Very rockin' November

There can be no doubt about it now - November can be officially declared as the month that rockers, metalheads, punks, thrashers, deathheads, hellhounds and others of the crazed kind of anti-normal persuasion will end up bankrupt.

Quite simply the 11th month of 2006 is chock filled with rock 'n' roll madness. So, with a deep breath (and not forgetting that Motorhead/Therapy? gig on Hallowe'en Night...) here's what November has in store:
2nd - El Shakira, Speakasy QUB SU (all ages gig!)
3rd - Tizz Lizzy, Bryson's Bar, Magherafelt
3rd - Sinnocence, Overoth, Stillbirth, Revengeance - Rosetta Bar
4th - American Head Charge, Panic Cell, Residual Effect - The Limelight
4th - Exodus, Biochemical - Voodoo Lounge, Dublin
4th - Muse - Odyssey Arena
5th - Unholy Alliance II (Slayer et al \m/)
6th - Wolfmother, Olympia Theatre, Dublin
10th - Hunger's Mother - Ma Kelly's Ballymoney
10th - The Answer - Spring & Airbrake
11th - Arcane Suppression, Xero, Let Me Bleed - Rotterdam Bar
11th - Opeth, Paradise Lost - Vicar Street, Dublin
16th & 17th - Dragonforce - Mandella Hall
18th - Less Than Jake, Spring & Airbrake
19th & 20th - WASP, Spring & Airbrake
22nd - Tool - The Point

....may have missed one or two out...but otherwise, very busy month!

All ages Shakira

Upcoming act Enter Shakira are playing an all ages gig at QUB Student Unions Speakeasy on the afternoon of Nov 2nd...

Presidential race thrown wide open

The 2008 US presidential race has been thrown wide open as the campaign to elect Ronnie James Dio to the Whitehouse gets underway....Read more here

Chart topping MCR

They're not to everyone's taste, but they have a purebred punk and metal heritage, but My Chemical Romance are keeping the resurgance of harder rock and metal to the fore - this week they're single Welcome to the Black Parade topped the official charts. No doubt in part helped by being on the Radio One 'A' playlist and a fantastic Tim Burton-esque video.

And Trivium's new platter of rock, The Crusade has charged to No. 7 in the official album charts, surely a sign that despite the negativity of some reviewers and the reluctance of growler fans to accet Heafey's new style vocals.

Musically it is not the most consistent the band could have made. Although it is an excellent 8 out of ten, it has the feel of a transitional album; one which will set solid ground for the young Floridians' next outing. But it is proof positive that hard touring, top musicianship and a positive attitude pays off. The chart entry shows that the unwarranted cynicism of some cannot deter this young band. (And when BelfastMetalheadsreunited met bassist Paolo last year he and the rest of the band turned out to be top blokes!)

When it comes to next week's chart hears hoping they hold their position, and MCR can debut their album high in the same chart. That said I have feeling that Cradle of Filth's new album won't scare the chart!

Dark days for The Darkness

Dark days indeed for The Darkness with the announcement that Justin Hawkins has left the band to 'kick start' a solo career. The band meanwhile are to look for another front man.

Mmmmm, all seems a little on the weird side, but Justin could do well to remember what happened to others who believe that their individual name is bigger than the band that put that name in the tabloids.

Methinks that a career of crap records lies ahead for both sides of this equation, but I could be wrong. One thing though - won't Christmases be fun at the Hawkins household when Dan and Justin argue over turkey cutting rights, oops I meant royalty cutting rights!

All change for Motorhead, according to Virgin in Belfast 'Head are now shifted from the Point to the Olympia for the Hallowe'en gig. And, in other gig news Dragonforce have added a second night at the Mandella!

Gastro-entri-shitis

The problem with running a blog is that all good web sites it should be maintained regularly. The problem with having a viral gastric flu is that it is virtually impossibe to post on a blog when the insides are running out of you. Add in a follow on dose of flu, kids having same and, it may be a lame ass (sorry) excuse but hence the lack of posts.

And now with the shit cleared out of me posts are back, I'm back and Belfast Metal Reunited's team is out on the hunt for stories, reviews, news, gossip. If you were at any of the gigs missed cuz of illness (The Cult, Orange Goblin, UK Gunners Olympos Mons amongst others) and you want to pen a review let me know!

In the meantime a pic of Olympos Mons courtesy of the ever excellent RokPix's Colin Patterson:

Lawless still very much alive

There are some sad people posting on the internet. Said sad people have been circulating a rumour that Blackie Lawless is dead. The W.A.S.P frontman is very much alive and kicking, ready to release the new W.A.S.P. new CD Dominator later this year and more importantly play two dates in Belfast in November!

Head Charge....

No not the start of the American Football season...instead it's the return visit to these shores of American Head Charge.

They appear at The Limelight with Panic Cell and local rising stars Residual Effect on 4th November. Doors open at 4pm (yep, that's right 4pm!!!)

Nice warm-up for Slayer's Unholy Alliance II the following night; only problem is that Belfastmetalheadsreunited's junior reporter a.k.a. daughter wants to got to American Head Charge and Muse the same night (don't ask!)...

Now with the best will in the world it's gonna be really, really tricky managing that one!

Oh bugger!

Oh bugger, there may be more costs ahead!. Scanning through the upcoming plethora of concerts, I'd decided that with three trips to Dublin before Christmas already committed to, I would give Tool on 22nd November as miss. Much as like James Maynard Keenan's inrticate waffling, 10,000 Days was not the album that it could have been.

Then Mastodon announce they are lined up as support. The bastards! After they release a stunning album in the shape of Blood Mountain, they go and decide to play in Dublin!

How's the average humble rocker and metalhead meant to keep up? Time to launch the Ageing Metalheads with Mortgages Benevolent Fund. Donations, in brown envelopes, cash only, used notes, non-sequential numbers to the usual address.....

Second date for WASP

Cock rock 80s metal with a tinge of social conscience and a dash of concept albums must appeal to Belfast's metal fraternity - WASP have added a second date at the Spring & Airbrake. Now they will not only play on the 19th November, but also on the 20th....how much Blackie can yo handle?

Deft performance

Belfast's Empire Music Hall has witnessed many, many cover and tribute bands grace it's hallowed upper hall, from regular Friday night's Glamarama 70s extravaganza, through to tribute bands to most rock icons through the 80s, 90s and beyond (although why you'd pay tribute to bands from recent years is beyond my understanding!)

One special band for many people in Northern Ireland always has been Def Leppard. Like many rock and metal acts Leppard came back consistently throughout the 80s and early 90s, when other regular pop entertainers didn't bother because of what was euphemistically known as The Troubles. Pyromania received an early debut in the Ulster Hall, as did Hysteria, with a two-night stand supported by Tesla.

In those days the dlineation between rock and metal acts wasn't like today's plethora of genres, with some fans never daring to reach out of the silos. It didn't matter whether it was thrash, AOR (hell, I even went to see Reo Speedwagon!), hard rock, glam rock - it was all worth watching.

Thankfully when Deft Leppard rolled into town on Saturday 16th September, the same multi-facetted gathering assembled at The Empire. And all left with huge grins on their faces.

Deft Leppard are Europe's only Def Leppard tribute band. And for once that word is fitting - Ash and his team really pay tribute by playing hard and playing faithful to the sound and energy of Leppard's live shows - especialy those early years.

Of course, all Leppard's megahits are rolled out, from the well-paced Let's Get Rocked, Foolin', Animal through to crowd-pleasing balladry such as When Love and Hate Collide and Love Bites. (although was I imaging it but were myself and the lovely lady beside me - her name was Samantha I think - the only ones with lighters in the air...)

The willingness of the band to turn out requested tracks was also impressive with Stand Up and Don't Believe a Word really outstanding.

All the band are naturally fine musicians, honed through what seems to a relentles schedule of dates, when they'r not doing their dayjob.

The reaction of Belfast to their set was obviously genuine, as was the band's enthusiastic performance. (Click here to read Ashley's interview here before what all agreed was an even better night and here for fans and band comments on the gig.)

And what was better news for everyone is that Deft Leppard are planning to return to The Empire on Febuary 17th, 2007.

But we'll all have to make better post-show arrangenments than sitting freezing our arses off on the pavement outside Madisons!

