Bart's Blabbermouth News Thread

[slayrrr666]

Yeah, totally with you on that one. It's definitely a pretty powerful band, and it's a shame they're not much bigger here.

Though that said, I miss the production they had on the Nuclear Blast label. Either Frontiers has a lower budget for the mixes or they were able to spend more time on it with them, but I love the sound of their NB releases. Nuclear Fire and Black Sun have my favorite sounding releases, and while I wasn't that sold on Devil's Ground even that one had a killer production sound to it. I love their sound on those albums, which haven't come through for me on their new releases.

[slayrrr666]

About damn time, but I finally got an update, however small, for us:

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL will release their new album, "The Electric Age", in North America on March 27 via eOne Music. The CD will be made available in Europe on March 30 through Nuclear Blast Records.

More info on the recording process, as well as album cover art, available HERE.

[Bartwald]

That's great news! The cover looks handsome but damn - don't they wish to have a slightly less typical cover from time to time at least? "I Hear Black" was the only "less typical" cover they had - and I loved it for it!

[slayrrr666]

I couldn't really give a damn about the cover. It's the music within that's important. It looks like an Overkill album, about all I can say there.

And continuing on this newfound trend of good news, here's something else you might've missed:

RAGE will release its 21st studio album, appropriately titled "21", on February 24 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany with Charlie Bauerfeind, who has previously worked with SAXON, BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL and HELLOWEEN, among others.

"Twenty One", a brand new song from German metallers RAGE, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's 21st studio album, appropriately titled "21", which is scheduled for a February 24 release via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Twilight Hall Studio in Grefrath, Germany with Charlie Bauerfeind, who has previously worked with SAXON, BLIND GUARDIAN, HAMMERFALL and HELLOWEEN, among others.

"21" track listing:

01. House Wins
02. Twenty One
03. Forever Dead
04. Feel My Pain
05. Serial Killer
06. Psycho Terror
07. Destiny
08. Death Romantic
09. Black And White
10. Concrete Wall
11. Eternally

The song in question, as well as more notes from the producer about the album, an extra interview from the band and cover artwork available HERE.

[Bartwald]

Love the new song and have high hopes for the album. I wasn't exactly crazy about their previous effort but this title track one sounds like the real deal for a change!

[slayrrr666]

Really? I could've sworn you spoke positively on Strings to a Web when I did it for the 2010 ranking. I certainly enjoyed it enough.

[Bartwald]

And you may be right, slayrrr - I enjoyed every Rage release so far, but Strings didn't grow on me as their best albums do and it seemed to be lacking the usual bite. But I still listen to it from time to time - I'm just not crazy about it anymore.

[slayrrr666]

Ah, I guess that does it then. That's happened a lot, initial response is great but actually wears out it's welcome instead of growing on you more. "God Hates Us All" comes to mind here (wrong band, but same feeling) great when I first got it, but then upon growing the collection with more bands/releases, when I came back to it the album just left me cold.

[ishtra]

Peter Dolving quits The Haunted

A kind of sudden and odd way to depart that only opens the way for speculation and rumour. "I am out. I have had it" - what does that mean exactly?

Given the heavy criticism of their last release (though personally I didn't mind it all that much), this may be a good thing for the band. They might reset or look in a more aggressive direction now.

[slayrrr666]

If you've followed Dolving's rants the last few years on his blog (which I don't, I haven't the time but I know when they go up) you'll see that he's a whack-job with no filter in his brain, a deadly combination as he usually posts a lot of pointless blathering that goes off in 50 different tangents then gets bitchy about it when people can't follow his logic or misinterpret what he's saying. Considering the amount of breadcrumbs needed to follow a train of thought in one of them, it's amazing the world hasn't starved to death since he started, but I guess he finally got tired of defending himself.

As for the decision to quit, good riddance. Their last good album was his first one back when he rejoined back in 04, rEVOLVEr, which was a crying shame since I loved the two Marco Aro records he did with the band and they've gotten far more melodic and can hardly be called a Thrash Band in some cases, so if they go back to what they were good at with him out of the band, I can see this as a good move.

[slayrrr666]

Have some new stuff for you:

German power metallers HELLOWEEN have set "Straight Out Of Hell" as the title of their new album, due on January 18, 2013. The CD is once again being helmed by longtime producer Charlie Bauerfeind at HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris's Mi Sueño Studios in Tenerife, Spain. A limited-edition version of the album will be made available with bonus tracks and special packaging.

HELLOWEEN previously promised that its new new album would be "much more than a fine follow-up to the highly acclaimed 'Gambling With The Devil' and '7 Sinners' albums. Bombastic epic pieces have been worked on as well as ultrafast heavy songs and mid-tempo anthems."

Not much more to add, but new band photo and full article found -url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=179378]HERE[/url].

[slayrrr666]

A bit of news on the Gamma Ray front for you:

German power metallers GAMMA RAY will release "Skeletons & Majesties Live" on double CD, Blu-ray and DVD on November 30. The set will feature footage of the band's April 29, 2011 performance at the legendary Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland.

"Skeletons & Majesties Live" has a playing time of two hours and is a tour de force through the band's history so far, including lots of hits and classics, but also tracks which were undeservedly under-represented to date.

