In 1969, the first edition of one of the world”s biggest bands within the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – Judas Priest – was formed. One of the founders was guitarist KK Downing. KK was in the band until 2011 and over the years, he was one of the songwriters for most of the metal world”s biggest songs as “Breaking the Law”, “Living After Midnight” and “Painkiller”.
Pantera, Disturbed, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Architects, Behemoth, Kreator, Meshuggah, Gojira, Parkway Drive, Testament, Voivod are among the 103 artists who have been added to the 26th edition of the Graspop Metal Meeting, set to take place June 15-18, 2023 in Dessel, Belgium. Tickets are on sale tomorrow at the links below. Continue reading
After a seven-year hiatus, Irish rockers The Answer are set to make their long awaited and highly anticipated return with an exclusive and sole 2022 comeback performance at this year’s Planet Rockstock festival, Dec 3. The band have already recorded a new album, and due for release in 2023 via Golden Robot Records. The record was produced by rising British rock producer Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow) at the helm. The first single from the new record will precede their Rockstock performance! Watch the announcement video here:
AHAB have unveiled details behind their upcoming album The Boats Of Flen Carrig, out August 28, 2015 via Napalm Records. The cover artwork was created by Sebastian Jerke, who was also responsible for the latest album artwork from the likes of Zodiac, The Answer and My Sleeping Karma.
The Boats Of Flen Carrig Track Listing:
01: The Isle
02: The Thing That Made Search
03: Like Read Foam (The Storm)
04: The Weedmen
05: To Mourn Job
06: The Light in the Weed (Mary Madison) (Bonus Track)
Jun 03: Out & Loud Festival – Geiselwind (DE)
Jun 19: Hellfest – Clisson (FR)
Jul 04: The Boston Music Rooms – High Wycombe (UK)
Jul 25: Ragnarock Festival – Langendorf (DE)
Dec 12: Eindhoven Metal Meeting – Eindhoven (NL)
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The Answer have released their Summer touring schedule across the US supporting Whitesnake and European festival appearances. They are supporting their latest album Raise A Little Hell, out now via Napalm Records.
THE ANSWER SUMMER 2015
Jun 12: Greenfield Festival (CH)
Jun 13: Nova Rock Festival (AT)
Jun 20: Hell Fest Festival (FR)
Jun 22: Verizon Theater – Dallas TX (w/ Whitesnake)
Jun 23: Majestic Theater – San Antonio, TX (w/ Whitesnake)
Jun 25: Socorro Event Center – Socorro, TX (w/ Whitesnake)
Jun 27: Greeley Independence Stampede Festival – Greeley, CO
Jun 28: Reverb – Omaha, NE (Headline show)
Jun 30: Summerfest Festival – Milwaukee, WI
Jul 01: 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis MN (Headline show)
Jul 03: Freedom Hill AMP – Sterling Heights, MI (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 05: Hard Rock – Northfield, OH (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 07: Music Center – Huber Heights, OH (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 08: Honeywell Center – Wabash, IN (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 09: ORH – St. Louis, MO (Headline show)
Jul 10: Daveys – Kansas City MO (Headline show)
Jul 11: Myth show – St. Paul, MN (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 12: Reggie’s – Chicago, IL (Headline show)
Jul 14: Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake, IA (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 16: Rock USA Festival – OshKosh, WI
Jul 17: Geneva Music Park – Geneva, IL (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 18: Star Plaza – Merrillville, IN (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 20: Palace Theater – Greensburg, PA (w/ Whitesnake)
Jul 21: DC9 – Washington DC (Headline show)
Jul 22: Knitting Factory – New York, NY (Headline show)
Jul 24: Burning Cow Festival – Green Bay, WI
Jul 30: Wacken Festival (DE)
Irish rockers The Answer is streaming the Darren Lee directed music video for “Red,” off their forthcoming album Raise a Little Hell, out March 17, 2015 via Napalm Records, here.
The band is making their North America tour return in support of their new album. They are also supporting Whitesnake on upcoming shows which will be announced at a later date.
