Metal Blade News

Metal Blade News Update

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AMON AMARTH to celebrate 20th anniversary with five special shows!

Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH will celebrate their 20th anniversary with five special shows which will take place this August in Germany, Poland and Holland.

The band states, "We will perform two whole sets containing songs from our entire career and we will also arrange a meet-and-greet on all shows."

"An Evening With – 20th Anniversary Shows" will include the following dates:

05/08/12 – DE – Chemnitz – Südbahnhof
07/08/12 – PL – Warsaw – Progresja Club
14/08/12 – DE – Saarbrücken – Garage
16/08/12 – NL – Utrecht - Tivoli
17/08/12 – DE – Hamburg – Markthalle

Released in March 2011 via Metal Blade Records, Surtur Rising is AMON AMARTH's eighth studio offering in a winding discography that's helped shape the very face of epic, Viking-inspired death metal. Named in tribute to Surtur, leader of the fire giants of Muspelheim ("flame land") and the oldest being in the nine worlds of Norse mythology, the record was recorded, mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren and bears the striking cover art by Tom Thiel.

http://www.surturrising.com
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialAmonAmarth
http://www.myspace.com/amonamarth
http://www.amonamarth.com
http://twitter.com/amonamarthband
http://www.victoriousmerch.de

DARKEST ERA launch videoclip for 'An Ancient Fire Burns' exclusively via bloody-disgusting.com!

UK/Ireland tour with Alestorm to start this week!

DARKEST ERA have launched their first ever video clip for An Ancient Fire Burns taken off their Metal Blade debut The Last Caress of Light exclusively via Bloody-Disgusting.com. Surf over HERE to check out the clip!

Comments guitarist Ade Mulgrew: "An Ancient Fire Burns is a song about primal instincts and desire; and in this video we used a narrative that we really hope will grip people. It´s an old school buried-alive-in-coffin concept that compliments the themes in the song. We also shot the band's performance by torchlight in a 1000 year old monastery, once plundered by Vikings. It was a great setting and really adds to the atmosphere in the video."

DARKEST ERA will support ALESTORM on their Useless Drunken Bastards UK and Ireland tour in February 2012!

The tour kicks off in Plymouth this Saturday and zigzags all over the country before finishing up in Norwich's Waterfront two weeks later. Catch them here:

ALESTORM
+ CLAIM THE THRONE
+ DARKEST ERA
04/02/12 – UK – Plymoth- White Rabbit
05/02/12 – UK – Stoke On Trent- Green Star
06/02/12 – UK - Sheffield - Corporation
07/02/12 – UK – Bristol - The Fleece
08/02/12 – UK – Southampton – The Cellar
09/02/12 – UK – Manchester – Moho Live
12/02/12 – IE – Dublin – The Pint
13/02/12 – UK – Leicester – The O2 Academy
14/02/12 – UK – Brighton – The Haunt
15/02/12 – UK – Wrexham – Central Station
16/02/12 – UK – Leeds – The Well
18/02/12 – UK – London - Islington Academy
19/02/12 – UK – Norwich – Waterfront

DARKEST ERA
+ MAEL MORDHA
27/04/12 – IE – Dublin – The Pint
28/04/12 - UK – Belfast – The Limelight

The Last Caress of Light was recorded at Foel Studios in Wales and released early 2011. The result are eight tracks of dark, stormy, epic Celtic Metal with which mix the melancholy and atmosphere of Irish Folk with the epic might of heavy metal bands such as Warlord, Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy. The album stands out from all else as a record of intense emotional power and honesty; holding the listener within a dark heavy metal storm and not letting go until the last chords have rung out.

DARKEST ERA is:
Krum - Vocals
Ade Mulgrew - Guitar
Sarah Wieghell - Guitar
David Lindsay - Bass
Lisa Howe - Drums

http://www.myspace.com/darkestera
http://www.facebook.com/darkestera
https://twitter.com/DarkestEra
http://www.youtube.com/darkesteraofficial

IN SOLITUDE to tour with AMON AMARTH in UK and Ireland in March 2012!

