Armoury Records (a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment) will release "Polaris," the new studio album from symphonic metallers Stratovarius on May 26.
Pioneers of progressive metal, Stratovarius blends rock influences with neo-classical passion. The album is a collection of 11 songs that thrive with powerful melodies, sophisticated arrangements, and supreme technical prowess. Vocalist Timo Kotipelto explains, “Polaris is a positive, powerful album that Stratovarius fans all over the world are certain to take to their hearts.”
Polaris was recorded in the fall 2008 at Hästholmen and 5by5 studios, in Helsinki, Finland. It was mixed by the legendary Mikko Karmila, who has a long history with the band. They hid themselves in a secluded cottage in the forests of Finland to focus on making the perfect record, and emerged with not only Polaris, but also a positive new outlook on the direction of their career.
With the addition of new guitarist Matias Kupiainen, Stratovarius (vocalist Timo Kotipelto, bassist Lauri Porra, drummer Jörg Michael, and keyboardist Jens Johansson) are ready to dominate the progressive metal empire. They will hit the road in May, embarking on an international tour that starts in Europe and ends in the States. This includes a stop at the renowned Wacken Rocks festival.
Track Listing: 1.) Deep Unknown 2.) Falling Star 3.) King of Nothing 4.) Blind 5.) Winter Skies 6.) Forever Is Today 7.) Higher We Go 8.) Somehow Precious 9.) Emancipation Part I 10.) Emancipation Part II 11.) Mountains Fall
Italy’s Lacuna Coil has returned with a new full-length release, "Shallow Life," which is set for an April 21 North American release. The album was recorded with acclaimed producer Don Gilmore (Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Pearl Jam) at the famed NRG Studios in Los Angeles.
The group recently completed a new video for “Spellbound” that was shot in their hometown of Milan. To view the video, visit Artist Direct.
Cristina Scabbia (vocals) comments: “We had a great time shooting the video for ‘Spellbound’ and it also marks our first time working with acclaimed Italian director Saku in a location that's really peculiar. It was filmed in a very fashionable place: the restaurant ‘Gold’ located in Milan, Italy, which owned by the fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana, who kindly gave us the permission to film over there!
"The location provides the perfect atmosphere to express the ‘Shallow Life’ theme. Everything is really shiny and ‘bling bling’ and the band is performing in the middle of a golden room full of mirrors and giant chandeliers.
“The story is rounded out by some actors that are interpreting different aspects of being under a spell of something: the girl obsessed by her weight and look, the guy who wants to be a superman, the politician etc. We can't wait for you guys to see it and give us your impressions on the new album. See you all soon.”
A "Shallow Life" pre-order package is also exclusively available through CMDistro.com. The limited number package includes the "Shallow Life" CD, an 8x10 glossy band photo, a guitar pick, cover sticker and a choice between a necklace or belt buckle.
Lacuna Coil is also performing some new material on this spring’s “Music As A Weapon IV” festival with Disturbed and Killswitch Engage. The 38-city “Music As A Weapon IV” fest marks the group’s first run of North America in almost two years.
I've been strumming my acoustic guitar a bit more than usual the last few days, and it's gotten me thinking about some of the really good acoustic records by normally hard-rocking artists. When people decide to unplug, it's not always great. If you're a child of the 1980s like me, you probably remember MTV's "Unplugged," which featured a lot of bands that should have stayed plugged in. For every brilliant performance like Aerosmith's, there were plenty of painful performances, like, say, Poison. But some bands can do both just as well. Read on for my five favorite (mostly) acoustic records by otherwise hard-rocking bands.
1. Alice in Chains, "Jar of Flies." This, to me, is the epitome of a great acoustic hard rock record. It's not some phony, staged unplugging for a TV show. The seven tracks here are all raw and honest. It's an emotional, often dark journey from start to finish, and despite being perhaps the band's softest moment, it's just as heavy as anything they did plugged in. Jerry Cantrell's sometimes simple and sometimes intricate guitar work provides the base, and the moody drone of the late Layne Staley brings it all home. My only complaint is that it's far too short. An acoustic metal masterpiece.
2. Tesla, "Five Man Acoustical Jam." Laugh if you want, but I think Tesla got a bad rap in the 1980s by being lumped in with the Poisons, Warrants and Wingers. They were a great blue jean, roots hard rock band, and they prove it with this set that mixes acoustic versions of their own songs, a number of covers and some just for fun stuff. It's one of those rare live albums that makes you feel as though you were there and having a great time, and the performances are top notch as well. You know their cover of "Signs," of course, but also check out the acoustic version of "Gettin' Better" and their cover of CCR's "Lodi."
