I‘m a simple man – I hear that Geoff Tate is playing Operation: Mindcrime in full, and I go. I’m not hard to please, and we’ve already been over the fact that I love this album and that getting to experience it in full is something special. Everyone know’s it’s perfect, right? In the event that it’s news to you, Operation: Mindcrime is kind of a big deal and is highly regarded as a classic by heavy metal/prog metal standards. Geoff Tate toured to celebrate the album’s 30th (!!!) anniversary last year and the party’s still going in 2019. In a time when everyone’s playing albums in full, rarely is it appropriate for an album of this significance to be performed.
Louisville’s FLAW has been a mainstay in the hard rock/metal scene for over twenty years. With Chris Volz at the helm, the band has been touring the country nonstop. FLAW’s latest release, VOL IV: Because of the Brave, hits hard with a heavy sound apt for headbanging. Amid the rocking hooks, the band offers songs with a mixture of personal, patriotic, and heartfelt lyrics. The new album drops on July 19, 2019, via Pavement Entertainment.
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of THE CULT‘s seminal album SONIC TEMPLE. To celebrate the anniversary, Beggars Arkive will release THE CULT: SONIC TEMPLE 30 on September 13. It will be released as a deluxe box set and a 5-CD set, plus the label will reissue a Sonic Temple on Double LP, which has been out of print for over 20 years.
In between writing sessions for a new album due in 2020, Anthrax – Joey Belladonna/vocals, Charlie Benante/drums, Scott Ian/guitars, Frank Bello/bass, and Jonathan Donias/guitars – have been traveling the world this first half of 2019, supporting Slayer on numerous dates of its Final World Tour, and playing major music festivals in Australia, South America, all parts of Europe, and Japan.
Swedish hard rock trio MONOLORD announce headlining European and US tour dates throughout the Fall. First, MONOLORD will tour Europe from September 28 through October 26 with Firebreather. The following week, the band heads to the states from November 5 through 27 with Blackwater Holylight. All confirmed tour dates are available below.
Victory Records is excited to announce the signing of hardcore icons CRO-MAGS, led by founder Harley Flanagan. The pioneering NYC band release a three track EP today featuring “Don’t Give In,” “Drag You Under” and “No One’s Victim” – the first new, official CRO-MAGS music since 2000’s ‘Revenge’ album. CRO-MAGS feature Flanagan on lead vocals/bass, guitarists Gabby Abularach, Rocky George (Suicidal Tendencies, Fishbone), and drummer Garry “G-Man” Sullivan. Flanagan explains, “In late 2018 I went into the studio to start working on a new CRO-MAGS album. After recording the first few songs, I got a strange phone call in the middle of the night that turned out to be from Tony...
Los Angeles-based heavy metal quintet HOLY GRAIL are getting ready to hit the road this summer. The band will be joined by veteran thrash metal outfit Striker for a North American trek, with Bewitcher providing support on all dates. The upcoming tour kicks off on July 12th in Phoenix, AZ and wraps up on August 4th at The Viper Room in Hollywood, CA. Holy Grail continues to tour on the strength of their widely celebrated 2016 studio album, “Times of Pride and Peril.” A complete list of dates can be found below.
Florida death metal legends OBITUARY announce headlining fall tour dates throughout North America with Abbath. The 24 date tour begins September 27 in Baton Rouge, LA and ends October 25 in Atlanta, GA. Additional support by Midnight and labelmates Devil Master. Tickets are on sale Friday, June 28th at 10am local time. All confirmed tour dates are available below.
