard work into this to get as close as possible to what we consider perfection. Towards the end of the recordings we spent some crazy 14 hours shifts to get every detail and emotion recorded the way we envisioned it. Still, we needed just a few days longer than initially planned, and those few days were missing when I started doing the final mix for the album.

"After three days into mixing I realized that I only had the choice of either giving away a mix which is not satisfactory or to miss our deadline and push the album release backwards. I never considered this first option a real option, though. We put so much effort into the whole creative process and the recordings that it would be a cardinal sin to spoil this with a half-assed mix.

"By now I already have other highly important obligations (recording the new Triptykon album!), so we all decided it would be best to give ourselves a short break and to finish the mix later this winter.

"This, unfortunately, means the new album won't be out in early 2014 as initially planned, so everything is postponed for a few months. But that way I can promise that you will get to hear the best album possible!"

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Iced Earth Premieres New Track

Iced Earth premiered the new track "Among the Living Dead" over at BraveWords at this location (also heard in the player below). The song appears on the new album "Plagues of Babylon" which drops January 6th (EU/World) and January 21st (North America) via Century Media Records.

"This is a seriously heavy album with a seriously brutal album cover," says Jon Schaffer of "Plagues of Babylon." "I'm sure it will go down as a classic in the epic Iced Earth catalog. We feel that the package with Sabaton and ReVamp is very strong and we are very excited to tour the U.S. and Canada again and kick some major ass!" Information on the tour can be found at this location.

The track list for the album is:

1. Plagues of Babylon (see lyric video here)
2. Democide
3. The Culling
4. Among The Living Dead
5. Resistance
6. The End?
7. If I Could See You
8. Cthulhu
9. Peacemaker
10. Parasite
11. Spirit of the Times
12. Highwayman

Check out "Among the Living Dead": More...

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Vestal Claret Signs To Cruz Del Sur

Cruz Del Sur Music has announced another addition to its roster, occult metal unit Vestal Claret.
One of the more mysterious and intriguing bands to appear from the American underground in the last few years, Vestal Claret is the creation of Simon Tuozzoli and Phil Swanson (Seamount/Hour Of 13 fame).

The band plays a mixture of doom and heavy metal riffage with a definite penchant for morbid and sick atmospheres. The band's first release with Cruz Del Sur Music, "The Cult of the Vestal Claret", is the follow up to their 2011 debut, "Bloodbath," and will see the light of day in April 2014. The album will be available on CD, digital and vinyl formats. If unfamiliar with Vestal Claret's body of work, do check them out over here.

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Nolentia Tour Underway In France

French grind-benders Nolentia have started the second leg of their 2013 roadkill titled "Three To Grind Them All" in support of their second full-length, "May the Hand that Holds the Match that Will Set this World on Fire Be Blessed above All," released earlier this year through Kaotoxin Records.

The first leg took place this summer with fellow French grinders Warfuck and Department Of Correction and went from July 26th through August 3rd, taking the band to three countries (France, Belgium and Switzerland). The trek saw the band open for Brutal Truth and take part in France's Xtreme Fest alongside Suicidal Tendencies, Dying Fetus and many more.

Now teaming with fellow Kaotoxin grinding units, Austrian retarded Goregrind trio VxPxOxAxAxWxAxMxC and French drunktards Infected Society, Nolentia has announced the second leg of the tour - which began December 9th and will conclude on Dec. 17th and wind its way via France and Switzerland again.

After the six-date trek, Nolentia will make an appearance at the inaugural edition of Xtreme Fest, which also features Suicidal Tendencies, Dying Fetus, Municipal Waste and more. Visit Xtreme Fest for details.

Nolentia Tour Dates:

Nolentia + VxPxOxAxAxWxAxMxC + Infected Society
13.DEC - FR - CLERMONT-FERRAND - Raymond Bar
14.DEC - CH - BIENNE - LaBiu

Nolentia Only:
17.DEC - FR - TOULOUSE

This summer, Nolentia released the official music video for the track "More to Fear," taken from "May the Hand that Holds the Match that Will Set this World on Fire be Blessed above All." The video is the first in a three-part series of individual video that, once completed, will be compiled into a single cinematic rendition of Nolentia-spawned madness. Check out "More to Fear" at this location.