3. Black Label Society, "Hangover Music, Vol. 6." Like Alice in Chains' "Jar of Flies," there's an honesty here that doesn't often come across in acoustic records by hard rockers. Admittedly, there are a few snoozers here, but it's hard to deny the power of songs like "Once More" and "No Other." Zakk Wylde's gravelly voice is perfect for these moody acoustic numbers, and this record is a powerful testament to what he can do when he turns the Les Paul down a little. (I don't want him to do that often, mind you.)
(Sorry, for some crazy reason, there's no widget available for "Hangover Music.")
4. Nirvana, "Unplugged in New York." It's no secret that I think Nirvana is the most overrated band in the history of recorded music. Sure, they ushered in a new style of music, but there were far superior bands in that style -- Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, even Pearl Jam. Still, I agree with the Nirvana worshippers on one point: this record is brilliant. From the gritty opener "About a Girl" to a cool cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" to a rocking cover of the Meat Puppets' "Lake of Fire," there aren't many skips on this record. It showed an artistry that I didn't believe Nirvana capable of prior to this record.
5. Opeth, "Damnation." Perhaps it's a daring move for a progressive death metal band to take a break from the distortion and growls, but I'm glad they did. The result is a very haunting set of 1970s-influenced rock that continues to set the band apart from their contemporaries in the metal genre. While I certainly wouldn't want Opeth to turn to this full time, it's a welcome diversion.
Godsmack, "The Other Side." I was actually quite surprised with this record. I couldn't really see Godsmack as an acoustic act, until I saw them do their live acoustic set. The performance really put me in mind of Alice in Chains, as does this record. It's perhaps not a comparison that the band would want, seeing as it's one they've gotten their whole career, but in this case it's a high compliment.
Alice in Chains, "Unplugged." Not as strong as "Jar of Flies," but a solid set of songs and a very powerful performance just the same.
Zakk Wylde, "Book of Shadows." This record was very jarring for me when it came out, and I still haven't come fully around to it, but I do have a great appreciation for it. And "Sold My Soul" is just an incredible song, maybe one of his best.
Disagree with me, or think I missed one? Let me know about it.
For the past few years, Judas Priest has unquestionably ruled the U.S. summer concert scene, having been a part of both the top-grossing Ozzfest and Metal Masters tours. And this summer, Priest has done it again, by uniting with Whitesnake for a series of stateside shows. Priest will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the classic album "British Steel" (it was originally issued in April 1980), by performing the album in its entirety for the very first time ever live on stage! In addition they will be playing some old favorites.
Along with 1982's "Screaming for Vengeance" and 1990's "Painkiller," "British Steel" has long been considered one of metal's all-time classics. It was with this release that Priest truly broke through to the masses, with a pair of tracks that have become fixtures on rock radio - the enduring anthems "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight." But like all classic albums, there is not a single weak track detected on "British Steel," as evidenced by such standouts as the perennial concert highlight, "Metal Gods," as well as "Rapid Fire," "Grinder," "United," and "The Rage," among others.
Produced by Tom Allom, "British Steel" was recorded at the Tittenhurst Park in England - which is a mansion owned at the time by former Beatle Ringo Starr, and previously owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. In 2001, the album was remastered and reissued with extra bonus tracks, and also, was the subject of an in-depth study as part of the popular "Classic Albums" DVD series. = "The opportunity to perform live on stage in its entirety the whole of 'British Steel' is a dream come true for all of us! We're really excited and looking forward to presenting the album live on stage - fans will be able to enjoy a taste of true heavy metal when it was in its early, raw state!" said the group in a statement. "Plus, we will of course be throwing in a few other Priest classics!"
2009 CONFIRMED TOUR DATES [more to be announced]:
* INDICATES PERFORMANCES WITH WHITESNAKE July 1st The Family Arena St. Charles, MO July 2nd Summerfest (Harley Davidson Stage) Milwaukee, WI July 3rd Taste of Minnesota at Harriet Island * St. Paul, MN July 7th Comcast Center * Mansfield, MA July 8th CMAC * Canadaigua, NY July 9th Molson Amphitheatre * Toronto, ONT July 11th PNC Bank Arts Center * Holmdel, NJ July 12th Nikon at Jones Beach * Wantagh, NY July 14th Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre * Cleveland, OH July 15th DTE Energy Music Theatre * Clarkston, MI July 17th Moondance Jam * Walker, MN July 18th Rockfest/Cheppewa Valley Music Cadott, WI July 21st PNC Pavillion @ Riverbend Music * Cincinnati, OH July 29th California Mid State Fair * Paso Robles, CA July 31st Sleep Train Pavillion * Concord, CA August 1st 98 Rock Jamboree @ Sleep Train Amp* Marysville, CA August 2nd Gibson Amphitheatre * Universal City, CA August 4th SDSU Open Air Theatre * San Diego, CA August 5th Pacific Ampitheatre/OC Fair * Costa Mesa, CA August 7th Dodge Theatre * Phoenix, AZ August 8th Thomas & Mack Center * Las Vegas, NV August 10th Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM August 11th Red Rocks Ampitheatre * Morrison, CO
Editor's note:Still Spinning is an occasional feature where I revisit a record that I consider a classic.
