Italian Symphonic Metallers Souls Of Diotima have proudly announced first leg of "Gold & The New Horizons" European Tour. 10 Shows in support of their latest concept album "The Sorceress Reveals - Atlantis" released in June 2016 via Rockshots Records 19.01.17 - St Georgen - Fumreif - AUS 20.01.17. - Trimmelkam - Sakog - AUS 21.01.17 - Velika Plan - Drum Club - SER 23.01.17 - Pit - Bellinzona - SWI 24.01.17 - Smile Cafè - Liege - BE 25.01.17 - Rodewisch - Ars-Vitae - GER 26.01.17 - The Cave - Amsterdam - NL 27.01.17 - B52 - Eernegem - BE 28.01.17. - L'Excalibur - Reims - FR 29.01.17 - The One - Milan - IT https://soulsofdiotima.bigcartel.com facebook.com/soulsofdiotima/ twitter.com/SOULSOFDIOTIMA
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It's always a special occasion when a band decides to do an album launch concert, gig, party, however you wish to term it. The truth of the matter is that not only are album launch parties great for showcasing a wide variety of bands, in this case metal bands, but also the nationalities drawn it from it. With Epica's EpicMetalFest II, people from far and wide came to the 013 Poppodium in Tilburg to witness bands from Europe and as far away as Tunisia and Canada. (This was my first time at a concert abroad and first time flying alone having come from the UK) Sadly despite best efforts, due to some rather annoying maintenance works going on the Dutch railway and highway between Arnhem and Tilburg, I missed Off The Cross (BE), For I Am King (NL) and Myrath (FR / TN) and so cannot really report on either band. However, by chatting to some punters who said all three bands were on the ball, I'll take their word for it and give all three bands a 7.50/10. Dutch Modern Metal outfit Textures certainly had their A-game in check as they carried off where Tunisian Oriental Metallers Myrath had finished. By unleashing a charismatic on-stage presence with some rather tight and malicious sounding music, there was no reason why the crowd couldn't have matched the intensity radiating from Textures performance. Underrated at times, Textures have shown during this evening why they're worthy of a Bloodstock slot next year. Ballistic at all angels, Textures were simply raising the bar for the evening, was there anyone capable of stealing the show (besides Epica)? [8/10] Having only made their Napalm Records debut last year, Belgian Speed Metallers Evil Invaders showed exactly why the Austrian label snapped up the quartet without question. Blisteringly fast riffs crashed against all four walls of the Universe Stage, all whilst Textures were doing their own shindig next year on the Storm Stage. Evil Invaders have been knocking around for nearly 10 years and yet despite the age of the band as a unit, the members started off as teenagers, yet they're capable of proving that they've shed their teenage skins and morphed into a formidable, respectable force. By belting out songs as if they went out of fashion, Evil Invaders only had one thing in mind... total carnage and boy did they deliver. [8/10] One of a handful of Dutch Metal bands performing at this year's EpicMetalFest, Stream Of Passion are really no newcomers to the erotic world of female-fronted Symphonic Metal, in fact all but one band member have been in previous bands thus being no strangers to the scene. Moreover here is a band who despite their best efforts at delivering sweet music that is so sumptuously good to the ears, hasn't yet managed to reach the heights of their fellow contemporaries in Within Temptation and Epica. However their set demonstrated that they're on the path to achieve that goal and despite it still being late afternoon, had no reservations about keeping the crowd on their toes. Drinking was in full flow during their set, Stream of Passion? A Stream of alcohol more like. [7.5/10] Since the departure of Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist kicked Alissa out of the band, thus enabling her to join Arch Enemy after Angela Gossow became band manager; thereabouts), The Agonist have been finding their way with their new vocalist Vicky Psarakis. Now, Vicky showed she is up to the task-in-hand by delivering a performance worthy of continuous applause if not for some of the other band members who seemed rather lost and at times not fully convincing; it's as if they haven't stepped out of the shadows of their former vocalist, resulting in a rather disappointing set. Not entirely sure what their plans were for the evening but it seemed to not involve band practise, despite this the whole set was of reasonable standard yet without a doubt, probably the most disinteresting performance of the night. [6/10] Herewith is an example of grandiose perversion of the extremely meticulous kind, and now you're probably thinking what the actual f*ck am I on about? It's certainly a technical sentence no? Perfect for Italy's Fleshgod Apocalypse who once again don the theatrics and emit such musical ferocity that earth tremors could be felt. Seriously enough they did not put a foot wrong, in fact they are so rehearsed in their dramatis personae that they would do well at Eurovision next year (are