Power metal was considered outdated when HAMMERFALL released its "Glory To The Brave" debut in 1997. Save for BLIND GUARDIAN, very few power metal acts actually increased in popularity throughout the decade, with the style's pioneering band, HELLOWEEN, struggling to regain footing after lineup changes, and alternative and grunge music taking precedence, effectively pushing out ...
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The official video for "Halloween", the second single from HELLOWEEN's upcoming live DVD/Blu-ray and live CD, can be seen below. During the "Hellbook" production to celebrate HELLOWEEN's 30th anniversary, the contributors came to realize that the chemistry in the band had always been unique — and that what belongs together needs to be together again. ...
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You know what you're getting from a new TWILIGHT FORCE album. Ever since the Swedish crew emerged with 2014's "Tales of Ancient Prophecies", the ante for overblown, fantasy-based power metal has been robustly upped. They pulled off the same trick, albeit with even more bombast and pomp, on 2016's big-label breakthrough "Heroes of Mighty Magic"; ...
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The official video for "Pumpkins United", the first single from HELLOWEEN's upcoming live DVD/Blu-ray and live CD, can be seen below. During the "Hellbook" production to celebrate HELLOWEEN's 30th anniversary, the contributors came to realize that the chemistry in the band had always been unique — and that what belongs together needs to be together ...
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German a cappella metal band VAN CANTO has released the official music video for its cover version of the AC/DC classic "Hells Bells". The song is taken from VAN CANTO's seventh studio album, "Trust In Rust", which came out last August via Napalm Records. Since 2006, they have brought pure vocal power to the metal ...
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During the "Hellbook" production to celebrate HELLOWEEN's 30th anniversary, the contributors came to realize that the chemistry in the band had always been unique — and that what belongs together needs to be together again. However, the birth of "Pumpkins United" wasn't just an original line-up reunion, but the real deal. The ultimate cast consisting ...
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As much as we should avoid judging books by their covers, it seems reasonable to note that "Above The Sky" gives every indication that it will be a preposterous and overblown power metal record, quite possibly with a few progressive touches thrown in. The artwork, the band name, a lingering sense that someone involved has ...
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Asami, the singer of LOVEBITES, the all-female heavy metal band from Tokyo, joined HALESTORM on stage on June 15 at the Download festival at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England to perform the latter group's Grammy-winning song "Love Bites (So Do I)". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below. LOVEBITES took its name ...
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The greatest heavy metal festival in the world, Wacken Open Air, will unleash its latest collection on July 26 through Silver Linings Music/Wacken Records when "Live At Wacken 2018: 29 Years Louder The Hell" smashes into stores. The 16th release in the "Live At Wacken" series, which dates back to 2002, is stuffed with pulverizing ...
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The official music video for the song "How Many More Goodbyes" from STARBREAKER can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's third album, "Dysphoria", which was released on January 25 via Frontiers Music Srl. Tony Harnell, the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and former vocalist of hard rock band TNT, and Magnus Karlsson, current ...
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AVANTASIA vocalist Tobias Sammet recently spoke with writer Clay Marshall in conjunction with an OC Weekly story about the group's upcoming performance in Anaheim, California. Some select "outtakes" follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On AVANTASIA's new album "Moonglow": Tobias: "It's not trendy. It's not flavor of the week, but it's put together with a lot ...
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Finnish metallers MERGING FLARE, who are led by former U.D.O./ DIRKSCHNEIDER and current BEAST IN BLACK guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, will release their second album, "Revolt Regime", on June 14 via Ram It Down Records. The follow-up to 2011's "Reverence" was recorded by Eero Kaukomies and mixed by Mattes Pfeiffer, whom Heikkinen got to know during ...
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Swiss hard rock veterans GOTTHARD have entered the studio to begin recording their new album. A late 2019 release is tentatively expected. GOTTHARD has released a new video message from the studio for the attendees of the upcoming MetalItalia.com Festival, where the band will perform on Sunday, June 2. GOTTHARD's most recent release was "Defrosted ...
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NORTHTALE, the new Swedish-American power metal band featuring guitarist Bill Hudson (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, I AM MORBID, ex-U.D.O./ DIRKSCHNEIDER), vocalist Christian Eriksson (ex-TWILIGHT FORCE), and drummer Patrick Johansson (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ex-W.A.S.P.) — has inked a deal with Nuclear Blast. The group, which is completed by bassist Mikael Planefeldt and keyboardist Jimmy Pitts, will release its debut ...
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Asami, the singer of LOVEBITES, the all-female heavy metal band from Tokyo, joined HALESTORM on stage on March 21 at the Download Japan festival to perform the latter group's Grammy-winning song "Love Bites (So Do I)". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below. LOVEBITES took its name from the HALESTORM track and ...
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Tony Webster of the "Metal Command" radio show recently conducted an interview with frontman Andi Deris of veteran German power metallers HELLOWEEN. You can listen to the entire chat via the SoundCloud widget below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the personal chemistry that existed during HELLOWEEN's recently completed "Pumpkins United" tour, which ...
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The official lyric video for the song "Alchemy" from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project can be seen below. The track, which features a guest appearance by ex-QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate, is taken from AVANTASIA's latest album, "Moonglow", which was released on February 15 via Nuclear Blast. Sammet comments: "When I wrote 'Alchemy', I had ...
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The official video for the song "Moonglow" from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project can be seen below. The track is the title cut of AVANTASIA's new album, which is being released today (Friday, February 15) via Nuclear Blast. Tobias comments: "Yes, we've found a song on the new album that is below the four-minute ...
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Rustyn Rose of Metalholic recently conducted an interview with AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet about the band's forthcoming "Moonglow" studio album. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On how he maintains such a high level of creativity for AVANTASIA: Tobias: "I think the foundation of everything is ...
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Brazil's Rock Mania recently conducted an interview with guitarist Roland Grapow of melodic metallers MASTERPLAN. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On "PumpKings", MASTERPLAN's 2017 album that saw the band re-record the songs Grapow wrote while he was a member of HELLOWEEN: Roland: "I ...
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The official lyric video for the song "Wild Butterflies" from STARBREAKER can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's third album, "Dysphoria", which is being released today (Friday, January 25) via Frontiers Music Srl. Tony Harnell, the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and former vocalist of hard rock band TNT, and Magnus Karlsson, current ...
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The official lyric video for the song "Moonglow" from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project can be seen below. The track is the title cut of AVANTASIA's new album, which will arrive on February 15 via Nuclear Blast. Tobias comments: "Yes, we've found a song on the new album that is below the four-minute benchmark ...
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The "Everblack" podcast recently conducted an interview with AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet about the band's forthcoming "Moonglow" studio album. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On whether he ever sets a limit in terms of how many layers of production he puts on an ...
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In November 2018, U.S. dark melodic metal act WITHERFALL released its second studio album, "A Prelude To Sorrow". Never resting on its laurels, the group led by the creative duo comprised of vocalist Joseph Michael (SANCTUARY) and Jake Dreyer (ICED EARTH), has now announced the "Vintage" CD, LP, and digital release, to be available during ...
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AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet (also of EDGUY) recently spoke with Tuonela Magazine. The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On planning to take a break before writing the new AVANTASIA album, "Moonglow": Tobias: "I came home from the 'Ghostlights' tour and I knew it was ...
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German metallers HELLOWEEN have posted a video recap of the 2018 leg of their "Pumpkins United" tour, which concluded in December. The six-and-a-half-minute clip, which can be seen below, was created by Aurora Motion Pictures. In a message accompanying the video, the band said: "It's been over 14 months since we started the 'Pumpkins United' ...
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Cult German/Swedish thrash metal band PROTECTOR has released a new song called "Three Legions". The track is taken from the group's upcoming album, "Summon The Hordes", which will be released in the spring 2019 through High Roller Records. The effort will be available in both vinyl and CD, and on streaming media. "Three Legions" was ...
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Fan-filmed video footage of HELLOWEEN's December 18 performance at Arenan in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below. HELLOWEEN's current "Pumpkins United" tour features former vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen alongside current singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Dani Löble. The "Pumpkins United" tour marks the ...
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Italian progressive metal band LAST UNION has released a lyric video for the song "A Place In Heaven". The track, which features a guest appearance by DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie, is taken from the group's debut album, "Twelve", which will be released on December 21 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. "Twelve", which also ...
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The official lyric video for the song "The Raven Child" from EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project can be seen below. The track is taken from AVANTASIA's "Moonglow" album, which will arrive on February 15, 2019 (pushed back from February 1) via Nuclear Blast. More than 11 minutes long and featuring vocals of Tobias, Hansi ...
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