It seems only fitting that as I christen the newest version of Hall of the Mountain King, I revisit the record that inspired the site's name way back in its first incarnation in 1997.
Just so there's no illusion of objectivity here, I'll go ahead and say before I begin that I'm a complete fanboy. Beyond the name of this site, Savatage's music has inspired me on many levels. It's often on the stereo as I write, and it helped shape my love of metal. In fact, Savatage is probably one of the three or four most important bands in my collection. But as much as I like all of their records, "Hall of the Mountain King" simply owns everything else they've done. There's not even a remotely weak song on the record from start to finish.
Let's start with a certifiable metal classic -- the title track (along with its companion piece "Prelude to Madness.") "Prelude," a metal spin on Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" builds slowly into a mad frenzy of guitar histrionics that leads to the gut punch of "Hall of the Mountain King." The song, in honesty, didn't need the crashing thunder in the opening because that memorable main riff from Criss Oliva gives it all the thunder and lightning it needs. Jon Oliva's vocals are also at their best on this song -- sinister and sardonic, with the trademark screams and that wicked laugh. On a side note, it was one of the highlights of my year last year when Trans-Siberian Orchestra granted one of my wishes by performing "Prelude to Madness" live. Perhaps it's a little sad, I guess, but when those first thunderbolts struck on the stage, I was like a kid who had just been handed a brand new bag of candy. Still, I wish I could have just gotten one taste of that "Hall of the Mountain King" riff, but alas, no such luck.
That two-song set, though, is just the high point of a powerful complete album from start to finish. There's the fairly simple, but very effective riff of "The Price You Pay," which ranks as another of the band's greatest tunes in my opinion. There's also quite a bit of variety on the record, ranging from the soft instrumental "Last Dawn" to the almost pop-rock "Strange Wings" (another great riff) to the full frontal assault of "White Witch." Top it all off with the Jon Oliva screamfest "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" and the dark, almost haunting "Legions," and you have a true metal classic.
I'll be honest in saying I don't think Savatage has ever done a remotely bad record (I don't really count "Fight for the Rock" as a Savatage record because it sounds nothing like them), but as much as I love "Gutter Ballet," "Streets" or just about everything else they've done, nothing comes close to touching this record. Criss Oliva's guitar is at its raw best here, untempered, unadulterated power. While it's not as refined or complex as their later records, to me, it's the perfect metal album.
Heaven and Hell, featuring Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice, (that's the second incarnation of Black Sabbath to us old geezers) have posted the new tune "Bible Black" from the upcoming album "The Devil You Know" on their official MySpace page. The record is set for release on April 28.
My first impression is that this song is much better than either of the two songs the band recorded for "The Dio Years" greatest hits collection a while back. "Bible Black" has much more of the feel of something from "Heaven and Hell" or "Mob Rules" than either of those songs.
It builds slowly with some dark, clean guitar work from Iommi. Dio's voice is in fine form here, as good as its ever sounded really. From there, it launches into a big, heavy riff and becomes a slab of a metal beast with all the groove and grace you expect from this version of Black Sabb ... um, I mean Heaven and Hell.
I was a bit surprised on picking up Luna Mortis' "The Absence" to find that I'd heard the band before. I remembered reviewing 2006's "Way of the Blade," which they recorded under the name Ottoman Empire. I didn't remember being very impressed by it. Maybe I should dig it out and give it another listen because their debut as Luna Mortis is a completely different story.
Blending elements of thrash, power metal, progressive and even melodic death metal, the Wisconsin-based band takes its cues from all over the metal map. Opener, "Ash," starts with an old school thrash gallop, then drops into an entrancing prog/power mode before exploding into a snarling Swedish-influenced death metal monster. It settles into a blazing power metal mode for the bridge before returning to a prog chorus. In some hands, that could become an unlistenable hodgepodge of styles. Here, though, it flows smoothly and naturally, which is the real appeal of Luna Mortis.
