THINNING THE HERD To Hold Memorial For Rick Cimato Tomorrow; Band Debuts A Batch Of NEW Songs!

Rick Cimato, drummer for NYC stoner metal outfit THINNING THE HERD and previously of Locked In A Vacancy, was tragically killed over the holidays in a car crash. Cimato was on his way home from visiting relatives in Maine, when the head-on collision took place in Connecticut. More info HERE!

Last week THINNING THE HERD founder Gavin Spielman issued the following statement via the band’s Facebook page about Cimato’s passing: “Being in a band is about being friends. In shock and in tears over the loss of my friend and bandmate, I have to think of the band. I named the band THINNING THE HERD when my father Steven A. Spielman passed, to cope with the loss. Rick would want me to keep writing for Thinning the Herd. If stop, I would not be doing his legacy service. His drumming on the new record is some of the best rock I have heard, and I want you guys to hear it. Thank god for this guy, what a gift as a friend, brother and band mate. For anyone who jams with others, anyone who lets another into that higher conscious world - you might understand the depth of how one can integrate and nurture the spirit.”

Cimato’s distraught bandmates have set up a memorial for their fallen brother, set to take place this Sunday, January 6th at The Grand Victory [245 Grand St., Brooklyn] at 6pm. The memorial will be hosted by members of Gods Green Earth, Locked in a Vacancy, Nassau Chainsaw, Hickory Hawkins and of course the remaining members of THINNING THE HERD. Full info is available HERE.

This special gathering will also serve as the public’s first listen to the newly-completed THINNING THE HERD album 'Freedom From The Known'. The trio recorded the album with acclaimed producer Steve Albini (NIRVANA) over the Summer, and have just wrapped up the mastering on the album. Previously slated for a late 2012 release, the album will now be released on February 5th via Saint Marks Records.







Related links:
Thinning The Herd
Rick Cimato's memorial page

SUFFOCATION To Film Music Video For "As Grace Descends" Today At Duff's Brooklyn!

        Photo by: Duff's Brooklyn

Today (January 5), SUFFOCATION will be filming a music video for their NEW song entitled "As Grace Descends" at THE Metal Mecca: Duff's Brooklyn. Fans are welcomed to join the SUFFOCATION party! 
 
WHERE: Duff's Brooklyn (168 Marcy Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211)

WHEN: Saturday January 5th 2013 at 4:00PM

Recently, SUFFOCATION unveiled the track listing for their highly anticipated upcoming release, 'Pinnacle of Bedlam' HERE!. The album features 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who played with the band previously on their 'Despise The Sun' EP. Founding member and former drummer Mike Smith also makes a special guest appearance on the re-recorded Breeding the Spawn track, “Beginning of Sorrow.”

'Pinnacle of Bedlam' will be released on February 15, 2013 release via Nuclear Blast in North America.

Here is the lyric video for "As Grace Descends":

'Pinnacle of Bedlam' was produced by the band and tracked at Full Force Studios in New York by longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering was handled this time around by world renowned producer/engineer Zeuss (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE). Cover artwork for 'Pinnacle of Bedlam' was created by artist Raymond Swanland (DEEDS OF FLESH, PSYCROPTIC).

Frank Mullen, front man for New York Death Metal veterans SUFFOCATION, recently gave an interview to Horns Up Rocks that spread very quickly about him no longer performing with the band full time:



We also spoke with bands bassist Derek Boyer about the bands NEW album:



Videos by: Zulie Alvarez (www.zuliephotographierocks.com/)

Related links:
Suffocation's Official Site

Poster For ASESINO's "Regresando Odio" West Coast Tour!

As previously reported, ASESINO is preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its third album, 'La Segunda Venida' ("The Second Coming") for a late 2013 release via Odio Records.

Prior to laying down the NEW CD, ASESINO will embark on a short tour, dubbed "Regresando Odio Gira 2013" ("Returning Hate Tour"):

- Jan. 11: West Hollywood, CA at Key Club
- Jan. 12: Las Vegas, NV at Cheyenne Saloon
- Jan. 18: San Francisco, CA at DNA Lounge
- Jan. 19: Fresno, CA at Starline
- Jan. 28: Fullerton, CA at Slidebar

Related links:
ASESINO on Facebook

"TURN THE PAGE" (News & Tour Updates - 1/4/2013 Edition) LIVE From Fontanas Bar In New York City!

"Turn The Page" brings you (our audience) the most relevant up to date Heavy Music news and tour information in a video format. While we select what we believe is the most important information and produce this video segment on a weekly basis, keep in mind that our main platform (www.HornsUpRocks.com) is the place where you can get the majority of the information you need.

Without further due, here is the fifteenth installment of "TURN THE PAGE", this is the 1/4/2013 edition. Filmed at the Fontanas Bar in New York City!

Artists mentioned:

- Thinning The Herd
- Ministry
- Rigor Mortis
- Led Zeppelin
- Stone Sour
- Queen
- Suffocation
- Amon Amarth
- Alter Bridge
- The Tremonti Project
- Arch Enemy
- Down
- Crowbar
- Kingdom Of Sorrow
- Children Of Bodom
- Chimaira
- Pantera
- Superjoint Ritual
- Warbeast
- Asesino
- Metallica
- The Scorpions
- Aerosmith
- Van Halen
- Foo Fighters
- Neurosis
- Anthrax
- Exodus
- Municipal Waste
- Holy Grail
- High On Fire
- Pennywise
- Vision Of Disorder
- God Forbid



Full details on the news stories and tours mentioned on the video above, can be seen on our archive (located on the left hand side column) 

<-----------------------------------------------------------

Related links:
Horns Up Rocks

ANTHRAX Respond To The Departure Of Rob Caggiano; Band To Announce Replacement Soon!

