Canadian goth rock / metal band Van Halst announce they will be performing on this year's  Metalocalypstick Festival in Valemount, BC on August 27th. The two day non for profit festival was formed to support women in metal, punk, hardcore and heavy bands! All bands on the festival line up feature one or more female members that are all Canadian and all power with special out of country guests Brazil's Nervosa headlining. 2% of proceeds from the festival will be donated to Girls Rock Camp and Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter. Full details and line up can be found at http://www.metalocalypstickfest.rocks.

          “We are very excited to be performing at Metalocolypstick Fest. There is such a limited presence of women in rock and metal so we’re really looking forward to meeting all the other bands over the weekend. This is an important festival being that the majority of festivals we perform at are male dominated, usually we’re the only female led band on the bill. We’re looking forward to watching the other bands and encourage people to come out to beautiful BC to take part in the festival.”

:- comments vocalist Kami Van Halst of Van Halst.

Metalocalypstick Festival will be one of Van Halst's stops during their Western Canadian tour presented by PureGrainAudio.com. The tour will kick off at OurFest in Nevis, AB on August 20th and wrap up with a home-town show in Edmonton, AB on September 4th.

Finnish Industrial / Gothic Metallers Electric Deathbeat - who just recently co-headlined Raunchy‘s “The Singularity Tour” in Europe - are confirmed as direct support for Amaranthe's show on September 30th at Clubzal in St. Petersburg.

Electric Deathbeat hail from Northern Finland and was formed in 2011 by vocalist J.V., born as a one-man project, as years passed by, it was time to unleash the machine with full force, having today 4 versatile band members. Their debut album “Dead Echo Paranoia” was released worldwide in July 2015. The band is currently working on their new effort. Stream "Boogie Woogie" here

Electric Deathbeat are:

J.V – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, synths & programming
A.V – bass guitar
J.E.H. – guitar
J.T.H. – drums, guitar

http://www.electricdeathbeat.com
http://www.facebook.com/electricdeathbeat

Lacuna Coil live:

European headline tour

21.10.16 (B) Vosselaar - Biebob
22.10.16 (NL) Tilburg - 013
24.10.16 (DE) Cologne - Underground 
25.10.16 (DE) Berlin - White Trash Ballroom
26.10.16 (DE) Hamburg - Logo
28.10.16 (DK) Copenhagen - Vega (Small Hall) 
29.10.16 (SE) Malmo - KB
30.10.16 (NO) Oslo - John Dee 
31.10.16 (SE) Stockholm - Nalen

02.11.16 (DE) Essen - Zeche Carl
03.11.16 (DE) Munich - Strom 
04.11.16 (CZ) Prague - Rock Café 
07.11.16 (CH) Pratteln - Konzertfabrik Z7
10.11.16 (UK) Bristol - Marble Factory 
11.11.16 (UK) London - Koko
13.11.16 (UK) Birmingham - O2 Institute2 
14.11.16 (UK) Newcastle - Riverside 
15.11.16 (UK) Glasgow - Garage
16.11.16 (UK) Manchester - Academy 2
18.11.16 (UK) Southampton - 1865
22.11.16 (ES) Madrid - But 
23.11.16 (ES) Granada - El Tren
24.11.16 (ES) Barcelona - Razzmatazz
26.11.16 (IT) Pordenone - Il Deposito
27.11.16 (IT) Rome - Orion
28.11.16 (IT) Milan - Live Club
29.11.16 (IT) Bologna - Zona Roveri

02.12.16 (TR) Istanbul - KucukCiftlik Park
03.12.16 (TR) Izmir - Container Hall
04.12.16 (TR) Ankara - Jolly Joker Ankara
  

Festivals:

24.06.16 (IT) Parabiago (MI) - Rugby Sound Festival
01.07.16 (IT) Piazzola Sul Brenta (PD) - Postepay Sound
09.07.16 (F) Les Remparts De Longwy - Rock’n’Roll Train Festival
22.07.16 (IT) Vinci (FI) - Festa Dell’Unicorno
29.07.2016 (IT) Rapallo (GE) - Beer "Art" Rock Summer Festival
05.08.2016 (IT) San Benedetto del Tronto (AP) - Maremoto Festival (free entry)
13.08.16 (AT) Graz - Metal On The Hill Festival
08.-09.16 (J) Tokyo - Loudpark Festival
 

http://www.lacunacoil.it
https://www.facebook.com/lacunacoil
http://www.twitter.com/lacuna_coil
http://www.emptyspiral.net

http://www.centurymedia.com
http://www.youtube.com/centurymedia
http://www.twitter.com/centurymediaeu
http://www.facebook.com/centurymedia
http://www.instagram.com/centurymediaeu

Delain are a restless spirit!  Not only when it comes to releasing outstanding records, but also taking a look at their live activities: Delain, who have garnered high praise in the entire rock and metal scene over the last few years, have just announced a full European tour for Fall 2016! 

Since the release of their highly acclaimed album 'The Human Contradiction' in 2014 on Napalm Records, Delain have been constantly touring all over the world and shared the stages with arena acts such as Nightwish, Within Temptation and Sabaton. Delain ended 2015 headlining and conquering stages in sold out venues all over the world. 

In between heavily touring, Delain found the time to release a new EP titled 'Lunar Prelude' (February 2016, Napalm Records), which includes two brand new tracks, exciting live cuts, mastered by Grammy Award winning Ted Jensen, 'Lunar Prelude' leaves the listener with a hunger for more, but shortens the wait for the next full length album from Delain which is set for release summer 2016!!! 

Delain are going to hit the road this Fall in support of the new album for an extensive European tour! Make sure to catch the band and their energetic live shows on the following dates, presented by Metal Hammer, Metal.de, Napalm Records, RTN Touring, Fortarock and Factory Music management and agency

with Special Guest Evergrey and support Kobra & The Lotus

14.10.2016 DE – Köln, Essigfabrik
15.10.2016 DE – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
16.10.2016 DE – Hamburg, Gruenspan
17.10.2016 DK – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
19.10.2016 DE – Berlin, Columbia-Theater
20.10.2016 PL – Cracov, Kwadrat
21.10.2016 PL – Warsaw, Progresja
22.10.2016 CZ – Zlin, Masters of Rock Club
25.10.2016 SK – Bratislava, Majestic Music Club
27.10.2016 AT – Vienna, Szene
28.10.2016 DE – Munich, Backstage
29.10.2016 DE – Aschaffenburg, Colos-Saal
30.10.2016 CH – Pratteln, Z 7
31.10.2016 FR – Lyon, Ninkasi Kao
02.11.2016 ES – Madrid, Arena
03.11.2016 FR – Toulouse, Metronum
04.11.2016 FR – Paris, Elysee Montmartre
05.11.2016 FR – Lille, Le Splendid
06.11.2016 BE – Antwerp, Trix 


www.delain.nl
www.facebook.com/delainmusic

Who would have honestly thought that on this cold, dark and weary mid-Winter's night, that three bands from both sides of Europe would ignite a sweat-pit so hot and steamy in the 02 Islington Academy, that everyone would be clambering around for their ice cold beers? Well you could blame the incessant rampaging of the crowd, or you could blame the magical wizardry of Londoners Pythia, Estonia's Metsatöll and Finland's Ensiferum for their encapsulating and unrelenting assault of metal at it's finest. A night full of bard, folkloric anthems and continual salutations towards the bands unfolded.

Let us indulge in the night's gig and diverge from the near verbose verbiage given above.

.
A lot was expected of Londoners Pythia at tonight's gig that the overall reaction post-performance was one of slight disillusion and disappointment, despite the heroics of keeping their cool intact and letting themselves go, Pythia never managed to shift out of third gear. Sure their pedigree of late ought have safeguarded their show from criticism, but they seemed out of sync at times, failed to keep the crowd on their toes and above all (which actually isn't their fault) did not fit in tonight's themed gig that well. 