Thanks again lads for a great night.

(Almost held it all together as a serious review until those last two paragraphs!)

November just got even busier

It's bewildering - the number of rock and metal planned for November! Before the month even kicks off Motorhead are celebrating Hallowe'en in Dublin. Then Muse are at the Odyssey on Nov 4th, followed the next night by Slayer and their metallic compatriots In Flames, Children of Bodom and Lamb of God at The Point for Unholy Alliance II.

Y'all already knew that, as well as WASP on the 19th and Dragonforce on the 16th. And...Tool in Dublin on the 22nd.

And now, to add to the poverty, news reaches us that The Answer are coming back to the Spring & Airbrake on the 10th (they're playing Derry's Nerve Centre the night before) and American Head Charge & Panic Cell may be planning a Belfast gig...

Any bank manager's reading who may be inclined to make a loan (secured on a pile of empty Carlsberg cans!) to make sure that Belfastmetalheadsreunited can go to all of the above and sup from full pints of Carlsberg and buy black tour t-shirts that will annoy people, please get in touch!

mastodon - mountainous music

Mastodon exploded into the consciousness of metal fans about 18 months ago when Leviathan lumbered its meaty tracks on to many people's decks of doom, with complex rhythms, intricate guitar work and plain bonkers lyrics. But can Mastodon match that with their first major label release, Blood Mountain?

In short, yes! But Blood Mountain ain't no easy listen. It's bewildering, intense and, frankly madder than a bag of hungry squirrels. But it's worth the effort.

Here at Belfastmetalreunited's gloom laden mansion of madness we're going to take some time to listen further to what could be a masterpiece if we could understand it! Mayhaps we need to change our drugs. Methinks Mastodon will be massive - if we can get an interpreter!

Saturday night

Saturday, 16th September...busy night for rock and metal fans. At The Empire are Europe's only Def Leppard tribute band, Deft Leppard. At the Rosetta, Bob Catley, at the Pavilion Residual Effect....lot to chose from.!

I'll be at Deft Leppard (well I saw the first date on the Pyromania tour! So a little nostalgia is llowed!). If you plan to be there, mine's a pint of Carlsberg!

BLS review....

Was going to write a lengthy review of Black Label Society's new album Shot to Hell. But it's enough to say BUY IT! Bloody great classic metal, ballads to weep to, and shredding and sensitive soloing in equal measures. BUY IT!

Stuck for a Christmas laugh?

Stuck for a Christmas laugh? Want a December gig before Iron Maiden. Well Tenacious D are planning a Dublin date on 10th December...

Okay, it's more comedy than metal, but after all Jack Black brought us the funniest homage to battle metal with the song Wonderboy. Anyone who can sing the line 'High above the mucky muck' with a straight face is either a true comedian or should sign up to join Manowar!

Pity his films weren't as funny!

Some good support news and some not so good

It's long been a contentous issue - high quality support bands din't always join their headlining colleagues when they make the trip to Belfast and Dublin. Throughout the 8Os, with a few notable exceptions (Anthrax supporting Metallica and the courageous Irish Winter's Reign) rock and metal fans were subjected to a succession of dodgy bands.

Recently, while local acts have improved considerably, there has been a trend for headlining acts not to bring support bands who are touring elsewhere. While we can all toast Maiden's decision to bring Trivium along to Dubin, and Slayer's willingness to bring the full Unholy Alliance II line-up, we learn with some disappointment that Dragonforce's UK tour line up, including All That Remains and Firewind will not be catching the ferry.

Hopefully this will mean that one of the emerging Northern Ireland acts will get another chance of exposure before a larger audience.

On happier support news, Saxon will be bringing Aussie legends Rose Tattoo on their visit to the Spring & Airbrake on March 2nd, together with Masterplan. Rose Tattoo, for those with really long memories played the Ulster Hall in the 80s when hits such as Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw and Assault & Battery bothered the charts. The Angry Anderson crew will be touring despite the death earlier in the year of guitarist Pete Wells. In Classic Rock magazine Anderson said the new album and tour was a tribute to Wells.

Answer rock the town

When it comes down to hard work in rock its not necessarily a criteria for what passes for success in this video, fad and fashion driven business. There are rock and metal acts who arrive in the pages of magazines and on to festival stages through manipulation, money and machiavellan management. Those self-same acts usually have one song, and are inevitably one trick ponies.

Thankfully the acts that have longevity, true success and a dedicated fanbase take hard work seriously, and have talent by the shedload. They are the acts that take to the road, turn out albums that are consistent and actually play their instruments. Downpatrick's The Answer are one such act.

Not for them the posing and posturing of the scene; the attempt to garner chart-topping pap; not for them the hairstylists and endorsements from hair gel companies. Instead they take to the road, touring for what amounts to more than half the year, and have an album, Rise, packed with infectous grooves, songs from the heart and damn fine playing.

When The Answer took to the stage of Belfast's Spring & Airbrake on Friday night, they could be excused for being a little jaded. It was their fourth date in Northern Ireland in the last year, and they are looking forward to a lengthy autumn tour of the UK and parts of Europe.

Instead they took to the stage with verve and good natured intensity. Cormac's vocals and stagecraft are continually improving, while Paul's playing has loosened up, showing that he's comfortable in being able to express both the harder edge of The Answer's music as well as the bluesier work-outs.

Before the gig (when blagging autographs for children who couldn't be there) Paul spoke of his influences, naming the late Paul Kossoff amongst them. As well as the blistering runs he is capable of, it is these Free-inspired slower, more soulful solos that shine in what could have been a wall of noise as both fans and band cranked it up.

The entire album was given an airing, naturally, with a b-side or two thrown in to pad out the length of the set. Into the Gutter stood out for it's pace and crowd reaction, while Memphis Water allowed the rhythm section to lay down a solid pattern to counterpoint Paul and Cormac's work out.

And, of course, Always rocked the rafters in the Spring & Airbrake.

The entire set lasted just a tad over 70 minutes, which given that The Answer only have single album out so far is understandable. Those packed into a sold-out venue will, and should, expect The Answer to keep touring, but the imperative must be now to get into the studio soon; using what they have learned on the road to craft an album that will take them to the next level of hard-earned, honestl gained success.


[Can't say any of the above about support act, The Delewares. Stylistically all over the place, half the band looking bored (the female singer could try smiling and engaging the audience once in a while!) and songs that were absent any significant hooks when played live. Only highlight was a drummer who hit the kit as if he was pissed off with the world. Mind you, if I had to play in the Delewares, I'd beat the shit out of the kit too!]

Wee Reminder

Just a wee reminder. The Answer, Spring & Airbrake, tomorrow (Friday). See ya there. (Pic courtesy of RokPix's Colin Patterson)

On the Doom Decks:
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Motorhead - Kiss of Death
Slayer - Christ Illusion
Billy Talent - II (Don't ask, just like it!)

BLS preview

Hey, on September 11th Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society release their latest metaallic assault on the world, Shot to Hell. Listen to the opening track, Concrete Jungle, by clicking here.

Loughshore

As a blog is meant to be like a diary, I did check out the Loughshore Festival tonight, with son Zakk. Con Jovi weren't there as promised, caught a band that were torn between Lost Prophets and being a guitar-led attack, and enjoyed a workmanlike, but enjoyable performance from Payola, but was tortured by the Legends of Rock's 70's themed pastiche. Left early, good riddance - any band that starts with The Tramps Disco Inferno, will not be redeemed, even with a tight cover of T-Rex's Get It On.

Too much metal for one day!

There are doubters, naysayers, trashtalkers and plain obtuse critics, who forget the exhiliration that pure metal can bring. Last week devastation was wrought when Slayer unleashed virtiolic riffage in the shape of Christ Illusion. Still there are those who chose not to dip into their pockets to sample the Slaytonic delights.

This week Iron Maiden and Motorhead release new albums - I've already had one person requesting that I copy said CDs. Errr, no mate, that's why shite music gets into the charts and pure metal assults are relegated to a 'rock' chart - you actually have to pay for music

But, then again, radio friendly chirp along songs will not be found on Maiden's 'A Matter of Life and Death', nor on Motorhead's Kiss of Death - so Radio 1 will not be playlisting the tracks that lie within.

