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[GIG REVIEW] VALHALORE with Supports

Valhalore

In support of their newly released album Voyage into Eternity,  Queensland’s Valhalore have embarked on a six date east coast tour, and April 15 sees the tour roll into Melbourne.  The venue is a last minute relocation after the sudden closure of the originally booked  Mr BoogieMan Bar, but it’s a terrific substitute. The Central […]

Valhalore Review – Melbourne

Valhalore

In support of their newly released album Voyage into Eternity,  Queensland’s Valhalore have embarked on a six date east coast tour, and April 15 sees the tour roll into Melbourne.  The venue is a last minute relocation after the sudden closure of the originally booked  Mr BoogieMan Bar, but it’s a terrific substitute. The Central […]

[LIVE REVIEW and PHOTOS] HALESTORM and DEVILSKIN

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A perfect Tuesday evening in Melbourne and time to kick off the first of three Australian dates for this current New Zealand/Australia co-headline tour (Devilskin headlined the seven New Zealand dates, and Halestorm now take the lead on the Australian leg). The sellout crowd have turned up early and by the time the doors open […]

[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] Apocalyptica and Supports in Melbourne

Apocalyptica Live In Melbourne

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dating back at least as far as Deep Purple’s Concerto for Group and Orchestra, heavy music has often flirted with orchestral sounds. Finland’s Apocalyptica have always been a unique expression of this blend, bringing the natural power and energy of the cello into a rock/metal setting. Their best example of this to date was […]

Richard Z. Kruspe, Silent no more

Guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe has spent the past two decades as part of the metal machine that is Rammstein. In 2007 he briefly stepped outside the comfort zone to grab the microphone and release his first solo effort under the name Emigrate. Seven years later, he’s back with album number two, Silent So Long.

Dragonforce producing the goods

UK power metal legends Dragonforce have emerged from the studio with Maximum Overload, their sixth studio album.  Guitarist and co-founder Sam Totman is ready to tell one and all why their new album is the band’s best yet.

Talking Origins with Eluveitie

Switzerland’s  folk metal masters Eluveitie are back with studio album number six, once again mixing 21st century metal music with 1st century Celtic myths.  For vocalist and songwriter Chrigel Glanzmann it’s time to unleash Origins on the world.

Epica – Life, The Universe, and Metal

It’s been a huge 12 months for Epica frontwoman Simone Simons.  Giving birth to her first child, getting married, and in between somehow managing to co-write and record the new album The Quantum Enigma.

Leaves’ Eyes, the metal family

For the past decade the husband and wife team of Alexander Krull and Liv Kristine have been at the forefront of the gothic/symphonic metal genre.  With the release of their fifth studio album Symphonies of the Night, Leaves’ Eyes continues to grow and lead the way.

Orphaned Land, Voyager and Orsome Welles live @ The ESPY, Melbourne

The last few years have seen a huge number of small scale tours by bands from across the metal spectrum.  Bands that probably would never have expected to find their way to Australia in years gone by now arrived regularly.  Orphaned Land from Israel are one such band, and show number two of their three […]

Sonata Arctica seeking redemption with new album.

Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica are back in 2014 with studio album eight, entitled Pariah’s Child.  Keyboard player Henrik Klingenberg shares his thoughts on the latest recording, with a mix of information and humour – a combination that is probably to be expected in an early morning coffee-fueled interview.

Arch Enemy release “War Eternal” video

Only days after announcing that Alissa White-Gluz has taken over vocal duties from Angela Gossow, Arch Enemy have released a video clip for the title track from the forthcoming album “War Eternal”. On this track at least there are no signs of the clean vocals White-Gluz is capable of, with the entire track delivered in […]

Arch Enemy announce departure of Angela Gossow

Sweden’s Arch Enemy have dropped a bombshell with the announcement that long time vocalist Angela Gossow has stepped down and been replaced by Alissa White-Gluz, formerly with Canadian band The Agonist.  

