Simon Cruz (pictured centre) of Swedish glam metal band Crashdiet has fallen through a roof on what appears to be an after show drunken escapade in Spain. Fortunately the singer only suffered some minor bumps and bruises after getting checked over at a local hospital. The band’s tour manager made light of what could have been a far more serious incident citing the discussion between Simon and the occupants of the building that he fell through as the “quote of the tour”.

Simon – “Sorry for falling thru your roof”
Sweet Old Lady – “I’m just glad you’re alright. I’ve got 4 grandchildren… boys… I just hope none are as stupid as you”

Sweet Old Lady 1, Simon Nil

www.crashdiet.org

In anticipation of their upcoming release, Israel’s Orphaned Land have premiered a new lyrical video for the song ‘Let The Truce Be Known’, taken from the band’s new 6th studio album, ‘All Is One’, which will surface on June 24th via Century Media Records.

Singer Kobi Farhi explains about the story behind ‘Let The Truce Be Known’, “The main inspiration for the story behind the song lies with the famous World War 1 story called ‘The Christmas Truce’. We were simply blown away from that story. From the way that those holyday songs were the trigger to bring the enemies to co-exist and celebrate together as brothers for one night in No Man’s Land. The next day they just got back to bomb and kill each other. It is an outstanding story that shows us the eternal hope of mankind, the power of music and the tragedy that despite all of that – evil still prevails.”

‘Let The Truce Be Known’ can be heard here: –

Previously released album track, ‘Our Own Messiah’ can be heard here: -

‘All Is One’ was mixed by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Amon Amarth, James LaBrie, Devin Townsend Project, Opeth) and was recorded in three different countries: Israel, Turkey and Sweden. Ironically, these countries are Jewish, Muslim and Christian respectively, which strengthens the Orphaned Land message of unity through music. Over 40 musicians were used to flesh out the sound of ‘All Is One’, including 25 choir singers and eight classical violin, viola and cello players from Turkey.

Orphaned Land – ‘All Is One’ European Tour 2013
20.09.13 Colmar – Le Grillen / Fr
21.09.13 Lille – Le Splendid / Fr
22.09.13 Tongeren – Sodom Klub / Be
24.09.13 Aschaffenburg – Colossal / Ger
25.09.13 Bochum – Matrix / Ger
26.09.13 Hamburg – Rock N Roll Warehouse / Ger
27.09.13 Kobenhavn – Amager Bio Uniting The Powers Of Metal / Dk
28.09.13 Gera – Sachsischer Bahnof / Ger
29.09.13 Nuernberg – Hirsch / Ger
01.10.13 Praha – Exit us / Cz
02.10.13 Warsaw – Proxima club / Pl
03.10.13 Krakow – Lizard King club / Pl
04.10.13 Budapest – Club 202 / Hg
05.10.13 Vienna – Reigen Club / At
06.10.13 Bratislava – Randal Club / Sk
11.10.13 Sofia – Mix Tape 5 / Bg
12.10.13 Tessaloniki – Eight Ball Club / Gr
13.10.13 Athen – Kyttaro Live / Gr
15.10.13 Ankara – Jolly Joker Balans / Tk
16.10.13 Istanbul – Kucukciftkik Park / Tk
18.10.13 Belgrad – Dom Omladine / Srb
19.10.13 Zagreb – TBA / Ct
20.10.13 Maribor – Mc Pekarna Klub / Slov
23.10.13 Milan – Rock N Roll Arena / It
24.10.13 Prateln – Z7 / Ch
26.10.13 Lyon – o Totem Rillieux Mjc / Fr
27.10.13 Toulon – Le Vox / Fr
28.10.13 Toulouse – Connexion Live / Fr
29.10.13 Bilbao – Rock Star / Sp
31.10.13 Porto – Hard Club / Pt
01.11.13 Lisbon – Music Box / Pt
02.11.13 Madrid – Ramdall / Sp
03.11.13 Barcelona – Apolo 2 / Sp
04.11.13 Montpellier – L’antirouille / Fr
06.11.13 Nantes – Le Ferrailleur / Fr
07.11.13 Paris – Divan Du Monde / Fr
08.11.13 Zoetermeer – Boerderij / Nl
09.11.13 Apeldoorn – Gigant / Nl
11.11.13 Norwich – Waterfront / UK
12.11.13 Bilston – Robin 2 / UK
13.11.13 London – The Garage / UK
14.11.13 Manchester – Sound Control / UK
15.11.13 Dublin – The Pint / IRE

