Red Light Pledge release E.P onto iTunes

Tauranga cross genre group, Red Light Pledge have had their release party, and it's now been announced that the band have put their debut E.P on iTunes for purchase. To go straight to their iTunes download page, check out:  http://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/red-light-pledge-ep/id419460559?uo=4
Alternatively, search for 'Red Light Pledge" in the iTunes store. 7 songs for $7.99, aint bad.

News about upcoming "The Amenta" Album news

Aussie Extreme Metal group, The Amenta, have a new, upcoming album, "VO1D", due out March 8th.
The news is that the album will be available for free download, for one week, from March 8th. It will be downloadable from http://www.theamenta.com/


Interesting, press release specs: "With guest appearances by 'Occasus' era vocalist Mark 'Cesium 137' Bevan and former bass player Dale Harrison and incorporating a new song, re-records, an ARMOURED ANGEL cover, electronic experiments, remixes professional video and mastered by Alan Douches (HATE ETERNAL, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN)"


Tracklisting is as follows:

AUDIO

1. Empty

2. V01d (exclusive new song)

3. Erebus (re-recorded)

4. Ache

5. Junky (re-recorded)

6. Spine (re-recorded)

7. Null

8. Vermin (re-recorded)

9. Nihil (re-recorded)

10. Nil

11. Enigmatize (originally performed by ARMOURED ANGEL)

12. None

13. Junky (remix)

14. Nihil (remix)

15. Vermin (remix)

16. Erebus (remix)

VIDEO

THE AMENTA LIVE IN SYDNEY

(Multi-camera, pro-audio video)

1. Junky

2. Vermin

3. Mictlan

4. Erebus

5. Vermin (film clip, never before released)

Free E.P from T.S.O.T.S.C

Southern metal band, The Sign of the Southern Cross, who's band name sounds more southern hemisphere, rather than North Carolina..
Anyway, these guys are signed to Seasons of mist and if you head over to the seasons of mist website you can download a 3 song E.Pby the band, for free http://www.season-of-mist.com/bands/sign-of-the-southern-cross-the - as well as checking out the hardfast&heavyshow to hear a song from this EP too.

New Anaal Nathrakh

Anaal Nathrakh's new album, "Passion" is due to be released (in Europe) May 23^rd via Candlelight Records. Go here to check out a new track from the album: http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/digital/ecard/anaalnathrakh_ecard/anaalnathrakh_ecard.html 

Here's the press release:

Anaal Nathrakh was created for one purpose - to be the soundtrack for armageddon, the audial essence of evil, hatred and violence, the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes.  Since being founded in 1999, the band has gained a reputation for embodying precisely these things, with a history including not only the release of four albums and an EP to rapturous acclaim, but collaborations with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), Nick Barker (Testament, Dimmu Borgir), Joe Horvath (Circle of Dead Children), Sethlans Teitan (Watain) and so on.  This, alongside appearing on BBC Radio 1 at the personal behest of sadly missed icon John Peel, headlining a stage at the renowned cult Inferno Festival in Norway as their debut international live appearance, countless placings in ‘best album of the year’ polls and album of the month awards in the press and cover appearances on leading magazines  such as Terrorizer…  Anaal Nathrakh’s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable.

Hallmarked by breathtaking musical ferocity, inventiveness and breadth, married with a mercurial, intensely misanthropic and sharp intelligence, Anaal Nathrakh’s sound is imbued with a palpable sense of menace that is virtually unmatched in metal.

For 2011, the band present the digested and re-vomited results of an 18-month journey through slings, arrows and outrageous misfortune.  Intended in the most scourging sense of the word, ‘Passion’ is an encoded vision of agony; desolation taken as the inspiration for incalculable rage.  This is only abetted by contributions of twisted misanthropy from Rainer Landfermann (Pavor, Bethlehem), Alan Dubin (Khanate, Gnaw etc) and the utter blackness of Gnaw Their Tongues.  Glorying in their Pyrrhic epiphanies, Anaal Nathrakh have developed a deeper understanding of horror and ‘Passion’ is the focused, distilled and above all bleakly triumphant result.

