ALBUM REVIEW: Hiraes – Dormant


The title of Hiraes’ new album, Dormant (Napalm Records), caught me a bit off guard.

The word “dormant” conjures images of calm, rest, inactivity. Yet, I’ve seen them play and listened to their first album numerous times, and nothing led me to believe that the band would be entering such a period or engaging in such a manner. Continue reading


Hellfest 2024 Books Metallica, Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, Body Count, Biohazard, Mr. Bungle and More


Hellfest, held every year just outside of Paris, in Clisson, France, continues to up the ante every year with forever growing and impressive lineups! Taking place from June 27 to June 30, 2024, Hellfest will once again be four days long and over 200 bands appearing on six stages. For 2024, the headliners for each night will be Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, Metallica, and Foo Fighters. The full daily lineups, including one more major band tba, and the ticket link are coming soon!

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ghosts of Atlantis – Riddles of the Sycophants


 

Suffolk symphonic death metal masters Ghosts of Atlantis follow up their 2021 full-length debut with another journey to the faraway lands of myths and legend. A continuation of the events told on 3.6.2.4., Riddles of the Sycophants (Hammerheart Records) finds the remaining Atlanteans having washed ashore, word soon spreading about their survival and apparent favour from the gods. Creating unrest, these stories cause the seal on Pandora’s Box to be removed, the greed and desire of mankind once again forcing the Ghosts of Atlantis to intervene.

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Former Cradle of Filth Bassist and Hecate Enthroned Vocalist Jon Kennedy Has Died


Jon Kennedy, the former bassist with Cradle of Filth and Hecate Enthroned co-founder/vocalist has died. He was just 46 years old. A GoFundMe has been launched to offset funeral expenses, which you can donate to. News came down from a published report from Metal Sucks as well as tributes from his former bands online. No cause of death has been revealed. Kennedy joined Cradle of Filth back in 1994 and helped record the original version of Dusk and Her Embrace. That album was re-recorded with different members, but featured Jon was released in 2016 under the name Dusk and Her Embrace (The Original Sin). As the co-founder/vocalist of Hecate Enthroned, Kennedy was in that band from 1992-1998 and appeared on 1997’s The Slaughter of Innocence, A Requiem for the Mighty and 1998’s Dark Requiems…and Unsilent Massacre. Read some tributes to Jon and we send our sympathies out to his family, friends, and fans.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Sick New World Festival Live at Las Vegas Fairgrounds


Some people told me I was crazy when I decided I was going to go to the Sick New World Fest, a debut Metal and Rock Festival in Las Vegas. In the month of May. I hate to sound like a boomer and complain about the heat in Las Vegas, which is an actual desert, but the bottom line is I knew in advance it was going to be hot as hell, and it certainly lived up to that prediction. That being said, I was really excited to come to the festival enjoy a day with my metal community, meet new friends, and see some incredible bands; some I had never seen ever, and some I had not seen in a long time.

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FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Sick New World Fest in 2023 Announces Set Times for This Weekend – ft. System Of A Down, Korn, Deftones, Incubus, Evanescence, Turnstile, Chevelle, Coal Chamber, Flyleaf, Mr. Bungle and More


 

System Of A Down, Incubus, Korn, Evanescence and Deftones will headline Sick New World Festival this weekend, a new music festival featuring some of the biggest names in Nu-Metal, Goth Rock, Industrial Metal, and some modern bands as well! Among the dozens of bands on the bill, it will mark the reunions of both Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm and Coal Chamber. Other bands are promising some surprise sets as well as Ice-T’s Body Count might be joined by Ice’s daughter, Chanel Nicole! Tickets are totally sold-out, but you can join the wait list at this link here. The event will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out the stage spits and set times below!

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ALBUM REVIEW: Cradle of Filth – Trouble and Their Double Lives


 

Cradle of Filth’s last album, 2021’s Existence is Futile, was a solid release proving the band still has plenty to offer after thirteen studio albums. As the fans patiently await the next offering from the legendary British band, Cradle of Filth have released a live album to tide their legions over.

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New Music Friday 4-28-23 Preview


Check out our preview of new Rock and Metal album releases coming out this week!

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PODCAST: Episode 251: The Steve and Keefy Power Hour, April 2023 Edition


Time for another edition of The Steve and Keefy Power Hour! Senior Editor Steve Tovey joins Chief Editor Keefy, recapping March 2023 Rock and Metal Releases and previewing April’s essential new heavy music! Two white guys and music nerds pontificate on the music you love. Also, will we have new music soon from Ghost, Slipknot, Foo Fighters, and Iron Maiden? Shoutout to our amazing team of reviewers worldwide. Also, also, RIP Mat Davies as always. Hosted by Ojaay!

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CONCERT REVIEW: Cradle of Filth – DevilDriver – Black Satellite – Oni Live at The Observatory


 

As I approached The Observatory in Santa Ana, California, people were still hanging in the parking lot, talking about bands and shows. But one group that caught my attention, was a group of people putting on corpse paint on their faces. Such admiration for them to be able to get dressed up for shows.

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