www.orphaned-land.com

Today, Svart Records announces June 14th as the international release date for Candlemass’ vinyl-only ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus – Live at Roadburn 2011′ album. Candlemass’ debut album ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ is a genre-defining classic if there ever was one – the starting point of modern epic doom metal, even. In 2010 and 2011 Candlemass invited the original Epicus vocalist Johan Längqvist back into the fold for a few select shows celebrating the album’s 25th birthday. This vinyl-only release captures the band performing ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ album live at the sold-out Roadburn Festival in Holland, April 2011. Mixed from a professional 32-track recording and mastered vinyl under the supervision of band founder/mainman Leif Edling, this is the ultimate live version of the classic.

The Svart release has the album spread over three sides of vinyl and an etching on side D. The two LPs are wrapped in a gatefold jacket, and the set is available on black or white vinyl. Both versions are limited to 400. Comments Leif Edling, “No volcano could stop us this time to perform the Epicus album at the Roadburn festival in Holland. It was a very special day, filled with great music, incredible fans, and a band that had a lot of fun doing this! After 25 years original, Epicus singer Johan Längqvist is onstage with us to perform something that people say is one of the doom metal classics. And I think we did a pretty good job there at Roadburn. We played well, and the show was a total success! So here it is, Candlemass live at the Roadburn festival… as it was, no overdubs… recorded on 32 channels… a fine slice of legendary doom released on big, fat, double-packed vinyl!”

Keeping the beacon of Irish rock music well and truly alight, The Answer have consistently delivered commercial, and critically acclaimed albums. The band have also spent the last eight years touring the world and proving themselves to be an incendiary live act– spending almost two years as main support to AC/DC and playing to over 2 million people, performing festivals across the globe and also supporting the likes of The Rolling Stones, Whitesnake and Wolfmother as well as countless headline tours.

Since releasing their third studio album in late 2011, the band instigated a major shake up in their circumstances and with new management, live booking agents and record label on board, late 2012 saw them enter the studio with ex Little Angels vocalist Toby Jepson at the production helm.

The new record, ‘New Horizon’ will be their fourth studio album and with mixes from rock icon Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica), the new album will be released on September 30th 2013 through Napalm Records. The band were also honoured and privileged that the late Storm Thorgerson and his team saw fit to design the artwork for the new album and Storm was working on final ideas for the album cover just before his sad passing.

Singer Cormac Neeson comments, “We’re back and we’re back in a big way. Our love for rock ‘n’ roll is still as fresh as a skinny dip in the Lagan (that’s the big river that runs through Belfast!) and we really believe that this is by far and away our best album to date. We can’t wait to get out and play it live!”

The band are set to play their first headline dates since March 2012, undertaking a full 40 date European tour through October and November 2013.

Confirmed 2013 dates are as follows: -

11th Oct – Limelight 2, Belfast, Northern Ireland
12th Oct – Whelans, Dublin, EIRE
17th Oct – Academy 3, Manchester, UK
18th Oct – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, UK
19th Oct – Cockpit, Leeds, UK
20th Oct – Corporation, Sheffield, UK
22nd Oct – The Garage, Glasgow, UK
23rd Oct – O2 Academy, Newcastle, UK
24th Oct – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK
25th Oct – Electric Ballroom, London, UK
26th Oct – The Thekla, Bristol, UK
27th Oct – Concorde 2, Brighton, UK

www.theanswer.ie

UK shows are priced £16 London and £14 elsewhere (subject to booking fee). Tickets are available from local box offices and usual outlets.

