Archive for May, 2009

The moment most of us have been waiting for finally has a date, or at least a month.

Brave Words is reporting that Immortal have finished their new album entitled “All Shall Fall”. Currently scheduled for release some time in September on Nuclear Blast.

I am in full on fanboy mode as I await this album, as well as the tour that I’m sure will follow. I saw Immortal in 2006 when they first reunited and was blown away by their live show.

The cover art for the long time coming Wintersun album “Time” has been leaked:

I personally think it looks nice, but many people out there have been using words as “gay” and “retarded” to describe it.

According to a post on the Wintersun official message boards, it is only a draft and not the official art to be used for the cover. I’ve yet to confirm this since the page for that topic in their forums is not loading for me. I guess I’ll just give it more time. Get it? I crack myself up.

Thanks to The Blackest Apocalyptica for the heads up.

Dream Theater is pulling off a Windows Vista with their release of their new album, “Black Clouds & Silver Linings”. There’s a total of 4 different versions coming out of the same album; each one including more bonus material than your mom, with the big Deluxe Collector’s Edition Box Set containing more bonus material than John Petrucci’s mom.

Here’s the breakdown, as found on Dream Theater’s official site:

DELUXE COLLECTOR’S EDITION BOX SET: $132.00
Price INCLUDES shipping via Priority Mail for all domestic U.S. customers!

Pre-order this configuration and receive an exclusive code to download 5 of the newly recorded cover songs. 1 track per week will be released, beginning on 5/19, leading up to album release. You’ll hear them first! (Download available to U.S. customers only.)

* Find a SILVER TICKET and Win a MEET & GREET with the Band!
* 3-CD Special Edition Set Includes Album, Instrumental Mixes and 6 Newly Recorded Cover Songs
* Limited Edition Audiophile 180-Gram Double LP Set with Exclusive Artwork from Hugh Syme
* Black Clouds & Silver Linings “Producer’s Edition” Disc Includes Isolated Audio Tracks of the Entire Album (This Bonus Disc Only Available in This Set)
* Limited Edition, Numbered Lithograph by Legendary Artist Hugh Syme. 100 Lucky Winners will Find a Litho Personally Signed by the Artist!
* Computer Mouse Pad, Exclusively Available with Box Set
* Packaged in a Silver Foil Embossed Black Velvet Box.

SPECIAL EDITION: $22.99
Dream Theater’s Latest Progressive Metal Masterpiece in a 3-CD Deluxe Edition includes:

* 6 Newly Recorded Cover Songs
* Instrumental Mixes of the Entire Album
* Expanded Artwork and Packaging

DOUBLE LP: $27.49
180-Gram Double LP Set: The vinyl is of the highest audiophile quality and pressed in Germany.

STANDARD: $15.99
Dream Theater return with Over 70 Minutes of New Music

Here’s Portnoy explaining the Deluxe Set for the TL;DR crowd:

$132 is a lot to pay for music/artwork, but that “Producer’s Edition” disc would make any aspiring music producer’s day. I know it’d make mine. Also it comes with a mousepad.

According to Metalstorm (whose staff can apparently read norwegian), norse newspaper Dagbladet published story in which ex-Burzum band member and former stabber Varg Vikernes confirmed his release from prison.

He says he was released a couple of weeks ago and is now enjoying the nice life with his french wife and 18 month old son in their farm at Telemark, Norway.

I don’t buy it. That motherfucker is up to something.

Continuing with the Stratovarius news-fest this week, here I am again to inform you of the latest from Finland’s pride.

Stratovarius has put up their new album, Polaris, for streaming. Absolutely free. You can check it out here.

So the cool thing for drummers is getting custom drumsticks made for them by endorsing companies, which is the case for Pro-Mark’s newest addition, Joey Jordison.

With a description of said sticks that sounds much like a depiction of a wand you might purchase at Ollivander’s, the most striking feature of the TX515W Joey Jordison model might be the fact that they contain #1′s blood on them.

That’s right, in an act of unprecedented metalness, the drummer gave up 2 vials of his own blood to be mixed with the paint used on the drumsticks. Check it out:

Behemoth have released the artwork for their upcoming album, “Evangelion”.

What you see above is (according to main man Nergal) a couple of saints bowing before The Whore of Babylon, who is riding her seven-headed beast while the tablets of the Ten Commandments lie broken at her feet. I think maybe some color would’ve helped.

Also that Babylonian hooker needs bigger tits.

The hungarian folk duo released a new album, Ösforrás, back in March and I’m just hearing about it right now. Welcome to 2 months ago, I know.

Still, it is never too late to enjoy some good folk tunes, especially from these guys. Their previous release, Regц Rejtem, was a rare gem among the generic wave of recently formed folk/metal/viking/we-have-violins bands, and this one delivers the goods once again. You can check out some free tracks over at their official site.

The Tolkster, as we here in Metalscape like to call our dear crazy Finnish friend, is at it again. After destroying Stratovarius, stealing money from the other band members, failing miserably with his “Rock” opera and forming a new band with the most retarded name ever, the man has not had enough.

He’s now following in Dino Cazares’ footsteps and formed his own band again, with the original lineup. And by original I mean 1984 original. That’s right, Timo has somehow managed to convince the 3 other aging dinosaurs that once upon a very long ass time were known as “Stratovarius” that this was not the worst idea ever. Tuomo Lassila, the man who originally formed Strato back in ’82 is back, along with long time bass player for the band Jari Kainulainen, who had recently quit the group because he was tired of all the touring. I’m guessing his family is being held hostage by the Tolkster and won’t be released until his duties in this new nightmare are fulfilled.

They’re calling it “Project Strato: Return To Dreamspace” since apparently the whole vibe is to make music in the same vein as Dreamspace/Twilight Time era Stratovarius. That means Tolkki will be back on vocals and a 20 year backtrack on all progress done with Timo’s power metal songwriting (which wasn’t much to being with).

I was really hoping Timo would retire from the whole “being in a band” thing and settle down as a producer or something. All of these attention-getting stunts are getting to be pretty ridiculous.

What the fuck is up with the new Sherlock Holmes movie? If I remember correctly, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character was a serene, sober, distinguished gentleman who solved mysteries using his acute smarts.

But apparently that does not make for interesting movie making, as this new rendition of the famous English detective portrays him more like a mix between Jim West and fucking Tyler Durden. “Detective work? Fuck that, I’ll just punch and shoot my way out this motherfucking case”.

I couldn’t make out any plot line from the trailer, I was too distracted watching Mr. Holmes punch some dude in the face in what seemed like an illegal bare knuckle fight, in slow motion. The Sheriff must be rolling in his… er… fishing boat?