Axl wore his most vile death metal shirt in an attempt to avoid being selected as a juror in this great City of New York, but lo and behold, his plan backfired and he was chosen anyway. So it’s been the Vince party over here since Wednesday with plenty of help from all of our most excellent contributors — special big ups to Anso DF for pitching in extra! Here’s what went down:

• We lost Riot guitarist Mark Reale. R.I.P.
• We premiered a new track by Pyscroptic, one by Exotic Animal Petting Zoo and all of Primal Fear’s new album Unbreakable.
• The Rockstar Mayhem Festival announced the first slate of bands on its 2012 lineup. Slipknot later spilled the beans that High on Fire are confirmed too.
• Ihsahn is guesting on the new Jeff Loomis solo joint and Jeff Loomis is guesting on the new Ihsahn solo joint. Will those two get a room already?
• The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Ben Weinman went all anti-drug on our asses.
• Tours and rumours of tours: The Mastodon / Opeth / Ghost tour is really gonna happen, Meshuggah, Decapitated and Baroness will hit the U.S. together (no dates yet), dates were announced for the Decibel Magazine Tour featuring Behemoth, Watain, The Devil’s Blood and In Solitude, while All Shall Perish, Fleshgod Apocalypse and other cool bands announced a tour too.
• Sammy O’Hagar reviewed Lamb of God‘s new album while Gary took a look at new hardcore 7-inches by Daylight, Unholy Majesty and Wrong Answer.
• We realized that Maynard James Keenan poops and pees and eats just like the rest of us.

We’ll be back next week for Axl’s triumphant return to the blogosphere. See you then.

-VN

All Shall Perish have announced their next headlining tour, and my snarky headline aside, the line-up is actually not at all terrible. I’m not a huge fan of The Contortionist or Conducting from the Grave, but I certainly don’t hate those bands, and it was nice of Carnifex to be volunteer to provide an intermission for fans with actual taste. And, really, my desire to support ASP and Fleshgod Apocalypse is such that I can forgive a couple of Between the Babies and Me bands on the bill. (That’s what I call bands who sound kinda like BTBAM but look like they’re eleven years old. In case you were confused.)

So, yeah. Go to this. Really, those two bands alone will make the price of admission totally worth it.

Here are dates, via Lambgoat:

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Decapitated’s MetalSucks-sponsored Carnival is Forever Tour with Decrepit Birth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Rings of Saturn hasn’t made it to New York yet, but I’ve heard nothing but good things — not shocking, given the line-up. A reader recently e-mailed me to say that he’d nearly broken his neck in the pit, and I always take near-death experiences as the sign of a good show. So, yeah, you need to go to this.

But in case you were somehow not convinced, you should check Sick Drummer‘s below drum cam footage of Decapitated skinsman Krihm playing the song “Pest” from Decapitated’s recent comeback album/the tour’s namesake/one of the best albums of 2011, Carnival is Forever. ‘Cause rarely is the phrase “Sick Drummer” as appropriate as when applied to Krihm.

I mean that’s so good it’s just silly, right?

Here are remaining dates on the trek:

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As those of you who have attended the first four nights of the MetalSucks-sponsored “Carnival is Forever Tour” featuring Decapitated have probably already noticed, The Haarp Machine haven’t been in attendance. It’s yet another example of a band from abroad not being able to get their U.S. work visas in time. Getting visas must seem simple to those who haven’t been through the process, as you’d think these bands have plenty of time to prepare. But let us tell you, even with several months notice and paid experts helping out, these things get caught up in bureaucratic red tape all too often as there are several government offices the applications need to pass through. Our government does not make it easy, unfortunately. Most of all this sucks for The Haarp Machine, who probably already booked and paid for flights, gear rental, van rental, etc, and now have to forfeit a good portion of that money.

Anyway, fear not: the tour is trucking on as planned for Decapitated, who still have the most-excellent lineup of Decrepit Birth, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Rings of Saturn in tow. Remaining dates after the jump.

