There are your standard heavy metal festivals – and there is 70000TONS OF METAL. Just imagine: You’ve just returned from a beautiful island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after spending hours enjoying the sun and white sand on a wonderful Caribbean beach. Feeling the warm wind blowing in your face, you are now sitting in a hot tub on a giant cruise ship, up close to a large stage, headbanging to your favourite band. You are watching from one of six whirlpools with a direct view of the stage on the pool deck, which is the biggest open air stage structure to sail the seas. It’s loud. It’s full of metalheads from all over the world. Sounds perfect? Well, it is ......

It’s been more than a week now since most fans have returned home from a more than successful 70000TONS OF METAL 2018 - round 8, more than a few of them still suffering from a serious case of PCD (post cruise depression) following four incredible days on board the Independence Of The Seas. More than 3,000 metalheads boarded the ship together with 61 bands, each of which was going to perform at least two shows (124 shows on 4 stages in total) during this unique event at sea. Some fans spent the shore day in Turks and Caicos with their favourite band during one of the various artist-led shore excursions. Picture yourself swimming with Meshuggah in the awe inspiring presence of majestic stingrays, or snorkeling with Aborted and Exhumed by your side to make you feel safe. Wolves on a safari? Sure, go on a coast-to-coast island tour with Wolfchant!

On top came the one of a kind All-Star performance “Jamming With Waters in International Waters” featuring members e.g. from Kreator, Sabaton, Cannibal Corpse, Destruction, Sonata Arctica, Meshuggah, Enslaved, Primal Fear, Dark Tranquility, Voivod, Seven Spires and many more, playing all time heavy metal and hard rock classics together on stage for the first time ever.

And there was another premiere, a record rather, that no one expected to be broken after last year’s peak of 74 different nationalities represented on board: 2018 beat 2017 by one more nation and proved once again that 70000TONS OF METAL is the most global cruise, uniting 75 nations on board this year. Germany, USA and Canada were among the top five of the most represented nations aboard. The youngest sailor was only 1 year old, the oldest turned 79 on the ship.

Coming up: Round 9

So watch out, Sailors: After the cruise is before the cruise. Fans can already look forward to round 9 of 70000TONS OF METAL, THE original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise sailing from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale to Labadee, Haiti and back, January 31 – February 4, 2019.

British metalcore group Confessions Of A Traitor have announced an 11 date European tour supporting Crazy Town in January 2018. This comes hot on the heels of their UK dates in Swansea, Basingstoke and Bradford on January 12th, 13th and 14th. The band have an enjoyed a successful 2017 with the release of their EP Illuminate via Sliptrick Records and a lot of touring which has helped them reach out even further to the masses. They aim to kick off 2018 in the same vein with more gigs, new recordings and spreading the Confessions Of A Traitor word! Read more about Illuminate …here

Get your copy of Illuminate at: Shop Sliptrick | Amazon | iTunes
Illuminate | Released worldwide via Sliptrick Records on June 13th

European Tour dates:

Jan 18 | Viper Room | Vienna, AU
Jan 19 | Bozidarac | Belgrade, SRB
Jan 20 | Form-Space Cluj | Napoca, RO
Jan 21 | Hard Rock Cafe | Bucharest, RO
Jan 22 | Oddity | Iasi, RO
Jan 23 | Sentrum | Kiev, UA

Jan 24 | Fest Republic | L’viv, UA
Jan 25 | Eleven Club | Brno, CZ
Jan 26 | Barrak | Ostrava, CZ
Jan 27 | Club DK Luksus | Wroclaw, PL
Jan 28 | Cross Club | Prague, CZ

All dates below are supporting Crazy Town and with For The Win

Band links: Official Website | Facebook | Youtube

Melodic metal masters Arch Enemy are ready to conquer fans worldwide as they embark on their headlining international "Will To Power Tour"!  

Jinjer will support Arch Enemy on this intense tour run! The first leg of the tour will trek across Eastern Europe from September 15th until October 11th!  The second round of dates for the "Will to Power Tour" will take place in early 2018 from January 12th until February 7th across Western Europe, and feature support from Wintersun and Tribulation as well!

Arch Enemy bandleader and chief songwriter Michael Amott comments: “Very happy to already announce our “Will To Power" European headline tour for early 2018. We can't wait to get back out there with a new fresh Arch Enemy show full of cool surprises! And what a line-up! We have assembled a killer tour package with some amazing bands for you. Wintersun, Tribulation and Jinjer are all bands with their own unique and impressive live performances. This all adds up to an epic night of Metal that should not be missed!"   