Amon Amarth have revealed a trailer for their forthcoming mini documentary. Fittingly titled ‘Forging Mjölnir’, the short film will appear as a three-part series with each official segment slated to premiere via the band’s microsite at http://deceiver.amonamarth.com.

The Forging Mjölnir documentary comes in anticipation of Amon Amarth’s ninth studio offering, ‘Deceiver of the Gods’. Recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, UK, and produced, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap (Opeth, Megadeth, Exodus, Arch Enemy, Killswitch Engage), the follow-up to the band’s critically acclaimed 2011 ‘Surtur Rising’ full-length delivers ten fiery battle hymns made of buzzsaw riffs and epic harmonies all driven by vocalist Johan Hegg’s commanding Viking roar and absorbing accounts of Norse crusades and treachery. Deceiver of the Gods comes adorned with another outstanding Tom Thiel-created cover portraying a mythical battle between the Norse Gods Loki and Thor. As an added bonus, Messiah Marcolin (Candlemass) makes an appearance as guest vocalist on eighth track, ‘Hel.’

View the black and white Forging Mjölnir trailer where the band discusses their earliest musical influences, as well as a stream of opening title track and first single, ‘Deceiver of the Gods’ here: -

‘Deceiver of the Gods’ will be released in the UK via Metal Blade Records June 24th.

Following a run of European festival dates next month, including an appearance at Download 2013 Amon Amarth will be opening the mainstage of this year’s edition of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Fest set to commence June 29 in San Bernardino.

www.amonamarth.com

Following the recently announced news of the ‘Heavy Metal Truants’ charity bike ride to Download Festival at Castle Donington, organised by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas, it has now been announced that Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson will be flying in specially from Germany – following two sold-out Maiden shows in Frankfurt – so he can join the HM Truants in cycling the final 25 mile leg of the bike ride into the Download Festival.

The riders arrive on Friday June 14th, the day before Iron Maiden’s headline appearance there in front of an expected 100,000 fans. This ride by the Metal fraternity is to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, Childline and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy.

Asked how he felt about this most unconventional way to arrive at a major UK Festival where Maiden will be headlining on the Saturday night, June 15th, Bruce commented: “Yes, maybe it’s the first time the headliner has shown up on a bike, but I do use my bike to get around in London when l get the chance and have turned up at the BBC on a bike before, although the Commissioners were a bit surprised as they are too used to seeing limos! These are great causes, I am only sorry that due to our tour schedule l can’t do more of the ride, and hope our fans will support our efforts. I look forward to a day off after the ride seeing some great bands before we go into full Maiden action on the Saturday, with every intention of giving the fans a memorable show. Download and Metal fans are the best there are, so everyone expects something very special.”

Starting on Wednesday, June 12th, over 40 riders will set off from Alexandra Palace, London, cycling 165 miles up to Donington Park, arriving as the first bands take to the Download stage on the afternoon of Friday 14th. The sponsored riders will also include band members from British Lion, Paradise Lost, Pendulum, Tesseract, Thunder, Trivium and Young Guns alongside music journalists, radio presenters and music industry participants including Parlophone, Sony Music, Universal/EMI, BMG Rights, 5B Artist Management, Raw Power Management, Phantom Management and The Agency, plus even an MP – the Rt. Hon Mike Weatherley.

Joining them will be a variety of heavy metal fans who have all signed up for three days of hard cycling to raise funds for these deserving Children’s Charities.

The band’s Download Festival appearance marks a record FIFTH time that Iron Maiden have headlined at the legendary Donington Park, with their two Monsters Of Rock and three Download performances, and will be the 25th Anniversary of the band’s first appearance there in 1988 to a (still) record audience of 107,000.