Vocalist Mary Zimmer has a nice middle-ground voice for female metal singers. While she can pull off the expected angelic bits, there's no overbearing soprano. She's, at times, reminiscent of Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia, mixing tenderness and toughness, and her vocals are often hypnotic, as on the pure prog number "This Departure." That is, of course, when she's not snarling like a rabid beast on the death metal-influenced portions of the record. Guitarists Brian Koenig and Cory Scheider deliver tight, memorable riffs along with smooth and enticing leads. There's nothing incredibly fancy in their guitarwork, but it's perfect for the sound of the band.
Over the course of the record, Luna Mortis bounces in and out of styles with reckless abandon and marvelous results. The title song is pretty much a full-on melodeath number with just a few interludes of the more mellow stylings. It's an interesting counterpoint to a song like "Forever More," which is more of a straight-ahead European power metal number with soaring chorus vocals and upbeat guitar riffs. But the true strength of Luna Mortis is when they blend the styles together with songs like album opener "Ash," the aggressive thrasher "Never Give In" and the haunting "Phantoms."
"The Absence" is sure to bring plenty of comparisons, and if I had to simplify things, I'd say Luna Mortis reminds me a little of a cross between Dream Theater and Arch Enemy. But I think that would be really shortchanging the band and the ground they cover. The songs are memorable, the transitions are seamless, and though the year is young, I'd guess this record is destined to be one of my favorite of 2009.
This record had the misfortune of coming out on the same day as Lamb of God's "Wrath," and has gotten a bit shortchanged in my listening because of that. It's a shame, too, because this record is easily as good, if not better.
God Forbid came to fame as part of the metalcore movement which blended elements of metal and hardcore. While the subgenre quickly stagnated, a few bands progressed and improved. God Forbid's last record, "IV: Constitution of Treason," was one of the best of 2005 and showed a band on the move. It was a more melodic, more complex record than their previous work, offering a wider range of sounds. "Earthsblood" continues on that path, bringing in even more progressive influence.
That's not to say that God Forbid can't still deliver the blocks that built the subgenre -- chugging guitar riffs and shouted verse vocals mixed with more melodic and catchy choruses. They prove it with "War of Attrition," which despite being one of the more typical metalcore numbers is also one of the best on the record. They can still deliver a solid breakdown as well. Just check out the ferocious segment from "Empire of the Gun."
But what makes "Earthsblood" truly interesting is the even more varied progressive and melodic elements the band adds. Sometimes it doesn't work quite as intended. "The New Clear," for example, perhaps takes those aspects too far and comes off sounding a bit like a metal band trying to play Santana. But when they blend together, as on "The Rain," it's well above and beyond what the other bands in the subgenre are doing.
The star of this record, as with the last, are the guitars of Doc and Dallas Coyle. They unleash some primo riffs here, most notably on the thrashing opening of "Shallow" and the old-school hard rock opening of "Walk Alone." The vocals see some changes as well. Lead vocalist Byron Davis still rages away, but the record features more clean vocals and harmonies, which are used particularly effectively to punctuate Davis' snarls on the epic title track.
While many of their contemporaries in the metalcore subgenre stagnate and fade, God Forbid continues to push forward and get better with each record they release. "Earthsblood" is yet another triumph for what may be one of the most underrated bands in the metal world right now.
UPDATE: I'll leave my old anal guidelines here for posterity, but these days I'm pretty easy. If your music is like the stuff you see on this blog, just shoot me a link to where I can listen to it. If I like it, I may write something about it. If not, I probably won't. That's it.
If you represent a band or a label and would like to have your music featured here, e-mail submissions@mountainkingmusic.com for details on where to send it.
I welcome music from both signed and unsigned acts. My primary music interests are hard rock and metal. I prefer music with strong melodies and at least the occasional hook. I have a secondary interest in outlaw country, Southern rock and blues and will consider submissions in those genres. I will attempt to review every record that I receive, but be aware that I will be completely honest in my reviews, love it or hate it. If you'd like to direct me to a MySpace or some other place where I can sample your music to see if I might like it before you send me a review copy, I'm willing to do that. I'm not one of those reviewers who loves to trash records. I'd rather use my site to promote music I like.
I prefer to receive review copies on CD for a couple of reasons. The first being the purely personal love that I have for the physical product, and the second being that I do most of my listening for review on the go and need something portable. (Full CDs with liner notes will get brownie points.) I'll also accept high-quality digital files as long as they offer me the same portability as a CD. About the only thing I will not at least attempt to review is a voiceover CD because I find them unlistenable.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line at submissions@mountainkingmusic.com. Thanks.
Armoury Records (a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment) will release "Polaris," the new studio album from symphonic metallers Stratovarius on May 26.
