Just me messing aropund at 3am.

Explenation: English heavy metal band Saxon (one of my fav) is having a solo competition on you tube. They provided an audio of their unreleased track called Live To Rock. Fans have to come up with solo and upload it to youtube and then people will vote on it via youtube. Band itself will have final say two weeks from now. First prize is trip for two on any continent of your choosing (wherever they play next year), to spend a day with Saxon, and to perform your solo in front of live audience with the band. Travel expenses paid, plus pocket money.
I decided to enter competition, and here’s my entry

There are also other entries as well. You can see all entries here and compare:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28z0Pd2SchY
(They will show up as video responses)

Here’s working link to Bruce Dickinson inteviewing each memeber of Metallica in depth. Audio only.

All four band members spoke to Bruce about everything from their beginnings to the state of the play for Metallica in 2008.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/bruce_dickinson/metallica.shtml

Metal Masters tour kicked off last night at Suseqehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ. Here’s the official set list for Judas Priest and Heaven and Hell.

Heaven and Hell
‘E5150′
‘The Mob Rules’
‘Children Of The Sea’
‘I’
‘Sign Of The Southern Cross’
‘Ear In The Wall’
‘Time Machine’
‘Falling Off The Edge Of The World’
‘Die Young’
‘Heaven And Hell’.

Judas Priest
‘Dawn Of Creation’
‘Prophecy’
‘Metal Gods’
‘Eat Me Alive’
‘Between The Hammer And The Anvil’
‘Devil’s Child’
‘Breaking The Law’
‘Hell Patrol’
‘Dissident Aggressor’
‘Angel’
‘The Hellion’ / ‘Electric Eye’
‘Rock Hard, Ride Free’
‘Painkiller’
‘Hell Bent For Leather’
‘The Green Manalishi’
‘You’ve Got Another Thing Coming’

Click here to check out some of the photos from the show.

Something you don’t see everyday.
Marty Friedman and Kerry King on Japanese TV playing Judas priest, Metallica, Iron Maiden and Pantera riffs.
Love the part when Kerry told Marty: “Don’t you talk to me about Priest”

Really amusing and uncensored interview with Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction, Chili Peppers) was the interviewer. Navarro asked some really good questions, but I just wish he would stop talking about himself and let the man speak. Regardless of that, it’s really good to see Dave M. not pulling any punches while speaking about Metallica, hating Lars and nailing Kirk Hammett’s girlfriend.
Last section of Part 3 and the whole part 4 includes Mustaine giving Navaro guitar lessons. That was awesome!

Part 1

Part 2


Part 3

Part 4

On June 27th 2008, Hammerfall will release new DVD “Rebels With The Cause”, along with the CD called “Masterpieces” which will be collection of all their covers plus three previously unreleased tracks.

Here’s the list of covers from the CD.

01. Child of the Damned (WARLORD)
02. Ravenlord (STORMWITCH)
03. Eternal Dark (PICTURE)
04. Back to Back (PRETTY MAIDS)
05. I Want Out (HELLOWEEN)
06. Man on the Silver Mountain (RAINBOW)
07. Head Over Heels (ACCEPT)
08. Run With the Devil (HEAVY LOAD)
09. We’re Gonna Make It (TWISTED SISTER)
10. Breaking the Law (JUDAS PRIEST)
11. Angel of Mercy (CHASTAIN)
12. Rising Force (YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN’S RISING FORCE)
13. Detroit Rock City (KISS)
14. Crazy Nights (LOUDNESS)
15. När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn (ROGER PONTARE)
16. Flight of the Warrior (RIOT) *
17. Youth Gone Wild (SKID ROW) *
18. Aphasia (EUROPE) *

* previously unreleased

Check out Joacim Can’s track by track breakdown of each track here.

Here’s trailer for the new DVD “Rebels With The Cause”, also coming out on June 27th 2008

I thought this story was pretty intersting. We might hear Halfie and co. on the radios pretty soon.

According to Hits Daily Double (the companion web site of music industry tip sheet HITS), JUDAS PRIEST’s new double-disc concept album, “Nostradamus”, is poised to sell around 50,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release for a likely Top 10 debut on The Billboard 200 chart. If “Nostradamus” does in fact crack the Top 10, it will give the band its highest-ever career chart position in the U.S.

 Full story here

Being a skeptic about pretty much everything in life, I wasn’t really pleasantly surprised when I heard Priest is making their concept album about this guy’s life, prophecies and ultimately his death, but I wasn’t going to judge it before giving it a good listen, so after finally hearing this thing few times over, here’s the review.

Priest guys are pushing into their 60’s, but it really doesn’t seem to matter in this case. That unprecedented spark of creativity and expertise is still there. Clocking in over 102 min, Nostradamus project will give even Kevin Costner run for his money. With Nostradamus, Judas Priest embarked on a long journey of once banned sport in metal; Symphonic orchestration and acoustic arrangements. Priest being known for making a different record each time, is not pulling any punches here neither. Everything from Euro-melodic symphonic metal to a couple of minutes Pink Floyd type passages is featured here. Piano, violins, Gregorian-gothic choirs, daring acoustic passages and every kind of guitar effects are used to their full potential. All of that mess was tied nicely by Halford’s majestic vocals and band’s clever arrangements. Long epics, mini melodic ballads to short instrumentals bombard listener no matter where he is on the record; so ready to be transported to a breathtaking tapestry of musical imagery and sonic gymnastics.