you reading this RAI?). Strobe lights abound and an air of operatic grandeur circumventing the venue was certainly the case, plenty more where those came from as walls of death came to and fro by the commands of Tommaso Riccardi; it was as if he was playing the king and the punters as the fools, either way Fleshgod Apocalypse demonstrated once again why they are still underrated. [8.5/10] Where Fleshgod Apocalypse managed to succeed in shitting the audience, Katatonia did not, instead they commenced the slitting. A once great and brutal institution has now turned for the dank and dismal worse; it was as if they weren't meant to be here because to be quite frank, the music did not fit in with the rest of the evenings line-up. That said, at least Katatonia trump Justin Bieber hands down and have the decency to sing, not lip sync live. But Katatonia just could not get the audience going, some just standing and watching bare-face, expressionless, it was as if they have been subjected to a public culling of animals, it was horrific. Despite all their might, Katatonia just did not deliver tonight... well they delivered, but the music was stale and too depressive. [5/10] Now whilst I interviewed Anis Jouini from Myrath, The Ocean were doing their thing (and we could hear it, so let's give them a decent 7/10). Now the time had come for the star performance of the evening, well it is Epica's show of course... joking aside, Epica are another band who know how to deliver a mesmerizing yet epic live show and they did not disappoint. Using props designed to mimic their new album's artwork (The Holographic Principle), Epica used laser deflecting pyramids to divert light beams across the stage, creating a psychedelic feeling as a result. Additionally in tow was Coen Janssen and his 'keyscooter' (let's call it that because it's a keyboard on wheels) and of course the expected pyrotechnics (which culminated in the end to a firework explosion). Epica simply were sensational, by delivering a set, performance and indeed day-concert worthy of being unleashed on DVD, all in the namesake of their new album, calling it magical is simply not enough and does not describe the overarching package that is EpicMetalFest... may the 2017 edition be as breathtaking. [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON Carach Angren will be joining Fleshgod Apocalypse on their "King European Tour" in January 2017. The package that has already been a major success in the US in early 2016 will be completed by Nightland as opening act. The Dutch masters of horror metal and the Italian opera fanatics will kick off their road trip at the Backstage in Munich on January 7th and continue all month to hit 10 more European countries before a final curtain at Haunting the Chapel in the French city of Metz on the 28th of January. Carach Angren comment: "After three long years and many tours around the globe we are very much looking forward to haunt Europe once again. Make sure not to miss this great billing!" Fleshgod Apocalypse announce: "Needless to say, we are incredibly excited about this. For our first headlining run across Europe we are preparing a whole new show, a unique live experience that will blow your mind! We cannot think of a better way to start the new year." A list of all confirmed shows can be viewed below. CARACH ANGREN + FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE + NIGHTLAND 07 Jan 17 München (DE) Backstage 08 Jan 17 Graz (AT) Explosiv 09 Jan 17 Ljubljana (SI) Orto Bar 10 Jan 17 Budapest (HU) Dürer Kert 11 Jan 17 Wien (AT) Arena 12 Jan 17 Praha (CZ) Futurum 13 Jan 17 Cham (DE) LA 14 Jan 17 Zürich (CH) Dynamo 15 Jan 17 Dunkerque (FR) 4 Ecluses 16 Jan 17 Nijmegen (NL) Doornroosje 17 Jan 17 Eindhoven (NL) Dynamo 18 Jan 17 Paris (FR) Le Petit Bain 19 Jan 17 London (UK) Underworld 20 Jan 17 Vosselaar (BE) Biebob 21 Jan 17 Lindau (DE) Vaudeville 22 Jan 17 Annecy (FR) Le Brise Glace 24 Jan 17 Barcelona (ES) Razzmatazz 2 25 Jan 17 Madrid (ES) Arena 26 Jan 17 Bilbao (ES) Stage Live 27 Jan 17 Nantes (FR) Le Ferrailleur 28 Jan 17 Metz (FR) Haunting The Chapel CARACH ANGREN special X-Mass show 24 Dec 16 Amstelveen (NL) P60 www.carach-angren.nl www.facebook.com/carachangren Italian melo-death band Genus Ordinis Dei who earlier this year released their debut album "The Middle" and "EP 2016" on Mighty Music are now ready to embark on an extensive 31 days European tour supporting fellow country musicians Lacuna Coil. Genus Ordinis Dei and Lacuna Coil already know each other well as the band's "EP 2016" was produced by Marco "Maki" Coti Zelati (Lacuna Coil). www.genusordinisdei.com/epk-page www.mightymusic.dk Denmark's Forever Still will embark on a massive European tour together with The Italian Gothfathers from Lacuna Coil. Starting in Paris, the new hope of heavy rock will haunt throughout Europe over to the UK and end the trip in Bologna. "We are beyond thrilled for this tour!", singer Maja states. "We have wanted to visit our fans all around Europe for a long time, and this line-up with Lacuna Coil is the perfect fit. Not only am I excited to tour with a band I've been listening to growing up, they're also in the top 3 of bands our fans have requested us to tour with! We really can't wait, and I can only imagine the fans are gonna be as excited for this, as we are!" European tour dates and UK ticket links. Dates are on sale now! w/ LACUNA COIL 20.10. F Paris - Le Cabaret Sauvage 21.10. B Vosselaar - Biebob 22.10. NL Tilburg - O13 24.10. D Cologne - Underground 25.10. D Berlin - White Trash Ballroom 26.10. D Hamburg - Grünspan 28.10. DK Copenhagen - Vega 30.10. N Oslo - John Dee 02.11. D Essen - Zeche Carl 03.11. D Munich - Strom 04.11. CZ Prague - Rock Café 05.11. A Vienna - Simm City 07.11. CH Pratteln - Z7 10.11. UK Bristol - Marble Factory http://www.