Evil Bells aka Slay Bells by guitarstevecc

I’m not one for Christmas music, but I enjoyed the above doom interpretation of an Xmas classic very much. Click “play” while you catch up on this morning’s news:

• Tool have announced the opening acts for their string of winter 2012 dates… and it’s wonky stoner-prog outfit Intronaut (as rumored) on the first half of the tour and doom metal titans Yob on the second half! It’d be easy enough for Tool to take out a commercial hard rock band because their agent or manager said so, an established act that could help put some butts in seats, or no one at all… but nope, they march to their own drum and chose Intronaut and Yob, two acts that will seem completely out of left field to most of Tool’s fanbase. That’s Tool for you; just one of 1,697 reasons I love this band so much.
• Paganfest will come back to America in spring 2012 for its third U.S. incarnation. Despite the pagan/folk metal trend being long over, Paganfest III actually features a really cool lineup: Turisas, Alestorm, and Ex Deo are the bigger bands, and they’ll take along with them Arkona and Huntress, neither of whom I know much about. Get dates here.
• Gwar’s Oderus Urungus and Balsac the Jaws of Death review the new Spielberg movie War Horse for NextMovie.com on video.
• Alternative Press readers have chosen Asking Alexandria’s Ben Bruce as “Guitarist of the Year” for 2011. MetalSucks editors have nominated Alternative Press readers as having the “Worst Taste in Metal” for eternity.
• Gory death metal vets Exhumed have posted their entire live set from Maryland Deathfest 2011 on NPR’s website. Stream it here. And oh hey look at who wrote that article! (hey hey)

Actually, I don’t know the folks in Turisas, so maybe they are batshit crazy. I mean you probably do hafta to be a little wonky in the brain to say “Okay, let’s dress like that.” But I’ve never heard them say anything about Jews being responsible for all the wars of the world, or women being raped by packs of, uh, people with high levels of melanin content, or that What Women Want was a good idea for a movie, so for now, I’ll assume they’re relatively sane.

So what’s the real Mel Gibson connection here? Well, Turisas’ new video, “Stand Up and Fight,” is more-than-paying homage to the Mad Max films, which, in case you somehow don’t know, were directed by George Miller and starred Gibson. (The franchise is getting rebooted with Inception‘s Tom Hardy in the title role next year, because now everything gets rebooted.) In fact, it’s the Mad Max parts of the video that really work — the performance footage stuff is pretty standard. I’m sure budget was an issue, but it’s hard not to wish that this entire video was nothing but post-apocalyptic mayhem.

“Stand Up and Fight” is the title track from Turisas’ latest release, which is now on Century Media.

-AR

[via Bloody Disgusting]

It’s Alyssa Lorenzon for the win… again! This time the MetalSucks Goddess of Photography captured some killer pics of Cradle of Filth, Nachtmystium, and Turisas when they played the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey earlier this month. As always, Alyssa’s photos will make you feel like you were at the show, even if — sad for you! — you weren’t. Check ‘em out after the jump…

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It’s a big week for metal releases. Children of Bodom, Destruction, The Human Abstract, Turisas, and Rival Schools are this week’s heavy hitters, while new ones from Agnostic Front, Maruta, Jag Panzer, Swamp Thing and more give hardcore a surprisingly robust showing. After the jump, all the goods:

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Admit it: this picture makes you SO FUCKING HAPPY.

Recently, my friend sent me a YouTube link to a Bee Gees cover group. Excuse me, tribute band. That is the proper way of addressing them, as Mark Wahlberg taught us in Rock Star. I don’t like the Bee Gees. I don’t like disco. Disco is kind of terrible. Disco blows dogs for quarters. Disco is never amazing, especially not when KISS attempt it. To say I was a little confused would be an understatement. But my friends aren’t totally clueless to what I listen to, so I gave it a shot. It turned out it was a heavy metal Bee Gees tribute band. Okay, it was a little bit awesome. Weirdly enough, it worked. I only like thin-voiced men screeching when accompanied by equally high-pitched guitars, and that’s basically what heavy metal “Stayin’ Alive,” was. I turned it off about halfway through because, well, I still have my limits, but it kind of makes you stop and go, “Huh!” Metal just makes everything sound better.

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[UPDATE: And a new Crowbar song!! Listen to "Let Me Mourn" here.]

I know we told you that we’re done bloggingg for 2010, but the metal train keeps on a rollin’ and there’s some killer new music out there you need to hear!

