The Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Update

[DonC]

The new Iron Maiden live CD/DVD release En Vivo is due out today worldwide. I thought it was the 27th, but even Best Buy has it listed in their weekly flyer as today. I checked their website and it says available today.

Apparently all new music CDS and DVDS were released today. I don't know why. If anyone else knows why, let me know.

By the way, I bought both the CD and DVD, listened to the CD at work. It was a fantastic live performance overall.

Oh, shit. I was at Best Buy today but I thought they came out tomorrow. I would have gotten them today.

[DonC]

Here's the new touring lineup for Jon Oliva's Pain:

Jon Oliva – Vocals, Keyboards
Christopher Kinder - Drums
Jerry Outlaw - Guitar
Jason Jennings - Bass
Joseph Diaz - Guitar

Too bad they aren't touring the US right now.

[Deathstroke]

Oh, shit. I was at Best Buy today but I thought they came out tomorrow. I would have gotten them today.

I still haven't found out why they all came out on Monday this week.

[Deathstroke]

I've been listening to audio samples of the new Tyketto and Trixter albums over on Melodicrock.com this morning.

Not that interested in the Trixter stuff, but the Tyketto album sounds pretty good. Especially the track "Here's Hoping It Hurts".

[Deathstroke]

The new Kreator CD Phantom Antichrist is due June 1st in Europe and June 5th in North America via Nuclear Blast Records.

The limited edition of "Phantom Antichrist" will be made available as two-disc digipack, including a bonus DVD.

"Phantom Antichrist" track listing:

CD:

01. Mars Mantra
02. Phantom Antichrist
03. Death To The World
04. From Flood Into Fire
05. Civilisation Collapse
06. United In Hate
07. The Few, The Proud, The Broken
08. Your Heaven In My Hell
09. Victory Will Come
10. Until Our Paths Cross Again
11. Iron Destiny (Japan exclusive)

Limited-edition bonus DVD:

* Conquerers Of The Ice – The Making Of Phanom Antichrist
* Harvesting The Grapes Of Horror
* Live at Wacken Open Air in 2011 and 2008 (mixed by Klaus Scheuermann, edited by Marcel Schleif and Stephan Lier)

Wacken Open Air 2011:

01. Choir Of The Damned
02. Hordes Of Chaos
03. War Curse
04. Coma Of Souls / Endless Pain
05. Pleasure To Kill
06. Destroy What Destroys You
07. Phobia
08. Terrible Certainity / Reconquering The Throne
09. Flag Of Hate / Tormentor

Wacken Open Air 2008:

10. The Patriarch
11. Violent Revolution
12. People Of The Lie
13. Europe After The Pain

Limited Edition artwork:


Standard album art:

[Deathstroke]

Tigertailz has split with singer Kim Hooker.

The new Grand Magus CD The Hunt is due in Europe on May 25th via Nuclear Blast Records.

[Deathstroke]

The new Smile Empty Soul CD 3's is due out May 22nd via eOne Music.

01. Carve
02. Ugly
03. Warning
04. Sleep Deprivation
05. Hiding Place
06. Let Go
07. Basement
08. Afterlife
09. Greatest Hits and Medleys
10. Hard Biter
11. Wrecking Ball
12. Not Alike

[Deathstroke]

The new Fear Factory CD The Industrialist will be released later this year. It will be out in Europe via AFM Records and on Candlelight Records in the US, where it will be out June 5th.

More details on the album:

"The CD is a conceptual record based around a story written by vocalist Burton C. Bell. Lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel magazine. The album's artwork was created by American designer Anthony Clarkson with additional direction from the band. The album will be available on three formats — standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs), and 180-gram double vinyl.

Bell notes, "The protagonist (The Industrialist) is the incarnation of all industries in the form of an automaton. The mechanical, technological, and scientific advances through the industrial age led to the creation of The Industrialist. In the story, the automaton becomes sentient as it collects memories with each passing day. Through observation and learning, it gains the will to exist. What was meant to help man, will eventually be man's demise."

"The Industrialist" again pairs FEAR FACTORY with producer Rhys Fulber. Mixed by Greg Reely (PARADISE LOST, SKINNY PUPPY, MACHINE HEAD), with additional tracking by Logan Mader (GOJIRA, DIVINE HERESY), the album is the second written by Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares since reuniting in 2009 after a seven-year split. Cazares says, "Collaborating with Burton again on the new album was like magic. Everything just fell into place naturally. It felt good to recapture the true sound of FEAR FACTORY, taking it back to where it all started while raising it to new levels." Regarding Fulber, Cazares says, "Rhys has been our secret member. He is the one producer who has been able to understand what we have been trying to accomplish from the beginning and has opened our eyes to new things without sacrificing our original sound. His production and keyboard talents has made FEAR FACTORY stand out amongst the many bands of our genre."