 Tracklist:

1. Volenti non fit iniuria.

2. Drug-fucking abomination.

3. Post traumatic stress euphoria.

4. Le diabolique est l'ami du simple.

5. Locus of damnation.

6. Tod huetet uebel.

7. Paragon pariah.

8. Who thinks of the executioner.

9. Ashes screaming silence.

10. Portrait of the artist.

Playlist for 21 Feb 2011

Playlist for 21 Feb 2011
KORPIKLAANI- Tequila (New)
3 INCHES OF BLOOD- Forest Key
DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND- By your Command (Live) (Five song E.P available for free download at: http://www.insideoutmusic.com/specials/DTP/ )
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE- Sick, Sick, Sick (Request)
OVERKILL- Bring me the Night
FEAR FACTORY- Martyr
FEAR FACTORY- H-K (Hunter Killer)
*N.Z* BACKYARD BURIAL- You're not getting your hand back
AURORA BOREALIS- Tearing holes in the Fabric of Time (New- available for free at: http://www.auroraborealis.org/html/news.html)
DEICIDE- To Hell with God (New)
THE FAMINE- The New Hell (New)
EMMURE- Solar Flare Homicide (New)
DR. ACULA-Who You Gonna Call? (New)
CANNIBAL CORPSE- Unleashing the Bloodthirsty (Request)
NECROPHAGIST- Stabwound (Request)
*N.Z* LEGION- The Great Deceiver (Download this and another song for free at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Legion/187761644586524 )
HIGH ON FIRE- Witching Hour (Venom Cover)
HIGH ON FIRE- Devilution
THE RED CHORD- One Robot to Another
*N.Z* HUMAN- Brutalised in Brutality
*N.Z* OILBARRONS- Question Everything
*N.Z* OILBARRONS- Distracted
*N.Z* IN DREAD RESPONSE- Call of the Carrion
ONSLAUGHT- The Sound of Violence (New)
PIG DESTROYER- Alexandria

Playlist for 14th Jan 2011

Playlist for 14th Jan 2011
ISHTAR- The Enemy Within (Request)
KORPIKLAANI- Korvesta Liha
JALDABOATH- Bash the Bishop
BLACK SABBATH- Die Young
THE HAUNTED- Abysmal
DETOX- Into Catacombs
SLAYER- Evil has No Boundaries
SLAYER- Hell Awaits
THE RED SHORE- Seeds of Annihilation (Request)
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE- Abyssal
HIGH ON FIRE- Fire, Flood and Plague (Touring NZ with the Melvins, Feb 19th - 24th)
EMMURE- Demons with Ryu
STRAPPING YOUNG LAD- Love?
LEGION OF THE DAMNED- War is in my Blood
DR. ACULA- Welcome to Camp Nightmare
VREID- Wolverine Bastards
ABYSMAL DAWN- Perpetual Dormancy
DESTRUCTION- Hate is my Fuel
DECREPIT BIRTH- Polarity
RAZORWYRE- Fuckyou Tonight

Brazilian bands band together for tribute to Brazilian band.

Click on the link below to start downloading a tribute album compiled out of Brazilian bands covering songs by the countries biggest metal export.
Tracklist:
CANGAÇO - Attitude
CRUOR - Escape to the Void
DESALMA - Propaganda
DOLEO AETERNUS - Come Back Alive
ETERNAL OBLIVION - Territory
INFESTED BLOOD - Beneath the Remains
INSURRECTION DOWN - Apes of God
LETHAL VIRUS - Desperate Cry
MALKUTH - Troops of Doom
MORIA - Dead Embryonic Cells
NOBB - Roots Bloody Roots
PANDEMMY - Convicted in Life
SONORIS FABRICA - Valtio
TRUEVIOLENCE - Arise
UNSCARRED - Slave New World

http://sepultura.uol.com.br/tributope/Tributo%20ao%20Sepultura%20-%202011%20-%20Ratamahatta%20de%20Pernambuco%20para%20o%20Mundo.zip

Free Aurora Borealis timelines

http://www.auroraborealis.org/html/news.html
Check out the following link to download the latest Aurora Borealis album, "Timeline" for free. If you want a hard copy, you'll have to pay & details are on the bands website as how to do so..

The American black metal outfit revolves around Ron Vento as vocalist and guitars, however the drummers seat has been filled by some big names- founding drummer Tony Laureano who's worked on albums by Nile, Malevolent Creation, Nachtmystium, God Dethroned as well as acting as replacement/tour drummer for Dimmu Borgir, 1349, All that Remains. Also, Derek Roddy (Hate Eternal, and also Nile, Malevolent Creation & others) and Tim Yeung (Divine Heresy, Decrepit Birth, Vital Remains, Morbid Angel & also; Hate Eternal, Nile, All that Remains) have filled the position as drummer on the bands various albums..

In Dread Response, Oilbarrons & more gig

Poster has all the details. Read it, be informed. Go to the gig, be entertained.