As previously reported HERE, after a long and successful run as guitarist for the legendary Thrash Metal act Anthrax, Rob Caggiano has decided that it's time to move on and focus on his other passion: producing records for the time being. Following news of Caggiano's departure, the remaining members of ANTHRAX - Charlie Benante, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Joey Belladonna - have made the following statement:

"Rob has been an integral part of Anthrax for so many years, as our lead guitarist, in a production capacity, but most of all, as our close friend.  His contributions to the band have been enormous.  While we are sad that he is leaving, we wish him nothing but great success going forward, and hope to share the stage with him again sometime down the road.

"With the Metal Alliance Tour on the horizon, we have been considering several lead guitarist options, and will be making an announcement on that shortly."

ANTHRAX - Charlie Benante, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Joey Belladonna

As previously announced, in the spring of 2013, the headbangers of North America will welcome the third chapter of the Metal Alliance Tour. The event will be headlined by ANTHRAX who will be performing 'Among The Living' in its entirety. The lineup thus far includes:

- ANTHRAX
- EXODUS
- MUNICIPAL WASTE
- HOLY GRAIL
- HIGH ON FIRE

The dates are as follows (General-admission tickets will go on sale on January 11):

Mar. 23 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
Mar. 24 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
Mar. 25 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
Mar. 27 - House of Blues - West Hollywood, CA
Mar. 28 - Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
Mar. 29 - The Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
Mar. 30 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
Mar. 31 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
Apr. 02 - Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
Apr. 04 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
Apr. 05 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Apr. 06 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
Apr. 07 - Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH
Apr. 09 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
Apr. 10 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
Apr. 12 - House of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL
Apr. 13 - Tremont Music Hall - Charlotte, NC
Apr. 14 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
Apr. 16 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
Apr. 18 - Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 20 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY

Related links:
ANTHRAX's Official Site

BUTCHER BABIES To Tour With MARILYN MANSON - Tour Dates Available!

With Heavy Metal and horror-inspired theatrics fascinating crowds worldwide, the BUTCHER BABIES has emerged as one of the biggest draws on the Sunset Strip in their hometown of Los Angeles, CA. Within a few short weeks BUTCHER BABIES has made two huge announcements: a record deal with Metal label CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS and a 2013 North American tour with shock-rock icon MARILYN MANSON. A list of confirmed dates can be seen below.

In addition, BUTCHER BABIES is proud to announce that they have been confirmed to play Hell & Heaven Metal Fest 2013. The festival is on May 18th and 19th in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.  MOTӦRHEAD, ANTHRAX, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, and MOONSPELL are already confirmed for the festival along with a number of other key acts. Additional details on Hell & Heaven Metal Fest 2013 will be released and more information on the event can be found here: www.hellandheavenfest.com

Fronted by Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd - named two of the year's 'Hottest Women in Rock' by Revolver Magazine - BUTCHER BABIES has brought their show worldwide wowing UK fans at this year's Download Festival and as support for ANTHRAX in Cardiff. Following their UK appearances, the band returned to America as direct support for OTEP and just wrapped up their first headlining tour.

Butcher Babies' track "Axe Wound" is currently in rotation on Sirius XM Liquid Metal, and their short movie/video for the track "Mr. Slowdeath" can be seen below.

The band - vocalists Harvey and Shepherd, guitarist Henry Flury, bassist Jason Klein and drummer Chris Warner - is currently working on their full-length debut, slated for a worldwide release in Summer 2013 via Century Media Records.

Dates with Marilyn Manson:

01/18/13 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagle's Ballroom
01/19/13 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's
01/20/13 - Columbus, OH @ The LC Pavilion
01/22/13 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
01/23/13 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
01/25/13 - Wallingford, CT @ The Dome
01/26/13 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues
01/28/13 - Montreal, QC, CA @ Metropolis
01/29/13 - Oshawa, ON, CA @ General Motors Centre
01/30/13 - Hamilton, ON, CA @ Hamilton Place Theatre
02/01/13 - Sudbury, ON, CA @ Sudbury Arena
02/04/13 - Winnipeg, MB, CA @ MTS Centre
02/05/13 - Moose Jaw, SK, CA @ Mosiac Place
02/06/13 - Saskatoon, SK, CA @ TCU Place
02/08/13 - Calgary, AB, CA @ Stampede Corral
02/09/13 - Edmonton, AB, CA @ Shaw Conference Centre
02/11/13 - Vancouver, BC, CA @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
02/13/13 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
02/19/13 - San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre
02/20/13 - Anaheim, CA @ The Grove of Anaheim
02/21/13 - Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
02/23/13 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues

Hell & Heaven Metal Fest 2013:

*Butcher Babies performance date TBA. The festival is 05/18/13 and 05/19/13.

Related links: 
Butcher Babies on Facebook  
Butcher Babies on Twitter
Century Media Records

ANTHRAX: Guitarist Rob Caggiano Leaves The Band - Official Statement Available!