Tuomas Holopainen and the symphonic Scrooge

For an artist, one of the benefits of climbing up the music business ladder is an increased opportunity to indulge your own musical quirks.  Tuomas Holopainen, the  driving force behind Finland’s symphonic metal masters Nightwish, has seized the chance to do exactly that and bring to life a project based on the Disney comic book […]

Lacuna Coil bids farewell to guitarist and drummer

With the release of the new studio album Broken Crown Halo due on April 1, Italy’s Lacuna Coil have dropped a Valentine’s Day bombshell by announcing the immediate retirement of guitarist Cristiano ‘Pizza’ Migliore and drummer Cristiano ‘CriZ’ Mozzati.    Changes in personal and family life and commitments has been offered as the reason for the departure.

Within Temptation, the symphonic Hydra

Almost 3 years after the release of their concept album The Unforgiving, symphonic rock masters Within Temptation are back with studio album number 6, Hydra.  For founding member and guitarist Robert Westerholt it’s a chance to bring a heavier edge back to the band’s sound.

Morten Veland – Pushing the boundaries with Sirenia

It has taken 12 years, six albums, and a failed attempt in 2010, but Norways’ Gothic Metal masters Sirenia are at last headed to Australia.  Guitarist and founder Morten Veland is looking forward to finally making it downunder.

Epica’s Mark Jansen : A decade of metal

On 23 March 2013 Epica celebrated their 10th anniversary with a sold out three hour live performance called Retrospect.  With the DVD/BluRay release now here, guitarist Mark Jansen takes the opportunity to reflect on the concert itself, and a decade of Epica.

Showtime, Storytime: Interview with Marco Hietala, Nightwish

In November 2011 Nightwish released their 7th studio album, Imaginaerum. Two months later they embarked on an 18-month, 104-concert world tour that would be a journey of ups and downs.  At its worst moment, the entire tour was under threat and the band parted ways with vocalist Anette Olzen.  Yet less than a year later […]

HEAVY Interviews Soilwork’s Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid

Soilwork’s latest effort, The Living Infinite, not only brings something different musically to the band’s extensive back catalogue, but it is also the band’s first studio double album. Vocalist Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid chats with HEAVY. Sweden’s Soilwork are nothing if not prolific, releasing nine albums, one EP and a compilation in the band’s 13-year history. […]

Edenbridge: The Bonding

The Bonding is the 8th studio album from Austria’s Edenbridge, and it’s very much an album in the modern symphonic/gothic metal style. Fans of Nightwish, Xandria, or Within Temptation will find plenty to like here. All the required bases are covered, the ballads, the up tempo guitar driven tracks, the epic song arrangements, the use […]

Eluveitie Interview with Chrigel Glanzmann

Folk metal is a genre that is inherently linked to historical and cultural concepts. After all, it’s a genre that is part-defined by the use of traditional instruments, such as violins, flutes, accordions and more exotic choices – hell, even the hurdy-gurdy makes an appearance every now and again. For Switzerland’s Eluveitie, this link with […]

New Huntress single available for streaming

The new album Starbound Beast from Californian melodic thrash band Huntress is due to be released on June 28th in Europe and on July 2nd in North America through Napalm Records.   A preview of what’s to come is now available, with the  first song from the album being offered as an exclusive stream on the huntress […]

Bellusira ‘Connection’ Listening Party

Melbourne’s Bellusira are building up  to the nationwide June 14 launch of their debut album Connection with a listening party scheduled for 3pm on Sunday June 2 at the Empress Hotel. The album will be played in full during the afternoon, and the band will be offering insights into the making of the album as […]

New Five Finger Death Punch Single Features Rob Halford

The new single from Five Finger Death Punch, Lift Me Up, features a guest appearance from legendary Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford, on vocals.  The single is released through digital retailers worldwide on May 14, 2013. The band and Halford performed the new single live at the 2013 Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles […]

Deathstars Live @ The Corner, Melbourne, Australia

The self proclaimed masters of Death-Glam, Sweden’s Deathstars have been quiet lately. It’s been 4 years since their last full studio release ‘Night Electric Night’, but they’ve recently announced they will be heading back to the studios to lay down album number four. That leaves just enough time for an Australian tour! Opening the night […]

Judas Priest – Epitaph

British Metal legends have released details of the cinema screenings of “Epitaph”, the live concert film recorded at the end of the band’s world tour in 2012.   The film, shot in HD and with 5.1 surround sound audio, will debut in ‘one night only’ sessions in New York on May 14 and London May […]

