Tredegar DVD on the way

According to the TREDEGAR Official MySpace page:

There is to be a new Tredegar DVD launched. As well as early concert footage, the DVD will also feature rare never before seen interview footage, and an all new documentary and one to one with Ray Phillips. Stay tuned!

Ray Phillips' website has more info:

In addition to the unreleased film of Tredegar playing live at the Chislehurst Caves in London on 31st October 1983, other footage to be considered for release includes the promo film for ‘Duma’ which was filmed on the 27th June 1986, various film clips shot for TV from the same year, and also a very rare film of Tredegar performing Sabre Dance with a youth choir.

I went to see Tredegar about this time at The Red Lion in Northfleet near Gravesend, now called Leos. I took some photos - not sure where they are now, but will try and dig them out and if they are any good, I might put them on Flickr.

Ray Phillips is recording a solo album, due for release later this year.

Heaven and Hell - new single

The new single from Heaven and Hell (Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice), Bible Black can be heard on Noisecreep (there is a little media player in the middle of the page).

…Noisecreep has gotten its hands on "Bible Black," the first single from 'Heaven and Hell.' The molasses-thick riffs, slow-burning tempo, and Dio's instantly engaging vocal melodies hit hard and will surely silence the naysayers who doubted the band still had the fury to pull off such a heavy statement. If this song is any indication of what lies ahead for us, 'The Devil You Know' is going to be one ugly bastard of an album!

The album The Devil You Know is released on 28 April.

Better 'The Devil You Know'

…is the title of the forthcoming Heaven and Hell album, according to BLABBERMOUTH.NET. The new CD which is due to be released on 28 April features Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi (guitar), Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums).

Metallica to headline Knebworth

There were rumours a few months back that Metallica would headline a festival at Knebworth this summer. On Monday this week Blabbermouth carried details of Sonicsphere festivals taking place throughout Europe, with Metallica headlining each one.

The band will headline the Knebworth Sonicsphere on Sunday 2 August, while Linkin Park headline on Saturday 1 August. Mastodon and Lamb Of God have also been confirmed as playing, others to follow.

Happy Birthday dear 'nuh-wobbum'

The Guardian's Roy Wilkinson has written an article on the 30th anniversary of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. NWOBHM, or 'nuh-wbbum', which saw the likes of Saxon, Iron Maiden and Diamond Head as leading lights of the genre, was heavily influenced by the punk scene and went on to influence many of today's leading metal bands, such as Metallica.

Metallica have often payed homage to Diamond Head, recording a version of Am I Evil as a B-side to the Creeping Death single in 1984, and playing the song live for many years. They also recorded Helpless (Garage days EP, 1987) and It's Electric (Garage Inc CD, 1998).

Wilkinson spoke to Brian Tatler, singer with Diamond Head, about the royalties he received from Metallica covering Diamond Head's songs:

I lived with my parents until I was 33. Then the money from Metallica let me put a deposit on a house. It was the only way I would have been able to do that. God bless Metallica - and God bless the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, I suppose.

Some of the bands from NOWBHM days are still playing today, including Girlschool and Saxon, who are about to release their 27th album (Into the Labyrinth, Universal Records ). Diamond are to release a 3 CD box set later this year.

Welcome back to Hell

What a find! In a moment of NWOBHM nostalgia, I tried a search for "Venom Seven Dates of Hell" on YouTube yesterday and there it was - all ten songs from the 1 June 1984 Hammersmith Odeon gig. It was orginally released on VHS and I think that is where xyz8472 got it from.

I was there. No, really, I was. I remember it being one of the loudest gigs I have ever been too, with plenty of pyro and the odd guitar being smashed up. My old mate Steve the Postman, was a huge Venom fan and had a copy of this video.

For those who may not be familiar with the band, this is the intro from the biography on their website:

Venom, the original inventers and founders of Black Metal, the creators of Thrash, Speed, Death and Power Metal, the deadliest force ever to hit the music scene, the original sinners playing the Devil's music at its highest intensity, the ultimate Rock n' Roll band, Venom.

Iron Maiden - 'Maiden Heaven'

Iron Maiden invited 15 of their favourite bands to record covers of Iron Maiden songs for a tribute CD to be given away with Kerrang! with the 19 July issue.

Kerrang! ran a competition for its readers to design cover artwork for the CD. The competition was won by Felipe Franco of Bogota, Colombia.

