A true clash of the titans, America’s pre-eminent multiplatinum chart-topping hard rock band Five Finger Death Punch unite with renowned chart-topping European legends In Flames to co-headline what promises to be the biggest and most exciting arena rock tour of Fall/Winter 2017. This marks the very first time that these two juggernauts have joined forces on the road together, and it’s a “can’t miss” moment for the genre and fans at large. The trek ravages arenas across Europe and the UK beginning in November, stopping in most major cities, and concluding December 21 at iconic Wembley Arena in London, UK. General ticket on sale will take place this Friday, June 16 at 10:00am local time.

Spotify and Live Nation have joined forces with Five Finger Death Punch and In Flames for a one-of-a-kind tour partnership featuring exclusive pre-sales, packages, and content from both bands. The tour has partnered with Spotify for an exclusive 24-hour pre-sale kicking off tomorrow for super fan listeners of both acts, Wednesday, Jun 14 at 10:00am local time. There will also be a Ticketmaster pre-sale starting on June 15 at 10:00am local time leading up to the general on sale the next day. See tour dates below. Additional show dates are anticipated to be announced in the near future. For exclusive VIP offerings, go to fivefingerdeathpunch.com and http://inflames.seetickets.com/tour/in-flames. Live Nation presents the tour with Spotify. German tour dates will be presented by Live Nation, Wizard Promotions, and Spotify.
 
5FDP guitarist Zoltan Bathory states: "We are currently playing all the European festivals and are having an amazing time. As these massive crowds are singing along every word of the lyrics, it feels like Europe is truly becoming the second home of Five Finger Death Punch. We can't wait to come back this Fall and especially with In Flames which is one of my favorite bands. This will be something special to see…”
 
In Flames singer Anders Fridén offers: “We’ve been lucky to play for so many Jesterheads around the World this year and can’t think of a better way to end 2017 than touring Europe with Five Finger Death Punch. We’ll see you soon Jesterheads and Knuckleheads. It’s going to be a tour to remember.”
 
Support on select EU dates and all UK dates of the tour comes from Of Mice And Men. The Orange County, CA-based band recently returned with two brand new songs, “Back To Me” and “Unbreakable,” via Rise Records. They performed a successful main stage set at Download Festival this past weekend and will be on tour across Europe throughout July. The band has sold over 700,000 records worldwide and previously toured with the likes of Linkin Park, Slipknot and Marilyn Manson.
 
Both Five Finger Death Punch and In Flames remain leaders of hard rock and heavy music worldwide:
 
Five Finger Death Punch’s crushingly epic 2015 sixth full-length studio album Got Your Six, hit new heights for the band around the world with chart-topping debuts in the US (#1 on Top Album chart, #1 on Overall Digital Album chart, #1 on the Hard Music Album chart, #2 on the Billboard Top 200) and internationally (Australia & Canada #3, Germany & Sweden #5, UK #6 Holland #17, Belgium #29 and France #32). The album was the sixth consecutive one to earn the Las Vegas rockers a RIAA Gold certification. Acclaimed by The Guardian and Classic Rock, it yielded four successive Active Rock smashes “Jekyll & Hyde” (50.4 million Spotify streams), #1 hit single “Wash It All Away” (32.9 million Spotify streams), “My Nemesis” #2 (16.29 million Spotify streams) and most recently “I Apologize” #3 (17.5 million Spotify streams). Refining their inimitable fusion of intricate instrumentation and undeniable hooks, Got Your Six represents yet another high watermark for the group who claim 17 consecutive Top 10 Hits, five #1 songs and frequently outsell the majority of bands in their genre.
 
12 albums into their storied career, In Flames reached new heights on 2016’s Battles—produced by GRAMMY Award winner Howard Benson [My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach], hitting Top 10 charts around the World with a #2 in Sweden, #3 in Finland and multiple other major countries such as Germany and Austria.  Alternative Press, Metal Hammer, and more praised the record as the hit “The End” clocked over 6.6 million Spotify streams and counting. Most recently, they unleashed two new official music videos for their latest singles; first being “Here Until Forever” in May via Decibel, HERE and “Save Me” via European retail giant EMP, today upon announcement of the tour. Watch “Save Me” HERE
 

Knuckleheads and Jesterheads: Be prepared to unite in the name of Five Finger Death Punch and In Flames making history together this Fall.