While Jinjer chimed in stating, "We are literally counting the days until this tour starts! It's everything that we've been working up to for the past few years: bigger venues, bigger crowds and smashing the stage every night with the likes of a heavy metal giant like Arch Enemy. This tour will be one for the record books for sure!" 

Don’t miss out on this tour run! Tickets can already be purchased HERE!

JINJER as Support of ARCH ENEMY

“Will To Power Tour 2018”  w/ Wintersun, Tribulation

12.01.2018 DE - Munich, Tonhalle
13.01.2018 DE - Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn
15.01.2018 CH - Zurich, Komplex
17.01.2018 IT - Milano, Alcatraz
18.01.2018 FR - Lyon, Transbordeur
22.01.2018 FR - Toulouse, Le Bikini
23.01.2018 FR - Paris, Bataclan
24.01.2018 BE - Antwerp, Trix
26.01.2018 DE - Oberhausen, Turbinenhalle
27.01.2018 DE - Geiselwind, Music Hall
29.01.2018 DE - Hamburg, Große Freiheit
31.01.2018 SE - Malmö, KB
01.02.2018 NO - Oslo, Rockefeller
02.02.2018 SE - Stockholm, Arenan
03.02.2018 SE - Gothenburg, Trädgarn
05.02.2018 DE - Berlin, Huxleys
06.02.2018 DE - Wiesbaden, Schlachthof
07.02.2018 DE - Saarbrücken, Garage


JINJER Line-Up:

Tatiana Shmailyuk - Vocals
Roman Ibramkhalilov - Guitars
Eugene Kostyuk - Bass
Vladislav Ulasevish – Drums     

www.facebook.com/JinjerOfficial

Multi-platinum rock band Evanescence are set to play their first UK dates for 5 years.  They appear at London’s Eventim Apollo on June 13th & 14th. More info available at http://www.evanescence.com/shows/
 
Led by Amy Lee’s operatic and passionate vocals, Evanescence has sold nearly 25 million albums since the band’s 2003 debut, Fallen. The album’s lead single, “Bring Me To Life” won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Other massive hits followed including “My Immortal,” “Going Under,” and “Call Me When You’re Sober,” establishing Evanescence as worldwide tour headliners.  
 
Lee comments "Coming back to Europe has been a high priority for us and we are very excited for the shows this summer. The band has a special new energy right now and we are pushing ourselves and more than ever onstage, and enjoying ourselves immensely. Can't wait to share it with you!"
 
Full European tour dates are below:

June 10th – Vantaa, Finland @ Rockfest
June 13th -  London, UK @ Eventim Apollo  SOLD OUT
June 14th – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo SOLD OUT
June 18th – Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop
June 20th – Warsaw, Poland @ Torwar
June 21st – Trakai, Lithuania @ Sunset Festival
June 26th – Kiev, Ukraine @ Stereo Plaza
June 29th – Bucharest, Romania @ Arenale Romane 

July 2nd – Athens, Greece @ Rockwave Festival
July 4th – Milan, Italy @ Milano Summer Festival
July 6th – Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic @ Rock for People
July 8th – Pratteln, Switzerland @ Summer Nights Open Air
July 9th – Cologne, Germany @ Palladium
 
Amy Lee recently announced that the band are working with an orchestra on new album ‘Synthesis’.  They will be re-recording core Evanescence tracks as well as showcasing a couple of new songs.  You can watch the announcement here: https://www.facebook.com/Evanescence/videos/10154322072766786/
 
Evanescence is:

Amy Lee: Vocals, Piano, Keyboards
Will Hunt: Drums
Troy McLawhorn: Guitar
Jen Majura: Guitar, Vocals
Tim McCord: Bass

https://www.facebook.com/evanescence

Following their critically-acclaimed debut album Fall of Humanity, Italian Death Metal act Banned From Hell are proud to announce the 8 dates of their upcoming Eastern Europe tour. The tour will kick off in Ukraine on May 26th, finishing off in Latvia on June 3rd.

