Nuclear Blast Records re-issued Type O Negative’s 2007 album, Dead Again late last year, and in celebration of the album’s recent re-issue, the label and the band’s remaining members premiered a new video for the album’s single, ‘Love You To Death’ this week.
The video premiered Wednesday. It was recorded at one of Type O Negative’s classic performances at the famed Wacken Open Air Festival. The performance in question is also among the bonus content featured in the album’s re-issue. It was also featured in the album’s 2008 re-issue. Neither that re-issue nor this latest re-issue mark the exact year during which the performance took place.
The news release announcing the video’s premiere does not note the year during which the performance was held, either.
Nuclear Blast Records’ re-issue of Type O Negative’s Dead Again is available now. More information on the album’s re-issue is available along with all of Type O Negative’s latest news at:
When Type O Negative first released its seventh album Dead Again in 2007 through Steamhammer, the album proved the be the best performing record of the band’s career, debuting at No. 27 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Ironically, the album would also end up being the band’s last, as former front man Peter Steele passed away three years later in 2010. The album’s success was likely due to the fact that the album saw such a noticeable change in the album’s arrangements, leaning in more directions throughout its body. A year after its initial release, Steamhammer re-issued the album with a bonus DVD front loaded with bonus live content, interviews and music videos. Now 14 years after that re-issue’s release, Nuclear Blast Records is scheduled to re-issue the album again in a new anniversary presentation with much of the bonus live content featured in the 2008 re-issue. That bonus content being at the center of the album’s latest re-issue, it will be the focus of this review. The content itself is a positive and will be discussed shortly. The presentation of that content however, is somewhat problematic. This will be discussed a little later. The band’s performances of the songs is, together with the songs themselves a positive worth noting, too. It will be examined a little later, too. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make this latest re-issue of Dead Again leaving audiences honestly wanting for a little more.
Nuclear Blast Records’ forthcoming re-issue of Type O Negative’s 2007 album Dead Again is sadly, a celebration of an impressive album that does not do the record full justice in its new release. That is not to say that the record is a total loss. The bonus live content featured with the record is the primary reason that it survives. Totaling 10 tracks in all spread across more than an hour and 10 minutes, the bonus live performances featured here were largely carried over from the album’s 2008 re-issue from Steamhammer. The songs pull from almost all of the band’s albums up to that point, save for its 1991 debut album, Slow, Deep and Hard. In other words, the songs present a relatively clear cross section of Type O Negative’s catalog up to that point. The only difference between the content in that 2008 re-issue and this re-issue is that that Wacken content featured in that release was on DVD while it is strictly on CD in this case. So in short what audiences get in the bonus content is largely the same content featured in that 2008 re-issue. It means that audiences who did not get their hands on the 2008 re-issue will not be losing out, nor will those who did get the re-issue.
Now while the bonus content featured in this re-issue is a direct carry over from the 2008 re-issue of Dead Again, the presentation of the content is problematic. Maybe it is just this critic’s own audio equipment, but the audio mix of this content is a concern. Far too many times in each performance, it seems like Steele’s vocals are being washed out by the instrumentation. This happens both in the 2007 Wacken Festival performances and the other live performances. As a side note, it should be pointed out that there is no indication anywhere in the liner notes about where and when the other live performances were recorded, so that is another problem in itself. Getting back to the audio mix and production, the sound, again, is a concern. It leaves one wondering if the audio was already such an issue in the album’s 2008 re-issue. If it was and nothing was done, then someone definitely should be held accountable. If not, then someone should be held just as accountable for allowing it to be so muddied. It is enough to make a person want to skip through the songs just to see if the next song is any less messy.
As problematic as the sound issue is with the live content’s re-issue, it is not enough to doom the re-issue. To that end, there is still at least one more positive to note. That positive is the band’s performance of the live content. One thing that is indisputable from one live performance to the next is the dedication that the band put into each song. The band members give each song their fullest attention, ensuring audiences are fully engaged and entertained. What’s more, Steele’s playful banter with the audiences show just how laid back he was. It exemplifies why so many people respected him as a front man and person. The result of those positive performances is a general effect that together with the songs themselves, makes them worth hearing at least once. To that end, audiences who already own either the original 2007 release or its 2008 re-issue would be well advised to just hold onto those releases.