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/the-marble-factory/988629 11.11. UK London - Koko http://myticket.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/koko/989541 13.11. UK Birmingham - Institute 2 http://myticket.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/o2-institute2/989542 14.11. UK Newcastle - Riverside http://www.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/riverside/987432 15.11. UK Glasgow - Garage http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lacuna-coil-glasgow-15-11-2016/event/360050B497DE3B61 16.11. UK Manchester - Academy 2 http://myticket.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/manchester-academy-2/989548 18.11. UK Southampton - 1865 http://www.seetickets.com/event/lacuna-coil/1865/985939 20.11. F Cognac - West Rock 22.11. E Madrid - But 23.11. E Granada - El Tren 24.11. E Barcelona - Razzmatazz 26.11. I Pordenone - Deposito 27.11. I Rome - Orion 28.11. I Milan - Live Club 29.11. I Bologna - Zona Roveri With their untamed female lead vocals and haunting melodies, the new wildfire named Forever Still started to spread from Denmark and is ready to burn down every shore with their first studio release Tied Down out on October 21st. The band now published their second album trailer and in this clip, singer Maja Shining speaks about the writing of her lyrics and explains where the inspiration for the album came from. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/1cYSYuvyqOE "Pieces of the lyrics will usually come randomly during my daily activities and I'll record them on my phone or I'll write them down. And sometimes it can be one little word that will put the final piece into the puzzle!", Maja explains. "I'm not sure, if I'll ever be able to talk about those things that I sing about. That's why I make music about it." If you missed the first trailer, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxMRQUMU5Vw With a pinch of Lacuna Coil and a hint of Flyleaf and Bring Me The Horizon, the female-fronted rock inferno Forever Stil mixes heavy guitars with melancholic sounds and just recently signed to Nuclear Blast. Even though the band just recently signed to Nuclear Blast, they already released two haunting music videos. See 'Scars' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUG0c05iK-Q And 'Miss Madness' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qtheIeofZo www.foreverstill.dk www.facebook.com/foreverstill Italian death metal combo Mechanical God Creation are confirmed for Titanfest, set to take place on November 19th in London (UK), sharing the stage with Onslaught, Oliver / Dawson Saxon, Skyclad, Anihilated, Nightlord, Beholder, Hysterica, Huron, Weapon UK, Furnaze, Dethonator and more. Facebook Event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1751336325110152 Front-lady Lucy comments: "We are really glad to take part of Titanfest in London with so many cool bands like Onslaught , never played in UK before so we are excited to conquer a new land very soon!! Stay metal \m/" Mechanical God Creation are currently busy writing new material for the third album, scheduled to be released in 2016. Earlier this year the band toured with Septicflesh, supporting them in Russia. A video footage for their song “Walking Dead” has been posted on YouTube, watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJo7JU46X_0 Titanfest takes its name from The Underground Titans Tour '92, a showcase tour of the finest up-and-coming underground metal bands of the era, in an unprecedented air of cooperation between bands creating what is still hailed by many as the first underground metal tour. Now, that spirit of brotherhood and unity shines through as some of the most time-hardened bands work side-by-side with the newer generation of underground bands to bring a full day's worth of aural assault from the finest in old school thrash, metal and death metal around. http://www.mechanicalgodcreation.it https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlphaOmegaManagement Italian legendary Death Thrashers Node – who released their sixth studio effort “Cowards Empire”, on April 26th, via Punishment 18 Records – are confirmed to co-headline the Headbangers Baia Festival (in Naples - Italy) on September 24th. Node stated: "We played in Naples exactly 10 years ago, so we're really thrilled to return there after a decade with our new material! It's gonna be a blast!" Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/525889167606362/ Just recently Node released an official video “The Truck”, footage taken from the latest Russian shows, supporting Kataklysm, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDxojwODoLY https://www.facebook.com/nodeband666 https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlphaOmegaManagement A few days ago, the organizers of the Under The Black Sun 2017 confirmed Czech kult Black Metal outfit Inferno for the festival, and now they have more for you already: The next great band that is going to play on the festival's 2017 edition are Western Germany's Black Metal occultists Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult. The band around vocalist / guitarist Onielar and guitarist Velnias released their latest album "Necrovision" in 2012 and return to the stage in Helenenau in the woods outside Berlin after eight years of UTBS abstinence. The billing of Under The Black Sun 2017 thus looks like this so far: DARKENED NOCTURN SLAUGHTERCULT (DE) INFERNO (CZ) KULT (IT) NOCTURNAL DEPRESSION (FR) THE RUINS OF BEVERAST (DE) Tickets for the Under The Black Sun 2017 are available under the following links: E-Ticket (Early Bird): http://www.folter666shop.de/de/Tickets/eTicket/UTBS-2017--Hardticket-3249.html Hardticket (Early Bird): http://www.folter666shop.de/de/Tickets/Hardticket/UTBS-2017--Hardticket.html You can find further information on the festival's homepage or on the UTBS facebook page. Italian Gothic Metallers Lightless Moor are confirmed to support the Finnish Folk Metal Lords Korpiklaani and Iceland's Metallers Skalmöld on their shows in Tallinn and Riga, see the details below. October 22nd at Rockclub Tapper - Tallinn, Estonia Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/892860097485784/ October 23rd at Melna Piektdiena - Riga Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1148740015198418/ Lightless Moor's new album “Hymn for the Fallen” is out via Wormholedeath / Aural Music Group through worldwide digital market and CD. Watch “Qualcosa Vive Attraverso” official lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqGvULr4GaU http://www.lightlessmoor.com https://www.facebook.com/LightlessMoor http://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlphaOmegaManagement https://www.facebook.com/korpiklaani https://www.facebook.com/skalmold With the addition of Germany's The Ocean and The Netherland's For I Am King, the program for the second edition of Epica's own festival 'Epic Metal Fest' on Saturday, October 1st in Poppodium 013 Tilburg is now complete. Altogether there are twelve bands performing on two stages, the other ten bands have been announced over the months before. The two aforementioned bands will be joined by Sweden's Katatonia, Italy's Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dutch metallers Stream Of Passion, Mayan and Textures. Canada's, Tunisia's Myrath, Belgium's Evil Invaders and Off The Cross, and of course the centrepiece of the event, Epica (NL). Epica's destined concert will be momentous as it coincides with their new album 'The Holographic Principle' being released, but also it will be Epica's only Benelux show this year. Tickets (single tickets or ticket bundles + signed copies of the new CD) are available here:- http://www.ticketmaster.nl/event/163671?CAMEFROM=013&brand=nl_013web The day for Epic Metalfest - 30th September brings Dutch symphonic metallers Epica new seventh studio album 'The Holographic Principle' to life, it can be pre-ordered via http://www.epicawebshop.com/ Not only is the album itself different, but also the creation of it (which lasted more than one year). The band decided not to use samples but to purely utilize instruments, guest singers and choirs. Only the preparations were a massive undertaking because all of the (classical) instrumental and vocal parts were first written on sheet music. Then the band recorded the music with numerous musicians and singers all at once: strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, choir, soloists and ethnic instruments. The result was a record number of recorded audio tracks - sometimes up to 1,000 per song. Brief information on the newly confirmed bands
Here's a backdrop for both the last two bands to be confirmed, The Ocean and For I Am King. Since its inception in 2000, The Ocean are a quintet built on solid reputation in the heavy (prog) scene. The band describe their sound as "music with guitars in it". The bands live shows are given an extra dimension by using a striking light show, resulting in an impressive performance and experience. For I Am King are a young and ambitious metal (core) band who musically sit somewhere between In Flames, Trivium, Darkest Hour, Arch Enemy and Killswitch Engage: heavy and modern but also melodic and catchy with custom-cut brutal vocals emanating from the eyecatching frontwoman Alma Alizadeh. Tickets (excl. Service charges)
Tickets for Epic Metal Fest are available through www.ticketmaster.nl and (NL) (+31) 0900 - 300 1250 (60 cpm). For more information about Epic Metal Fest: www.epicmetalfest.com www.facebook.com/epicmetalfest www.facebook.com/epica www.epica.nl |
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