The massive crowd who will be attending the band’s performance at Download Festival this summer is just one notable highlight of another huge year for Iron Maiden, who, over the summer, will play 44 shows to more than 1.2 million fans in 25 countries across Europe, the United States and Latin America (full tour dates at the end of this press release).

While Download Festival marks Iron Maiden’s sole UK date this year, the band kick off their world tour next Monday in Spain and finish four and a half months later in Chile. Their European dates include the brand new 55,000 capacity Friends Arena in Stockholm where Iron Maiden became the first International band to be announced to play in the venue and sold out within minutes of going on sale; Istanbul’s 45,000 capacity BJK Inonu football stadium; Romania’s Constitution Plaza in Bucharest, playing in front of the Palace of the Parliament, Europe’s heaviest building!; Moscow’s Olympic Stadium and a further 26 shows in 15 countries across East and West Europe.

The ‘Maiden England’ tour then rolls back into the United States, where it started last year with a mammoth run of North American concerts, and continues down to Latin America, where Iron Maiden headline the final night of Rock In Rio, having sold out all 70,000 tickets for their performance in just a few hours. The other headliners for the seven day festival are Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Muse, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. Further Latin American dates include the enormous Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City, the legendary River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, a return to the 55,000 capacity National Stadium in Chile and Iron Maiden’s first-ever visit to Paraguay.

There may be spaces available for a few more riders, so if you have the heart and the liver, check it out at www.heavymetaltruants.com – or go there to aid the cause with a donation!!!

For more details/tickets for Download go to www.downloadfestival.co.uk

Týr, hailing all the way from the Faroe Islands, are currently recording their new album with producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Aborted, Mercenary) at his studios in Denmark. For drum tracking on this album, Týr has enlisted the services of George Kollias, one of metal’s most accomplished drummers, primarily known for his work in Nile, as well as Nightfall. A video featuring drum tracking highlights, as well as a short message from Kollias, is streaming now on youtube here: –

George Kollias comments on the experience: “Hey Týr fans, this is George Kollias and I hope you are ALL ready for a crushing new album from Týr!!! I had the pleasure to record the drums on the new album, we had an absolutely great time in the studio and I gotta tell you, the material is super strong and catchy, I’m 100% sure you will all love this new album!! Big thanks to Heri, Terji and Gunnar for the opportunity and to Jacob Hansen for his incredible work with the recordings!”

Týr comments: “It was a pleasure to have George in studio. He’s an amazing drummer and he certainly made an impact on this album. We’re very excited to release this album” – Heri, Terji & Gunnar

A recent announcement on the Týr facebook page has confirmed that the band has parted ways with drummer Kári Streymoy. The band commented on the amicable split:”We regret to inform you that Kári Streymoy and the rest of the band have parted ways. Kári suffered a back injury in 2008, and since then he has had some issues with his drumming. That is the main reason that the co-operation has been problematic for some time now, and we finally decided to part ways. We want to thank Kári for his time in the band. It’s been great to have you with us, we wish you the best of luck in the future and we hope you recover fully some day.”

This album will be the band’s seventh full length effort. One of the new tracks, “The Lay of Our Love”, will feature a duet with Týr vocalist Heri Joensen and Liv Kristine from Leaves Eyes. In an update on facebook, Kristine announced:

“Dear Viking-Metal Fans & Friends,
I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Týr for the duet ‘The Day Of Our Love’ on their up-coming album (title still to be revealed), which is set to be released this Fall. Heri already joined Leaves’ Eyes at our headliner show in Wacken Open Air 2012. This was an absolute highlight during our live performance, moreover, I really like his voice and I am grateful for the invitation. A superb track, with inspiring melodies and lyrics, proving the authenticity of Týr.
Love,

Liv”

More details will be unveiled in the forthcoming months as music and art are completed. The band has been posting images from the studio throughout the recording process, so make sure to follow them at www.facebook.com/tyrband for candid photos and personal updates from the band.

www.tyr.fo

All great art should challenge. It’s something of a clichéd statement at this point and how many times have we heard a band say their new record is challenging? But the statement still rings true in many regards.