Ex-Periphery frontman Chris Barretto — who recently recorded a cover of STP’s “Wicked Garden” with The Binary Code — has a new band called Ever Forthright. One listen to Ever Forthright and you won’t be surprised that they chose a former member of Periphery to front their band, as they’ve certainly got a shared sonic template, but Ever Forthright are a whole lot more experimental in their harmonic choices than Periphery. There’s some really legit jazz-ish noodling, dissonance, and chaos here. Think djent meets Dillinger Escape Plan. Ever Forthright have two new songs available for streaming on their Soundcloud page, and some other ones at MySpace. For what it’s worth I think Barretto was a great choice for this band, and it’s good to hear his voice again. [Thanks: Randy Gatto,

One of the few pagan/folk metal bands worth caring about, Turisas, are giving away a free download of the title track from their forthcoming record Stand Up and Fight. Turisas (or, more accurately, probably Century Media) really want you to spread the word about the track and are requiring a Tweet or Facebook update on your part to download it which is super annoying, but I’m guessing the track’s already up on YouTube — as is par for the course these days – if you want to bypass that step. The track isn’t full of the over-the-top madness I’ve come to expect from Turisas but is absolutely solid; Turisas are one of those bands that are best experienced live anyway. Stand Up and Fight comes out on March 8th in North America and in late February most everywhere else (aka it’ll be available on the Internet by late February, latest).

Brooklyn alt/post-metal trio Goes Cube — who are appearing on our free NYC Sucks digital compilation to be released in January and February — have released two slammin’ new songs. I haven’t actually listened to the new songs yet but I assume they’re slammin’ because their 2009 The End Records debut Another Day Has Passed kicked all kinds of ass. The songs are available via Coextinction Recordings for a total of $2.99 where you can also hear samples of both. Look for a new Goes Cube record via The End in 2011.

-VN

In case Agalloch and Electric Wizard weren’t enough to get you pumped this Monday morning, video footage of Turisas performing a new song, “The March Of The Varangian Guard,” has now surfaced. The material is nothing new for Turisas, but it’s not like the world couldn’t use another epic battle metal song that makes you wanna clap, fist pump, drink, rape, and pillage. I mean, life is short and you gotta enjoy the little things, y’know?

Here’s the video. Vocalist Mathias Nygård rambles in Finnish for the first couple of minutes, so if you’re like me and you’re impatient and don’t speak Finnish to boot, just skip to 2:16, when the song starts.

This song will presumably be on Turisas’ next album, which should be out next year on Century.

-AR

[via]

This song gets stuck in my head at least twice a year. I don’t know why.

So yeterday Cradle of Filth announced a North American headlining tour in support of their new album, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, and people seem to be put-off by the support acts — namely Nachtmystium and Turisas (Daniel Lioneye are also on the bill, but for whatever reason, no one seems to be put off by that). Longtime MetalSucks Mega-Maniac Shinaain writes, “I was little taken aback… Should I be?” Reader Stephen Parker, meanwhile, cries out “WHY!?” MS columnist Nocturno Cultowitz, after disappearing for weeks and weeks without response to any of our e-mails, actually called me to predict that either Blake Judd would murder Dani Filth by the conclusion of the tour, or otherwise Nachtmystium would be kicked-off the tour for attempting to murder Dani Filth.

But I think you guys are looking at this at all wrong. Cradle of Filth are a gateway band! And the kids at their shows are highly likely inclined to enjoy a) some form of black metal, and b) bands with a certain theatrical flair. Well, Nachtmystium meets one of those criteria, and Turisas meet the other. Will Nachtmystium go over CoF fans’ heads? I honestly don’t know. Cradlers (or whatever the fuck they call themselves) might be really open to a song like “No Funeral” in a way that some tr00 kvltists have not been. And I think they’ll eat Turisas up. So one way or the other, I imagine that opening for CoF will garner both Nachtmystium and Turisas at least some new fans. And at the end of the day, isn’t that a good thing? Don’t we want awesome music to reach as many ears as possible? It’s not like they’re opening for Limp Bizkit or ICP or whatever.

Dates after the jump, courtesy SMN.

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I don’t know about you kids, but the inaugural run of Paganfest USA was the most fun I had at a show all year in 2008. Turisas, Ensiferum, Eluveitie and Tyr absolutely killed it, and the entire room was pumping their fists in the air to every song. And, oh yeah, we drank copious amounts of booze. My only regret: I didn’t wear a Viking costume.

Fortunately for me and my Viking gear, Paganfest USA will live on in 2009! Dates have yet to be announced, but the 2k9 incarnation will include Primordial, Eluveitie, Moonsorrow and Blackguard. See you there!

-VN

Did you miss Paganfest, aka the best tour of 2008? Fret not, for Turisas, the highlight of the bill, are releasing a DVD that brings you back… but better. A Finnish Summer With Turisas chronicles not the band’s first tour of North America but their Summer 2008 jaunt of their native Finland, in which legions of adoring fans foisted their beer steins in the air and partied down with rowdy folk metal anthems nightly. If only we shoudl be so lucky.