In fact Maiden especially are getting heavier! Yep, muscular production, taut and insistent riffs, trademark Harris bass runs are here aplenty. But what sets this apart is...dare I say it....a whiff of concept. There's no clear storyline, á la Seventh Son. Instead there are lyrical concepts woven together as all members of the band seem in contemplative form; the ordinary soldier in 'These Colours Don't Run'; the horror of nuclear warfare's relevance in a post 9/11 world; the contrast between questioning religious sources (For the Greater Good of God); through to asking what exactly is this Lucifer thing all about (Lord of Light).

Lyrically it is a challenging album, and a few, very brief times, even Bruce's voice struggles with the higher registers. Musically it is even more challenging. There are more time changes than an atomic clock on speed. But unlike widdly conceptually metal the changes knit songs and mood together. None better than on album closer, The Legacy. And on that track there is a riff that is so good it brings tears to the eye.

When Different World launches this album, there's a traditional Maiden play-off between tight rhythms and a melodic chorus, reminiscent of parts of Dance of Death, but there most comparisons (apart from the Arabic phrasing on the Pilgrim echoing Powerslave) from what has gone before end.

This is Maiden all grown up, angry with what they see in the world, asking questions. This is Maiden let loose - finally the three guitarist structure given full rein, and riffing heavier and more intense than ever. This is Maiden setting new boundaries for the pretenders to aspire to reach, let alone surpass.

Motorhead, in contrast, have set their own boundaries a very long time ago (well Lemmy is 60!). They are the bastard sons of blues and hard rocking metal, illegitimate sons of Jack Daniels and Marshall amps - unpretentious and unafraid, always delivering on the promise of a gravel-throated party.

Except on Kiss of Death 'Head have taken the party further. Sweat-soaked and hazy with booze, this is the party where clichés have been ditched.

Sucker opens the album up - no nonsense, no fear and the promise of a "Smack in the mouth." From there blues metal propels the sonic assault, with stand-out tracks Devil I Know, Living in the Past, Christine and Going Down, just about managing to eclipse a platter of joyful Motorhead excess.

That is with one exception - God was Never on Your Side. Here Lemmy is asking questions uncomfortable for Christian fundamentalist and Islamic Jihadists alike; questions neither party can answer easily. And there a comparison with Maiden must be made. All styles of rock, punk and metal has rarely been more popular, and with that comes the right to ask questions of the established order. It is only right and proper that Dickinson challenges Blair's war policies (The Legacy) and Lemmy challenges religious nuttery.

But while both bands are asking these and musical questions, there can be no doubt that young and old pretenders alike can not afford to rest on laurels. Maiden and Motorhead have not - and that is why they are more than elder statesmen in the metal pantheon of icons - they are at the vanguard, ready to rock.

And if you want to copy these albums, the answer is no - buy them, you're ears will love you for spending a few quid for such majestic metal.

Charts

Iron Maiden's debut single from A Matter of Life ande Death, The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg charted at no. 1 in Sweden and Spain. Here in the UK the powers-that-be deemed that it was too long for inclusion in the singles chart!?! Must be that they expect the average person who buys a single to have an attention span of less than 5 minutes. Once again the powers-that-be (and especially those in the BBC!) prove they are dumber than a bag of squirrels on acid.

PS. Slayer's Christ Illusion hit the UK charts at a respectable no. 23, they played at Reading & Leeds and will shortly be hitting the UK and Ireland for a headlining tour. See any mention of Slayer on BBC recently? Not since last November in the 'shock,horror' documentary on the evils of metal! Ha, if only they knew....

Ground and Pound

Ok folks, I know that there are a few of you that like Dragonforce, a few who don't, and a few that just don't understand their appeal. No matter which camp you fall into, you've got to check out the video for the ridiculously titled Operation Ground and Pound. Click here to watch it on You Tube.

It passes over the top on the way to sublime surreal piss-take. What starts off with the band playing against a CGI backdrop of invading alien ships á la Chronicles of Riddick quickly descends into a computer/console guitar battle between Herman and Sam. And to show they recognise the not-too-serious side of vidz, during the guitar battle ZP appears sipping a coffee against the green screen that is used for performers doing work with CGI....I know it sounds silly, banal and a little bit self-indulgent, but it works. Check it out, laugh and giggle as Extreme Power Metal once again produces, shock! horror!, a sense of humour.

Monday - Maiden and Motorhead

Last week Slayer rocked us all with their new album Christ Illusion - and now tomorrow there's a double feast of metallic delight when Iron Maiden and Motorhead release A Matter of Life and Death and Kiss of Death respectively. Mmmmm, what a year 2006 is turning out to be for hard rock and heavy metal!


And to keep you all going until The Answer on Friday night, here's a pic from their gig at Maginn's in Castlewellan, courtesy of Rokpix's Colin Patterson.

Post-Slayer come down

After the exuberance of constant listening to Slayer's new opus Satanicus, there's much to look forward. Motorhead's Kiss of Death, plus Maiden and Mastodon - deep joy! Check out updates to the gig guide

Slaytonic worship

Fucking = dozens
Putrid = 2
Hails for Satan = 4
Controversial lyrics = 10 tracks out of 10
Controversial artwork = 1
References to false religion = 42
Slayer's new album = priceless!

Yep - Slayer are back in their usual bombastic style. Christ Illusion hit the shops on 21st August, after being available for download for 2 weeks and on their myspace site for the same length of time. And after living with it pushing out of tinny PC speakers, finally it hit the doom decks for full on aural assault.

Slayer are, of course, the thrash band that have never evolved, never compromised and never been afraid to dis everyone else - or at least Mr King has been doing that in recent interviews. But like Sadolin, Slayer do what it says on the tin, uncompromising music, technically superlative solos and and lyrics to scare all God's children.

For Chist Illusion Slayer had a lot to live up to. God Hates Them All set a benchmark for the band - with an invective that had been lacking for some time. The hype over Christ Illusion was that the CD would land on decks with the same impact of Seasons of the Abyss, or dare it be said, Reign in Blood. Alas that is not to be. But, Christ Illusion stands on it's own merits.

Sure, there are always those that look back on classic albums (Master of Puppets, Peace Sells, Among the Living, Reign in Blood) and wish their band hadn't grown up, but bands do. Christ Illusion, for all it's infantile lyrics, shows a band comfortable in their controversy, sure of their style and hammering out vibes that are a definitive collection of extreme heavy metal.

CD opener Flesh Storm is Slayer by numbers - the band easing fans into the CD on familiar territory, only spoiled by Araya having to force his invective over polysllabic words ill-suited to the velocity and riffing.

But by the time Catalyst kicks off, it is clear that Christ Illusion's real bonus is Lombardo's drumming. He is technically the best in the business, but has a looseness of style that hints Slayer's music may be on the verge of tipping into chaotic parody; while laying down blast beats and fills that serve to punctuate the vehemence of the tunes like angry bastard children of the apocolypse.

None more so than on Black Serenade and Cult.

And, unlike some previous Slayer outings, the solos from King and Hanneman do not seem divorced from the songs. Technically Kerry and Jeff have always been a cut above the average shredder, but tended to go for widdly bits that were about showing off rather than being integral to the tunes. On Christ Illusion the axe duo of doom have managed to construct intricate patterns of guitar hate that matches the intensity of the songs.

But where the dynamic duo really score is on the riffing. Jihad's time signatures, Catalyst's grinding and Supremist straight forward assualt all show the pairing laying down riffs heavy enough to make 1,000 Scandanavian Death and Black Metal bands weep that they are no match for the masters.

The return of Lombardo, the anger of King - these are matched with an Araya and a Hanneman that seem to once more be eager to rip new arseholes for a new breed of the Slaytonic Whermacht while making us older fans smile, toss the zimmer away and get ready to mosh like a bastard.

At times it almost tips over into an anarchic tribute to the feedbacked whail of Jesus and the Mary Chain, or avant garde noise nonsense; but Christ Illusion manages to stay focussed, stay evil and stay Slayer. It's not the best CD of 2006, but it's damn close.