Altar of Plagues have never had any reservations about challenging themselves and the listener. It’s something that has kept the originally Cork-based band at the forefront of the supposed post black metal scene of the last five or so years. However with their third full-length, Teethed Glory and Injury, the band has hurled caution to the wind once again, this time so drastically that the band can no longer be associated with that scene.

“The bottom line is that it’s about us and doing what we need to do for ourselves to keep us creatively satisfied because otherwise we’re just doing it for other people and that’s not it what it’s ever about,” explains James Kelly, the guitarist, vocalist and in many regards, the helmsman of Altar of Plagues.

So what exactly are these changes that have manifested on this third record? It sees the band take a notable step away from the lengthy, protracted black metal of their past into a realm of unbridled intensity, terse song structures and most of all, searing and discomforting electronics – challenging indeed. But while the change was on the cards for the band after finishing 2011’s Mammal, it is still a change that felt so natural, reveals James.

“It was conscious but at the same time it was quite natural. Conscious in the sense that we didn’t want to repeat ourselves, we wanted to make sure we were challenging ourselves and doing something that was new to us and sounded fresh,” he says.

“We finished the last album in late 2010 and I just hadn’t been listening to metal or anything like that for quite a number of years, between then and when we started writing the new album,” the guitarist continues. “So I was taking in a load of different influences and being inspired in a very different way and that all informed the writing of the new album. In a sense it was conscious, we wanted to challenge ourselves and at the same time, it was natural, it wasn’t forced.”

The steps away from metal are fully revealed on this record. The opening noise-laden miasma of ‘Mills’ and the scalding guitars meshed with coarse, almost molesting electronics on ‘God Alone’ make this oh so clear. Specifically what artists brought Kelly to this juncture in his creative career? He credits the “utterly captivating” and “beautiful” music of experimental luminary Steve Reich as well as a great deal of techno and electronic music.

“I think there’s a lot of correlation between certain types of electronic music and certain types of metal music. The type of techno I like”, he says before a brief pause, “what it offers is trance inducing, intensity and repetition. My favourite kinds of black metal do that as well so to me there’s a lot more in common than people might think.”

James also re-emerged last year with his solo side-project WIFE, a sonic voyage into the world of electronic music. Compared to White Tomb or Mammal, one would be forgiven for thinking it was an entirely different musician at work but listening to Teethed Glory and Injury, not so much. James admits that WIFE has seeped into Altar of Plagues “to an extent”. Surroundings and environment were a key component in all of this when James moved to London in 2011.

“I grew up living outside Cork city, in quite a rural area in a space where I had room where I could bang drums at 4am or play guitar. All of sudden you find yourself bang smack in the middle of a really overpopulated city in an apartment where you can’t make all that noise. You have to adjust your writing, the way you approach music.”

He continues: “I basically learned how to make music on a computer. I spent the best part of a year or two years doing that, which is how what I do with WIFE came about. Then that became a part of Altar of Plagues.”

While this evolution is dramatic and breathtaking, Altar of Plagues aren’t a band that have totally severed their roots from their earth; still maintaining metal elements and some of its bile-soaked aggression. “In terms of metal, I always like to reference Pig Destroyer”, says James, specifically on their Prowler in the Yard album. “I’m not sure we sound a whole lot like them but it’s a really raw intensity that’s very real and challenging. It always stands out to me when someone is doing something that’s extreme that’s not for the sake of it and it has an intention.

“I can’t even listen to a band like Cannibal Corpse or things like that because what they do is just posturing,” he admits. “It’s not real, it’s got no emotional intent to it, it’s just posturing, they might as well be actors in a theatre. Real music with an emotional depth to it informs Altar of Plagues, not necessarily that Pig Destroyer has that emotional depth but there’s a real honesty to it, a real rawness.”