Jan 31st: Alice Cooper (O.T.R.T.B.A.T.M)

Tonight we look at shock rocker, Alice Cooper. We look at the albums, "Pretties for You"('69) and "Welcome to my Nightmare" ('75)
Back in the late 60's there was a band called Alice Cooper, with a frontman, Vincent Furnier. Anyways, eventually Vincent went solo and adopted the bands name as his stage name, pioneering a horror movie, vaudeville, metal based/influenced act that was theatrical & violent.
Recently Rob Zombie inducted him into the Rock n Roll hall of fame.

Do I need to say that this is not my photo?

Feb 7th: Venom (O.T.R.T.B.A.T.M)

Tonight we look at British band, Venom, and their first two albums Welcome to Hell ('81) and Black Metal (82).
They more than anyone else has been credited as influencing so many sub-genres of metal; trash, black metal, death metal, extreme metal and probably much more. Slated as bringing together the heavy metal foundations and imagery Black Sabbath started a decade earlier, and Motorhead's distortion and speed.

Their influence is undeniable, with the title of their second album being the name of a while sub-genre, and as thrash influencer, Slayer and Metallica both have apparently played support of Venom during the 80's (and critics say Venom riffs etc can be heard in songs from both bands).
They apparently have a new album due out in 2011.

Metallica opening for Venom. I guess.



Jan 24th: Death (O.T.R.T.B.A.T.M)

This week we look into the grandfather of Death Metal, Chuck Schuldiner and his pioneering tour-de-force band, Death. We check out their debut, "Scream Bloody Gore: ('87) and their final album, "The Sound of Perserverance" ('98, a deluxe version is being re-released soon)
Death heavily influenced Death metal and Grindcore & to this day is one of the top selling death metal bands in the states. Schuldiner unfortunately passed away in 2001.

Scaphist, Creeping, Ulcerate. 4th feb 2011.



Best I could get on my crumby phone camera.

 Lineup: Scaphist, Creeping, Ulcerate.
Date: 4th Feb 2011.
Venue: The Rising Sun.
Overall: Awesome music from all bands involved, but I was feeling rather antisocial so I must apologise to anyone I ran into that night.
Spiel: I got there kinda early- Scaphist were running through their sound check (apparently the gig was vocalist & bass player, Oli's last show with the band). They were very good & I look forward to future developments from these guys.
Creeping were on next, but I had popped outside for fresh air & missed the start of Creepings set, but what I did see was very good.
Ulcerate were on last, and started a bit late (according to my watch), but they played for over an hour and covered a new and old songs. My understanding is that it was the first appearance of their new (touring/live) guitarist. The band brought their brand of (tech) death/post/drone/whatever-you-call-it metal and showed the crowd why they're rapidly becoming a favoured band on overseas metal sites.
I was gonna use cliched hyperbola's like, I'm surprised the building wasn't shaken from it's foundations and fall onto the motorway (although saying you're gonna use a cliche and then state said cliche is probably cliched also), but they were heavy, half the band played real fast, like the drumming and guitar, but the lead (i guess) guitar and vocals indicated a slower pace; bringing to mind the analogy of a crude animation school kids draw in the corners of books, as in the pages are flipped fast but the action is slow. This is their style and as they tour in Aussie in March, and no doubt further field later; fans of their records won't be disappointed with their sounds-like-the-album performance.
Dim lighting, and hardly any talking/interaction with the crowd (although, probably more professional not to interact with every jib and heckle, Though it was funny when someone yelled out, before their set, "Technical Death Metal!") and the general atmosphere they created sends out the vibes that the band is bigger than a bunch of guys who (probably) live and work up the road.
Headliners album 'review': I'm not really one for reviewing or criticing albums, but "Destroyer of All" is simply another in a long string of really good NZ metal albums. I will say, however, that "Destroyer of All" sounds like something more akin to the soundtrack to some Lovecraftian (or similar) themed/based apocalypse.

Playlist for 7th Feb 2011

Playlist for 7^th Feb 2011

KORPIKLAANI- Iron Fist (Motorhead cover)

BATTLELORE- Iron of Death (New)

AMON AMARTH- War of the Gods (From Youtube, off their upcoming album, "Surtur Rising")

FOXY SHAZAM- A Dangerous Man (Request)

POLKADOT CADAVER- What's the Worst Thing that Could Happen?