 
TOUR DATES:
11/16    Gothenburg                   Sweden                        Scandinavium
11/17    Stockholm                    Sweden                        Ericsson Globe
11/21    Hamburg                       Germany                       Sportshalle
11/22    Berlin                            Germany                       Velodrome
11/24    Oberhausen                  Germany                       KP Arena
11/26    Prague                          Czech Republic             Forum Karlin*
11/28    Zurich                           Switzerland                   Hallenstadion*
11/29    Munich                          Germany                       Olympiahalle
11/30    Padova                         Italy                              Geox Theatre*
12/2      Stuttgart                       Germany                       HMH Schleyerhalle
12/4      Paris                             France                          Olympia*
12/5      Luxembourg                  Luxembourg                  Rockhal*
12/6      Frankfurt                       Germany                       Festhalle
12/8      Vienna                          Austria                          Stadthalle*
12/14    Antwerp                        Belgium                        Lotto*
12/15    Amsterdam                   Netherlands                   AFAS Live*
12/17    Birmingham                   UK                                BCA*
12/18    Glasgow                       Scotland                       Hydro*
12/20    Leeds                           UK                                Leeds Arena*
12/21    London                         UK                                Wembley Arena*           

 *With Of Mice And Men
 
For more information on Five Finger Death Punch:
 
www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com
www.facebook.com/fivefingerdeathpunch
www.instagram.com/5fdp
https://twitter.com/FFDP
 
 
For more information on In Flames:

http://www.inflames.com/
www.facebook.com/inflames
www.instagram.com/inflames
https://twitter.com/InFlames_SWE

Announcing the Max & Igor Cavalera RETURN TO ROOTS tour - celebrating the 20th anniversary of the legendary album Roots - to be played in its entirety each night! The North American tour, which kicks off in Las Vegas on September 12, will feature direct support on select dates from The Black Dahlia Murder and Combichrist, with additional support from Allegaeon, All Hail The Yeti and Oni.
 
Max & Igor Cavalera will perform their set with their Cavalera Conspiracy brothers, guitarist Marc Rizzo and bassist Johny Chow.
 
Tickets are on-sale beginning today and can be purchased via each individual venue. Visit your local RETURN TO ROOTS tour venue's website for more information, or check back to www.maxandiggorreturntoroots.com for updated ticket links as they become available.
 
In addition, very special Meet & Greet passes can be purchased at Max & Igor Cavalera's merch booth each night. Fans will be given the opportunity to take a photo with Max & Igor, and they will each sign a Roots CD, cassette or vinyl. This applies to only the Roots album and one autograph and one photo will be permitted per person. Don't miss this unique opportunity to have your Roots album signed by the men behind the music.
 
"Metalheads! It's time," declares Max Cavalera. "20 years ago, we released the Roots album and changed the face of metal forever. Now, we're returning to "the roots" to show everybody the magic and inspiration of the Roots live experience! You cannot miss this RETURN TO ROOTS 2016!"
 
Iggor Cavalera adds, "I am very proud to play Roots again, to reaffirm that after 20 years, it still moves people! We hit the stage again with Roots to destroy everywhere we pass by!"
 
Max & Igor Cavalera are the original founding members of influential RIAA Gold-Certified Brazilian heavy metal legends Sepultura, and specifically the team behind the band's early albums, including seminal releases Arise, Chaos A.D. and Roots. Since the band's formation over 30 years ago, the Cavalera brothers have each seen unparalleled successes in the music industry. Max's more recent work with Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy (also featuring Igor) and Killer Be Killed, in addition to Igor's project MIXHELL, proves the lasting power of the Cavalera legacy. 
 
Later this year, Warner Music will release a special vinyl edition of Roots, in addition to a CD/vinyl box set of classic Sepultura records, with more surprises in store. Stay tuned for a full announcement on the new editions, coming soon.
 
***Show line-ups vary per date - see below for the full tour routing with openers.

2016 Return to Roots Tour Dates:

9/12/2016 Las Vegas, NV @ LVCS w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/13/2016 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/15/2016 Nashville, TN @ Exit / In w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/16/2016 Louisville, KY @ Diamond Concert Hall w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/17/2016 Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/18/2016 Philadelphia, PA @ Rock Allegiance Festival (line-up)
9/19/2016 Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon

9/20/2016 Athens, GA @ Georgia Theater w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/22/2016 Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom w/ Combichrist, Allegaeon
9/23/2016 Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey w/ Support TBA
9/24/2016 Houston, TX @ Houston Open Air Festival (line-up)
9/25/2016 New Orleans, LA @ Southport Music Hall w/ All Hail The Yeti
9/30/2016 Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/1/2016 St Petersburg, FL @ State Theater w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni

10/2/2016 Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/6/2016 Chicago, IL @ Reggie's w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/7/2016 Detroit, MI @ Harpos w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/8/2016 Dayton, OH @ Oddbodys w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/9/2016 Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/10/2016 Ottawa, ON @ Mavericks w/ The Black Dahlia Murder, Allegaeon, Oni
10/11/2016 Toronto, ON @ Opera House w/ The Black Dahlia Murder, Allegaeon, Oni