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HELL YES. As previously announced, MetalSucks is proud to present the 2011 Carnival is Forever North American tour, Decapitated’s first headlining tour since releasing their mind-blowingly good comeback album, Carnival is Forever, this summer. And while the chance to see the always-incredible Decapitated alone should be enough to get your ass to a show, just to make extra, extra sure that this tour absolutely crushes, the band is brining along fellow death metal luminaries Decrepit Birth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Rings of Saturn, and The Haarp Machine for the ride.

And the tour starts TONIGHT in Rochester. This bill is unfuckwithable, and there is absolutely no way these shows aren’t gonna be SICK. Check out the complete itinerary after the jump and make sure you don’t miss your chance to go, ’cause you will seriously never forgive yourself if you do miss it.

Now here are those tour dates again:

Click to read more…

The latest edition of Metal Injection’s “Ask the Artist” series — in which various artists are asked one uniform question (See what they did there?) —  poses the query “What are the best and worst stage moves in metal?” to various bands that were on this summer’s two biggest metal tours — Mayhem Fest and Summer Slaughter.

And it’s a great question to ask, because it’s certainly one that seems to come up in metallic circles quite a bit. Just recently, a publicist told me she understood that I didn’t like one of her bands because they played too much “breakdowncore,” and I told her the breakdowncore was silly, sure, but not as silly as they choreographed stage moves they used for each and every song. So it’s interesting to hear the thoughts of the musicians who actually have to be extra-conscientious of stage moves themselves.

Not shocking — a lot of the bands, including Trivium and Fleshgod Apocalypse, poke fun at crabcore and general scene-friendly stage moves. More shocking: so do Oceano.

Check out more of Metal Injection’s “Ask the Artist” videos here.

-AR

via Badass

Reading the comments under our announcement of The Metal Suckfest has been a lot of fun — mostly because the predictions regarding which other bands will be on the bill have been so very, very wrong. Hopefully we’ll get to announce a few more bands next week, but in the meantime, you cats need to try harder and be a little more imaginative when speculating.

And while you do that, here’s how we kept ourselves amused this week:

• We debuted new music by Today is the Day, Monstro, and, thanks to our friends at Decibel, Skeletonwitch.
• We also debuted a new video by Venia.
• Intronaut’s Sacha Dunable and Borknagar’s Jens Ryland both weighed in on the Century Media/Spotify drama.
• We spoke to Chimaira’s Mark Hunter, Dead Letter Circus’ Kim Benzie, Trapped Under Ice’s Justice Tripp, and three of the dudes from Fleshgod Apocalypse.
• We checked out the latest release from Wizard Smoke.
• We examined the evolution of deathcore.
• We felt bad for the sixteen year old who just got fired from Design the Skyline.
• We got excited about the Black Sabbath reunion, until we found out that it’s not confirmed yet.
• We carefully examined the first promo photo of Metallica with Lou Reed.
• We continued to count down  31 Days of Faith No More.

Until next week… eat your vegetables, stay in school, don’t drink and drive.

-AR

Italy’s Fleshgod Apocalypse are the current winners of the Band I Had No Idea Was So Popular Award.  Every time they sneeze, we get a cavalcade of e-mails about it. And when they played as part of the MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour (remaining dates here) in New York last week, the venue was packed when they went on despite the fact that it was 3:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday and they were only the second band on the bill — and the crowd knew every song. I was, frankly, shocked.

But pleasantly so! Fleshgod Apocalypse are fucking great, and they deserve all of the success they’ve been experiencing as of late. I suspect that their new full-length, Agony (out now on Nuclear Blast), is going to wind up on a lot of year-end lists, and their live show absolutely does not disappoint. These dudes are the real deal.

So I was stoked to get to speak with guitarist/vocalist Tommaso Riccardi, guitarist/vocalist Cristiano Trionfera, and drummer Francesco Paoli a couple of hours after their Summer Slaughter set. After the jump, check out our chat about touring the U.S., breaking out of the Italian metal scene, the differences between American crowds and European crowds, their upcoming MetalSucks-sponsored tour with Decapitated, Decrepit Birth, The HAARP Machine, and Rings of Saturn, and more.