Perhaps it was most of this “posturing” and lack of emotional depth that left James feeling somewhat dissatisfied with metal as a whole and black metal specifically? “I got quite tired with the ‘post black metal’ thing,” he offers. “We kind of wanted to get away from that a little bit.

“I think the crowd has become a little pastiche, where people were making a song 20 minutes long for the sake of doing it,” he adds. “I never wanted us to do something for the sake of doing it and tick boxes.

“The intensity first and foremost,” he then says when asked about what strains of black metal were important to retain, “the honest and soulful emotional commitment that real black metal has.”

“Some of the best acts, to me, they truly believe in their work and they’re truly committed to their work and that goes across the board. A band like Swans has that when you see Michael Gira on stage, he’s into that more than anyone else in the room and with a number of black metal acts, it’s the same. They’re really, deeply committed to the work that they make.”

Altar of Plagues’ evolution hasn’t just unfurled sonically but also visually, with the band releasing a video for ‘God Alone’ in late March, which debuted on Pitchfork. Shot in black and white and featuring the abstruse cavorting of ballet dancers, the video needs to be seen as words are difficult to conjure. So what exactly is the meaning behind the visual and the concept, and in a broader sense, the album’s lyrical content?

“We decided that we’re not going to talk about it,” he says to start before deciding to elaborate. “Once we start to talk about it, it’ll validate people’s criticism or their incorrect interpretations and that’s not something we want to do so we’re just leaving it open to people and what they decide.

“The only thing I can say about it really is that if anyone thinks that we have done a video on Pitchfork or worked with contemporary dancers in some sort of a contrived or tactical capacity, they’re completely wrong,” says Kelly quite concisely.

“We’re always sincere and we take what we do very seriously. Overall we wanted to do something that was really challenging and that’s what metal is supposed to be,” he continues. “It’s a small bit of success, and not in a teen juvenile way, if people do find the video challenging, if they find the music challenging or if it annoys them or pisses them off in some way. That is a success to me.”

In a very conclusive sense, James adds: “The first thing I want to be clear about because I hate to come across the wrong way, I want it to be challenging. I don’t mean that in an arrogant kind of way, I mean in the sense that it should be challenging.

“I would certainly hope that we don’t fall victim to people thinking ‘oh they’ve put up a video with dancers’ or this and that and then all of a sudden we’re tarred and feathered like bands like Liturgy have been before. Instant communication between people on the internet means people can get ostracised really, really quickly,” he adds. “The bottom line is we didn’t want to play it safe. We did things the way we wanted to do it and we’re 100% happy with it.”

If there’s one thing people can be certain about with Teethed Glory and Injury, it’s that it is a challenge you’ll either pass with flying colours or fail catastrophically, and no matter what a band like Altar of Plagues do next, they’ll be damned if they do, damned if they don’t but rest assured it will be challenging.

Jonathan Keane

Disinterred British extreme metal legends Carcass have signed to Nuclear Blast Records for the world excluding Japan! Surgical Steel, the band’s first studio release since their 1996 LP Swansong, was produced by Colin Richardson (Napalm Death, Bold Thrower, Gorefest, Cannibal Corpse, Sinister) and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Accept, Exodus, Testament). Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in the band’s current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (Aborted, Trigger The Bloodshed) and guitarist Ben Ash (Pig Iron, Desolation, Liquefied Skeleton). Expect some guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen as well, when Surgical Steel is released world-wide this Autumn.

Carcass has released the following statement regarding their new found partners in medical deviancy: “We are pleased to announce that we have found the perfect home for Surgical Steel, the first Carcass album for, what, eighteen years?! We’ve inked a deal with Nuclear Blast for our new baby.

We have to thank Markus Staiger for his enthusiasm and belief in what he heard, but mostly his ability to take advantage of Jeff with a bad hangover when he visited the office in Stuttgart to let him be the first to hear the rough mixes. Nuclear Blast has managed to secure this release despite interest from all the main players in what remains of the metal ‘music industry’.