"May the Hand that Holds the Match that Will Set this World on Fire be Blessed above All" was released in February on Kaotoxin Records. The album is available as a digital download at site.

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Deserted Fear Posts New Video

German death metallers Deserted Fear have released the official music video for "Nocturnal Frags," taken from their 2012 release "My Empire." The video was shot during the 2013 festival circuit and includes live footage from Party San, Summer Breeze, Extremefest and Nuckstock Open Air. "Nocturnal Frags" is now playing below. "My Empire" was released in September 2012 by FDA Rekotz on CD and digital formats. Vinyl treatment came in March of this year.

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Fear Of Domination Posts New Video

Back in October, Finnish industrial metal band Fear Of Domination had its fans participate in the shooting of its new video "Legion," whose apocalyptic party theme was embellished by the fans dressing up in MadMax/Fallout couture. Dirtstudios was responsible for the filming of the entire video, which was released today.

The Finnish site Radio Rock is streaming the entire five minute "Legion" video, which can be viewed at its website. The track will be part of the "Distorted Delusions" twelve-song release, which will be released on Feb. 7th, 2014.

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Van Canto Premieres New Music Video

A Capella power metal band Van Canto premiered the music video for the new track "Badaboom" over at Metal Injection at this location (also showing in the player below). The song appears on the upcoming new release "Dawn of the Brave," the band's fifth album. The record drops via Napalm Records on the following release schedule:

February 7th: GAS/FIN & BENELUX
February 10th: UK/Rest of Europe
February 11th: USA/CAN
February 12th: ESP/SWE/NOR

The track listing is as follows:

1. Dawn of the Brave
2. Fight for Your Life
3. To the 4. Badaboom
5. The Final Countdown (Europe Cover)
6. Steel Breaker
7. The Awakening
8. The Other Ones
9. Holding Out For A Hero (Bonnie Tyler Cover)
10. Unholy
11. My Utopia
12. Into the West (Lord of the Rings Soundtrack Cover)
13. Paranoid (Black Sabbath Cover)

Check out the video here: More...

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Carcass Streaming Official Video

Carcass has released an official video for the track "Unfit for Human Consumption," a track from its comeback opus "Surgical Steel." The album was released in September via Nuclear Blast records. Watch the video below, as the members of Carcass slowly undergo 'medical procedures' at the hand of the mad surgeon. The doctor is in - Dr. Ken Owen, that is.

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Thaurorod Releases New Music Video "Overboard"

Finnish power act Thaurorod, now featuring Aeon Zen vocalist Andi Kravljaca and with Amberian Dawn members Emppu (guitars) and Joonas Pykälä-aho (drums), released the new music video "Overboard." The song is taken from new album "Anteinferno," which will be released December 20th via NoiseArt Records.

The track list for "Anteinferno" is:

1. Planet X
2. Heart of the Lion (track streaming over here)
3. Overboard
4. Far from Home
5. Victor
6. Marked for Diablo
7. For the Rose to the Grave
8. Anteinferno
9. Path
10. Riders of the Shires

"Overboard," which was directed by Anne Rajala, can be seen here: More...

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Vanden Plas Releases First Trailer For New Album

German progressive metal act Vanden Plas released the first trailer for the upcoming new album "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld." The album is set for release on February 21st in Europe and February 24th in North America via Frontiers Records.

The album is a concept album based on the dark fantasy epic "Chronicles of the Immortals" in cooperation with author Wolfgang Hohlbein. The album's track list is:

VISION 1ne
VISION 2wo - THE BLACK KNIGHT
VISION 3hree - GODMAKER
VISION 4our - MISERY AFFECTION PRELUDE
VISION 5ive - A GHOSTS REQUIEM
VISION 6ix - NEW VAMPYRE
VISION 7ven - THE KING AND THE CHILDREN OF LOST WORLD
VISION 8ight - MISERY AFFECTION
VISION 9ine - SOUL ALLIANCE
Vision 10n - INSIDE

Check out the preview clip here: More...