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Last week wasn’t as big for new releases as this week is going to be, but we did see respectable debuts from Trivium, Adrenaline Mob and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Let’s see how those albums — and more — sold last week, after the jump.

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New albums from Trivium, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Ceremony and thrash upstarts Diamond Plate get the Tuesday Treatment today. Let’s take a look at those and more after the jump:

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Here’s some news which ought to absolutely make your day: MetalSucks is proud to present the 2011 Carnival is Forever North American tour, Decapitated’s first headlining tour since releasing their mind-blowingly good comeback album, Carnival is Forever, last month. And while the chance to see the always-incredible Decapitated alone should be enough to get your ass to a show, just to make extra, extra sure that this tour absolutely crushes, the band is brining along fellow death metal luminaries Decrepit Birth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Rings of Saturn, and The Haarp Machine for the ride.

Yep. This tour is unfuckwithable. There is absolutely no way these shows aren’t gonna be SICK.

The tour kicks off in September. Get a full list of dates after the jump!

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A friend of ours recently posited that Fleshgod Apocalypse are to Death Cult Armageddon-era Dimmu Borgir as Hate Eternal are to Morbid Angel; when I asked him to clarify, he said, “Fleshgod Apocalypse is like Dimmu Borgir on good coke.”

I can get behind that description. It was certainly at the forefront of my mind while listening to the Fleshgods’ new song, “The Egoism,” which is now streaming here (player is in the upper right hand corner). I’ve yet to hear a FA song I didn’t like, but this might be my favorite yet, and its incorporation of orchestral elements does certainly blow anything Dimmu — or any other band like-minded band — have done in some time. And I have a special feeling about Agony… if the band is already on the map, I could see this recording upgrading their status from being a pin someone stuck in that map to being an actual location printed on that map. Agony could be for them what From Mars to Sirius was for Gojira.

Headbang here, then agree with me wholeheartedly in the comments section. Agony comes out August 9 on Nuclear Blast. And don’t forget that Fleshgod Apocalypse will be on the MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour, along with The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Dying Fetus, Six Feet Under, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, Powerglove, and Within the Ruins. Get dates here.

-AR

We may have gotten a bunch of reader e-mails about the new Fleshgod Apocalypse video, but you know how many we got about the new Immolation video, for the title track from last year’s A Glorious Epoch? None. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Again, I’m not taking issue with Fleshgod Apocalypse, who I think are great, but… c’mon, folks! IT’S IMMOLATION!!! Show some respect. Not only does this song absolutely CRUSH, but director Tommy Jones did a nice job with the clip, even if it isn’t really anything you haven’t seen before.

A Glorious Epoch is out now on Nuclear Blast. Hey, that’s the same label that’s putting out the new Fleshgod Apocalypse album!

-AR

I didn’t quite realize how popular Fleshgod Apocalypse have already become until we were flooded with e-mails regarding the band’s new video, “Violation,” last night. Not that I’m totally taken aback by out readership’s passion for these Italian stallions or anything — not only is the Salvatore Perrone-helmed clip really good, but the song slays, too. Definitely makes me excited to hear the rest of the group’s new album, Agony, which comes out August 9 on Nuclear Blast.

And do not forget!!!  Fleshgod Apocalypse will be on the MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour, along with The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Dying Fetus, Six Feet Under, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, Powerglove, and Within the Ruins. Get dates here.

-AR

I have a serious case of the Mondays. Happy Humpday! TGIF! Whatever, I don’t give a fuck. Here are today’s hottest new music streams:

• Brooklyn Vegan is streaming “By Which We’re Cemented” from Flourishing’s bruising new effort The Sum of All Fossils. Churning, roiling, intense and ugly are just some of the adjectives I’d use to describe Flourishing’s brand of post-hardcore bludgeoning. The band’s first full-length album will come out on August 2nd via The Path Less Traveled Records.