We’re also looking forward to working with our pals in the US Office, who have done favors for us behind the scenes over the last few years. On a personal note, Jeff looks forward to his and label manager GerardoMartinez’ friendship to come crashing down in flames and tears in a few months.

As long as we don’t mention ‘The War’ we think we’re going to do just fine with our new Teutonic home!”

Commented Nuclear Blast owner and founder Markus Staiger: “One of my all-time favorite UK Metal Bands signed recently to Nuclear Blast – it feels like a dream come true. When Jeff Walker let me listen to the new record I knew immediately that Carcass made one of their best albums ever! It is a perfect mixture of Heartwork and Necroticism with a massive production to boot. The album is without a doubt just as perfect and lethal as surgical steel itself, and exactly what both old and new fans have waited for eagerly all of these years!

I am very proud to say, Carcass – welcome to the Nuclear family. It is an honor to work with this legendary metal band.”

Adds North American label manager Gerardo Martinez: “First of all, apologies to the many that were wondering where that signing statement was the other day. Well, we didn’t anticipate the prenuptial agreement to take this long but here we are, and about to release to the world what many people said would never happen: a new Carcass record!
All joking aside, this is a dream come true. All I can say is that even the biggest critic, Señor Walker himself included, will find this to be one of the best Carcass albums. It already sounds like a classic and I can’t wait for people to hear it. ‘Time to die, die in pain’!!!”

Carcass has released several classic albums over the years, including Decibel Magazine ‘Hall of Fame’ inductees Heartwork and Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious, and their influence has changed the face of extreme metal with every consecutive release. Whether it was inventing gore-grind (i.e. Reek of Putrefaction, Symphonies of Sickness) or creating the template for melodic death metal (i.e. Heartwork), Carcass has always made records by which bars were set and rules were broken. Upon the band’s dismantling in 1996, fans mourned the loss of the seminal act and longed that the group would return again one day. In 2007, the metal world got its wish as Carcass reformed to play several sold-out reunion shows around the globe. Once again re-motivated to administer a shot of cynicism and infectious riffs into the arm of a sickly metal scene, founding members Bill Steer and Jeff Walker began writing what would become the latest output of their highly influential career, Surgical Steel. Only the choicest of cuts were made, and blood sweat and tears were shed to bring us a record worthy of the Carcass legacy. In short, Surgical Steel is just what the doctor ordered.

Carcass Festival Appearances For 2013
Maryland Deathfest (USA)
Metaltown (Sweden)
Brutal Assault (Czech)
Party San (Germany)
Damnation (UK)

www.facebook.com/OfficialCarcass

Extreme metal icons, Satyricon have always pushed boundaries and never conformed to what was ‘expected’. That mindset continues to this day, as they are thrilled to announce a very special, exclusive show at Oslo Opera House on 8th September 2013, where they will perform together with Norway’s 55-strong National Opera Chorus.

The special event is part of the Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, and fans of both Satyricon and the National Opera Chorus can look forward to a very unique and exciting evening, which coincides with the worldwide release of Satyricon’s eponymous ninth studio album.

Satyricon’s leader and visionary, Satyr comments: “Satyricon excels as a band, the bigger the platform is. In Norway, there is no greater stage than the main hall of our new Opera House. There is nowhere better suited to provide the dynamics, power and authenticity to such an occasion than the Opera Chorus and Satyricon. We are also excited to have a couple of special musical friends come and play their part as well. Ladies and gentlemen – welcome!”

The Opera Chorus’ lead conductor, David Maiwald adds: “Mixing different musical expressions is always exciting. When the internationally acclaimed black metal band Satyricon meets the voluminous voices of the Norwegian National Opera Chorus, we expect a powerful and monumental result, rich in innovative surprises.”

Tickets for this event will go on sale Wednesday, May 22nd and can be purchased here:
http://www.operaen.no/en/Performances/Satyricon-with-the-Opera-Choir/#sectionIntro

www.facebook.com/SatyriconOfficial