Music World Remembers Slayer Guitarist 10 Years After His Passing

Posted on May 2, 2023 by philspicks

May 2 marks 10 years since Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died. Hanneman, who was 49 at the time of his death, died as a result of liver failure, according to a news release distributed at the time.

Fellow members of the rock and metal community took a moment Tuesday to remember Hanneman, including the likes of Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler, and Dave Mustaine. Even the members of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders offered words of condolence, as Hanneman was a fan of the team during its days in Oakland prior to its move to Las Vegas.

Some of the comments shared across Tuesday are noted below:

• “What a sad day for metal. RIP, man.” – Slash

• “RIP brother, you will be missed.” – Zack Wylde

• “RIP Jeff Hanneman.” – Metallica

• “Brutal news about Jeff. Like a punch in the gut.” – Scott Ian

• “RIP to a dedicated Raiders fan.” – Oakland Raiders

• “Sad to hear of Jeff Hanneman’s passing.RIP.” – Geezer Butler

• “Tonight, one less star will be shining, and sadly, the stage got just a little bit darker.” – Dave Mustaine

• “RIP Jeff Hanneman. You will be greatly missed.” — Gibson Guitars

Members of the rock and metal community shared their thoughts of Hanneman in 2013 through Metal Injection through a special article following his passing. The article is available to stream here.

ESP Guitars also has an archived interview with Hanneman here.

More memories of Jeff Hanneman are available along with all of the latest Slayer news at:

Website: https://slayer.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slayer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Slayer

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Metal Blade Founder Releasing New Book

Posted on March 5, 2023 by philspicks

Metal Blade Records Founder Brian Slagel is set to release his new book, Swing of the Blade: More Stories From Metal Blade Records this spring through BMG Books.

The follow-up to his 2017 memoir, For The Sake Of Heaviness, the new, 192-page book continues the story in its predecessor, telling the story of how Slagel’s love of metal music helped him found the label and his experiences with bands that have called and continue to call Metal Blade Records home, as well as others. Among the bands discussed in the new book are the likes of Armored Saint, Metallica, and King Diamond.

The book’s forward was authored by Slayer guitarist Kerry King. King inducted Metal Blade Records into the Hall of Heavy Metal History in 2017.

Along with being available in a paperback pressing, Swing of the Blade: Stories from Metal Blade Records will also release in a box set presentation that includes a cassette tape featuring songs from many of the bands discussed in the book. That list includes the likes of Fates Warning, Unearth, and Amon Amarth. Pre-orders for the box set are open here.

More information on Slagel’s new book is available along with all of Metal Blade Records’ latest news at:

Website: https://www.metalblade.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/metalbladerecords

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetalBlade

Evil Invaders’ Latest LP Is A Mostly Successful Record

Posted on April 2, 2022 by philspicks

Veteran metal outfit Evil Invaders released its latest album, Shattering Reflection Friday through Napalm Records. The band’s first third album and its first in nearly five years, it is a presentation that the metal masses will find worth hearing every now and then. That is due in large part to its wide range of metal arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. While the record’s musical arrangements do well for its presentation, their companion lyrical content sadly detracts somewhat from the presentation. This will be discussed a little later. The record’s production works with the arrangements to make for more engagement and entertainment. It will be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, they make the album a mostly successful new outing for Evil Invaders.

Evil Invaders’ new album, Shattering Reflections, is a mostly successful offering that most metal fans will find worth hearing every now and then. That is due in large part to its featured musical arrangements. From start to end, the album’s 10 separate musical arrangements take listeners on a nice ride. Right from the outset, ‘Hissing in Crescendo,’ listeners are presented with an arrangement that is full-on vintage thrash metal. Front man Johannes “Joe” Van Audenhove’s half-sung screams pair with the razor sharp guitar riffs and fully precise time keeping and rich bass line to lend the whole to comparison to works from a wide range of the band’s counterparts. At some points, vintage Overkill can be heard in the arrangement. At others, Slayer front man Tom Araya comes to mind thanks to Van Audenhove’s vocal style. What’s more, audiences can also make comparisons to works from Exodus through the combination. It is just one way in which the musical arrangements prove so pivotal to the whole of this record. ‘Die For Me,’ which immediately follows, immediately lends itself to the sounds of Iron Maiden with the harmonies and style in the guitars. The vocals meanwhile are still borderline Araya-esque. On yet another note, a song, such as ‘My World’ conjures thoughts of vintage Metallica and Megadeth to a point. Though as it progresses, really enters another realm, adding to the interest. Simply put, the musical arrangements that the band presents throughout the record offer listeners a relatively healthy sampling of vintage metal styles. That forms a strong foundation for the record and makes it worth hearing.