After a long and successful run as guitarist for the legendary Thrash Metal act Anthrax, Rob Caggiano has decided that it's time to move on and focus on his other passion: producing records for the time being. Already an acclaimed Rock and Metal producer, Rob has amassed a long list of production credits working with acts such as Cradle of Filth (on their Grammy-nominated classic Nymphetamine), The Damned Things, and Jesse Malin to name a few. Rob's production work on the most recent Anthrax studio album 'Worship Music' received high recognition, as the track "I'm Alive" received a Grammy Nomination for Best Rock + Metal Performance. 

Being a member of the mighty Anthrax for the better part of the last 12 years is something that Caggiano is of course very proud of. This was not an easy decision to make.

"I'm extremely proud of my time in Anthrax. Actually, that's an understatement! We accomplished so many great things together over the years and I shared some of the best times of my life with these guys. As a band, we also weathered quite a few storms along the way. It's been a wild ride (to say the least) from Day One and I wouldn't change one single thing about the last 12 years. This is an extremely difficult and emotional decision for me to make but my heart is just steering me in a different direction right now. I've always been one to follow my heart in everything that I do and while this might be one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, it feels like the right one for me at this time. Scott, Charlie, Joey, Frankie (and John Bush) will always be part of my family and this decision doesn't change the way I feel about that in the slightest. I would also like to say thanks to all the amazing fans I've met and hung out with worldwide over the years. You guys always were and always will be the reason why I make music! In this day and age, being a musician isn't always easy -also an understatement- but the fans truly make it worthwhile for me. I hope to see each and every one of you again really soon. The fact that Anthrax is at the top of their game right now and totally 'out for blood' after all these years is a testament to this band's longevity and conviction! I'm truly honored to have been a part of their brilliant legacy."

With this new direction, Caggiano very much looks forward to getting back to producing/recording/writing again in the immediate future.

"I can't wait to get back in the recording studio again! Over the years, I've been blessed with the privilege of working with a wide range of great bands/artists from Anthrax and Cradle of Filth all the way to Bruce Springsteen, and I look forward to a hopeful continuation of that side of my career while I figure out my next move as an artist. BTW in case anyone was wondering after reading all of this, I do FULLY intend to get back out there on the road very soon in some way shape or form....it's in my blood! Please feel free to follow me on Twitter @RobCaggiano for any and all updates on what I am up to." 

As previously announced, in the spring of 2013, the headbangers of North America will welcome the third chapter of the Metal Alliance Tour. The event will be headlined by ANTHRAX who will be performing 'Among The Living' in its entirety. The lineup thus far includes:

- ANTHRAX
- EXODUS
- MUNICIPAL WASTE
- HOLY GRAIL
- HIGH ON FIRE

The dates are as follows (General-admission tickets will go on sale on January 11):

Mar. 23 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
Mar. 24 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
Mar. 25 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
Mar. 27 - House of Blues - West Hollywood, CA
Mar. 28 - Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
Mar. 29 - The Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
Mar. 30 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
Mar. 31 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
Apr. 02 - Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
Apr. 04 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
Apr. 05 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Apr. 06 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
Apr. 07 - Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH
Apr. 09 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
Apr. 10 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
Apr. 12 - House of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL
Apr. 13 - Tremont Music Hall - Charlotte, NC
Apr. 14 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
Apr. 16 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
Apr. 18 - Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 20 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY

Related links:
ANTHRAX's Official Site

Peter Steele Lives Forever In Our Hearts, As We Celebrate His 51st Birthday!

51 years ago, Peter Steele, the man made of steel with a heart of gold, was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn to a Roman Catholic family. His family is of Polish, Russian, Icelandic, and Scottish heritage. Pete was raised in the neighborhoods of Bensonhurst and Brighton Beach. He was the youngest of six children, with five older sisters. Pete's father fought in World War II and once he migrated to the United States, he worked at a shipyard.

Pete's musical career started when he started taking guitar lessons at the age of 12. He eventually moved on to playing bass. Pete worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation up until he began touring with Type O Negative in the summer of 1994. Whenever he was home from tour, Pete continued working with the Department of Parks and Recreation, since he liked his job so much.

On April 14, 2010, we got the terrible news of Peter Steele's passing from our good friend Juliya from Fuse TV. That gloomy night we were one of the first media sources to confirm the passing of Peter Steele. As soon as we posted this very sad news, we immediately got a Twit from former Headbangers Ball host Riki Rachtman. Riki just like all of us, was in complete disbelief about Pete's death. Specially after everyone had witnessed the return of Peter Steele in full force! His last performance in New York City with Type O Negative was absolutely flawless and there was no doubt that he was completely sober the day of his passing.

A day after his passing, we headed over to 3 Of Cups in New York City were there was an unofficial tribute for Peter Steele with some of his close friends and fans. The night was gloomy yet magical. Why magical? Well, the room was full of energy and everyone was embracing each other with respect, while chanting in unison to Carnivore's and Type O Negative's classics. This immediately inspired us to start recoding some sound clips about the legacy and greatness of Peter Steele. This is how our Peter Steele tribute was born.

In order to make our tribute memorable, we decided to contact some close friends of Peter, and ask them to contribute some images of Peter, Type O Negative and Carnivore. Here is what we came up with:







Then at the end of 2010, their was a show that inevitably became a tribute to Peter Steele. Joining forces for a celebration of New York Rock were Life Of Agony, Biohazard, Vision Of Disorder and Seventh Void. The show took place at the Best Buy Theater in New York City, and once again the magic was in the air. This is when we decided to get some clips. Next thing we know, it turned into another tribute to Peter Steele! Here are those video clips:





Finally, here is Biohazard doing their song "Loss" in memory of Peter Steele!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY Peter, we miss and love you! Thanks for re-igniting the Heavy Music scene! \m/

Machete's Favorite Band ASESINO Announces NEW Album Title; Band To Enter The Studio Soon!