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The Vintage Caravan Releases Third Trailer

Icelandic psychedelic rockers The Vintage Caravan posted a new preview clip for the upcoming release "Voyage." The album is set to drop via Nuclear Blast Records on January 10th (EU) and January 21st (North America).

The track list for "Voyage" is:

1. Craving
2. Let Me Be
3. Do You Remember
4. Expand Your Mind
5. M.A.R.S.W.A.T.T.
6. Cocaine Sally
7. Winterland
8. Midnight Meditation (see lyric video)
9. The King's Voyage
10. Psychedelic Mushroom Man (Bonus track)

Check out the trailer clip here: More...

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Ankor Releases "The Dark Passenger" Music Video

Spanish act Ankor released a new music video for the track "The Dark Passenger." The song appears on the band's latest and third full length release "Last Song for Venus," which was self-released back in mid-November. You can purchase the release over at this location.

The song was produced by David Sobrino and Ankor and the video directed by Ibon Antuñano. Check it out here:

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Avelion Releases New Lyric Video "Ain't No Down"

Italian melodic metal act Avelion released a new lyric video for the song "Ain't No Down." The song appears on the band's latest EP "Liquid Breathing," which is out now. Also available is the previously released lyric video "Liquid Breath," which can be viewed at this location.

Avelion is:

William Verderi [Lead Vocals]
Gianmarco Soldi [Guitars and Backing Vocals]
Oreste Giacomini [Keyboards]
Mark "Satir" Reggiani [Bass]
Damiano Gualtieri [Drums]

Check out "Ain't No Down" here: More...

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Eat The Gun Releases New Music Video

Hard rock act Eat The Gun released a new music video for the track "Loner." The song appears on the new release "Stripped To The Bone," which was just issued in North America earlier this month via SPV/Steamhammer as a digital download.

Check out "Loner" here:

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Ancient Bards Posts Teaser Clip For New Release

Italian symphonic power metal band Ancient Bards released a teaser clip from the upcoming new album "The Black Crystal Sword Saga, Pt. I: Turns to An End." The album is the third release from the band and represents a new fantasy concept story. Expected in 2014, the new release will be produced by DGM/Empyrios guitarist Simone Mularoni.

More information on the album, including exact release date, album artwork and track listing is expected soon.

Check out the clip here:

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Grand Magus Posts Track-By-Track Video #1

Sweden's Grand Magus released the first part in a series of track-by-track videos leading up to the new release "Triumph and Power" next month. The video features mainman JB Christoffersson explaining the first three tracks "On Hooves of Gold," "Steel Versus Steel" and "Fight." The album drops on January 31st (EU), February 3rd (UK) & February 4th (USA) via Nuclear Blast Records.

The full track listing is:

1. On Hooves Of Gold
2. Steel Versus Steel
3. Fight
4. Triumph And Power (see lyric video)
5. Dominator
6. Arv
7. Holmgång
8. The Naked And The Dead
9. Ymer
10. The Hammer Will Bite
11. Blackmoon (Bonus Track)

Check out the clip here: More...

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Headline News

Slipknot Parts Ways With Drummer Joey Jordison

Iowa based collective, Slipknot has announced that the band has parted company with drummer Joey Jordison after almost twenty years. The reasons behind the split remain somewhat unclear, but a post on the band's official website reads as follows:

"To our Maggots and fans around the world,

"It is with great pain but quiet respect, that for personal reasons Joey Jordison and Slipknot are parting ways. We all wish Joey the best in whatever his future holds. We understand that many of you will want to know how and why this has come to be, and we will do our best to respond to these questions in the near future. It is our love for all of you, as well as for the music we create, that spurs us to continue on and move forward with our plans for releasing new material in the next year. We hope that all of you will come to understand this, and we appreciate your continued support while we plan the next phase of the future of Slipknot.

"Thank you,

"The ‘Knot"

Joey Jordison joined The Pale Ones, a band which would become Slipknot, in November of 1995 and was designated the band number, #1, due to him behind the first member to record their parts in the studio. He has appeared on all the group's albums to date and has been involved in several other bands including Murderdolls and most recently, Scar the Martyr, which recently released a self-titled debut album through Roadrunner Records.

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