While the musical content featured throughout the album forms a solid foundation for the presentation, that content’s companion lyrical content detracts from the record’s presentation to a point. The lyrical content is familiar, as Van Audenhove has noted in interviews. He has pointed out that it features themes of personal, inner thoughts, as well as ruminations on things going on in the world. That is a good thing. The thing of it all is the way in which he approaches those topics. Van Audenhove wrote the songs’ lyrics in a way that does leave some room for misinterpretation. What’s more, because of the way in which they are presented, and the very heavy nature of those themes, it is going to require audiences to be in a very specific mindset when listening to the album. Case in point is the theme featured in ‘In Deepest Black’ and ‘Eternal Darkness.’ Both of those songs come across as being about being in that dark mental and emotional place. Everyone has been there at one point or another in life, but the way in which the lyrics are presented makes these presentations very deep. If someone is not in that required head space, he/she will not fully appreciate the songs. In the case of, say, ‘Die For Me,’ the song opens sounding like something about someone who is dealing with backstabbers, which again is relatable for audiences. From there though, the song then turns and starts sounding more like something about a cult leader and in turn can easily be misinterpreted. So this is an example of how the album’s lyrical content does prove somewhat problematic to the record’s presentation. The content overall is not enough to make the album a failure, but is still of note, regardless.

Keeping in mind that the record’s lyrical content does not do enough to make the album a failure, there is one more item to note in examining the album’s presentation. That item is the album’s production. The production of the musical arrangements is important because of its role in the record’s general effect. The utmost attention had to be paid to each song from the more intense moments to the more reserved compositions. The more intense compositions required attention to make sure that no one part overpowered the others and each line complimented the others. In the matter of the deeper, more emotional moments, the added attention was there so as to have the fullest impact on listeners. Those painstaking efforts paid off, too. The result is that from beginning to end, the album’s general effect does just as much to keep listeners engaged and entertained as the album’s musical content. When the content and production are considered together, they make the album, again, worth hearing occasionally.

Evil Invaders’ latest album, Shattering Reflection, is an interesting new offering from the band. Its appeal comes largely through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements are of note because of the wide range of vintage metal styles presented throughout the album. From influences of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, to those of Slayer, Exodus and others, the arrangements will reach a wide range of metal fans. While the record’s musical arrangements for a solid foundation for its presentation, the album’s lyrical content detracts somewhat from the presentation. That is because on one hand, much of it leaves itself too open for misinterpretation in how it is presented. On another hand, it also requires listeners to be in a very specific mindset in order to fully appreciate said content. Luckily, even with all of this in mind, the record’s lyrical content is not enough to make the album a failure. Keeping that in mind, the album’s production works with the musical content to make the album more worth hearing. The production is important to note because it balances the vocals and instrumentation from beginning to end, ensuring each musician’s performance is expertly balanced with that of one another. What’s more it also ensures the emotional impact of each arrangement is its fullest through that balance. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, the album proves itself to be a presentation that a wide range of metal fans will find worth hearing every now and then.

Shattering Reflections is available now through Napalm Records. More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://evilinvaders.be

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evilinvaders

Twitter: https://twitter.com/evilinvadersbe

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Annihilator’s ‘Metal’ Re-Issue Is A Mostly Successful Presentation

Posted on February 12, 2022 by philspicks

More than 14 years after it released its album, Metal, veteran hard rock/metal band Annihilator will re-issue that record in the form of Metal II. Originally released April 16, 2007 through SPV/Steamhammer, Metal featured 10 songs. The album’s Japanese release featured a cover of Exciter’s ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ as a bonus track. This time out, the song is part of the album’s standard release, in place of the song ‘Operation Annihilation.’ Also featured in the album’s re-issue is a cover of Van Halen’s ‘Romeo Delight’ as an extra, bringing the album’s track count to 11 songs. That cover is just one of the songs that makes the album successful. It will be discussed shortly. The band’s re-worked take of ‘Chasing The High’ is notable in its own right, too. It will be discussed a little later. The band’s cover of Excite’s ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ is another notable addition to this presentation. When it is considered along with the other songs noted here and with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes this new presentation of Metal a mostly successful record.