Nuclear Blast Records’ forthcoming 25th Anniversary re-issue of Type O Negative’s Dead Again is an interesting presentation. That is due entirely to its featured bonus live content. The bonus live content featured here is a direct carry over from the album’s 2008 re-issue. The only difference between the re-issues is that the Wacken 2007 performances were on DVD in the album’s 2008 re-issue and on CD in this re-issue. The fact that the same material was carried over ensures that no audience is left out regardless of whether they own the 2008 re-issue. The audio mix of the live content is problematic to say the very least. Far too often throughout the 10 total live performances, it seems like Peter Steele’s vocals were washed out by his band mates. That is not a stab at them by any means. Rather it is a concern on the side of those charged with ensuring the best possible audio quality in each performance. The band’s actual performances in each song works with the songs to make for at least a little more engagement and entertainment. The band’s performances themselves ensure audiences engagement and entertainment even despite the issue of the audio. That makes the bonus content at least somewhat appealing. However, it still does not eliminate the concern caused by the audio mix. To that end, this bonus content that accompanies Dead Again‘s latest re-issue does a little at best to fully celebrate what was and is one of the most important of Type O Negative’s albums if not its most important.
Dead Again is scheduled to be re-issued Friday through Nuclear Blast Records. More information on the album’s re-issue is available along with all of Type O Negative’s latest news at:
Ill Nino will launch a series of new live dates later this month.
The band announced Thursday, it will support Down on a pair of dates this month. The band also has a handful of festival performances coming up at festivals, such as Bloodstock Open Air, Wacken Open Air, and Louder Than Life.
The band’s upcoming live dates are noted below.
ILL NIÑO Tour Dates:
5.19.22 – Welcome To Rockville, w/ Kiss, 5FDP, Papa Roach
5.20.22 – Atlanta, GA, at the Buckhead Theatre, supporting Down
5.22.22 – Dallas, TX, at Amplified Live, supporting Down
6.26.22 – Hellfest w/ Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon
7.03.22 – Hills Of Rock w/5FDP
8.03.22 – Wacken Open Air w/ Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Judas Priest
8.13.22 – Alcatraz Festival w/ Behemoth, Testament, Exodus
8.14.22 – Bloodstock Open Air w/ Lamb Of God, Behemoth, Mercyful Fate
9.24.22 – Louder Than Life w/ Rob Zombie, Sevendust
Courtesy: Ill Nino
In other news, Ill Nino debuted its latest single, ‘This Is Over,’ and its companion video Thursday. The song features the band’s original guitarist Marc Rizzo. The song’s musical arrangement will appeal to fans of the songs that the original Ill Nino lineup crafted during the band’s early years. That is evidenced through the more melodic approach and the use of the Afro-Latin percussion alongside the heavier screams in the song’s choruses.
“It is great to be back in this new version of Ill Nino,” Rizzo said. “The new music and new vocals are the best I’ve ever heard since the beginning of this band, and I’m proud to be a part of it! Fans are definitely getting their concert ticket’s worth with this his new lineup!!”
Front man Marcos Leal talked about the song’s lyrical theme in his own comments.
“‘This Is Over’ conveys a message of taking control of the outside negativity that can consume your everyday life,” Leal said. “From the darkest forms of harassment and violations of privacy from others, to the worst self doubts and anxiety within ourselves. We all fall victim to this in one way or another, but the anger and aggression you hear in these lyrics and music is my own form of therapy, my own way of taking charge and my own way of saying enough is enough, ‘This Is Over’! I urge you to take control and face the negativity in your life, and find your own way of therapy.”
The video for ‘This Is Over’ features the band in what is meant to reflect a live setting. It blends that with Leal playing someone who has been captured by unknown assailants. The visual is meant to illustrate the theme about which Leal talked.
More information on Ill Nino’s new single, video, and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Almost three years ago, upstart hard rock/metal band Bloodywood first started carving out its place in the hard rock and metal community when it released its single, ‘Ari Ari.’ The song, which blended the band members’ Indian musical background with a more western nu-meatl approach started was jus the beginning of a meteoric rise for the band. Each song and each video that the band released built its fame and fan base even more, even leading to a performance at one of the world’s most respected live festival shows, the Wacken Open Air Festival, in 2019. On Feb. 18, the band will take yet another big step forward when it releases its debut album, Rakshak. The 10-song album joins all but one of the singles that the band has released to date – ‘Ari Ari’ is, ironically the only single not featured in this record – to make an overall presentation that given the right support, will make Bloodywood one of the next big names in the hard rock and metal communities. That is proven in part through its noted musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical content add even more appeal to the presentation. They will be discussed a little later. The sequencing of that content rounds out its most important elements and will also be addressed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, they make Rakshak a successful debut album for Bloodywood that audiences will agree was well worth the wait.
