An anonymous reader sent me the below video, and I didn’t look at the title before I clicked the link. So my first thought was that the band in the clip was Sonic Syndicate. (My second thought was, “Edsel Dope is in Sonic Syndicate now?”) This band is not Sonic Syndicate, though — they’re called Amaranthe, because there’s nothing more metal than purple flowers. But can you blame me for my mistake? Like Sonic Syndicate, Amaranthe play terrible re-swede that makes me wish the members of In Flames had never been born; like Sonic Syndicate, Amaranthe clearly have more interest in fashion than originality; and like Sonic Syndicate’s last horrendous video, this was directed with sleek Hasbro movie visuals by Patric Ullaeus.

Anyways, this is something of a super group. Drummer Morten Løwe used to be in The Arcane Order, and plays on the new Mercenary album, which is not as bad as I thought it would it be but isn’t very memorable, either; clean vocalist Jake E. Lundberg (the Dope-y looking one) was in Dream Evil (although after Gus G. left the band — in other words, after I stopped paying attention to Dream Evil); and female vocalist Celine Dion, of course, previously appeared in the movie Titanic, where she starred as the iceberg that sinks the ship. I don’t know why I needed to tell you that these people have done other things during their careers, I just thought I should point it out before some smart-ass in the comments section did.

-AR

We were pretty devastated when Mercenary suddenly shed 50% of their line-up last November; you’re talking about not only a band that Vince and I have spent countless hours rocking out to, but one of the only power metal (or semi-power metal, I guess) bands that I actively enjoy.

But in January the band announced their new line-up, and now there’s a video of new drummer Morten Løwe laying down drums for their new album. And because I love Mercenary, and because Løwe has been in The Arcane Order, I am choosing to be optimistic and predicting that the new Mercenary album is going to rule. IT’S GOING TO RULE, I SAY!

No idea when this album is coming out… but we will be following its development closely.

-AR

[via Metal Underground]

Half these dudes ain’t even in the band anymore!

No, I don’t mean that our favorite Dutch Danish [Sorry! -Ed.] power-death metallers are making a crabcore album – at least, they’re not as far as I’m aware.

No, I’m referring to the fact that Mercenary are handling their decimated line-up situation not just by hiring new members, but by shifting some old ones around, too. The band have announced not only the addition of new drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen to their ranks, but that bassist René Pedersen – who has also handled the band’s screaming/growling/non-singing vocals up since 2006 – will now step up to the plate to take the place of departed clean vocalist Mikkel Sandager, too. A statement from the band reads:

Click to read more…

If 2008 was the year of Gojira, then 2009 will most certainly be the year every new band looking for some traction starts saying they sound like Gojira. Especially bands from France. Take recent Metal Blade-signees END. (all capitals, followed by a period. not to be confused with The End, the Tool soundalikes from Canada, or The End Records, based right here in New York). A press release announcing the signing informs us that “Much like fellow homeland heroes Gojira, END. pull off a signature sound that can immediately be picked up by the metal critics.”  Sheesh, I guess they have my number!

Click to read more…

Buried in a Metal Injection review of the Arcane Order’s recent release In the Wake of Collisions (which we also wrote up) was this excerpt taken from the Metal Blade Records press release that accompanied the album:

Metal Blade Records is starting to release ‘Digital Only’ releases, which means these releases will only be available to consumers as digital albums and will not be carried as physical releases in stores. What this means for you is basically that you will only receive these releases as digital downloads to check out for review or interview consideration. We will not be making up physical copies to service as we will not be making physical copies up for sale.

This is pretty big news. Given, The Arcane Order isn’t exactly a huge band and Metal Blade probably wouldn’t attempt this (YET!) with releases from higher profile bands like As I Lay Dying or The Black Dahlia Murder — but still, this is a big, bold step forward. The digital market isn’t prevalent enough yet that labels have been willing to risk foregoing CD sales dollars, but it seems that for lower profile acts it makes sense. Money saved on manufacturing and shipping costs is money that can be spent on marketing. It also encourages fans to share music they like with their friends, and though some might argue that this cuts into sales — and perhaps it does — I think that the sales it cuts into are negligible for a low-profile act (people seem to forget that we’ve been burning copies of CDs for our friends for years, and dubbing tapes before that). Furthermore I believe that the value of spreading the music outweighs whatever lost sales there may have been, especially for a newer band.

And apparently, so does Metal Blade. It’s not easy being the first and it takes a fair amount of balls to do so. Metal Blade should be commended for this revolutionary, forward-thinking new way of doing business. Watch as the rest of the record label world follows suit.

-VN