Annihilator’s forthcoming re-issue of its 2007 album, Metal – dubbed Metal II – is a mostly successful new presentation. Its success comes in part through its cover of Van Halen’s ‘Romeo Delight.’ Front man Jeff Waters talked about taking on the Van Halen classic in a prepared statement.

“There was something about Women And Children First,” muses Annihilator’s, said Waters. “It was massively brutal attitude meeting aggression — meets a DLR-fronted party. You have to remember when this came out. ‘Romeo Delight’ is the most ‘heavy’ song from VH, in my (and Kerry King’s!) opinion.”

“His [Eddie Van Halen’s] playing, writing, performance, and smile were second to none EVER,” added Waters. “He was a superb writer, lead guitar innovator, genius rhythm player, and was able to build a gear empire. He took chances. Did his own thing. It worked. Millions and more will mourn him, as long as the future world likes music. But we also will be celebrating forever, as musicians will continue to hand down the ‘EVH-Influenced-Musical-Genes’ to future generations!”

Annihilator’s take of ‘Romeo Delight’ stays largely true to its source material, backing up Waters’ statement. From the guitars to Waters’ own vocal delivery sound and style (which sounds a lot like that of David Lee Roth), to Fabio Alessandrini’s performance on drums and the very sound there, the song echoes Van Halen’s original quite well. Even bassist Rich Gray’s work on bass is so similar in sound and style to that of Michael Anthony. All of this is a tribute to those responsible for the song’s production. It makes the song sound so much like the original in its general approach. All things considered here, the song proves to be just one of the works that makes this record stand out. The band’s re-worked take of ‘Chasing The High’ does its own part to make the album interesting.

The band’s re-worked take of ‘Chasing The High’ stands out largely because of the guest appearance of Lamb of God guitarist Willie Adler. Adler’s groove metal riffs work with the band’s more pure thrash leaning in the vein of vintage Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth to make the song in whole such a unique composition. The intensity of the original composition is stepped up so much because of Adler’s addition to the mix. The re-worked take on the song stays true to its source material. It just steps it up a number of notches, making it even more intense. To that end, the song stands on its own merits in the record’s overall body and shows even more what audiences have to appreciate from this re-issue. The band’s cover of Exciter’s ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ as a standard part of the record is one more positive aspect of the presentation.

The cover of Exciter’s ‘Heavy Metal Maniac’ stands out because as with the other songs examined here, it stays true to its source material. In listening to the original song alongside this updated take of the song, the update is so impressive because it takes the source material and maintains its vintage metal sound but also really steps it up more. The presentation sounds so much fuller in its new update. Those responsible for the record’s production and re-mastering are to be applauded for their work just as much in this case as with the album’s other songs. When the impressive result of that work is considered here along with the work that went into the other songs examined here and with the rest of the album’s songs, the whole makes Metal II a nice update on Metal.

Annihilator’s forthcoming reissue of its 2007 album, Metal, Metal II, is a positive presentation from the veteran metal outfit. That is proven through each of the extras featured in this re-issue. When they are considered along with the rest of the record’s works, the whole becomes a mostly successful overall work.

Metal II is scheduled for release Feb. 18. More information on Annihilator’s new album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.annihilatormetal.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annihilatorband

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annihilatorband

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and ‘Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Slayer Announces Metal Blade Catalog Re-Issues Coming

Posted on September 1, 2021 by philspicks

Slayer is officially done, but not gone.

The legendary thrash metal band has partnered with Metal Blade Records to re-issue all four of the albums that it released through the label. The band made the announcement Wednesday through a news release distributed to the media.

The albums — Show No Mercy (1983), Haunting the Chapel (1984), Live Undead (1984), and Hell Awaits (1985) — are scheduled for release Oct. 22 on CD, vinyl, and cassette. The specifications for each platform’s release is noted below. Pre-orders are open.

Show No Mercy re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– transparent red / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– transparent red / black splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange / red melt vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / white splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)

Haunting the Chapel re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– opaque red / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– red / white marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– black / white splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– red / white melt vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)

Live Undead re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– midnight blue / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– grey / black marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– clear / blood red splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– blue / white / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive)
– blue / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)

Hell Awaits re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– transparent orange / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– red marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– transparent orange / black splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange / red splatter vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / yellow / black circle splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)

More information on Slayer’s upcoming live dates is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Website: https://www.slayer.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slayer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/slayer

Trivium Debuts New Single, ‘In The Court Of The Dragon,’ Companion Video

Posted on July 10, 2021 by philspicks

Trivium opened the weekend with its first new music in more than a year.

The band premiered its new single, ‘In The Court of the Dragon‘ and its companion video Friday. The pair’s premiere comes more than a year after the debut of the band’s then latest album, What The Dead Men Say.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘In The Court of the Dragon’ is an intense, heavy, guitar driven composition. Its thrash stylistic approach and sound lends it to comparison to works from Slipknot just as much as from Slayer. As an added note, Isahn (Emperor) composed the orchestration for the single’s opening.

The lyrical content featured alongside that musical arrangement is taken from a classic story, according to front man Matt Heafy.

“The title of the song came from a short story by Robert W. Chambers,” he said. “The story is filled with dread and uncertainty, and that felt fitting for the times we’ve all been living in for the last year. Rather than a direct re-telling, we decided to go a different route and build our own narrative around the music that we were creating.”

The video for Trivium’s new single is a nearly 10-minute presentation that tells the story discussed by Heafy. Even more interesting is its finale, which seems to connect back to the video for one of the singles featured in What The Dead Men Say. That revelation will be left for audiences to discover for themselves.

In other news, Trivium is scheduled to return to the road this summer with Megadeth, In Flames, and Lamb of God. The band’s tour is scheduled to launch Aug. 20 in Austin, TX and to run almost a month and a half, winding down Oct. 2 in Quebec City, QC. The tour features performances in cities, such as Danville, VA; Concord, CA and Boise, ID.

The band’s tour schedule is noted below.

TRIVIUM ON TOUR:
8/20 — Austin, TX — Germania Insurance Amphitheater
8/21 — Irving, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
8/22 — Woodlands, TX — The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
8/24 — El Paso, TX — Don Haskins Center
8/25 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater
8/26 – Wichita, KS – Cotillion Ballroom (headline)
8/27 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena
8/29 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Federal Theatre
8/31 — Reno, NV — Reno Events Center
9/1 — Irvine, CA — FivePoint Amphitheatre
9/2 — Concord, CA — Concord Pavilion
9/4 — Portland, OR — Moda Center
9/5 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre
9/6 – Boise, ID, Revolution Concert House (headline)
9/9 — Tinley Park, IL — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago
9/10 – Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE w/ Black Label Society
9/11 — Danville, VA — Blue Ridge Festival*
9/12 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
9/13 — Boston, MA — Leader Bank Pavilion
9/15 — Camden, NJ — BB&T Pavilion
9/16 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center
9/18 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center
9/19 — Clarkston, MI — DTE Energy Music Theatre
9/20 — Cincinnati, OH — PNC Pavilion
9/22 — Rogers, AR — Walmart AMP
9/24 — Mount Pleasant, MI — Soaring Eagle Casino Amphitheatre
9/25 – Des Moines, IA – Knotfest Iowa*
9/26 — St. Louis, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis
9/28 — Minneapolis, MN — Armory
9/30 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage
10/1 — Laval, QC — Place Bell
10/2 — Quebec City, QC — Centre Videotron
*Festival Date featuring all 4 bands

More information about Trivium’s new single and tour schedule is available along with all of Trivium’s latest news and more at:

Website: https://www.trivium.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Trivium

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TriviumOfficial

Metal Rock Films’ New Thrash Metal Retrospective Will Resonate With Thrash, Metal Aficionados

Posted on December 12, 2020 by philspicks

Throughout their rich histories, the rock and metal communities have seen a lot of “hot spots” develop across America. Seattle, during the 90s was the hub for the burgeoning “grunge” scene. Atlanta, for decades has been its own hub for so many kinds of rock and metal. Sevendust calls Atlanta home as do the like of Stuck Mojo, The Black Crowes, and Mastodon. New York City has often been known as one of the key cities (if not the key city) in which the hardcore punk movement started. The San Francisco Bay area meanwhile is where the thrash metal scene got its start. The Bay Area and the thrash scene that developed therein are the focus of the recently released independent “rock-umentary” Bay Area Godfathers. Released Nov. 10 on DVD by Metal Rock Films, the 90 minute retrospective is a presentation that thrash metal fans will find worth watching at least occasionally. That is proven in part through its central feature, which will be discussed shortly. The pacing that results from the main feature’s presentation presented plays its own key part to the retrospective’s presentation and will be discussed a little later. The bonus content that accompanies the main feature adds some appeal to the overall presentation and will also be discussed later. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of Bay Area Godfathers. All things considered, it is a presentation that serves as a good starting point in an examination of what is just one of metal’s many sub-genres.

Bay Area Godfathers is a presentation that thrash metal fans will find worth watching at least occasionally. That is proven in part through the 90-minute program’s main feature. The main feature follows the genre’s growth from its infancy in the early 80s to its growth in popularity in the late 80s. Audiences learn through the presented history that the genre’s development was apparently somewhat unexpected. That is because in the lat 70s and early 80s, pop, disco and other genres were still very prominent and popular in the San Francisco Bay area. Even with those genres still being popular, audiences learn that there was a movement in the underground away from those more popular genres and acts and toward the heavier rock world. The guerilla style presentation is not the spit-shined work that audiences might expect from say MTV, VH1 or ay of those well-known outlets. The story is told through first hand accounts and stories of the musicians and bands that rose to popularity in the early days of thrash. The interviews are captured with ordinary cameras. There are no wireless microphones to amplify the speakers’ voices. There is no editing to clean up the look and sound of the interviews. They are presented wholly in a very distinct DIY fashion. At the same time, the program is clearly segmented into specific portions (E.g. thrash’s early days, the division of punk and thrash, the growing popularity of thrash on rock radio and magazines). That clear segmentation helps to keep viewers engaged and entertained throughout the course of the documentary. Between this and the fact that the story is told mainly by those who were part of the genre’s evolution (in place of lots of third hand narration), and the video that helps tell the stories, this main feature in itself gives audiences quite a bit to appreciate.

While the main feature in Bay Area Godfathers mostly ensures viewers’ appeal, it is not a perfect presentation. The pacing that results from the in-depth tale does suffer at points throughout the program. While Bay Area Godfathers’ run time is listed at 90 minutes, there are times when it feels like it runs a little bit longer because of the pacing. Whether that is due to the lack of that extra narration or maybe just a little bit too much in the way of anecdotes and stories is anyone’s guess. Maybe it is the result of both of those elements. Regardless, there are moments in the program that do feel as though they are dragging more so than at others. Thankfully, that is not the case throughout. That aside it is still noticeable, so it does detract from the documentary’s presentation at least to a point, just not enough to make the program fail.

Once audiences have made their way through the main feature of Bay Area Godfathers (or even before), they also have some bonus content to watch. The documentary’s writing/directing/producing team of Bob Nalbandian and John Strednansky discusses favorite memories of the early days of the thrash metal scene in the bay area. The men also share their thoughts on topics such as the impact of the scene on the overall metal community and why the pair even got started making its “Inside Metal” film series. The history behind this aspect is interesting as it takes listeners briefly into the bigger history of the rock ad hard rock scene in California. The discussion on the roots of the metal scene in the Bay Area in the early 80s shows the seriousness of the team’s dedication to the genre. It is refreshing to hear from the men, that this was not just some pet project, but something that stemmed from their own love for the genre. On a completely random note, as the men are talking (apparently in a hotel lobby) a figure walks to the elevators behind them in what looks like the outfit of the Kansas Jayhawks mascot outfit. All that is visible from the camera angle is from the waist down, but it certainly makes for a funny moment as the mascot stands there pacing a little, waiting for the elevator as the men talk. In discussing the favorite memories, Stradnansky talks about his first “Metal Monday” show, seeing Motley Crue and how that changed his life. It is its own continued testament about the love that these men had for their project. There are even discussions about favorite clubs, which adds to the discussions about the clubs featured in the documentary. This enriches that aspect of the presentation even more. Between this, so much more in the nearly 10-minute bonus and everything featured in the documentary’s main feature, this presentation proves itself a relatively entertaining and engaging presentation for thrash and metal aficionados in general.

Metal Rock Films’ recently released thrash metal retrospective Bay Area Godfathers is a presentation that rock and metal aficionados alike will find intriguing. They will find it as a presentation that is worth watching occasionally. That is proven in part through its main feature, which takes viewers back through the early history of thrash metal in the San Francisco Bay area. The rich, in-depth story told in the main feature is presented largely through first hand stories and anecdotes from those who were part of the scene at the time. Some are well-known names while others are less so, creating a rich starting point in the history of the genre. For all of the content that the main feature offers audiences, there are some occasional issues with the feature’s pacing. There are moments throughout the documentary in which the story feels like it slows down. Thankfully those moments are not enough to derail the program. The bonus content that accompanies the documentary’s main feature adds a little more enjoyment an engagement to the whole. Together with everything in the main feature, the two elements join with the better elements of the program’s pacing to make the retrospective/history piece worth at least an occasional watch. Bay Area Godfathers is available now.

More information on this and other titles from Metal Rock Films is available along with all of the company’s latest news at:

Website: http://metalrockfilms.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InsideLAmetMovieDoc

Twitter: http://twitter.com/insideLAMetal

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Slayer Announces Dates For Final World Tour: Leg Five

Posted on December 11, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Slayer’s worldwide farewell tour will officially run into summer 2019.

The band announced the dates for Leg Five of its final world tour on Monday. Leg Five will bring the band back to North America for a series of dates through May, starting May 2 and running through May 25. Lamb of God, Amon Amarth and Cannibal Corpse will serve as support for the tour.

The band’s new dates are noted below. The announcement follows the recent announcement of the sixth leg of the tour, which will take Slayer across Europe during June and July. Those dates — and those of Leg Four — are included with the dates for Leg Five.

MARCH
Leg Four: Australia Japan South Pacific
(Anthrax and Behemoth will support on headline dates)
7 Brisbane Riverstage Brisbane Australia
9 Download Festival Sydney Australia
11 Download Festival Melbourne Australia
15 Eventfinda Stadium Auckland New Zealand
17 Horncastle Arena Christchurch New Zealand
21 Download Festival Chiba Prefecture Japan
23 Pulp Summer Slam Manila Philippines

MAY
Leg Five: North America
(Lamb of God, Amon Amarth and Cannibal Corpse will support on all dates)
2 Ak-Chin Amphitheatre Phoenix AZ
3 Isleta Amphitheatre Albuquerque NM
5 UTEP/Don Haskins Center El Paso TX
7 Bert Ogden Arena Edinburg TX
8 The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Dallas TX
10 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre Tampa FL
11 Coral Sky Amphitheatre West Palm Beach Florida
13 Big Sandy Superstore Arena Huntington WVa
14 Merriweasther Post Pavilion Columbia MD
16 Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center Noblesville IN
17 Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre Bonner Springs KS
19 DTE Energy Mush Center Clarkston MI
20 Covel Centre Youngstown OH
22 Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa ON CANADA
24 BB&T Pavilion Camden NJ
25 Xfinity Center Mansfield MA

JUNE
Leg Six: Europe(Support acts for headline dates TBA)
4 Arena Gilwice Gilwice Poland
6 Sweden Rock Solvesborg Sweden
8 Rock Am Ring Nurburgring Germany
9 Rock Im Park Nurnberg Germany
11 Sports Arena Budapest Hungary
13 Leipzig Arena Leipzig Germany
14 Nova Rock Nickelsdorf Austria
Weekend of June 14-16
Download Donington Park UK
19 Arena Geneva Switzerland
21 Graspop Metal Meeting Dessel Belgium
23 Hellfest Clisson France25 Tipsport Arena Prague Czechoslovakia
28 Tons of Rock Oslo Norway
29 Tuska Open Air Helsinki Finland