THE ANSWER With Whitesnake
Jun 22: Verizon Theater – Grand Prairie, TX
Jun 23: Majestic Theater – San Antonio, TX
Jun 25: Socorro Event Center – El Paso, TX
Jun 27: Greeley Independence Stampede – Greeley, CO
Jul 03: Freedom Hill AMP – Sterling Heights, MI
Jul 05: Hard Rock – Northfield, OH
Jul 07: Music Center at The Heights – Huber Heights, OH
Jul 08: Honeywell Center – Wabash, IN
Jul 11: Myth – St. Paul, MN
Jul 14: Surf Ballroom – Clear Lake, IA
Jul 17: Geneva Music Park – Geneva, IL
Jul 18: Star Plaza – Merrillville, IN
It can be hard to tell, sometimes, about the career progression (or otherwise) of a band in this age of dwindling physical sales, so sometimes all you have to go on is how often people are talking about a band, their “buzz” and their profile. Now, I accept this can create a false impression, but while they burst onto the scene with some UK-centric noise around Rise (Albert) in 2006, it seems very few are talking about Northern Ireland’s The Answer any more (if they were at all), and perception is of a band that have gone backwards, despite some pretty hefty touring with AC/DC.
Raise A Little Hell (Napalm) is their fifth album and kicks off with ‘Long Live The Renegades’, a mash of Deep Purple’s ‘Woman From Tokyo’ and Thunder’s ‘She’s So Fine’; Cormac Neeson’s smoky Bon Scott voice and Paul Mahon’s effortless bluesy licks bringing to life a track that will no doubt become a live favourite. Citing AC/DC and Thin Lizzy as main influences, the album proceeds to walk through the greats of yesterday; ‘The Other Side’ dances in the garden of Led Zeppelin and ‘Red’ kisses the feet of Whitesnake, ‘I Am What I Am’ and the title track are slower, bluesier numbers, while ‘Whiplash’ raises the pulse. The album is locked down by the constant heartbeat of solid bass and drums, and naturally references yesteryear with casual blues rock riffs.
However, as I’ve mentioned before elsewhere (Orden Ogan), by a fifth album I’m looking for some sort of legacy, some sort of statement, and the thing about The Answer is, that they aren’t. The Answer, that is. Or if they are, the question must be “name a decent, if unspectacular, rock band of the common-or-garden variety”, and while that’s harsh, should The Answer cease to be, there would be very little wailing or gnashing of teeth. These aren’t the sort of band to release a drop-your-trousers bone(r) fide classic.
That said, good music is good music, whether it’s bought by ten people or ten million. And Raise A Little Hell is simple, effective, good hard rocking music.
7.0/10
STEVE TOVEY
Irish rockers The Answer will be releasing their new album Raise a Little Hell on March 6, 2015 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland; March 9, 2015 in the UK, Norway, France, Denmark and Italy; March 11, 2015 in Spain; and March 17, 2015 in North America via Napalm Records. Stream “Long Live the Renegades” here.
The band commented on the new track:
“The song is a bit of a rocker and we tried a slightly different production technique on this track by keeping it very dry. The song is about just doing what you do best and having a bit of a bunker mentality. This is our fifth album and we’ve gone back to our earlier blues and roots style with what we think are harder rockin’ grooves. Hope you like it as much as we do!”