Rakshak, the debut album from up-and-coming hard rock/metal band Bloodywood, is a successful first outing from the band. It is a presentation that audiences will agree was well worth the wait. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements in question blend so many influences from one song to the next. Case in point is the arrangement in the early entry, ‘Aaj.’ Vocalist Jayant Bhadula’s growls in this song reach the level of death metal growls a la Whitechapel front man Phil Bozeman. His screams meanwhile pair with the rapping of co-vocalist Raoul Kerr to form the foundation for a sort of metalcore sound and stylistic approach. That leaning is highlighted even more through the combined performances of guitarist Karan Katiyar and the added bass and drums. There is so much going on here in terms of the instrumentation and in terms of the influences, yet it is all so well-balanced. The end result is a work that serves to show Bloodywood is not just another nu-metal band, but a viable hard rock and metal outfit with very real talent and ability.
The infusion of the noted nu-metal and metal influences is displayed just as well much later in the album in the form of ‘BSDK.exe.’ Kerr’s rapping against the keyboards and electronics at points throughout the song is full on nu-metal in every sense. That sound and stylistic approach is contrasted in the song’s choruses with a much heavier, guitar-driven influence. Again, Bhadula’s death metal growls are on full display, and so are some sharper screams. The band’s Indian influence is present here, too, just not as prominently as in some of the album’s other arrangements. The best comparison that one might be able to make in this case is to works from the likes of Fear Factory and early works from Chimaira. In other words, it boasts its own identity separate from that of ‘Aaj’ and all of the album’s other songs. It is just one more way in which the album’s musical arrangements show their importance to the record’s presentation. ‘Dana-Dan,’ the album’s midpoint, is another example of the importance of the album’s musical arrangements.
‘Dana-Dan’ is important in examining Rakshak’s musical arrangements because it also boasts its own identity. In the case of this song, the arrangement is just as heavy as ever with its down-tuned guitars, its screams, rapping, and its rhythm section. The nu-metal leanings are just as present as ever here courtesy of Kerr’s rapping. Bhadula’s vocals, paired with those of Kerr and with the instrumentation helps to take the arrangement in yet another direction. In the case of this song, his work and that of his fellow musicians gives the song a sound and stylistic approach that is similar to that of Devildriver and Slipknot. One could even argue a comparison to works from Unearth. That is the case even with the use of the keyboards and electronics subtly incorporated into the arrangement. All things considered, this composition is just as heavy as any other song featured in Rakshak and at the same time, still boasts its own identity. When it is considered along with the other songs examined here and with the rest of the album’s works, the whole makes clear the importance of the album’s musical arrangements. Of course the musical side of Rakshak is just one part of what makes the album a success. Its lyrical themes are just as important as its musical arrangements.
The lyrical themes that Rakshak presents are important because they are each so powerful and as diverse as the album’s musical arrangements. Case in point is the lyrical theme featured in ‘Jee Veerey.’ The theme here is one of determination. Bhadula encourages listeners in the chorus, to ‘Live, brave one/Fight those internal storms and/Win, brave one/Weather those wounds and/Rise once again/Fly once again” Kerr builds on that message as he reminds listeners that “We’ve all had to go/To the land down below/Where the sun don’t shine/And the moon don’t glow/Sat back/Trapped in the big bubble, saying/Chuck that man/It ain’t worth the trouble/Sound familiar don’t it/I think we all own it/A mindset that don’t seem to get/We’ve outgrown it/Now I’m sat back/Poking at the big bubble, saying/Talk back/You’re bigger than the trouble/Walk this valley of death/Head high/Say ‘I’ll be back, today I won’t die/’Cause try as we may/We can never deny/We can get back up if we’re still alive.” Kerr’s straight forward wording is sure to connect and resonate with any listener. This message of overcoming depression and mental health issues in general is anything but new, but is presented in a fresh way here. That in itself is impressive. What’s more, addressing mental health is always important. To that end, this song’s uplifting lyrical theme is a prime example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. The lyrical theme featured in ‘Endurant’ is another example of that importance.