Watch out for The Watch

Word from deepest darkest Fermanagh has been coming the way of BelfastMetalheadsReunited for some time of some fine acts emerging from that water-logged county. Thanks to Rokpix Colin Patterson and Ciara we were tipped off about The Watch. Colin managed to smuggle a copy of an early demo past customs at the Fermanagh/Tryone border...and it has been on the decks of doom for some time.

Put simply are a traditional classic rock act, with more than a (not unwelcome) whiff of New Wave of British Heavy Metal clinging around their riffs. Shades of Diamond Head, Witchfynde and, whisper it softly, Saxon cast welcome dark and shade about The Watch.

Riffs come from the school of Maiden and the afore-mentioned Diamond Head, and solos are paced well within structures that are exhilirating, but on a few occassions predictable.

Cloak and Dagger kicks off with energy and pace, before the Sweet Savage style riffing of Witch Among Us. But it is Dearg Doom's Celtic tinged riffing and the pace of Under a Howling Moon that stand out.

The one major gripe is lyrically. Somehow it rings a little forced. Dio, Dragonforce got away with it, Manowar did for a while, but it if The Watch want to stand up and be seen in a scene crowded with witches and warlocks, daggers and venom, spirits and battlecries, then more thought and better phrasing of lyrics will raise their game.

Overall, as mentioned this has been on regular rotation on the Decks of Doom - no better commendation needed. Hope the next demo shows steady improvement, then a surefire slot on Metal Hammer's Battle Metal CDs is guaranteed.

Listen to Iron Maiden's Different World!

More Maiden frolics in advance of the release of their new album at the end of this month. You can listen to Different World by clicking here.

Christ, it's no illusion, you can listen to Slayer online

Fed up that Slayer's new album won't be hitting UK stores until 21st August? Can't be bothered ordering it from US or other parts of the world? Have no fear, cuz Slayer have posted the entire album on Myspace.com/slayer to listen and enjoy... or perhaps that's not quite the right word :)

PS: It's awesome! The banner to the right features the US release date. It and others like it can be downloaded from Slayer.net and by clicking on the tags link.

Blue Murder time

Tygers of Pan Tang, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder - all have one thing in common apart from great music: John Sykes. The blonde guitar maestro impressed those of us who saw him in the heyday of the 80s, when soulful and fast playing was still a mark of a great axeman. Samby's been campaigning to get Sykes back playing the UK - and especially Belfast. Sign her petition here to make sure another rock great comes back to Belfast

Demo(lition) Zone

As mentioned some time ago Belfastmetalheadsreunited is launching an area for Northern Ireland bands (and even some from further afield) to have their demos or CDs reviewed. Okay, well truth be told here lies a professional journalist of 16 years standing whose alter ego rocks out like a ....well you get the picture. Several have already submitted their CDs (fools, muh ha ha ha ha ha) for dissection.

One that we at Metal manors didn't expect was Hunger's Mother. I caught them at the Rotterdam during the Custom Bike Show and they received no mightier endorsement than that of Dean's Dad - who rated them as one of the best bands to hit the Rott in a long time.

Live they were impressive (especially at 4pm and sober!!!)

Clutching the CD we expected to be let down, but no, Hunger's Mother's essence held out on the slaver of plastic, no doubt helped by being recorded in a five hours live take at Coleraine's Stable Studio.

Guitarist Neill McIlfatrick explained that the band were a little like The Answer, but vered more towards "classic rock and psychaedelic jamming" than the Downpatrick band.

On the platter Hunger's Mother do deliver that classic rock feel. At times vocalist Rodney Tosh really rips the sound barrier, but too often he appears restrained on the CD. His ability live, and his range means he should open up to the passion next time the band hit the studio.

'Trust You' and 'Sweet Liberation' stand out on the CD and are obviously live favourites, but throughout the CD is a display exemplary muscianship - from Tosh's voice, through to the tight rhythm pattersn of bassist Christopher Wilson and drummer Allan Starrs (although at times the tambourine hi-hat gimmick does wear a little thin).

At times Neill's guitar work reaches sublime heights - technically and in line with the structure and feel of the songs his work is almost always appropriate. At times this creeps into a little self-indulgence, but hell if I could play that well I'd be indulging every self I could lay my hands on.

Overall Hunger's Mother self-titled CD is a work screaming with potential. Excellent musicianship now needs a producer and manager to assist with song arrangements and deciding exactly where they want to be in a year's time. This band has the potential to reach far beyond the confines of biker shows - we here at Belfastmetalheadsreunited hope they can turn taht potential into their live kinetic rock energy!

Playing Tribute to Leppard

IT'S rare that Def Leppard come to these shores, yet the finest songs from Def Leppard's long career can be heard live on a regular basis throughout the UK - and in Belfast on September 16th.

Europe's only tribute band to the Sheffield heroes, Deft Leppard, will be playing in Belfast's Empire on 16th September - and the band can't wait!

"Belfast's fantastic," said Ashley Cooper, who sings the part of Joe Elliot when Deft Leppard hit the stage.

"We played here in February and the reception we got was fantastic, the venue, the promoters and the crowd all treated us really well, and we played even better than normal!"

One member of Deft Leppard got into the action more than he anticipated.

Aaron Sutton, who plays Leppard's guitarist Vivian Campbell ended up in the crowd.

"Aaron got a little too close and some of the ladies, shall we say, encouraged him to get down into the crowd," explains Ashley. "I suppose it was because Vivian Campell's a Belfast lad, but there might have been a button undone by the time he got back onstage."

A range of tribute bands have been around for the past number of years, from big productions such as The Australian Pink Floyd, through to pub bands plying covers. But Deft Leppard's motivation is simply a love of the music, especially that of their heroes.

"Our main reason for doing it is simply that fans can't get to see their favourite bands that often," explains Ashley. "And as those bands have gotten bigger they never get to see them up close in an intimate venue.

"Def Leppard played just two dates in the UK this year in Sheffield and London."

Deft Leppard, who formed just over a year ago, have been refining their set now throughout the summer touring.

As yet they haven't decided if they are to put some of the tracks from Def Leppard's latest album, 'Yeah', in their set - especially seeing as Leppard themselves seem undecided as to what songs they are playing on their current US tour.

"We've been thinking about that," said Ashley. "We could do 21st Century Boy pretty well, or Hanging on the Telephone, but we concentrate on the hits that the fans want to hear."

All of Deft Leppard are experienced musicians, who have played in their own bands or have been session players. Through the week they hold down a variety of jobs - from site managers through to teachers - but it is at weekends that Deft Leppard come to life.

"We've been on tour most weekends, and will have played about a dozen weekends straight before we arrive for Belfast on the 16th. It's the last date of that leg of the tour and it'll be a special night because of that!"

NB: This exclusive Belfastmetalheadsreunited interview with Deft Leppard is available for free use in print media. Please drop a comment/email if you wish to use it.

More tour dates!!!!

More gigs have been added to the Rockin' Calendar, including Buckcherry at the Limelight on Sept 4th. Visit the calendar using the Northern/Ireland Tour News link to the right of the page or by clicking here

Between now and Christmas there are now officially too many gigs. No, not that we here at Belfast Metalheads Reunited ever want to stop rockin' and moshin' - it's just that it has now become impossible to afford all the beer tokens, t-shirts and other necessities in attending the autumnal rock and metal fest!

Donations to the usual address, sealed envelope, unmarked, used, non-sequential bills - no demonations less than £50 please.

WASP come back to Belfast

WASP, seminal 80s rock 'n' roll animals are coming back to Belfast.

Sunday 19th November, Spring & Airbrake, marks the Lawless crew's third visit to the city. Tickets £21.50...

Tool in Dub

Prog metallers Tool are set to play in Dublin on 22/11/06 at the Point. Check the link on the right for Tour news, and if you are a band playing NI or Dub and want to be included, get in touch!

Wheeeeels of Steeeeel!

Them were the days - the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was laying waste to...well to a lot of people who should have known better! And now Saxon are coming back to Belfast. Amid cries of "About bloody time too!"

Saxon have confirmed they are appearing at the Spring and Airbrake on 1st March 2007, tickets £16.

The last time Biff Byford and his motley bunch of metal mavericks played Belfast it was the night after my Maths 'O' level, it was in the Maysfield Leisure Centre and we all ended up hoarse from yelling along to Denim and Leather. (Oh I also puked outside after one too many cans of Special Brew, but best leave sleeping diced carrots lie where they land...)