Fortunately for you, you get a new video for “Battle Metal 2008″ right now; check it out below, then buy the DVD when it comes out in North America on November 25th (and in other territories just prior — dates after the jump.)

-VN

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Anyone who went to the U.S. incarnation of this year’s pagan/folk metal festival Paganfest will tell you that it was positively one of the best, most fun concerts of the year so far (see also: live footage!). And anyone not smoking crack (and perhaps a few that do) will tell you that Eluveitie was one of the most exciting bands on the bill (no disrespect to Turisas, Ensiferum and Tyr who were also awesome. Well actually, Tyr was kind of a sleeper.) Eluveitie’s recent Nuclear Blast release Slania also happens to be one of my favorite records of the year, so when I was offered the opportunity to email a bunch of questions to Eluveitie mastermind Chrigel Glanzmann (vocals, mandola, acoustic guitar, tin and low whistles, uilleann pipes, gaita) I jumped at the chance. Chrigel shared his thoughts about the burgeoning pagan/folk metal movement, the obscurity of (and place in metal of) the hurdygurdy, the recent departure of Sevan and Rafi from the band, and the new (all acoustic!) album that is in the works. Read the interview after the jump.

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The MetalSucks sponsored super awesome fantastic Paganfest may be over, but if you missed it (or just wanna re-live a drunken night of heathen glory), our bro-bros over at Metal Injection have some awesome live footage from the final tour stop at B.B. King’s here in NYC.

Below, check out Turisas stealing the show with their rendition of “Rasputin.” Then head over to Metal Injection for more super duper sweet clips of Ensiferum, Eluveitie, and Tyr. And don’t forget to check out Vince’s recap of the night’s shenanigans!

-AR

The sense of community at the final stop of Paganfest USA — featuring Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr, and Eluveitie — was unbelievable. These kinds of bands attract a very specific type of metal fan; perhaps a tad nerdier, weirder and a smidge smarter than the average bunch. After all, anyone who goes to watch a bunch of grown men dressed in fur loin cloths and full body-makeup play European folk songs in metal form can’t take their metal too seriously. But everyone in attendance at the sold out show at New York City’s BB King’s was there to fucking get down. Sadly I didn’t see any viking hats, but everyone had their beer steins raised high and kept them there all night long. There was a palpable feeling of excitement in the room — separate from the very obvious mass drunkenness — and everyone there was enjoying the hell out of these excellent bands in the most primal way. Excited chants of “hey! hey! hey! hey!” along with the beat, and fervent chants of each band’s name in unison were prevalent all night long. In short, the inaugural run of Paganfest was absolutely fucking awesome. This was one of the most fun metal shows of the year by far. After all, isn’t it supposed to be fun?

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So from what I hear, Paganfest has been a colossal success thus far. I think more of you should be writing in and telling us how awesome this tour is, ’cause a) we’re co-sponsors of the tour and we like to think everything we touch turns to metal and b) we won’t get to go until the last night of the tour here in NYC, so we need to live vicariously through you cats.

Below is some more awesome live footage of Turisas, this time playing Paganfest’s stop at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, California on May 7, 2008. And below that is the itinerary for all remaining dates on the tour, because for many of you, it’s not too late to go. And tell ‘em Axl, Vince and Kip sent ya.

9 May 2008 Fat City San Francisco, California
10 May 2008 The Vault Long Beach, California
11 May 2008 The Cell Block Phoenix, Arizona
12 May 2008 Chics El Paso, Texas
13 May 2008 The Launchpad Alburquerque, New Mexico
14 May 2008 Crush Lounge Tulsa, Oklahoma
15 May 2008 Ridglea Theater Fort Worth, Texas
16 May 2008 The White Rabbit San Antonio, Texas
17 May 2008 Java Jazz Houston, Texas
19 May 2008 The Masquerade Atlanta, Georgia
20 May 2008 Volume 11 Raleigh, North Carolina
21 May 2008 Crocodile Rock Allentown, Pennsylvania
22 May 2008 BB Kings Blues Club New York, New York

-AR

So the MetalSucks co-sponsored Paganfest has commenced, and by the looks of the below footage of Turisas performing “Rasputin,” the fans are responding, um, positively.

Who would have ever thought that dancing the jig would have a place in the pit? Take that, karate-chopping asswipes of the world!

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After the jump, watch more footage by and of overly excited Paganfest fans, learn the true meaning of the phrase “Fuck the guitar solo,” and get a complete tour itinerary so that you can attend a Paganfest gig near you. ‘Cause if you don’t go, we’re sending Turisas to rape and pillage your hometown.