Is Gwar, Is Good…

The self proclaimed ‘Antarctic Rock-Gods’, the unarguably unique GWar, have released details of their 4th annual “GWar-B-Q” festival.   Joining GWar in the day long event across two stages at Hadad’s Water Park (Richmond, Virginia) will be Municipal Waste, Pig Destroyer, Corrosion of Conformity, Cannabis Corpse, a host of other bands, and an as yet […]

Device: Device

Dave Draiman is back, and it’s as if he’d never been away. The self titled debut album for the new project for Draiman and Gino Lenardo from Filter (read the Device story HERE) has finally arrived, and it’s worth the wait. At first listen it’s easy to think of this as ‘Disturbed part II’, Draiman’s […]

ReVamp Recording Update

Floor Jansen

With Nightwish currently taking a short break from their ‘Imaginaerum’ World Tour, stand-in live vocalist Floor Jansen has returned to her own band ReVamp to complete the recording of their second album.   The singer checked in this week to announce that the final sessions involving choir recordings are now complete, and the mixing process […]

Metalcore Rules (And Sells!)

The ARIA album charts for the week ending April 8 have just been released, and it’s a big week for metal (or metalcore to be specific) sales in Australia . Following on from their recent appearance at Soundwave, British metalcore outfit Bring Me The Horizon have stormed to the top of the charts, grabbing the […]

Aerosmith added to Stone Music Festival

Aerosmith have been confirmed as the final act for the inaugural Stone Music Festival at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on April 20 and 21, joining  headline act Van Halen on the main stage on the Saturday night. Both bands will be playing 90 minute sets.  The original Sydney concert date for Aerosmith for Sunday April […]

Device album streaming online

Ahead of the official release of their debut album on April 8, Dave Draiman from Disturbed’s new side-project Device have just made the full album available  for online streaming via the Metalhammer web site.  This continues a growing industry trend for bands to preempt official album releases with streaming links. To check out the Device […]

Black Sabbath ’13’ Cover Art Revealed

As the release date (June 2013) draws near for the new Black Sabbath album, a short teaser video has been released showing the cover art.  The clip also includes a sample of another new track, presumably from the album. The album title is ’13’, and the art is… well, a ’13’. And mostly black… what, […]

Chris Bailey of The Angels Passes Away

Bass player Chris Bailey has passed away after a battle with cancer.   He was a key member of two iconic Australian bands during a 40 year career in music, playing with Rock legends The Angels, and with Pop/Rock band GANGgajang.

New Stone Sour Album Available For Streaming

Fresh from their appearance at Soundwave 2013,  Stone Sour are now ready to unleash the new  album House of Gold & Bones Part 2.  It’s due for release on April 5 but if you can’t wait a few days more then this is your lucky day – the band has made the entire album available […]

Eluveitie T-Shirt Contest

Swiss Folk Metal band Eluveitie, due to tour Australia next month, have just announced a fan contest to design their next piece of merchandise. Head HERE for your chance to try your hand at T-Shirt design.  The winning design will be made available world-wide, and the winner gets a free copy for their efforts!

November-7 free live video

Swiss Industrial Metal band November-7 have released a free downloadable HD live video. The 34 minute video was recorded at the 10th Metal Female Voices Fest in Belgium last October, and is also available as an 8 track album through digital retailers, and as a limited edition DVD.

Epica’s Simone Simons Interview

In 2002 guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen parted ways with Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever and started a new project that would soon become Epica. It proved to be a life changing turn of events for his then-girlfriend, Simone Simons, who was offered the role as vocalist. “He knew that I could sing, that I liked […]

The Offspring Live @ The Palace, Melbourne, Australia

There are some bands that have managed to capture the social environment they came from into their music. Black Sabbath is the soundtrack of ’70s England’s industrial midlands; Nirvana was the embodiment of the inward focused youth of ’90s Seattle; and The Offspring are California’s Orange County beach/punk culture turned into 3 minute slices of […]

Dave Draiman – Device

With Disturbed on indefinite hiatus for the foreseeable future, Dave Draiman is not one to rest on his laurels. In 2013 he returns with his new project called Device. HEAVY catches up with Dave and he fills us in on all the goss! So where did the idea for Device come from? It came about […]

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