An end to Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops has finally been granted a long overdue euthenasia order by the BBC. Its final show will be broadcast this week and its passing will not be mourned by many under 35. Alongside the plethora of digital channels offering 24-hour videos; in a world of downloads, uploads, peer-to-peer networks and the ubiquitous iPod culture, TOTP was an anachronism.

But before MTV, KerrangTV - hell even before The Tube - it was the only chance to see your rock and metal favourites: not that they were given the chance too often!

Metal luminaries such as Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Ozzy and Priest, among many others, mimed their way through hits. Northern Ireland had its share of local acts popping up, including Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, and latterly Ash and Therapy?

Memorable moments included the refusal of Thin Lizzy to play Cold Sweat. Their gear hadn't arrived and, tactfully they declined to mime with cardboard guitars. Marillion's first singer Fish nearly had the band banned forever when he kept his lips firmly shut when miming to a line from the song Garden Party - until Kayleigh became a worldwide hit.

Ahh, the nostalgia of it all - an innocent world when you snatched a glance of metal heroes, bought the vinyl and, if lucky, hit the concert when the band deigned to play Norn Iron. Now metal is all over the tele for those that want it, and millions of websites beckon unwitting souls towards rock and metal corruption. Was it better back in the day? Hell no! Gimme wall-to-wall rock and metal any day without the fashionistas telling me what to listen to!

Rockin' calendar

Owing to popular demand have been forced to include a list of forthcoming tourdates... here they are
August 26th - Bon Jovi Experience, The Empire, Belfast
August 28th - Con Jovi, Shoreline Festival, Newtownabbey
1st September - The Answer, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
2nd September - Limehouse Lizzy, The Empire, Belfast
4th September - Buckcherry, The Limelight, Belfast
15th September - Blitzkreig, Steel Tormentor, Gama Bomb, Rosetta, Belfast
16th September - Deft Leppard, The Empire, Belfast
16th September - Bob Catley, Rosetta, Belfast
22nd September - Metallitia, Spring and Airbrake, Belfast
30th September - The Cult, Ulster Hall, Belfast
30th September - Orange Goblin, Triggerman, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
30th September - Elixir, No Grace Given, Sorrowfall, Rosetta, Belfast
6th October - Fightstar, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
22nd October - Sikth, The Limelight, Belfast
24th October - Status Quo, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
31st October - Motorhead, Therapy?, Point Theatre, Dublin
4th November - Muse, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
5th November - Unholy Alliance II, Slayer, In Flames, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, Point Theatre, Dublin
16th November - Dragonforce, Mandella Hall, Belfast
19th November - W.A.S.P., Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
22nd November - Tool, Point Theatre, Dublin
20th December - Iron Maiden, Trivium, Point Theatre, Dublin
2nd March 2007 - Saxon, Spring & Airbrake, Belfast

NB - If a band is playing Dublin as well as Belfast I've not put the Dublin date in. If you see a listing for Dublin, it means they aren't making the perilous journey past Newry and Lisburn...

More gigs

More gigs announced - Sikth; 22nd October at The Limelight; and if yuo are in need of a laugh, Dropkick Murphy's playing Spring & Airbrake on 18th November...on second thoughts screw them, better ways to spend my rock pound!

PS - Check out the Hungry Mothers if you get a chance - saying no more for now...but worth a listen!

Brucie on Maiden mercy flight

Iron Maiden singer and qualified pilot Bruce Dickinson airlifted 200 British citizens who had fled war torn Beirut, Lebanon, back to the UK yesterday.

The 47-year-old flew a Boeing 757 to Cyprus where he picked up the evacuees and flew them back to Gatwick.

A colleague said, "He was only too keen to get involved and help. He has a strong interest in the welfare of people caught up in international conflicts and cares about what is going on."

Demo Zone

As Belfastmetalheadsreunited continues to grow (don't ask me, I only know people are starting to read it....) next week comes, DemoZone, a chance for local acts (and even some not so local acts to plug their demo and have Belfastmetalheadsreunited comment or criticise the content of the demo.

All good clean fun - four local acts have already submitted their demos/self-produced CDs. Beers and ears at the ready; reviews coming next week!

Black Label Society - scary song!

Black Label Society - a name to conjure fear into all but the stoutest of metal hearts. New album Shot to Hell is coming out later in the year on Roadrunner Records. Check out the track Black Mass Reverends here

Gigs, gigs, gigs

A claim has been made (a spurious one!) that I may have missed a few gigs in my ongoing listings....well no-one is perfect :)

The ones that I've apparently missed are Ricky Warwick (formerly of Almighty!) playing at Aunt Annies on 2nd August, tickets £8.50; Metallitia playing the Cliff Burton tribute gig at Spring & Airbrake on 22/9/06, tickets £10; and Quo at the Odyssey on 24th October.

Shit, just checked...did mention the Quo gig, but it was the day I was picking up my 12-bar zimmer frame!

Rock, metal and bikes

Rock, metal and motorbikes - somehow it all seems to go together! And this Saturday at Barrow Square, Clarendon Dock (that's the one behind the Rotterdam Bar!) is a full-on Custom Bike Show, with hot hogs, even hotter custom Harleys and a host of souped up, sprayed up chops and iron horses to goggle and gaze at.

In addition to the bikes, there'll be trade shows, a barbecue, bluegrass music and Led Zeppelin tribute band Rubber Plants.

Kicks off 2pm til late, and all for the paltry sum of £5!

World of pain with RE

Life on the heavy side this weekend when Residual Effect & Scrotumbabes play at Katy Daly's. Doors open at 15.30, with the very reasonable £2.50 adm. Residual Effect's new CD "In A World Where Pain Is God" and the new t-shirts will be available.

Muse for the Odyssey

Muse have added a Belfast date to their autumn tour in support of the Blackholes and Revelations album. It's on 4th November (the night before Slayer!) at the Odyssey Arena and tickets are £30 standing or £33 if yer bum needs rested.

The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - the video

Wanna check out the new Iron Maiden video for The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg? Go to:
http://exodus.interoutemediaservices.com/?id=1c475d62-c1cc-471f-8439-50a26a69b84a&delivery=stream
to view.

Irons new album cover!

New Iron Maiden Album cover - looks awesome as ever - if songs are half as good, will be a corker!

Cliveaid

If you're heading down to Maiden on 20th December, you might want to consider going to Dublin a day early, cuz the metal charity and general all round nice guys Cliveaid are hosting a special night to raise money for MS and Testicular Cancer (for those lacking metal knowledge Maiden's first drummer Clive Burr has MS).

Playing are various Maiden tributes, Glyder and special guests (no real secret, it's GMT, Robin Guy, Bernie Tormé and John McCoy). It's on the 19th December at Radio City, Dublin - good cause, good night's rocking!

Coiled in Dublin

Italian metal act, Lacuna Coil - yep the one with the lovely Cristina Scabbia as front woman - are set for Dublin's Olympia Theatre on 16th October. No word of any Belfast date, and looking at their schedule, it's not likely :(

Bap, Niall and Beano

Bap, Niall and Beano - a.k.a Triggerman are playing the same night as The Cult, as support for Orange Goblin - jaysus decisions, decisions! Ian Astbury and a dewy eyed reminesence of the 80s or a mad night of metal wiith Goblin, Saturnalia and Triggerman - Please help me make my mind up!

Below - some more Rottfest pix - ranging from crowd celebrating arrival of DD on stage, a drummer (RD) in contemplation to two young laydees throwing the horns....pix as usual courtest of Rokpix's Colin Patterson!

Remember Blue Murder?

Does anyone remember Blue Murder? Blonde guy playing a Les Paul? Went by the name of John Sykes. Played with Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy etc, and put out two or three damn fine albums with his own band Blue Murder.

Me mate Samby is running a petition to have Blue Murder play in l'il ole Belfast. Want to sign up, drop a comment and I'll make the necessary arrangements!

Pix from Rottfest

Some more pix from Rottfest - all courtesy or Rokpix and the ever wonderful Colin Patterson. To find out how to get high quality digital versions or prints from Colin drop a comment. He has pix from dozens of local gigs, all worth a 'wee juke'.