Power / Gothic Metal? Folk Metal? You get the idea, it's like putting a Black Metal band with a Glam Metal band, there again imagine a Blackened Glam Metal band? Deviating here, much like what Pythia did at times during their set. It wasn't completely pretty and yet whilst there were glimmers of hope that could have lead to something magical sparking, the fire just did not ignite and this meant that the crowd were left in a state of boredom to the band's dismay.

On another night Pythia may well have blasted the ceiling, but this night it was not meant to be, surely there needed something folkloric to not only get this crowd (and pit) open, cue Metsatöll

[7]

Metsatöll brought with them their folkloric antics and atmospherics that would almost certainly have resulted in them being awarded the coveted 12 points at Eurovision, if this was Eurovision that is. Instead the crowd might as well have given them maximum points as they swayed, moshed and ritualistically headbanged to the beauty of Estonian Folk Metal.

Here is a band who despite their language differences; they sing in Estonian, managed to ignite the venue without any restrictions. Not strangers to the British shores, this Baltic horde mix Folk Metal with Thrash Metal to develop something that's fast, heavy, danceable, even funky if you wish to call it that. They even weaved a traditional Pagan song into their set, which was prominently instrumental and was well received by the crowd.

Harking back to the band's antics, one such antic was Varulven playing the Estonian bagpipes behind his back, we've all seen guitarists do this trick (Varulven is one too) but bagpipers? That little trick got a wow from the crowd, however there was an even bigger wow directed towards to the whole band as they laid down the foundations for their Finnish neighbours Ensiferum, and closed their performance with a song about love and beer; the latter of which was flowing like a gushing stream.

For a band who has been knocking around for 17 years, they certainly showed no signs of stopping.

[8]

 * FYI that is not our meme.

Ensiferum, having celebrated 21 years activity and 15 years since their debut self-titled album dropped, were never destined to set a foot wrong in this most audacious of nights (you know the references). Having just released their latest effort "One Man Army", this show as part of their tour of the same name (as the album) could equate to a thousand-strong horde running riot, crashing into and smashing everything in sight, including you.

That was the sheer force exerted by the Finnish sextet tonight, a full-on onslaught of 'Finnish folkloric anthems' and by that came the bards in metal form, reciting their majestic scripts that will have no doubt be spoken of and sung to on this night.

Whilst the pits opened and closed, the headbanging became rhythmic and the dancing ensued due to the band's uncanny nature of knowing what makes their fans tick. Ensiferum have been there and done it, they know what it takes to make a night unforgettable and as they unleashed song after song, the crowd did not appear to show any signs of slowing down.

Joined on stage by their new live musician Netta Skog (ex-Turisas) of whom took part on the tracks 'Cry For The Earth Bounds' and 'Descendants, Defiance, Domination' on the band's latest album, Ensiferum signed off each song played in style and as the night drew closer and closer to the end, it was apparent that despite the disappointing start by Pythia, both Metsatöll and Ensiferum drew out their swords and did battle, leaving the crowd gasping for air and emerging as valiant warriors born.

Ensiferum this night justified their worth as Finnish Folk Metal leaders as well as pioneering idols, this was a night that everyone in attendance would never forget.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pythia/12587806334
http://www.facebook.com/Metsatoll
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ensiferum/332

Murder F.M. announced they will be touring with Drowning Pool, Audiotopsy and Violent New Breed beginning February 18th at Buffalo Rose in Golden, CO. through February 26th in San Antonio, TX.

Born and bred in Dallas,TX, Murder FM was formed as an outlet for the frustrated youth spent writing music in the dark dusty corners of TX. Following independent success with singles supported with domestic and international touring, Murder FM perfected their sound and stage presence.