‘Endurant,’ which is one of the songs that helped build Bloodywood’s popularity, delivers a theme of forgiveness. It reminds listeners that while yes, there are people out there who want to make us miserable, we must forgive them. This is not something easy to do by any means. It is not within humans’ nature to forgive. We want to right wrongs done against us. The theme is made clear early on as Kerr comes right out and says in his rapping, “This goes out to the silent who fight the urge to get violent/This goes out with the love/bound with the power to rise above.” Bhadula adds, “Suppressed/self-conflicted/A prisoner of silence/Sever the bonds that always made you yield/Become your own shield.” Bhadula adds in the song’s chorus, “I am endurant/I am not a stray rock/I am the founding stone of a mountain/I am not weak/I am forgiving/Within darkness, I am my own light.” This is a powerful overall statement. It is another theme (and content) that will resonate with any listener with its supportive statements. To that end, it is one more example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. Along with facing one’s own emotions and thoughts, the band also takes on the matter of facing loss in the album’s lyrical content. That is made clear in the song, ‘Yaad.’ This deeply emotional song encourages listeners to grieve and to move on. The release and healing happens through holding memories of those loved ones whom we have lost. The band points this out not only in notes with the song’s video, but just as much through the lyrics. Kerr raps here, “Your fire burns beneath the frost/An empire built between my thoughts/Crisscrossed across the line that can’t be crossed/A million memories in this melody/Singing to me/Smile/This is the way it’s meant to be.” He adds, “With every breath/With every smile/With every sound of the beating heart/Your undying fire burns ever brighter.” So again what audiences get here is a message of knowing the loss has happened, but knowing that loved one will never be forgotten and that no one should ever forget loved ones who have moved on. At the same time, we cannot relegate ourselves to pining for them forever after they are gone. It is another familiar theme that is presented in such a unique way, showing even more, the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. When this uplifting theme is considered along with the other equally uplifting themes in the songs examined here, and with the rest of the album’s songs, the whole makes this record’s lyrical content so undeniably important. When the overall lyrical theme is considered along with the overall musical content, the whole of that content makes more than clear why Rakshak is a success. When the content’s sequencing is considered along with the content itself, it completes the album’s picture and leaves no doubt that this record deserves plenty of attention.
The sequencing of Rakshak’s content is important because it takes the diversity of those items into full account along with the energy in the songs’ energies. As already noted, the band takes on a diverse range of sounds and styles in its musical arrangements from one song to the next. The group also takes on a wide range of lyrical themes along the way. The sequencing ensures that both sides change as much as possible throughout the record’s 47-minute run time. Along the way, the energy in the songs’ arrangements is expertly balanced. The presentation starts on a powerful note in the politically charged, ‘Gaddaar’ and keeps that energy moving through to ‘Zanjeero Se.’ The album’s third entry, it balances the band’s heavier and softer side so well within itself, giving audiences the best of both worlds. From there, the energy picks back up in ‘Machi Bhasad’ and carries through to ‘Jee Veerey.’ Here again is a display of the band’s heavier leanings expertly placed alongside the band’s softer side. It is presented in a way that is unique from that of ‘Zanjeero Se,’ too. That makes the listening experience all the better. As the album progresses through its second half from there, the ups and downs are more pronounced in the contrasting sounds and styles of ‘Endurant’ and ‘Yaad.’ ‘Yaad’ is one part contemplative nu-metal and one part heavy ballad while ‘Endurant’ is much heavier and determined. The thing is that even with that difference, the energy between the two songs keeps the record’s energy stable in each work, once again proving the importance of the album’s sequencing. The album’s last two tracks pick audiences back up and get them back into the mosh pit, leaving them breathless by the record’s end. It shows once again, the time and thought that went into the album’s sequencing. The end result of that time and thought is that the sequencing gives the album’s presentation a positive aesthetic impact. When that impact is considered along with the positive impact of the album’s overall content, the whole leaves no doubt that this record is a complete success.
Up-and-coming hard rock/metal band Bloodywood is primed to be one of the next big names in the hard rock and metal communities. The band’s debut album, Rakshak, makes that clear. Given the right support, it is certain to keep the band’s meteoric rise to fame going strong. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements are diverse, offering audiences elements of nu-metal, death metal, and even some aggro-rock and other influences throughout. Those leanings are well-balanced with the songs, too, making for even more engagement and entertainment. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements are just as diverse in their topics. From socio-politically charged songs to deeper works about accepting loss, and works in between promoting self-confidence among audiences, the themes touch on so many areas. They will resonate with audiences along the way because of their familiarity and the way in which they are presented. The sequencing of that content puts the finishing touch to the album’s presentation. It takes into account the noted variety in the content and the energies established in each song to make a presentation that is wholly fulfilling for any listener. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, they make Rakshak unquestionably one more of the best of the year’s new hard rock and metal albums so far.
Rakshak is scheduled for release Feb. 18. The band is scheduled to launch a tour across Europe in support of the record in March. The tour’s schedule is noted below.
Sat Mar 05 2022 – Im Wizemann Stuttgart, Germany Tickets
Sun Mar 06 2022 – Zoom Frankfurt am Main, Germany Tickets
Mon Mar 07 2022 – Die Kantine Cologne, Germany Tickets
Tue Mar 08 2022 – La Madeleine Brussels, Belgium Tickets
Wed Mar 09 2022 – Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands Tickets
Fri Mar 11 2022 – Gruenspan Hamburg, Germany Tickets
Sat Mar 12 2022 – Pumpehuset Copenhagen, Denmark Tickets
Sabaton will bring its live show to audiences at home next week.
The band announced Monday, it will release its new double live recording, The 20th Anniversary Show/The Great Show Nov. 19 through Nuclear Blast Records. The limited edition release features two concerts that were recorded during Sabaton’s 2019-20 “The Great Tour” global run. The tour was in support of the band’s then latest album, The Great War.
Pre-orders are open. A trailer for the release is streaming here.
The band’s 20th Anniversary concert was captured Aug. 1, 2019 at the Wacken Open Air Festival. The performance and date are ironic because the date marked the band’s 30th anniversary. The Great Show was captured Jan. 6, 2020 at the band’s sold-out performance at the O2 arena in Prague.
Each of the concerts featured in the box set is limited to a total of 9,000 copies worldwide. The box set in whole is limited to only 5,000 copies. The box set in whole features a building blocks version of Sabaton’s stage setup that allows fans to build the stage themselves.
The track listing for each concert is noted below.
Track listing for “The 20th Anniversary Show” (Wacken)
Ghost Division
Winged Hussars
Resist and Bite
Fields of Verdun (with Thobbe Englund)
Shiroyama (with Thobbe Englund)
The Red Baron
The Price of a Mile
Bismarck
The Lion From The North
Carolus Rex
40:1
The Last Stand
The Lost Battalion
Drum Battle (Hannes Van Dahl vs. Daniel Mullback)
Far From The Flame
Panzerkampf
Night Witches
The Art of War
82nd All The Way
Great War
Attero Dominatus
Encore:
Primo Victoria
Swedish Pagans (with Tina Guo)
To Hell And Back (with Tina Guo)
Track listing for “The Great Show” (Prague)
Ghost Division
Great War
The Attack Of The Dead Men
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
The Los Battalion
The Red Baron
The Last Stand
Far from the Flame
Night Witches
Angels Calling (with Apocalyptica)
The Price Of A Mile (with Apocalyptica)
The Lion From The North (with Apocalyptica)
Carolus Rex (with Apocalyptica)
Encore:
Primo Victoria
Bismarck
Swedish Pagans
To Hell And Back
In other news, Sabaton is working on the follow-up to The Great War. The new record is titled The War To End All Wars. Album Pre-orders are open now. The War To End All Wars is scheduled for release March 4, 2022 through Nuclear Blast Records.
The band premiered the lead single from its forthcoming album Oct. 29 in the form of ‘Christmas Truce.’ The band premiered the song’s epic, cinematic video the same day.
‘Christmas Truce’ is centered on the timeless, real life story of the Christmas 1914 truce between Axis and Allied forces in World War I. It was on this day that the forces fighting one another took a single day — Christmas Day — to stop fighting and actually come together. The video, shot in the Czech Republic, follows that story, bringing it to life. The band stars in the story, with each playing the part of a soldier. The cinematic style presentation is just as gripping as any major blockbuster war movie that was ever been made.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Christmas Truce’ is everything that audiences have come to expect, what with the power metal approach. At the same time, the song boasts its own identity. That unique identity includes what is clearly a reference to the timeless Christmas song, ‘Carol of the Bells.’
Bassist Par Sundstrom, who also developed the video’s story according to the video’s credits (yes, it comes complete with credits just like a movie), discussed the song in a prepared statement.
“‘Christmas Truce’ was our highest priority when we decided to write songs about World War One,” said Sundstrom. “Not only was it the most requested topic from our fans, but it was, for us, the most emotional story from the war. This song took us years to create since we wanted the music to reflect the mood honesty, and it was a big challenge; but we feel we managed to write a song that captures the spirit of that day, over a century ago.”
The War To End All Wars will feature 11 new songs, all of which are noted below along with the formats on which the record will release.
The tracklist for The War To End All Wars is as follows:
1. Sarajevo
2. Stormtroopers
3. Dreadnought
4. The Unkillable Soldier
5. Soldier Of Heaven
6. Hellfighters
7. Race to the Sea
8. Lady Of The Dark
9. The Valley Of Death
10. Christmas Truce
11. Versailles
“The War To End All Wars” will be available in the following formats:
– Jewelcase CD
– Limited Gold CD [Supporter Edition – various versions with translated booklets]
– History Edition
– NB Mailorder Exclusive Edition [ltd. to 1500 copies]
– Earbook [limited to 6000 copies]
– Black Vinyl
– Azure Blue Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 300 copies]
– Inca Gold Vinyl [bandshop exclusive, ltd. to 500 copies]
– Copper Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
– Fluorescent Orange Vinyl [ltd. to 500 copies]
– Leaf Green Vinyl [Sweden exclusive]
– Fluorescent Yellow Vinyl [Ginza exclusive]
– Dusk Vinyl [Levik exclusive]
– Soft Grey Vinyl [Nordics exclusive]
– Lavender Vinyl [FNAC exclusive]
– Rosewood Vinyl [Mystic exclusive]
– Fluorescent Green Vinyl [UK exclusive]
– Pacific Blue Vinyl
– Polar White Vinyl [limited to 300 copies]
– Dewdrop Vinyl [limited to 500 copies, EMP exclusive]
– Blue cassette [limited to 100 copies, bandshop exclusive]
– Green cassette [limited to 100 copies]
– Grey cassette [limited to 300 copies]
– Red cassette [limited to 500 copies]
– Black cassette [limited to 250 copies]
– Smokey cassette [limited to 200 copies]
– White cassette [limited 100 copies]
In even more news, the band premiered a standalone single, ‘Steel Commanders’ and a companion video in August. The premiere was followed with the debut of an official lyric video for the song in late September.
More information on Sabaton’s new album announcement is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Up-and-coming independent rock band Bloodywood has had quite the journey over the course of the past few years. This “little band that could” went from being a virtual glimmer in the eyes of its members so long ago to becoming an international sensation, and even performing live at one of the world’s most revered hard rock festivals last year in its first ever tour. This was all with only a handful of songs and videos on YouTube. Now fans of the nu-metal band get to experience the band’s story through its own words in its debut documentary. Released Wednesday – fittingly – through the band’s official YouTube channel, the band’s Raj Against The Machine Tour documentary is a fully engaging and entertaining presentation that will generate more respect among the band’s fan base for the group while also ensuring its star continues rising. That is due in part to the story itself, which will be discussed shortly. The on and off-stage footage that is incorporated into the 90-minute-plus documentary adds to the enjoyment and engagement. It will be discussed a little later. The documentary’s pacing rounds out its most important elements. It will be addressed later, too. All three items noted here are key in their own way to the whole of Bloodywood’s “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary. All things considered, they make this presentation a journey that audiences will enjoy taking with the band. It will also leave audiences anticipating the next chapter in the band’s story.
Bloodywood’s debut tour documentary, which follows the band on its Raj Against The Machine Tour, is a presentation that will appeal to the band’s established fan base just as much as it will to those who are less familiar with the band and its work. That is due in part to the documentary’s story. Call it a Cinderella tale. Call it an underdog tale. Both terms work here. That is because, as audiences learn from the band members, the adversity that they faced as they worked to achieve their dream. Given, Bloodywood is hardly the first band to ever face discouragement from naysayers, but the story is no less impacting here than in any other band’s story. That the band has risen to such stardom all on the back of a handful of songs and videos posted to YouTube is in itself what is really powerful. It shows the power and influence of the internet and that despite some people’s racist beliefs, music ultimately is universal. It transcends cultures and borders. Adding to the story’s appeal is the constant humility displayed by the band members throughout the band’s meteoric rise to fame. It is so easy for anyone – band or otherwise – to lose sight of who and what is important in life, but these musicians prove unquestionably that it is just as easy to not lose sight of said items. The whole story concludes with the band’s first ever live set at Wacken, which is an excellent period to the story. It may not be extensive, but it puts that final note on the success of the band’s live show and why those who got the band to conduct its tour made the right choice. All things considered here along with the items not noted, the story at the center of the “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary builds a solid foundation for the presentation. It is just one of the elements that makes the documentary well worth viewing. The footage that is incorporated into the documentary does its own share to make the doc worth watching.
The footage in question that is featured throughout the “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary takes viewers into the venues at which Bloodywood performed, behind the scenes and even into the heart of a hurricane in Russia. Audiences get to see the band hard at work entertaining fans live in clubs across Europe. Those clubs were packed full of people, one apparently even over capacity, showing even more, the band’s popularity. Audiences also get to hear direct from the fans thanks to a camera kept by the band. The excitement that the fans (and other bands) show in their own “testimonials” are more illustration as to why the band has risen to fame so fast while also painting its own rich picture of the band in general. That aesthetic element, coupled with the documentary’s overall story, enriches the overall viewing experience for the documentary even more. It still is not the last of the doc’s most notable elements. The program’s pacing puts the finishing touch to its presentation.