Asesino (assassin in Spanish) is one of the most extreme Heavy Metal bands today. The chaotic combination of elements of Death Metal and Grindcore within their music can make a persons eardrums bleed profusely. Asesino was formed in 2002 after Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) left Brujeria and decided to create yet another extreme Metal band. Apart from Dino’s shredding guitars, Asesino features Tony Campos from Soulfly on vocals/bass and Emilio Marquez from Engraved on drums.

According to Blabbermouth, ASESINO is preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its third album, 'La Segunda Venida' ("The Second Coming") for a late 2013 release via Odio Records.

Prior to laying down the new CD, ASESINO will embark on a short tour, dubbed "Regresando Odio Gira 2013" ("Returning Hate Tour"):

- Jan. 11: West Hollywood, CA at Key Club
- Jan. 12: Las Vegas, NV at Cheyenne Saloon
- Jan. 18: San Francisco, CA at DNA Lounge
- Jan. 19: Fresno, CA at Starline
- Jan. 28: Fullerton, CA at Slidebar

Here are some facts about Asesino:

- The band members use pseudonyms:

Dino Cazares: Asesino
Tony Campos: Maldito X
Emilio Márquez: Sadístico

- Asesino usually performs Slayer covers live, most notably "Angel of Death" and "Raining Blood".

- Similar to Brujeria, the lyrics are all in Spanish and they deal with the same subject matters: death, violence, and perversion.

- Asesino enjoy making satirical comments during the show, and when they perform Brujeria songs, they change the original lyrics to something more fitting.

Related links:
ASESINO on Facebook

Throwback Thursday: MACHINE HEAD's Damaging Performance In Holland Circa 1995!

Starting today, every single Thursday we will bring you a "Throwback Thursday" video featuring your favorite Heavy Music artists. Today, we are kicking things off with the mighty MACHINE HEAD!

On June 4, 1995, MACHINE HEAD debuted at the Dynamo Open Air in Nijmegen, Holland. For many years the band considered the performance below as the best one in the bands career. Charged with ten songs and plenty of fire, MACHINE HEAD performed almost every song from their groundbreaking debut album 'Burn My Eyes' (released on August 9, 1994 via Roadrunner Records).
 
Watch the video below to see how thousands of fans became instant fans of the Kings of the Bay Area beatdown.

Live at Dynamo Open Air, Nijmegen, Holland: June 4, 1995. SETLIST:

1) Davidian
2) A Thousand Lies
3) The Rage to Overcome
4) None but My Own
5) The Frontlines
6) Blood for Blood
7) Old
8) A Nation on Fire
9) Hard Times (Cro-Mags cover with Bobby Hambel)
10 Block



Personnel:

- Robb Flynn (vocals, lead guitar)
- Adam Duce (bass)
- Logan Mader (lead guitar)
- Chris Kontos (drums)

Related links:
Machine Head's Official Site

ICED EARTH Wants Their Fans Input Regarding NEW DVD 'Live In Ancient Kourion'

As previously reported, ICED EARTH performed on August 19 at the ancient Kourion Amphitheater, outside Limassol in Cyprus! The band installed high def cameras and audio recorders in order to capture the NEW upcoming CD/DVD entitled 'Live In Ancien Kourion'. The concert featured1,500 fans who witnessed a three hour long concert and featured on-stage scenery and artwork that was uniquely created for this special event. Legendary producer Jim Morris of Morrisound Studios (ICED EARTH, SEPULTURA, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, SAVATAGE) supervised the entire audio section with the help of the ToneDeaf Recording Studio. Tracklisting available HERE!

After reviewing the footage, the band realized that the video footage does not meet the requirements needed for a BluRay Disk. Here is a note from the band regarding this matter:

"Dear ICED EARTH fans,

As we are editing the DVD and getting to the finishing line, there is one thing where we very much want your input.

"We went to Cyprus and attempted the impossible: to film a DVD with very little or no infrastructure in an amphitheatre that had never seen a rock show before.

"We did it, the results are amazing and we are very excited about the outcome -- we feel this DVD is something to be truly proud of.

"However, we did promise you it would be a BluRay Disk release as well and here's where you come in:

"As we reviewed the footage, it became apparent that the cameras did not record in high enough resolution to be able to do a BluRay in 1080p resolution.

"It is 720p and it looks really, really good, but it's not 1080p.

"ICED EARTH is a band that cares about their fans and would never do anything that could even remotely feel dishonest. That's why we felt this path of involving you, our fans, is the best way for us to judge what we should do.

"With this being said:

"WOULD YOU WANT US TO MAKE A BLU-RAY DISK REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT TRUE 1080P RESOLUTION?

"Please make your voices heard -- we consider this our true sounding board."

Use this link to leave your response!

Related links:
Iced Earth
Century Media Records

"House Of Shock" Documentary Soundtrack To Feature Members Of Slayer, Exodus, Amen & More!

According to The PRP, a NEW Metal supergroup has united forces to create a soundtrack for a documentary about the House Of Shock (Philip Anselmo‘s New Orleans-based haunted house). The lineup features:

- Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo
- Exodus guitarist (and current Slayer fill-in) Gary Holt
- Ex-Queens Of The Stone Age, etc. bassist Nick Oliveri
- Amen vocalist Casey Chaos.