The Answer - giggin' near you

Hey all - The Answer are giggin' near you! As well as an extensive tour of the Republic with Glyder(well five extensive dates anyway), Downpatrick's finest (well Ash haven't released an album in ages...) are hitting a few NI dates. As well as the date on the 4th August at the Celtic Fusion Festival, Castlewellan, and the next day at the Leitrum Festival (?) The Answer are set to pack out the Spring & Airbrake on the 1st September.

Oh, it could also be on the 2nd as when you click on the date on The Answer's Myspace site it goes to the 2nd. Anyway, either way, and whichever way buy loose see ya there!

Feel the force

Remember Dragonforce? 'Course ya do! Some hate them, but a hella lotta ya like them big time...okay enough! Dragonforce are playing at the Mandella Hall on 16th November. Power metal rules!

Remember The Cult

Colin, Belfasmetalheadsreunited numero uno lensman has asked me to remind you all that The Cult are playing the Ulster Hall on then 30th September. Well, consider yourself reminded, and to celebrate here's another of Colin's fine pix from Rottfest:

and yet more gig news...

Don't forget the Day of Darkness Festival in Co Laios this coming weekend...more metal than most can handle - and I'm bloody working :(

For those that remember big hair, Snakebite - A Tribute to Whitesnake will be plying their wares at the Empire on the 15th.

But recover from that and bolt down yer ears for the assault coming your way. As well as the previously mentioned (scroll down I'm not repeating myself again!) there's a helluva lot of metal comin' yer way!

On 19th July High on Fire are coming to Aunt Annie's. Draw a breath for the 21st when there's Honey for Christ at the Rosetta with Primal Dawn, Overoth & Nemesis, while on the same night Interrogate , Sinocence, Inside, Sixkiller Zero, Jackalfeud, Absent Method, Choke are at Lavery's for a battle of the bands style rock out. For those of a more old school punk outlook catch the Enterprise to Dublin for Discharge's set at the Voodoo Lounge.

There are many, many more gigs in coming months, but before signing off for now, enough to mention that Orange Goblin are set to play the Limelight on 30th September...cue manic laughing!

Gig news

More gig updates - Quireboys are playing on 22nd September at the Rosetta and on the 23rd in Limavady for the Quay Vipers Bike rally. Also in September (16th) veteran Magnum frontman Bob Catley brings his solo show to the Rosetta - ask nicely and I'll tell you about the time Bob was 'kidnapped' when Magnum played at QUB Student's Union on the Storyteller's Tour.

And now for the saga of 'Force. Belfast's fave Power Metal outfit look set for a return to these shores. Although there's nothing official yet it looks like Dragonforce will be playing Dublin and Belfast on the dates of 18th & 19th November. Watch this space.

Ladeez and Gentleworms - The Answer

Debated long and hard whether or not to review The Answer's debut album 'Rise' here. After all, it's not strictly metal. Then I got to musing (bottle of fine red wine, some of Arthur's fine stout and what you know, musing happening!).

Sure, today's metal seems far removed from the heady days of Zep and Free, but t'was the same bands that paved the way for METAL! And lest we forget, Sabbath started off as jazz blues combo, Earth.

Thus, musing and drinking completed here follows the review of The Answer's Rise.

IT'S FUCKING EXCELLENT!

Okay, got that out of my system...Rise is filled with the sort of exuberance that can't be faked, tunes that can't be contrived and music to melt all but the coldest of rock hearts.

True, some of the tracks may be familiar to those of us who have early demos and EPs (People has become Be What You Want to Be and Always has become Always on My Mind) but this is simply an album that is packed with what rock and metal should be - fine songs, excellent playing and spirit. Yep, spirit. It's not easy to define, but when we hear it - no matter the hard rock, metal genre or sub-genre we recognise it.

The Answer have played their arses off on this album and it is testament to that convinction and the hard work of touring that such old-style rock comes out as a 21st Century homage to a style of music that so many frown upon.

Cormac and Paul shine on this and the songs (apart from the overlong jam on Memphis Water) are all stormers.

There are those, who predictably, might slight The Answer now that the prospect of the big time is emerging. They now have two options (a) Fuck off, you have no sense and don't understand that Northern Ireland's profile will be helped by any musical success and your band may be next to attract the A&R man's interest, or (b) get with the programme and get down the front and boogie!!! See ya at the front!

Demos - got one? Get it reviewed

Demos - got one? Get it reviewed here! Yeah, I know, pathetic call! 'Cept that since I set this up as a blog for me and a few mates, seems that a few others have been tuning in. Turns out that some 175-300 people have been checking it out each week (the record was 750 in four days!) according to Google's Adsense stats.

Now if you want a few more peeps to read about your demo, then now's your chance. Drop a comment to me and I'll organise details of how to get said demo to me!

July fun

Hey July's turning out to be a fun metal month after all! Battle of the Bands at Lavery's on 21st and Honey for Christ at the Rosetta on the same night...decisions, decisions.

In the meantime don't forget that I'm trying to get the pix that Colin snapped at Rottfest online...here's another three; only another 453 to go.... Gotta love Dez's million mile stare tho!

This is insane!

Ok, this is insane - every year there's a festival of diddly dee music in Castlewellan. Mostly it;s beardy types with aran sweaters. Then I found this post cropping up on a couple of sites:

Fusion Rock Night
4 August, 9.30pm
Maginn's Bar, Castlewellan
Admission: £3.00
The charismatic, highly charged and highly talented rock band “The Answer” perform a debut genre for Celtic Fusion 2006. Down District’s very own rock group have made it big in the last few years with growing press hype and numerous awards, the band headlines at the 'Kerrang Most Wanted' tour in May.£3.00 payable at door.

Now anyone who has been in Maginn's and anyone who has heard The Answer's new album Rise, should know this is wrong, wrong and just silly that a band that is destined for stadium's should appear here....now what's the Ulsterbus you take to Castlewellan?

Lorra, lorra gigs coming up in the autumn

There's a lorra, lorra gigs coming up in the autumn. Deep breath here: The Answer in September (if you haven't bought the album, do yourself a favour and buy it now!) Motorhead & Therapy? at the Point on Hallowe'en Night, Slayer's Unholy Alliance II - Preaching to the Perverted with In Flames, Children of Bodom and Lamb of God on Nov 5th in the Point, not to mention Iron Maiden and Trivium on December 20th!

Been a while

Been a while since I posted. Sorry. I offer grovelling apologies. Lot to catch up on - not least the Rottfest review. For now.... one of these people is a guitarist with Devildriver...the other isn't!

Signings, DJ sets and one helluva festival

The final plans are in place, the behind-the-scenes work almost complete now's the time to raise your asses off the seat and get yer tickets for Rottfest!

Devildriver, Nevermore, Ten Years, Honey for Christ, Residual Effect, Stand Up Boy and Bad Boat - not exactly Download I grant you, but still a heck of a line-up for Belfast's first ever open air metal fest.

To warm things up Nevermore and Ten Years will be holding a signing session at Belfast's Virgin Megastore at tea-time on the 5th, followed by a DJ set at the Rotterdam Bar.

Then - Rottfest - the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year (cue Satanic laughter from Sid!). Gates open at 2pm, it's an all ages gig, with an onsite bar and a soft drinks bar. Now if you haven't already done so, make a trip to your local Ticketmaster outlet or www.ticketmaster.ie and get yer tickets!

And you'll still have a couple of days to recover before Download!

It's silly, it's American and it's jjust right!

Ok, there are many who will say that The National Day of Slayer, declared by an American fan of the mighty Slayer men, is a silly idea. Some might even see it as cynical, helping a band that barely needs more celebrity. Some say the comments on the website (e.g. "Kill the neighbor's dog and blame it on Slayer. " are insane. Some say this is another example of society's slow degeneration.

Fuck sake guys this Yank may have lost his marbles, but c'mon can we not all treat this as a laugh! It is funny and not half as cynical as Hollywood (the one near LA not the one in County Down!) releasing the remake of The Omen on 6/6/6.

Personally I believe that it is a sacred duty of everyone with a little or a lot of metal coursing through their blood to play Slayer on 6/6/6 - then get their asses down to Rottfest where this freak calendar date can be celebrated with beer, Jagermeister and loud as hell music. See ya at the front for Devildriver!

