The Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Update

[Deathstroke]

Here's an interview with Meatloaf.

[Deathstroke]

The album, due out December 5th.

Here's the track listing and artwork:

01. Spellbound
02. High Compression Figure
03. Let's Sleeping Dog Lie
04. Repent
05. Majestic 12 Suite 1,2 & 3
06. Electric Duet
07. Nasca Lines
08. Poisoned Mind
09. God Of War
10. Iron Blues
11. Turbo Amadeus
12. From A Thousand Cuts
13. Requiem For The Lost

And apparently, Yngwie will be handling lead vocals as well.

[DonC]

And apparently, Yngwie will be handling lead vocals as well.

Crank the auto-tune to 11 on that one.

[Deathstroke]

"Lifer", the long-awaited third album from MELDRUM, the multinational hard rock/metal band formed by late ex-PHANTOM BLUE guitarist Michelle Meldrum, will be released on November 20 via Reversed Records. The CD was produced by Rob Shallcross (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, GWAR, ZIMMERS HOLE, WEST OF HELL) and Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DEATH, DARK ANGEL, DETHKLOK). The album will come as a digipak that includes an eight-page insert and CD. Fans who place their order between now and the release date will receive a free download of MELDRUM's latest single, "Paid".

Michelle Meldrum died in May 2008 as a result of a cystic growth that had restricted oxygen and blood flow to her brain, rendering her braindead. Since she passed away before any of her guitar tracks for "Lifer" were laid down, Laura Christine played the majority of the rhythm and bass guitars, as well as all the leads, on the album as a tribute to Michelle and her vision.

"Lifer" stands as a proud tribute to Michelle, who wrote the material for the CD with Hoglan, along with Laura Christine (bass) and Michele Madden (vocals).

"Lifer" is sonically different in direction than anything previously released by the band. With new life, and new talent, this album has carried the talents these four have to a higher level.

Hoglan previously stated about the CD: "Let me say this: Never have I obsessed over the recording of any album I've been involved in as I have with MELDRUM's latest. The tragic circumstances that took Michelle from us also provided us with a laser-sharp focus to record the most amazing album we could. Michele Madden, Laura Christine, and hell, even Chicken, our engineer, put forth performances of a lifetime, with each member's full love and respect going into every nuance of every song. Not only to honor Michelle, but to also lay down some bad-ass music, which was ultimately what she stood for… what MELDRUM stands for. I think the songs speak for themselves, and I, for one, have never been prouder to be a part of a family, let alone a project such as this. Metal with balls. Crank it up, indeed."

Michelle Meldrum was born on September 28, 1968 in Detroit, Michigan to a family of musicians and actors, and moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of 13. She started her career in music by forming the thrash metal band WARGOD with drummer Gene Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD), then moved on to become both co-founder and lead guitarist in PHANTOM BLUE. PHANTOM BLUE released its self-titled debut album on Shrapnel Records in the U.S. (Roadrunner in Europe and Japan) and eventually landed a major label deal with Geffen.

While her career flourished, Michelle married EUROPE guitarist John Norum and moved to Sweden to form MELDRUM. After many successful tours with such acts as MOTÖRHEAD and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, she reunited with Gene in 2006 when he appeared as a guest on MELDRUM album and events. Inspired to once again collaborate, Michelle moved back to America where she and Gene began writing the third MELDRUM album together.

Partial proceeds from "Lifer" will go to Michelle's son Jake Thomas (father is John Norum), whom she left behind when she passed.

You can check out the song "A Toast To Romance" HERE!

[Deathstroke]

Here's an interview with Jason Bonham.

[Artycool8or]

Crank the auto-tune to 11 on that one.

I know he sung his demo tracks for sure, and if I'm not mistaking did few times on his previous records as well, but does that mean he fired everyone else from the "Yngwie GEE. Malmsteen" Band?

Looking at the song titles (and I think they are promising) can't help but wonder who else is going to be on "Electric Duet".
It's been a long time since I've heard a good guitar trade-off.

"Turbo Amadeus" sounds Balkan trend-ish???

[Deathstroke]

The new Saxon CD Sacrifice is due out in February 2013 via UDR.

01. Procession
02. Sacrifice
03. Made In Belfast
04. Warriors Of The Road
05. Guardians Of The Tomb
06. Stand Up And Fight
07. Walking The Steel
08. Night Of The Wolf
09. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue

Bonus track:

* Luck Of The Draw (on iTunes only)

01. Crusader (orchestrated version)
02. Just Let Me Rock (re-recorded version)
03. Requiem (acoustic version)
04. Frozen Rainbow (acoustic version)
05. Forever Free (re-recorded version)

[Deathstroke]

Ex-W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes will release the album Nothing To Lose under the CHP moniker in early 2013.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

So the band is promoting a new album for 2013. The only question is ...why try and promote it on the strength of what Tate wrote mostly ? Why not do a whole new approach and just play bits and pieces of the new stuff and claim its a new era.

[Deathstroke]

My review of the Tate CD is now up in the CD review thread here on the Music Forum.

[Artycool8or]

It doesn't give us very much for a taste, but actually I liked what I've heard.

[Deathstroke]

Here's the artwork for the new Helloween CD Straight Out of Hell.

[Deathstroke]

The new Sevendust CD Black Out The Sun is tentatively due out in April 2013.

The new Anger as Art CD Hubris Inc. is due out February 5th via Old School Metal Records.

01. Hubris Inc.
02. Time Devours Life
03. Gods Of Hate
04. Anger Is The Reason
05. Speed Kills
06. This Is Why I Hate
07. As The Exalted Seethe
08. Pearls Before The Swine
09. Divided We Fall
10. Head Of The Snake
11. The Evil You Create
12. Pieces Of Red
13. Rage And Retribution
14. Never Forgive Never Forget

[DonC]

It doesn't give us very much for a taste, but actually I liked what I've heard.

Seconded. That was actually pretty good. Granted it was also a minute-and-a-half.

[Deathstroke]

I'm wondering exactly what the hell this statement really means:

"Former MEGADETH and KING DIAMOND guitarist Glen Drover has left the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE before playing a single show with the band. He says in a statement: "I am really sorry to say that I have decided to bow out of Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE. I was very excited about doing this gig initially, but learned in the past week or so that it's in my best interest not to do this right now. I feel really bad for those who were excited about the idea, and to Geoff himself, who, I have to say, was very nice to me on my past trip to Seattle. I, of course, am very disappointed for arriving at this point, and making this decision, to say the least. I sincerely wish the Geoff and the band all the luck on what they do in the future."