The 2020 edition of Download UK festival has officially been canceled due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The event was set to take place on June 12-14 at Castle Donington, with headlining performances by Iron Maiden, KISS and System Of A Down with additional bands such as Deftones, Korn, The Offspring, Disturbed, Gojira, Alestorm, Black Veil Brides, Daughtry, and Of Mice & Men and many more. The festival organizers announced the cancelation in a statement on Facebook.Continue reading →
Speed and heavy metal tend to go hand in hand, so it comes as no surprise that Almanac guitarist Victor Smolski (formerly of German legends Rage) also has a sideline in motor racing. A runner-up in the Supercars division of German Rallycross in 2018/19, Smolski has taken his love of burning rubber and hit the accelerator on the band’s latest album Rush of Death (Nuclear Blast Records).Continue reading →
Funko, the global sensation of popular vinyl collectible toys company has teamed-up with Aerosmith to offer Funko Pop! Vinyl figures of the “Toxic Twins”, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band has had other toys cast in their likenesses in the past, but now Aerosmith will have their debut as Pops, expected to be made available in May. Upcoming new Funko Pop! figures coming soon include Slipknot and N.W.A. Other artists who have gotten the Pop! Rocks treatment in the past includes Kiss, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard, and, Motley Crue, Prince, Rob Zombie. Funko reported that these figurines increased its sales by 38 percent in the second quarter of 2019. The Funko brand went public with an IPO in 2018. International sales spiked 65 percent to $68.5 million, while U.S. revenue grew 26 percent to $122.7 million.
Although formed in 1984, Heathen didn’t arrive on most people’s radars until the release of their debut album, Breaking the Silence (Combat Records) in 1987. Part of the legendary Bay Area Thrash scene, Heathen followed established acts such as Exodus and some bunch of relocated no-hopers called Metallica out of the region, joining the likes of fast-moving up-and-comers Testament, Vio-Lence, Death Angel, and Forbidden, among many others.Continue reading →
It’s a bit too early to be making any proclamations of the sort, but I think Midnight may have just released the most metal album of 2020. And yes, there will likely be scores of other heavy releases this year that will overshadow Rebirth by Blasphemy (Metal Blade) in the blast beat, low tuning, or cookie monster vocal department. What I’m talking about is the mood, or more like the mean streak that multi-instrumentalist Athenar conjures up.Continue reading →
A bunch of new bands have already been added to the bill on this year’s Download UK Festival. The new acts include Alter Bridge, Bowling For Soup, The Darkness, The Distillers, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Mastodon, Funeral For A Friend, The Menzingers, Employed To Serve, 3 Doors Down, Milk Teeth, Motionless In White, Holding Absence, Lacuna Coil, Loathe, Sepultura, Amaranthe, Cemetery Sun, Fire From The Gods, Gender Roles, Haken, Hatari, Heavy Lungs, Higher Power, JJ Wilde, Kill The Lights, Modern Error, Northlane, Press Club, Polyphia| The Raven Age, Renounced, Shvpes, Sleep Token, SULLII, The Glorious Sons, The Hara, The Skints, Tempt, Twin Temple, Thy Art Is Murder, Wage War, and Will Haven! Also announced are the Day And Stage Splits, WWE NXT UK returns, and Kerrang! Radio Hosts the Finding Fresh Blood contest for a chance to perform on The Avalanche Stage. 2020 Download headliners Iron Maiden (Legacy Of The Beast Tour), Kiss and System Of A Down this summer and takes place on 12 – 14 June 2020 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire. Continue reading →
If Ballistic, Sadistic (Silver Lining Music), the new album by Canadian speedsters Annihilator, is anything to go by, then relocating to the UK is probably the best move the band’s mastermind Jeff Waters has made for years. Consistency has been an issue with Annihilator for some time, but since the recruitment of English bassist Rich Hinks, the band have not only rediscovered their classic sound but a new lease of life in the process.Continue reading →