During the last few weeks, recording sessions have been taking place in with producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Slipknot) overseeing the project. An interview with members of the group that suggests that the project could continue on past the aforementioned documentary can be read HERE.



Photo credit: Studio Jonkillz

Related links:
House Of Shock

Stop & Listen To Samples Of Philip Anselmo's Brutal Solo Project!

For over 30 years, Philip Anselmo has been very busy reinventing Heavy Music via bands like PANTERA, DOWN, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, and various others.

As previously reported, Anselmo and Housecore Records thrashers WARBEAST will be releasing a NEW split album entitled 'War of the Gargantuas'. The split now has an official release date of January 8, 2012 and will include two songs from each artist. This album serves as the first release of any solo work by Anselmo. Also, the two WARBEAST tracks on the split feature former bassist Alan Bovee before his amicable departure from the band. Since then, Dre Karst has joined on bass.

Guess what? Audio samples of Anselmo‘s NEW solo material can now be cranked at the link below. The song were recorded by Anselmo and his backing band, The Illegals—who consist of members and alumni of Warbeast, Superjoint Ritual, etc.

The tracks, whose titles can be seen below, will serve as a precursor to Anselmo‘s highly-anticipated solo album which is expected to finally see a release later this year.

Song titles:

1) Conflict
2) Birth Of A Psycho
3) Family, Friends, and Associates
4) IT

Audio samples available HERE! 

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS are:

Philip H. Anselmo - Vocals
Marzi Montazeri - Guitars
Bennett Bartley - Bass
Jose Manuel Gonzales - Drums

Related links:
Philip Anselmo
Warbeast

QUEEN's Brian May Named PETA's Person Of The Year!

According to NME.com, QUEEN's Brian May has been named animal welfare charity PETA UK's Person of the Year for his efforts to help stop the culling of badgers. May's group "Save Me" formed Team Badger alongside PETA and various other animal welfare groups.

PETA's Mimi Bekhechi said of May: "In his fight to save Britain's badgers, Brian May never backed down: he spread his message of compassion for animals through everything he said, wrote and even wore until the world sat up and paid attention. His tenacity and boldness are an inspiration to kind people everywhere."

Badgers are currently under threat after farmers in England were given a license to shoot them in a bid to reduce tuberculosis in cattle for the first time in Gloucestershire.

"The disease comes from cows, it doesn't come from badgers," May has explained. "It's a very unfair situation. Badgers have been the scapegoat for years and years and farmers have been killing badgers for many, many years now."

He added: "All the scientific evidence that's been done – 11,000 badgers were killed in the ISG [Independent Scientific Group]'s experiment... and their conclusion was that killing badgers cannot meaningfully contribute to the problem of bovine TB in cattle. It's completely unequivocal."

The government hopes the licenses and that the death of an estimated 100,000 badgers will help curb the scourge of TB in cattle, which led to 26,000 cows being slaughtered in 2011.

May is not the first musical star to receive PETA's honour. Morrissey was named PETA UK's Person of the Year in 2011.

Congratulations to Brian May, helping animals is badass!

Related links:
PETA 
Brian May

SUNDANCE FESTIVAL: Dave Grohl Recruits Very "Special Guests" For SOUND CITY PLAYERS Performance!

As previously reported, "Sound City" will debut at the Sundance Film Festival and is Dave Grohl's musicians first time in the director's chair. In order to cause plenty of impact at Sundance, Grohl has recruited a slew of badass musicians to perform a very special performance at the world renown film festival. Here is the detailed list of musicians, along with the track listing:

The film is about Sound City, the Van Nuys, California, studio that served as the recording space for several musicians and groups, including Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty. Grohl's band Nirvana even recorded their groundbreaking album 'Nevermind' in the iconic studio.

Grohl was inspired to create the film after purchasing the studio's Neve 8028 recording console in 2011. Sound City ceased its recording activities that same year, according to The Los Angeles Times. 

The documentary features interviews from several famous rockers including Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Lars Ulrich, Corey Taylor and many more. Watch the movie trailer HERE!

Roswell Films Presents: Sound City. A Film by Dave Grohl. Coming February 2013. Sign up to receive pre-order info at http://soundcitymovie.com
 
Related links:
Soundcitymovie.com

METALLICA, VAN HALEN, THE SCORPIONS & AEROSMITH = Most Successful Live Bands Of 2012

According to industry tracker Pollstar, METALLICA, VAN HALEN and AEROSMITH were the most successful live bands within the Heavy Music realm in 2012. Madonna, whose 2012 tour earned $296.1 million from 88 shows, was the highest grossing musical act.

The "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" earned a combined gross of $3 billion, which was down about 2 percent from $3.07 billion in 2011.
 
Total tickets sold info:

- 34.9 million which continued the decline from 35.48 million the previous year and is well off the pace from 2009 when the Top 50 sold 45.3 million. 

- The average global ticket price was $85.93 which was down 60 cents from last year but still well above the $73.83 charged in the more robust year of 2009.

Here are the Heavy Metal/Hard Rock artists on Pollstar's 2012 "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" chart:

#8 - METALLICA: $86.1 million from 30 shows
#15 - VAN HALEN: $49.9 million from 50 shows
#38 - SCORPIONS: $32.7 million from 74 shows
#44 - AEROSMITH: $31 million from 33 shows

Photo credit: Zulie Alvarez

Via Blabbermouth

Related links:
Pollstar

STONE SOUR: Corey Taylor Announces Release Date For Part II Of 'House Of Gold & Bones'

Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT & STONE SOUR) has revealed via a Tweet that part II of STONE SOUR's double album entitled 'House Of Gold & Bones' will be released this April via Roadrunner Records. Taylor also announced that the bands highly anticipated album will also be made available as a four-issue comic book and a NEW single from part II will be available soon. How cool is that?

STONE SOUR released 'House of Gold & Bones Part I', on October 22 via Roadrunner Records; it debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts.

As previously announced, STONE SOUR and PAPA ROACH will head out on a co-headlining U.S. tour in January 2013. STONE SOUR, currently in the midst of a tour across five continents, will close out every show. Opening each show will be Otherwise.

Current tour dates are as follows, with more to come:

- January 20: Bethlehem, PA at Sands Bethlehem Events Center
- January 22: Niagara Falls, NY at Rapids Theatre
- January 23: New York, NY at Terminal 5
- January 25: Milwaukee, WI at Eagles Ballroom
- January 27: Chicago, IL at House of Blues
- January 29: Minneapolis, MN at The Myth
- January 30: Kansas City, MO at Midland Theater (Stone Sour only)
- February 1: Amarillo, TX at Aztec Music Hall
- February 2: Lubbock, TX at Lonestar Pavilion
- February 4: Midland, TX at Midland Horseshoe Arena
- February 5: College Station, TX at Hurricane Harry's
- February 7: Corpus Christi, TX at Concrete Street Amphitheatre
- February 8: Pharr, TX at Pharr Entertainment Center
- February 9: Laredo, TX at Laredo Energy Center
- February 12: Tempe, AZ at Marquee Theatre
- February 13: Los Angeles, CA at Club Nokia
- February 15: Las Vegas, NV at The Joint
- February 16: Salt Lake City, UT at Salt Air
- February 17: Denver, CO at Fillmore

Upcoming Stone Sour tour dates:

Sat February 23, 2013 – BRISBANE, AUS (Soundwave)
Sun February 24 – SYDNEY, AUS (Soundwave)
Fri March 1 – MELBOURNE, AUS (Soundwave)
Sat March 2 – ADELAIDE, AUS (Soundwave)
Mon March 4 – PERTH, AUS (Soundwave)

Related links:
Stone Sour's Official Site
Stone Sour on Facebook
Stone Sour on MySpace

SUICIDE SILENCE: Sirius XM To Broadcast "Behind The Scenes" Special In Memory Of Mitch Lucker - Details Available!

Last month, the remaining members of SUICIDE SILENCE - Chris Garza, Mark Heylmun, Alex Lopez and Dan Kenny - were joined by many of Heavy Music's finest to pay tribute to their frontman Mitch Lucker. Video footage available HERE!

The Heavy Music world was struck last year by the very sad news that Mitchell Adam Lucker passed away at the young age of 28 (More information HERE). According to the Los Angeles Times, Lucker struck a light pole near the intersection of Main and 13th streets and was thrown from his 2013 Harley Davidson. The motorcycle continued sliding south on Main Street and struck a northbound 2007 Nissan Titan pickup.

Beginning this Thursday, January 3rd, our good friends over at Sirius XM Liquid Metal will broadcast the "Liquid Metal Behind The Scenes -> Mitch Lucker Memorial Show". Here is the schedule:

Thursday, January 3rd @ 6pm ET / 3pm PT

Encore Broadcasts:
Friday, January 4th @ 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Saturday, January 5th @ Noon ET / 9am PT
Sunday, January 6th @ 10pm ET / 7pm PT

"This past November 1st the Metal world lost one of our own.

"SiriusXM honors the memory of the late Suicide Silence singer Mitch Lucker with exclusive interviews from some of those who knew and loved him best – members of Hellyeah, Machine Head, As I Lay Dying, and the rest of Suicide Silence from the memorial to Mitch recorded last month at the Fox Theatre in Pomona, CA.
This moving tribute airs exclusively on Liquid Metal and will also be made available on demand*."

*On Demand available to those with a subscription to either Sirius or XM Premium Internet Radio.

Photo credit: Matthew Eisman

Related links:
Sirius XM 
Official Site of Suicide Silence

Ted Nugent Inks Letter To U.S. Vice President Regarding Gun-related Violence!

Rock N' Roll rebel and NRA board member Ted Nugent wrote an open letter to Vice President Joe Biden, who was appointed to lead a new task force aiming to prevent gun violence. The letter was published by the Washington Times on December 31, 2012.

    “Joe,

    “Congratulations on your appointment to lead a presidential commission to end gun-related violence.

    “As a National Rifle Association board member, husband, father, grandfather, law enforcement officer and genuinely concerned American, I too want nothing more than to see evil, senseless massacres stopped. I concur with the president and caring people everywhere: It’s time to end these slaughters…

    “As you gather your team to study massacres and how to stop them, I offer to you my services and a lifetime of expertise on guns in all their implementations. While I strongly differ with President Obama on many issues, I agree with him that we must work with all we can possibly muster to end these tragedies.

    “As you begin to formulate your thoughts on how to proceed with your task, I hope your starting point is to provide the president with the facts regarding these slaughters and to offer him common-sense recommendations that are void of a political agenda and will actually make a meaningful difference. If the American people smell a political agenda here, that will only bog down our efforts.

    “In the spirit of goodwill and a deep desire to end gut-wrenching, incredibly sad and senseless rampages, I offer you the following recommendations:

    “I encourage you to persuade the president to lead this effort by providing a number of public service announcements. The announcements should include watching out for each other, encouraging parents to be more involved in their children’s lives regarding entertainment choices, and knowing various indicators we should watch for in people who are unstable.

    “Clearly, the focus on solving these mass murders must be on the mentally ill. In almost every instance of mass killing, there were ample red flags and warning alarms that either were avoided or were not acted upon by mental health professionals, family members, friends and acquaintances. While I deeply respect an individual’s privacy and civil liberties, the American people need basic awareness of what indicators to look for regarding potentially violent, psychotic people. Our collective safety begins with being collectively vigilant.

    “You will find in your assessment that all of the massacres have occurred in gun-free zones. What gun-free zones create is an environment where good people are unarmed and virtually defenseless against an unstable person intent on committing mass murder. Gun-free zones are modern killing fields. I implore you to recommend that Congress pass a law to ban gun-free zones immediately.

    “Just like your full-time, armed security detail, qualified citizens with authorized, legal concealed-carry permits should be able to carry weapons virtually everywhere to protect themselves, their loved ones and innocents.

    “I also implore you to strongly consider recommending that trained school officials have access to weapons to protect students. Just as airline pilots may have access to a weapon to prevent another Sept. 11 mass murder, school officials also should be trained to stop shooting sprees at our schools.

    “I don’t encourage you to recommend a ban on any weapon, magazine capacity or type of ammunition. That won’t accomplish anything other than prevent the 99.9 percent of responsible, law-abiding Americans from enjoying these modern weapons as we do now. We should never recommend or develop public policy that restricts the rights of the good guys based upon what evil people do or might do. If that were the case, alcohol still would be banned. As you may know, drunk drivers kill an estimated 12,000 Americans each year and hurt tens of thousands more.

    “I encourage you also to keep this misnamed ‘gun violence’ in perspective. While all deaths are tragic, the vast majority of gun-related murders and violence are committed by gang members who do not use guns that look like — but do not perform like — military assault weapons. The majority of crimes that involve a firearm are committed with handguns. I concurred with you back in 2008 when you stated, “If [Mr. Obama] tries to fool with my Beretta, he’s got a problem.” I trust you still maintain those sentiments.

    “Again, I offer you my services and a lifetime of expertise. I look forward to hearing from you.

    “Sincerely,

    “Ted Nugent”


What do you think about this letter? Let us know at the comments section below.

Related links:
Ted Nugent 

GOD FORBID Announce Hurricane Sandy Benefit Show!

On October 29th, 2012 the east coast experienced one of the largest Atlantic hurricanes on record that affected millions and destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and communities in its path. Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Atlantic City, New Jersey and ripped its way through New York City and other coastal communities. New Jersey melodic Metallers GOD FORBID were personally affected by this storm as were their fans, family and friends. They are very pleased to announce that on Friday, January 11th at The Boneyard in Atlantic City they will be participating in Revive The Shore Part III, a concert series that will benefit areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Doors open at 6 PM and tickets are available for $15 dollars in advance or $18 at the door. More information can be found HERE.

Vocalist Byron Davis comments, “We would like to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. With that being said we should take this time and reflect on how tragedy can turn ones world upside down; we need to be grateful for the ones we have in our lives and remember those who have lost everything.”

He continues, “This benefit show gives us the opportunity to let our fellow New Jerseyians know that we have not forgotten them and will honor their struggles with pride. For one night, we will all come together for remembrance and fun to raise contributions that will help re-build communities and people’s spirits that were affected around the Jersey Shore. We are looking forward to seeing New Jersey stand together united. See you there!”

GOD FORBID has been rocking out for nearly fifteen years, sweeping the nation with one of the most promising forms of melodic Thrash Metal. With their sixth album, 'Equilibrium' (available now via Victory Records) under their belts, GOD FORBID has been touring continuously across North America. They rounded out 2012 supporting SHADOWS FALL throughout the US and an extensive run on the Trespass America Tour with Metal heavyweights FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, TRIVIUM, EMMURE and more. Fans can expect to see more of GOD FORBID’s powerful and dynamic live stage performance this New Year and should stay tuned for upcoming tour announcements here.

Watch this flashback video of drummer Corey Pierce talking about the competitiveness in his home state of New Jersey.



Related links:
Official Site of God Forbid

The Road to ANTHRAX's Very Well Deserved Grammy Nomination - Video Available!

ANTHRAX's "Rock N' Roll comeback story of 2011" began in 2009, reaching a pinnacle with last month's surprise Grammy nomination for the track "I'm Alive" in the category of Best Rock/Metal Performance. The surprise was that the acknowledgement came more than a year after the track's September 13, 2011 release on the band's critical smash album, 'Worship Music' (considered the best album of the year by various outlets including this one), which was named one of the best Metal albums of the year by numerous media outlets. 

There were great highs - Joey Belladonna's return, the Big Four concerts, playing Yankee Stadium, the overwhelming acclaim of 'Worship Music', the "bare bones, guerilla" set at last summer's Mayhem festival, the band's "Got The Time" being the first Metal song played on Mars - and there were challenges as well, but, ANTHRAX - Charlie Benante (drums), Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano (guitars), Frank Bello (bass), and Joey Belladonna (vocals) - redefined the joy of rooting for the underdog.