“Dawn of Creation” opens up this two hours plus mega opus with dramatic strings, piano, flute and some contemporary flavor added just for the taste. It builds up for full two minutes until it slams into the heavy “Prophesy” riffs and doesn’t let up until minute and a half long gothic filler “The Four Horseman” which turns into sinister “War”.
“Sands of Time/Pestilence and Plague” is really good display of Halford’s vocal power. Faster tempos and galloping Maidenesque rhythms with string section providing a backbone. True live crowd pleaser. Half of the song he babbles something in Italian.
Majestic “Alone” is first out of two sonic brilliance. Second one being David Bowie like “New Beginning”. Band is embarking on creative ballad journey not seen since their 70’s stuff or maybe never seen before. And of course the best rocker on the album goes to driving hammer “Persecution”. It really slams viciously into your metal psyche and doesn’t let up. This is what Priest is all about, and record is worth purchase just for these three. Title track is also not to be dismissed. It features one of the most vicious Halford’s “I am getting eaten alive” screams.

Scott Travis is way in the back on this record. I really have to be reminded that there’s a drummer present here. There’s so much melody on this album that really there’s no room for drums. Even though there are some groovers, this record is all about melody. No question about that. “Conquest” features brilliant solos and soaring vocals from the man.
This is not a metal record, but then again, it is. I really could not classify it.
There’s no comparing this record to any other Priest (or any other metal band for that matter). I guess if I had to compare this record to any, it would be Guns and Rose’s Using Your Illusion I and II. Not really musically, but just by the sheer volume of music and importance on the bands career. Just not as good as Illusions. Undertaking of project like this must be daunting process. Truly, record of epic proportions. It might take listener few months to swallow the whole thing trough.

There are more than enough rockers on the album, but they feel drowned in the sea of melody and mini epic balladry. For my taste, you could pick out ten excellent cuts from this album and make a truly unforgettable Priest album. Highlight of the album to me however are not rockers, but those mini intro ballads like: “Awakening”, “Peace” “Sands Of Time”, that reeks of early mystery goth ballads Preist is famous for.

I am going to also have to shave off whole point for production values and concept. Boy, those synth guitars Glenn and K.K grew found of since Turbo days are really ruining Priest sound. It weakens the power of the record big time. Judas priest as far as I’m concerned never had powerfully produced record and this one is no exception. Everything is produced well, except instruments that actually needed good production; like guitars and drums! Bass is also meatless. Come on guys. After four decades of making music, you can certainly afford good producer or at least add some meat to your guitar sound. Even though Priest is one of the heaviest bands to see live, their record are just getting destroyed by poor guitar production. And the concept album about Nostradamus. Yawn… That’s another half a point.

This is a record that’s full emotional outbursts, soundtrack worthy pieces and music imagery. It is so hard to judge record like this. My biggest complaints are production and the theme of the album. Taking into account that this is one of my favorite bands of all time, some clever arrangements, couple of really good Goth ballads, and sheer dedication of the band to the project , I will give it a strong 4 stars. This could be truly a masterpiece if production was better and if they tackled more serious theme. Having said all that, I will bet my right arm that this record will sound phenomenal performed live  which Priest is planing for next year.

The faves include: “Pestilence and Plague”, “Persecution” “Alone”, “New Beginnings” and title track.

Rating:

Track List

Act 1

1. “Dawn of Creation” * - 2:31
2. “Prophecy” - 5:26
3. “Awakening” * - 0:52
4. “Revelations” - 7:05
5. “The Four Horsemen” * - 1:35
6. “War” - 5:04
7. “Sands of Time” * - 2:36
8. “Pestilence and Plague” - 5:08
9. “Death” - 7:33
10. “Peace” * - 2:21
11. “Conquest” - 4:42
12. “Lost Love” - 4:28
13. “Persecution” - 6:34

Act 2

1. “Solitude” * - 1:22
2. “Exiled” - 6:32
3. “Alone” - 7:50
4. “Shadows in the Flame” * - 1:10
5. “Visions” - 5:28
6. “Hope” * - 2:09
7. “New Beginnings” - 4:56
8. “Calm Before the Storm” * - 2:05
9. “Nostradamus” - 6:46
10. “Future of Mankind” - 8:29

Album Lineup

* Rob Halford - vocals
* K.K. Downing - guitar
* Glenn Tipton - guitar
* Ian Hill - bass
* Scott Travis - drums

Wanna hear Nostradamous album in its entirity ? You can listen fuill alum streamed from here:

 Nostradamus - Full Album

Full review of Nostradamus coming soon…

Samples from every song off of Judas Priest’s upcoming Nostradamus album. Sounds very epic and promising. Halford voice never sounded this melodic.

Click here to listen.

Here’s a short 27 sec video of “Bye bye Beautiful” from Headliners May 30th 2008, Louisville KY. I will post some more pictures from the show later on tonight. it;s a Divx so you will need divx codec for Windows Media to watch it. Download it here.

nightwishvideo.avi

Sneak peak at the possible set-list. They’ve played following set-list in Finland last night, and it’s very possible they will be sticking with it throughout the year.Thank God “Living After Midnight” is gone from the set. If we could only get rid of “You Got Another Thing Coming”…

Intro - Dawn of Creation
Prophecy
Metal Gods
Eat Me Alive
Between the Hammer and the Anvil
Devil’s Child
Breaking the Law
Hell Patrol
Death
Dissident Aggressor
Angel
The Hellion / Electric Eye
Rock Hard, Ride Free
Sinner
Painkiller
——————————
Hell Bent for Leather
The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)
You’ve Got Another Thing Coming

Here’s some more photos from the show on the request.