10/12/2016 Montreal, QC @ Les Foufounes Electriques w/ The Black Dahlia Murder, Allegaeon, Oni
10/14/2016 Quebec City, QC @ Imperial Theatre w/ Allegaeon, Oni
10/15/2016 Worcester, MA @ Rock N Shock Festival w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/16/2016 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/17/2016 Sauget, IL @ Pop's w/ Combichrist, All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/20/2016 Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent w/ All Hail The Yeti, Oni
10/21/2016 Tempe, AZ @ Club Red / D-Low FEST w/ Soulfly, Incite, Lody Kong, Oni
10/23/2016 Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival (line-up)
 

www.maxandiggorreturntoroots.com
www.cavaleraconspiracy.net
www.facebook.com/cavaleraconspiracy  
www.soulfly.com
www.facebook.com/SoulflyOfficial

Chilean Groove / Thrash Metallers Lefutray will embark on its first European tour in July. The 30-date "Sounds Kill Europe Tour" will see the band playing in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, as well as 18 confirmed dates in Russia. There are still a few dates available. Those interested in booking the band should get in touch with Ferroda Booking at felipe@ferroda.cl.

The band is touring in support of 2015 SickBangers release Oath. Stream "Oath" in its entirety at https://lefutray.bandcamp.com/album/oath. 

www.facebook.com/LefutrayOficialEsp

Greek groove / metal four-piece Planet of Zeus return to the UK in support of their spectacular new album ‘Loyal to the Pack’. Last seen on these shores supporting the mighty Clutch, PoZ are excited to be heading back for a fistful of headline dates.

At a time in which individualism seems to be the ultimate solution for some ‘Loyal to the Pack’, is an ode to the benefits of teamwork. Being well known for their never ending signature heavy riffs, gritty vocals and unmistakeable grooves, the band decided to “shuffle their deck of cards” and push the boundaries of their musical direction, encompassing melody, clean, but heartrending vocals, a newly found sense of dynamics in amongst their colossal trademark riffs. Serving to a establish a signature sound for Planet of Zeus, a sound that takes the listener on a journey throughout the history of heavy music; from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Mastodon, The Allman Brothers Band to Queens of the Stone Age and AC/DC to Clutch. 

Right now, Planet of Zeus are the biggest rock band in Greece, consistently selling out every venue they play. Their annual Athens headlining show attracted more than 3.000 people and set a record of attendance in Greece's underground rock scene. Their raw, sincere and constantly evolving live performances have secured them a loyal and hardcore underground following throughout the world. After 5 consecutive European tours, including a slot on Metal Hammer’s ‘Lords Of The Riff II’ UK tour and several high profile festivals (notably a triumphant appearance at Bloodstock Open Air), Planet of Zeus finished 2015 as main support for Clutch's 2015 Psychic Warfare European Tour.

https://www.facebook.com/planetofzeus

Despite the chilly night outside, who would have thought that tonight would have been perhaps the strongest concert the Camden Underworld has seen for some time. This was the last date on the UK part of the "King" tour for Fleshgod Apocalypse and suffice to say they played the role of the 'King' tonight. For such a big band, a small venue did not hold them back from unleashing carnage, sure the 500 capacity venue was jam-packed, sure moshpits and stage diving happened for most of the night, sure Xerath and Hades Lab supported FA extremely well, but all in all this night belonged to one band.... Fleshgod Apocalypse. HAIL TO THE KING OF CLASSICAL DEATH METAL.

The horde from Perugia now take their Easter break before beginning their Russia, Estonia and Latvia tour. Then comes their festival shows, then as Tommaso indicated in our interview with him (click here), there may well be another America tour at the back end of 2016. But let's just recap last night shall we?

Having been on the scene for quite some time, dealing with various line-up changes and quiet periods of little activity, Hades Lab did their utmost to kick tonight off with a bang. Despite all of their attempts to ignite a crowd who were seemingly still chilled out from the cold outside, Hades Lab just could not get out of 3rd gear quick enough to leave a lasting impact. Although they performed some rather tight Black / Death / Grind Metal, the overall feeling was that they felt slightly uneasy performing, sure the crowd wasn't completely plenty and their mood was one of being expressionless, but that shouldn't hamper a band's performance right?

There was some glimmer of hope though as some songs did manage to get a response from the crowd, namely some ad-hoc headbanging but with some to most gigs, most people just hang around for the headliner which some would argue is disrespectful to those supporting, but anyway.... the fact that Hades Lab had the honesty (if you can call it that) to admit that their new song might not be perfect, could suggest a level of uncertainty resided within the band - if uncertain why try playing it at such a top notch gig, why not save it for a lesser riskier gig?