The pacing of the “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary is important to note because of the documentary’s length. As previously noted, the documentary runs just over the 90-minute mark. For those who have not yet watched, it is separated out into four distinct segments. The irst two segments, “Foundation” and “Preparation” seem relatively short. They run collectively all of 16 minutes and six seconds. That leaves a lot of time for everything else. The band made the most of that time, too, taking audiences along for the ride on its first-ever tour. Audiences will be happy to know that at no point did the band ever just phone it in and just throw a bunch of stuff in to fill that space. The band took audiences along from one venue and concert to the next, giving them the fullest possible experience since not every fan was able to attend the strictly European run. Just enough time was spent at each venue, both on and off the stage, to give viewers the fullest story of each show. The result is that audiences will never feel compelled to fast forward through the story or even feel lost. To that end, it’s one last way in which the “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary proves to be its own successful presentation from Bloodywood. Together with the footage and the story itself, the whole of the documentary becomes a solid debut doc from the band and even more insurance that this is just the beginning of Bloodywood’s story.
The “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary is a positive debut full-length presentation from Bloodywood. It may not be an album, but is still entertaining and engaging in its own right. That is due in part to the fully engaging and entertaining story tat the heart of the 90-minute-plus program. The footage that is used to help tell the noted story enriches the presentation even more. The doc’s pacing puts the finishing touch to its whole. Each noted item is key in its own way to the whole of the “Raj Against The Machine Tour” documentary. All things considered, they make this tour doc a good way to tide fans over until the next chapter – hopefully a long awaited debut album or even EP — is written in the band’s story.
More information on Bloodywood’s new documentary and video is available online along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:
Independent rock band Bloodywood debuted its new tour documentary this week.
The documentary, which runs just over 90-minutes debuted Wednesday through the band’s official YouTube channel. It focuses on the band’s “Raj Against The Machine Tour,” which it held in 2019.
The three-week tour was the band’s first ever live run, and it proved successful, too. A dozen of the shows on the schedule sold out. The run culminated with the band’s first-ever show at the famed Wacken Open Air Festival.
Courtesy: TAG Publicity
The documentary was recorded through a combination of footage recorded through the tour and through a GoPro camera that was strapped to guitarist/flautist Karan Katiyar’s chest during the tour.
From band members battling illness to the band battling mother nature to the highs of the band’s warm reception from fans and fellow bands alike, the tour captures the band’s rise to fame even despite its wonder about its own popularity.
More information on Bloodywood’s new documentary and video is available online along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:
Knotfest.com is continuing its live streaming concert series this month with two more concerts.
Up first in this month’s schedule of live shows is Jinjer’s March 5, 2020 show held at Max Watts in Melbourne, Australia. Now audiences will get to see that performance through Knotfest.com at 5 p.m. ET July 9.
The second of this month’s live streaming shows through knotfest.com is Judas Priest’s full concert recording, Battle Cry, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray March 25, 2016 through Epic Records. The concert featured in the recording was originally recorded on Aug. 1, 2015 at the annual Wacken Open Air Festival.
The set list that is featured in Battle Cry doesn’t just focus on the band’s then most recent album Redeemer of Souls. Instead the band attempts to cover as much of its expansive body of work as possible over the course of its ninety minute run time.
Judas Priest’s performance is scheduled to stream 3 p.m ET on July 17 through knotfest.com.
Knotfest.com’s ongoing concert series has already featured performances from Slipknot, Lamb of God, Trivium, Behemoth, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Kreator, King Diamond, Carnifex, Suffocation, Suicide Silence, and In Flames. The concerts have helped raise money to charities that help with COVID-19 relief efforts.
More information on Knotfet.com’s concert series is available online along with all of the latest Knotfest.com news at:
Nuclear Blast Records has officially opened pre-orders for its new live recording.
Nuclear Blast Records announced Friday that pre-orders for Symphonic Terror have opened. The album is currently scheduled to be released Nov. 23 via Nuclear Blast Records on seven separate platforms noted below.
The two-hour, 23-song performance was originally recorded Aug. 3, 2017 at the Wacken Open Air Festival in front of an audience of 80,000 people. Thousands more streamed the performance online live.
The concert was separated into three separate sections. The first featured full on performances of classic songs such as ‘Restless and Wild’ and ‘Pandemic’ and then new songs ‘Die By The Sword’ and ‘Koolaid.’
The second section features a rock/symphonic performance of select songs from Wolf Hoffman’s recent solo album Headbanger’s Symphony. The songs featured in that record are amped up takes on some of the world’s most beloved classical compositions from famed composers Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi and others.
The concert’s third segment features the band performing many of its own hits, such as ‘Princess of the Dawn,’ ‘Breaker,’ ‘Fast as a Shark,’ ‘Metal Heart,’ ‘Stalingrad,’ ‘Shadow Soldiers,’ ‘Teutonic Terror’ and ‘Balls to the Wall’ complete with orchestral backing.
The concert’s full track listing is noted below.
The Tracklist:
DVD/Blu-Ray Part 1: Accept
01. Die By The Sword
02. Restless And Wild
03. Koolaid
04. Pandemic
05. Final Journey Part 2: Headbanger’s Symphony
06. Night On Bald Mountain
07. Scherzo
08. Romeo And Juliet
09. Pathétique
10. Double Cello Concerto in G Minor
11. Symphony No. 40 in G Minor Part 3: Accept with Orchestra
12. Princess Of The Dawn
13. Stalingrad
14. Dark Side Of My Heart
15. Breaker
16. Shadow Soldiers
17. Dying Breed
18. Fast As A Shark
19. Metal Heart
20. Teutonic Terror
21. Balls To The Wall Bonus:
22. Making Of: Wacken
23. Making Of: Headbanger’s Symphony
Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records
In anticipation of Symphonic Terror‘s release, Accept will release a limited edition 10-inch vinyl pressing of ‘Balls to the Wall/Symphony No. 40 in G Minor’ on Oct. 5. Both performances are taken from Symphonic Terror. Digital and physical Pre-orders for the vinyl are also open now.
Also in anticipation of Symphonic Terror‘s forthcoming release, the band is touring worldwide, including the current U.S. leg of its tour. The band is scheduled to perform live in St. Charles, IL on Sept. 26. The U.S. leg of its tour is scheduled to wrap Oct. 4 in Houston, TX.
Once it wraps the U.S. leg of its tour, Accept will move to Central and South America from Oct. 6 to Oct. 25 before back to Europe from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4 for what has been dubbed “The Rise of Chaos Festivals 2018 Tour.” Orden Ogen, Monuments and Refuge will join Accept for the festival shows.
The band’s current tour schedule is noted below.
ACCEPT live:
26.09. USA St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre
28.09. USA Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon
29.09. USA Pasadena, CA – The Rose
30.09. USA Santa Clarita, CA – The Canyon
02.10. USA Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Live!
04.10. USA Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
06.10. MEX Monterrey – Tecate México Metal Fest
10.10. BR Belém – Botequim
12.10. BR Fortaleza – Complexo Armazém
14.10. BR São Paulo – Carioca Club
16.10. BR Belo Horizonte – Mister Rock
18.10. RA Buenos Aires – Teatro Flores
19.10. RA Chubut – Predio Ferial Comodoro
20.10. RA Cipolletti – Kimika Night Club
23.10. RCH Santiago – Teatro Coliseo
25.10. RCH Puerto Montt – Arena
»Rise Of Chaos Festivals 2018«
w/ ORDEN OGAN, REFUGE, MONUMENT
01.11. D Cologne – Live Music Hall
02.11. D Weissenhäuser Strand / Ostsee – Metal Hammer Paradise* *SOLD OUT*
03.11. D Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
04.11. D Regensburg-Obertraubling -Airport-Eventhall
*ACCEPT only
More information on Accept’s upcoming live dates, Symphonic Terror and more is available online now at:
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Accept will release its new live recording Symphonic Terror — Live at Wacken 2017 late this fall,and in anticipation of its release, the band has announced it will release a special limited edition vinyl single featuring two performances from that recording.
The special 10-inch vinyl single ‘Balls To The Walls / Symphony No. 40 in G Minor’ is currently scheduled to be released October 10 via Nuclear Blast Records. Both performances included the CNSO Symphony Orchestra. Physical and digital pre-orders are open now.
Along with the announcement of the upcoming limited edition vinyl single, the band also recently announced a new slate of North American and European live dates. Three North American dates between September 28 and 30 are scheduled in California.
Once those dates are done, the band will rest up before heading south of the border for the Tecate Mexico Metal Fest on October 6. From there, the band will head overseas for a handful of European dates, which will eventually be accompanied by additional dates to be announced at a later date. The band’s current live schedule is noted below.
ACCEPT live:
28.09. USA Agoura Hills, CA – The Canyon
29.09. USA Pasadena, CA – The Rose
30.09. USA Santa Clarita, CA – The Canyon
06.10. MEX Monterrey – Tecate México Metal Fest
10.10. BR Belém – Botequim
12.10. BR Fortaleza – Complexo Armazém (w/ KORZUS, MATANZA)
14.10. BR São Paulo – Carioca Club
16.10. BR Belo Horizonte – MG
02.11. D Weissenhäuser Strand / Ostsee – Metal Hammer Paradise
Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records
Accept’s upcoming dates will be in support not only of its upcoming live recording, but also its most recent full-length studio recording, The Rise Of Chaos (2017). It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered physically and digitally direct via Nuclear Blast’s online store now.
The Rise of Chaos has generated three hit singles since its release — ‘Koolaid,’ ‘Die By The Sword‘ and its title track. More information on those single, the album and the band’s upcoming live recording and its limited edition 10-inch vinyl single is available online now along with the band’s latest news and more at:
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.
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