Anthrax fans waited eight long years for 'Worship Music', the band's first studio album since 2003's 'We've Come For You All', that features the return of "classic era" vocalist Belladonna making his first Anthrax album in twenty years. Since its September 13 release and subsequent debut at #12 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, 'Worship Music' has received glowing praise from numerous critics and music tastemakers, including That Metal Show's Eddie Trunk and Alexander Milas, editor of the UK's Metal Hammer. We named it the #1 Metal Album of the Year.

The return of Belladonna and Anthrax's remarkable renewal began in 2009 in a Cleveland hotel bar. Anthrax's Benante and Ian, and Metallica's Lars Ulrich were in town for the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame when Lars first brought up the idea of The Big Four - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, the four bands that served as the original architects for the "thrash/speed-metal" scene," yet had never shared the same stage before.  The first of (so far) fourteen Big Four events took place on June 16, 2010, culminating in what was Anthrax's New York homecoming concert - The Big Four at Yankee Stadium on September 14, the day after Worship Music hit stores.  "We came into The Big Four as the underdog," said Benante.  "We were the band that had the most to prove, and we've worked really, really hard to do that." 

As previously announced, in the spring of 2013, the headbangers of North America will welcome the third chapter of the Metal Alliance Tour. The event will be headlined by ANTHRAX who will be performing 'Among The Living' in its entirety. The lineup thus far includes:

- ANTHRAX
- EXODUS
- MUNICIPAL WASTE
- HOLY GRAIL
- HIGH ON FIRE

The dates are as follows (General-admission tickets will go on sale on January 11):

Mar. 23 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
Mar. 24 - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
Mar. 25 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
Mar. 27 - House of Blues - West Hollywood, CA
Mar. 28 - Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA
Mar. 29 - The Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
Mar. 30 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
Mar. 31 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
Apr. 02 - Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
Apr. 04 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
Apr. 05 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
Apr. 06 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
Apr. 07 - Bogarts - Cincinnati, OH
Apr. 09 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
Apr. 10 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
Apr. 12 - House of Blues - Lake Buena Vista, FL
Apr. 13 - Tremont Music Hall - Charlotte, NC
Apr. 14 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
Apr. 16 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
Apr. 18 - Theatre of the Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 20 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY

Related links:
ANTHRAX's Official Site

VISION OF DISORDER Live Takeovers Include Concerts In California & Washington!

In times in which music has become somewhat predictable, generic and stale, it is very important for artists to be able to take their time developing their musical craft while moving forward with their art form. There is of course a lot of pressure for any band today, since lets face it the music industry is on a very fragile plateau and as a result bands don't "break" as quickly as they used to. Nowadays artists need to release high quality material otherwise they will get eaten up by their competitors and dissed by their fans. If there is a very positive outcome from the era of digital music its that artists must strive for quality over quantity.

This is something that VISION OF DISORDER fully understands and this is why they took their time with the overall process for their NEW album 'The Cursed Remain Cursed' (set to be released on September 18th via Candlelight Records).

After getting flourished with accolades by the Heavy Music world, the band is ready to bring their NEW batch of songs to wherever they may roam in 2013. During a recent interview (see below), the bands vocalist Tim Williams revealed that the band is coming to Washington and California in early February. Additionally, Williams revealed that the band might be appearing at this years Download Festival during a summer tour of the United Kingdom. Here is the list of confirmed tour dates:

- 1/26: Clifton, NJ at Dingbatz
- 1/27: Poughkeepsie, NY at The Chance
- 2/1: Seattle, Washington at Studio Seven
- 2/2: Hollywood, Ca at The Whisky 



Video and photo by: Zulie Alvarez (www.zuliephotographierocks.com/)

Related links:
Vision Of Disorder on Facebook
VOD on MySpace

SUFFOCATION Announce Release Date For 'Pinnacle Of Bedlam'; Band To Film Music Video This Weekend In Brooklyn, NY

Recently, SUFFOCATION unveiled the track listing for their highly anticipated upcoming release, 'Pinnacle of Bedlam' HERE!. The album features 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who played with the band previously on their 'Despise The Sun' EP. Founding member and former drummer Mike Smith also makes a special guest appearance on the re-recorded Breeding the Spawn track, “Beginning of Sorrow.”

SUFFOCATION have announced that 'Pinnacle of Bedlam' will be released on February 15, 2013 release via Nuclear Blast Records.

As previously announced, the band will be filming a music video for their NEW song entitled "As Grace Descends" on Saturday, January 5, 2013, at Duff's Brooklyn. Fans are welcomed to join the SUFFOCATION party! Here is a quick note from the band:

"This is a video shoot, not a live show. It's free! [You've] gotta be at least 18 or older, but we prefer that you look old enough to be in a bar."

WHERE: Duff's Brooklyn (168 Marcy Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211)

WHEN: Saturday January 5th 2013 at 4:00PM

Here is the lyric video for "As Grace Descends":

'Pinnacle of Bedlam' was produced by the band and tracked at Full Force Studios in New York by longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering was handled this time around by world renowned producer/engineer Zeuss (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE). Cover artwork for 'Pinnacle of Bedlam' was created by artist Raymond Swanland (DEEDS OF FLESH, PSYCROPTIC).

Frank Mullen, front man for New York Death Metal veterans SUFFOCATION, recently gave an interview to Horns Up Rocks that spread very quickly about him no longer performing with the band full time:



We also spoke with bands bassist Derek Boyer about the bands NEW album:



Videos by: Zulie Alvarez (www.zuliephotographierocks.com/)

Related links:
Suffocation's Official Site