*N.Z* RED LIGHT PLEDGE- I Will Rise (From upcoming Self-titled E.P, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Light-Pledge/138507399507808)

VENOM- Welcome to Hell

VENOM- To Hell and Back

BORN OF OSIRIS- Follow The Signs (From upcoming album,"The Discovery" out on Sumerian records March 22nd)

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY- Killing Inside (Is, or was, available for free download at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com.au/)

THE EYES OF A TRAITOR- Talk Of The Town (Request)

*N.Z* DETOX- Into Catacombs (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Detox/22610451341)

FULL BLOWN CHAOS- Silence Is Golden (New)

MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD- Graveyard Postcards (New)

DEVILDRIVER- Dead To Rights (From upcoming album, "Beast")

*N.Z* ULCERATE- Omens

SLAYER- Raining blood (Request)

LAZARUS A.D.- Casting Forward (New)

ABYSMAL DAWN- Rapture Renowned (New)

DEATH- Bite The Pain

*N.Z* CRASH-SCAN- Burn Out

SWASHBUCKLE- Powder Keg

RAMMSTEIN- Pussy (Request)

The Steelmill returns

The late night metal music video show that was either taped and/ or drunkenly watched with much excitement, and a little passing out, returns- with a few changes
It's on earlier- now 10pm, and a new channel, C42, I don't know anything about this C42 other than what I've copy/pasted below, but I know C4 is 'turning' into 'four' so it goes to reason that (if four is focusing less on music) an off shot channel would take over the music side. I really don't know, but the Steel mill is going to be appearing on the freeview channel (I have sky tv so I hope it's on their too..)

NEW ZEALAND'S PREMIER METAL TV SHOW   
IS NOW ON THE FREEVIEW PLATFORM

THE STEELMILL IS RETURNING FOR 2011
ON A NEW CHANNEL AT A NEW TIME.

RETURNING:

FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 10PM ON C42

(C42 = CHANNEL 9 ON THE FREEVIEW PLATFORM)

Playlist for 31st Jan 2011

Playlist for 31st Jan 2011
MANOWAR- Dark Avenger (from Battle Hymns MMXI & features the majestic naration of Christopher Lee)
NORTHER- Final Countdown (Europe Cover)
MOTÖRHEAD- Devils In My Head
GWAR- The Uberklaw
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY- Killing Inside (From the upcoming album, "Blunt Force Trauma" due out March 29th via Roadrunner)
ALICE COOPER- Today Mueller
ALICE COOPER- Welcome to My Nightmare
DIMMU BORGIR- The Serpentine Offering
KORPIKLAANI- Tequila (From the upcoming album, "Ukon Wacka" due 4th Feb)
*NZ* SCURVY DOGS- Pirate Blood (Free songs at: http://www.scurvydogs.bandcamp.com also, supporting Alestorm, when they play at the Rising Sun May 15th)
*NZ* SINATE- Attacked From Within (Supporting Alestorm, when they play at the Rising Sun May 15th)
CANNIBAL CORPSE- Unleashing the Bloodthirsty (Request)
HIGH ON FIRE- Frost Hammer
CROWBAR- The Cemetery Angels (From upcoming album, "Sever the Wicked Hand" due out Feb 8th)
*NZ* FRACTURED- Mind Without Rest
ABYSMAL DAWN- In Service Of Time (From upcoming album, "Leveling the plane of Existence" due out Feb 1st)
DARKEST HOUR- Savor The Kill (From upcoming album, "The Human Romance" Due out Feb 22nd)
DEAD AT THE SCENE- Turns Out He's Luke's Father (From album free for download at: http://www.sharktopus.co.uk/ )
SIX REASONS TO KILL- Day of the Apocalypse
*NZ* TAINTED- Tyranny

No Sleep til Auckland Pics...

December 10th 2010, asb showgrounds Auckland...

WE CAME AS ROMANS

3 Inches of Blood
I was rather excited to see these guys, a bit disappointed there wasn't more material from their 1st album with RR, but since there's barely anyone left from those days I wasn't all that surprised.

AUGUST BURNS RED
The gig was R14, so I guess that's what makes the hardcore 'pit' so humorous to watch, though there seemed to be a distinct lack of stamina, a few seconds of flailing about followed by a rest. I remember back in the day, if we were going out to look odd like that, least last the length of a song or two...

SUICIDE SILENCE

They tried the "Walls of death" but after a few seconds of action
it turned to confusion and disarray. Again the lack of stamina.

GWAR
This set was awesome, I made sure to get as close to the stage as I could, I coped a red stream of GWAR full in my left eye and walked away feeling like I were a vivid mix of green and red, but alas I just looked like I had spent too long in the sun.

I maintain that GWAR needs to come back on their own
headlining tour. Bring Gor-Gor too.

MEGADETH

there's a guy at the top of this pole.