DJ set on 5th June

It's all Slayer's eve (i.e. the day before Rottfest and the International Day for Slayer) and Nevermore and Ten Years will be in Belfast preparing for the aural assault on our collective metal sanity with Devildriver. Being such top blokes and all round nice people members of Nevermore and Ten Years have tentatively agreed to perform a DJ set at the Rotterdam. Details to follow once it's all confirmed, but here's hoping Ten Years air their own '...Isis' and Nevermore their masterpiece 'Narcosynthesis' to let the uninitiated prepare for Rottfest!

Doom Decks

Realised I haven't offered an update on the decks of doom in Metalheadsreunited Castle. Here goes:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Def Leppard - Yeah
Celtic Frost - Monotheist
Queensryche - Mindcrime II
Therapy? - One Cure Fits All

Weird thing is that despite the diverse selection they are all good!

Warm-up

Rottfest is turning into a perfect warm-up for the metal week to end all metal weeks! After lapping up for the delights of Download in Dublin where as well as Gunners and 'Tallica there will be Avenged Sevenfold, Funeral for a Friend, Alice in Chains, Stone Sour, Therapy? amongst a host of others.

But they ain't got Devildriver!

Rottfest

Rottfest 666 is a few short weeks away, and if you haven'e got yer tickets yet, get them immediately, support Belfast's first ever open air metal fest! And then maybe more will come next year!

And check back here soon for news of an exclusive Rottfest swag competition!

You know you want to! You know you need to!

Fuckers can fuck off

A big thanks to the three wee fuckers that spoiled my weekend in too many ways to mention by kicking the shit out of me on the way home. Yep, they decided that there was a game played by spides called stick the metalhead. I decided not to play that game and after kicking out at scrote with knife they were most annoyed and decided to kick the metalhead instead. Well, can't say that I gave as good as I got against three...but at least one will be limping for a very long time :) a very long time!

Here's the bake they left me with:

Full Rottfest line-up confirmed

The full line-up for Rottfest has now been confirmed! Four local NI acts will open up proceedings - Honey for Christ; Stand Up Guy; Bad Boat and Residual Effect. Then we welcome Ten Years, followed by Seattle opera metal mentalists Nevermore before the mighty Devildriver take to the stage!

Tickets, priced at an unbelieveably reasonable £20, are available from www.ticketmaster.ie and all usual Ticketmaster outlets.

The Cult for Belfast

The Cult - remember them - are to play Belfast's Ulster Hall on 30th September...tickets on sale already.

Week of rawwwkk 'n' feckin' rooolllll!

Ok, metalheads, scumsuckers, anti-social elements, goths, punks, rock 'n' roll refugees and outlaws, grab yer beer tokens, send your liver out on leave and get ready for the maddest week of rawwwkk 'n' feckin' rooolllll that this wee benighted island has ever seen!

Action kicks off on Sunday June 4th (which means that the well off older element can return from the June 3rd Monsters of Rock with Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Thunder and others to join in the week of metal mayhem...)

Opening the mad and bad week on the 4th are Therapy?, who bring their industrial might to the Spring & Airbrake. On the Monday night there might be a surprise dj slot at a local metal bar...and then rolls on Tuesday!

The sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year - Rottfest 666. Belfast's first ever open air metal festival sees the metal hordes gather at Barrow Square, Clarendon, Belfast to witness Nevermore and Devildriver wreak a holocaust of metal on us all (and if you haven't got yer ticket yet race on to www.ticketmaster.ie now!)

Recovering from that you may want to head along to the Spring & Airbrake the following the night for US punks 'Sick of it All' hard-edeged attack.

Then pack up your rucksacks and head to Dublin for Guns 'n' Roses at RDS Arena on Friday, June 9th, take a deep breath and get yer shit together for the MIGHTY METALLICA on June 11th at RDS Arena with Korn, Alice in Chains, Stone Sour and Avenged Sevenfold.

Then, two alka seltzer, a neck brace and try to wipe that shit-eating metal grin off yer bake!

The Answer at The Empire

Hard-working blues metal lads from Downpatrick are coming back to Belfast to kick off the European leg of their tour with a night at The Empire.

May 11th, £5 - what better way to spend a Thursday night!

Therapy? acoustic set pix

Therapy?'s acoustic set at HMV, Belfast...

Andy ponders the problems of daylight gigs midst playing Nowhere. No, the song - he wasn't playing nowhere, he was playing the song Nowhere, somewhere called HMV!



One Happy looking bouncer...a closet Therapy? fan or just delighted to be on BelfastMetalheads Reunited? We may never know.







CCTV later confirmed they were a well known Larne rock band, not two badly dressed guitar thiefs...









So Michael this is in 'e'? Are you sure....

National day of Slayer!!!

'National Day Of SLAYER' To Be Held On June 6!

National Day of Slayer, LLC, which is described as "a non-profit corporation in the State of Wyoming," has launched a web site urging as many SLAYER followers as possible to take part in "the National Day of Slayer" on June 6, 2006.

A posting on the site reads in part, "6.6.06 isn't a date that comes around very often (once per century, to be exact), and while plenty of stupid horror movies and terrible albums will be released for the hype value of the day that bears 'the number of the beast,' we here at NDoS decided that this would be a perfect day for Hessians across the country to come together and engage in something upon which we can all agree — listening to SLAYER!

Also, do you really want those evangelicals to have all the fun with their 'National Day of Prayer'?"

For more information, visit www.nationaldayofslayer.org \m/ for slayer day \m/

Pearl Jam for Dublin

They might have arrived with grunge, but Pearl Jam had always more of a classic rock edge than most of the Seattle reprobates - now they're playing in Dublin on 23rd August. Tickets on sale 29th April.

Metal on Nolan show

Metal on the Nolan show! No shit! Rottfest666 caused some Pastor to get his knickers knotted. Listen on the link below (click The Nolan Show) as Dean stays calm, Potty Pastor goes ape and some 38-year-old metal head :) goes toe to toe with Pastor dude.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/ulster.shtml

Missed Glyder :(

Missed Glyder at the Rotterdam last night - family shit :( Apparently it was a good gig.

Therapy? acoustic, signing and Belfast date

Therapy? celebrated the launch of their new album (One Cure Fits All) with an acoustic set at Belfast's HMV and a signing session afterwards.

A fine set it was too, with Nowhere, Die Laughing, Rock You Monkeys, among old faves, with a smattering of tracks from the new album unveiled to about 100 devotees. Andy's normal growl was replaced with, wait for it, a hint of melody. Mind you being Therapy? it was melody with menace :) and Michael's acoustic bass was laying it down 'good and proper'!

Props to the guys for spending so much time signing posters, albums and various other assembled bits and pieces and....for confirming that their next Belfast date is at the Spring and Airbrake on June 4th, and promising to see if it was going to be an all ages gig.

Let's see now...Therapy? June 4th, Rottfest June 6th, Gunners, June 9th, 'Tallica June 11th - shit! IT'S A WEEK OF RAAWWWKKKK 'N' FECKIN' ROLLL!

Potty Pastor

Thanks to the Potty Pastor on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show slagging off Devildriver, Rottfest and all things metal the gig got plenty of free publicity - now to make sure that the gig goes off a storm. This one goes well more to come next year!

On the Doom decks tonight:
Cradle of Filth - Nymphetamine
Iron Maiden - Killers
Def Leppard - Pyromania

Media hysteria boost for Rottfest!

The media hysteria over Rottfest is proving a welcome boost - with all the fuss and furore hopefully more people will get to hear about the festival! So far it's been covered in the Irish News, BBC Radio Ulster News, the Nolan Show and dozens of web sites!

Here's the Irish News article

And the full official press release is below:

For immediate release

Belfast goes metal!

First ever open air heavy metal festival in city

ROTTFEST: 06/06/06

NORTHERN Ireland’s thousands of heavy metal fans are set to flock to Barrow Square, Clarendon, Belfast, on June 6th to witness the city’s first ever open air heavy metal festival.

Six bands will take to the stage in a packed line-up, headlined by leading US metal act, Devildriver.

Festival promoter, Dean Stevens said the one-day festival was a feast of metal for heavy rock fans.