"The EP, 'Skeletons & Majesties', is practically a continuation of our 'Skeletons In The Closet' concept, in other words: new versions of songs which didn't receive the attention they deserve, as well as unplugged versions of some of our classics," says Kai Hansen, the band's vocalist, guitarist and founder. In terms of "Skeletons & Majesties Live", this means a thoroughly haunting show, from the dynamic openers "Anywhere In The Galaxy" and "Men, Martians And Machines" to the furioso finale, "Future World".

Speaking of "Future World", to accompany the Hansen-penned HELLOWEEN classic on stage, GAMMA RAY enlisted the services of HELLOWEEN's long-standing frontman Michael Kiske. In addition, Kiske can be heard and seen on "Time To Break Free" and "A While In Dreamland".

The double CD will consist of a total of 18 songs (plus intro and interlude); DVD and Blu-ray will feature six additional bonus tracks with alternative versions of "The Spirit", "Wings Of Destiny", "Farewell", "Gamma Ray", "Time To Break Free" and "Insurrection", all recorded the previous day at the Zeche in Bochum.

The release of "Skeletons & Majesties Live" will mark the beginning of an eventful 2013 for GAMMA RAY: after Hansen stayed true to his word and spent 2012 concentrating mainly on his second band, UNISONIC, he and his three colleagues Henjo Richter (guitar), Dirk Schlächter (bass) and new addition Michael Ehré (the FIREWIND/LOVE.MIGHT.KILL drummer has replaced Daniel Zimmermann, who left the GAMMA RAY fold on friendly terms) are now focusing exclusively on GAMMA RAY again. A co-headlining tour with HELLOWEEN has been scheduled for February 2013 and will also mark the arrival of a new GAMMA RAY studio recording.

"GAMMY RAY will have top priority in 2013," comments Hansen, "and 'Skeletons & Majesties Live' is the perfect harbinger of this!"

"Skeletons & Majesties Live" track listing:

01. Anywhere In The Galaxy
02. Men, Martians And Machines
03. The Spirit
04. Wings Of Destiny
05. Farewell
06. Gamma Ray
07. Money
08. Time To Break Free (w/ Michael Kiske)
09. Rebellion In Dreamland (acoustic)
10. Send Me A Sign (acoustic)
11. Dethrone Tyranny
12. Watcher In The Sky
13. Hold Your Ground
14. A While In Dreamland (w/ Michael Kiske)
15. Rise
16. Brothers
17. Insurrection
18. Future World (w/ Michael Kiske)

Trailer for the release and additional info available HERE

[slayrrr666]

Some more news on the Helloween front I reported about earlier:

German power metallers HELLOWEEN will release their new album, "Straight Out Of Hell", on January 18, 2013. The CD was once again helmed by the band's longtime producer Charlie Bauerfeind at HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris's Mi Sueño Studios in Tenerife, Spain.

According to HELLOWEEN, "Straight Out Of Hell" will feature "13 mostly fast-paced songs — impressively multi-layered due to their different songwriters."

Commented guitarist Michael Weikath:" 'Straight Out Of Hell' is the consequent development of the two albums before.

"The new songs are a continuation of the '7 Sinners' directives, only less doom-bound and noticeably more positive. These songs will kick even the laziest listener's ass."

The best example of HELLOWEEN's ability to think outside the box of metal cliché is the first single from "Straight Out Of Hell", a song called "Nabataea". The legendary kingdom and its secret capital Petra — hidden behind cliff scenery and only discovered at the beginning of the 20th century — are the origin of many myths and legends. "Nabataea" is the perfect shape of great music to come and will deliver an epic video clip, yet to be shot.

Apart from the standard album, there will be a limited edition featuring premium packaging and two bonus tracks: "Another Shot Of Life" and a Hammond version of "Burning Sun" in memory of DEEP PURPLE's recently deceased organ player Jon Lord.

"Straight Out Of Hell" track listing:

01. Nabataea (7:03)
02. World Of War (4:56)
03. Live Now! (3:10)
04. Far From The Stars (4:41)
05. Burning Sun (5:33)
06. Waiting For The Thunder (3:53)
07. Hold Me In Your Arms (5:10)
08. Wanna Be God (2:02)
09. Straight Out Of Hell (4:33)
10. Asshole (4:09)
11. Years (4:22)
12. Make Fire Catch The Fly (4:22)
13. Church Breaks Down (6:06)

Bonus tracks (limited edition):

14. Another Shot Of Life
15. Burning Sun (Hammond version) (dedicated to Jon Lord)

Full article available HERE.

[slayrrr666]

So, here's the final piece of good news I think you need to know:

The new Helloween cover artwork available HERE.

[slayrrr666]

So, two pieces of good news for you, Bart, and I think this first one should be right up your alley:

"Nabataea", the first single from "Straight Out Of Hell", the new album from German power metallers HELLOWEEN, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track talks about the fabled high culture whose secret city, Petra, was only discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, and is the origin of many legends and myths. HELLOWEEN singer Andi Deris was inspired to write the song during a holiday.

A link to the song in question (FYI, it's growing on me rapidly the more I hear it, could be one of their best singles ever) as well as a couple more bits of info about the album available HERE.

Good news part 2:

EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project has set "The Mystery Of Time" as the title of its new album, due in March. Immediately after the release of this new metal opera, based on a story written by Sammet, the band will embark on a full-fledged indoor tour, during which the band and special guests will bring the epic undertaking to the stage.

A first look at several special guests on the upcoming record and other album details available HERE.