JULY
July 3-6
Resurrection Festival Viviero Spain
5 VOA Heavy Rock Festival Lisbon Portugal
7 Rock The Castle Verona Italy
10 Metalheadmeeting Bucharest Romania
11 Airport Park Sofia Bulgaria
13 Rockwave Festival Athens Greece
Weekend of July 27-28*
Heavy Montreal Parc Jean-Drapeau Montreal QC

AUGUST
3 Messegelande Balingen Germany

More information on Slayer’s final world tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://www.slayer.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/slayer

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Slayer

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like ” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Slayer Announces Dates For European Leg Of Its Farewell Tour

Posted on August 27, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

Slayer is preparing to say goodbye to its European fans.

The band has announced the dates for the next leg of its worldwide farewell tour, which will take the band across Europe. The tour is currently scheduled to launch November ` in Dublin, Ireland before heading to the UK for a handful of dates and then on to Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and a number of other locations across Europe.

Longtime guitarist Kerry King said the decision to take the tour to Europe had been planned for a long time, and that the reaction to the tour in the U.S. has been motivating for the upcoming European run.

“We always knew this tour would take us into 2019, and we’ve been blown away by the response we’ve been getting here in North America,” King said. “We’ve heard about fans who have driven five, six hours or flown in from other cities or countries to see us, so we want to assure our fans that we’ll be on the road through 2019 and will get to as many places around the world as possible to make it easier for everyone to come and see us one last time.”

Front man Tom Araya shared King’s appreciation for the fans and their reaction.

“I just want to take the time out to say thank you to all our fans who have made this first part of this tour phenomenal,” Araya said. “You really are loyal dedicated fans and we appreciate that so much from you. We still have quite a few places to play, so next year, keep your eyes and ears open so you can catch us live one last and final time. Again, thank you!”

Before the band heads to Europe, it will perform for audiences at Mexico at the ForceFest in Tijuana, Mexico on October 7. Plans are also in the works for live performances in South America, Australia and Japan as part of its continued farewell tour.

The current schedule for the European leg of Slayer’s farewell tour is noted below.

OCTOBER
7 ForceFest @ Campo De Golf Teotihucan, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico (headline)

NOVEMBER
1         Dublin 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland
3         Wembley Arena, London, UK
5         Cardiff Arena, Cardiff, UK
7         Birmingham BCA, Birmingham, UK
9         Manchester Arena, Manchester, UK
10        Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
12        Glasgow Hydro SSE, Glasgow, UK
14        Westfalenhalle 1, Dortmund, Germany
15        IJsselHal, Zwolle, Netherlands
17        Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid, Spain
18        St. Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
20        Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy
21        Halle 622, Zurich, Switzerland
23        Stadthalle, Vienne, Austria
24        Freiburg, SICK ARENA, Freiburg, Germany
26        Barclaycard Arena Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
27        Atlas Arena, Lodz, Poland
29        Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
30        Messchalle, Erfurt, Germany

DECEMBER
2         Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany
3         Royal Arena, Kobenhavn S, Denmark
5         Hovert, Stockholm, Sweden
6         Oslo Spektrum Arena, Oslo, Norway
8         Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland

2019
JUNE
23 Hellfest Open Air, Clisson, France (headline)

More information on Slayer’s upcoming live dates is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://www.slayer.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/slayer

Twitter: http://twitter.com/slayer

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Lamb Of God Unveils Another Track From Its New Burn The Priest Covers Album

Posted on May 11, 2018 by philspicks

Courtesy: Epic Records

Lamb of God is giving audiences another preview of its forthcoming covers collection, Legion: XX.

The band will release the album under its former name, Burn The Priest next Friday, May 18. In anticipation of the album’s release, the band is streaming now, its cover of the Bad Brains hit song ‘I Against I.’ Its release comes on the heels of the band’s covers of Accused’s ‘Inherit The Earth‘ and Big Black’s ‘Kerosene.’

‘I Against I,’ ‘Inherit The Earth’ and ‘Kerosene’ are just three of the covers included in this new tribute to Lamb of God’s roots and its influences. The record’s full track listing is noted below. Pre-orders for Legion: XX are open now.