Dates with DROWNING POOL, Audiotopsy, Violent New Breed:

2/18 Golden, CO @ Buffalo Rose
2/19 Salt Lake City,UT @ The Royal Bar
2/20 Idaho Falls,ID @ Hitt Event Center
2/22 Chico,CA @ Lost On Main
2/23 Los Angeles,CA @ Los Globos
2/24 Mesa,AZ @ Club Red
2/25 Lubbock,TX @ Jake's Backroom
2/26 San Antonio,TX @ Fitzgeralds

www.MURDERFMMUSIC.COM

On a rather overcast night at in renowned Kentish Town Forum, three bands were sharpening up their weapons of choice to slay the armada of Goths, emo's and metalheads that lined the outside of this building of sheer grandeur. Some were queuing since midday! Now that is die hard, by the time the clock showed 6:00pm, the queue was resembling the snake from that game everyone had on their mobile phones, you know? You got it! Naturally pre-show banter ensued and one guy was so joyous he was giving everyone free hugs, let's just hope he didn't give the security any hugs...

So amongst the pre-show banter there were people saying what songs they want to hear, who they're hoping to meet and also why there was a guy walking around with a black skirt, tights and platform boots on, "thankfully he was skinny" one girl said, another girl remarked on a guy further up the queue by saying that he "has a Nirvana t-shirt, sure Nirvana are cool but against Motionless In White? No." This pretty much summed the mood up of the punters, no soft rock fans tonight, god no. This was going to be one of the most Gothic nights London probably has seen since the days of Bauhaus, Siousxie & The Banshees and similar bands, only jesting, this was poised to be a sensational night regardless.

Pre-show Global Metal Apocalypse managed to have a sit down and natter with The Defiled's athletic keyboardist The AvD who was slightly tired but was awake nonetheless. You can read and listen to the interview by clicking this link here:

http://globalmetalapocalypse.weebly.com/13/post/2013/09/gma-interview-interrogation-the-avd-the-defiled.html

^ Even at 8 rows back the crowd were somewhat perplexed...

First up on tonight's phantasmagorical evening was Yorkshire's lighter-than-usual mob Glamour Of The Kill of whose improvised set rarely set the crowd in motion, except for the odd wall of death occurrence, which in itself was questionable as the performance tonight was below par by their standards. Even though the absolute sheer size of the stage did not maximize their presence, in fact it was really down to the crowd to try and cheer the band on. But credit is given when it's due and with their performance tonight, well it wasn't 100% top notch but it certainly set the crowd up for the next two musical machines. As Glamour Of The Kill rallied out their songs like a Gatling gun on crack, the crowd ironically started warming to the band's set even though they were not on song tonight, this was not one of their best performances but it certainly was not a total shambles, perhaps the next band up The Defiled could rescue the crowd from tiring out rather than being bored out.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

^ The Defiled went straight to business and reactivated London's Industrial past

Next onto the stage armed with their new material from their debut Nuclear Blast album 'Daggers', was perhaps the finest Industrial / Goth / Experimental metal band London has seen since the days of Killing Miranda and Bauhaus combined, lacing together a visage of Steampunk, Goth and Cyber through Aaron Curse and his fellow members of The Defiled. This tight knit unit from North London brought their sound to the home crowd with such force that the chugging and turning of Victorian London could easily have been heard in the background, or perhaps that was The AvD making eerie sounds emerge from his keyboard as he launched it into the air, as if he was practicing juggling or ultimately enjoying himself so much that last night was merging into tonight. Whatever their secret formula was it worked, the crowd were engulfing each other through a plethora of mosh-pits happening sequentially through each song, even venturing into the old classic 'Call To Arms' towards the end. As The Defiled exploded out with their Industrialist and Horror style of metal, the atmosphere was darkening and the nearby graveyards were rocking away as the night set in on what has to be the Londoners best performance, now if only this was set in Whitechapel as the coffins on stage could have easily provided as the eerily setting for a stage production of 'Jack The Ripper'. As for The Defiled, well Vincent Hyde clearly wanted to show Glamour Of The Kill how you party by launching himself into crowd and having a crowd-surf with bass guitar in tow. It would have been much better if Dagoba was on the set, but that would be another story and in another time-frame. As soon as the London boys played the final note, the final beat, the final word and the final riff of their set, the atmosphere was as dark as the deepest depths of the Atlantic Ocean, speaking of the Atlantic Ocean the next band to embark on stage is probably the darkest Goth band of all time...