01. The Industrialist
02. Recharger
03. New Messiah
04. God Eater
05. Depraved Mind Murder
06. Virus of Faith
07. Difference Engine
08. Dissemble
09. Religion is Flawed Because Man is Flawed
10. Human Augmentation
11. Blush Response (Difference Engine) *
12. Landfill *

* Available on deluxe digibook only

[Deathstroke]

The new Shadows Fall CD Fire From The Sky is due out May 8th via Razor & Tie Records.

Here's the cover art for the album:

Here's the track listing:

01. The Unknown
02. Divide And Conquer
03. Weight Of The World
04. Nothing Remains
05. Fire From The Sky
06. Save Your Soul
07. Blind Faith
08. Lost Within
09. Walk The Edge
10. The Wasteland

[Deathstroke]

As first reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on March 26, Swedish metallers SABATON have now confirmed the departure of guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr. Vocalist Joakim Bróden and bassist Pär Sundström will continue SABATON with new, as-yet-undisclosed members.

Commented SABATON in a statement: "Starting a band at the age of 18 is simple, keeping it intact for 12 years is much harder, and finally we have come to the crossroad where we will go separate ways.

"Pär Sundström and Joakim Brodén will continue to battle on stage, carrying the banner of SABATON to further victories.

"We will always have an eternal bond to each other, created by more than 12 years of friendship and touring, and wish each other long and prosperous lives with families, various projects and musical careers.

"In the end, all six of us will end up in our own glorious future…"

[Deathstroke]

The UK edition of the Sonisphere festival has been canceled. Apparently due to low tickets sales.

Also:

Intromental Worldwide, the company which was in charge of booking former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno's summer 2012 North American tour, has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"It is with deep regret that Intromental Worldwide announces that Paul Di'Anno and his management have decided to cancel the upcoming North American tour already scheduled and confirmed for this summer. Intromental was acting in the capacity of booking agents for the tour.

"The cancelation is 100% beyond our control, and it comes after the majority of the tour was confirmed and announced. We're extremely dissatisfied with how things were handled by Paul Di'Anno and his management as we were given no explanation other than 'Paul chooses not to do this tour.' Given the history and previous cancelations, we are not entirely surprised.

"This very untimely decision is affecting promoters, agents and the bands involved in the tour in many ways, including financially. We're very sorry about this turn of events and apologize to all fans, promoters and venues who supported our efforts in booking this tour."

Di'Anno's backing and support band for this summer's North American tour was supposed to be Cleopatra recording artist ICARUS WITCH. This run of dates, however, was also slated to include Earache buzz band CAULDRON and Pure Steel traditional metal maniacs WIDOW. The tour was set to cover the U.S. and Canada from July 25 to September 2.

[Deathstroke]

U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release a "rare-tracks" album with some very special gems for the fans. Entitled "Celebrator", the effort will be made available on May 4 via AFM Records.

"Celebrator" track listing:

CD 1:

01. Stormbreaker ("Rev-Raptor" Japan BONUS)
02. Tallyman (Taken from the "Rev-Raptor" recording session)
03. Run! (Remix)
04. Free Or Rebellion (bonus "Leatherhead" Single)
05. Bleeding Heart ("Dominator" Japan bonus)
06. The Silencer (Taken from the "Dominator" recording session)
07. Bodyworld (bonus "Infected" Single)
08. Systematic Madness (bonus "Infected" Single)
09. HAMMERFALL feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Head Over Heels
10. Balls To The Wall (piano version)
11. Artificialized (Taken from the "Mastercutor" recording session)
12. LORDI feat. Udo Dirkschneider - They Only Come Out At Night
13. Streets Of Sin (bonus "Wrong Side Of Midnight" single)

CD 2:

01. Tears Of A Clown ("Classical Version")
02. Man A King Ruler ("Mastercutor" Japan bonus)
03. Hardcore Lover (remix from "24/7" single)
04. Scream Killers (bonus "24/7" single)
05. U.D.O. feat. Faktor2 - Platchet Soldat (remix with national Russian artist)
06. Borderline ("Thunderball" Japan bonus)
07. U.D.O. feat. Doro - Dancing With An Angel (remix)
08. X-T-C (remix from "A Tribute To ACCEPT Vol. 2")
09. Azrael (remix from "No Limits")
10. The Key (remix from "No Limits" Japan bonus)
11. Metal Gods (from "A Tribute To Judas Priest")
12. RAVEN feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Born To Be Wild

[DonC]

It's a shame Di'Anno apparently flaked on a North American tour. I would have gone and seen him last year but for some reason his Cleveland gig was on Christmas Eve.

[Deathstroke]

The new Gotthard CD Firebirth is due out June 1st via Nuclear Blast Records / Warner Music.

Here's the track listing:

01. Starlight
02. Give Me Real
03. Remember It's Me
04. Fight
05. Yippie Aye Yay
06. Tell Me
07. Shine
08. The Story Is Over
09. Right On
10. S.O.S.
11. Take It All Back
12. I Can
13. Where Are You

[Deathstroke]

Ratpak Records will release the George Lynch EP Legacy on May 1st.

The four songs on the disc are:

01. Blood Drive
02. Circulo del Fuego
03. Invoid
04. The Road Ahead