IN SOLITUDE will join AMON AMARTH and Grand Magus on their spring tour that kicks off in Glasgow on March 13, 2012.

The Swedish outfit return after destroying at their debut UK show at Live Evil in October 2011 and catching the eye of labelmates AMON AMARTH who were looking to bring an intense package to the UK and Ireland.

IN SOLITUDE has been declared "one of the hottest new metal acts around" by Decibel Magazine while Metal Hammer described the band as "Structurally and melodically complex, densely layered yet dynamic and fluid, often enthralling, always engaging, this is a metallic Feast."

The band's Metal Blade debut, The World.The Flesh.The Devil was released in May 2011 and stands as a "trad-metal charge of Iron Maiden with doom metal's ironclad grey" according to Kerrang! Magazine.

Additionally, Terrorizer heralded The World.The Flesh.The Devil as their "album of the month" in issue #210.

AMON AMARTH
+ GRAND MAGUS
+ IN SOLITUDE
13/03/12 – UK – Glasgow – ABC
14/03/12 – UK – Beflast – Mandella Hall
15/03/12 – IE – Dublin – Vicar Street
16/03/12 – UK – Wolverhampton – Civic
17/03/12 – UK – Prestatyn – Hammerfest (only Amon Amarth)
18/03/12 – UK – Cardiff – Solus

IN SOLITUDE will play on the 17th of March as support of ANGEL WITCH and GRAND MAGUS at the Relentless Garage in London!

Tickets available at http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/

After these dates IN SOLITUDE will head to the USA where they join Behemoth, Watain and The Devil's Blood on the Decibel Magazine tour in April.

IN SOLITUDE are:
Hornper: Vocals
Niklas Lindström: Guitar
Henrik Palm: Guitar
Gottfrid Åhman: Bass
Uno Bruniusson: Drums

http://www.metalblade.com/insolitude
http://www.myspace.com/insolitudeheavymetal
http://www.facebook.com/insolitudeofficial

KING DIAMOND confirmed for Sweden Rock Festival and Hellfest in France!

Legendary Heavy Metal band KING DIAMOND has now been confirmed for this year´s editions of Sweden Rock and Hellfest, two of the most prestigious summer festivals in Europe!

A video message from KING DIAMOND himself in which he announces his band´s appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival can be seen HERE!

KING DIAMOND
09/06/12 – SE – Sölvesborg – Sweden Rock Festival
15/06/12 – FR – Clisson – Hellfest

KING DIAMOND underwent open-heart triple-bypass surgery in November 2010. He made his long-anticipated return to the stage with his MERCYFUL FATE bandmates Hank Shermann, Timi Hansen and Michael Denner on December 7, 2011 at the second of four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of METALLICA's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

http://www.covernworldwide.org
http://www.facebook.com/kingdiamondofficial
http://www.myspace.com/kingdiamond

PILGRIM premiere new song on "Misery Wizard" on Pitchfork.com!

PILGRIM will be launching the title track from their debut album, Misery Wizard, today on the popular music destination, Pitchfork.com. Fans can preview the 10 minute + doom epic HERE. Rhode Island's PILGRIM are the latest addition to the Metal Blade roster via Alan Nemtheanga's imprint, Poison Tongue Records. The doom trio consists of: Krolg Splinterfist, Slayer of Men on drums, Count Elric the Soothsayer on bass guitar and The Wizard on guitar and vocals.

Misery Wizard is available for pre-order on www.metalblade.com/pilgrim now and will be released in Europe on January 27th/30th, 2012.

In other news PILGRIM are confirmed to play the Heavy Days in Doom Town Festival, which takes place between May 3rd and May 6th, 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. PILGRIM also confirmed to play a club show in Oslo on the 2nd of May!