Machine Head who recorded Hallowed Be Thy Name for the CD, played it at the Rock in Rio festival in Portugal on 5 June.

Headbangers set to invade Prestatyn Sands

Pontins at Prestatyn Sands is to host the Hard Rock Hell II Festival this December. Budgie and Hawkwind confirmed to play. Report on BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

Over to you Nic.

How to be Metal

After all, it doesn't hurt to be reminded.

Thanks to Nic for this:



Warning, this clip does contain some rather 'fruity' language, which may offend some viewers.

Scars on Broadway track

System of a Down's guitarist, Daron Malakian, has made the 1st track from his new band, Scars on Broadway, available on the band's website. It is called 'They Say'. System's drummer, John Dolmayan, is also in the band.

Sabbath reunion. Is it on or off?

Kerrang! Ozzy on the Sabbath reunion

You know what, if it happens, it happens, if it don't, it don't," he told the Sydney Morning Herald. "They're [saying], 'I'll be able to do it', then a week after, you get a phone call, 'it's off'.

I'm glad at the end of the day we all made friends again.

And so am I.

Ozzfest 2008 to hit London in July?

Kerrang! reports that there is strong rumour that Ozzfest will be coming to London's O2 Arena on 19 July.

Serj interview on NZ TV3

Blabbermouth - interview with Serj Tankian on New Zealand's TV3.

The Tygers are back!

Blabbermouth reported on the Tygers of Pan Tang's forthcoming new album, Animal Instinct, with tentative track listing and some footage from a recent gig:



Looks like Rob Weir on guitar is the only original member left.

Forget Top Cat…

…here's the Sabs



Thanks to Simon for this one!

Don't hold your breath

From BLABBERMOUTH.NET - System of a Down guitarist, Daron Malakian, has told MTV.com that Scars On Broadway, the band he formed with SOAD drummer, John Dolmayan, is not a side project:

There's no talk of SYSTEM doing anything," Malakian told MTV.com. "We're not planning on doing anything. If anyone's holding their breath for a SYSTEM record, they're going to turn blue and pass out. It's a long ways away, if it ever even happens. We don't even talk about it — none of us. This is my band right now.

The Scars On Broadway album is due for release after the summer.

Update from Lars - update

This week Metal Hammer says:

reports that the release of METALLICA's new album has been delayed again, according to the band's record label. The band's ninth studio CD is now expected to hit the stores in September. Originally METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich said it would be out in February, then the release was pushed back to April.

Good grief!

Update: Justpressplay has this update from the record label:

Update (1.23.08): In response to Stereo Warning's previous news bite, Metallica management told The Pulse of Radio that the disc has not been "delayed" since there "has never been an actual release date." As for when the record was likely to surface, the representative said, "It will be out when it's ready."

Many are saying that the last time the band spent this long in the studio, they released the Black album. I was hoping for something more like Master of Puppets myself.

The Bolties are recording too!

Brit Death Metal outfit Bolt Thrower are currently writing material for a new album:

If you're wondering why there hasn't been a lot of BT news for a while, that's because we are still in writing mode for the new album, which we plan to record in the summer. And during the break between the recording and mixing of the album, we will play our only festival of the year.

Unfortunately, the festival happens to be Party.San Metal Open Air Festival in Bad Berka, Germany on 7-9th August. Hopefully, they'll a few UK dates to promote the album.

Metallica for Reading 08?

Metal Hammer reported that there are rumours that Metallica and Rage Against the Machine may be playing The Reading and Leeds Festival this year:

Here are some rumours we've heard with regards to who might be playing the Reading/Leeds festivals this year.

Reading Festival - Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th August 2008
Main Stage >> Friday 22 August >> Rage Against The Machine - strong rumour
Metallica - strong rumour >> unknown day
My Chemical Romance - rumour >> unknown stage >> unknown day
NoFX - strong rumour

Update from Lars

According to Metal Hammer, the February issue of Revolver Magazine has an interview with Lars Ulrich, who talks about the forthcoming new Metallica album:

There's a lot of light and shade in these songs. There's heavy, fast, nutty stuff, and then there's some slowdowns and musical interludes. It's pretty different from 'St. Anger', and it's pretty different from the 'Load' stuff. This stuff is not the one-dimensional punch in the face that 'St. Anger' was.

Okay, let's have less talking about it, and get the damn thing out!