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

As soon as their set had finished the crowd spilled onto the streets, some staying behind and hanging by the stage door, hoping to meet their idols, instead of doing that Em Wagner spoke to Global Metal Apocalypse to get her post-show thoughts.

This was my first gig at the Forum and despite underground closures trying to scupper my plans I made it in time to see the first band.

The Forum is a great little venue, like the cleaner, more dignified version of the Brixton Academy. One of the first things I noticed was the crowd and how friendly everyone seemed. Always a good sign for a good gig!

I hadn’t seen or heard much of Glamour Of The Kill before but very much enjoyed the combination of heavy tunes and clean vocals. I found my foot tapping and hips swaying to most of their songs and decided I would get purchasing their music when I got home. They also produced a good wall of death which is never a bad thing!

Next on were The Defiled who I have been a fan of since about 2009 when I saw them support Static-X at the O2 Academy Islington. Their irresistible industrial Metal-esque music ticks all my boxes and visually they are a very entertaining and energetic band. You can’t help but get sucked into their antics. It’s been great to see them go from strength to strength over the last few years and maintain their high standard of performance. Again, the crowd were fantastic, it’s not often you see that many smiling faces when everyone is trying to keep on their feet and avoid the flailing legs of passing crowd surfers.

Finally came the headlining act, Motionless in White. I wanted to see them out of curiosity rather than being a huge fan of their music. Their look is darkly appealing and their synthy, screaming sound suggests I might like it more than I realize. With an eye watering set and some fantastically theatrical outfits I was smiling from the first note of the first song. It was clear to see that they have a solid following in the UK and did not disappoint their fans by delivering a relentless set of powerful tunes. I shall definitely be investing in their music and attending their next show.

All in all the night was fantastic and I woke up the next day with multiple injuries and the post-gig blues, always a reliable sign that you’ve had a great time.

< Dark Theory are certainly developing a unique image

What was supposed to be a successful three-band gig at Maidstone's University of Creative Arts soon turned into a horrific nightmare, due to unforseen circumstances two bands (Atlantica + Of Fire & Fate) could not make it.

The night intended to host a raffle too but sadly due to a low turnout that was abandoned, by that stage the Dark Theory had been learned, this is a band that is progressing on so many different dimensions, even crows began to poop themselves at the spine-chilling sounds that not only the keyboardist produced, but the whole band shed out a sound that would make even the most hardened metalhead cry for his mummy. The gig was intended to raise funds for the final exhibition of the BA Illustrations 2nd year degree.

At their best, Dark Theory did not cave in regardless of the low attendance which seemed to barely reach double figures, on a cold and full moon night the Gothic Black Metal outfit from Margate blanketed the makeshift stage which was hosted in the Students Union with a theological atmosphere that emanated from the Victorian-esque visage and ambiance seeping out of the keyboard, whilst there were no signs of the band being whippersnappers as they evidently once again showed that they are more than capable of producing a live performance that would make Dani Filth smile as if to say he didn't think of putting the level of theatrics that this band put in. For what they done, playing their entire song catalogue and doing some covers, Dark Theory without any doubt lightened up the mood for what seemed to be the Students Union worst day in their history. Actually adding on to the previous points made, there were a few mishaps that were out of the band's control, such as poorly setup equipment resulting in only one mic being used to Ryan's and Liv's discomfort, on the other hand the somewhat funny side of the evening was the drummer Sam breaking a pair of drumsticks and a cymbal.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

Dark Theory are participating in the Metal To The Masses Kent heat which is being held at Sheerness on the 12th April. Event Link is below:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Theory/176915864515
https://www.facebook.com/events/516744218368578/?ref=22