Big four Sonisphere confirmed

SO we now have it confirmed that the BIG FOUR are to play Sonisphere - and yes that capitalisation is well deserved. Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth changed the face of metal - and for younger readers who have a pop at the odd member of the BIG FOUR you really have no idea at the impact this group of musicians had on heavier music.

So July 8th - the BIG FOUR, July 9th to be headlined by Biffy Clyro (shut up! I quite like the Biffy!) and July 10th it will be Slipknot.

Metallica / Slayer / Megadeth / Anthrax - The Big 4: Live From Sofia Bulgaria (2DV)

Now before I get the complete and total head staggers two requests - if there is to be a Belfast date for any of the above-mentioned can some promoter please confirm as soon as possible. Second request - Dear Satan's Claws: it is close to Chrimbo so tickets for Sonisphere with flights and accommodation better be in my Christmas stocking or...we're setting Sid on ye!

Spit it out!

Another gig date for your diary: Spitknot (that's a Slipknot tribute band for the slow of reading) take to the stage at the Spring & Airbrake on August 8th with the rather excellent Sinocence and Residal Effect in support.

Tickets for this Distortion Project promotion are on sale now.

Returning to their roots

Download appears to be returning to its roots as a mainly hard rock and metal festival. Latest acts to be confirmed are Whitesnake and Def Leppard. Add into the mix headliners Heaven and Hell and Slipknot, and a line -up already including Motley Crue, Korn, Dragonforce, and Devildriver signs are that there will be a harder line-up than it has been for many a year now. Granted The Prodigy and Pendulum are also going to be there on the weekend June 12-14, but that gives a chance for a break to the beer tent!

Top 10 CDs of 2008

IT’S that time of year when it is time to look back – that is the end of the year – at what the past 12 months provided. And in metal terms it was a bumper 2008. A host of fantastic gigs, a bumper crop of songs and a superb basketful of albums.

It would be a tough task to gather all the highlights, but rather than bore all the constant readers, better to focus on one – our take here on the top 10 albums of the year. After all, every magazine, TV channel and radio station picks their top 10.

So below is our choice of Top 10 albums of 2008. We’re sure to have left one or two out, maybe left out your favourite platter of the year. Or you might think we’ve gotten it all wrong. Anyway, enjoy the choice and leave your comments.

Number One: Metallica – Death Magnetic.
After years of seeming wilderness twiddling the kings retook their throne at the top of the global metal tree. Only Iron Maiden are on a par. Death Magnetic was both a return to the progressive thrash roots and an evolution. Complex changes and simple riffing sit side by side, but above all it is simply a damn fine metal album.

Number Two: Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thunder God.
Amon Amarth promised much in the past, but inconsistent albums hindered them. Twilight is a different proposition. If Vikings sounded like this then no wonder they kicked medieval ass: a surging triumph of battle metal that knows its thrash heritage – fearless and victorious.

Number Three: Airbourne – Runnin Wild.
Hell – small Australians, the Young brothers, Angry Anderson, and now the O’Keefe led Airbourne show that small Aussie rockers know how to provide a soundtrack for a good time. Runnin Wild is a soundtrack to a good time.

Number Four: Slipknot – All Hope is Gone.
The Nine aren’t the most optimistic bunch of extreme metallers. All Hope is Gone is a slavering beast of noise. Intermittent melody mixed with brutality. Simply superb.

Number Five: Cancer Bats – Hail Destroyer.
Swinging, angry, humorous, demons flying – Cancer Bats delivered a hilarious and nasty album, replete with anthems and irate tirades. But above all it was a chant-a-long party of metal.

Number Six: Trivium – Shogun.
Okay – it has been fashionable to slag off the Floridian crew, but Shogun finally saw Trivium throw off the training wheels. Approach this album with an open mind and you’ll find melody and aggression coupled with musicianship of the highest quality.

Number Seven: Dragonforce – Ultra Beatdown.
Only included here because it always makes us smile: yeah it isn’t much different from any other Dragonforce but it is fun as hell to listen to

Number Eight: Cavalera Conspiracy – Inflikted.
When the Cavalera’s got together they delivered a brutal, back to basics sound storm of riffs and primal beats. Not easy on the ear, but damn fine metal listening.

Number Nine: Alice Cooper – Along Came A Spider.
Vincent Furnier’s alter ego delivered a tasteful tale of murder and slaughter, all with his usual poignancy and evil take on life – who said the son of a preacher man couldn’t rock out.

Number Ten: AC/DC – Black Ice.
Much overdue DC provided us with a reminder as to what straight forward hard rockin’ is supposed to sound like. And this was it. More bluesier in some parts, and even with a singalong anthem in Anything Goes.

Time to raid the piggy banks!

There is quiite literally a shed load of albums coming out in coming weeks and months that could bankrupt the serious metalhead or hard rocker; or at least seriously drain the supply of beer tokens...

Already on the shelves this week is the Black Stone Cherry new platter, and next week Slipknot and Dragonforce have their latest offerings upon us. Then Metallica's Death Magnetic hits the racks on September 12th. [And despite the naysayers the evidence from first single 'The Day that Never Comes' shows Metallica are only rivalled by Maiden as the biggest cult band in the world].

Ten days later Amon Amarth release 'Twilight of the Thunder God'. Terrorizer readers will already have some of the comic strip preview to enthrall them with tales of Viking derring-do!

As if all this, and the dozens of recent CDs piling up in the "I want" list wasn't enough AC/DC have finally gotten around to recording their new album and set a release date. Black Ice will arrive on Columbia Records on October 20th, with debut single 'Rock 'n' Roll Train' out on August 28th....what price for the much rumoured Slane date now?

Then there's Master's of Reality's new album late in October; the new Satyricon album 'Age of Nero' in November, plus a host of others.

Right now the piggy bank is glancing nervously at the hammer in my hand...