Click to read more…

Italian purveyors of awesome awesomeness Fleshgod Apocalypse have released the cover art for the their forthcoming Agony, and I gotta say, I’m really digging it. It was created by Marco Hasmann, who also did their covers for Mafia and Oracles, and its aesthetic is just the right mix of polished and homemade, if that makes sense.

Agony comes out August 9 on Nuclear Blast. Fleshgod Apocalypse will be part of this year’s MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour along with The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Dying Fetus, Six Feet Under, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, Powerglove, and Within the Ruins. Get dates here.

-AR

I finally had to make myself stop listening to The Black Dahlia Murder’s new album, Ritual, on such a regular basis (e.g., twice a day for however many days since I’ve had it), because as a blogger I have a responsibility (or something) to listen to a wide variety of metal releases in order to discuss them on the site (or so I’m told).

My point being simply that the album is good to the point of total fucking distraction, and you should be prepared to be totally fucking distracted upon its release. And one such way to prepare yourself is to watch the twelve-minute-plus “making of” video the band has released to Bloody Disgusting. There’s some cool shit in there — Shannon Lucas being the sick drummer we all know him to be, Ryan Knight putting half the other guitar players in modern metal to shame, a live, real, flesh and blood violinist recording the album intro, and, of course, no small amount of BDM tomfoolery.

The video isn’t embeddable, but you can watch it by clicking on the below screen cap of guitarist Brian Eschbach’s ass forever traumatizing Jason Suecof’s dog, Stinky.

Ritual comes out June 21 on Metal Blade, and then TBDM hit the road to headline the MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour along with Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, As Blood Runs Black, Oceano, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Powerglove, and Within the Ruins. Get dates after the jump!

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As regular readers are aware, I’m usually dead-set against cover albums, which tend to feature meaningless, generally inferior versions of great songs the listener already owns in their original, classic forms.

But I’m willing to give Dying Fetus the benefit of the doubt that if they’ve made a covers album, it’s worth listening to. They’ve earned that much. Why? BECAUSE THEY’RE DYING FUCKING FETUS, that’s why. Duh.

So. In celebration of both their twentieth anniversary and their stint on the year’s edition of the MetalSucks-sponsored Summer Slaughter tour, this July the  band will release History Repeats…, which will not only feature the band re-imaging tracks from some of death n’ grinds finest (Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Bolt Thrower, etc.), but will also feature “Rohypnol,” a brand new song. You might know rohypnol as “roofies,” or “the date rape drug.” So this tune is probably a charming power ballad in the vein of Bon Jovi’s “Bed of Roses.”

History Repeats… comes out July 19 on Relapse, and is limited to 5,000 copies. You can get it a f.y.e. stores, or just pre-order it directly from Relapse.

The full track list for this bad mother is after the jump, along with those Summer Slaughter dates. Other bands on the bill are The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, Oceano, Fleshgod Apocalypse, As Blood Runs Black, Powerglove, and Within the Ruins.

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Remember when this year’s Summer Slaughter (which we’re sponsoring!) was announced, there was this fan poll to determine who the last band added to the bill should be?

Well, Within the Ruins have been announced as the winners! They’ll join The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, Darkest Hour, Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus, As Blood Runs Black, Oceano, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Powerglove for all dates on the trek. Our own Dave Mustein wrote of the band, “WTR don’t suck live; their performance is nearly as good as on record, which is pleasantly surprising due to the ferocious technicality of their music.” So the band’s presence should just enhance your Summer Slaughter excitement.

Here are dates again, in case you need ‘em:

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When I was growing up, summer Slaughter meant a hot July night listening to Mark Slaughter complain about Vinnie Vincent’s body odor between songs at your local Enormodome. But life in America is awesomer now (not srs) and Summer Slaughter now means extreme metal piled eyeball-high and ballz-deep, plus your chance to make kissy faces at Mike Schleibaum, not Dana Strum. And since MetalSucks is an official Summer Slaughter sponsor, you can give us your thanks for the fun. We’ll pass them on to the other sponsors, promise. Dates after we jump you:

Click to read more…