“This is an amazing event for metal fans,” he said. “Devildriver are a top act. And we’re excited that the outrageous US act – Nevermore has joined the bill.

“Everyone involved in Rottfest is ecstatic that the city can now lay claim to its own metal festival.”

Also on the bill are four up and coming local rock and metal acts: Stand-Up Guy, Honey for Christ, Bad Boat and Residual Effect.

The concert is being promoted by the Rotterdam Bar, backed by Laganside and sponsored by the Rotterdam and Jagermeister.

Tickets priced £20 are available now from the usual Ticketmaster outlets or from www.ticketmaster.ie

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June 11th, Dublin

Metallica + Korn + Alice In Chains + Stone Sour + Avenged Sevenfold - full line-up for June 11th now confirmed

Therapy? In-store acoustic set

Therapy?'s album number 11, One Cure Fits All, is out this week. You can listen to the track Sprung, find out about online stockists, read the album lyrics and enjoy Andy Cairns' exclusively talking about the creative process at http://www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk/one-cure-fits-all

This weekend Therapy? are doing 'acoustic in-stores' in the HMV Belfast at 5pm on Friday (28th April )- plus a DJ set that night in Lavery's.

Hallowe'en with Motorhead

Great grandfather of Metal, overlord of the inner circle of Hades and the only bloke Satan salutes, Lemmy, is set to unleash his might Motorhead rock 'n' roll chaos on the Point Theatre, Dublin on 31st October, Hallowe'en night! It's the first night of a 19-date UK and Ireland tour, no word of a Belfast date, but can I personally on behalf of all our glorious metal city's metal throngs invite dearest Lemmy to play a warm-up show in a smal bar, using the monicker adopted in the past, Iron Fist & the Hordes from Hell. I promise only to tell 1,000 people...

Feast of fun planned for Rottfest

Rottfest is just a few short weeks away, and with tickets already on sale news reaches Belfast Metal Reunited's HQ that a feast of metallic fun is planned for the day...more news soon!

Rottfest tickets now on sale!

Tickets for Rottfest are now onsale - check out the Myspace site. They are all available from Ticketmaster - priced £20!!!

FFS Devildriver, Nevermore and 10 Years - four local acts - that works out at less than £3 a band!!!

Rottfest 666! Can't wait \m/

Gigging news

Ok, with news that Armored Saint are playing Belfast, Cult of Luna, Glyder, Deftones and a host of others - not to mention the not to be missed appearance of Devil Driver at Rottfest 666 - there is a clear and present danger that metal heads will end up broke!

A brief calculation on the cost of beer tokens and merch cash for forthcoming Belfast concerts and the Dublin Download extravaganza shows the cost is equivalent to the GDP of Guatamela. So if you know the owner of Guatamela can you ask him if I can sell off his Third World country to finance my addiction to metal ...

On the Doom Decks tonight:
Satyricon - Now Diabolical
Dio - Holy Diver Live
Placebo - Meds
Coheed & Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

PS don't forget, apart from Download in Dub with 'tallica, A7x and Gunners, Robert Plant, Stevie Vai, Alice Cooper, Opeth all playing in coming months....well you get the picture!

Armored Saint

John Bush's mad crew, Armored Saint, are playing the Spring & Airbrake on June 28th. Old school thrash! Can't wait!

On the Sixth Day of the Sixth month

On the Sixth Day...

More gigging

News reaches us here at Belfast Metal Reunited of more gig news - Therapy? are set for a Mandella Hall gig, The Answer will be at The Empire; both in May. Swedish progressive doom metal merchants Opeth are playing in Dublin the night after 'Tallica (June 12th)

Also, Slayer look set for an autumn European tour - Ulster Hall date may be in the offing if a certain promoter can be persuaded....

And don't forget Rottfest 666 - if this one goes well it could be an annual event. With its closeness in date to Dowonload future dates could see Download acts make the trip to l'il ol' Belfast - let's make sure this first ever Belfast Metal Open Air Festival is a success!

Anyone remember Savatage?

For those with exceptionally long and obscure metal memories, there once was a Floridian power metal band by the name of Savatage (Baal will recall them from Big Rab's!). You can check out one of the worst videos ever for a great song, Hall of the Mountain King here and find loads of obscure metal videos here including Accept, Queensryche's Queen of the Reich, Hellowe'en and a couple of Megadeth especially for Phil...

Not good enough...so say Mastodon

Well, it's rare but sometimes bands reckon the version committed to CD isn't good enough...this week Mastodon said that the version of Metallica's Orion that was on last week's Kerrang! cover disc wasn't the best possible version. Citing production etc the band have now put the version that they are happier with on their myspace site for download.

And if you thought the one on the CD was tight this one is a killer!

On the Doom Deck tonight:
Glyder, Devil Driver and Satyricon (plus a little Leonard Cohen - go figure!)

Sabs and Dio working together again

L'il Ronnie has hooked up with Tony Iommi to record new tracks for a forthcoming Sabbath album...hang on though, it's only a couple of tracks for a Best of...to tempt us from our hard-earned cash. Read more here.

On the Doom Deck now: Molly Hatchet - Double Trouble Live

Ryche'ous album

Been sitting listening to the Queensryche Operation Mindcrime II album for past day or so, and still not sure whether it is top notch prog metal or a piece of indulgence. Don't get my little metal head wrong - it's a great album, with some excellent songs, great musical preformances and an intriguing narrative. However, sometimes the joins are forced. Nevertheless congrats to Geoff and co - seems a long way since they supported Dio at Antrim Forum (and no I'm not kidding you young ones!) and the crowd greeted them with barely disguised indifference until Queen of the Reich.

And while talking about albums (you might not have been, but I was) I intend to sign off each post on this blog with what I am currently listening to - sort of like Kerrang's old 'Decks of Doom' but more confusing.

On the Doom Decks (!) tonight are:

• Operation Mindcrime II
• Aqualung
• ReMastered Master of Puppets Tribute and
• Slide It In

What's rocking your world tonight?

A7X in Dublin

Avenged Sevenfold have been confirmed to be one of the support acts for 'Tallica's June 11th date at the RDS! Check out their myspace site

Well, did it measure up...

I'm talking about Kerrang!'s remastered compilation of band's doing Master of Puppets...eight bands doing a track each - and a few surprises...

This had the potential to be a complete waste of space, despite the good intentions of paying homage to one of the greatest albums of all time. And the varying production and engineering standards make it too erratic in terms of mix to make it truly great.

But - the tracks:
Battery - Machinehead turn in an energetic and faithful cover - capturing the energy and Robb Flynn really sounds like he is enjoying himself.
Master - Trivium try to be too faithful - almost too respectful the sheer exuberance of their playing has been lost; maybe they were too much in awe
The Thing - Mendeed are one of the few bands who try to give their own interpretation of a song off Master. It takes a lot of swallowing to listen (excuse the mixed metaphor) to someone doing this differently; but after their average showing on the Trivium guest slot, this was a wee bit refreshing. It's not great and barely manages good, but brave try.
Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - You'll love this 'Slinger - actually no you'll love my comment - Bullet for My Valentine don't do a particularly good cover of this. Again more workmanlike than inspired.
Disposable Heroes - Chimaira are one of those bands forever bubbling under - but here they blast through Heroes. The vocal style takes some getting used to - a cross between Araya, Hetfield, Lemmy and Howard Johnson (of Killswitch Engage). It won't be too everyone's taste (you'll hate it Baal :) ) but it is a good cover.
Leper Messiah - The REAL SURPRISE! Let's face it Fightstar are a joke hardcore band formed by Charlie Simpson of Busted, but this is probably the second best cover on the album!!
Orion - Mastodon prove they are simply one of the best of the new generation of metal. You can almost imagine Cliff looking down past those enormous bell bottoms and headbanging in approval!
Damage Inc - Errm, Funeral for a Friend have produced some good songs and some average songs - they have murdered this classic!

In summary - I would have rated all of the bands, with the exception of Fightstar and Chimaira as either good or potentially great, but only Fightstar and Mastodon ended up capturing the spirit of Master of Puppets, an album that mixed technical perfection with metallic aggression.

For the rest of the bands - stick to your own material; you have paid homage - now move on!