Raise A Little Hell Track Listing:
1. Long Live the Renegades
2. The Other Side
3. Aristocrat
4. Cigarettes & Regret
5. Last Days of Summer
6. Strange Kinda’ Nothing
7. I Am What I Am
8. Whiplash
9. Gone Too Long
10. Red
11. I Am Cured
12. Raise A Little Hell
Tour Dates:
Mar 06: Limelight – Belfast (IR)
Mar 07: Whelans – Dublin (IR)
Mar 09: Academy 3 – Manchester (UK)
Mar 10: The Key Club – Leeds (UK)
Mar 11: Fibbers – York (UK)
Mar 12: The Lemon Tree – Aberdeen (SCO)
Mar 13: The Garage – Glasgow (SCO)
Mar 14: Riverside – Newcastle (UK)
Mar 16: Yardbirds – Grimsby (UK)
Mar 17: Arts Club – Liverpool (UK)
Mar 18: Chinnery’s – Southend (UK)
Mar 19: Rescue Rooms – Nottingham (UK)
Mar 20: Institute – Birmingham (UK)
Mar 21: The Corporation – Sheffield (UK)
Mar 23: Waterfront – Norwich (UK)
Mar 24: Motion – Bristol (UK)
Mar 25: Concorde 2 – Brighton (UK)
Mar 26: O2 Academy Islington – London (UK)
Mar 27: Lemon Grove – Exeter (UK)
Mar 28: 1865 – Southampton (UK)
Apr 14: Magnet – Berlin (DE)
Apr 15: Faust – Hannover (DE)
Apr 16: Knust – Hamburg (DE)
Apr 17: Café Central – Weinheim (DE)
Apr 18: Luxor – Köln (DE)
Apr 20: Kesselhaus – Wiesbaden (DE)
Apr 26: Strom – München (DE)
Dutch concert festival City Rock Leeuwarden has announced the completion of its lineup with the addition of The Answer, Peter Pan Speedrock, Kamchatka and Red Vultures. Previously announced was headliner Epica and opener Stream of Passion. The reasonably priced festival always has a diverse lineup of artists and always includes the free after party. The fest takes place August 7th. As previously reported, City Rock always runs alongside the Into the Grave Festival (August 8th), and combination tickets are available.
The Answer
Press Notes:
Line-up CityRock Leeuwarden 2015 complete!
A must-visit festival this summer is the Dutch rock festival CityRock Leeuwarden. Few festivals manage to give rock fans such a varied line-up when there is only space for six bands. With additions such as The Answer, Peter Pan Speedrock, Kamchatka and Red Vultures alongside with the already confirmed bands Epica and Stream of Passion, the line-up of the festival is now complete.
With these names, CityRock Leeuwarden manages to present a line-up that any rock fan can enjoy. The festival will be held on Friday the 7th of August 2015, in the city centre of Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. The Irish hard rock and blues rock band The Answer has impressed many people with their albums. They’ve even toured with AC/DC in the past. Next month, The Answer will release their latest album ‘Raise A Little Hell,’ and that is exactly what they will do in Leeuwarden.
The line-up of CityRock Leeuwarden 2015 consists of the following bands: the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica is the headliner for the festival. Furthermore, The Answer (IRE), Peter Pan Speedrock (NL), Kamchatka (SWE), Stream of Passion(NL) and Red Vultures (NL) will perform. Tickets are available at the website and cost €15,-. without service fees. A ticket costs €20,-. at the box office. After the festival, visitors can visit the after party which will be held in café Fire Palace for free. Fire Palace is only a few metres away from the festival ground. The bands that perform here will be announced soon.
One can also buy combi tickets for CityRock Leeuwarden and metal festival Into theGrave that will be organized a day later (on the 8th of August) on the same location. On Into the Grave bands such as Sabaton, Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary,Ensiferum, Avatar, Audrey Horne and Betraying the Martyrs will perform.
A local opening band will be added to be line-up of Into the Grave. There is also an afterparty after Into the Grave, which visitors can attend for free. This afterparty will also be held at Fire Palace. Two Dutch bands will perform here, namely MagnaCult and Edge of Serenity. A combi ticket for Into the Grave and CityRock Leeuwarden costs €25,- without service fees.
The Greenfield Festival 2015 has been confirmed for June 11-13, 2015 at Flugplatz in Interlaken, Switzerland. The lineup for this year’s edition has been confirmed and includes the following:
SLIPKNOT
MOTÖRHEAD
IN FLAMES
LAMB OF GOD
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM
A DAY TO REMEMBER
AIRBOURNE
GODSMACK
ASKING ALEXANDRIA
MILLENCOLIN
DANKO JONES
EAGLES OF DEATH METAL
POWER WOLF
ALL TIME LOW
BACKYARD BABIES
LAGWAGON
YELLOWCARD
ARCHITECTS
EVERY TIME I DIE
DARKEST HOUR
TRUCK FIGHTERS
BURY TOMORROW
DEFEATER
THE SWORD
THE ANSWER
EAST CAMERON FOLK CORE
SKINNY LISTER
MANTAR
NORTHLANE
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