PILGRIM
02/05/12 – NO – Oslo – Klubbscenen Chateau Neuf
03-06/05/12 – DK – Copenhagen – Heavy Days in Doom Town festival

http://www.metalblade.com/pilgrim
http://www.facebook.com/hailthepilgrim
http://www.youtube.com/pilgrimofficial

UNEARTH introduces Nick Pierce as their new drummer! A whole bunch of summer festivals confirmed!

Fans that have seen UNEARTH live on their recent trips to Alaska, Japan and on their US and Canadian tour with Chimaira, may have noticed a new face on stage. The guy behind the kit has been none other than up-and-coming drummer, Nick Pierce.

Nick Pierce is a self-taught drummer who's been playing since age 10. He grew up playing for local bands in the Seattle/Tacoma area (Culling the Weak, Eterna Nocturna, Embalmed) as well as LA based band The Faceless. Nick first sat in behind the kit for UNEARTH in May of 2011 during their two show trip to Alaska. UNEARTH discovered Pierce on YouTube where he had been covering Unearth songs, among many other bands, on a series of videos on his YouTube channel.

Vocalist Trevor Phipps adds: "Nick is a beast of a drummer and a great guy to hang with. I look forward to jamming with him around the world for years to come." Guitarist Buz McGrath compliments Pierce and says he has a "Great attitude, energy and the knowledge that we can throw the most insane riffs at him and he can create and adequately perform next level beats for said riffs makes it a little easier to sleep at night."

Nick Pierce shares his excitement about joining UNEARTH: "I've been a fan of Unearth for many years and I'm excited to shred with a great group of guys and support our fans."

A live video of Pierce performing "Watch It Burn" live on tour has been made available on Metal Blade TV HERE. Drum aficionados and fans should subscribe to Pierce's youtube channel for more drum videos, as well as a new eight-minute extended drum solo, which can be seen HERE.

UNEARTH have also just confirmed a number of summer festivals, don´t miss their energetic live shows at these fine festivals:
29/04/12 – BE – Meerhout – Groezrock
16/06/12 – FR – Clisson – Hellfest
17/06/12 – DE – Sulingen – Reload Festival
22/06/12 – BE – Dessel – Graspop Metal Meeting
01/07/12 – DE – Rojtzschjora – With Full Force
02/08/12 – DE – Wacken – Wacken Open Air
17/08/12 – DE – Dinkelsbühl – Summer Breeze

I spring UNEARTH will be touring as direct support of mighty HEAVEN SHALL BURN!

PROGRESSION TOUR 2012
presented by Impercion.com, Metal Hammer, Fuze, Slam,in-your-face.de
HEAVEN SHALL BURN
+ UNEARTH
+ RISE TO REMAIN
+ NEAERA
+ special guest
20/03/12 – FR – Paris – Petit Brain
21/03/12 – DE – Köln – Live Music Hall
22/03/12 – DE – Hamburg – Markthalle
23/03/12 – DE – Dresden – Alter Schlachthof
24/03/12 – CH – Pratteln – Z7
25/03/12 – DE – Würzburg – Posthalle
26/03/12 – DE – Hannover – Musikcentrum
27/03/12 – PL – Posen – Blue Note
28/03/12 – DE – Stuttgart – LKA Longhorn
29/03/12 – IT – Romagnano Sesia – RNR Arena
30/03/12 – AT – Graz – Orpheum
31/03/12 – DE – München - Theaterfabrik

Darkness In The Light, the latest studio album from Massachusetts metal heavyweights, UNEARTH, landed at #72 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, #14 on the Billboard Top Independent Album chart, and #7 on the Billboard Top Hard Music Albums chart. In addition, Darkness In The Light came in at #42 on Canada's Top 200 chart, #5 on the Hard chart and #44 on the Digital Albums chart.

Chart entries don't stop here though; Darkness In The Light hit the official German Album charts coming in at position #99 and also entered the Media Markt/Saturn charts in Germany coming in at position #68!

http://www.darknessinthelightalbum.com/
http://www.unearth.tv
http://www.facebook.com/unearthofficial
http://twitter.com/unearthofficial

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