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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EP ALBUM REVIEW: Sodom – 1982


 

Ah, Sodom. This is a band that any true thrasher that is worth their weight in leather and spikes discovered early in their metal journey when looking outside the “Big Four.” With plenty more ferocity than their U.S. counterparts, Sodom has had a tremendous influence on all forms of extreme metal that would come after. For over 40 years, Germany’s thrash metal kings have consistently kept the fists pounding and the heads banging.

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NEW MUSIC FRIDAY – New Rock and Metal Releases 11-10-23roop


 

What new albums are you excited for this week!?

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Eindhoven Metal Meeting Adds Overkill, Mentors, Among New Bands for 2023


Presented by District 19, Eindhoven Metal Meeting returns in December 2023 at the legendary venue Effenaar. The fest has added nine new bands: Wrang, Massive Assault, Cryptosis, Helleruin, Koldbrann, Mentors, Bodyfarm, Overkill, and Misþyrming. The bill now has 33 bands, but may add some more in time. Ticket, hotel, and travel info can be found at the link below.

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EP REVIEW: Bloodletter – Malignancy


 

A re-recording of their independently released 2014 EP, Illinois-based thrashers Bloodletter unleash Malignancy (Wise Blood Records) once again, but this time with a leaner production, sharper guitars, and tighter, more improved performances.Continue reading


EP REVIEW: Malefic Throne – Malefic Throne


Formed last year, Malefic Throne finds Morbid Angel frontman Steve Tucker joining forces with former Angelcorpse guitarist Gene Palubicki and drummer John Longstreth (also of Origin and Hate Eternal), the trio producing an eponymously titled four track EP (released via Hells Headbangers) of finest quality death metal.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Hellripper – The Affair of the Poisons


The reignited interest in distinctly eighties-sounding metal styles, and more specifically, the thrash revival of the 2000s, has brought with it a handful of blistering new acts, alongside a slew of respectable releases from its originators. However, as a general scene, it has also suffered from a lack of innovation and compositional creativity. Often bands of this scene are perfectly content to just emulate classic sounds long-established by Sodom, Kreator, Venom, Bathory, and Slayer. Oftentimes, I find it a dull guessing game of which thrash bands are being ripped off whenever I listen to these bands. But there are nevertheless a handful of acts that in addition to paying tribute to the old guard’s sound manage to capture that fury, excitement, and blasphemous spirit of heavy music during the proto-extreme metal era. James McBain, the singular creative force behind Hellripper, clearly loves the style of first wave black metal and Teutonic thrash but is also creative enough to blend them to create something that sounds completely fresh. The result here is The Affair of the Poisons (Peaceville Records), a sophomore effort to the more straightforward Coagulating Darkness, and a release of blackened thrash/speed metal fury that will leave you yearning even more for a destructive live experience in 2020.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Accuser – Accuser


If you were on the lookout for quality thrash metal in the 1980s, your next stop after the USA would most likely have been Germany. With Kreator, Destruction, and Sodom leading the way, the so-called “Teutonic Trio” eventually expanded to include legendary beer bastards Tankard, but the country also produced a host of other quality acts. Bands like Deathrow, Paradox, Assassin, Vendetta, and Living Death all flew the flag with pride along with many other deserving names, one of those being underrated Siegen based act Accu§er.Continue reading


Emperor, Mayhem And Enslaved Team Up for Exclusive Beyond The Gates Festival 2021 Appearance


Three of the most legendary names in Black Metal will unite for an unforgettable event at next summer’s Beyond The Gates Festival in Norway! Emperor, Mayhem and Enslaved will perform at Grieghallen MCMXCIV as part of the fest with full-album performances of their classic works; Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Emperor’s In the Nightside Eclipse, and Enslaved’s Vikingligr Veldi. All three monumental albums were recorded in the legendary Grieghallen Studios in Bergen. Tickets can be purchased at the link below and the full festival lineup, headlined by a reunited Mercyful Fate is here as well! Continue reading