Again the goblins magic was at work because their playing at times was not in sync, that is they were slightly out of time with each other albeit the first which ironically was tight and played to perfection. Overall Hades Lab lacked that killer instinct, that notion that a band can whip out song after song like an endless machine gun firing away with no signs of slowing down or stopping.

[7/10]

Xerath bring their own brand of Orchestral Metal (with added doses of Groove Metal) to the fore, soon the crowd were into party mood as the band blasted them with a wall of sound (although Fleshgod would later on have the final say), initiating fans to clamber on stage by means of crowdsurfing and stage diving; some were so close to going wrong. Xerath here proved that they are no means finished, with their impending 10th year anniversary just around the corner.

As time flew by, some thought that Xerath deserved a longer set but in all truth the set flew by. Having been buzzing around the London metal scene, they were no stranger to big occasions having already played Bloodstock. Of course Xerath knew how to pull tonight's crowd up as they sussed out what this crowd needed, something to headbang endlessly to!

Cue the crowdsurfing and stage diving, during this performance there were at least 4, maybe 5 times were two people stage dived and whilst the moshpit opened up - some thought it wasn't small enough already haha (some said this), Xerath dealt the deeds through their infectiously groovy sermons of sci-fi faculty.

If this was a preview of what Xerath are going to unleash in shows to come, then they surely deserve greater appreciation and recognition than at present, because to tour and support one of Italy's finest and arguably successful metal exports (and to survive it) takes a lot of oomph and gusto. Xerath are underrated, after tonight they will have shed off that completely. Simply sensational.

[8]

HAIL TO THE KING.

HAIL THE KINGS OF 'CLASSICAL DEATH METAL'.


Check out below two videos we filmed:- "The Violent" in all of it's full glory and "The Fool" in part.

Apologies for some shaky camera moments, the moshpits and crowdsurfing was that extreme.

 
Tommaso bringing the Italian Renaissance to London.

We would love to know if Tommaso was actually drinking red wine in that photo, sure Fleshgod Apocalypse have released their own branded wine to promote the new album "King" (you can buy it online at their store - linked at the bottom of the page), but by bringing the Italian Renaissance visage to the fore meant only one thing. The purveyors of 'Classical Death Metal' were primed, poised and ready to unleash what could arguably be their best performance on British soil.

The videos we posted don't deal justice for their entire performance, sure it gives an idea but only let's say a third of it. Opening up with a selection of tracks from the new album "King", then whipping in the very first track from their very first album "Oracles" which is 'In Honour Of Reason' and closing up their set with the rather romantic number 'The Forsaking' (taken from their album "Agony"), Fleshgod Apocalypse are destined to become the new face of Italian music, let alone metal.

Backed by their honourable live musician and friend, Veronica Bordacchini, her soprano vocals injected the dramatics expected from a truly operatic, orchestral and theatrical performance. Make no mistake about it, the Italians of the Renaissance period would certainly look down at this band and nod with extreme approval. Hell this performance was equally as strong as their Bloodstock performance, meaning that they not only are consistent but do a f*cking good job of keeping their musical vision in sight without deviating down the wrong path.

Inciting the crowd at every moments chance, they know what it takes to deliver a stellar performance and then some, more importantly was the fact that they once again created an atmosphere that mimicked the same atmosphere one would experience at a ballet or theatrical play

Simply put Fleshgod Apocalypse are like the Leonardo Da Vinci of the art world, both dabbled in various areas - the former in Symphonic Metal, Death Metal and classical music, the latter in music history, inventions, etc. However attention cannot be deterred from the eccentricity of their stage uniforms, unique and perfected to detail, the quintet adorn themselves in uniform drawn upon from the Italian Renaissance period. Additionally Veronica does the same but also holds a caduceus of which in Roman mythology belongs to the god Mercury; the caduceus was uniquely used as a form of signature by the Italian Renaissance artist Jacopo de' Barbari.

Referring back the gig (or concert if you wish), it was clear that Fleshgod Apocalypse had left a lasting impression on those attending, rampaging on at the very last songs before being subject to the closing song 'The Forsaking' and an explosion of confetti being sprayed across the stage, band and crowd - what a majestic finale and what a way to end the night.

Now having done Bloodstock, the UK numerous times and travelled across the world, it would really be ace to see them at an edition of the Eurovision Song Contest - shame it wasn't this year as it would be 10 years since Lordi won it, so if they can enter and win then why can't Fleshgod Apocalypse? Fleshgod Apocalypse are 10 years old next year, so this would be a great party to devise and attend.

Hail to the King.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON