heavy metal bands

megadeth

2007-05-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

Megadeth is an American heavy metal band led by founder, frontman, and songwriter Dave Mustaine. Formed in 1983 following Mustaine's firing from Metallica because of his alcohol abuse, the band has since released eleven studio albums, three EPs, and two live albums.
As a pioneer of the American thrash metal movement, Megadeth rose to international fame in the 1980s, but were plagued by constant lineup changes, due in part to Mustaine's notorious substance abuse problems. After finding sobriety and securing a stable lineup, Megadeth went on to release a string of platinum and gold albums, including the Grammy nominated, multi-platinum Countdown to Extinction in 1992. Megadeth disbanded in 2002 after Mustaine suffered a severe nerve injury to his left arm, but following extensive physical therapy, Mustaine reformed the band in 2004 and released The System Has Failed, which debuted at #18 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.
Megadeth is known for their distinctive guitar style, often involving complex, intricate musical passages, and trade off guitar solos. Mustaine is also known for his original "snarling" vocal style, as well as his recurring lyrical themes, often involving politics, war, addiction, and more recently, personal relationships.
As one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands of all time, Megadeth has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide,including five consecutive platinum albums, with seven consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance. In their 21 active years, Megadeth has had 18 official members, with Mustaine remaining as the driving force, main songwriter, and sole original member. Megadeth is often mentioned as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal bands, along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer.

black sabbath

2007-05-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham. The original band line up of Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Terence "Geezer" Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums) is the same as the current line up (2007) although there have been shifts of personnel over the years.
Black Sabbath remain a dominant influence in the genre they helped create. VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock ranks them second, behind Led Zeppelin. Currently, the early 1980s line-up of the band featuring Iommi, Butler, Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice are touring under the moniker Heaven and Hell, a title taken from the 1980 Black Sabbath album of the same name.

Black Sabbath formed in Aston, Birmingham, England in 1966 under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band (soon shortened to "Polka Tulk" in 1968), and later were called Earth, playing blues rock and hard rock.
Guitarist Tony Iommi was greatly influenced both by Hank Marvin's heavy guitar performances in the band Cliff Richard and the Shadows, and by jazz guitar, particularly that of Django Reinhardt. Iommi left Earth for a short time to tour with Jethro Tull. Ward has also expressed a fondness for jazz music, especially drummers like Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. Geezer Butler cites bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce of British blues band Cream as a major influence on him: “He was the first player I ever saw who bent the strings and played the bass as a totally independent instrument”. Early incarnations of Black Sabbath merged elements of blues, jazz, and rock and paid their dues playing cover versions of songs by heavy rock acts including Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer, and the previously mentioned Cream. Osbourne says he was deeply influenced by The Beatles and his favourite album of all time is Revolver.
Earth moved in a darker direction when their bassist, Geezer Butler, a fan of the black magic novels of Dennis Wheatley, wrote an occult-themed song titled "Black Sabbath" The band claimed however, during a concert film, that the song name has more sinister origins. They have claimed that the name was created when one night Butler allegedly saw a black figure at the end of his bed. The next day it became apparent to Butler that an occult book Osbourne had given him was missing. When the band found themselves being confused with another local band called Earth, they adopted the song title as their new band name.
The group found its signature sound almost by accident. When the group was rehearsing in a studio, which was situated opposite a cinema showing a horror movie, Osbourne recalls that Bill Ward remarked to the rest of the band how it was strange that people willingly paid to see a movie intended to scare them. The band began to purposely write dark, ominous songs in an attempt to be music's answer to horror films, and in rebellion against the prevalent happy pop music of the 1960s. In a VH1 documentary about the band, Ozzy Osbourne recalled the laughable lyrics of radio-friendly pop at the time, such as "if you ever go to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair...," (see: Scott McKenzie) - "screw that,", they said, "let's go over there and scare everyone!"

kreator

2007-05-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany. They originally started under the name Tormentor. Starting their career in 1982, they played thrash metal with Venom influences.[1] They differ from the Bay Area thrashers in their brutality and speed. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal bands. All three of these bands are often credited with helping create death metal[2], by containing a few elements of what was to become death metal.
Kreator's work has been consistently in the vein of pure thrash, with the exception of three albums during the 1990s when they undertook serious experimentation. Incorporating industrial, goth and avant-garde Kreator formed as Tyrant in 1982 in Essen, Germany. The original lineup featured vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza, drummer Jurgen 'Ventor' Reil, and bassist Rob Fioretti. They soon changed their name to Tormentor and released two demos. They changed the name of the band again to the final one, Kreator and signed to Noise Records in 1985 and recorded their debut album, Endless Pain, in just 10 days. Legions of black and death metal bands call it one of their major influences. The band hired the late Sodom guitarist Michael Wulf for the albums tour.
Wulf was in the band for a few days and didn't play on the band's next album, 1986's Pleasure to Kill, despite his getting credit. A new guitarist, Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski joined the band and he played on this album, which is widely considered a thrash classic. Produced by Harris Johns (Helloween, Voivod), it is arguably one of the heaviest, fastest albums in metal, while showing the band growing in talent and technical ability. The song "Flag of Hate" became an early hit, and the band became one of the most promising up-and-coming European metal acts. With Tritze the band started their first tour ever (before the release of Pleasure to Kill they had only played 5 gigs total). The band closed out the year with the Flag of Hate EP.
In 1987 Kreator released Terrible Certainty, which is often considered to be Kreator's best album as the arrangements on the album were more complex and the tempos more varied. The album featured another hit "Behind The Mirror", and the band's popularity continued to grow. They managed to find enough time and money (coming from the concerts) to finance another EP Out of the Dark ... I nto the Light.
In 1988 Kreator signed with major label Epic Records. Their debut with Epic, 1989's Extreme Aggression, recorded in Los Angeles, became a metal hit. Continuing the Terrible Certainty formula while showing the band still progressing musically and with better production by the well-regarded Randy Burns (also Megadeth among others), the album featured the band's first major singles and music videos, the title track and "Betrayer", becoming major hits on MTVs Headbangers Ball. They toured North America with Suicidal Tendencies, which greatly expanded their popularity outside of Europe.
In 1989 German director Thomas Schadt made a documentary about Kreator (focusing on the social aspect of heavy metal in the Ruhr Area) titled Thrash Altenessen (named after the band's hometown, a suburb of Essen). Tritze left Kreator after Extreme Aggression. In 1990, with new guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (also formely of Sodom), the band released Coma of Souls. This album was not quite as praised as the bands previous few albums (many felt the album was "rushed" and repetitive, but still managed to do quite well, with "People of the Lie" becoming a hit. However, things changed in the 90's. With many other thrash bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and others changing their sound for a more commercial approach, Kreator began experimenting with death metal and industrial metal around this time.
The result was 1992s Renewal, which featured heavy death metal and industrial influences. While reaching a newer, more commercial audience, the band upset many longtime fans, accusing them of "selling out" The band, once known for being an excellent live act, had disappointing shows and tours for this album due to the industrial influences.
The excruciatingly taxing touring commitments that followed took the band as far as South America, but understandably left them physically and creatively exhausted. The band began to fall apart around this time, founding member Rob Fioretti left the band after the recording of the album as he wanted to spend more time with his family and was replaced by Andreas Herz, who never played any official release. In 1994 Reil left as well, leaving Petrozza the sole original bandmember. Reil was replaced by Joe Cangelosi. Herz left in 1995 and was replaced by Christian Giesler. To make matters worse, their contract with Epic was dropped. Now on G.U.N. Records the new lineup put out the album Cause for Conflict that year. The result was their most modern album at that time, the sound on this album had influences from Pantera and Machine Head, a slight return to a harsher sound than on the previous album.
Gosdzik and Cangelosi left in 1996 and were replaced by Tommy Vetterli (formerly of Coroner), and, surprisingly, Jurgen Reil. The band continued to experiment with their sound, releasing Outcast and Endorama, both of which experimented with goth and ambient influences, incorporated sam ples and loops and even found Petrozza trying a few different singing styles on for size. It also retained the groove metal influences. The record sales went down, by the end of the '90s the band reached both commercial and critical nadir. Though frontman Mille Petrozza never cared about this: "For us, success doesn't define in record sales. So all our albums have been successful for us, because we've achieved what we were aiming for. However, in 2001, with new guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, the band released their "comeback" album Violent Revolution, which saw the band returning to their classic thrash style (albeit they used a lot of melodic metal and so called Gothenburg metal riffs). It was praised by fans and critics alike. The tour was extremely successful and introduced Kreator to a younger generation of metal fans. A live album Live Kreation and live DVD Live Kreation: Revisioned Glory were released in 2003, and a new studio album - still retaining a style closer to old school thrash metal - Enemy of God was released in 2005. This album also saw a special edition re-release in 2006 called Enemy of God: Revisited. In early 2006, Kreator toured North America and Canada with Napalm Death, A Perfect Murder, and The Undying.elements into their sound, the results were uneven in some fans' and also critics' eyes.

arch enemy

2007-05-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, formed in 1995 by ex Carcass guitarist Michael Amott. The band has released six studio albums, a live album, two EPs, and a DVD (Live Apocalypse) The band was originally froThe first album with songs featuring Gossow was Wages of Sin, released in 2001. In December of the same year, Arch Enemy took part in the "Japan's Beast Feast 2002" concert, playing alongside Slayer and Motörhead.
Anthems of Rebellion was released in 2003 and brought some innovations, such as the use of a second voice singing in harmony in the song "End of the Line". In November of the following year, the band released the EP Dead Eyes See No Future, which featured live recordings, along with covers of Manowar, Megadeth and Carcass songs.
In June of 2005, Arch Enemy finished the recording of its sixth album, Doomsday Machine. In July 2005, guitarist Christopher Amott left the band in order to focus on his personal life. He was temporarily replaced by guitarist Gus G. (ex-Dream Evil, Firewind), and then by Fredrik Åkesson. Christopher returned on a permanent basis in March 2007, shortly before the band entered the studio to begin recording their new album with producer Fredrik Nordström. [1] An album from the band's earlier work, "Black Earth," was reissued on April 24, 2007. Liiva's vocals are present on the album.nted by Johan Liiva; frontwoman Angela Gossow joined as lead vocalist in 2001.

legion of the damned

2007-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Legion of the Damned unleashed their first thrashing metal storm on 6. January 2006. “Malevolent Rapture” was an uncompromising slab of killer death/thrash reminiscent of the masters of the eighties packed in a modern killer sound by Andy Classen and received many killer reviews in the press. The band showed to be able to combine furious thrash mayhem with midpaced neckbreaking rhythms, translocating the realm of the eighties into the new millenium. Since “Malevolent Rapture” the band has been destroying the stage on the No Mercy Festivals (a.o. Cannibal Corpse, Kataklysm), Rock Hard Festival, Summerbreeze Festival, Up from the ground Festival, Wacken Open Air as well as a minitour in September 2006 with veterans Destruction in the Netherlands. During the No Mercy Festivals Harold Gielen joined the band on bass, increasing the ferocious power of this well-oiled warmachine on stage. Between the gigs the band was busy writing new songs for the next album.Now the wait is over and Legion of the Damned return with “Sons of the Jackal” in January 2007, featuring ten songs that surpass the previous material… more dark, more violent and more diverse but still delivering the razorsharp riffing with utmost precisions, tight as hell drumming and hateful vocals, which sound even more menacing and vicious then before. The production by Andy Classen at Stage One Studio outdoes the job on the previous album. That Legion of the Damned know the tools of the trade is displayed in the violent hammering of ‘Son of the Jackal’, the devilish anthem ‘Diabolist’, the primitive stomping of ‘Death is My Master’, the sinister midpaced power of ‘Infernal Wrath’ or the fast Kreator style butchery in ‘Avenging Archangel’.

slayer

2007-05-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Slayer is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame as a leader of the American thrash metal movement with their 1986 release Reign in Blood, which has been called "the heaviest album of all time. The band is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal bands along with Megadeth, Metallica, and Anthrax.Slayer are known for their distinctive musical traits, involving fast tremolo picking, guitar solos, double bass drumming, and screaming vocals. The band's lyrics and album art, which cover topics such as serial killers, satanism, religion, warfare and the Holocaust have generated album bans, delays, lawsuits and strong criticism from religious groups and the public.
Since their debut record in 1983, the band has released two live albums, one box set, two DVDs, and ten albums, four of which have received gold certification. The band has received two Grammy nominations, winning one in 2007 for the song "Eyes of the Insane", and headlined music festivals worldwide, including Ozzfest, The Unholy Alliance and the Download Festival.Slayer formed in 1981, when guitarist Kerry King met Jeff Hanneman while auditioning for a band. The two recruited Tom Araya, who had played with King in a band called Quits, and drummer Dave Lombardo, who met King while delivering pizzas. The band began playing cover versions of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs at clubs and parties in Southern California. Early shows relied on a Satanic image, featuring pentagrams, make-up, spikes, and inverted crosses. A rumor has the band originally known as Dragonslayer, after the 1981 movie of the same name. However, when King was asked :How did you come up with the name Dragonslayer, King responded: We never did, it's a myth to this day.The band was offered to open for Bitch at the Woodstock Club in Los Angeles, performing eight songs — six being covers. While performing the song "Phantom of the Opera" by Iron Maiden the band was spotted by Brian Slagel, a former music journalist who had recently founded Metal Blade Records. Slagel met with the band backstage and convinced them to record an original song, "Aggressive Perfector" for his upcoming Metal Massacre III compilation, released in July 1983. The song created underground buzz, which led to Slagel offering the band a recording contract.