Legion: XX track listing:

1. Inherit The Earth (originally performed by The Accused)

2. Honey Bucket (originally performed by Melvins)

3. Kerosene (originally performed by Big Black)

4. Kill Yourself (originally performed by S.O.D.)

5. I Against I (originally performed by Bad Brains)

6. Axis Rot (originally performed by Sliang Laos)

7. Jesus Built My Hotrod (originally performed by Ministry)

8. One Voice (originally performed by Agnostic Front)

9. Dine Alone (originally performed by Quicksand)

10. We Gotta Know (originally performed by Cro-Mags)

Audiences might get to hear some of the covers included in this new LP as Lamb of god tours in support of the album on Slayer’s farewell tour. That tour’s current tour schedule is noted below. Tickets and VIP packages are available here.

LEG ONE

(In addition to support from LAMB OF GOD, Slayer leg one headline dates will also feature support from Anthrax, Behemoth, and Testament.)

MAY

11 FivePoint Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA SOLD OUT

**12 Fox Theater, Pomona, CA – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Behemoth

13 Papa Murphy’s Park at Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA

16 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC

17 South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton, BC

19 Big Four, Calgary, AB SOLD OUT

20 Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, AB SOLD OUT

22 Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB

**23 The District, Sioux Falls, SD – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Behemoth

24 The Armory, Minneapolis, MN SOLD OUT

25 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL

27 Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, Detroit, MI SOLD OUT

29 Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON SOLD OUT

30 Place Bell, Montreal, QC SOLD OUT

JUNE

1 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT SOLD OUT

2 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ

**3 The Dome at Oakdale, Wallingford, CT – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Behemoth

4 Santander Arena, Reading, PA SOLD OUT

6 Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH

7 Blossom Music Center, Cleveland, OH

9 KeyBank Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA

10 Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA

**11 The Ritz, Raleigh, NC – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Behemoth

12 Veteran’s United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA

14 PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC

15 Orlando Amphitheater, Orlando, FL

16 Montebello Rock Fest, Montebello, QC – FESTIVAL DATE/LAMB OF GOD ONLY

17 Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land, Houston, TX SOLD OUT

19 The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX SOLD OUT

20 Austin360 Amphitheater, Austin, TX SOLD OUT

LEG TWO

(In addition to support from LAMB OF GOD, Slayer leg two headline dates will also feature support from Anthrax, Testament, and Napalm Death.)

JULY

26 Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford, NH

27 Impact Music Festival, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, Bangor, ME

29 Northwell Health at Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY

31 The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, PA

AUGUST

1 Times Union Center, Albany, NY

3 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Lake, NY

4 Lakeview Amphitheater, Syracuse, NY

6 Budweiser Gardens, London, ON

7 Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI

9 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO

10 Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA

12 Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN

13 Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR

15 Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, TX

16 The Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City, OK

**17 Sokol Auditorium, Omaha, NE – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Napalm Death

18 Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater, Denver, CO

19 USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City, UT

21 Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Boise, ID

**22 Knitting Factory Concert House, Spokane, WA – LAMB OF GOD headliner + Napalm Death

23 Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, Portland, OR

24 White River Amphitheater, Auburn, WA

26 SAP Center, San Jose, CA

LAMB OF GOD will also join Slayer on their newly announced European headline tour dates as direct support, featuring additional support from Anthrax and Obituary. See below for all confirmed tour stops.

EUROPEAN DATES

NOVEMBER

1 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland

3 SSE Arena, Wembley, England

5 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales

7 BCA, Birmingham, England

9 Manchester Arena, Manchester, England

10 Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England

12 Hydro SSE, Glasgow, Scotland

14 Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, Germany

15 Ijsselhal, Zwolle, Holland

17 Palacio Vistalegre Arena, Madrid, Spain

18 St. Jordi, Barcelona, Spain

20 Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy

21 Halle 622, Zurich, Switzerland

23 Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria

24 Sick Arena, Freiburg, Germany

26 Barclaycard Arena, Hamburg, Germany

27 Atlas Arena, Lodz, Poland

29 Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany

30 Messehalle, Erfurt, Germany

DECEMBER

2 Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany

3 Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark

5 Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden

6 Spektrum, Oslo, Norway

8 Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland

More information on Legion: XX is available online now along with all of Lamb of God’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://www.lamb-of-god.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lambofgod

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lambofgod