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Well, the tour we’ve all been excited about since November,  the MetalSucks co-sponsored Paganfest, start tonight, and guess what? The first date, at The Opera House in Toronto, is apparently already sold out!

And is it any surprise? This tour has four amazing bands – Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr and Eluveitie – that are gonna make you want to chug mead from a stein, smack the bar wench on the ass, and then throw your arm around your buddy for a good old fashioned sing along. Nothing homoerotic about that.

Check out the Paganfest America MySpace page for more info. In the meantime, the complete tour itinerary is below. When it comes to this tour, make Harold and Kumar’s trip to White Castle your models: no matter how far you have to travel, no mater what treacherous terrain you must traverse, no matter what obstacles you must overcome, GET YOUR ASS TO ONE OF THESE SHOWS. And tell ‘em MetalSucks sent ya.

25 Apr 2008 The Opera House Toronto, ON – CANADA
26 Apr 2008 Medley Montreal, QC – CANADA
27 Apr 2008 The Palladium Worcester, Massachusetts
28 Apr 2008 Jaxx Springfield, Virginia
29 Apr 2008 Peabody’s Down Under Cleveland, Ohio
30 Apr 2008 Harpo’s Detroit, Michigan
1 May 2008 Chicago Powerfest (Pearl Room) Mokena, Illinois
2 May 2008 Station 4 St. Paul, Minnesota
3 May 2008 Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, Colorado
5 May 2008 Studio Seven Seattle, Washington
6 May 2008 Hawthorne Theater Portland, Oregon
7 May 2008 The Boardwalk Sacramento, California
8 May 2008 House of Blues Hollywood, California
9 May 2008 Fat City San Francisco, California
10 May 2008 The Vault Long Beach, California
11 May 2008 The Cell Block Phoenix, Arizona
12 May 2008 Chics El Paso, Texas
13 May 2008 The Launchpad Alburquerque, New Mexico
14 May 2008 Crush Lounge Tulsa, Oklahoma
15 May 2008 Ridglea Theater Fort Worth, Texas
16 May 2008 The White Rabbit San Antonio, Texas
17 May 2008 Java Jazz Houston, Texas
19 May 2008 The Masquerade Atlanta, Georgia
20 May 2008 Volume 11 Raleigh, North Carolina
21 May 2008 Crocodile Rock Allentown, Pennsylvania
22 May 2008 BB Kings Blues Club New York, New York

-AR

Here’s the video for Eluveitie’s new single,”Inis Mona.” It comes off of their latest album, the super awesome Slania, which is in stores now, and which I can virtually guarantee is better than any other new European melodic death metal album you might buy between now and May.

Yeah, I said it.

In case you somehow missed the 8 trillion other posts we’ve written about it, Eluveitie will join Turisas, Ensiferum, and Tyr and on this spring’s Paganfest USA tour, which MetalSucks is proudly co-sponsoring. That means that you should, like, totally go.

A complete list of tour dates to follow after the video…

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Their disco balls, that is.

OH! Rimshot!

This video, about the making of Turisas’ clip for “Rasputin,” is possibly even more entertaining than the finished product itself… although it does ruin the illusion that these cats dress like pagans all the time.

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You can watch the finished video for “Rasputin” here.

After the jump, find the obligatory tour itinerary for Paganfest USA, featuring Turisas, Eluveitie, Tyr and Ensiferum.

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Fuck yes, dude! The final itinerary for this spring’s Paganfest America has been released. 26 dates, 26 chances to throw on your dead animal hide and party like it’s 1999 B.C. with a killer bill that includes Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr and Eluveitie. I gotta tell you, I’m so excited about this tour that I actually tried to hit my girlfriend over the head with a large branch and drag her to the bedroom. Sadly for me, she managed to get ahold of the branch and, well, let’s just say that Uncle Axl now knows better than to try that kind of thing without wearing a cup.

ANYWAY, above, enjoy the video for “Rasputin” by Turisas; after the jump, find a complete list of tour dates. And, oh yeah, don’t forget to check out the Paganfest America MySpace page for more info!

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As the sure-to-be-awesome Pagangest America tour grows ever closer, one of the bands on that trek, Eluveitie, have posted a new song, “Inis Mona,” on their MySpace page. The song comes from the band’s forthcoming new album, Slania, which drops February 15 on Nuclear Blast.

And don’t forget that Eluveitie will hit the road as part of Paganfest America starting in April, joining Ensiferum, Turisas, and Tyr on what is sure to be a tour too crazy for the Common Man who doesn’t understand the simple pleasures of raping, pillaging, wearing dead animal skins and generally behaving in a manner that my parole officer claims is “anti-social.” Check back here often for updates or you can head on over to the Paganfest America MySpace page.

-AR