Tour dates:

26.05 Krivoy Rog, UKR | Madison
27.05 Dnepr, UKR | Rk
28.05 Zaporozhe, UKR | Chicago Blues
29.05 Nikolaev, UKR | Phoenix
30.05 Kiev, UKR | Barvy
01.06 Riga, LV | Nabaklab
02.06 Daugavpils, LV | Artilerijas Pagrabi
03.06 Liepaja, LV | Fontaine Palace

Fall of Humanity | Released June 30th, 2016 on Sliptrick Records

Andrea Giordano – Vocals
Leonardo Roina – Guitar
Andrea di Gregorio – Guitar
Federico Taccini – Drums
Lorenzo Vullo – Bass
Mattia Montesano – Keyboards

Facebook | Youtube | Instagram

Japanese Thrash Heroes Survive have announced their headlining tour in Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Russia, kicking off on June 16th in Kaunas, Lithuania. The tour trek includes also a show in Kiev, supporting the legendary New Jersey thrashers, Overkill!

"Human Misery Assault Tour 2017" dates:

16.06 Kaunas (Lithuania) - Lemmy   
17.06 Kekavas Novads (Latvia) - Metalshow Open Air 2017 - https://www.facebook.com/events/391739884527674/

20.06 Kiev (Ukraine) - with OVERKILL - Bel étage Concert Club - https://www.facebook.com/events/1937947483095339/

21.06 Kharkov (Ukraine) - Zhara
22.06 Zaporizhia (Ukraine) - Chicago Blues
24.06 Moscow (Russia) - Rock House
25.06 Saint Petersburg (Russia) - Zoccolo 2.0

Survive released their latest album “Human Misery”, on September 30th, 2015 via Rebel Recordings. Check out “Shred them All” video from the album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP98KdggW4A

Survive – formed in 1998 – have released 9 albums, 1 DVD and played several festivals (Loud Park, Beast Fest, Multiplex-motorbike event, Korean Live Rock, Formoz Festival, Asia Metal Festival, Dongducheon Rock Festival, Trendkill Extreme Feast, etc.), and toured all over the world with Behemoth, United, Killswitch Engage, Dope, Pulling Teeth, Testament, Outrage, Anthrax, Hatebreed, Napalm Death, just to name a few of them.

http://www.rebel-survive.com – https://www.facebook.com/survive333
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlphaOmegaManagement

Ukrainian barbaric black metal horde Balfor to tour across Poland, Czech and Slovakia together with Degoryen, Raventale, Vrani Volosa!

05.05. Banska Bystrica - Rock Klub Tartaros (SK)
06.05. Presov - Amfiteater (SK)
07.05. Roznava - Rakwa Music Club (SK)
08.05. Brezno - Dart Club (SK)
10.05. Bielsko-Biala - Rudeboy Club (PL)
11.05. Dubnica nad Vahom - Pivaren (SK)
12.05. Wroclaw - Ciemna Strona Miasta Rock Club (PL)
13.05. Brno - Faval (CZE)


http://balfor.info/
https://www.facebook.com/balforofficial/

Italy, Naples-based symphonic metallers Poemisia are confirmed, as main support, for Russian folk / pagan metallers Arkona on their show in Kiev, on March 12th!

Poemisia comments:

"For all our beautiful Ukrainian fans, this is for you! After our very first show in Kiev just two years ago, our second one last year, we couldn't miss this year, so it's time for the third one! We're very glad to support Arkona for this show and would be very pleased to meet all of you amazing people again! See you on stage!!"

The musical style of Poemisia is focused on sounds which combine metal music to opera and symphonic elements. This duality leads to a tendency to mark the continuous conflict between darkness and light, between death and life, between Hell and Heaven, sometimes also in a peculiar grotesque way. This is fully reflected also in the lyrics which have always a refined nature. Poemisia

https://www.facebook.com/Poemisia
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAlphaOmegaManagement
https://www.facebook.com/arkonarussia/

Epic Celtic Death Metal outfit Steignyr have recently confirmed the complete amount of shows that will compose the European Tour "The Prophecy of the Highland 2016".

SHOWS:

15/07 - Lille / Le Midland (Fr)
16/07 - Leuven / Rock Café Leuven (Be)
17/07 - Geleen / Cafe Zaal de Reunie (Nl)
21/07 - Berlin / Chesters (De)
23/07 - Prague / Exit Us (Cz)
24/07 - Budapest / Showbarlang (Hu)
29/07 - Kiev / Carpathian Alliance (Ua)
21/09 - Barcelona / Bóveda (Es)

The band recently unveiled their latest video "Hammer of Agony (Live)" extracted from this last album and you can watch it by clicking HERE!

"The Prophecy of the Highlands" is available on:
AGR Online
iTunes
Amazon
Spotify
Apple Music

www.artgatesrecords.com