Any heavy metal fans out there?

Aaaaaaand, I'm back. Nearly 11,000 miles and 20-odd hours in the air, San Francisco conquered! What an amazing thing - absolutely loved it. Amazing show, amazing venue, and more importantly, amazing people - I met so many people from all over the world, complete strangers but one big Metallica family: even with language barriers everyone was just so nice and like old friends within minutes. From high-fiving random strangers in the street, purely because they're wearing Metallica t-shirts, to talking to people in the merch queue, the Hard Rock Cafe, even on the boat to Alcatraz! What a wonderful thing the metal community is.

As for the show, it was just fantastic. The venue is lovely, and that American politeness and professionalism put the event staff at any London venue I've been to to shame. The stage, sound, lights, everything was faultless. Our seats were amazing - we were on the wheelchair access deck at the top of level one, so a completely clear, unobstructed view. The band, and orchestra were just top notch - not surprising really: the SFSO is one of the best symphony orchestra's in the world, and Metallica goes without saying. Once in a lifetime event, and so utterly worth the time and money spent realising it.

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I saw an email about that yesterday, and has piqued my interest. Might have to trot along to that one
I'm glad to hear this was a good gig. I went to see it in the cinema on Friday and the sound was so bad we left after 15 mins.

I'll pick up the disc on release.
 
New machine lyrics are just embarrassing. Worse than supercharger days

I heard the new song the other day and thought it was just awful! Both lyrically and musically. Like The Burning Red bad.
I’ve only heard one song from the previous album, but after The Blackening and Unto the Locust it’s a shame to see Machine Head go down hill like this.

And what happened to the rest of the band?
I know there was some kind of reunion thing for Burn My Eyes, but what happened after that?
Where’s Phil Demmel and Dave McClain?
I know Adam Duce left/was kicked out sometime after The a Locust tour, but what about the other two?

Guess the music reflects the lineup change.
 
I'm glad to hear this was a good gig. I went to see it in the cinema on Friday and the sound was so bad we left after 15 mins.

I'll pick up the disc on release.

Sorry to hear that. I must have got really lucky then, as the place we saw it sounded great. I was expecting it to be poor, as most cinemas are that I go into these days (usually too loud, way too much mid, far too much up front) but it sounded great to me. Wasn't a cinema though, was a private screening too in a London hotel, so possibly why it was better than expected.

I heard the new song the other day and thought it was just awful! Both lyrically and musically. Like The Burning Red bad.
I’ve only heard one song from the previous album, but after The Blackening and Unto the Locust it’s a shame to see Machine Head go down hill like this.

And what happened to the rest of the band?
I know there was some kind of reunion thing for Burn My Eyes, but what happened after that?
Where’s Phil Demmel and Dave McClain?
I know Adam Duce left/was kicked out sometime after The a Locust tour, but what about the other two?

Guess the music reflects the lineup change.

Phil and Rob had a falling out (to be fair, it had been brewing for a while by the sounds of it - Phil was just unhappy in his job, and his role in the band, like the others, really was just a "job") so he walked, and Dave went with him. Dave's playing with Sacred Reich now, not sure what Phil's up to, although he did sit in for Gary Holt on Slayer's tour recently. Missed a clinic he (Phil) did in Camden a few weeks back, which was a shame as I'd liked to have gone to that.
 
In other news, Babymetal's third album ("Metal Galaxy") is released today


Follow up - bit disappointing really. The crushing metal side of it has been dialled out and now sounds more like a metal version of Skrillex, and the vocals have lost that perfect juxtaposition cuteness and are just fairly pop-y now. Shame, I genuinely liked the first two records.
 
Saw S&M2 on Saturday at my local cinema and loved it great setlist some songs worked better than others but all in all i thought it was great. The solo was awesome great that they included it and was so different from the first film, sounded great as well. Seeing James perform without a guitar in his hands was weird not sure he knew what to do with his hands lol!

I look forward to seeing it again on the home release.
 
I went to see it last night. Their was a total of 9 people in the cinema! The dynamics were great it was a propper feast for the years! A couple of tracks dragged a bit. I really liked the first one they did back after the interval that was Orchestra led.
 
More showings announced (surprise surprise - no one really seems to know what "for one night only" means anymore) so I might be going back to see it again with a bunch of fan-club people on the 30th, just for why-not

Also booked up the Slayer one for Nov 6th for myself and a friend, also because why-not

In live music news, Therapy? have announced a 30th anniversary tour, including (at the moment) two UK dates

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Opeth released 'Still Life' 20 years ago today

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Happened upon and picked up a couple of original prints from the same photo shoot that ended up being selected for the front and back covers of Cradle of Filth's 'Principle of Evil Made Flesh' and 'Dusk... and Her Embrace' albums, from the original art director Nigel Wingrove. B&M to the rescue with a pair of frames that fit perfectly, both size and looks wise. Very happy with how these came out - I've always loved the artwork that went with the early CoF albums, especially these "bride" shots.

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Chris Adler has broken his silence on leaving Lamb of God

I feel it is time to address the many questions being asked about my departure from Lamb Of God.

Allow me to start with a relative concept of understanding. We all gave our lives to this, 26 years is not flippant. Each one of us sacrificed and lost much on a personal level to live the dream we had when we were kids. I will always love each member of the band for believing in me and agreeing to take on the world. We managed to find some love in the machine, but in turn it took things that cannot be recovered. I did not leave the dream. I did not make the decision to leave my life’s work. The truth is that I am unwilling to paint by numbers. I wish my brothers all the best in their continued ventures. I can assure you that you will hear from me again. I was given a gift and hope to continue to share it.

Many have asked about a motorbike accident I had in Thailand in 2017. It’s true that it was not pretty, but I’ve been well since August of 2018. Thank you for your concerns.

I support my friends and the dream I allowed them to share in. I loved and am still humbled by every second of the smiles and horns we elicited. There is an ambiguous concept in our world of “selling out”. I cannot define that outside of my personal understanding, but know that being trapped in a "creative" formula and/or playing the same song 10,000 times did not bolster my love of playing. I’m never been one to “phone it in.” I’d rather mow the grass.

I acknowledge and am truly grateful of achieving my childhood dream.
I have 2 GRAMMYS that sit on my mothers mantle piece. I think she deserves 3 so this party isn't over.
I was not given a choice in this and my dream is alive.

Feel free to say hello if you see me mowing the grass. It never gets old.
I appreciate each and every one of you!

Thank you!
Chris

PS: I may or may not be in touch with Kyle Thomas and Myrone about an Oakland Raiders concept album. This is neither confirmed or denied. 😁

 
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Dream Theater's "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory". I'd been hopeful of seeing a remixed 5.1 surround sound version (ideally by Steven Wilson) for this, but no such luck. Oh well, only 5 years until its 25th...

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Have to say, Opeth last night at the London Palladium were something else. I expected it to be good - they've never been anything other than - but it was REALLY good. The band played probably the best and tightest I've ever seen them (this was my 6th time, but my first time in 10 years) and they all sounded phenomenal - including, and especially Mikael's vocals: his clean singing is amazingly beautiful, just as it is on the records, and he hasn't lost anything of his growls: they're still the best (IMO) in the business - scary, animalistic, just downright superb.

Production wise, it was both surprising and spectacular. What initially looked like a rather 70's stage set with diamond shaped rostrum and a nice clean stage, turned out to be really high-tech: the back wall was one huge screen, and the six flanks of the rostrum were also all screens, and they had some exceptionally good (and crystal clear) video footage, both live and pre-recorded, playing across all the screens, along with digital effects like falling snow, stars, galaxies, fire, all sorts moving across all the screens as if they were one big screen, not individuals. Coupled with the lights, both the "feature" lights on stage and the above/out front stage lighting, the result was truly spectacular.

I took a few pics but don't want to spoil it for anyone that might be going - I'm really glad I didn't look at any previous footage of this tour on Youtube or Facebook as the surprise was as good as the spectacle. All I'll say is if you like them, both the growly stuff and the more recent 70's prog stuff, then go see them on this tour if you can. You won't regret it. Although I'm not sure you'll get the full tour set and stage at the Damnation festival next week

And to top the night off, I hung about after the show with some other fans at the back stage exit. A brief appearance by Steven Wilson, and new wife, whom I didn't get to speak to but did get a wave from, before various band members emerged, who stopped for chats and photos. Mikael eventually came out, and he was just the sweetest guy. He stopped to speak to everyone, despite it being past midnight and the crew and rest of band were waiting in the bus, and he never rushed anyone or breezed past them, not only answering questions but also asking the fans questions. He signed my 'Morningrise' cover, the first Opeth album I bought, way back in 1996, and proceeded to tell me that the bridge on the cover is in Bath, which he seemed quite pleased about. He really was a thoroughly nice dude, and really quite funny too (he has just the sense of humour I like - and yes I realise I sound all gushing-fangirl right now, but I don't care :D) Couple that with a GREAT show at a lovely venue, it made for one awesome night.
 
Youthanasia turns 25 today

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Wow. I feel old. Amazing album. Part of the holy trinity. That run of Rust, Countdown and Youthanasia were right up there with anything by any other band ever
 
That's scary. It doesn't seem that long ago that the Peace Sells 25th anniversary box set came out.
 
Well that was an eventful and unique MH show last night at the Brixton Academy! Half way through 'Deathchurch', during the 'Burn My Eyes' second set, a thrown beer landed right on the sound-desk, frying it. All the PA went out, but the band had no clue as their in-ear monitor mix was still working fine, and played for at least a minute or two before the lighting guys managed to get their attention by stopping the show lighting and putting the house lights on. Cue some confusion from the band was to what's going on, then just over 15 minutes of dead air while they tried to revive it - somehow they got a working PA again, although the mix was shot - but enough to continue the show. We got the rest of the BME set (minus the second half of 'Deathchurch') as well as a bunch of unplanned covers by way of thanks for our patience, and they played way past curfew.

I hung around afterwards outside to chat to other fans and in hope of meeting the band for some signatures: got scribbles on my ticket from the two new guys and Jared the bassist (who's absolutely wasted girlfriend gave me both Polo's and a great eyeful of her prominent cleavage as she stumbled about :D) and I scored a couple picks, both a commemorative "throw-out" as well as one of Robb's on-stage picks, but alas the original three were elusive and we missed them as they left by a different exit into a blacked out minivan and disappeared.

Even with the terrible start to the night (getting there almost two hours later than I wanted to thanks to traffic and travel issues, and thus missing the event-specific t-shirt and the first three songs - even though we arrived at just before ten to 8, they went on at 7:52 :facepalm:) and getting seats way further back than I'd have liked (although we did get dead centre) it was still a fudgeing awesome night. Get to do it twice more next year: Ally Pally in June and Spain in April.

Live stream still up for anyone that wants to watch:
 
I'm amazed it happens at Brixton Academy at all given the drink prices.
I went to a James Taylor concert in Cardiff and bought a bottle of water as I left one in the car. Guy behind the bar took the top off. Can I have the top please? No, you may urinate in the bottle and throw it at the stage! WTF, a James Taylor concert and I was 65.:eek:

I've been to a couple of concerts in my yooff and it was the bands that were throwing the beer round. Most of them not knowing what planet they were on in the late 1960s.
 
I went to a concert at the Ipswich Regent and bought a bottle of water and was amazed when they handed me the bottle with the lid still on. So used to London venues taking it off and keeping it, that I bring a bottle top to gigs in my pocket to put back on it :laugh:

Was also at a gig at the Palladium on Tuesday (Opeth) and was even more stunned when the bar staff were entrusting all these metal heads with letting them keep the glass bottles the beers came in! :eek: Of course, what a surprise, not a single one was thrown, no one got hurt and far as I knew none were smashed on the floor either. Contrary to what all the other venues seem to believe will happen if they let them have glass or keep the bottles... (that said, right after the beer vs sound desk fiasco)
 
Saw David Ellefson do a solo show at the Underworld on Monday night. Amazed it wasn't as packed as I expected it to be, it must have only been just over half full. Support band was an unknown to me - Dendera, a UK band. Certainly won't be the last time I see them, they were superb. Really really good. David Ellefson's band put in a solid, as you'd expect, hour or so on stage - 3 original songs and the rest Megadeth covers (along with the Megadeth cover of the PIstol's 'Anarchy in the UK'). I managed to stand stage front the whole night, and bagged myself a spot right in front of David's mic stand, so amazingly close views. Nabbed a pic from the mic stand after they left the stage, along with a setlist when the stage hands came on to tear down. Amazingly, the band put on a free meet'n'greet inside the venue, over on the merch stand, after their set, which I thought was really nice. Of course, you were encouraged to buy a t-shirt, vinyl or CD, but also welcomed to have your own item signed, take a pic, or just say hello. And David is, as you'd expect, such a nice guy. I managed a couple minutes with him, he and the rest of the band signed my setlist, and I got my original 'Countdown to Extinction' cassette cover signed by him too. I also managed to spend a little while talking with the members of the support band, who were also very nice. As said, I'll definitely be seeing them live again.

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Last night's Y & T gig at Rock City was as usual superb. Celebrating 45 years, Dave Meniketti still sounds fantastic
 
For fans of the depressive/atmospheric funeral doom metal (who comes up with these genre names?), check out Slow if you haven't already. Played 'VI - Dantalion' (2019) this evening and it's magnificent. Huge, vast soundscapes, a BPM so slow it almost stalls, and drawn, grizzly growling vocals. Similarly, in both sound and name, 'Mother Cetacean' (2017) from US band Slow (aka Drown) is a slightly watery (pun not intended) and dialled back version of the above, less in the way of production and more subdued.

I'm sure I've listened to it before, but I'll be playing 'Sentiment' (2016) from Un, 'A Pyrrhic Existence' by Esoteric, and 'Departe' by Clouds at some point too, over the coming week
 

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